Mobile Merchant Availability Interface with Tiered Touch Navigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) designed for desktop computing are unsuitable for mobile devices, particularly in managing complex data hierarchies and touch screen interactions, leading to cumbersome and unintuitive management of merchant availability.
Innovation Solution
A multi-level tiered graphical user interface (mGUI) for mobile devices, allowing intuitive data organization and management through tiered levels, enabling real-time monitoring and dynamic modification of merchant availability slots, and providing promotions to consumers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If desktop GUI design is used for mobile devices, then interface functionality is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to smaller screen size and touch input limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is divided into multiple hierarchical levels (first level, second level, third level) that can be independently accessed and manipulated. Each level contains specific interface elements relevant to that tier, allowing complex data hierarchies to be broken down into manageable segments that are easier to navigate on mobile devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the interface by implementing collapsible and expandable interface elements that can be collapsed to a first level, expanded to a second level, and further expanded to a third level. This multi-level expansion along the vertical dimension allows complex information to be organized hierarchically, improving ease of operation on mobile devices while managing interface complexity.
2Ease of operation
If complex data hierarchies are managed using existing mobile GUIs, then data completeness is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The interface implements a nested hierarchical structure where interface elements at the first level can contain and expand to reveal elements at the second level, which in turn can contain and expand to reveal elements at the third level. This nested organization allows complete data hierarchies to be maintained in a compact form, enabling users to access comprehensive information while maintaining ease of operation through progressive disclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface elements are designed to be dynamic, allowing users to collapse elements to a first level when only summary information is needed, and expand to second and third levels when detailed information is required. This dynamic behavior maintains data completeness while adapting to user needs, improving ease of operation by allowing users to view only the level of detail they currently require.
3Ease of operation
If touch screen interactions are optimized for mobile devices, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases due to multiple interaction modes
Solution Approach 1:
The interface elements are designed to respond to multiple types of touch inputs (single tap, double tap, long press, swipe gestures) in a unified manner. Each interface element serves multiple functions depending on the interaction type, allowing the system to handle diverse touch interactions without requiring separate controls for each interaction mode, thus improving ease of operation while managing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for providing merchant slot availability management using graphical user interfaces for mobile devices are discussed herein. Some embodiments may include a mobile device with processing circuitry configured to generate a multi-level graphical user interface (mGUI), and provide the mGUI to a touch screen display of the mobile device. The processing circuitry may be further configured to monitor a touch screen for various predefined user inputs for traversing tiered levels, and updating the mGUI. The mGUI may be used to implement interfaces various mobile device interfaces used for organizing hierarchal or structured data. For example, the mGUI may be used to implement a merchant slot management interface that allows merchants to dynamically adjust slot availability and associated properties, manage slots such as by creating tabs, or generate promotions for available slots.