List Navigation Interface With Indexing And Overlay Panel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing man-machine interface technologies, such as the scroll wheel on iPods, face challenges in efficiently navigating long lists of items, where users struggle to locate specific items quickly and accurately due to the need to scroll through numerous items, often overshooting the desired position and lacking access to additional information about items without entering a specific selection.
Innovation Solution
A graphic user interface that displays an information panel with hidden information when an item is highlighted for a predefined time, along with an indexing display that allows users to jump to specific groups of items, facilitating quicker location of desired items by providing a list of indexes corresponding to common characteristics, thereby reducing the need to scroll through the entire list.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If users scroll through long lists of items using a scroll wheel, then users can navigate through the list, but it takes a long time to reach specific items and users may overshoot the desired position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the list into multiple pages or sections that can be navigated individually. Instead of scrolling through the entire list sequentially, users can jump to specific pages or sections, effectively segmenting the navigation process. This reduces the time to reach specific items while maintaining position accuracy within each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary indexing system that provides a secondary navigation layer. This indexing system acts as a mediator between the user and the main list, allowing users to first select a page or section from the index, then navigate within that smaller scope. This two-level navigation structure solves both the time-consuming scroll issue and the overshooting problem.
2Loss of information
If additional information is displayed for each item in the list, then users can see more details about items, but the display area becomes cluttered and the interface becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic information display system where additional information is shown or hidden based on user interaction. When users select or hover over an item, the system dynamically expands to show more details. This dynamic behavior allows the interface to remain simple by default while providing comprehensive information when needed, without permanently cluttering the display area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a second display area or overlay dimension to show additional information. Instead of expanding the main list area horizontally or vertically (which would clutter the interface), the system uses an additional display dimension—such as a side panel, popup, or overlay—to present extra information. This keeps the main interface clean while providing full information accessibility.
3Loss of time
If the list is scrolled quickly to reach distant items, then navigation time is reduced, but it becomes very hard to stop at the desired position without overshooting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation process into two distinct phases: rapid page/section selection followed by precise item selection within that smaller scope. Users first quickly jump to the appropriate page or section using the index (rapid navigation), then scroll through a much shorter list of items within that segment (precise positioning). This segmentation eliminates the overshooting problem while maintaining fast navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary navigation to a page or section before final item selection. The indexing system allows users to perform a preliminary action of selecting the general area or category, which then narrows down the search scope. This preliminary positioning action reduces the subsequent scrolling distance and makes final positioning much more controllable and precise.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques pertaining to efficient scrolling a list are disclosed. One of the features of the efficient scrolling is to provide a graphic user interface that displays items in the list so that a user may scroll the list using a scroll wheel. After an item is highlighted for a predefined time, an information panel is automatically displayed to show hidden information associated with the item. The information panel is superimposed in an area of the graphic user interface, without obstructing the highlighted item.