METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENABLING SELECTION OF AN ITEM FROM A PLURALITY OF ITEMS

• US 20110010671A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MMD Hong Kong Holding Limited
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Harma, Aki Sakari, Bergere, Julien Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

The method of the invention enables selection of an item (21) from a plurality of items (21, 23, 25). The method comprises the steps of visually representing a selected item (21) and reproducing at least part of an audio segment representing the selected item (21). The method further comprises applying a visual spatial effect to the visual representation of the selected item (21) and applying a spatial audio effect corresponding to the visual spatial effect to the reproduction of the audio segment. The device of the invention comprises electronic circuitry which is operative to perform the method of the invention. The computer program product of the invention enables a programmable device to perform the method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of enabling selection of an item (21) from a plurality of items (21, 23, 25, 27), the method comprising the steps of:

visually (1) representing a selected item (21);

reproducing (3) at least part of an audio segment representing the selected item (21);

applying (5) a visual spatial effect to the visual representation of the selected item (21); and

applying (7) a spatial audio effect corresponding to the visual spatial effect to the reproduction of the audio segment.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting (13) a further item (23, 25, 27) instead of the selected item (21);

visually (11) representing the selected further item (23, 25, 27); and

reproducing (15) at least part of a further audio segment representing the selected further item (23, 25, 27) upon said selection.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

applying (17) a further visual spatial effect to the visual representation of the selected further item (23, 25, 27); and

applying (19) a further spatial audio effect corresponding to the further visual spatial effect to the reproduction of the further audio segment.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein both the audio segment and the further audio segment are simultaneously reproduced during at least a transition period.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user is enabled to select the item (21) by rotating a wheel of items (21, 23, 25).

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user is enabled to select the item (21) by navigating through items (21, 23, 25, 27) in a matrix.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein items along at least one of the dimensions of the matrix are ordered according to an attribute of the items (21, 23, 25, 27).

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the visual spatial effect and the spatial audio effect are applied in a three-dimensional space.

9. A computer program product enabling a programmable device to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A device (31) for enabling selection of an item from a plurality of items, the device comprising electronic circuitry, the electronic circuitry being operative to:

visually represent a selected item;

reproduce at least part of an audio segment representing the selected item;

apply a visual spatial effect to the visual representation of the selected item; and

apply a spatial audio effect corresponding to the visual spatial effect to the reproduction of the audio segment.