Continuous Scroll Indicator for Portable Touch Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays face challenges in efficiently scrolling through large amounts of information due to limited screen size and the need for repetitive gestures or button interactions, which can be cumbersome and power-intensive.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced that renders a continuous scroll indicator on the touch-sensitive display in response to continuous scroll input, allowing users to scroll information based on the direction and change in touch location, enabling smooth and adjustable scrolling without requiring additional buttons or gestures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the screen size of portable electronic devices is decreased to improve portability, then device portability is improved, but the ability to display and scroll through large amounts of information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice portabilityVSAvoiddisplay screen area

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic scrolling behavior where the scroll indicator responds to the velocity and distance of touch gestures. Faster or longer drag gestures result in scrolling through larger portions of content, while slower or shorter gestures scroll smaller portions. This dynamic response allows efficient navigation through large datasets on small screens by adapting scroll behavior to user intent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a visual scroll indicator as an intermediary element between the user's touch gesture and the scrolling action. This indicator shows the direction and extent of scrolling before it occurs, allowing users to understand and control the scrolling behavior on the limited screen area, thus resolving the contradiction between small screen size and information navigation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If traditional scrolling methods using repetitive gestures or button interactions are used, then scrolling functionality is achieved, but user convenience and power efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescrolling convenienceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous scrolling where a single sustained touch gesture continues to scroll content as long as the user maintains the gesture. This eliminates the need for repetitive tapping or button pressing, reducing both the time required to scroll through content and the power consumption associated with multiple discrete gesture recognitions and executions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The scroll indicator serves itself by automatically updating based on the user's touch gesture velocity and distance. The system self-adjusts the scrolling behavior without requiring additional user input or complex control logic, making the interaction more efficient and reducing the computational overhead that would consume power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2378400B1Portable electronic device and method of controlling same

Publication Date: 2017.11.22 BLACKBERRY LTD

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AI summary

A method includes displaying information on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device, rendering a continuous scroll indicator in response to receipt of a continuous scroll input at the portable electronic device, detecting, on the touch-sensitive display, a touch associated with the continuous scroll indicator, and scrolling the information based on a direction of the change, when a change in touch location is determined.