Curved Display Surface for Automatic Item Positioning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user interfaces lack the ability to automatically control the movement of items on a display without user input, particularly when items are located in unstable regions, leading to user frustration and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A user interface system that logically divides the display into areas of stability and instability, using a controller to manage item movement, allowing items to automatically relocate from unstable to stable areas without user intervention, mimicking physical motion based on the display's contours.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If the display surface is made uneven to create areas of stability and instability, then automatic item movement control is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic item movement controlVSAvoiddisplay surface structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display surface is designed with curved regions of varying radius to create areas of stability and instability. Items placed on these curved surfaces automatically move toward stable regions due to the geometric properties of the curvature, eliminating the need for complex active control mechanisms while achieving automated item positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of operation

If items are allowed to move automatically without user input, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of information increases due to unintended item relocation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interaction burdenVSAvoiduser intent

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the display surface are assigned different geometric properties - stable regions with larger radius of curvature and unstable regions with smaller radius. Items automatically move from unstable to stable regions, but remain stationary within stable regions unless deliberately moved by user input, thus preserving user intent while providing automated assistance for initial positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the display is divided into multiple stable and unstable areas, then item movement control is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem movement controlVSAvoiddisplay area division

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display surface incorporates multiple curved regions with different radius characteristics to create a landscape of stability and instability. This geometric approach provides versatile item movement control across different display areas without requiring complex electronic or mechanical systems, as the curvature itself guides item motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP2446343B1User interface

Publication Date: 2019.09.04 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

Figure 1~2B
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8

AI summary

An apparatus comprising: a display configured to display a user movable item (20); a controller configured to logically divide the display into one or more areas of stability (28) and one or more areas of instability (30), and configured to control movement of the item (20) in the display in response to user input when the item is located within an area of stability (28) and configured to automatically control movement (M) of the item (28) in the display towards an area of stability (28) without user input when the item is located within an area of instability (28).