Touchscreen Icon Layout Adaptation for One-Handed Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in operating portable electronic devices with large touchscreens using one hand, as existing technologies require presetting hand preferences and are complex, leading to potential device drops when needing to switch hands unexpectedly.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines the user's hand by analyzing the coordinates of multiple finger contacts on a touchscreen, adjusting the display layout to accommodate the thumb's reach, and automatically switching between left-hand and right-hand operation modes without prior preference setting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If icons are displayed on the left hand side of the touchscreen for left-hand operation, then the left thumb can reach all icons, but the right thumb cannot reach icons when the user needs to use the right hand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the icon display location changeable based on real-time detection of which hand is being used. The system dynamically switches between left-hand mode and right-hand mode, adjusting the icon positions from the left side to the right side of the touchscreen according to the detected hand usage, thereby adapting to different operational scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting which hand the user is using through touchscreen contact patterns and autonomously adjusting the icon display layout without requiring manual user configuration. The device serves itself by inferring user intent from interaction patterns and making appropriate interface adjustments
2Ease of operation
If a settings menu is provided for users to preset hand preference, then icon display can be adjusted to match user preference, but the system becomes complicated and requires presetting that cannot accommodate unexpected hand switching needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for manual configuration by implementing self-service through automatic hand detection. The device autonomously determines which hand the user is using based on touchscreen contact patterns and automatically adjusts the interface layout accordingly, removing the complexity of settings menus and manual preferences
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from touchscreen contact patterns to automatically adjust icon display positions. By analyzing the location and characteristics of touches, the system receives feedback about which hand is being used and responds by repositioning icons to be accessible from the detected hand side, creating a closed-loop adaptive system
3Area of stationary object
If the touchscreen is made relatively large to enable rendering of more icons and contents, then more applications and articles can be accommodated, but icons become harder to reach with one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating icons in a specific region of the touchscreen that is accessible from one hand side. Instead of distributing icons across the entire large screen, the system places them in a localized area on the left or right side depending on detected hand usage, making them reachable while maintaining the benefit of a large display for other content
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A method for controlling a touchscreen display for operation by one hand includes: receiving, via the touchscreen, at least one point of contact on the touchscreen generated by one or more fingers of a user, the touchscreen including a plurality of icons; detecting, by at least one processing device, a total number of the points of contact on the touchscreen and respective coordinates of the points of contact; determining, based on the total number of the points of contact and the respective coordinates of the points of contact, which hand the user is using to operate the touchscreen; and controlling the touchscreen to display the plurality of icons based on a result of the determining.