Touch Input Content Refinement with Visual Feedback Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users with touch input devices, such as mobile devices, face difficulties in accurately selecting content on small screens, often selecting additional information instead of the intended content.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that allows users to refine their content selection using touch inputs, providing visual indicators and allowing users to de-select or expand their selection based on referent entities identified with the selected content, using a processor and memory to manage user inputs and contextual data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users select content on small screens using touch input devices, then content selection capability is provided, but selection accuracy deteriorates and additional content is selected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content selection process into multiple stages: initial selection, visual feedback display, and refinement phase. This allows users to first make a rough selection, then refine it based on visual indicators showing exactly what will be selected, thereby improving accuracy without sacrificing ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements visual feedback by displaying indicators that show users exactly which content will be selected before the selection is finalized. This feedback loop allows users to adjust their selection to achieve the desired precision, directly addressing the accuracy problem while maintaining touch-based ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users attempt to select specific content on small screens, then content selection is enabled, but selection precision deteriorates due to limited screen space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the selection process by introducing a refinement phase after initial selection. Users can adjust their selection boundaries and receive visual feedback, effectively adding a time-based dimension to improve precision without requiring more screen real estate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary visualization of the selection before finalization. By showing users what will be selected and allowing them to refine boundaries beforehand, the system ensures higher precision in the final selection while maintaining the adaptability of touch-based interaction.
3Loss of information
If visual indicators are provided for selected content, then user awareness of selection is improved, but interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual indicators locally only to the selected content area rather than throughout the entire interface. This localized approach provides necessary user awareness of what is selected without adding global interface complexity, maintaining a clean and simple overall interface design.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual indicators serve to inform users of their own selections without requiring additional system complexity. The system automatically displays what is selected based on user input, providing self-service information that reduces loss of information without proportionally increasing interface complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer-implemented methods for refining a selection of content using touch input are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a first touch input from a user for selecting content displayed on a device, providing, for display, a visual indicator of the content that has been selected, and receiving a second touch input indicating a refinement to the selection of the content. The refinement of the selection of the content is based on at least one referent entity identified with the selected content. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.