Multi-Gesture Deletion Interface for Touchscreen Lists

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional user interfaces for portable devices are inflexible and lack an intuitive method for deleting listed items, leading to accidental deletions and user frustration due to complex key sequences and menu hierarchies.

Innovation Solution

A touch-sensitive display-based interface that requires multiple gestures on different parts of the screen to delete items, including displaying icons next to deletable items and confirming deletion with specific gestures, reducing the likelihood of accidental deletions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple gestures and icons are displayed to prevent accidental deletions, then reliability of deletion operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeletion operation reliabilityVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The deletion process is segmented into multiple distinct gestures: first gesture to select the delete icon, second gesture to confirm deletion. This segmentation prevents accidental deletions by requiring deliberate sequential actions while keeping each individual gesture simple and intuitive.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The delete icon is displayed in advance next to list items before deletion occurs. This preliminary visual cue prepares the user for the deletion action and confirms the item to be deleted, reducing errors while maintaining interface simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If conventional single-gesture deletion is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to accidental deletions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeletion operation easeVSAvoiddeletion operation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The deletion operation is divided into two sequential gestures: selection gesture (first gesture) and confirmation gesture (second gesture). This maintains ease of operation through simple tap motions while significantly improving reliability by preventing accidental single-gesture deletions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides visual feedback by displaying a delete icon next to list items and changing the icon's appearance based on gesture detection. This feedback mechanism guides users through the deletion process while confirming intended actions, balancing ease of use with deletion reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2069899B1Deletion gestures on a portable multifunction device
Publication Date: 2018.12.05 APPLE INC
  • EP2069899B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2069899B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2069899B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Deletion gestures for use on a portable multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display are disclosed. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with the portable multifunction device comprises displaying a list of items on the touch- sensitive display, detecting a first gesture on the touch-sensitive display to edit the list of items, responding to the first gesture by displaying a first icon next to each deletable item in the list, detecting a second gesture on the touch-sensitive display to select one of the deletable items, and responding to the second gesture by displaying a second icon next to the selected item. If a third gesture on the second icon is detected, the selected deletable item is deleted. If a fourth gesture on the first icon next to the selected deletable item is detected, the second icon is deleted.