Information processing apparatus and information processing method

• US 8,276,072 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iriya, Shinichi, Kohno, Tetsuya, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Sakata, Junichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US12/794,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/792, 715/810, 715/821, 369/24, 369/27, 369/30, 434/307.A
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus having an input configured to receive a first operation and a second operation input by a user, a playback unit configured to obtain predetermined data and play back the data based on the operation input by the user from the input; and a display control unit configured to control, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data, a display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy level, and for controlling a display of a predetermined mark in the display screen. The display control unit also controls the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by the playback unit in a manner different from other non-selected marks while the predetermined mark is being selected.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a first operation input by a user;

a playback unit configured to obtain predetermined data to play back based on the operation input by the user from the input unit; and

a display control unit, implemented by a processor, configured to control, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure in which data is registered based on a predetermined condition for classifying the predetermined data, the display of a first display screen indicating each hierarchy and of a predetermined mark in the first display screen,

wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by the playback unit so that the predetermined mark is displayed as a selected state,

wherein, when the first operation is input from the input unit, the display control unit is configured to control the display so that selection of the predetermined mark will be changed, and the playback unit is configured to sequentially play back a plurality of data registered in the virtual hierarchical structure corresponding to the newly selected predetermined mark, and

wherein, when a second operation different from the first operation is input from the input unit,

the playback unit is configured to not change the predetermined data to be played back; and

the display control unit is configured to control the display of a second display screen indicating a different hierarchy based on the virtual hierarchical structure, the second display screen indicating a new mark that corresponds to the unchanged data being played back by the playback unit and is displayed as a result of the input of the second operation from the input unit.

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

a sending unit configured to send a signal indicating a request to send predetermined data possessed by a different information processing apparatus based on the operation input by the user from the input unit; and

a receiving unit configured to receive the predetermined data sent from the different information processing apparatus,

wherein the playback unit is configured to play back the predetermined data received by the receiving unit, and

wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data possessed by the different information processing apparatus.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined mark is an icon.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined mark is a thumbnail of an image corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by the playback unit.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display so that only the selected predetermined mark will be displayed and the other marks will be unseen.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display so that the selected predetermined mark will be displayed in an enlarged size.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display control unit is configured to control the display so that the selected predetermined mark will be displayed with an increased level of brightness.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first operation is an operation for designating one of top and bottom directions in the display screen, or for designating one of left and right directions in the display screen.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the virtual hierarchical structure refers to a playback history of the data by the playback unit, and allows data belonging to the predetermined condition to be registered.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the playback unit is configured to sequentially play back a hook part of the data.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, when sequentially playing back the plurality of data, the playback unit inserts noise and performs playback upon switching playback of the data.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, at the time power is turned on, the playback unit plays back predetermined data registered in the virtual hierarchy including data played back at the end of the last playback.

15. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the new mark is not displayed in the first display screen.

13. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus comprising:

controlling an input of a first operation by a user;

obtaining predetermined data to play back based on the operation by the user, the input of which is controlled by processing of the controlling the input step; and

controlling, by the information processing apparatus and in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure in which data is registered based on a predetermined condition for classifying the predetermined data, the display of a first display screen indicating each hierarchy and of a predetermined mark in the first display screen,

wherein, in processing of the controlling the display step, the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by processing of the obtaining step is controlled so that the predetermined mark is displayed as a selected state,

wherein, when the input of the first operation is controlled by processing of the controlling the input step, the display is controlled in processing of the controlling the display step so that selection of the predetermined mark will be changed, and a plurality of data registered in the virtual hierarchical structure corresponding to the newly selected predetermined mark are sequentially played back in processing of the obtaining step, and

wherein, when a second operation different from the first operation is input by processing of the controlling the input step,

the predetermined data to be played back is not changed in processing of the obtaining step; and

in processing of the controlling the display step, the display of a second display screen indicating a different hierarchy is controlled based on the virtual hierarchical structure, the second display screen indicating a new mark that corresponds to the unchanged data being played back by processing of the obtaining step and is displayed as a result of the input of the second operation from the input unit.

16. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the new mark is not displayed in the first display screen.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method comprising:

controlling an input of a first operation by a user;

obtaining predetermined data to play back based on the operation by the user, the input of which is controlled by processing of the controlling the input step; and

controlling, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure in which data is registered based on a predetermined condition for classifying the predetermined data, the display of a first display screen indicating each hierarchy and of a predetermined mark in the first display screen,

wherein, in processing of the controlling the display step, the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by processing of the obtaining step is controlled so that the predetermined mark is displayed as a selected state,

wherein, when the input of the first operation is controlled by processing of the controlling the input step, the display is controlled in processing of the controlling the display step so that selection of the predetermined mark will be changed, and a plurality of data registered in the virtual hierarchical structure corresponding to the newly selected predetermined mark are sequentially played back in processing of the obtaining step, and

wherein, when a second operation different from the first operation is input by processing of the controlling the input step,

the predetermined data to be played back is not changed in processing of the obtaining step; and

in processing of the controlling the display step, the display of a second display screen indicating a different hierarchy is controlled based on the virtual hierarchical structure, the second display screen indicating a new mark that corresponds to the unchanged data being played back by processing of the obtaining step and is displayed as a result of the input of the second operation form the input unit.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the new mark is not displayed in the first display screen.