Gap Area Icon Placement for Screen Space Utilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

As screen sizes increase and the number of application icons grows, the gaps between icons become larger, leading to underutilization of space and inefficiencies in display control modes, with existing technologies failing to effectively enrich the display control of application icons.

Innovation Solution

Arranging application icons not present on current menu pages in gap areas between existing icons, allowing them to be displayed or hidden based on user triggers, and utilizing these gaps for shortcut operations and privacy-related icons, with touch operations following grid paths to execute associated shortcuts or data synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If application icons are arranged in a grid layout on the terminal screen, then the display is organized and easy to navigate, but the gap areas between icons are wasted space that could be utilized for additional functionality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveutilization of gap areaVSAvoiddisplay control mode
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the gap areas between application icons as if they were porous spaces, placing additional application icons within these gaps. This allows the unused space to serve a functional purpose, increasing the number of accessible applications without expanding the overall screen layout or complicating the grid structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Productivity

If more application icons are displayed on each menu page, then the number of menu pages decreases, but the gaps between icons become larger creating wasted space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of accessible applications per pageVSAvoidgap area between icons
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the traditional grid layout with additional application icons placed in the gap areas. By combining the original application icons with the newly added icons in the gaps, the system increases the total number of accessible applications per menu page while effectively utilizing the previously wasted gap space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If application icons are placed in gap areas and always displayed, then accessibility is improved, but the original menu interface is disrupted and user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of application iconsVSAvoidimpact on original interface and privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic display mechanism where application icons in gap areas are displayed or hidden based on user triggers. This dynamic behavior allows the interface to adapt between showing all applications for accessibility and hiding them to preserve the original interface appearance and user privacy, resolving the contradiction between constant accessibility and interface integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If shortcut operations are added in gap areas, then user efficiency is improved, but the operation recognition complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation efficiencyVSAvoidoperation track recognition
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements grid path recognition that works universally across different screen layouts and icon arrangements. The system recognizes operation tracks based on the grid structure itself rather than specific icon positions or types, allowing shortcut operations to function efficiently without increasing recognition complexity. The grid-based approach provides a universal framework that simplifies track detection regardless of the number or arrangement of application icons.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3098700B1Display control method and display control device
Publication Date: 2020.05.06 YULONG COMPUTER TELECOMM SCI (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
  • EP3098700B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3098700B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3098700B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention provides a display control method and a display control device. The display control method includes: arranging, in a gap area between application icons on a terminal screen, an application icon not present on a current menu page of the terminal or an application icon not present on each of all the menu pages of the terminal. The present invention fully utilizes the gap area between the application icons to arrange specific application icons, and by means of a change mode or a specific gesture operation, the handover between hiding and display is realized, thereby enriching the display control modes of the application icons. (Fig. 1)