Dynamic Icon Highlighting for Preference Control Search
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users, especially novice users, face difficulties in locating specific preference controls within complex computer systems as the number of preference panes and controls grows, and changes in organizational schemes due to new operating system versions can disorient them, leading to frustration and time-consuming searches.
Innovation Solution
A search capability that allows users to enter search terms to dynamically highlight relevant icons and preference panes, providing a training mechanism to learn the locations of controls and resources over time, with varying highlighting degrees based on certainty, and automatic updates without requiring manual activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of preference panes and controls increases to accommodate growing computer system complexity, then the system's functionality and capabilities are improved, but users' ability to locate specific controls deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs search and highlighting functions without requiring users to manually navigate through preference panes. The search field automatically processes user input and highlights relevant icons, eliminating the need for users to manually explore the complex preference hierarchy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical navigation (clicking through preference panes) with an automated information retrieval system. Users type search terms instead of manually browsing, and the system uses text processing and visual highlighting to substitute for manual exploration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If preference controls are reorganized in new operating system versions, then the system's adaptability is improved, but users' familiarity with control locations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-processes and indexes all preference control information, enabling rapid retrieval when users search. This preliminary organization allows the system to quickly adapt to new versions by simply updating the index rather than requiring users to relearn navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The search system provides immediate visual feedback by highlighting relevant icons as users type. This real-time feedback mechanism helps users quickly locate controls regardless of organizational changes, reducing the time needed to adapt to new versions.
3Reliability
If users manually search through preference panes to locate controls, then comprehensive search capability is achieved, but the time and effort required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the search function from manual user action and implements it as an automated system. The search field automatically processes queries and highlights results, separating the time-consuming manual browsing task from the user while maintaining comprehensive search capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses visual highlighting (color changes) to indicate search results. This visual cue system allows users to quickly identify relevant controls without manually examining each preference pane, dramatically reducing search time while maintaining reliability.
4Ease of operation
If a search field is added to help users locate controls, then ease of operation is improved, but the interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The search field serves multiple functions: it accepts user input, processes search queries, and triggers visual highlighting. This multi-functionality justifies the addition of the search element by providing substantial operational benefit relative to the minimal interface addition.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a search capability to allow a user to easily locate a preference control, file, folder, control, or other system resource or data item associated with a search result. In one embodiment, a user enters a search term (or a portion thereof) in a search field associated with one or more resource types that may be searched. The user may be presented with a pop-up menu containing a list of likely matches. The user selects the desired preference control from the pop-up menu, and the corresponding preference pane, or other container, containing the selected data item, control, or other resource is displayed. In one aspect, as the user enters the search term (or portion thereof), certain icons are highlighted. Specifically, those icons that represent containers containing matching data items (such as preference panes having controls that match the search term) are highlighted. Different types of highlighting can be used depending on the degree of certainty as to which container is likely to contain the correct match.