Touch Screen List Scrolling and Object Selection via Drag Direction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small-sized touch screens in terminal apparatuses make it difficult for users to control scrolling and select information due to the small size of the touch area, leading to challenges in navigating lists and performing operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize touch events to control scrolling and object movement on a touch screen, where a grab-and-drag event scrolls the list and a drag-and-drop event moves objects to a dropped area, with predetermined length thresholds to differentiate between scrolling and selection actions, allowing for easier navigation and selection of objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a small-sized touch screen is used to reduce device size and weight, then the terminal apparatus becomes more compact and portable, but the touch area becomes too small for users to easily control scrolling and select information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension for interaction by detecting the direction of touch drag relative to the scroll direction. When a user drags an object in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scroll direction, the system interprets this as a selection action rather than a scrolling action. This dimensional differentiation allows the system to distinguish between scrolling intent and selection intent on the same small touch screen surface.
2Weight of moving object
If a small-sized touch screen is used to reduce device size and weight, then the terminal apparatus becomes more compact and portable, but the touch area becomes too small for users to easily select information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension for interaction by detecting the direction of touch drag relative to the scroll direction. When a user drags an object in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scroll direction, the system interprets this as a selection action rather than a scrolling action. This dimensional differentiation allows the system to distinguish between scrolling intent and selection intent on the same small touch screen surface.
3Productivity
If scroll bars and arrow buttons are used for scrolling control, then scrolling functionality is provided, but the small size of these controls on a small touch screen makes them difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the scrolling control mechanism from traditional scroll bars and arrow buttons, and integrates it directly into the list display area. The list itself becomes the control mechanism - users drag the list in the scroll direction to scroll, and drag objects perpendicular to the scroll direction to select. This eliminates the need for separate, small scroll control elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the list display area serve multiple functions: it displays information, enables scrolling through direct dragging of the list, and enables object selection through perpendicular dragging of objects. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate control elements like scroll bars and arrow buttons.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal apparatus and a method of performing a function thereof are disclosed. A list is scrolled in response to a grab-and-drag operation occurring in a scroll direction in a state in which the list is displayed, a particular object is moved in a dropped area in response to a particular object of the list being dragged and dropped in a direction perpendicular to the scroll direction of the list, and an object which is pressed during equal to or more than a predetermined time in a state in which an application is displayed is moved by a drag.