Contextual Data Display via Selection Movement Direction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) face inefficiencies in displaying contextual data, requiring significant user input and being unsuitable for touchscreen devices, as they often conflict with pre-assigned input gestures and are not adaptable across different input methods.
Innovation Solution
A GUI that displays contextual data based on the direction a selection article (like a mouse or finger) is moved while selecting a data element, allowing for reduced input requirements and compatibility with various input methods, including touchscreens, by accessing and displaying contextual data as the selection article is moved and removing it when no longer selected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If explicit navigation approach is used to display contextual data, then the GUI can display contextual data separately from the data element, but it requires significant user input and leads to inefficient use of computing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically detecting and displaying contextual data as soon as the user selects a data element, without waiting for additional explicit commands. The contextual data is fetched and prepared in advance based on the selected data element's characteristics, eliminating the need for multiple sequential user inputs and improving both ease of operation and computing resource efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If progressive disclosure approach is used to display contextual data, then the GUI can display identifiers for different contextual data, but it still requires significant user input and explicit close commands
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically managing the display of contextual data without requiring user intervention for opening or closing. When a data element is selected, the system autonomously determines which contextual data to display based on the selection criteria, and automatically hides the contextual data when the data element is no longer selected, eliminating the need for explicit close commands and reducing GUI interaction complexity.
3Ease of operation
If hover approach is used to display contextual data on touchscreen displays, then the GUI can display contextual data without additional input, but it conflicts with pre-assigned input gestures and is difficult to implement on mobile devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by differentiating the interaction behavior based on the specific characteristics of the selected data element and the user's selection action. Instead of using a universal hover approach that conflicts with touchscreen gestures, the system adapts its behavior locally to match the specific input method used (tap, slide, or other touchscreen interactions), thereby maintaining compatibility with pre-assigned gestures while still enabling contextual data display.
4Area of stationary object
If contextual data is displayed alongside the data element, then the display space is utilized efficiently, but the display area becomes crowded and harder to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the display into distinct regions: the main data element display area and the contextual data display area. The contextual data is displayed in a separate, non-overlapping region that becomes visible only when needed, allowing efficient use of display space while maintaining clear separation between the main content and supplementary information, thus preserving display navigation ease.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved graphical user interface (GUI) is disclosed herein. A computing device displays the GUI on a display. The GUI comprises a data element. The computing device receives a first indication that the data element has been selected within the GUI by a selection article. As the data element remains selected, the computing device receives a second indication that the selection article has been moved in a direction. As the data element remains selected, the computing device displays contextual data for the data element on the display. The contextual data displayed may be based upon the direction in which the selection article was moved. Responsive to receiving a third indication that the data element fails to remain selected by the selection article, the computing device removes the contextual data from the GUI.