Split-Screen Activation via Icon Contact Prompts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional split-screen display methods on smart devices are inefficient, requiring multiple user operations to activate and manage split-screen interfaces, leading to low efficiency and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A method where an electronic device displays prompts around application icons to indicate support for split-screen mode, allowing users to easily drag and contact icons to switch between applications, with duration-based contact detection to confirm split-screen intentions and control interface layouts, improving efficiency and accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional split-screen activation method is used, then split-screen display function is achieved, but user operation steps are excessive and efficiency is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesplit-screen activation efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of user operations
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by displaying prompts around application icons in advance to indicate split-screen capability. When the user drags an icon to contact a prompt, the split-screen interface is directly activated without requiring additional steps to search for or select the second application, thus reducing operation steps and improving activation efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple operation steps are required for split-screen activation, then application switching is achieved, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication switching speedVSAvoidtime for entering split-screen mode
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements skipping by allowing direct activation of split-screen mode through a single drag-and-contact operation. The user skips the intermediate steps of searching for the second application and manually selecting it from a list, rushing through to the final split-screen state by simply contacting the prompt indicator

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Ease of operation

If conventional method is used to display multiple applications, then split-screen interface is formed, but operation complexity is high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesplit-screen interface managementVSAvoidoperation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically managing the split-screen interface formation. When the user drags an icon to contact a prompt, the system automatically identifies the target application, configures the split-screen layout, and displays both applications without requiring the user to manually manage or configure complex parameters

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3964934B1Screen splitting method and electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.01.01 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3964934B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3964934B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3964934B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

A split-screen method and an electronic device are disclosed. The method includes: Icons of a plurality of applications are displayed in a user interface. If receiving an operation input by a user on an icon of a first application, an electronic device displays first prompts around an icon or icons of a plurality of applications that support split screen in the user interface, where the first prompt is used to indicate that the applications support split-screen display. Then, if detecting that the user enables the icon of the first application to be contact with a first prompt corresponding to an icon of a third application, the electronic device displays a split-screen interface including an interface of the first application and an interface of the third application at the same time, where the third application is one of the plurality of applications that support split screen. In this manner, the user can conveniently enter the split-screen interface corresponding to the first application and the third application. This improves split-screen efficiency.