Nested Functional Icons for Vehicle Touch Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional information terminals, especially those in vehicles, face challenges in displaying and operating multiple functional icons due to limited screen size, leading to complex operations and reduced usability for drivers.
Innovation Solution
An information terminal program that displays a first functional icon and, upon long-press, reveals adjacent second functional icons with different operations, allowing easy access to additional functions without changing the design or requiring additional buttons, thereby improving operability and usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functional icons are displayed on a small screen, then the number of accessible functions increases, but the size of individual icons must be reduced making them difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where additional functional icons are hidden within or adjacent to a primary functional icon. When the primary icon is activated, secondary icons are revealed in a popup window or expanded view, allowing multiple functions to be accessed through a single icon footprint on the main screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional grid layout to a multi-dimensional interface by displaying additional icons in a popup window or expanded view that overlays or extends from the main screen, effectively adding a third dimension (depth/layers) to the interface design.
2Ease of operation
If functional icons are displayed in a grid layout, then the interface is simple and recognizable, but the number of displayable icons is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds additional functional icons within or adjacent to existing icons in the grid layout. Each primary icon in the recognizable grid can contain or reveal multiple secondary icons, maintaining the simplicity of the grid structure while dramatically increasing the number of accessible functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the functional icons into primary and secondary categories, where primary icons maintain the grid layout for visual recognizability, and secondary icons are revealed on-demand through popup windows or expanded views when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the screen size is increased to display more icons, then more functions are accessible, but the device becomes larger and less suitable for vehicle mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests additional functional icons within the existing screen real estate by placing secondary icons inside or adjacent to primary icons. This allows a small screen to display effectively more functions without increasing physical screen area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes overlay layers and popup windows to display additional icons in a third dimension (depth), allowing more icons to be accessed on a small screen without increasing the physical screen area.
Data Source
AI summary
An information terminal controlling operations of applications according to a user's operation received via a touch panel includes a display control unit configured to display a first functional icon assigned with a first operation that is activated when the user touches the first functional icon for a predetermined period of time or less, wherein the display control unit displays a second functional icon at a position adjacent to the first functional icon when the user touches the first functional icon for more than the predetermined period of time, and wherein the second functional icon assigned with another operation, which is different from the first operation, that is activated when the user touches the second functional icon.