Touch-Sensitive Overlay for Meta-Navigation Gestures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays face limitations in efficiently utilizing non-display areas for meta-navigation gestures, which can enhance user interaction but are not effectively integrated into current systems.

Innovation Solution

A touch-sensitive overlay that extends beyond the display area, including a boundary and buffer region, to detect meta-navigation gestures by analyzing touch attributes and distinguishing them from other touches, allowing for system-level navigation without additional screens or menus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the touch-sensitive display area is extended to include non-display areas for meta-navigation gestures, then user interaction capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need to distinguish between different touch types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interaction capabilityVSAvoidgesture detection system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making different regions of the touch-sensitive display serve different functions. The display area handles application-specific touches while the non-display area is dedicated to meta-navigation gestures. This spatial differentiation allows the system to process different touch types in different locations, improving user interaction capability without requiring complex gesture recognition algorithms across the entire display surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the touch-sensitive display into two functional zones: the display area for application-specific interactions and the non-display area for system-level navigation. This segmentation allows independent processing of different touch types, reducing the complexity of gesture detection by clearly defining which area handles which type of interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional screens or menus are added for system-level navigation, then navigation functionality is improved, but the display area occupied by navigation elements increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation functionalityVSAvoiddisplay area occupied by controls
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves navigation functionality from the traditional 2D display area to the border region surrounding the display. By utilizing the non-display area (the frame or bezel surrounding the screen), the system provides system-level navigation without occupying valuable display real estate. This dimensional shift allows navigation controls to exist in a different spatial zone that does not compete with application content for display space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If the touch-sensitive overlay is extended beyond the display area, then gesture detection capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture detection capabilityVSAvoidtouch-sensitive overlay manufacturing
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the touch-sensitive overlay serve multiple functions by extending it beyond the display area. The same overlay structure that enables touch input on the display area also provides gesture detection capability in the non-display area. This multi-functional design allows the system to enhance gesture detection without adding separate components or manufacturing processes, thereby avoiding increased manufacturing complexity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3940516B1Portable electronic device and method of controlling same
Publication Date: 2024.04.03 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3940516B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3940516B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3940516B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for an electronic device with a processor and a touch-sensitive display, the touch-sensitive display including a display area and a non-display area, the method including providing a boundary based on the display area and the non-display area.