Visual Identification of Third-Party Applications on Electronic Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current electrical test and measurement instruments lack the ability to distinguish between manufacturer-supplied and third-party UI content, leading to challenges in quality control and troubleshooting, as users and technicians struggle to identify the source of applications, resulting in inefficient troubleshooting and potential quality control issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method to visually differentiate UI content by altering the title bar and user interface with distinct colors, icons, and physical components, such as LEDs, to indicate whether an application is originally installed, third-party, or approved, allowing users to quickly identify the application source and status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all applications are approved before deployment through manual review, then quality control is improved, but the deployment speed and efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality controlVSAvoiddeployment speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments applications into two categories: originally-installed applications (from manufacturer) and later-installed applications (third-party). This segmentation allows the system to apply different handling rules to each category, enabling fast deployment for trusted manufacturer applications while maintaining quality control through visual identification for third-party applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automatically identifying and visually marking third-party applications without requiring manual review. The visual identification feature enables users to self-assess application sources, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual approvals while maintaining quality control awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual approval processes are implemented for all applications, then quality control is improved, but the time required for application deployment increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality controlVSAvoidapplication approval time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturer performs preliminary action by digitally signing applications during the manufacturing process. This pre-established trust mechanism eliminates the need for repeated manual approvals, as the visual identification system can automatically recognize and trust previously signed manufacturer applications, significantly reducing approval time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses digital signatures as a copyable verification mechanism. Instead of requiring manual review of each application, the system copies and verifies the manufacturer's digital signature, enabling automatic quality control validation without time-consuming human intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If third-party applications are allowed without approval, then deployment speed is improved, but quality control deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment speedVSAvoidquality control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies color changes to visually differentiate application sources. Third-party applications are displayed with distinct visual characteristics (such as different background colors or icons) compared to manufacturer applications. This visual coding maintains quality control awareness while enabling fast deployment, as users can quickly identify third-party applications without manual approval processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

4Productivity

If visual identification features are added to distinguish application sources, then troubleshooting efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetroubleshooting efficiencyVSAvoidUI complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by adding visual identification features only to specific UI elements (such as application icons, title bars, or status indicators) rather than redesigning the entire interface. This localized approach provides the necessary differentiation for troubleshooting while minimizing impact on overall device complexity and maintaining UI simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10627988B2Visually identifiable features for applications installed on electronic devices

Publication Date: 2020.04.21 KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS LLC

AI summary

An electronic device for running an application can include a display to visually present a user interface corresponding to the application. The electronic device can also include a processor to determine whether the application is an originally-installed application and cause the display to include a visually identifiable feature in the user interface indicating that the application is not an originally-installed application responsive to a determination that the application is not an originally-installed application.