Information processing apparatus and information processing method, and program storing medium

• US 6,745,199 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Mikiko, Morita, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu M
• Application Number:
  US09/975,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/3, 707/4, 707/9, 707/10, 707/102, 705/14, 709/223, 713/201, 717/101, 717/121, 717/151
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A tree display is made in a tree display area of a play list display area as of the contents files were classified in a directory structure, but in reality the contents files are not classified in a directory structure. In the tree display area, the heading “All music pieces” is not located at the lowest hierarchical level of the tree structure but partway up the structure, and in the event that “All music pieces” is selected, the contents are searched with an item corresponding to the parent thereof as the search key, and data relating to the corresponding contents is displayed in a list display area, so in a case described herein, contents matching the genre of “Blues” and artist name of “4 hero” are displayed on the list display area. Thus, desired contents files can be easily searched for.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

input means for receiving input of operations from a user;

first recording means for recording a plurality of contents;

second recording means for recording attributes data of said contents, corresponding to said contents recorded by said first recording means;

first display means for displaying a plurality of first items indicating virtual classification of said contents with a hierarchical structure, based on said attributes data recorded by said second recording means, and for displaying a second item for each hierarchical level for said virtual classification, said second item indicating all contents virtually classified into said hierarchical level;

searching means for searching for said contents having attributes corresponding to said first item selected by said user from said plurality of first items displayed by said first display means, based on signals indicating operations of said user input by said input means, and for searching said contents having attributes corresponding to at least one of said first items at a higher hierarchical level than said second item, in the event that signals indicating that said second item has been selected are input by said input means; and

second display means for displaying information relating to said contents searched by said searching means.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising receiving means for receiving audio data from other information processing apparatuses via a network;

wherein said contents include said audio data received by said receiving means.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising reading means for reading audio data from other information processing apparatuses;

wherein said contents data includes said audio data read in by said reading means.

4. An information processing method, comprising:

an input step for receiving input of operations from a user;

a first recording step for recording a plurality of contents;

a second recording step for recording attributes data of said contents, corresponding to said contents recorded by the processing in said first recording step;

a first display step for displaying a plurality of first items indicating virtual classification of said contents with a hierarchical structure, based on said attributes data recorded by the processing in said second recording step, and for displaying a second item for each hierarchical level for said virtual classification, said second item indicating all contents virtually classified into said hierarchical level;

a searching step for searching for said contents having attributes corresponding to said first item selected by said user from said plurality of first items displayed by the processing in said first display step, based on signals indicating operations of said user input by the processing in said input step, and for searching said contents having attributes corresponding to at least one of said first items at a higher hierarchical level than said second item, in the event that signals indicating that said second item has been selected are input by said input means; and

a second display step for displaying information relating to said contents searched by the processing in said searching step.

5. A program storing medium storing a computer-readable program, said program comprising:

code for an input step for receiving input of operations from a user;

code for a first recording step for recording a plurality of contents;

code for a second recording step for recording attributes data of said contents, corresponding to said contents recorded by the processing in said first recording step;

code for a first display step for displaying a plurality of first items indicating virtual classification of said contents with a hierarchical structure, based on said attributes data recorded by the processing in said second recording step, and for displaying a second item for each hierarchical level for said virtual classification, said second item indicating all contents virtually classified into said hierarchical level;

code for a searching step for searching for said contents having attributes corresponding to said first item selected by said user from said plurality of first items displayed by the processing in said first display step, based on signals indicating operations of said user input by the processing in said input step, and for searching said contents having attributes corresponding to at least one of said first items at a higher hierarchical level than said second item, in the event that signals indicating that said second item has been selected are input by said input means; and

code for a second display step for displaying information relating to said contents searched by the processing in said searching step.