Icon-Based Event Messaging on Small Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional consumer electronics devices, such as smartwatches and smartphones, lack an adequate input area for comfortably and accurately typing messages, making communication challenging, especially when conveying event participation or location information.
Innovation Solution
A system using consumer electronics devices with processors, displays, and wireless transceivers to transmit messages with non-alphanumeric icons representing people, events, times, and locations, allowing modification by recipients and integration with social networking services for sharing and participation tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional keyboards are used for input on small CE devices, then typing accuracy may improve, but device size and portability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical keyboard system with a touch-based icon selection system. Users interact with visual icons representing people, events, times, and locations through touch input, eliminating the need for physical keyboard keys while maintaining communication functionality on small device screens.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces icons as intermediary elements between the user and the message content. Instead of typing text directly, users select pre-defined icons that represent specific information categories (who, what, when, where), serving as a mediator that simplifies input while conveying meaningful data.
2Ease of operation
If icon-based messaging is implemented, then ease of input is improved, but information detail and precision may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments event information into distinct categorical components represented by different icon types (who icons for people, what icons for events, when icons for times, where icons for locations). This segmentation allows comprehensive event details to be conveyed through combinations of icons rather than requiring detailed text descriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a categorical dimension to icon-based messaging by organizing icons into specific types representing different information dimensions. This dimensional organization enables rich information expression through icon combinations, compensating for the lack of textual detail through structured categorization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If message modification by recipients is allowed, then social networking and collaboration are enhanced, but message integrity and control may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where recipients can view, modify, and respond to event invitation messages. The system tracks message versions and modifications, allowing the original sender to review changes and maintain approval authority. This feedback loop enables collaboration while preserving message integrity through controlled modification processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Thus, in one embodiment an apparatus includes at least one processor, at least one display controlled by the processor, and at least one wireless transceiver communicating with the processor. The processor is configured to transmit a message accessible to at least one recipient that includes data representing at least one non-alphanumeric who icon representing a person, at least one non-alphanumeric what icon representing an event and/or activity, and at least one non-alphanumeric when icon representing a time associated with the event and/or activity. Furthermore, at least one of the following represented by data included in the message is modifiable based on input from at least one recipient: the at least one who icon, the at least one what icon, and the at least one when icon.