Touchscreen Line Rendering with Pressure-Variable Width and Mask Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users experience discomfort when drawing lines on a touchscreen display due to the appearance of the middle part of the line, particularly when using a stylus, as the line width and curvature can lead to an unnatural and blurred or split appearance.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a display processor that varies line widths based on pressure and uses a mask object to enhance the appearance of lines, particularly when the pen type is set to a brush, by overlaying lines and adjusting the curvature and density of line displays to create a more natural and continuous line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a line is drawn on a touchscreen display using a stylus with a fixed pen type, then the line input function is achieved, but the appearance of the middle part of the line becomes unnatural and blurred or split
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the line width variable rather than fixed. The line width changes dynamically based on the pressure detected at the contact point, allowing the line to adapt its appearance along its length. This resolves the contradiction by enabling natural-looking lines without sacrificing the ease of stylus input operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying the line width at different locations along the line based on local pressure conditions. Each segment of the line has a width determined by the pressure at its corresponding contact point, creating a naturally varying appearance that eliminates the blurred or split look while maintaining smooth input operation.
2Shape
If the line width is varied based on pressure to improve appearance, then the line becomes more natural and continuous, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by allowing the line rendering system to automatically adjust line width based on pressure data that is already being collected for other purposes. The display processor utilizes the pressure information from the contact point to self-regulate the line appearance without requiring additional external control mechanisms, thus achieving natural line continuity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If mask objects are used to enhance line appearance, then user discomfort is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing mask objects as a mediating element between the raw line data and the final displayed line. The mask objects smooth out the transitions and eliminate the blurred or split appearance by selectively masking or blending line segments, thereby reducing user discomfort while managing display processing complexity through a dedicated masking layer.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus is capable of drawing a line corresponding to contact on a sensor surface of a display. The apparatus includes a display processor. The display processor displays a plurality of lines in accordance with a locus of a single contact point on the sensor surface, and displays an object in a region near a position of the single contact point, at least part of the object overlapped with the plurality of lines, a color of the object corresponding to a color of the plurality of lines, wherein widths of the plurality of lines are varied in accordance with a pressure on the single contact point.