Touch Screen Data Filtering Menu With Side-By-Side Lists
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch screen devices face challenges in efficiently allowing users to select and adjust data characteristics due to limited screen space, making it difficult to analyze complex data applications that require numerous user-selectable parameters.
Innovation Solution
A data filtering menu is displayed on a touch-sensitive interface, allowing users to select characteristics and associated values in side-by-side lists, with saved values represented in the characteristic list and enabling filtering and re-filtering of data based on user selections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users interact with applications through touch screen devices, then portability and convenience are improved, but screen space is limited resulting in less viewable content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nested menus where filtering options are organized in hierarchical levels. The first level displays main filtering categories, and selecting one reveals second-level options nested within. This nesting allows multiple filtering dimensions to be accessible without occupying proportional screen space for each, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and available screen area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional linear menu navigation to a two-dimensional grid layout displaying filtering options. By organizing characteristics and values in columns and rows, the interface efficiently utilizes screen real estate, allowing users to access multiple filtering parameters simultaneously without requiring excessive vertical or horizontal scrolling, thus addressing the limited screen space constraint.
2Adaptability or versatility
If data analysis applications include numerous user selectable parameters, then analysis capability is improved, but difficulty in efficiently analyzing data increases due to large number of options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtering options into distinct characteristics (columns) and their associated values (rows). Each characteristic such as date range, time period, or category is separated into its own column, allowing users to independently select filtering parameters. This segmentation reduces cognitive load and simplifies navigation through numerous parameters, maintaining analysis capability while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering interface is designed as a universal mechanism that handles multiple data characteristics through a consistent interaction pattern. The same column-based selection process applies to different characteristics (date ranges, time periods, categories), allowing users to efficiently navigate diverse filtering options without learning multiple different interfaces, thus reducing the difficulty of analyzing complex data.
3Ease of operation
If larger buttons and selectable objects are used to accommodate fingers, then ease of interaction is improved, but less content can be displayed on screen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a column-based layout where filtering options are arranged horizontally across the screen. By utilizing the horizontal dimension and organizing multiple characteristics in parallel columns, the interface provides sufficient touch target area for ease of interaction while maximizing the amount of displayable content. Users can access multiple filtering parameters within a single screen view without requiring excessively large individual buttons.
Data Source
AI summary
A data filtering menu enabling a user to select different characteristics and values may be displayed. Each of the characteristics may be displayed in a first selectable list in the filtering menu. Once a user selects one of the characteristics, a second list containing selectable values associated with the selected characteristic may be displayed in a second list. The selected values may filter a set of data and the list of characteristics may be modified to display a representation of values selected from one or more of the second lists. Additionally, a selectable object associated with a characteristic having user selected values may also be displayed with a filtered result. If this object is selected, a list of values from the second list may be redisplayed. The user may then select different values and re-executed the filter with the new values.