Side Input Apparatuses for Electronic Devices to Prevent Display Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The small size of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on electronic devices makes it inconvenient for users to perform operations as the display content is often covered when interacting with the GUI, hindering effective human-machine interaction.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device displays indicating icons on the periphery of the display screen, allowing users to perform operations on exposed inputting apparatuses without covering the display content, enabling accurate correspondence between operation positions and functions represented by the icons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the display screen is used as the operating panel for human-machine interaction, then the device can display information and accept user input, but the display content is covered when the user performs operations, making operation inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new spatial dimension by placing inputting apparatus on the lateral surface of the housing rather than on the display screen surface. This dimensional transition allows input operations to occur outside the display area, preventing content coverage while maintaining interaction functionality. The indicating icons on the display screen serve as visual guides corresponding to the physically separated input positions.
2Area of stationary object
If the GUI area is kept small to maintain device compactness, then the device remains portable, but the operation area becomes insufficient for comfortable interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the interaction space to the lateral surface of the housing, effectively increasing the operational area without increasing the display screen area. This allows the device to maintain a compact form factor while providing sufficient space for comfortable input operations through the side-mounted inputting apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the display function and input function into different spatial locations. The display screen remains on the front surface while the inputting apparatus are distributed on the lateral surface, allowing each component to optimize its area independently without compromising the other.
3Ease of operation
If indicating icons are displayed on the display screen for operation guidance, then users can identify function positions, but the icons themselves occupy display area and may interfere with content display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the primary input interface from the display screen area and places it on the lateral surface. The indicating icons on the display screen serve only as visual references rather than interactive elements, minimizing their area occupation while maintaining their guidance function. The actual interaction occurs outside the display area.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method and an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a display screen and K inputting apparatuses. The display screen is fixed in the housing and a display output area of the display screen is visible through a first surface of the housing. The K inputting apparatuses are fixed in the housing and an operation surface of each of the K inputting apparatuses is exposed through a lateral surface of the housing. The electronic device is adapted to control the display screen to display M indicating icons on a periphery of the display output area. The electronic device is adapted to acquire, via the operation surface, the input operation at a first operation position on the operation surface, and perform a first function represented by a first indicating icon corresponding to the first operation position in response to the input operation.