Information processing device, control method for information processing device, and information storage medium

• US 20060288308A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Tsutomu, Enomoto, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

To provide an information processing device for facilitating a user'"'"'s recognition of relevant information when relevant information concerning a predetermined menu item is presented to the user. The information processing device displays an image representative of a basic menu item list which includes one or more predetermined basic menu items, in a first displaying area; obtains, when one of the basic menu items is selected from the one or more basic menu items as a selected basic menu item, from a relevant information table which stores each of the basic menu items and its relevant information so as to be associated with each other, relevant information associated with the selected basic menu item as information on one or more first relevant information menu items to create a first relevant information menu item list which includes the one or more first relevant information menu items; displays an image representative of the first relevant information menu item list in the first displaying area; and displays at least a part of the image representative of the basic menu item list in a second displaying area which is different from the first displaying area.

Claims

1. An information processing device, comprising:

basic menu displaying means for displaying an image representative of a basic menu item list which includes one or more predetermined basic menu items, in a first displaying area;

basic menu item selecting means for selecting one of the basic menu items from the one or more basic menu items as a selected basic menu item;

first relevant information menu creating means for obtaining, from a relevant information table which stores each of the basic menu items and its relevant information so as to be associated with each other, relevant information associated with the selected basic menu item, as information on one or more first relevant information menu items, and creating a first relevant information menu item list which includes the one or more first relevant information menu items;

first relevant information menu displaying means for displaying an image representative of the first relevant information menu item list, in the first displaying area; and

basic menu redisplaying means for displaying at least a part of the image representative of the basic menu item list in a second displaying area which is different from the first displaying area.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

relevant information menu item selecting means for selecting one of the relevant information menu items from the one or more first relevant information menu items as a selected relevant information menu item;

second relevant information menu creating means for obtaining information on one or more basic menu items associated with the selected relevant information menu item, as information on one or more second relevant information menu items, from the relevant information table, and creating a second relevant information menu item list which includes the one or more second relevant information menu items; and

second relevant information menu displaying means for displaying an image representative of the second relevant information menu item list in the first displaying area; and

first relevant information menu redisplaying means for displaying at least a part of the image representative of the first relevant information menu item list in the second displaying area.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, further comprising:

selected menu item holding means for holding identification information of the selected relevant information menu item; and

first relevant information menu item holding means for holding identification information of the first relevant information menu item list,

wherein

when a user instructs to display a superior menu while the image representative of the second relevant information menu item list is displayed, the first relevant information menu displaying means displays the image representative of the first relevant information menu item list associated with the identification information held in the first relevant information menu item holding means, with the selected relevant information menu item associated with the identification information held in the selected menu item holding means, being shown selected thereon.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the basic menu redisplaying means deforms at least a part of the image representative of the basic menu item list and displays in the second displaying area.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein

the basic menu displaying means disposes an object representative of the image representative of the basic menu item list in a virtual three dimensional space, and displays the object representative of the image representative of the basic menu item list based on a given view point position and a given viewing direction, both being set in the virtual three dimensional space, and

the basic menu redisplaying means changes an angle formed by a surface of the object and the viewing direction in the virtual three dimensional space to thereby deform at least a part of the image representative of the basic menu item list disposed in the virtual three dimensional space, and displays.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising menu item storing means for storing one or more basic menu items which is/are a candidate or candidates of a basic menu item or items to be included in the basic menu item list.

7. The information processing device according to claim 6, further comprising menu item changing means for allowing a user to add and/or delete a menu item with respect to the one or more basic menu items stored in the menu item storing means.

8. An information processing device, comprising:

first list displaying means for displaying an image representative of a first list;

item selecting means for selecting one item from the first list as a selected item;

second list displaying means for displaying an image representative of a second list associated with the selected item; and

first list redisplaying means for deforming and displaying at least a part of the image representative of the first list.

9. The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein

the second list displaying means displays the image representative of the second list in a first displaying area which is an area where the first list displaying means displays the image representative of the first list, and

the first list redisplaying means displays at least a part of the image representative of the first list in a second displaying area which is different from the first displaying area.

10. The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein

the first list displaying means disposes an object representative of the image representative of the first list in a virtual three dimensional space, and displays the object representative of the image representative of the first list based on a given view point position and a given viewing direction, both being set in the virtual three dimensional space, and

the first list redisplaying means changes an angle formed by a surface of the object and the viewing direction in the virtual three dimensional space to thereby deform at least a part of the image representative of the first list disposed in the virtual three dimensional space, and displays.

11. A method for controlling an information processing device, comprising the steps of:

displaying an image representative of a basic menu item list which includes one or more predetermined basic menu items, in a first displaying area;

selecting one of the basic menu items from the one or more basic menu items as a selected basic menu item;

obtaining, from a relevant information table which stores each of the basic menu items and its relevant information so as to be associated with each other, relevant information associated with the selected basic menu item, as information on one or more first relevant information menu items, and creating a first relevant information menu item list which includes the one or more first relevant information menu items;

displaying an image representative of the first relevant information menu item list in the first displaying area; and

displaying at least a part of the image representative of the basic menu item list in a second displaying area which is different from the first displaying area.

12. An information storage medium capable of being read by a computer which stores a program for having the computer to execute the following steps of:

displaying an image representative of a basic menu item list which includes one or more predetermined basic menu items, in a first displaying area;

selecting one of the basic menu items from the one or more basic menu items as a selected basic menu item;

obtaining, from a relevant information table which stores each of the basic menu items and its relevant information so as to be associated with each other, relevant information associated with the selected basic menu item, as information on one or more first relevant information menu items, and creating a first relevant information menu item list which includes the one or more first relevant information menu items;

displaying an image representative of the first relevant information menu item list in the first displaying area; and

displaying at least a part of the image representative of the basic menu item list in a second displaying area which is different from the first displaying area.