Remote Desktop Pixel Mapping for Touch Interface Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-resolution client devices, such as tablets and smartphones, face difficulties in displaying remote desktops due to small font and icon sizes when using a 1:1 pixel ratio, leading to frustrating user interactions as users need to frequently zoom and pan to access remote applications effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines the client device's physical resolution and requests a remote desktop connection at a calculated connection resolution, mapping pixels at a ratio other than 1:1 to achieve an effective pixel density of 140 to 230 pixels per inch, ensuring larger touch targets and optionally resizing to fill the screen, thereby minimizing the need for zooming and panning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a 1:1 pixel ratio is used for displaying remote desktop on high-resolution client devices, then the remote desktop connection maintains accurate pixel mapping, but the fonts and icons become too small for comfortable interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pixel ratio parameter from the default 1:1 to a scaled ratio (e.g., 2:1, 3:1, or 4:1) based on the client device's screen resolution. This parameter change allows high-resolution devices to display larger fonts and icons while maintaining proportional relationships, directly resolving the contradiction between pixel mapping accuracy and touch target size.
2Ease of operation
If the remote desktop is zoomed in to enlarge fonts and icons, then touch target size increases for better interaction, but elements of the remote desktop are pushed outside the viewable area requiring frequent panning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary scaling of the entire remote desktop interface before display, rather than requiring users to zoom in during interaction. By pre-calculating and applying the appropriate scale factor based on device resolution, the system enlarges all elements uniformly and positions them within the viewable area in advance, eliminating the need for frequent zooming and panning operations.
3Ease of operation
If a lower resolution is selected for remote desktop connection, then fonts and icons become larger on high-resolution devices, but the overall display quality and sharpness decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by maintaining the original high resolution of the remote desktop connection while applying selective scaling only to the display output. The remote desktop is transmitted at full resolution for optimal quality, then the client device scales the display locally based on its screen characteristics, thus preserving display quality while achieving appropriate touch target sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
A remote access application queries the client device for its display properties. Using the display properties of the client device and optionally the size of the fingertip of the user, a connection resolution for a remote desktop connection is determined. A remote desktop session is retrieved at the connection resolution and remote pixels are mapped to client pixels at a non-1:1 ratio. Remote desktop is then optionally resized to full screen.