Graphical user interface utilizing a plurality of node processing means for view/drawing including analysis, selection, display control, view generation and re-generation

• US 6,987,513 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dewa, Yoshiharu, Miyazaki, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackman, Anthony J.
• Application Number:
  US10/071,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 376/259, 700/83, 715/808, 715/5, 715/500.1, 345/440, 345/619, 345/707, 345/713, 345762-767, 345881-832, 345/884, 345/853, 709/224, 709/206, 707/5, 706/10
• US Class Current: 345/440
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A display controlling method that can easily generate various interface displays. A user generates a program including: nodes n1 to n9, for example, each serving as a data group indicating a static attribute of a link to referential data or actual referential data and each serving as a constitutive unit of a drawing; and views v1 to v4, for example, each serving as a data group for specifying the node carrying out the drawing in a drawing style on a screen of the node, and in accordance with the program, the view is automatically selected, and an image corresponding to the node specified by the selected view is displayed on a screen in the drawing style specified by the view.

Claims

1. A display controlling method for controlling a display of an image on a display screen corresponding to a plurality of nodes specified by a view, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting said view based on a program, said program including;

said node including a constitutive element of said image and indicating a link to data to be accessed and/or a fixed attribute of said data to be accessed, and

said view for specifying said plurality of nodes and a tree structure for displaying said image and said data associated with said plurality of nodes on said display screen;

displaying said image corresponding to said data associated with said plurality of nodes in response to a selection of said view, said image being displayed according to said tree structure specified by said view; and

generating an other view specifying another plurality of nodes based on a frequency of selection by a user of said plurality of nodes, wherein each of said plurality of nodes corresponds to an operational function of an electronic apparatus in a home network environment.

2. The display controlling method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a subsequent view to be selected according to an operation performed on said display screen.

3. The display controlling method according to claim 1, wherein said other view is generated in accordance with an operation history.

4. The display controlling method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of selecting and displaying said other view.

5. The display controlling method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating said tree structure for establishing a hierarchical relation between said plurality of nodes and a plurality of views; and

determining said selected view, a process for displaying said image, and said other view based on said generated tree structure.

6. The display controlling method according to claim 5, wherein said program further includes a data group indicating inter-relationships between said plurality of nodes.

7. The display controlling method according to claim 5, wherein said program further includes a data group indicating a mode of transition of said plurality of views.

8. A display controlling apparatus comprising:

a storage unit for storing data in a structure form including;

a node being a structural element of a pictorial representation of data to be accessed and comprising a link to said data to be accessed, and

a view formed of a plurality of nodes and specifying a tree structure for displaying said data associated with said plurality of nodes on a display screen;

a data analyzer for analyzing said structure form stored in said storage unit and for generating said tree structure for establishing a hierarchical structure between said plurality of nodes and said view;

a selecting mechanism for selecting said view based on said tree structure and an operation performed on said screen;

a display control unit for controlling a display of said display screen in order to display said data associated with said plurality of nodes selected via said selecting mechanism in accordance to said tree structure for displaying said data associated with said plurality of nodes on said display screen as defined by said view and; and

a view generating mechanism for generating an other view specifying another plurality of nodes based on a frequency of selection by a user of said plurality of nodes, wherein each of said plurality of nodes corresponds to an operational function of an electronic apparatus in a home network environment.