GUI Emphasizing Overlay for Complex Interface Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complexity in operating analyzing devices like electronic microscopes and processing devices makes it difficult for unskilled users to navigate graphical user interfaces (GUIs) with numerous components, requiring reference to electronic manuals.
Innovation Solution
A control device that displays a GUI image with emphasizing semi-transparent windows to highlight selected GUI components, allowing users to easily find intended components without adding functions to existing applications, by acquiring position information from the operation system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of GUI components are displayed on the screen, then the functionality of the control device is comprehensive, but the user has to find the GUI component to be operated next from among the large number of GUI components, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by displaying a background color image of the GUI screen and overlaying a highlighted color image at the specified position. This creates a visual emphasis effect that draws the user's attention to the target GUI component without altering the underlying functionality or layout of the interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a visual dimension by superimposing a semi-transparent highlighted layer over the existing GUI components. This creates a new visual layer that provides guidance information without modifying the original GUI structure, allowing users to locate components more easily while preserving all functional elements.
2Ease of operation
If electronic manual is displayed to guide user operation, then unskilled users can understand the operation, but the user has to refer to the manual to find the GUI component, increasing the time and effort required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary visual element (the highlighted background color image) that acts as a mediator between the electronic manual instructions and the actual GUI components. When the manual specifies a component name, the system automatically highlights the corresponding component on the screen, bridging the gap between textual instructions and visual interface elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate visual feedback by highlighting the target GUI component as soon as it is identified from the manual instructions. This real-time feedback mechanism confirms to the user which component they should interact with next, eliminating the need to search through the manual or visually scan the entire screen.
3Ease of operation
If highlighting function is added to emphasize GUI components, then user can easily find intended component, but the application requires additional functions which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy or overlay of the GUI screen at the specified position rather than modifying the original GUI components. This copying approach allows the highlighting function to be implemented as a separate visual layer that can be added to existing applications without requiring changes to their core functionality or code structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal highlighting mechanism that can be applied to any GUI component regardless of the specific application. By using a generic overlay approach that works with standard GUI elements, the solution provides multi-functional capability that can assist users across different applications without requiring application-specific modifications.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control device (100) controls an analyzing device or a processing device by using an application performing control for causing a GUI image including a plurality of GUI components to be displayed on a display screen of a display unit (150). The control device (100) includes: a GUI component designation information receiving unit (115) that receives GUI component designation information used for designating a GUI component among the GUI components; a position information acquiring unit (116) that identifies the GUI component designated on the basis of the GUI component designation information and acquires position information indicating a position of the identified GUI component on the display screen from an operation system; and an emphasizing image display control unit (112) that performs control for causing an image for emphasizing the identified GUI component to be displayed on the display screen on the basis of the position information.