Touchscreen Scrolling Method Using Directional Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of portable electronic devices face inconvenience due to the need for repetitive touch input operations to scroll through content on limited display screens, especially when navigating through large amounts of information like E-book pages.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that set a scroll direction based on the initial touch movement, allowing the screen to scroll in that direction based on the distance of a subsequent touch movement, regardless of the direction of the second touch movement, thereby simplifying the scrolling process by eliminating the need for continuous directional input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a touch screen is used to scroll content based on drag operations, then the user interface responds to touch input, but users need to repetitively perform the same touch input for scrolling when there is a lot of content

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescrolling operationVSAvoidtime for repetitive touch input
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the scroll direction in advance based on the first touch movement direction, before the second touch movement occurs. This preliminary determination of direction allows the subsequent scrolling to proceed efficiently without requiring the user to indicate direction again, thus reducing repetitive input operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The touch input operation is divided into two distinct segments: the first touch movement that determines scroll direction, and the second touch movement that determines scroll distance. This segmentation allows each part of the input to serve a specific function, improving overall scrolling efficiency by eliminating the need for continuous directional input

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the scroll direction is set based on the first touch movement direction, then the scrolling process is simplified, but the system must interpret multi-directional touch movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescrolling control mechanismVSAvoidtouch movement direction interpretation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination of scroll direction based on the first touch movement before processing the second touch movement. This preliminary action simplifies the overall control mechanism by separating direction determination from distance determination, making the system easier to understand and implement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically interprets the first touch movement to determine scroll direction, and then uses the second touch movement to determine scroll distance. This dynamic interpretation approach allows the system to adapt to different user input patterns while maintaining a relatively simple control structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2763016B1Scrolling method and electronic device thereof
Publication Date: 2018.06.13 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2763016B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2763016B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2763016B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and an electronic device for scrolling a display on a touchscreen are disclosed. The scrolling method for the electronic device includes setting a scroll direction based on a first touch input movement direction, and scrolling a display image in the scroll direction, based on a second touch input movement distance, irrespective of a second touch input movement direction.