Input Device Unified Scroll Highlight Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices, such as mice and input pads, require separate operations to scroll and highlight selection items in a pop-up menu, making it cumbersome to select items using a single operation like scrolling.
Innovation Solution
An input device that generates a coordinate-translation signal to control both scrolling and highlighting of pop-up menu items using a single operation, such as a mouse wheel or input pad, allowing for seamless selection of menu items by integrating scrolling and highlighting functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a mouse or input pad is used to scroll display information, then scrolling function is achieved, but pop-up menu selection items cannot be highlighted
Solution Approach 1:
The input device is designed to perform multiple functions: when a pop-up menu is not displayed, the wheel operation scrolls display information; when a pop-up menu is displayed, the same wheel operation highlights selection items. This multi-functionality allows a single operation to adapt to different display states and achieve different objectives.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes its response based on the display state. The control unit detects whether a pop-up menu is displayed and adjusts the function of the wheel operation accordingly - scrolling when menu is absent, highlighting when menu is present. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between fixed scrolling function and flexible menu selection need.
2Reliability
If separate operations are used for scrolling and highlighting, then each function works reliably, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the scrolling operation and menu highlighting operation into a single unified operation. The wheel operation simultaneously serves both purposes: scrolling display information when no menu is present, and highlighting menu items when a menu is displayed. This consolidation reduces operational complexity while maintaining reliable functionality for both purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
An input device allowing an operator to select any one of selection items of a pop-up menu with an easy operation is provided. The input device includes two kinds of operation units configured to output a coordinate translation signal in at least one direction and a control unit configured to control display information on a display screen on the basis of the coordinate translation signal output from operation unit. When scrollable display information is displayed and the pop-up menu is not displayed on the display screen, the control unit scrolls the display information on the basis of the coordinate-translation signal, and, when the scrollable display information and the pop-up menu are both displayed on the display screen, the control unit controls sequentially high-lighting of a plurality of selection items of the pop-up menu on the basis of the coordinate-translation signal.