E-book Page Turning via Touch Gestures and 3-Axis Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing e-book interfaces in portable terminals lack ergonomic design for natural page-turning, making it difficult for users to navigate through content similar to turning pages in a physical book.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for turning pages of an e-book in a portable terminal using touch inputs and 3-axis sensors to mimic the experience of turning physical pages, allowing users to input commands through touch down, drag, and touch up gestures on a touch-sensitive screen, and utilizing sensors to detect inclination for page navigation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If key manipulation interface is used for page turning, then basic direction control function is achieved, but user convenience and natural interaction are poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical key pressing system with a touch-sensitive screen that detects finger contact and movement. The touch screen senses the user's finger position and dragging motion, translating these physical gestures into digital page-turning commands, thereby eliminating the need for physical keys and providing a more natural interaction experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a visual copy of a physical book page on the display screen, complete with page curvature effects and shadow rendering. This visual replication allows users to interact with the digital content as if it were a physical book, maintaining the familiar page-turning gesture while achieving digital functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If traditional key-based page navigation is implemented, then page turning function is achieved, but natural page-turning experience similar to physical books is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenatural page-turning experienceVSAvoidsensor and processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical key pressing system with a touch-sensitive screen that detects finger contact and movement. The touch screen senses the user's finger position and dragging motion, translating these physical gestures into digital page-turning commands, thereby eliminating the need for physical keys and providing a more natural interaction experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the user and the digital content - a touch-sensitive interface that captures natural finger gestures and translates them into meaningful navigation commands. This intermediary layer processes the raw touch input, determines the user's intent, and executes the appropriate page-turning action, bridging the gap between physical gesture and digital response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If touch-sensitive screen with gesture recognition is used, then natural page-turning interaction is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintuitive gesture controlVSAvoidtouch processing and sensor integration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the touch-sensitive screen serve multiple functions: it displays the e-book content, detects user touch gestures, and provides visual feedback during page turning. By consolidating these functions into a single component, the patent avoids adding separate sensors and control mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving natural interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the display function and the input sensing function into a single touch-sensitive screen assembly. The screen both shows the book content and detects finger contact, position, and movement, eliminating the need for separate physical keys or additional sensors, thus achieving intuitive control without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enables users to turn pages in an analog fashion, providing a natural and intuitive user experience by allowing page navigation through intuitive gestures and sensor-activated page changes, enhancing user interaction with e-book content.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing sensors to detect inclination for page navigation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInclination detection: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

allowing users to input commands through touch down, drag, and touch up gestures on a touch-sensitive screen

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTouch sensitivity: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2437154B1Apparatus and method for turning e-book pages in portable terminal
Publication Date: 2020.12.23 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2437154B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2437154B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2437154B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus and method for turning pages of an electronic-book (e-book) in a portable terminal having an e-book function are provided. The method includes executing the e-book function, displaying a right lateral side of the e-book and driving a 3-axis sensor when a touch down is input in a pre-set right User Interface (UI) active area of the e-book, determining whether an inclination value greater than or equal to a threshold is detected in a left direction, and upon detection of the inclination value greater than or equal to the threshold in the left direction, displaying a next page to a screen on a single-page basis at a speed in proportion to the inclination value detected in the process of detecting the inclination greater than or equal to the threshold in the left direction.