Information selecting apparatus and storage medium storing information selecting program

• US 20080222318A1
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,884,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An information selecting apparatus includes a computer, and makes a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items by a direction input of the user. Each of the items is assigned to a direction based on an input frequency, for example. In a case that a direction input is performed by means of a polygonal guide, the items are assigned to directions corresponding to the vertexes of the guide and directions corresponding to the parts except for the vertexes. For example, a high-frequency item is assigned to the direction corresponding to the vertex, or a range of the direction assigned to the high-frequency item is relatively made larger. Furthermore, when a direction corresponding to the vertex is input, items assigned to the parts except for the vertexes may temporarily be assigned to other vertexes. In addition, when predetermined operation data is input, the items of the directions corresponding to the vertexes and the items of the directions corresponding to the parts except for the vertexes may be interchanged.

Claims

1. An information selecting apparatus which makes a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items, comprising:

a direction input means for allowing an input operation of a direction and inputting direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to the input operation,

an operating means for inputting operation data in correspondence with a predetermined operation,

a storing means for storing item data indicative of said plurality of items,

a selection item setting means for setting the predetermined number of the items out of said item data as a selection item which is assigned to a predetermined direction on the basis of an input frequency to each item, and

a selecting means for selecting from said selection item an item corresponding to said direction data from said direction input means, and outputting said item when predetermined first operation data is input.

2. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said direction input means has a polygonal guide, and

said selection item setting means assigns said predetermined number of the items to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide and a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide.

3. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said direction input means has a input difficulty level at a plurality of levels depending on an input direction, and

said selection item setting means assigns said selection item to a predetermined direction on the basis of a further input difficulty level as to the direction.

4. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said direction input means has an input difficulty level at a plurality of levels depending on an input direction, and

said selection item setting means assigns said selection item to a predetermined direction on the basis of a further input difficulty level as to the direction.

5. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said selection item setting means assigns a high-frequency item to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide on the basis of statistical information of an input frequency of said item.

6. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said guide has an octagonal shape, and

said selection item setting means assigns high-frequency items to directions corresponding to predetermined four vertexes of said guide on the basis of statistical information of an input frequency of said items.

7. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said selection item setting means assigns an item having great amounts of information on output to a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide.

8. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a frequency storing means for calculating and storing an input frequency to said item on the basis of a selection result by said selecting means, wherein

said selection item setting means assigns said predetermined number of the items to a direction on the basis of an input frequency stored in said frequency storing means.

9. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said direction input means has a polygonal guide,

said selection item setting means assigns said predetermined number of the items to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide and a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide, and performing a change of an assignment based on the input frequency such that a high-frequency item is assigned to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide on the basis of the input frequency stored in said frequency storing means.

10. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said selection item setting means changes a range of a direction such that a range of the direction assigned to a high-frequency item is relatively larger than ranges of directions assigned to other items on the basis of the input frequency stored in said frequency storing means.

11. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a temporary rearranging means for temporarily assigning, with respect to said selection item, an item except for an item assigned to the direction of said vertex of said guide to a direction corresponding to a vertex except for the vertex corresponding to the input direction until said predetermined first operation data is input when direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to said vertex of said guide is input.

12. An information selecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an interchanging means for interchanging the item assigned to the direction corresponding to the vertex of said guide and the item assigned to the direction corresponding to a part except for said vertex with respect to said selection item when predetermined second operation data is input.

13. A storage medium storing an information selecting program to be executed in a computer of an information selecting apparatus having a direction input means for allowing an input operation of a direction and inputting direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to the input operation, an operating means for inputting operation data in correspondence with a predetermined operation, and a storing means for storing item data indicative of said plurality of items, and making a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items, wherein

said information selecting program makes said computer execute:

a selection item setting step for setting the predetermined number of the items out of said item data as a selection item which is assigned to a predetermined direction on the basis of an input frequency to each item, and

a selecting step for selecting from said selection item an item corresponding to said direction data from said direction input means, and outputting said item when predetermined first operation data is input.

14. An information selecting apparatus making a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items, comprising:

a direction input means for allowing an input operation of a direction by means of a polygonal guide and inputting direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to the input operation,

an operating means for inputting operation data in correspondence with a predetermined operation,

a storing means for storing item data indicative of said plurality of items,

a selection item setting means for setting the predetermined number of the items out of said item data as a selection item which is assigned to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide and a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide,

a selecting means for selecting from said selection item an item corresponding to said direction data from said direction input means, and outputting said item when predetermined first operation data is input, and

a temporary rearranging means for temporarily assigning, with respect to said selection item, an item except for an item assigned to the direction of said vertex of said guide to a direction corresponding to a vertex except for the vertex corresponding to the input direction until said predetermined first operation data is input when direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to said vertex of said guide is input.

15. A storage medium storing an information selecting program to be executed in a computer of an information selecting apparatus having a direction input means for allowing an input operation of a direction by means of a polygonal guide and inputting direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to the input operation, an operating means for inputting operation data in correspondence with a predetermined operation, and a storing means for storing item data indicative of said plurality of items, and making a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items, wherein

said information selecting program makes said computer execute:

a selection item setting step for setting the predetermined number of the items out of said item data as a selection item which is assigned to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide and a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide,

a selecting step for selecting from said selection item an item corresponding to said direction data from said direction input means, and outputting said item when predetermined first operation data is input, and

a temporary rearranging step for temporarily assigning, with respect to said selection item, an item except for an item assigned to the direction of said vertex of said guide to a direction corresponding to a vertex except for the vertex corresponding to the input direction until said predetermined first operation data is input when direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to said vertex of said guide is input.

16. An information selecting apparatus making a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items, comprising:

a direction input means for allowing an input operation of a direction by means of a polygonal guide and inputting direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to the input operation,

an operating means for inputting operation data in correspondence with a predetermined operation,

a storing means for storing item data indicative of said plurality of items,

a selection item setting means for setting the predetermined number of the items out of said item data as a selection item which is assigned to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide and a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide,

a selecting means for selecting an item corresponding to said direction data from said direction input means, and outputting said item when predetermined first operation data is input, and

an interchanging means for interchanging the item assigned to the direction corresponding to the vertex of said guide and the item assigned to the direction corresponding to a part except for said vertex with respect to said selection item when predetermined second operation data is input.

17. A storage medium storing an information selecting program to be executed in a computer of an information selecting apparatus having a direction input means for allowing an input operation of a direction by means of a polygonal guide and inputting direction data indicative of a direction corresponding to the input operation, an operating means for inputting operation data in correspondence with a predetermined operation, and a storing means for storing item data indicative of said plurality of items, and making a user select an arbitrary item from a plurality of items, wherein

said information selecting program makes said computer execute:

a selection item setting step for setting the predetermined number of the items out of said item data as a selection item which is assigned to a direction corresponding to a vertex of said guide and a direction corresponding to a part except for the vertex of said guide,

a selecting step for selecting an item corresponding to said direction data from said direction input means, and outputting said item when predetermined first operation data is input, and,

an interchanging step for interchanging the item assigned to the direction corresponding to the vertex of said guide and the item assigned to the direction corresponding to a part except for said vertex with respect to said selection item when predetermined second operation data is input.