Multimedia reproduction device and menu screen display method
First Claim
1. A multimedia player capable of playing back digital contents, comprising:
- a control which acquire an instruction related to playback of a content via a user'"'"'s instruction;
a reader which reads the content from an external storage medium installed in the multimedia player to serve as an area for storing data for the content;
a storage which stores data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of playback functions for playing back respective types of contents, and data for a plurality of medium icons representing respective types of external storage mediums that can be installed in the multimedia player;
a display processor which displays an on-screen menu related to playback of the content and processes playback of the content thus read; and
a menu controller which generates image data for the on-screen menu in which the plurality of function icons and at least one of the plurality of medium icons are arranged in a two-dimension array, wherein the reader reads, from the external storage medium installed in the multimedia player, a menu item image visually representing a summary of the content stored in the external storage medium, before a user provides an instruction to playback the content, and the menu controller places the multiple function icons in a first direction on a screen, places the medium icons in a second direction that crosses the first direction on the screen, visually highlights the medium icon located in the neighborhood of an intersection between an array in the first direction and an array in the second direction as a focus of attention, and displays the menu item image read from the external storage medium corresponding to the highlighted medium icon, in the neighborhood of the highlighted medium icon, before the user provides an instruction to playback the content.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A small-size digital device requires preferable operability and user-friendliness of the user interface. In a multimedia reproduction device (10), an operation unit (40) acquires an instruction concerning content reproduction via a user operation. A read-out unit (44) reads out a content from an external recording medium mounted as a content data storage area. A storage unit (80) holds data on a plurality of function icons symbolizing a plurality of content reproduction function types and data on a plurality of media icons symbolizing the external recording medium types. A display processing unit (46) processes menu screen display and content reproduction. A menu control unit (48) generates image data on a menu screen where a plurality of function icons and a plurality of media icons are arranged two-dimensionally according to a user instruction.
153 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A multimedia player capable of playing back digital contents, comprising:
-
a control which acquire an instruction related to playback of a content via a user'"'"'s instruction;
a reader which reads the content from an external storage medium installed in the multimedia player to serve as an area for storing data for the content;
a storage which stores data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of playback functions for playing back respective types of contents, and data for a plurality of medium icons representing respective types of external storage mediums that can be installed in the multimedia player;
a display processor which displays an on-screen menu related to playback of the content and processes playback of the content thus read; and
a menu controller which generates image data for the on-screen menu in which the plurality of function icons and at least one of the plurality of medium icons are arranged in a two-dimension array, wherein the reader reads, from the external storage medium installed in the multimedia player, a menu item image visually representing a summary of the content stored in the external storage medium, before a user provides an instruction to playback the content, and the menu controller places the multiple function icons in a first direction on a screen, places the medium icons in a second direction that crosses the first direction on the screen, visually highlights the medium icon located in the neighborhood of an intersection between an array in the first direction and an array in the second direction as a focus of attention, and displays the menu item image read from the external storage medium corresponding to the highlighted medium icon, in the neighborhood of the highlighted medium icon, before the user provides an instruction to playback the content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method of displaying an on-screen menu by an apparatus capable of playing back digital contents, comprising:
-
reading a content from an external storage medium installed in the apparatus to serve as an area for storing data for the content played back in the apparatus;
reading, from a predetermined storage, data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of playback functions for playing back respective types of contents, and data for a plurality of medium icons representing respective types of external storage mediums that can be installed in the apparatus; and
displaying an on-screen menu related to playback of the content and playing back the content read;
generating image data for the on-screen menu in which the plurality of function icons and at least one of the plurality of medium icons are arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein the reading reads, from the external storage medium installed in the apparatus, a menu item image visually representing a summary of the content stored in the external storage medium, before a user provides an instruction to playback the content, and the generating places the multiple function icons in a first direction on a screen, places the medium icons in a second direction that crosses the first direction on the screen, visually highlights the medium icon located in the neighborhood of an intersection between an array in the first direction and an array in the second direction as a focus of attention, and displays the menu item image read from the external storage medium corresponding to the highlighted medium icon, in the neighborhood of the highlighted medium icon, before the user provides an instruction to playback the content. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A computer program product for displaying an on-screen menu by an apparatus capable of playing back digital contents, comprising:
-
an acquiring module which acquires an instruction related to playback of a content via a user'"'"'s instruction;
a reading module which reads the content from an external storage medium installed in the apparatus to serve as an area for storing data for the content played back in the apparatus;
a storing module which stores data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of playback functions for playing back respective types of contents, and data for a plurality of medium icons representing respective types of external storage mediums that can be installed in the apparatus; and
a processing module which displays an on-screen menu related to playback of the content and plays back the content read;
a generating module which generates image data for the on-screen menu in which the plurality of function icons and at least one of the plurality of medium icons are arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein the reading module reads, from the external storage medium installed in the apparatus, a menu item image visually representing a summary of the content stored in the external storage medium, before a user provides an instruction to playback the content, and the generating module places the multiple function icons in a first direction on a screen, places the medium icons in a second direction that crosses the first direction on the screen, visually highlights the medium icon located in the neighborhood of an intersection between an array in the first direction and an array in the second direction as a focus of attention, and displays the menu item image read from the external storage medium corresponding to the highlighted medium icon, in the neighborhood of the highlighted medium icon, before the user provides an instruction to playback the content. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification