IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD

• US 20110234633A1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Tomotaka, Morimoto, Tetsuo, Kasahara, Shunichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/636
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

An image display apparatus includes: a storage section for storing a plurality of content items sorted using categories of a higher level; a display section for displaying either of the content items or the categories; an operating section generating a first operation signal according to a first operation performed with a weak pressing force and a second operation signal according to a second operation performed with a pressing force stronger than that of the first operation; and a control section receiving the input of the first operation signal and the second operation signal and controlling a display image displayed on the display section.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a plurality of content items sorted using categories of a higher level;

a display section for displaying either of the content items or the categories;

an operating section generating a first operation signal according to a first operation performed with a weak pressing force and a second operation signal according to a second operation performed with a pressing force stronger than that of the first operation; and

a control section receiving the input of the first operation signal and the second operation signal and controlling a display image displayed on the display section, wherein the control section controls the storage section and the display section such that

the contents displayed on a contents display screen displayed at the display section are sequentially switched when the first operation is performed;

desired categories on a list of the categories displayed on a category display screen displayed at the display section are sequentially switched when the second operation is performed;

a transition from the contents display screen to the category display screen takes place when the second operation is performed while the contents display screen is displayed; and

a transition from the category display screen to the contents display screen takes place when the first operation is performed while the category display screen is displayed.

2. An image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the operating section generates different operation signals associated with switching directions in which the contents and the categories are sequentially switched;

and

first, second, third and fourth operation signals are generated as combinations of the pressing forces and the switching directions.

3. An image display apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the contents display screen is a screen displaying the contents substantially throughout a screen of the display section;

and

the category display screen is a screen displaying a plurality of the categories on the screen of the display section simultaneously.

4. An image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a first transient screen intervenes when the transition from the contents display screen to the category display screen takes place, the first transition screen displaying content items which belong to the same category as the contents displayed on the contents display screen and which have not been displayed yet.

5. An image display apparatus according claim 3, wherein a second transient screen intervenes when the transition from the category display screen to the contents display screen takes place, the second transient screen displaying all content items belonging to categories selectable on the category display screen.

6. An image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

a first transient screen intervenes when the transition from the contents display screen to the category display screen takes place, the first transition screen displaying content items which belong to the same category as the contents displayed on the contents display screen and which have not been displayed yet;

and

a second transient screen intervenes when the transition from the category display screen and the contents display screen takes place, the second transient screen displaying all content items belonging to categories selectable on the category display screen.

7. An image display method comprising the steps of:

sorting a storing a plurality of content items using categories of a higher level;

displaying either of the content items or the categories on a display section;

generating a first operation signal according to a first operation performed with a weak pressing force and a second operation signal according to a second operation performed with a pressing force stronger than that of the first operation; and

inputting the first operation signal and the second operation signal to a control section controlling a display image displayed on the display section, the control section exercising control such that

the contents displayed on a contents display screen displayed at the display section are sequentially switched when the first operation is performed;

desired categories on a list of the categories displayed on a category display screen displayed at the display section are sequentially switched when the second operation is performed;

a transition from the contents display screen to the category display screen takes place when the second operation is performed while the contents display screen is displayed; and

a transition from the category display screen to the contents display screen takes place when the first operation is performed while the category display screen is displayed.