Touch Screen Navigation Indicator Magnification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electronic devices with touch screen displays face challenges in efficiently utilizing limited screen space for user interaction, particularly in scrolling through content, due to the small size of the displays and the need for additional icons or menus.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that provide a graphical user interface on a touch screen display, detecting touch events and moving a navigation indicator by a distance greater than the actual movement, allowing for efficient scrolling without additional icons or menus, and incorporating a tactile switch for selection with feedback, reducing incorrect entries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the touch screen display size is decreased to improve portability, then the device becomes more portable, but the screen area for user interaction and content display is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveportabilityVSAvoidscreen area
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation indicator dynamically adjusts its movement distance based on the detected touch movement, providing adaptive interaction that maximizes the utility of the limited screen space while maintaining portability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of navigation indicator movement distance to be greater than the touch event movement distance, effectively expanding the functional capability within the constrained physical screen area

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If additional icons or menus are added to enable scrolling functionality, then scrolling capability is improved, but the usable screen area is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescrolling capabilityVSAvoidusable screen area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The touch screen display itself performs the scrolling function by detecting touch movements and automatically moving the navigation indicator, eliminating the need for separate scrolling icons or controls and preserving screen space for content display

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The touch screen display serves multiple functions: it displays content, detects user input, and controls navigation through the magnified movement of the navigation indicator, consolidating multiple functions into a single interface element

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

3Measurement precision

If the navigation indicator moves by the exact distance of the touch event, then the mapping is accurate, but the scrolling efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch mapping accuracyVSAvoidscrolling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the movement parameter of the navigation indicator to be proportionally greater than the touch event movement distance, enabling faster scrolling while maintaining directional accuracy and proportional relationships

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2579143B1Portable electronic device and method of controlling same
Publication Date: 2019.09.18 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2579143B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2579143B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2579143B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of controlling a portable electronic device that has a touch screen display includes providing a graphical user interface on a touch screen display, detecting a touch event at a first location on the touch screen display, providing a navigation indicator in the graphical user interface in response to detecting the touch event at the first location, and in response to detecting movement of the touch event from the first location to a second location white touch contact is maintained on the touch screen display, changing the position of the navigation indicator in the graphical user interface by a distance that is greater than a distance of movement of the touch event on the touch screen display, a direction of change of position of the navigation indicator is based on a direction of movement of the touch event on the touch screen display.