Notification Group Dismissal via Touch Gesture Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
On tablet computers with limited screen real estate, dismissing multiple notifications using touch input is challenging due to the spread of input across multiple pixels, making it difficult for the device to determine selection and requiring users to shift their attention, especially when notifications cover significant screen space.
Innovation Solution
A computing device with a touch-screen that allows users to select and dismiss multiple notifications by sensing touch input and detecting dismissal gestures, such as moving their finger across notifications, where the device determines selection based on touch coordinates and thresholds, enabling grouped dismissal without interrupting the user's focus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If touch input is used to dismiss notifications on a tablet computer, then the user can interact directly on the screen, but the input is spread across multiple pixels making it difficult to determine precise selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the touch input area by dividing the screen into discrete notification regions. When a user touches the screen, the system determines which specific notification region the touch falls into, even though the physical touch is spread across multiple pixels. This segmentation allows precise identification of the intended notification despite the distributed nature of capacitive touch input.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different properties to different regions of the screen. Each notification occupies a specific region with defined boundaries, and the touch sensitivity or selection criteria are optimized for that local region. This allows the system to accurately determine which notification was intended based on the local position of the touch input.
2Loss of information
If multiple notifications are displayed simultaneously, then the user receives all important information, but the notifications cover significant screen real estate requiring user attention to dismiss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple notification dismissals into a single gesture operation. When notifications are stacked or grouped together, a single touch input can select and dismiss multiple notifications simultaneously, rather than requiring the user to tap each notification individually. This combining approach maintains complete notification delivery while significantly reducing the time and attention required for dismissal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous dismissal of notifications through a single sustained touch gesture. Instead of interrupting the user's workflow to dismiss each notification separately, the system allows the user to maintain a continuous action (holding a touch) that automatically dismisses multiple notifications in sequence, preserving the user's focus and reducing attention shifts.
3Area of stationary object
If notifications are displayed in a system tray, then screen real estate is preserved, but touch input cannot precisely target small dismissal elements like an 'x' in the corner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the dismissal interaction from a two-dimensional precise targeting problem to a different dimensional approach. Instead of requiring precise horizontal and vertical positioning to hit a small 'x' button in the corner, the system allows users to dismiss notifications by touching anywhere within the notification's vertical span and performing a swipe gesture in the horizontal dimension. This dimensional change makes the interaction much more tolerant of touch imprecision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gesture-based intermediary mechanism between the user's touch and the notification dismissal. Rather than directly targeting the small dismissal button, the user performs a swipe gesture that acts as an intermediary action. The system detects this gesture pattern and translates it into a dismissal command, providing a larger, more touch-friendly interaction target while preserving the compact notification display.
Data Source
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AI summary
In exemplary embodiments, multiple notifications can be displayed by a touch-screen of a computing device and dismissed as a group. For example, touch input sensed by the touch-screen can be used to select multiple notifications. The multiple notifications can then be dismissed using a dismissal gesture. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the detailed description, claims, and figures.