Keypad URL Linkage via Pop-up Menu for Portable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with smaller screens face inconvenience in webpage navigation due to the need for precise inputting of URLs, especially with small keys and multiple selections required for changing webpages.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a keypad to link frequently used URLs, allowing users to register and quickly switch between webpages by displaying a pop-up menu upon selecting a predetermined key, enabling direct access to registered URLs through a touch sensor and controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users input URLs manually using the address bar on a portable electronic device with a small screen, then the device can access webpages, but the operation becomes inconvenient and time-consuming due to small keys and multiple selections required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-assigns frequently used URLs to specific keys on the keypad. When a user presses a key, the corresponding URL is immediately displayed in a pop-up menu, eliminating the need for manual typing or multiple selections in the address bar. This preliminary assignment of URLs to keys resolves the contradiction by preparing the navigation paths in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a pop-up menu as an intermediary between the keypad and the webpage navigation system. When a key is pressed, the pop-up menu displays the mapped URL, serving as a mediator that translates simple key presses into full URL navigation, thereby simplifying the operation and reducing time loss.
2Ease of operation
If the screen size of portable electronic devices is reduced, then the device becomes more portable, but the address bar and keys become smaller making input operations more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the URL input function into two parts: the keypad for selecting URL categories or specific URLs, and the pop-up menu for confirming the selection. This segmentation allows the address bar to remain small while maintaining ease of operation, as users can navigate URLs through the keypad without needing a large input area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the navigation process by using a pop-up menu that appears after key press. This transforms the spatial problem of small keys into a temporal sequence: press key → wait for pop-up → select URL. The dimensionality change allows small physical keys to control larger logical navigation spaces.
3Productivity
If manual URL input is used in the address bar, then webpage access is achieved, but the process requires precise touching and multiple selections which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the URL selection process from the address bar and relocates it to the keypad with pop-up menu. By taking out the manual input requirement from the address bar, the system achieves faster webpage switching through simple key presses, while the address bar retains only its essential display function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a self-service navigation system where the keypad automatically displays the mapped URL in a pop-up menu when a key is pressed. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for users to manually type or search for URLs, thereby increasing productivity without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for performing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) linkage function using a keypad that changes a screen to a mapped URL when a predetermined key is selected are provided. The method includes displaying the keypad that executes the URL linkage function, sensing a predetermined type of touch generated on a predetermined key existing in the keypad, displaying, in a pop-up menu, a URL item registered in advance on the key, in response to the predetermined type of touch, and changing a screen to a selected URL when a predetermined URL is selected in the pop-up menu.