Touch Icon Reordering Interface for Simpler UI Customization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional user interfaces on portable devices are inflexible, cumbersome, and require users to memorize complex key sequences and menu hierarchies, leading to frustration and inefficiency in interacting with the device.

Innovation Solution

A touch-sensitive display interface that allows users to intuitively reconfigure the positions of icons through touch gestures, animating them to simulate floating or sliding, enabling easy customization and adaptation of the user interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If physical pushbuttons and complex menu systems are added to portable devices, then the device functionality and accessibility are improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical pushbuttons and mechanical menu navigation with a touch-sensitive display interface. Users interact directly with visual icons on the screen through tactile gestures, eliminating the need for physical buttons and complex menu hierarchies while maintaining full device functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The interface allows dynamic reconfiguration of icon positions and arrangements based on user preferences and usage patterns. The layout is not fixed but can be adapted and customized, providing versatility without requiring complex predefined menu structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional user interfaces are made configurable by users, then the adaptability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to counterintuitive behaviors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface configurabilityVSAvoidconfiguration ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The interface enables users to directly manipulate and reconfigure icon layouts through intuitive touch gestures. Users can drag, drop, and arrange icons themselves without navigating complex configuration menus or following counterintuitive procedures. The system responds naturally to user actions, making the configuration process as simple as using the interface itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12474817B2Editing interface

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 APPLE INC

AI summary

A portable electronic device displays icons (e.g., graphical objects) in one or more regions of a user interface of a touch-sensitive display, and detects user input specifying an exchange of positions of icons in the user interface. In some aspects, the respective positions of two icons in a user interface can be selected to exchange positions in the one or more regions of the user interface, and one or both icons can change their visual appearance to indicate their selection status.