Dynamic Column Layout Adjustment via Edge Gesture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user interfaces for electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are cumbersome and inefficient for manipulating applications with a changing number of columns, leading to a significant cognitive burden and energy wastage, particularly in battery-operated devices.

Innovation Solution

A method and interface that allows users to dynamically change the number of columns in an application region by detecting user inputs starting at the top of the application region and moving towards its edge, enabling the display of additional columns while maintaining existing ones, thereby optimizing screen real estate and user interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional mouse-based inputs are used to select user interface objects and perform actions to display different information in columns, then the application can manipulate column content, but the process becomes tedious and creates significant cognitive burden on the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of column manipulationVSAvoidcomplexity of input sequence

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes the number of columns displayed in the application region based on the direction of the user input gesture. When a user input moves in a first direction, the system adds a third column while maintaining existing columns. This dynamic adaptation allows the interface to respond fluidly to user intent without requiring complex selection sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical mouse-based clicking and selecting system with a touch-sensitive surface gesture system. By detecting user inputs that start at a location and move toward an edge of the application region, the system substitutes the cumbersome mouse-based object selection mechanism with a more intuitive directional swipe gesture that directly triggers column display changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If conventional methods are used to manipulate user interface objects to change column displays, then the application can update information, but the process takes longer than necessary, thereby wasting energy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of column adjustmentVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of the user input gesture direction before executing the column display change. By detecting the direction in which the user input moves across the touch-sensitive surface, the system prepares to add or remove columns proactively, rather than requiring multiple sequential mouse clicks. This preliminary action reduces the total time required for column manipulation and minimizes energy consumption by executing the operation in fewer steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables rapid column adjustments by skipping the intermediate steps of object selection and menu navigation required by conventional mouse-based systems. The directional gesture directly triggers the column display change, allowing the user to rush through the column manipulation process efficiently. This skipping of intermediate steps significantly reduces both time and energy requirements for column adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Quantity of substance

If the number of columns is increased to display more information, then the application region can show more content, but the screen real estate must be optimized to maintain existing columns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of information displayedVSAvoidscreen real estate

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system manages screen real estate by dynamically adjusting the layout dimensions when changing the number of columns. When a third column is added in response to a user input moving in a first direction, the system redistributes the horizontal space across all columns to maintain optimal viewing area for each. This dimensional adjustment allows more information to be displayed across multiple columns while preserving adequate screen real estate for each column's content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11275499B2Device, method, and graphical user interface for changing a number of columns of an application region

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 APPLE INC

AI summary

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at a device with one or more processors, non-transitory memory, a display, and an input device. The method includes displaying, on the display, a first column and a second column in an application region. The method includes detecting, via the input device, a first user input that starts at a location at a top of the application region and moves toward an edge of the application region. The method includes, in response to detecting the first user input, changing the number of columns displayed in the application region, wherein changing the number of columns displayed in the application region includes, in accordance with a determination that the first user input was in a first direction, displaying a third column in the application region while maintaining display of the first column and the second column in the application region.