Dynamic Character Input Screen Layout for Small Touch Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic devices with small screens face challenges in accurate character input due to limited key input areas, leading to unintended key presses.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device magnifies and reduces parts of the character input screen to improve accuracy and reduce unintended inputs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a virtual keypad is displayed on a small screen, then the electronic device can provide character input function, but the key input area becomes limited causing unintended key presses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharacter input accuracyVSAvoidkey input area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual keypad transitions from a static layout to a dynamic one where key sizes and positions can change based on user interaction. When a user hovers over or touches a key area, the system dynamically magnifies that region and reduces surrounding areas, making the active key larger and more precise while maintaining overall screen utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of uniformly sizing all keys, the system applies different sizes and magnification levels to different key areas based on their operational state. The key under user attention is magnified to provide larger target area for precise input, while other keys maintain normal or reduced size, creating local quality variations that improve input accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3368971B1Electronic device for providing character input function and method for controlling thereof
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3368971B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3368971B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3368971B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The disclosure relates generally to an electronic device for providing a character input function and a method for controlling thereof. The electronic device includes: a display; and a processor configured to output a character input screen through the display, to change a configuration of the character input screen by magnifying at least part of a first area of the character input screen and reducing at least part of a second area of the character input screen based on a first input on the character input screen, and to select a character based on a second input on the changed character input screen. Various example embodiments are possible.