Author: Umakant Mishra
Abstract:
Color is an important aspect of any graphical user interface
(GUI). Color is used to make a GUI attractive and meaningful. But there are
difficulties in using colors too. Improper use of color can result in adverse
effects. Wrong colors at wrong place can make the GUI look clumsy and
confusing. Apart from the aesthetics issues there are many other issues
involved with colors too.
One of the contradictions relating to usage of color is “The
color of the GUI should be customizable to suit user preference. But at the same
time it should not be customizable, as that would cause annoyance and confusion
to other users.”
Another contraction relating to using color is “The user
should be displayed all 16 million colors to select the desired color
precisely, But from another angle the user should not be displayed all 16
million colors as that would create confusion and difficulty in selection.”
This article analyses some inventions selected from US
Patent database and illustrates how the inventors have been able to solve various
contradictions relating to usage of colors in Graphical User Interface.
Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User
Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving,
GUI, color palette, color box, color selection, GUI colors, GUI aesthetics,
computer graphics, look and feel
Umakant Mishra, Inventions on Color
Selections in Graphical User Interfaces (September 7, 2007). Available at
SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1264689
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