ON-VEHICLE APPARATUS AND CONTENT PROVIDING METHOD

• US 20100211901A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Satoshi, Sasaki, Makoto, NEZU, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/767
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

The present invention is applied to, for example, a multimedia terminal having a function of navigation equipment and a function of playing back video and switches a display from a map display to a source display also with source switching operators 13P, 13R. In addition, menus of upper and lower hierarchies are simultaneously displayed to accept operations through a touch panel and a remote commander. In addition to a press-operable main rotary operator, a press-operable sub rotary operator is provided on a side surface. Among operations accepted through the main rotary operator, only a specific operation relating to content processing is accepted through the sub rotary operator.

Claims

1. An apparatus which accepts a selection from a hierarchical menu to provide content in accordance with an operation through a touch panel and an operation through a remote commander, wherein:

said remote commander includes;

a focus switching operator which switches a focus in a menu of a same hierarchy;

a hierarchy upward operator which instructs switching of the focus to an upper hierarchy; and

a selecting operator which instructs selecting of a focused menu,

said apparatus displays an upper hierarchy menu relating to said hierarchical menu and a lower hierarchy menu corresponding to a selection among said upper hierarchy menu simultaneously,

in the operation through said touch panel,

a selection regarding both of said upper hierarchy menu and said lower hierarchy menu configured to be displayed simultaneously, and

a display of said lower hierarchy menu is switched to a menu corresponding to a selected upper hierarchy menu in accordance with a selection of said upper hierarchy menu, and

in the operation through said remote commander,

after switching the focus from said lower hierarchy to the upper hierarchy corresponding thereto by an operation of said hierarchy upward operator, the focus is switched in said upper hierarchy menu by an operation of said focus switching operator, and

the display of said lower hierarchy menu to a display of a menu corresponding to said upper hierarchy menu focused by an operation of said selecting operator.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

in a case where said upper hierarchy or lower hierarchy menu is beyond display in a displayable area, a menu instructing scrolling is additionally displayed,

in the operation through said touch panel, said menu beyond display is displayed by scrolling by an operation of said menu instructing scrolling, and

in the operation through said remote commander, said menu beyond display is displayed by scrolling by the operation of said focus switching operator.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said focus switching operator and said selecting operator function as a press-operable rotary operator,

the operation of said focus switching operator is a rotational operation of said rotary operator, and

the operation of said selecting operator is a pressing operation of said rotary operator.

4. A content providing method in which a selection from a hierarchical menu is accepted to provide content in accordance with an operation through a touch panel and an operation through a remote commander, wherein:

said remote commander includes;

a focus switching operator which switches a focus in a menu of a same hierarchy;

a hierarchy upward operator which instructs switching of the focus to an upper hierarchy; and

a selecting operator which instructs selecting of a focused menu,

said content providing method allows to display an upper hierarchy menu relating to said hierarchical menu and a lower hierarchy menu corresponding to a selection among said upper hierarchy menu simultaneously,

in the operation through said touch panel,

a selection regarding both of said upper hierarchy menu and said lower hierarchy menu configured to be displayed simultaneously, and

a display of said lower hierarchy menu is switched to a menu corresponding to a selected upper hierarchy menu in accordance with a selection of said upper hierarchy menu, and

in the operation through said remote commander,

after switching the focus from said lower hierarchy to the upper hierarchy corresponding thereto by an operation of said hierarchy upward operator, the focus is switched in said upper hierarchy menu by an operation of said focus switching operator, and

the display of said lower hierarchy menu to a display of a menu corresponding to said upper hierarchy menu focused by an operation of said selecting operator.