Playback apparatus, playback method and program

• US 8,003,875 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimura, Takaomi, Terayama, Akiko, Wang, QiHong, Mukaiyama, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US12/547,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/16 Manual control

Abstract

A playback apparatus is provided that includes an operation plane, a detection unit to detect which of contact relationship including first contact relationship, second contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the first contact relationship and third contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the second contact relationship the operation plane and an operation object have, a creation unit to create a list screen of content data for selecting content data based on movement of the operation object with respect to the operation plane in the first contact relationship, a playback unit to play back content data, and a playback control unit to cause the playback unit to play back content data selected on the list screen when becoming the second contact relationship from the first contact relationship if contact relationship becomes the third contact relationship from the second contact relationship.

Claims

1. A playback apparatus comprising:

an operation plane;

a detection unit to detect which of contact relationship including first contact relationship, second contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the first contact relationship and third contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the second contact relationship the operation plane and an operation object have;

a creation unit to create a list screen of content data allowing selection of content data based on movement of the operation object with respect to the operation plane when the operation plane and the operation object have the first contact relationship;

a playback unit to play back content data; and

a playback control unit to cause the playback unit to play back content data, which is selected on the list screen when contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the second contact relationship from the first contact relationship, if contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the third contact relationship from the second contact relationship;

wherein one or more than one content data is associated with a position on the list screen according to a feature of each content data, and

while the operation plane and the operation object are in the first contact relationship, content data associated with a position in closest proximity to a position on the list screen specified by movement of the operation object is selected.

2. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the playback control unit causes the playback unit to play back content data selected while the operation plane and the operation object are in the first contact relationship from a particular part of the content data.

3. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a shift amount of the position on the list screen specified by movement of the operation object with respect to the operation plane becomes smaller in relation to the same movement of the operation object as a degree of contact between the operation plane and the operation object increases.

4. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a moving speed of the position on the list screen specified by movement of the operation object with respect to the operation plane becomes lower in relation to the same movement of the operation object as a degree of contact between the operation plane and the operation object increases.

5. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the creation unit creates an image display screen containing images respectively indicating selected content data and content data associated with a peripheral position of the content data, in addition to the list screen.

6. The playback apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the creation unit enlarges the images contained in the image display screen as a degree of contact between the operation plane and the operation object increases.

7. The playback apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the creation unit creates a playback screen of content data to be played back when contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the third contact relationship.

8. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the creation unit enlarges a peripheral part of selected content data on the list screen and displays an image indicating content data associated with the peripheral part in a corresponding position when contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the second contact relationship.

9. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit detects contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object based on at least one of pressure on the operation plane and a contact area of the operation object with the operation plane.

10. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first contact relationship is relationship where the operation plane and the operation object are separated.

11. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vibration control unit to vibrate a vibrator according to beat of content data being played back by the playback unit.

12. A playback method comprising the steps of:

detecting which of contact relationship including first contact relationship, second contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the first contact relationship and third contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the second contact relationship an operation plane and an operation object have;

creating a list screen of content data allowing selection of content data based on movement of the operation object with respect to the operation plane when the operation plane and the operation object have the first contact relationship; and

playing back content data selected on the list screen when contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the second contact relationship from the first contact relationship if contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the third contact relationship from the second contact relationship; and

wherein one or more than one content data is associated with a position on the list screen according to a feature of each content data, and

while the operation plane and the operation object are in the first contact relationship, content data associated with a position in closest proximity to a position on the list screen specified by movement of the operation object is selected.

13. A program for causing a computer to function as a playback apparatus comprising:

an operation plane;

a detection unit to detect which of contact relationship including first contact relationship, second contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the first contact relationship and third contact relationship with a higher degree of contact than the second contact relationship the operation plane and an operation object have;

a creation unit to create a list screen of content data allowing selection of content data based on movement of the operation object with respect to the operation plane when the operation plane and the operation object have the first contact relationship;

a playback unit to play back content data; and

a playback control unit to cause the playback unit to play back content data selected on the list screen when contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the second contact relationship from the first contact relationship if contact relationship between the operation plane and the operation object becomes the third contact relationship from the second contact relationship;

wherein one or more than one content data is associated with a position on the list screen according to a feature of each content data, and

while the operation plane and the operation object are in the first contact relationship, content data associated with a position in closest proximity to a position on the list screen specified by movement of the operation object is selected.