Graphical User Interface Zoom Levels for Reliable App Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing graphical user interfaces face challenges in providing a user-friendly and efficient way to manage and operate a growing number of applications, leading to increased operating errors and user distraction, particularly in environments requiring high attention, such as motor vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the initial display of multiple icons representing applications without direct operation, followed by user selection of a subset for enlargement, allowing access to main functions, with further input for full application functionality, utilizing gestures like pinch and swipe for intuitive interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of displayed icons is increased to show more applications, then the completeness of application display is improved, but the size of individual icons decreases leading to slower and less reliable selection
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels: first level displays all applications as small icons for overview, second level displays enlarged icons for selected applications showing main functions, and third level provides full application functionality. This segmentation allows complete application display at the first level while ensuring reliable selection at subsequent levels through progressive enlargement.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a two-dimensional grid of icons to a three-dimensional hierarchical structure with multiple display levels. Users can navigate through zooming operations that add a temporal dimension to the interface interaction, moving from overview mode to detailed mode, thereby maintaining both comprehensive display and reliable selection.
2Ease of operation
If the icon size is increased to improve selection accuracy, then the ease of operation is improved, but the number of displayable applications on screen decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface dynamically adjusts icon sizes based on the interaction level. At the overview level, icons are small to display many applications. Upon user selection, the system dynamically transitions to an intermediate level where selected application icons are enlarged to show main functions, and finally to a full application level. This dynamic resizing resolves the contradiction by making icon size context-dependent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary display of all applications in overview mode, allowing users to quickly scan and identify target applications without the cognitive load of navigating through multiple static screens. The preliminary overview serves as a preparation step that enables faster subsequent selection of individual applications.
3Productivity
If direct operation of applications is enabled in the overview display, then the productivity is improved, but the operating errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different operational capabilities are assigned to different display levels. The first level (overview) provides only selection functionality without direct application operation to prevent errors. The second level (intermediate view) enables operation of main functions for selected applications. The third level (full application) provides complete operational functionality. This local differentiation of quality ensures both productivity and reliability at appropriate stages.
4Ease of operation
If multiple display levels are implemented to show different levels of detail, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical user interface is designed as a universal multi-functional system that handles overview display, intermediate detailed display, and full application operation within a single unified framework. The same interface mechanisms (zooming, selecting, displaying) serve multiple purposes across different levels, reducing the need for separate specialized interfaces and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The method according to the invention for adapting the presentation and use of a graphical user interface comprises the following steps. First, in a first step (1), a multiplicity of image symbols (6) corresponding to a multiplicity of applications are presented, an image symbol serving as a respective indicator for an application and the individual applications not being able to be used by the user in this presentation. In a second step (2), a user input for selecting some of the applications identified by the image symbols is detected. Subsequently, in a third step (3), enlarged image symbols (7) are presented for the selected applications, no comprehensive user functionality of the selected applications being available but a user action being able to be performed for at least one application. In a fourth step (4), a further user input for selecting one of the applications identified by the enlarged image symbols is detected. Finally, in a fifth step (5), the content of the selected application is presented, a comprehensive user functionality of the application being able to be accessed.