Touch Interface Object Movement via Contact Intensity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manipulating user interfaces on electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are cumbersome and inefficient, leading to increased cognitive burden and energy consumption, particularly in battery-operated devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method and interface that allows user interface objects to be moved at varying speeds or through varying displacements based on the intensity of a press input, using sensors to detect contact intensity and adjust the motion accordingly, providing visual and haptic feedback for intuitive interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional touch input methods are used to manipulate user interface objects, then the device can respond to user inputs, but the operation becomes cumbersome and inefficient, increasing cognitive burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing contact intensity as a variable parameter to control user interface object movement. Instead of traditional binary touch states (touched/not touched), the system detects and responds to varying intensities of contact, allowing objects to move at different speeds or distances based on how hard the user presses. This transforms a simple touch interface into a more expressive control mechanism, reducing cognitive burden by making the interaction more intuitive and natural.
2Productivity
If traditional touch input methods are used, then the interface can be manipulated, but energy consumption increases particularly in battery-operated devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by allowing user interface objects to respond proportionally to the intensity of the touch input. Instead of requiring full-threshold presses for all operations, the system enables gradual movement or partial activation based on the degree of contact intensity. This allows users to perform manipulations more efficiently with less force, reducing the energy required for both the user's physical input and the device's processing response, thereby conserving battery power.
3Productivity
If contact intensity detection is implemented to enable varying speeds of object movement, then manipulation efficiency improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing traditional mechanical or binary touch switch mechanisms with sensor-based contact intensity detection. Instead of using physical switches or simple capacitive touch thresholds, the system employs sensors capable of detecting varying degrees of contact pressure or intensity. This substitution enables more sophisticated control (varying speeds and displacements) while actually simplifying the overall system architecture by using integrated sensor technology that combines multiple functions in a single component.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device, with a touch-sensitive surface, displays a respective control, which is associated with respective contact intensity criteria, used to determine whether or not a function associated with the respective control will be performed. The device detects a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, corresponding to an interaction with the respective control. In accordance with a determination that the gesture does not include a contact that meets the respective contact intensity criteria, the device changes the appearance of the respective control to indicate progress toward meeting the respective contact intensity criteria that is used to determine whether or not a function associated with the respective control will be performed. In response to detecting activation of the control, the device performs the function associated with the respective control in accordance with the detected gesture including a contact that meets the respective contact intensity criteria.