Movable Display Component for Portable Device Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with small form factors face challenges in user interaction due to limited display area and difficulty in providing reliable, comfortable, and accurate data entry, as smaller devices struggle with alphanumeric character entry mechanisms and efficient data input.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device detects changes in its physical configuration and automatically adjusts application functionality by moving components, such as touch-sensitive displays, keyboards, or other user interfaces, to optimize the user experience and increase available display area, allowing for enhanced input methods and functionality based on the device's orientation and configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the device size is reduced to improve portability, then the device becomes more portable and easier to carry, but the display area decreases and data entry becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable component that can change position within the device housing. This component contains additional display area and input mechanisms that are not always visible but can be brought into view when needed. The dynamic reconfiguration allows the device to maintain a compact form factor while providing larger interaction areas when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the third dimension (depth) by incorporating a movable component that can slide or rotate within the device housing. This allows additional display and input elements to be stored in a space-efficient manner, expanding the functional area without increasing the device's external footprint.
2Weight of moving object
If the device size is reduced to improve portability, then the device becomes more portable and easier to carry, but data entry accuracy and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The movable component dynamically reconfigures the device to provide larger, more ergonomic input mechanisms when data entry is required. This component can present full-size keyboards, larger touch targets, or other precision input elements that would be too large for the main device body but are accessible when the component is moved into position.
3Area of stationary object
If the display area is increased to improve user interaction, then user interaction quality improves, but the device form factor increases and portability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The display and input functionality is segmented into a main fixed portion and an additional movable portion. The movable component contains supplementary display elements and input mechanisms that can be positioned as needed. This segmentation allows the device to maintain a compact primary form factor while providing expanded interaction areas when required.
4Ease of operation
If a movable component is added to increase display area and improve input methods, then user interaction quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable component is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides additional display area, houses input mechanisms, and can be positioned in different configurations to support various usage scenarios. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering substantial improvements in user interaction quality across multiple operational modes.
Data Source
Figure 1-1~1-6
Figure 2~3
Figure 4-1~4-2
AI summary
An electronic device detects a change in its physical configuration and automatically performs an application function in response to such detection. By one approach this can comprise detecting a change in configuration as regards a native component of the electronic device (such as, for example, whether the component is configured in a deployed position or a non-deployed position). The nature of the performed application function can vary with the application setting. As one example, this activity can comprise moving at least a portion of the application's user interface to the aforementioned component. As another example, this activity can comprise accessing preferences information (by, for example, accessing stored information that maps particular application functions to corresponding physical configurations of the electronic device).