Information processing apparatus and information processing method

• US 20040107268A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kohno, Tetsuya, Sakata, Junichiro, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Iriya, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus in which a display screen for assisting a user utilizing a client to make a request for music data to a server can be provided. Icons 431-1 through 431-6 correspond to stations of a link information list. For example, when a music piece registered in a “user A'"'"'s favorites” station is being played back, a cursor line 432 is adjusted to the icon 431-1 corresponding to the “user A'"'"'s favorites” station, and an icon 421-1 is displayed in an enlarged size, and the station name (“A Station”) corresponding to the icon is displayed. The user is then able to move the cursor line 432 by operation a remote commander to change the station (selecting the radio station when receiving radio broadcasting) or to zoom in on (tracing the hierarchy to lower levels) the selected station.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for receiving a first operation and a second operation input by a user;

playback means for obtaining predetermined data to play it back based on the operation input by the user from said input means; and

display control means for controlling, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data, the display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy level, and for controlling the display of a predetermined mark in the display screen, wherein;

said display control means controls the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by said playback means in a manner different from other non-selected marks while the predetermined mark is being selected;

when the first operation is input from said input means, said display control means controls the selection of the predetermined mark to be changed, and said playback means plays back the predetermined data corresponding to the newly selected mark; and

when the second operation is input from said input means, said display control means controls the display of the display screen indicating a different hierarchy level based on the hierarchical structure.

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

sending means for sending a signal indicating a request to send predetermined data possessed by a different information processing apparatus based on the operation input by the user from said input means; and

receiving means for receiving the predetermined data sent from the different information processing apparatus, wherein;

said playback means plays back the predetermined data received by said receiving means; and

said display control means controls the display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy level in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data possessed by the different information processing apparatus.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined mark is an icon.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined mark is a thumbnail of an image corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by said playback means.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control means controls only the selected mark to be displayed and the other marks to be unseen.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control means controls the selected mark to be displayed in an enlarged size.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control means controls the selected mark to be displayed with an increased level of brightness.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first operation is an operation for designating one of top and bottom directions in the display screen, or for designating one of left and right directions in the display screen.

9. An information processing method comprising:

an input control step of controlling an input of a first operation and a second operation by a user;

a playback step of obtaining predetermined data based on the input operation by the user, which is controlled by processing of said input control step; and

a display control step of controlling, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data, the display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy level, and of controlling the display of a predetermined mark in the display screen, wherein;

processing of said display control step controls the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by processing of said playback step in a manner different from other non-selected marks while the predetermined mark is being selected;

when the input of the first operation is controlled by processing of said input control step, processing of said display control step controls the display of the display screen so that the selection of the predetermined mark is changed, and processing of said playback step plays back the predetermined data corresponding to the newly selected mark; and

when the input of the second operation is controlled by processing of said input control step, processing of said display control step controls the display of the display screen indicating a different hierarchy level based on the hierarchical structure.

10. A program allowing a computer to execute:

an input control step of controlling an input of a first operation and a second operation by a user;

a playback step of obtaining predetermined data based on the input operation by the user, which is controlled by processing of said input control step; and

a display control step of controlling, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data, the display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy level, and of controlling the display of a predetermined mark in the display screen, wherein;

processing of said display control step controls the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by processing of said playback step in a manner different from other non-selected marks while the predetermined mark is being selected;

when the input of the first operation is controlled by processing of said input control step, processing of said display control step controls the display of the display screen so that the selection of the predetermined mark is changed, and processing of said playback step plays back the predetermined data corresponding to the newly selected mark; and

when the input of the second operation is controlled by processing of said input control step, processing of said display control step controls the display of the display screen indicating a different hierarchy level based on the hierarchical structure.