INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM

• US 20120179997A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: MIYAZAKI, Reiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,582,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/830
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus includes a display control unit, including a processor, configured to control a display to display a plurality of objects and receive a selection of one of the plurality of objects by a user as a selected object. The display control unit is configured to control the display to move the selected object when a move command is received from the user. The display control unit is configured to control the display to group additionally selected objects with the selected object when additional objects are selected by the user and a group command is received from the user. The display control unit is configured to control the display to independently move the additionally selected objects with respect to the selected object until the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display control unit, including

a processor, configured to control a display to display a plurality of objects and receive a selection of one of the plurality of objects by a user as a selected object,

the display control unit being configured to control the display to move the selected object when a move command is received from the user,

the display control unit being configured to control the display to group additionally selected objects with the selected object when additional objects are selected by the user and a group command is received from the user,

the display control unit being configured to control the display to independently move the additionally selected objects with respect to the selected object until the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object, and

the display control unit being configured to control the display to move the additionally selected objects together with the selected object when the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display to display a selection object with the selected object, the display control unit being configured to control the display to move the selected object and the selection object together when the move command is received from the user.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the display includes

a first layer configured to display the plurality of objects, and

a second layer superimposed on the first layer, the second layer configured to display selected objects and the selection object, the second layer being transparent or translucent.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the first layer to scroll display of the plurality of objects without moving objects displayed on the second layer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the first layer to scroll display of the plurality of objects without moving items displayed on the second layer when a scroll command is entered by the user with a start location outside the selection object.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the second layer to scroll display of the selected objects and the selection object without moving objects displayed on the first layer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection object is a circle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display to display a second selection object with a second object when the user enters a command to select the second object.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display to merge the selection object and the second selection object into a single selection object when the user enters a command moving the selection object and the second selection object onto a same location.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display includes

a first layer configured to display the plurality of objects, and

a second layer superimposed on the first layer, the second layer configured to display selected objects, the second layer being transparent or translucent.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the first layer to display a first copy of the selected object and to control the second layer to simultaneously display a second copy of the selected object.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the second layer to group the second copy of the selected object and second copies of the additionally selected objects.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit is configured to control the second layer to scroll display of the selected objects without moving objects displayed on the first layer when a scroll command is entered by the user with a start location inside the selected object.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit includes a touch panel and the move command is received from the user through operation of the touch panel by the user.

15. A method comprising:

controlling a display to display a plurality of objects;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of objects by a user;

controlling the display to move the selected object when a move command is received from the user;

controlling the display to group additionally selected objects with the selected object when additional objects are selected by the user;

controlling the display to independent move the additionally selected objects with respect to the selected object until the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object; and

controlling the display to move the additionally selected objects together with the selected object when the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program that, when loaded on a processor, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:

controlling a display to display a plurality of objects;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of objects by a user;

controlling the display to move the selected object when a move command is received from the user;

controlling the display to group additionally selected objects with the selected object when additional objects are selected by the user;

controlling the display to independent move the additionally selected objects with respect to the selected object until the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object; and

controlling the display to move the additionally selected objects together with the selected object when the additionally selected objects are grouped with the selected object.