Event Flow Interface for Rapid Digital File Browsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer user interfaces lack intuitive methods for users to efficiently browse and interact with multiple digital files, particularly in displaying and navigating sequences of pages or files in a visually engaging and interactive manner.
Innovation Solution
The Event Flow user interface displays two pages side-by-side, with animation and sliding controls, allowing users to browse through stacked images representing sequential pages, enabling rapid navigation and interaction by sliding or dragging images to change the sequence and add or remove pages dynamically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple digital files are displayed in a traditional sequential manner, then users can view file contents, but users cannot efficiently browse and navigate through multiple pages or files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the traditional sequential navigation from one dimension to two dimensions by displaying multiple pages simultaneously in a grid layout. Users can see page 1, page 2, and other pages arranged in rows and columns, enabling rapid visual scanning and direct access to any page without linear navigation through each page in order.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies of page thumbnails or previews in a grid arrangement, allowing users to see multiple representations of different pages at once. These copied visual elements enable users to identify and select target pages quickly without having to navigate through each page sequentially, significantly reducing browsing time.
2Ease of operation
If traditional file navigation interfaces are used, then interface simplicity is maintained, but user interaction becomes less intuitive and engaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-coded indicators, highlights, and visual cues to distinguish different page states, selected pages, and navigation options within the grid interface. These color changes and visual variations make the interface more intuitive by providing immediate visual feedback and clear navigation paths without adding complex controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces visual intermediaries such as page thumbnails, preview images, and graphical indicators that mediate between the user and the actual page content. These visual intermediaries allow users to understand and navigate the content structure intuitively before selecting specific pages, enhancing interaction without requiring complex interface elements.
3Productivity
If sequential page display is used, then page order is clearly maintained, but users cannot rapidly browse through the sequence or flow of pages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges pages in a two-dimensional grid while maintaining sequential logic through visual cues such as row-major ordering, numbering, or positional relationships. This allows users to rapidly scan multiple pages simultaneously while the underlying sequential structure is preserved through the grid's organized layout, enabling both speed and context retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color coding, highlights, or visual indicators to show the current position in the sequence and maintain contextual awareness. For example, the currently viewed page may be highlighted differently, or the grid may use color to indicate page groups or sections, allowing rapid browsing while preserving understanding of the sequential flow and relative positions of pages.
Data Source
AI summary
A user interface for a computer that can display one or more virtual or digital files that allow a user to sort through and select a particular virtual or digital file to interact with, or a digital object associated with that virtual or digital file. The user interface described herein allows a user to view and browse rapidly through a sequence of images representing one or more virtual or digital files by displaying in the user interface a combination of two images simultaneously, side-by-side, while continuously maintaining the specified sequence.