Multi-View Digital Device Menu Overlay for Application Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital devices face challenges in user convenience due to complex function hierarchies and limited recognition of available functions, particularly with remote controllers that have fewer buttons and rely on gestures, making it difficult for users to access and utilize multiple applications and functions efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A digital device and method that displays a menu overlay on the screen, allowing users to select menu items and switch between applications using a multi-view screen, enabling the simultaneous display of multiple applications and intuitive control through a simplified interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a remote controller with many key buttons is used to provide various functions, then the device functionality is comprehensive, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The remote controller is designed with a minimal set of buttons that can perform multiple functions through combination inputs and gesture-based operations. The same physical buttons serve different purposes depending on the context and sequence of presses, eliminating the need for dedicated buttons for each function while maintaining comprehensive device control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A menu interface is introduced as an intermediary between the user and device functions. Instead of requiring direct button mappings for all functions, the menu system serves as a mediator that presents available options and guides users through hierarchical navigation, reducing the cognitive load and physical buttons needed while maintaining access to comprehensive functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a remote controller with minimum key buttons is used to simplify operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases in terms of control logic
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service through automatic context recognition and menu generation. Based on the currently active application and system state, the menu interface automatically presents relevant controls and options, reducing the need for complex user interpretation of button combinations while maintaining simplified physical control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing user inputs and predicting intended operations. Before executing complex control sequences, the system anticipates user intent based on current context and prepares appropriate menu options or direct actions, reducing the computational burden during actual operation while maintaining simple user interaction.
3Productivity
If multiple applications are displayed simultaneously on the screen, then the productivity is improved by reducing navigation depth, but the device complexity increases due to window management
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is segmented into multiple independent regions or windows, each dedicated to a specific application or function. This spatial segmentation allows users to access and interact with multiple applications simultaneously without navigating through hierarchical menus, dramatically improving access efficiency while the window management system handles the complexity of coordinating multiple display regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of organizing applications through hierarchical depth (multiple menu levels), the system transitions to a spatial dimension by arranging applications side-by-side or in overlapping windows on the screen. This dimensional shift from vertical hierarchy to horizontal/vertical spatial arrangement enables parallel access to multiple functions, improving productivity while the underlying window management system handles the complexity of this new organizational paradigm.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a digital device and a method of processing an application in the digital device. The digital device includes a memory, a user interface configured to receive a first signal for requesting menu display and a second signal for requesting access of a multi-view function menu item among a plurality of menu items configuring a displayed menu, a controller configured to perform control to display a first application execution screen in a main window, to display a menu in the main window in response to reception of the first signal, to execute a multi-view mode in response to reception of the second signal to display one or more sub-windows along with the main window, and a display configured to display the main window and the one or more sub-windows on a screen according to execution of the multi-view mode. The controller changes a multi-view mode related to a configuration of the screen including the main window and the one or more sub-windows, upon receiving the third signal through the user interface.