Standardizing Touch Gestures Across Diverse Panel Types

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Solution Overview

Problem

Developing application programs for multi-function peripherals (MFPs) that support various types of touch panels is challenging due to differences in touch screen capabilities, such as single-touch and multi-touch detection, requiring reprogramming of gesture recognition and association.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus with a software architecture that includes an operation standardization method, using conversion tables to associate application commands with internal commands, allowing the system to standardize operations across different touch panel types by converting touch events into standardized gestures, enabling the execution of processes regardless of the touch panel's capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If application programs are developed to support multiple touch panel types, then compatibility and versatility are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of manufacture increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidcomplexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a standardization layer that acts as an intermediary between the touch panel hardware and application programs. This layer includes standardized event types, gesture recognition algorithms, and conversion tables that translate various touch panel input formats into a unified standard format, allowing applications to interact with different touch panel types through a consistent interface without requiring type-specific programming

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal gesture recognition system that can handle multiple touch panel types (single-touch, multi-touch, different coordinate systems) through a single unified framework. The standardized event types and gesture algorithms are designed to be type-agnostic, enabling one application program to universally support diverse touch panel configurations without modification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If gesture recognition is reprogrammed for each touch panel type, then measurement precision and operation accuracy are improved, but loss of time and productivity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveaccuracyVSAvoidtime
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary standardization by pre-defining standardized event types, gesture recognition algorithms, and conversion tables during system design. This preliminary action establishes a universal framework before application development, eliminating the need for time-consuming reprogramming of gesture recognition for each touch panel type while maintaining accurate detection and recognition performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If touch panels with different capabilities are used, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation and ease of manufacture worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The standardization layer serves as an intermediary that abstracts away the differences in touch panel capabilities from the application programmer. By providing a unified interface and automatic conversion mechanisms, it shields developers from the complexity of handling different touch panel types, making the development process as easy as programming for a single standard type while maintaining broad adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2712167B1Image processing apparatus, operation standardization method, and computer-readable recording medium encoded with operation standardization program
Publication Date: 2019.11.06 KONICA MINOLTA INC
  • EP2712167B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2712167B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2712167B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image processing apparatus includes a display portion (161), a touch panel (165), and a control portion (111). The control portion (111) includes a touch event generating portion (75) to output a touch event indicating a position detected by the touch panel, a gesture event determining portion (77) to determine a gesture event on the basis of a set of touch events continuously output from the touch event generating portion (75), an application portion (51) operable, when receiving process identification information, to perform a process corresponding to the process identification information, an association portion (71) operable, at the stage when an application program is installed, to associate each of a plurality of types of processes determined by the application program with one of gesture events, a process specifying portion (79) to specify the process associated with the gesture event determined, and an operation notification portion (81) to output the process identification information of the specified process to the application portion (51).