Information processing apparatus and method and program and program storage medium

• US 20020054017A1
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Agata, Hideyuki, Hayashi, Masakazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

The thumbnail icons representing content items stored in a Memory Stick are displayed as aligned in a linear manner. The sequence of the alignment of the thumbnail icons follows the sequence of the sort icons displayed in the control area. By rotating the jog dial, the user can scroll the thumbnail icons displayed in the view area. Rotating the jog dial, the user displays the thumbnail icon representing a desired content item as a selected thumbnail icon (at the center) and then presses the jog dial. Consequently, the content item represented by the selected thumbnail icon is reproduced.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for executing predetermined processing in accordance with a first operation, a second operation, or a third operation performed through operating means, comprising:

first display control means for controlling, in accordance with said first operation or said second operation performed through said operating means, the display of an image for browsing corresponding to content recorded on a recording medium; and

reproduction means for reproducing content corresponding to said image for browsing of which display is kept in a selected state by said first display control means if said third operation has been performed through said operating means.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first display control means controls the display of said image for browsing such that said image for browsing is linearly aligned.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first display control means controls the display of said image for browsing such that said image for browsing is aligned in a curve which constitutes a circle.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first display control means controls the display of said image for browsing such that said image for browsing is spirally aligned in a three-dimensional space.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first display control means controls the display of said image for browsing such that said image for browsing is aligned in a planar manner.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

second display control means for controlling, in accordance with said first operation or said second operation performed through said operating means, the display of an icon of an application program which uses said content to be reproduced by said reproduction means; and

starting means for starting, if said third operation is performed through said operating means with the display of an icon of a predetermined application program kept in an active state by said second display control means, said predetermined application program of which display of an icon is kept in the active state.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when any display of the icon of said application program is kept in the active state by said second display control means and said third operation is performed through said operating means, said starting means ends said application program started.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a rotating or turning type dial.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a rotating or turning type dial.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in straight-line in this order.

11. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for executing predetermined processing in accordance with a first operation, a second operation, or a third operation performed through operating means, comprising:

a first display control step for controlling, in accordance with said first operation or said second operation performed through said operating means, the display of an image for browsing corresponding to content recorded on a recording medium; and

a reproduction step for reproducing content corresponding to said image for browsing of which display is kept in a selected state in said first display control step if said third operation has been performed through said operating means.

12. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a rotating or turning type dial.

13. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a rotating or turning type dial.

14. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in straight-line in this order.

16. A computer-readable program according to claim 15, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a rotating or turning type dial.

17. A computer-readable program according to claim 15, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a rotating or turning type dial.

18. A computer-readable program according to claim 15, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in straight-line in this order.

20. A program storage medium according to claim 19, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a rotating or turning type dial.

21. A program storage medium according to claim 19, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a rotating or turning type dial.

22. A program storage medium according to claim 19, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in straight-line in this order.

15. A computer-readable program for controlling an information processing apparatus for executing predetermined processing in accordance with a first operation, a second operation, or a third operation performed through operating means, said computer-readable program comprising:

a first display control step for controlling, in accordance with said first operation or said second operation performed through said operating means, the display of an image for browsing corresponding to content recorded on a recording medium; and

a reproduction step for reproducing content corresponding to said image for browsing of which display is kept in a selected state in said first display control step if said third operation has been performed through said operating means.

19. A program storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for controlling an information processing apparatus for executing predetermined processing in accordance with a first operation, a second operation, or a third operation-performed through operating means, said computer-readable program comprising:

a first display control step for controlling, in accordance with said first operation or said second operation performed through said operating means, the display of an image for browsing corresponding to content recorded on a recording medium; and

a reproduction step for reproducing content corresponding to said image for browsing of which display is kept in a selected state in said first display control step if said third operation has been performed through said operating means.