See-through Input Control for Multitasking Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile terminals with multitasking capabilities require users to switch between different input methods for various applications, leading to inconvenient transitions when switching between tasks like listening to music and viewing pictures, as they often need to terminate one function and enter another mode.
Innovation Solution
A touchscreen terminal that allows for see-through input by determining whether a touch is a general input for one application or a see-through input for another, enabling the user to control multiple applications simultaneously by varying the transparency of the first application and displaying it partially overlapping the second application, with specific touch signals distinguishing between the two types of inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate keys are used for each application mode, then application switching becomes easier, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen serves multiple functions: it acts as both a display interface and an input interface. The same touch interface is used for both navigating the first application and controlling the second application through see-through input, eliminating the need for separate physical keys for different modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts transparency levels of the first application based on touch characteristics. When a see-through input is detected (touch while first application is in transparent state), the system switches to controlling the second application, providing dynamic mode switching without additional hardware.
2Device complexity
If touch-operated input is used for all applications, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to mode switching requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The transparency state of the first application serves as an intermediary indicator that mediates between the user and the system state. When the first application is transparent, it signals that see-through input to the second application is enabled, providing intuitive feedback without requiring mode switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the transparency parameter of the first application to indicate different operational states. By adjusting the transparency level, the system provides visual feedback about which application is active and how touch inputs will be interpreted, eliminating the need for explicit mode switching.
3Ease of operation
If the first application is made transparent to enable see-through input, then direct control of the second application is enabled, but the visibility of the first application deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The first application is made partially transparent rather than completely invisible, allowing users to still perceive its presence and interface elements while enabling see-through input to the second application. This partial transparency maintains enough visibility for context awareness while enabling the see-through control functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal and a method for providing a see-through input provide intuitive control of a plurality of applications. The terminal may include a touchscreen to display a first application and a second application and to sense occurrence of a touch and generate a touch signal; and a control unit to determine whether the touch signal is a general input for the first application or a see-through input for the second application and to execute a function of an application corresponding to the general input or the see-through input.