Floating Navigation UI for Non-Linear Session Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems struggle to efficiently navigate to previously viewed graphical user interfaces, especially when users take non-linear paths or when interfaces do not consistently display data, leading to complex and time-consuming navigation.
Innovation Solution
A session-based floating navigation function that integrates an icon on the primary user interface, allowing users to navigate back to previously viewed interfaces by storing interface assembly instructions and user inputs, enabling efficient navigation through different user interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional back button navigation is used, then the system maintains simple implementation, but the navigation becomes inefficient and time-consuming when users need to return to previously viewed interfaces through non-linear paths
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically capturing and storing user interface state information (including URL, page title, and visual snapshot) whenever the user views a interface, without requiring explicit user input. This pre-prepared navigation data enables instant return to previous interfaces, dramatically improving navigation efficiency while keeping the implementation relatively simple through automated background processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of user interface states by capturing screenshots and storing interface metadata (URL, title, timestamp) in memory. These copied interface representations are then used to reconstruct and display previous interfaces upon user request, enabling efficient non-linear navigation without requiring the original interface context to be maintained
2Ease of operation
If bookmark function is used to navigate to specific interfaces, then the system can access specific interfaces directly, but the navigation path becomes complex and requires users to pre-designate and locate specific bookmarks
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically managing the navigation history and interface state information without requiring user intervention. The system continuously captures interface data, organizes it chronologically, and makes it readily accessible through a simple click on the most recent interface, eliminating the need for users to manually create bookmarks or search through navigation paths
3Reliability
If the system stores detailed user interface state information for every viewed interface, then the navigation accuracy to previous interfaces is improved, but the memory usage and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by storing different types of interface state information with varying levels of detail based on their specific purposes. Critical navigation data (URL, title, timestamp) is stored for all interfaces, while visual snapshot data is stored selectively for the most recent interfaces. This differentiated storage approach maintains high navigation accuracy while optimizing memory usage by not uniformly storing all possible interface data
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems and methods that display a primary graphical user interface and a session-based floating navigation function integrated with the primary graphical user interface. When the primary graphical user interface is replaced with a second graphical user interface in response to user inputs, the floating navigation function is also integrated and displayed with the second graphical user interface. The floating navigation function points to a memory location associated with the primary graphical user interface such that the primary graphical user interface is displayed when the floating navigation function integrated with the second interface is selected by the end user.