Directional Pinch Resizing for Precise Touchscreen UI Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional user interface control on touch-sensitive displays of mobile devices lacks precise control over resizing user interface elements due to limited screen size, requiring users to accurately touch small edges for resizing, which is inefficient and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
Implementing directional pinch gestures that determine the direction of the gesture to resize user interface elements horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, allowing users to select and resize elements without needing to touch their edges directly, and using position-aware resizing to center the elements for better viewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional touch control is used to resize user interface elements, then users can interact with the interface, but precise control over resizing is difficult due to limited screen size requiring users to accurately touch small edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces pinch gestures as an intermediary mechanism between user input and interface element resizing. Instead of directly touching small edges of interface elements, users perform pinch gestures on the display surface, and the system interprets these gestures to control resizing. This intermediary gesture system bridges the gap between limited screen real estate and the need for precise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional direct touch on element edges to two-dimensional gesture-based control. Pinch gestures can be performed anywhere on the display and control resizing through gesture parameters (distance, direction, speed) rather than requiring precise positioning on small element boundaries, effectively adding a dimensional layer to the control mechanism.
2Productivity
If users need to touch small edges directly for resizing, then resizing can be controlled, but the operation becomes inefficient and cumbersome on small screens
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically interprets and processes pinch gestures to perform resizing operations without requiring users to manually navigate to or touch specific edges of interface elements. The system self-adjusts the resizing behavior based on gesture parameters, making the operation more efficient and less cumbersome.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of directly touching and dragging element edges with a gesture-based control system. Instead of mechanical interaction with element boundaries, users perform natural pinch gestures that the system translates into resizing commands, improving operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method is provided for a computing device to perform user interface control based on a pinch gesture. The computing device includes a touch-sensitive display. The method may comprise: displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface that includes a user interface element, which occupies part of the user interface and is selectable for resizing, and detecting, on the touch-sensitive display, a pinch gesture for resizing the user interface element within the user interface. The method may further comprise: determining a direction of the pinch gesture; and based on the direction of the pinch gesture, resizing the user interface element horizontally, vertically or diagonally within the user interface.