Information processing method and apparatus

• US 7,461,333 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takanori, Kori, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Basehoar; Adam L
• Application Number:
  US11/085,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 715/512, 715/500.1, 715/501.1, 715/764, 715/817, 715/704, 715/730, 715/778, 715/222, 715/230, 715/233, 715/781, 707/1, 707/203
• US Class Current: 715/230
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability

Abstract

The state of a label at an optional time point, such as a past time point, can be recognized, while the label can be regenerated even when the label has been deleted. When a label on which can be pasted an object, such as text, picture or sound, is acted upon (yes at step S141) the difference of the label information is computed (step S142) and the computed difference information is stored (steps S144, S145). The label state is then regenerated based on the time information stored in association with the label and the difference information. Also, time is displayed, plural time intervals are displayed (step S201), a desired one of the plural time intervals is selected (step S202) and time display is controlled responsive to the selected time intervals (steps S203 to S206), to facilitate retrieval of the information corresponding to the specified time.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing an electronic label including user-selectable object information having different attributes and time information associated therewith;

difference computing means for computing a difference between the electronic label at a first time point and a modified version of the electronic label at a second time point;

said storage means for storing a difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label;

a graphical user interface for enabling a selection of a date at which to regenerate a previous state of said electronic label, for displaying a first active window in said graphical user interface that is configured to allow a user to set a start time to automatically display the electronic label, and for displaying a second active window configured to allow the user to paste the user-selectable object information onto the electronic label; and

regenerating means for regenerating the previous state of said electronic label associated with a date selected through said graphical user interface based on said time information and the difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label, said previous state of said electronic label being indicative of what object information is associated with said electronic label as a function of time.

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

hysteresis acquisition means for acquiring an operation hysteresis on said electronic label;

said storage means storing the information on the operation hysteresis; and

said regenerating means regenerating the state of said electronic label based on said information on the operation hysteresis.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means effects storage at regular intervals.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means effects storage at a time point when the state of said electronic label is changed.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user-selectable object information of different attributes is text information, audio information and picture information inclusive of moving pictures.

6. An information processing method comprising:

storing an electronic label including user-selectable object information having different attributes and time information associated therewith;

computing a difference between the electronic label at a first time point and a modified version of the electronic label at a second time point;

storing a difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label;

selecting a date at which to regenerate a previous state of said electronic label through a graphical user interface;

displaying a first active window in the graphical user interface that allows a user to set a start time to automatically display the electronic label;

displaying a second active window in the graphical user interface that allows a user to paste the user-selectable object information onto the electronic label; and

regenerating the previous state of said electronic label associated with the selected date based on said time information and the difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label, said previous state of said electronic label being indicative of what object information is associated with said electronic label as a function of time.

7. The information processing method according to claim 6, further comprising:

acquiring an operation hysteresis on said electronic label;

storing the information on the operation hysteresis; and

the regenerating of the electronic label includes regenerating the state of said electronic label based on said information on the operation hysteresis.

8. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said storing the difference includes storing at regular intervals.

9. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said storing the difference is implemented at a time point when the state of said electronic label is changed.

10. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said user-selectable object information of different attributes is text information, audio information and picture information inclusive of moving pictures.

11. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to implement an information processing method comprising:

storing an electronic label including user-selectable object information having different attributes and time information associated therewith;

computing a difference between the electronic label at a first time point and a modified version of the electronic label at a second time point;

storing a difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label;

selecting a date at which to regenerate a previous state of said electronic label through a graphical user interface;

displaying a first active window in the graphical user interface that allows a user to set a staff time to automatically display the electronic label;

displaying a second active window in the graphical user interface that allows a user to paste the user-selectable object information onto the electronic label; and

regenerating the previous state of said electronic label associated with the selected date based on said time information and the difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label, said previous state of said electronic label being indicative of what object information is associated with said electronic label as a function of time.

12. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store an electronic label including user-selectable object information having different attributes and time information associated therewith;

a difference computing unit configured to compute a difference between the electronic label at a first time point and a modified version of the electronic label at a second time point;

said storage unit configured to store a difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label;

a display configured to display a graphical user interface configured to enable a selection of a date at which to regenerate a previous state of said electronic label, to display a first active window in the graphical user interface that is configured to allow a user to set a start time to automatically display the electronic label, and to display a second active window configured to allow the user to paste the user-selectable object information onto the electronic label; and

a regenerating unit configured to regenerate the previous state of said electronic label associated with a date selected through said graphical user interface based on said time information and the difference between the electronic label and the modified version of the electronic label, said previous state of said electronic label being indicative of what object information is associated with said electronic label as a function of time.