Touchscreen Interface Management via Active Area Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Touchscreen interfaces are susceptible to damage, leading to unusable portions of the screen, which can be inconvenient and expensive to replace, and existing solutions do not effectively utilize remaining functional areas.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that monitor user interaction data to identify inactive areas, model the remaining active areas, and map the original touchscreen interface to the modified interface, allowing continued use of the device by focusing on functional sections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the touchscreen interface is damaged, then the usability of the device is reduced, but replacing the touchscreen is expensive and inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouchscreen usabilityVSAvoidscreen replacement cost and convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The touchscreen interface is divided into discrete functional areas or zones. The system identifies and segments the damaged portions from the functional portions, allowing the device to operate using only the healthy segments of the screen without requiring complete screen replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and removes the damaged areas from the usable touchscreen interface through software-based identification and exclusion. By taking out only the non-functional portions virtually, the remaining functional areas can continue to be used without physical screen replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the damaged area is excluded from use, then the remaining functional area can be utilized, but the effective touchscreen area is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouchscreen functionalityVSAvoidusable touchscreen area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system maps the original touchscreen coordinate system to a transformed coordinate system that accounts for damaged areas. By introducing a virtual mapping layer, the effective usable area is optimized through spatial transformation, allowing full utilization of functional regions while excluding damaged zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the mapping parameters between the original touchscreen interface and the modified interface. By changing the coordinate transformation parameters, the system optimizes the distribution of interface elements within the remaining functional area, maximizing usability despite screen damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the touchscreen interface is remapped to use only active areas, then the device can continue to be used, but the interface layout is altered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice usabilityVSAvoidinterface layout

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The interface mapping is made dynamic and adaptive rather than static. The system can adjust the mapping configuration based on the extent and location of damage, allowing the interface layout to flexibly adapt to different damage scenarios while maintaining full functionality through optimized use of remaining screen areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10338745B2Management of a touchscreen interface of a device

Publication Date: 2019.07.02 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Method and system are provided for management of a touchscreen interface of a device. The method includes monitoring touchscreen interface function by logging data relating to user interaction with locations of the touchscreen interface. The logged data is then analyzed to identify one or more areas of the touchscreen interface which are inactive. The remaining active areas of the touchscreen interface are modeled to form a modified interface. An original touchscreen interface is then mapped to the modified interface resulting in only use of the remaining active areas.