Hover Input Application Switching on Touchscreen Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users of electronic devices face inconvenience when switching between multiple applications installed on their devices, as they need to return to the home screen and select an icon for the desired application, which can be time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a touchscreen that displays an object corresponding to the currently executing application, allowing users to switch to another application by detecting a hovering input and capturing a part of the execution screen as an icon based on the hovering input's position, enabling seamless application switching without physical contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users switch applications by returning to the home screen and selecting an icon, then application switching is possible, but the operation time and steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by displaying a preview image of the target application's execution screen on the home screen icon before actual application switching occurs. When a user hovers over an application icon, the system preloads and displays a captured image of what the application looks like when executed, allowing the user to make an informed selection without navigating away from the current screen, thus reducing the time and steps required for application switching.
2Loss of information
If the execution screen is displayed on the home screen object, then application information is visible, but the display area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential visual information from the application execution screen by capturing and displaying a representative image or screenshot of the application's interface on the home screen icon. This extracted image provides sufficient information about the application's current state or content without requiring the full execution screen to be displayed, thus conveying application information within the limited home screen display area.
3Loss of information
If a captured image of the execution screen is displayed as the application icon, then the icon provides useful information, but the icon size must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the application icon into functional parts: a captured image portion that displays application state information and potentially a smaller overlay or adjacent element that provides application identification. The captured image is scaled and positioned to fit within the icon's reduced dimensions while maintaining key visual elements that convey the application's current state or content, allowing informative display within constrained icon space.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display and at least one processor that is configured to display an object corresponding to an application on the display, display an execution screen of the application in an area of the display when a hovering input is detected on the object corresponding to the application, and display the object corresponding to the application on the display when the hovering input is released.