Dynamic Soft Key Positioning for Rotated Touchscreen Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with touch screens face inconvenience when rotated, as soft keys remain fixed and users must manually search for them, and multiple key inputs are required to execute or switch applications, leading to inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a processor and sensor that identifies movement and rotation, dynamically changes the display location of soft keys and executes corresponding applications based on phase information, mimicking physical hard keys and adjusting user interface elements accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If soft keys are displayed at a fixed location on the touch screen, then the device structure is simple, but user convenience deteriorates when the device is rotated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic soft key positioning by detecting device orientation through sensors and automatically adjusting soft key locations on the touch screen to maintain consistent positions relative to the user's perspective, regardless of device rotation. This resolves the contradiction by making the soft key display adaptive rather than fixed, improving user convenience without significantly increasing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple key inputs are required to execute or switch applications, then the control function is reliable, but operation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of physical hard keys with soft keys by detecting device orientation and automatically executing or switching applications based on the rotated direction. This combines multiple input operations into a single intuitive gesture, maintaining reliable control through sensor-based detection while significantly improving operation efficiency by eliminating the need for multiple sequential key inputs.
3Device complexity
If the soft key location does not change with device rotation, then the display system is simple, but user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensors continuously monitor device orientation and automatically adjust soft key positions on the display in response to detected rotation. This closed-loop system maintains optimal user experience by keeping soft keys in intuitive locations relative to the user's perspective, while the display system remains relatively simple by using software-based adjustments rather than hardware modifications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user convenience by automatically adjusting the layout of soft keys and applications upon rotation, reducing the need for manual key input and improving usability by providing intuitive access to functions.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor and a processor configured to identify, using the sensor, a movement of the electronic device
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an operating method of an electronic device, including identifying a movement of the electronic device while displaying a screen of a first application in a first orientation, determining whether the electronic device is rotated by a predesignated angle, based on the movement, and in response to determining that the electronic device is rotated by the predesignated angle, displaying a screen of a second application in a second orientation different from the first orientation, wherein the second application corresponds to a rotation direction of the electronic device among a plurality of applications.