Sidebar Tile Free-Arrangement Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Computer users face difficulties in accessing information conveniently and maintaining an organized display layout, as they lack control over the placement of user interfaces, leading to frustration and inefficiency due to time-consuming manual rearrangement and interruptions in work.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that allows independent user interfaces to be moved and rearranged automatically within a designated area on a display, maintaining even spacing and prioritization settings such as 'always-on-top' or 'always-on-bottom', enabling seamless access to information without interrupting regular tasks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If user interfaces are manually moved on a display, then user control over information placement is improved, but the display layout becomes uneven and unsightly with gaps and crowding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser control over information placementVSAvoiddisplay layout uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects when a user interface is moved and autonomously rearranges other interfaces to maintain even spacing, eliminating the need for manual intervention to preserve layout uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical dragging of interfaces with an automated computational system that calculates and executes optimal positioning to maintain uniform distribution across the display

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Shape

If user interfaces are manually rearranged to fix uneven spacing, then display layout uniformity is improved, but user time and effort are lost and work is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay layout uniformityVSAvoidtime spent on manual rearrangement

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system proactively maintains uniform spacing by automatically adjusting interfaces whenever a move occurs, preventing the need for subsequent manual rearrangement and preserving user workflow continuity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors interface positions and automatically triggers rearrangement operations when spacing deviations are detected, creating a self-correcting mechanism that maintains layout uniformity without user intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If user interfaces are freely moved to accessible locations, then ease of access to information is improved, but the display becomes crowded and disorganized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to informationVSAvoiddisplay organization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the positions of multiple user interfaces in real-time based on movement events, automatically redistributing them to maintain organized spacing while accommodating user access needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7657842B2Sidebar tile free-arrangement

Publication Date: 2010.02.02 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

The present invention relates to a system and method for displaying information on a display such that access to applications or dynamic information through independent user interfaces may be attained in a designated area on a display and may be easily and conveniently moved from the designated area on the display to any other location in the display. Further, the applications or independent user interfaces may be arranged automatically such that the independent user interfaces may be substantially evenly spaced.