Photo Tagging Interface With Boundary-Constrained Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user interfaces for editing photo tags on wireless mobile communication devices are inefficient due to constraints on display size and input flexibility, making common desktop techniques ineffective.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for editing photo tags on a mobile device, which includes displaying a photo, providing a photo tagging mode, identifying and highlighting tags, and using a unique visual identifier for each tag type, along with a user-controlled navigational device operable only within the photo boundaries, to facilitate efficient tagging and navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If point-and-click driven input methods are used for photo tagging, then users can quickly identify specific points in a photograph on desktop devices, but the technique does not work well on wireless mobile communication devices with smaller displays and constrained input methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different input methods for different device types. Desktop devices use point-and-click input while mobile devices use touch-based input with visual feedback. The interface adapts its interaction model to the specific device context, allowing efficient photo tagging on each platform type without forcing a single interaction paradigm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary visual feedback mechanism that displays selected points on the photograph itself. This visual mediator bridges the gap between the user's input action and the tagging result, making the interaction more intuitive on mobile devices where direct point-and-click precision is limited by smaller screens and touch input constraints.
2Loss of information
If multiple tags of different types are applied to a photo, then comprehensive annotation is achieved, but it becomes difficult to distinguish and manage different tag types on a small display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes to differentiate between various tag types. Each tag category (e.g., person, object, location) is assigned a distinct color or visual indicator that appears on the photograph and in the tag list. This visual encoding allows users to quickly distinguish and manage different tag types without overwhelming the small mobile display, maintaining both information completeness and operational ease.
3Ease of operation
If a navigational device pointer is allowed to move freely across the screen, then users can access all screen areas, but the pointer may navigate outside the photo boundaries making precise tagging difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation space by creating a virtual boundary that confines the pointer to the photo area only. The navigational device pointer is restricted to move within the photo boundaries, separating the photo tagging function from other screen areas. This segmentation ensures precise tagging within the photo while maintaining navigation flexibility through touch-based control adapted for mobile devices.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
There is disclosed a user interface (148) for editing photo tags. In an embodiment, the user interface embodies a method of editing photo tags (310), comprising: displaying a photo (301) on a display; providing a photo tagging mode for editing tags for the displayed photo; and for each tag used to tag a subject or object in the photo, identifying the tag type and associating a unique pointer (308) for each tag type to highlight the corresponding tagged subject or object. The method may further comprise: displaying a tag list of tags (304) used to tag a subject or object in the photo; and identifying the tag type of each tag in the tag list. In an embodiment, context sensitive information may he accessed for each tag depending on the tag type.