Gesture-Based Sub-Display Pairing for Flexible Content Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current large display systems lack flexible and easy-to-use content selection, layout, and placement options, often requiring complex user interfaces or simplified interfaces that sacrifice flexibility, and they lack sophisticated input handling mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A gesture-based method for specifying sub-displays on a display, allowing users to designate regions for content using touch or air gestures, which are then paired with content source devices without needing a separate user interface, enabling intuitive content placement and input handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a complex user interface is provided for content selection and layout, then flexibility and functionality are maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates

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

Solution Approach 1:

The display system performs automatic discovery and pairing with content source devices without requiring manual configuration through complex GUIs. The system autonomously detects available devices, establishes connections, and configures sub-displays based on automatic identification protocols, eliminating the need for users to navigate complex settings while maintaining flexible content sharing capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical interaction with complex graphical user interfaces by implementing automatic wireless discovery and pairing mechanisms. The system uses automated signal detection and device identification protocols to substitute for manual configuration steps, thereby improving ease of operation while preserving system flexibility through programmable content routing

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

2Ease of operation

If a simplified user interface is provided, then ease of operation is improved, but flexibility and functionality are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The display system implements a universal pairing mechanism that works across multiple device types and content sources through a single standardized interface. The automatic discovery protocol supports diverse content source devices (computers, mobile devices, tablets) using a unified pairing approach, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving broad flexibility and compatibility through multi-functional design

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

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional user interfaces are used for sub-display designation, then system functionality is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex user interface layer entirely from the sub-display designation process. Instead of requiring users to interact with complex GUIs for selecting and configuring sub-displays, the system automatically performs device discovery, pairing, and sub-display assignment through background protocols, eliminating unnecessary interface complexity while preserving full functionality through automated system behavior

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If manual pairing procedures are used, then system functionality is maintained, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidtime
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary automatic discovery and pre-pairing actions before content sharing is initiated. The display and content source devices continuously broadcast and monitor for pairing signals in advance, so when a user intends to share content, the pairing process has already been prepared or completed automatically, significantly reducing the time required for content sharing while maintaining robust functional capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4078349B1Sub-display designation for remote content source device
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4078349B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4078349B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4078349B1 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.