Element Navigation Overlay for Contextual Display
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for navigating electronic content elements on a display, such as lists or hierarchical structures, are inefficient as they either require displaying a single element or navigating through them, lacking an intuitive way to interact with related elements simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allows users to select a designated element and receive primary and secondary user inputs to display an initial set of related elements, enabling navigation and metadata viewing while maintaining the designated element visible, with options to change the displayed set based on user preferences, relevancy, or hierarchical structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a user displays a single element at a time, then the display remains simple and focused, but the user cannot efficiently navigate or contextualize multiple related elements simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the display by implementing sequential presentation of element sets. Instead of displaying all related elements simultaneously (spatial approach), the system presents elements in time-ordered sets, allowing users to navigate through contextualized groups sequentially. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining display simplicity while enabling efficient navigation through multiple elements over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the collection of related elements into discrete, manageable sets that are presented sequentially. Each set contains a specific number of elements (e.g., five elements) that are contextually related to the designated element. This segmentation allows users to process information in manageable chunks while maintaining the ability to navigate through all related elements, thus improving navigation efficiency without overwhelming the display.
2Ease of operation
If a user displays multiple related elements simultaneously, then navigation and contextualization improve, but the display becomes cluttered and harder to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the problem from spatial to temporal domain by presenting multiple element sets sequentially rather than simultaneously. Users can contextualize multiple elements by navigating through them in time-ordered groups, which maintains clear display area utilization while still providing comprehensive contextualization. The temporal sequencing allows the display to remain uncluttered at any given moment while still enabling access to all related elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent displays only a partial set of related elements at any given time (e.g., five elements out of potentially many more). This partial action approach allows the display to remain manageable and uncluttered while still providing sufficient contextualization for effective navigation. Users can access additional element sets sequentially if needed, balancing display clarity with comprehensive contextual information.
3Productivity
If the system displays more elements in each set, then fewer sets need to be navigated, but each individual element receives less visual attention and detail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays a moderate number of elements in each set (e.g., five elements) - not too few to require excessive navigation, nor too many to compromise individual element visibility. This partial action approach optimizes the balance between navigation speed and information retention, allowing users to efficiently navigate through element sets while maintaining clear visibility of each element's details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the complete set of related elements into smaller, manageable groups that can be displayed simultaneously without overcrowding. By dividing the total collection into discrete sets of appropriate size, the system enables faster navigation compared to displaying all elements at once, while ensuring each individual element receives sufficient visual attention and detail within its designated space.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for element navigation. The method includes: selecting a designated element from a plurality of elements; displaying the designated element on a display of an electronic device; monitoring for a predetermined primary user input from an input module; and upon receiving the predetermined primary user input, displaying an initial set of elements related to the designated element overlaid on the display of the designated element. The system includes: an element display module configured to display a designated element on an electronic device, the designated element selected from a plurality of elements; an input module configured to receive a predetermined primary user input; and a set display module configured to display an initial set of elements related to the designated element upon the input module receiving the predetermined primary user input, the initial set of elements overlaid on the display of the designated element.