Z-Axis Layered User Interface for Portable Device Information Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices have limited display size due to portability constraints, making it challenging to effectively provide extensive information without cluttering the user interface.
Innovation Solution
A user interface that layers multiple pages along a z-axis, allowing subpages to be accessed via interactive elements, with techniques such as ghosting or fading elements at shallower depths to maintain focus on current content, enabling increased information real estate without visual clutter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple pages are displayed simultaneously to increase information real estate, then the information capacity increases, but the user interface becomes cluttered and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a z-axis dimension to organize pages hierarchically. Pages are stacked in layers where the top page is fully visible and subordinate pages are partially or fully obscured. This spatial arrangement allows multiple pages to coexist without cluttering the interface, as users navigate through the stack by accessing pages at different depths rather than displaying all pages simultaneously in the same plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested page structure where pages are contained within a hierarchical stack. Each page can contain references to sub-pages, creating a nested hierarchy similar to Matryoshka dolls. This nesting allows information to be organized in nested containers, with the current page acting as a container for potential sub-pages, thereby increasing information capacity while maintaining interface simplicity through hierarchical organization.
2Quantity of substance
If the display size is increased to provide more information, then the information capacity increases, but the device becomes too bulky or heavy to be portable
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the physical display area, the patent utilizes the z-axis dimension to stack multiple pages vertically. This allows the device to maintain its compact, portable form factor while providing access to extensive information through hierarchical page stacking. The illusion of expanded information real estate is achieved through depth layering rather than physical expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the organizational parameter of information from a two-dimensional spread-out layout to a three-dimensional stacked arrangement. By transforming how pages are organized and displayed, the system provides access to more information without requiring a larger physical display, thereby maintaining device portability while increasing information capacity.
3Ease of operation
If all page elements are always visible, then navigation is simple, but the interface becomes cluttered and focus is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic visibility of page elements based on the current page depth. Elements on the top page remain fully visible, while elements on subordinate pages are partially or fully obscured. This dynamic adjustment of visibility maintains navigation simplicity for the current page while automatically reducing clutter from pages that are not currently active, creating an adaptive interface that responds to user interaction state.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the interface have different visibility qualities based on their hierarchical depth. The top page elements have full visibility and interaction capability, while subordinate page elements have reduced visibility or are completely hidden. This local differentiation of visibility quality allows the interface to maintain simplicity for the active page while organizing additional content in a clutter-free manner at different depth levels.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a user interface that includes a top page having an x-axis and a y-axis that extend at least partially along horizontal and vertical directions, and an imaginary z-axis that extends into the depth of the top page. The user interface of some embodiments includes a first subpage that is accessible from a top page and a second subpage, which is further in depth along the z-axis than the first subpage, that is accessible from the first subpage. The top page may change in appearance throughout the duration of time when at least the first subpage is shown to place focus away from the top page.