Touchscreen Report Navigation via Drag-and-Drop Visual Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing analytical applications on touchscreen devices lack an intuitive interface for navigating and interacting with business reports, particularly when users perform actions like dragging and dropping selected portions of reports, as the interpretation of these actions can vary based on the drop location, leading to ambiguity in how the action should be processed.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a multi-touch device and an analytical server that generates new reports or modifies existing ones based on user interactions, using pre-determined analytical mappings or meta-data to determine the appropriate action when a selected report element is dragged and dropped onto another report or an empty area, ensuring seamless navigation and data manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple finger gestures are used to perform complex commands on touchscreen devices, then the interaction capability is improved, but the ambiguity in interpreting actions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a visual indicator as an intermediary element that appears at the drop target location to clearly show the intended action result before the user releases the gesture. This mediator resolves the ambiguity by providing explicit visual feedback about how the dragged element will be interpreted when dropped at a specific location, allowing users to confirm or adjust their intent before finalizing the action.
2Adaptability or versatility
If drag and drop actions are performed in various contexts, then the functionality is improved, but the interpretation ambiguity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis during the drag operation to determine the drop target and intended action before the user releases the gesture. The visual indicator is displayed in advance showing the predicted action outcome, allowing the user to verify the interpretation is correct before completing the drop. This preliminary action prevents misinterpretation by confirming the intended functionality before execution.
3Ease of operation
If touchscreen devices are used for analytical data manipulation, then the immersion and intuitiveness are improved, but the precision of action interpretation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements immediate visual feedback by displaying an indicator at the drop target location that shows the exact action that will be performed. This feedback loop allows users to see the consequence of their gesture in real-time, ensuring precise interpretation of their intent. The feedback is provided in the natural touchscreen interaction flow, maintaining immersion while improving precision.
Data Source
AI summary
According to some embodiments, a database may store business information and meta-data associated with the business information. A processor coupled to the database may generate: (i) a first report associated with at least some of the business information, wherein the first report is to be displayed in a first area of a display of a remote touch sensitive device, and (ii) a second report associated with at least some of the business information, wherein the second report is to be displayed in a second area of the touch sensitive device. A communication port coupled to the processor may transmit the first and second reports and receive a destination location from the touch sensitive device, wherein the destination location is associated with a movement of a selected report element of the first report. According to some embodiments, the processor may, if the destination location is not associated with a report, generate a third report based on at least some of the business information and the selected report element. If the destination location is associated with the second report, the processor may generate a modified second report based on a pre-determined analytical mapping between the first and second reports, if available.