Menu image display method and electronic information equipment
First Claim
1. A menu image display method for displaying a menu image on a screen, said menu image composed of a plurality of hierarchical levels, said method comprising the steps of:
- in response to a key operation for displaying a first hierarchical level menu on the screen, displaying a first boundary image and a first identification image, which indicates that there is a second hierarchical level lower than said first hierarchical level, on the screen and, at the same time, generating a first display state in which a plurality of items constituting said first hierarchical level menu are displayed in one of areas delimited by said first boundary image on the screen;
in response to a key operation for selecting one of said plurality of items constituting said first hierarchical level menu to make a transition to said second hierarchical level, displaying second and third boundary images, a second identification image which indicates that there is said first hierarchical level, and a third identification image which indicates that there is a third hierarchical level lower than said second hierarchical level on the screen and, at the same time, generating a second display state in which a plurality of items constituting said second hierarchical level menu are displayed in a first intermediate area appearing between said second and third boundary images; and
in response to a key operation for selecting one of said plurality of items constituting said second hierarchical level menu to make a transition to said third hierarchical level, displaying fourth and fifth boundary images, which are near but not in contact each other, and a fourth identification image which indicates that there is a hierarchical level higher than said third hierarchical level on the screen and, at the same time, generating a third display state in which information corresponding to said third hierarchical level is displayed in an area other than a second intermediate area appearing between said fourth and fifth boundary images.
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Abstract
When a menu image transition occurs from a first hierarchical level to a second hierarchical level and to a third hierarchical level, boundary lines B1 and B2, which are near but not in contact each other, are displayed on a display screen to divide it into three areas, R1, R2, and R3. A triangle mark is displayed in area R1 to indicate that there is a higher hierarchical level. Areas R1 and R2 allow the user to recognize that there are the first and second hierarchical levels which are higher. Information (for example, thumbnail images) corresponding to the third hierarchical level is displayed in area R3.
94 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A menu image display method for displaying a menu image on a screen, said menu image composed of a plurality of hierarchical levels, said method comprising the steps of:
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in response to a key operation for displaying a first hierarchical level menu on the screen, displaying a first boundary image and a first identification image, which indicates that there is a second hierarchical level lower than said first hierarchical level, on the screen and, at the same time, generating a first display state in which a plurality of items constituting said first hierarchical level menu are displayed in one of areas delimited by said first boundary image on the screen;
in response to a key operation for selecting one of said plurality of items constituting said first hierarchical level menu to make a transition to said second hierarchical level, displaying second and third boundary images, a second identification image which indicates that there is said first hierarchical level, and a third identification image which indicates that there is a third hierarchical level lower than said second hierarchical level on the screen and, at the same time, generating a second display state in which a plurality of items constituting said second hierarchical level menu are displayed in a first intermediate area appearing between said second and third boundary images; and
in response to a key operation for selecting one of said plurality of items constituting said second hierarchical level menu to make a transition to said third hierarchical level, displaying fourth and fifth boundary images, which are near but not in contact each other, and a fourth identification image which indicates that there is a hierarchical level higher than said third hierarchical level on the screen and, at the same time, generating a third display state in which information corresponding to said third hierarchical level is displayed in an area other than a second intermediate area appearing between said fourth and fifth boundary images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Electronic information equipment comprising a display screen for displaying a menu image on the display screen, said menu image composed of a plurality of hierarchical levels, said equipment comprising:
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an operation unit having one or more keys;
first display means that, in response to a key operation activated by one of the keys on said operation unit for displaying a first hierarchical level menu on the screen, displays a first boundary image and a first identification image, which indicates that there is a second hierarchical level lower than said first hierarchical level, on the display screen and, at the same time, generates a first display state in which a plurality of items constituting said first hierarchical level menu are displayed in one of areas delimited by said first boundary image on the display screen;
second display means that, in response to a key operation activated by one of the keys on said operation unit for selecting one of said plurality of items constituting said first hierarchical level menu to make a transition to said second hierarchical level, displays second and third boundary images, a second identification image which indicates that there is said first hierarchical level, and a third identification image which indicates that there is a third hierarchical level lower than said second hierarchical level on the display screen and, at the same time, generates a second display state in which a plurality of items constituting said second hierarchical level menu are displayed in a first intermediate area appearing between said second and third boundary images; and
third display means that, in response to a key operation activated by one of the keys on said operation unit for selecting one of said plurality of items constituting said second hierarchical level menu to make a transition to said third hierarchical level, displays fourth and fifth boundary images, which are near but not in contact each other, and a fourth identification image which indicates that there is a hierarchical level higher than said third hierarchical level on the display screen and, at the same time, generates a third display state in which information corresponding to said third hierarchical level is displayed in an area other than a second intermediate area appearing between said fourth and fifth boundary images. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification