Ordinal Rank Visual Indication for Ordered List Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current user interfaces do not provide a visual indication of the ordinal rank of selected objects in an ordered list, which can be crucial for performing order-dependent actions on the selected items.

Innovation Solution

A user interface mechanism that determines the ordinal rank of selected objects within an ordered list and renders a visual indication of this rank, such as using additional columns or semi-transparent windows with ordinal numerals, to inform the user of the selection order.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If visual indication of selection is provided by modifying object representation or background color, then user can identify selected objects, but no information about the ordinal rank or selection order is conveyed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselection order informationVSAvoidvisual indication mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The visual indication is segmented into two distinct components: (1) selection indication through background color modification, and (2) ordinal rank indication through separate numerical display elements. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction by adding rank information without overcomplicating the overall mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Ordinal numeral elements are introduced as intermediary visual elements that bridge the gap between the selected object and the selection order information. These numerals act as mediators that convey rank information without directly modifying the object representation itself, thus adding information while maintaining a relatively simple indication mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If ordinal rank visual indication is added to user interface, then users can perform order-dependent actions, but the interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorder-dependent actionsVSAvoiduser interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ordinal rank indication is applied locally only to selected objects rather than all objects in the list. This local quality approach ensures that the visual indication mechanism remains simple for the majority of objects while providing enhanced order-dependent operation capabilities specifically where needed (i.e., for selected items).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by displaying ordinal indicators only for selected objects rather than all objects. This partial application of the visual indication mechanism provides the necessary functionality for order-dependent actions on selected items while avoiding the complexity that would result from applying the same mechanism universally to all objects in the interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8782557B2Ordered multiple selection user interface

Publication Date: 2014.07.15 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Techniques and mechanisms providing a visual indication of ordinal ranks of objects in an ordered list. When an object is selected for the ordered list, an ordinal rank for the object within the ordered list is determined and a visual indication of the ordinal rank is rendered to a user interface.