Touchscreen Input Mapping for External Display Region Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In environments where an electronic device is connected to an external display device, users face challenges in intuitively recognizing the corresponding display region due to size differences, leading to unclear user input control.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device includes a touchscreen display, wireless communication circuit, and connector, with a processor that adapts user input coordinates to match the external display device's screen, providing a graphical user interface and converting input coordinates for seamless control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a small button is provided for inputting a short message, then the device can be compact, but it is inconvenient for users to input messages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidmessage input convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the traditional 2D keyboard input method into a 3D interaction model by introducing a touch-sensitive ball that users can rotate in multiple directions. This spatial dimension allows users to navigate and input messages more naturally by rolling the ball, converting linear key presses into multidirectional tactile gestures that improve input convenience without increasing device footprint.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The touch-sensitive ball serves as an intermediary device between the user and the message input system. Instead of directly pressing keys or typing on a small screen, users interact with the rolling ball which then translates their tactile gestures into text input commands, making the input process more intuitive and comfortable while maintaining device compactness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If voice recognition is used for message input, then input speed is improved, but accuracy deteriorates due to ambient noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage input speedVSAvoidvoice recognition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The touch-sensitive ball acts as a mediator that provides tactile feedback and spatial control, complementing voice recognition by allowing users to easily correct misrecognized words or navigate through suggested corrections. This combination maintains the speed advantage of voice input while mitigating accuracy issues through the precision of tactile interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different input methods for different functional requirements: voice recognition for rapid message composition when conditions permit, and touch-sensitive ball for precise corrections, navigation, or when noise levels are high. This localized application of different input qualities optimizes both speed and accuracy based on specific operational contexts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If a keyboard is provided for inputting messages, then input accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage input accuracyVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The touch-sensitive ball serves as a space-efficient intermediary that provides keyboard-like input accuracy without requiring a physical keyboard structure. By translating rotational and pressing gestures of the ball into text input commands, the system achieves accurate message input while maintaining device compactness and simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical keyboard system with a touch-sensitive ball that uses tactile sensing and rotational mechanics. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple physical keys while maintaining input precision through the ball's position-sensitive detection, thereby reducing device complexity and improving integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3740857B1Method for supporting user input and electronic device supporting the same
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3740857B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3740857B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3740857B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes housing, a touchscreen display, a wireless communication circuit, a connector, and a processor electrically connected to the touchscreen display, the wireless communication circuit, and the connector. The processor is configured to connect to an external display device via the wireless communication circuit or the connector, to display a graphical user interface corresponding to a screen, which the external display device outputs, in at least part of a region of the touchscreen display, to display at least part of a region of the graphical user interface in a black background, and to convert first coordinate information of a user input, which is received with respect to at least one region of the graphical user interface, to second coordinate information corresponding to the external display device to transmit the second coordinate information to the external display device.