Touch Element Activation Area Classification for Inadvertent Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch screen devices often inadvertently activate adjacent touch elements due to their proximity, leading to unintended functions, especially when destructive actions are accidentally triggered, resulting in potential data loss.
Innovation Solution
Classifying touch elements into categories based on their application functions and adjusting the size of their activation areas accordingly, with destructive or low-priority elements having reduced activation areas and non-destructive or high-priority elements having increased areas, and reallocating activation area space to prioritize frequently used functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If touch elements are placed in close proximity to maximize screen utilization, then the quantity of displayed elements increases, but the likelihood of inadvertent activation of adjacent elements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the interface have different properties. Specifically, touch elements are classified into categories (e.g., destructive vs. non-destructive functions) and different activation area sizes are assigned to different categories. High-priority or destructive elements receive larger activation areas to prevent inadvertent activation, while low-priority elements receive smaller areas to maximize screen utilization.
2Reliability
If activation area size is increased to prevent inadvertent activation, then reliability improves, but the quantity of displayable elements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the interface into groups of touch elements based on their function and priority level. By classifying elements into categories (such as destructive vs. non-destructive, or high-priority vs. low-priority), the system can apply different activation area rules to different segments, allowing larger areas for critical elements while maintaining compact layouts for less critical ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of activation area size dynamically based on the classification of touch elements. Instead of using a uniform activation area for all elements, the system adjusts the activation area parameter according to the element's category, function, and priority level, thereby optimizing both reliability and screen utilization.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform activation area size is used for all touch elements, then ease of implementation is improved, but the likelihood of accidental destructive activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses this contradiction by implementing local quality through classification-based differentiation. Touch elements are classified into categories based on their function and potential harm level. Elements that could cause harmful effects when accidentally activated (such as delete or exit functions) are assigned larger activation areas, while benign elements use smaller areas, thereby preventing accidental destructive activation while maintaining implementation feasibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine-implemented method for processing touch elements of an application of a device is provided. The method includes receiving application data associated with the application, the application data providing for the touch elements, each of the touch elements comprising an activation area configured to receive a user input and to trigger at least one function of the application upon receiving the user input. The method further includes determining, from the application data, that plural ones of the touch elements are for display in a group in the application; and classifying, in response to the determining, each of the touch elements of the group into two or more categories based on the application function of the touch element. The method further includes defining a size of the activation area for at least one of the touch elements based on the classification.