Gesture-Based Sub-Display Region Design for Large Screens

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current large display systems lack flexible and user-friendly interfaces for content selection, layout, and placement, making it difficult for users to easily customize and interact with displays in shared spaces like meeting rooms, as they often require complex GUIs or limited, inflexible interfaces.

Innovation Solution

The system introduces a gesture-based method for designating sub-displays on a larger display, allowing users to draw the desired region for content sharing using touch or air gestures, which can be paired with content source devices without needing a separate controller interface, enabling flexible content placement and input handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a complex GUI or controller interface is used for content selection and layout, then precise control over display configuration is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display system performs self-configuration through gesture recognition. Users draw desired display regions directly on the display surface, and the system automatically processes these gestures to configure sub-displays without requiring external controllers or complex GUI interactions. The display serves itself by interpreting user drawings as configuration commands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/controller-based interfaces with a direct drawing interface on the display surface. Instead of using buttons, menus, or separate control devices, users directly draw on the display to define content regions, substituting complex control systems with a simple gesture-based mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a simple interface is used for content selection, then ease of operation improves, but adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display configuration is dynamic and adaptable to user needs. Users can draw new sub-display regions at any time, resize existing regions by redrawing, and reconfigure the display layout flexibly. The system processes gesture drawings in real-time to dynamically adjust sub-display configurations without requiring system reconfiguration or administrative privileges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The gesture-based drawing interface serves multiple functions: it defines sub-display regions, specifies content sources, controls layout arrangements, and manages input routing. A single simple interaction method (drawing on the display) replaces multiple specialized control functions, providing universal control across different display configuration tasks.

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

3Device complexity

If traditional controller interfaces are used, then precise content placement control is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidprecision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the configuration control function from external controllers and integrates it directly into the display surface. The display itself becomes the control interface through gesture recognition, eliminating the need for separate controller devices and their associated complexity while maintaining precise placement control through direct drawing on the display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The gesture drawing on the display surface acts as an intermediary between user intent and system configuration. Instead of direct controller commands, users draw desired configurations on the display, and the system interprets these drawings as precise placement instructions, mediating between simple user interaction and precise control requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4078350B1Sub-display designation and sharing
Publication Date: 2024.08.21 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4078350B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4078350B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4078350B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed in some examples are display systems, methods, devices, and machine-readable mediums which provide for a gesture-based method for specifying a region of a display in which to show shared content. Also disclosed are pairing methods for associating the region of the display with a content source device, methods for sharing content within the region, and methods for providing input from the region back to the content source device.