Graphical Chronology for Contact Event Timeline Visualization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current portable electronic devices lack an effective way to visually organize and access event information related to contacts in a chronological manner, making it difficult for users to track past and future events and communicate with contacts efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that display a graphical chronology on a user terminal, with sub-regions representing different time intervals, allowing users to select contacts and view associated event information items, including contact information, event reminders, and communication options, by comparing timestamps and user inputs to navigate through past and future events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If event information items are stored and retrieved from memory, then access to contact-related data is enabled, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to lack of visual organization
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical chronology is divided into multiple sub-regions, each representing a different time interval (e.g., past, present, future). This segmentation allows users to visually distinguish and access event information based on its temporal context, making it easier to detect and measure event information while preserving chronological organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the display by organizing event information items along a chronological timeline rather than simply listing them. This dimensional change from a flat list to a time-based visual structure enables users to perceive temporal relationships and improves detection while maintaining information completeness.
2Ease of operation
If a graphical chronology with sub-regions is displayed, then ease of operation is improved through visual organization, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chronology is segmented into standardized time interval sub-regions that can be systematically generated and managed. This segmentation simplifies the complex task of organizing event information by breaking it down into manageable temporal blocks, making the system easier to operate while keeping the complexity structure organized and predictable.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical chronology system serves multiple functions: it displays event information, organizes it chronologically, highlights current time, and enables user interaction for navigation. By making the system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate tools and simplifies operation despite the inherent complexity of the chronology structure.
3Productivity
If event information items are organized chronologically, then productivity is improved through efficient retrieval, but the quantity of information processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the chronology into time interval sub-regions, the system can efficiently retrieve event information based on temporal queries without processing the entire dataset. Users can focus on specific time periods, reducing the effective quantity of information to process while maintaining high productivity through rapid access to relevant events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-organizes event information items into chronological sub-regions before user queries are made. This preliminary organization eliminates the need for real-time sorting and filtering, allowing users to directly access information in their desired time periods, thus improving productivity without increasing processing quantity during actual retrieval operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises receiving, via a user interface of a user terminal, an indication of a user selection of a contact identifier, identifying, from plural event information items stored in at least one memory, an event information item which is associated with the selected contact, wherein each of the plural event information items has a timestamp associated therewith, and causing a graphical chronology to be displayed on a display (14) of the user terminal, wherein the graphical chronology comprises plural sub-regions (50-1-50-3) each relating to a different time interval, wherein the graphical chronology includes a graphical representation of the identified event information item (53, 55), the graphical representation being located in a one of the sub-regions (50-1-50-3) based on a comparison of the timestamp associated with the identified event information item and the time interval to which the sub-region (50-1-50-3) relates.