Graphical Line Interface for Intuitive Command Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional user-machine interfaces rely on keyboards and mice for command entry, which can be cumbersome and not easily adaptable to diverse devices, especially those with limited input capabilities like PDAs and cell phones.
Innovation Solution
A user-machine interface that utilizes a line connecting objects on a screen to convey commands, where the line's shape and endpoints determine the source, command, and destination, allowing intuitive command entry through drawing shapes and intersecting objects, enabling processing without the need for traditional input methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If keyboard and mouse operations are used for user-machine interface, then precise input control is achieved, but the interface becomes complex and non-intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical keyboard and mouse input system with a graphical line-drawing interface on a touch-sensitive display. Users draw lines directly on the screen to select objects and commands, eliminating the need for separate input devices and making the interface more intuitive by allowing direct manipulation of graphical elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a line-drawing mechanism as an intermediary between the user and the system commands. The drawn line serves as a mediator that connects source objects to command objects, translating user intent into system actions without requiring complex keyboard shortcuts or mouse navigation sequences.
2Ease of operation
If line drawing interface is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but precision in selecting specific portions of objects may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing the line to interact with different parts of objects at different locations. The line can start at one specific point on a source object, pass through or around other objects, and end at a specific command object, with each intersection or contact point triggering a specific action on that local portion of the object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the selection process into distinct components: the line path itself, the source object identification, the command object identification, and the parameter specification. This segmentation allows precise control over which portions of objects are selected and what operations are performed, while maintaining the simplicity of a single continuous drawing action.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple line shapes are used to convey different commands, then versatility of the interface is improved, but the complexity of interpreting line shapes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal line-drawing interface that can convey multiple different commands through variations in a single basic interaction method. The same line-drawing mechanism can select objects, specify commands, indicate parameters, and control output destinations, making the interface highly versatile while maintaining a unified and simple interaction model.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamics by allowing the line to be drawn freely in any shape or configuration, with the system dynamically interpreting the line's geometry, intersections, and endpoints to determine the intended command. This dynamic interpretation allows a wide range of commands to be conveyed through a flexible, adaptable line-drawing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A user-machine interface is disclosed that uses a line to connect and/or to intersect various objects displayed on a screen. A start of the line may identify a source, an end of the line may identify a sink, and line shapes and/or objects intersected by the line may identify commands.