Touchscreen Masking Symbol for Selective Information Hiding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current user interfaces on mobile devices, such as lists and messaging apps, often require users to perform cumbersome manipulations to hide specific information while sharing, which can be inefficient and time-consuming, especially when trying to conceal a single item amidst other visible data.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for masking specific elements on a screen using visual cues like a closed padlock symbol, which can be moved across the screen to blur or pixelate the desired information, allowing users to hide content with minimal interaction and restore it easily, utilizing touch screen gestures and sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional list-based interfaces are used to display multiple information items, then information density and visibility are improved, but the ability to selectively hide confidential information is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The interface segments the list items into visible and hidden portions using a sliding mechanism. The mask visually segments confidential information from visible information, allowing selective hiding without affecting other list items. This resolves the contradiction by enabling information segmentation while maintaining overall list visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking mechanism is dynamic and可调整 (adjustable), allowing users to slide the mask to reveal or hide different portions of list items in real-time. This dynamic control enables flexible information hiding while maintaining ease of operation, as users can quickly adjust the mask position without complex manipulations.
2Reliability
If detailed view is displayed to hide other items in a list, then confidentiality of shared information is improved, but the number of manipulations required is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the confidentiality function from the viewing mode itself and implements it through a separate masking layer. Instead of requiring users to switch to detailed view to hide information, the mask is applied directly over the list view, extracting the hiding function from the navigation structure and reducing manipulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask acts as an intermediary element between the user and the list items. This intermediary layer provides the confidentiality function without requiring users to navigate to detailed views, thereby reducing the number of manipulations while maintaining information security.
3Loss of information
If scrolling is adjusted to hide certain messages, then partial confidentiality is improved, but completeness of hiding is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The mask applies local quality control by allowing different portions of the interface to have different visibility states. Confidential information can be locally hidden while other information remains visible, providing precise control over what is concealed without affecting the overall list structure or requiring imprecise scrolling adjustments.
4Reliability
If password systems are used to secure access to certain content, then confidentiality is improved, but ease of spontaneous sharing is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The masking mechanism applies partial action by providing lightweight, immediate confidentiality without requiring full authentication procedures. The mask offers sufficient security for spontaneous sharing scenarios without the excessive complexity of password systems, enabling quick switching between visible and hidden states.
Data Source
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Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for masking one element among a plurality of elements displayed on a touchscreen terminal. The method comprises, following a user action, the steps of displaying a masking symbol (106) associated with an element in a first location; detecting contact with the screen on an unmasked element; continuously moving the masking symbol on the element in correlation with a movement of the contact (200) detected on the screen and masking the portion of the element located between the masking symbol and the first location (102); and masking the entire element when the masking symbol is in a second location and contact is no longer detected. The invention also relates to a device and a terminal that implement this method.