Multi-Display Cursor Highlighting for Slow-Refresh EPD Screens

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electrophoretic displays (EPDs) suffer from significant drawing delays due to low refresh rates, which degrade operability, especially when using a pointing device for operation input, leading to cursor delays and afterimages that hinder accurate target coordinate identification.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that identifies a target display device from multiple displays with different speeds and displays a cursor more prominently on devices with lower refresh rates, using a system device to enhance visibility of the cursor on slower displays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by stationary object

If an electrophoretic display (EPD) is used as a display device, then power consumption is reduced and visibility is improved, but drawing delay increases due to low refresh rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidrefresh rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple display devices with different characteristics (EPD for power efficiency and high-speed display for responsiveness) into a single system, allowing the system to leverage the advantages of both device types simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a pointing device is used for operation input on an EPD, then operation flexibility is improved, but cursor visibility deteriorates due to delay and afterimages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation flexibilityVSAvoidcursor visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a high-speed display device as an intermediary layer that receives cursor position information from the host system and displays the cursor with high responsiveness, while the EPD continues to display the main content with its power-efficient characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the display function into two parts: the EPD displays static or slowly changing content (power-efficient), while a separate high-speed display device displays dynamic elements like cursors (responsiveness-efficient)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12493440B2Information processing apparatus, information processing system, control method, and program

Publication Date: 2025.12.09 LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a system device that, based on operation information input from an input device, identifies a target display device. The target display device is a display device as an object of display, from a plurality of display devices having different display speeds and target coordinates, which are coordinates in the target display device, based on operation information input from the input device, and displays a cursor at the target coordinates. The system device displays the cursor more prominently for a target display device having a display speed not higher than a predetermined speed than for a target display device having a display speed exceeding the predetermined speed.