Low-Power Display Gesture Control for Portable Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays face challenges in efficiently managing power consumption and user interaction, particularly in low-power states where quick access to information is desired without fully awakening the device.

Innovation Solution

The method involves detecting specific gestures on a touch-sensitive display to progressively illuminate and display informational icons, allowing users to access necessary information without fully powering up the device, using a combination of touch, spatial, and audible inputs to control the display's brightness and content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the display is fully illuminated to show information, then the user can access information quickly, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation access timeVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The display is partially illuminated rather than fully illuminated. When a gesture is detected in low-power state, the system illuminates only the portion of the display needed to show informational icons (such as notification counts, weather, time) rather than activating the entire display. This partial action allows users to access essential information quickly while consuming significantly less power than a full display illumination would require.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the device remains in low-power state, then power consumption is minimized, but user interaction capability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiduser interaction capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses gesture detection on the touch-sensitive display to automatically trigger the progressive illumination sequence. When a user touches or gestures on the display while it's in low-power state, the system self-initiates the information display process without requiring the user to fully wake the device. The gesture itself serves as both the input mechanism and the trigger for the information display, allowing the system to remain in low-power state while still providing interactive information access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The display transitions dynamically between low-power and active states based on user interaction. Rather than having a fixed state, the display can progressively illuminate from a low-power state to show information, and then return to low-power state when the gesture ends or information is dismissed. This dynamic state transition allows the system to adapt its power consumption and interaction capability in real-time based on user needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Use of energy by moving object

If the display is progressively illuminated during gesture detection, then power consumption is reduced, but the information display is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidinformation completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The information display is segmented into hierarchical levels. The first level shows essential informational icons (notification counts, weather, time) that are displayed during progressive illumination in low-power state. If the user continues the gesture or fully wakes the device, additional information layers can be revealed. This segmentation allows the system to display the most critical information with minimal power consumption while preserving the capability to show complete information when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display are activated with different levels of illumination quality based on their importance. Critical information areas (such as notification icons, time, weather) are illuminated with sufficient brightness during partial display mode, while non-critical areas remain dark or are illuminated at lower intensity. This local quality differentiation ensures that essential information is clearly visible while minimizing overall power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2817888B1Electronic device and method of controlling a display
Publication Date: 2021.10.06 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2817888B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2817888B1 patent drawingFigure 2~5
  • EP2817888B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

A method includes entering, by a portable electronic device, a low-power condition and while in the low-power condition, detecting an input. In response to detecting the input, a cover image is displayed. An application image is progressively revealed along with movement of a gesture while reducing display of the cover image.