Three-dimensional object display apparatus, three-dimensional object switching display method, three-dimensional object display program and graphical user interface

• US 20060274060A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ni, Meng, Oka, Hiromitsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,675,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The present invention allows a device to display image data in a visually easy-to-see manner to users. The device generates a cubic object OB1 or a cylindrical object OB2, which is a three-dimensional shape to be displayed on a display 6, by laying out a plurality of thumbnail images IM to surfaces of a virtual polyhedron KT1. The device subsequently allows a user to select through a “Classification by Category” button BT1 or an “Order of Time” button BT2 a manner of presenting the plurality of thumbnail images IM to the user. The device then switches its display format between the cubic object OB1 and the cylindrical object OB2 in response to the selected manner. Therefore, the device can display the thumbnail images IM in a visually easy-to-see manner to the user.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional object display apparatus comprising:

three-dimensional object generation means for generating a three-dimensional object by laying out a plurality of image data to surfaces of a solid, said three-dimensional object being made in a three-dimensional shape to be displayed on a display section;

selection operation means for a user to select a manner of presenting said plurality of image data to the user on said display section; and

control means for switching, in response to said manner selected by the user, the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object.

2. The three-dimensional object display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when said manner is Classification by Category, said control means controls said three-dimensional object generation means to switch the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object to a cubic shape, classify surfaces of said cubic-shaped three-dimensional object by category, and then attach said plurality of image data to said surfaces such that categories of said image data correspond to categories of said surfaces.

3. The three-dimensional object display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when said manner is Order of Time, said control means controls said three-dimensional object generation means to switch the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object to a cylindrical shape, sort side surfaces of said cylindrical-shaped three-dimensional object in order of time, sort said plurality of image data in order of time, and then attach said plurality of image data to said side surfaces sorted in order of time.

4. The three-dimensional object display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when a user selects the image data from among said plurality of image data laid out to said surfaces of said three-dimensional object, said control means sequentially takes said selected image data from said surfaces, and then displays a slide show list showing said selected image data in a two-dimensional manner to perform a slide show.

5. The three-dimensional object display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said three-dimensional object generation means lays out said plurality of image data to said surfaces of said three-dimensional object such that certain open spaces are created between said image data to make the image data on opposite surfaces visible through said open spaces.

6. The three-dimensional object display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said image data is a still image or an icon.

7. A three-dimensional object switching display method comprising:

a three-dimensional object generation step of generating a three-dimensional object by laying out a plurality of image data to surfaces of a solid, said three-dimensional object being made in a three-dimensional shape to be displayed on a display section;

a presentation manner selection step of enabling a user to select a manner of presenting said plurality of image data on said display section; and

a shape switching step of switching, in response to said manner selected by the user, the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object.

8. A three-dimensional object display program for causing an information processing apparatus to execute:

a three-dimensional object generation step of generating a three-dimensional object by laying out a plurality of image data to surfaces of a solid, said three-dimensional object being made in a three-dimensional shape to be displayed on a display section;

a presentation manner selection step of enabling a user to select a manner of presenting said plurality of image data to the user on said display section; and

a shape switching step of switching, in response to said manner selected by the user, the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object.

9. A graphical user interface for displaying a three-dimensional object made in a three-dimensional shape, said graphical user interface switching the shape of said three-dimensional object when needed, said graphical user interface comprising:

a three-dimensional object display step of displaying on a display section said three-dimensional object generated by laying out a plurality of image data to surfaces of a solid;

a presentation manner recognition step of enabling a user to select a manner of presenting said plurality of image data to the user on said display section, and then recognizing said selected manner; and

a shape switching step of switching, in response to said manner selected, the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object.

10. A three-dimensional object display apparatus comprising:

a three-dimensional object generation section generating a three-dimensional object by laying out a plurality of image data to surfaces of a solid, said three-dimensional object being made in a three-dimensional shape to be displayed on a display section;

a selection operation section enabling a user to select a manner of presenting said plurality of image data to the user on said display section; and

a control section switching, in response to said manner selected by the user, the three-dimensional shape of said three-dimensional object.