Touchscreen List Item Selection via Swipe Gesture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mobile device interfaces require multiple taps to select multiple adjacent list items, which is inefficient and inconvenient for users.

Innovation Solution

A user interface that allows users to select or deselect list items using a swiping motion on a touchscreen, enabling multiple items to be selected with a single swiping action without lifting the finger from the screen, utilizing a method that includes receiving a touch command, indicating tentative selection, and confirming selection upon reaching thresholds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple taps are used to select multiple adjacent list items, then selection accuracy is improved, but operation efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselection accuracyVSAvoidoperation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple selection operations into a single continuous swiping gesture. Instead of requiring separate taps for each item, the user performs one swiping motion that automatically selects multiple adjacent list items along the swipe path, merging what would have been multiple discrete actions into one unified operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides preliminary visual feedback during the swiping gesture by highlighting list items as they are being selected. This preliminary action allows users to see which items will be selected before completing the gesture, enabling accurate selection without requiring multiple confirmatory taps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If selection mode is initiated to select multiple items, then selection capability is improved, but operation complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselection capabilityVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring users to enter a special selection mode to select multiple items, the patent inverts the approach by making the swiping gesture itself the selection mechanism. The natural swiping action that would normally scroll through a list is repurposed to select items directly, eliminating the need to switch between different interaction modes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The swiping gesture serves multiple functions: it can scroll through the list, select individual items, and select multiple adjacent items all within the same interaction paradigm. This universal gesture replaces the need for separate selection modes, making the interface simpler while maintaining versatile selection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10452229B2Techniques for selecting list items using a swiping gesture

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 CITRIX SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A method performed by a computing device of selecting one or more items from a list displayed on a touch screen of the computing device. The method includes receiving touch commands indicating swiping motions performed by a user on the touch screen. These touch commands result in tentative selection of a list entry, followed by selection of the list entry and possibly tentative selection of adjacent list entries. These may be followed by further touch commands indicating continuing swiping motion to further tentatively or non-tentatively select proximate items.