Gesture-Based Application Preview on Touch Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays face challenges in efficiently managing limited screen space for multiple applications, as users often need to navigate between different applications, which can be cumbersome due to the small size of the displays.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a gesture-based method that allows users to preview information from a second application without opening it, using a single continuous gesture to control the amount of information displayed and optionally open the application, allowing for efficient navigation and information access on small screens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users navigate between multiple applications on a small touch-sensitive display, then information accessibility is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to cumbersome navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display area into multiple regions, with each region associated with a different application. Users can access information from different applications simultaneously by interacting with different regions of the same display, eliminating the need to switch between full-screen applications and improving navigation ease while maintaining information accessibility.
2Length of moving object
If the display size is decreased for portability, then device portability is improved, but screen space for multiple applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a temporal dimension (switching between applications sequentially) to a spatial dimension (displaying multiple applications simultaneously in different regions). This allows small screens to effectively accommodate multiple applications by utilizing the spatial arrangement of display regions rather than requiring larger screen area.
3Loss of information
If users open multiple applications to access different information, then information accessibility is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by allowing users to access information from multiple applications without fully opening each application. The system displays previews or summaries of application content in dedicated regions, enabling users to obtain needed information without the full energy cost of launching and running multiple applications simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes displaying information associated with a first application on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device. A gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display, which gesture indicates a request to display information associated with a second application. At least part of the information associated with the second application is displayed without opening the second application.