Cross-Device Capability Menu with Distinct Icons
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of devices without certain functions are unaware of the availability of these functions in nearby devices, leading to missed opportunities for utilizing those capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that compares capability information across multiple devices, extracts functions not sufficiently provided in one device but available in another, and creates a menu for the first device to display these capabilities using distinct icons and device information indicating their availability in the second device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a menu for plural devices is created and sent to each device with icons for functions not provided being hidden or made unselectable, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the loss of information occurs because users are not informed of capabilities available in other devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by displaying icons in different colors to indicate their selection status. Specifically, icons representing functions available in the current device are displayed in a first color that can be selected, while icons representing functions only available in other devices are displayed in a second color that cannot be selected. This visual differentiation through color changes allows users to immediately understand which functions are available locally and which require accessing another device, thereby preventing information loss while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by introducing a control unit that manages the display and selection logic between the user and the multiple devices. The control unit acts as a mediator by receiving user selections, determining whether the selected function is available in the current device or another device, and then either executing the function locally or switching to the appropriate device. This intermediary control mechanism enables seamless access to functions across devices while maintaining a unified and easy-to-use interface.
2Ease of operation
If a menu for plural devices is created and sent to each device with icons for functions not provided being hidden or made unselectable, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the productivity decreases because users cannot access functions in nearby devices efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves as an intermediary that automatically handles the complexity of cross-device function access. When a user selects a function icon, the control unit determines whether the function is available in the current device or another device, and if in another device, it automatically switches to that device and executes the function. This intermediary automation eliminates the need for users to manually search for or navigate to other devices, thereby maintaining ease of operation while significantly improving productivity by enabling efficient access to distributed functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements universality by creating a unified menu interface that presents all functions available across multiple devices in a single location. The control unit manages the multi-functionality by coordinating between different devices, allowing users to access any function regardless of which device it resides on. This universal access approach maintains operational simplicity while enhancing productivity by consolidating the function discovery and execution process into a single efficient workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus includes an extractor, a creator, and a sender. The extractor compares items of capability information concerning plural devices and extracts a capability which is not sufficiently provided in a first device but is provided in a second device. The plural devices include the first and second devices. The creator creates a menu to be used in the first device. The first device is able to display the capability extracted by the extractor by using an icon in a mode different from an icon representing another capability and to display device information which indicates that the capability is available in the second device. The sender sends the menu to the first device.