Touch UI Scene Profiles for Faster External Device Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for managing controllable external devices, such as thermostats and lighting systems, are cumbersome and inefficient, often requiring complex user interfaces that consume user time and device energy, particularly in battery-operated devices.
Innovation Solution
The development of faster and more efficient user interfaces for electronic devices that allow users to select and control external devices through a touch-sensitive surface, displaying representations of devices and their states, enabling users to easily toggle or adjust settings with minimal input, thereby reducing cognitive burden and conserving energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a complex user interface with multiple key presses is used to manage controllable external devices, then the device can provide comprehensive control functionality, but the user time and device energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface is segmented into distinct functional zones: a visual representation area showing device icons and status, and a direct manipulation area where users can interact with specific devices. This segmentation allows users to quickly locate and control devices without navigating through complex menus, reducing interaction time while maintaining comprehensive control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting and displaying controllable external devices on the user interface before user interaction. Device representations, current states, and available controls are pre-loaded and organized, so when users want to control a device, the interface is already prepared with relevant options visible, eliminating the need for multiple navigation steps.
2Ease of operation
If a complex user interface with multiple key presses is used to manage controllable external devices, then the device can provide comprehensive control functionality, but the device energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface segments information display into essential vs. detailed categories. Only essential device status and primary controls are displayed prominently to reduce rendering and processing overhead. Detailed controls are available on-demand, reducing the energy required to maintain and update the user interface while preserving full control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and displays only the most frequently used control functions and device status information on the main interface. Less frequently used functions are extracted to secondary menus or context-specific views. This extraction reduces the amount of interface elements that need to be processed and displayed, lowering energy consumption while maintaining access to comprehensive control features.
3Loss of time
If a simplified user interface with minimal input is used to control external devices, then the user time and energy consumption are reduced, but the control precision and state selection capability may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The interface applies local quality by providing different levels of interaction detail in different areas. The main device representation area offers quick, simple controls for common operations. When users select a specific device or state, the interface locally expands to show detailed state options and precise control parameters. This ensures both rapid access and precise control without requiring complex navigation throughout the entire interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface is dynamic and adapts its complexity based on user interaction. Initially, it presents simplified controls for quick operations. As users interact with specific devices or states, the interface dynamically expands to reveal additional control options and state selections. This dynamic behavior maintains simplicity for common tasks while providing precise control when needed, without requiring the interface to be complex from the start.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device, with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, one or more processors and memory, displays a first representation of a first controllable external device, where the first controllable external device is situated at a location. The device detects a first user input corresponding to a selection of the first representation of the first controllable external device. The device, after detecting the first user input, adds data identifying the first controllable external device and a first state of the first controllable external device in a scene profile.