Information processing device, information processing method and program that controls movement of a displayed icon based on sensor information and user input

• US 10,180,783 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Reiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pack, Conrad R
• Application Number:
  US14/360,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20140317545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 715769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An information processing apparatus including a processor that receives an output from a user interface indicating that a first icon is selected; acquires sensor information corresponding to movement of the information processing apparatus; and controls a display to move at least a second icon on the display based on the acquired sensor information corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus upon receiving the output from the user interface that the first icon is selected.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a touch output from a user interface indicating that a first icon is selected;

acquire sensor information corresponding to movement of the information processing apparatus, wherein the sensor information corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus corresponds to a change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus;

control a display to initiate display of a second icon in a peripheral region on the display by moving the second icon onto the display and move at least the second icon from an original position in the peripheral region on the display toward the first icon based on the change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus while receiving the touch output from the user interface that the first icon is selected, wherein the second icon is not displayed before the sensor information is acquired; and

irrespective of the tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus, control the display to move the second icon to the original position in the peripheral region on the display in response to the second icon overlapping the first icon, which disappears following a release of a press and hold manipulation when the second icon and the first icon are overlapping, as a result of the movement of the second icon corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the user interface includes the display that displays the first and second icons and that detects a user input selecting the first icon.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a touch panel formed on, or integrally with, the display of the user interface that detects a touch input as the user input selecting the first icon.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the processor determines from the output of the user interface that the touch input selecting the first icon has been continuously detected for greater than a predetermined period of time, and acquires the sensor information and controls the display to move at least the second icon based on the determination.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the processor determines, based on an output from the user interface, that the touch input is a drag touch input, and controls the display to move the first icon in response to the drag touch input.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the processor determines that, as a result of the drag touch input, the first icon overlaps the second icon on the display, and controls a predetermined process relating to both the first icon and the second icon to be performed based on the determination.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the processor determines, based on an output from the user interface, that the touch input is a drag touch input, and acquires the sensor information and controls the display to move at least the second icon based on the determination.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the processor controls the display to move the second icon on the display a distance determined based on the change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the processor controls the display to move the second icon on the display a distance that is in proportion to the change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the processor controls the display to stop moving the second icon on the display when the sensor information indicates that there is no further change in slope or tilt of the information processing apparatus.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the processor controls the display to continue moving the second icon on the display when the sensor information indicates that there is no further change in slope or tilt of the information processing apparatus.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor that detects the change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus and outputs the detected change in tilt or slope as the sensor information corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the processor determines that, as a result of the movement of the second icon on the display based on the acquired sensor information, the first icon overlaps the second icon on the display, and controls a predetermined process relating to both the first icon and the second icon to be performed based on the determination.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the processor determines that, as a result of the movement of the second icon on the display based on the acquired sensor information, the first icon is in a predefined area surrounding the second icon on the display, and controls a predetermined process relating to both the first icon and the second icon to be performed based on the determination.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the processor determines that, as a result of the movement of the second icon on the display based on the acquired sensor information, the first icon overlaps the second icon on the display, and that the touch input is no longer detected by the touch panel, and controls a predetermined process relating to both the first icon and the second icon to be performed based on the determination.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first icon corresponds to content data.

17. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second icon corresponds to another information processing apparatus remotely connected to the information processing apparatus.

18. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first icon corresponds to content data, the second icon corresponds to another information processing apparatus remotely connected to the information processing apparatus and capable of reproducing the content data, and

the processor determines that, as a result of the movement of the second icon on the display based on the acquired sensor information, the first icon is in a predefined area surrounding the second icon on the display, and instructs the another information processing apparatus to reproduce the content data based on the determination.

19. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second icon corresponds to an application capable of being executed by the information processing apparatus.

20. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first icon corresponds to content data,

the second icon corresponds to an application capable of being executed by the information processing apparatus to access an internet-based application, and

the processor determines that, as a result of the movement of the second icon on the display based on the acquired sensor information, the first icon is in a predefined area surrounding the second icon on the display, and controls the content data to be uploaded to the internet-based application based on the determination.

21. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first icon is displayed in a lower portion of the display and the second icon is displayed in an upper portion of the display.

24. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second icon is moved only while receiving continuous selection of the first icon from the user interface.

22. A method performed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a touch output from a user interface indicating that a first icon is selected;

acquiring sensor information corresponding to movement of the information processing apparatus, wherein the sensor information corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus corresponds to a change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus;

controlling a display to initiate display of a second icon in a peripheral region on the display by moving the second icon onto the display and move at least the second icon from an original position in the peripheral region on the display toward the first icon based on the change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus while receiving the touch output from the user interface that the first icon is selected, wherein the second icon is not displayed before the sensor information is acquired; and

irrespective of the tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus, controlling the display to move the second icon to the original position in the peripheral region on the display in response to the second icon overlapping the first icon, which disappears following a release of a press and hold manipulation when the second icon and the first icon are overlapping, as a result of the movement of the second icon corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-program instructions, which when executed by an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform a process comprising:

receiving a touch output from a user interface indicating that a first icon is selected;

acquiring sensor information corresponding to movement of the information processing apparatus, wherein the sensor information corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus corresponds to a change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus;

controlling a display to initiate display of a second icon in a peripheral region on the display by moving the second icon onto the display and move at least the second icon from an original position in the peripheral region on the display toward the first icon based on the change in tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus while receiving the touch output from the user interface that the first icon is selected, wherein the second icon is not displayed before the sensor information is acquired; and

irrespective of the tilt or slope of the information processing apparatus, controlling the display to move the second icon to the original position in the peripheral region on the display in response to the second icon overlapping the first icon, which disappears following a release of a press and hold manipulation when the second icon and the first icon are overlapping, as a result of the movement of the second icon corresponding to the movement of the information processing apparatus.