Information processing apparatus and method and program and program storage medium

• US 7,296,242 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Agata, Hideyuki, Hayashi, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong, Truc T.
• Application Number:
  US09/844,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: 345/720, 345/721, 345/745, 345/770, 345/779, 345/789, 345/792, 345/821, 345/823, 345/834, 345/864, 715/789, 715/790, 715/794, 715/797, 715/782, 715/784, 715/785, 715/786, 715/792, 715/793, 715/848, 715/852, 715/853
• US Class Current: 715/793
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

The thumbnail icons representing content items stored in a Memory Stick are displayed as aligned in a linear manner. The sequence of the alignment of the thumbnail icons follows the sequence of the sort icons displayed in the control area. By rotating the jog dial, the user can scroll the thumbnail icons displayed in the view area. Rotating the jog dial, the user displays the thumbnail icon representing a desired content item as a selected thumbnail icon (at the center) and then presses the jog dial. Consequently, the content item represented by the selected thumbnail icon is reproduced.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

first generation means to generate a first image for browsing corresponding to first data;

second generation means to generate a second image for browsing corresponding to second data;

first designation means to designate display positions of the first image and the second image along a virtual line so that the first image overlaps at least a portion of the second image; and

a first operating dial to display the first image and the second image at the display positions designated by the first designation means,

wherein said first operating dial is a rotating or turning type dial,

wherein said first operating dial controls the display of the first image and the second image such that the first image and the second image are aligned with a set of images in a curve which constitutes a circle, spirally with a set of images in a three-dimensional space or with a set of images in a planar manner.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first operating dial controls the display of the first image and the second image such that the first image and the second image are linearly aligned with a set of images.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

second operating means for performing a first operation, a second operation or a third operation based on a user operation;

selecting means for selecting, in accordance with the first operation or the second operation performed through the second operating means, one of the first image and the second image displayed by the first operating dial; and

reproduction means for reproducing data corresponding to the one of the first image and the second image selected by selecting means when the third operation has been performed.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

second display control means for controlling, in accordance with said first operation or said second operation performed through said second operating means, the display of an icon of an application program which uses said content to be reproduced by said reproduction means; and

starting means for starting, if said third operation is performed through said second operating means with the display of an icon of a predetermined application program maintained in an active state by said second display control means, said predetermined application program of which display of an icon is maintained in the active state.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when any display of the icon of said application program is not maintained in the active state by said second display control means and said third operation is performed through second operating means, said starting means ends said application program.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a dial.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a dial.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in straight-line.

9. An information processing method, comprising:

a first generation step for generating a first image for browsing corresponding to first data;

a second generation step for generating a second image for browsing corresponding to second data;

a first designation step for designating display positions of the first image and the second image along a virtual line so that the first image overlaps at least a portion of the second image; and

a first operating step for displaying the first image and the second image at the display positions designated by the first designation step by rotating or turning a rotating or turning type dial,

wherein said first operating step controls the display of the first image and the second image such that the first image and the second image are aligned with a set of images in a curve which constitutes a circle, spirally with a set of images in a three-dimensional space or with a set of images in a planar manner.

10. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second operating step for performing a first operation, a second operation or a third operation based on a user operation;

a selecting step for selecting, in accordance with the first operation or the second operation performed through the second operating step, one of the first image and the second image displayed by the first operating step; and

a reproduction step for reproducing data corresponding to the one of the first image and the second image selected by selecting step when the third operation has been performed.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a dial.

12. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a dial.

13. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in straight-line.

14. A program storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising:

a first generation step for generating a first image for browsing corresponding to first data;

a second generation step for generating a second image for browsing corresponding to second data;

a first designation step for designating display positions of the first image and the second image along a virtual line so that the first image overlaps at least a portion of the second image; and

a first operating step for displaying the first image and the second image at the display positions designated by the first designation step being controlled by rotating or turning a rotating or turning type dial,

wherein said first operating step controls the display of the first image and the second image such that the first image and the second image are aligned with a set of images in a curve which constitutes a circle, spirally with a set of images in a three-dimensional space or with a set of images in a planar manner.

15. The program storage medium according to claim 14, further comprising:

a second operating step for performing a first operation, a second operation or a third operation based on a user operation;

a selecting step for selecting, in accordance with the first operation or the second operation performed through the second operating step, one of the first image for browsing and the second image for browsing displayed by the first operating step; and

a reproduction step for reproducing data corresponding to the one of the first image for browsing and the second image for browsing selected by selecting step when the third operation has been performed.

16. The program storage medium according to claim 15, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation is performed by rotating or turning a dial.

17. The program storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said third operation is performed by depressing a dial.

18. The program storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said first operation, said third operation, and said second operation are performed by switches arranged substantially in a straight-line.