Dynamic Menu Display Control for Touch Panel Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display apparatuses inconvenience users by frequently displaying menus even when they are not needed, causing occlusion of content and inefficient user interaction.

Innovation Solution

A touch panel-based display apparatus that detects user touch and lift-off events to control menu display dynamically, hiding the menu after a specified waiting period or when not in use, thereby optimizing display mode based on user operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the menu is displayed on the touch panel, then users can perform operations on content, but the menu occludes the content and reduces content visibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemenu accessibilityVSAvoidcontent visibility area

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The menu is extracted from the full display area and positioned in a dedicated notification area, separating it from the content display region. This allows the menu to be accessible while minimizing its impact on content visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The menu is displayed in an overlay fashion on top of the content rather than replacing it, utilizing the z-dimension (transparency layering) to allow both menu and content to coexist in the same two-dimensional space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the menu is displayed continuously, then users can access operations at any time, but it causes frequent distractions and reduces interaction efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemenu accessibilityVSAvoidinteraction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The menu display state is made dynamic rather than static. The menu automatically adjusts its visibility based on user interaction state - displayed when touch events occur and hidden when no interaction is detected, optimizing both accessibility and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback by detecting user touch events and automatically adjusting menu visibility accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the menu is available when needed but hidden during focused interaction, improving overall efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Area of stationary object

If the menu is displayed in a see-through way, then content visibility is improved, but the menu may not be sufficiently visible to users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent visibility areaVSAvoidmenu visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Different transparency levels are applied to different parts of the interface. The menu area uses semi-transparent overlay while the content area maintains full opacity, allowing each region to have optimal visibility characteristics for its purpose.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10949078B2Display apparatus, display method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2021.03.16 SHARP KK

AI summary

An apparatus for display content on a touch panel includes a detecting unit that detects a touchdown to touch the touch panel and a touchup to lift off from the touch panel to cancel touching, and a menu display control unit that performs control to display menu if the touchup is detected after the touchdown is detected within a display region of the content.