Dynamic Application Overview Interface for Small Screens

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reduced-size personal electronic devices face challenges in effectively displaying and interacting with application information due to their small screen size, making it impractical to view full application interfaces, and there is a need for efficient methods to provide users with relevant information without launching the application.

Innovation Solution

A method is implemented on electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays to detect contacts and display user interface screens representing applications, including affordances for launching and interacting with applications, using contextual data and contact intensity to determine the appropriate level of interaction, such as displaying overview screens or launching applications based on user input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If full application interfaces are displayed on reduced-size devices, then complete information is provided to users, but the device screen size becomes insufficient and usability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication information completenessVSAvoidusability on small screen

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the application interface into multiple components: a condensed overview display showing key information elements, and a full application interface that can be accessed when needed. The overview screen divides information into manageable sections that fit the small form factor while maintaining accessibility to complete functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If applications are launched fully to view information, then complete interaction capability is provided, but device resources and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteraction capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by providing a condensed overview mode that displays essential application information without launching the full application. Users can view and interact with key features in this reduced state, and only launch the complete application when deeper interaction is required, thereby conserving energy for essential operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If multiple application overviews are displayed simultaneously, then user productivity increases, but cognitive burden increases due to information overload

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser productivityVSAvoidcognitive burden

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by customizing the overview display to show different information prioritizations for different applications based on their specific characteristics and user needs. Each application overview is tailored to highlight locally relevant information while maintaining a consistent overall interface structure, reducing cognitive load through context-appropriate information presentation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10254948B2Reduced-size user interfaces for dynamically updated application overviews

Publication Date: 2019.04.09 APPLE INC

AI summary

An electronic device with a touch-sensitive display can detect a contact with the display, and in response to detecting the contact, the device can display a user interface screen representing a corresponding application. The user interface screen can include an affordance for launching the application, and a set of information obtained from the application, where the set of information is updated in accordance with data from the application.