Information processing apparatus and information processing method

• US 8,584,014 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• 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:
  US13/523,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/792, 715/810, 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:

a display unit;

a processor configured to display a graphical user interface on the display unit, the graphical user interface being configured to display

a plurality of content libraries, each of the plurality of content libraries including content data selected by one or more different users,

a plurality of sort options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of content libraries by another user that is different from the respective one or more different users,

a plurality of sort sub-options associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of sort options by the other user, and

content data associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of sort sub-options by the other user; and

a playback unit configured to

automatically play back a first set of content data based on the selected one of the plurality of sort options in response to a first user interaction with the graphical user interface, and

automatically play back a second set of content data based on the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options in response to a second user interaction with the graphical user interface.

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

an input unit configured to receive a selection of the one of the plurality of sort options and the one of the plurality of sort sub-options from the other user, wherein

each of the plurality of sort sub-options is associated with one of the plurality of sort options,

the graphical user interface is configured to display a list of the plurality of sort sub-options associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort options, in response to the input unit receiving the selection of the one of the plurality of sort options from the other user, and

the graphical user interface is configured to display a list of the content data associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options, in response to the input unit receiving the selection of the one of the plurality of sort sub-options from the other user.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to display a predetermined mark that identifies content data currently being played back by the play back unit in a list of content data associated with one of the plurality of sort sub-options.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the processor is configured to redisplay the predetermined mark when the graphical user interface returns to the list of content data associated with the one of the plurality of sort sub-options after displaying a list of sort sub-options including the one of the plurality of sort sub-options.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the predetermined mark is an icon.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the content data includes music data.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sort options, plurality of sort sub-options, and the content data associated with the plurality of sub options correspond to different hierarchical levels.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the graphical user interface is configured to simultaneously display the selected one of the plurality content libraries and the selected one of the plurality of sort options.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the graphical user interface is configured to display the selected one of the plurality content libraries adjacent to the selected one of the plurality of sort options.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing apparatus is a mobile device, and

the graphical user interface is a simplified interface that is configured to fit a display screen of the mobile device.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the playback unit is configured to play back at least one content data based on a start position defined by another device or a user that is different from the other user.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

one of the plurality of sort sub-options is associated with a play list that is automatically generated by another device.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

the play list that is automatically generated by the other device based on a playback history of content data.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

the playback history includes a number of reproduction times of the content data.

8. A method of an information processing apparatus to play back content data, comprising:

displaying, on a display unit of the information processing apparatus, a graphical user interface on the display unit, the graphical user interface being configured to display

a plurality of content libraries, each of the plurality of content libraries including content data selected by one or more different users,

a plurality of sort options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of content libraries by another user that is different from the respective one or more different users,

a plurality of sort sub-options associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of sort options by the other user, and

content data associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of sort sub-options by the other user; and

automatically playing back a first set of content data based on the selected one of the plurality of sort options in response to a first user interaction with the graphical user interface, and

automatically playing back a second set of content data based on the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options in response to a second user interaction with the graphical user interface.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the one of the plurality of sort options or the one of the plurality of sort sub-options from the other user, wherein

each of the plurality of sort sub options is associated with one of the plurality of sort options,

the step of displaying includes displaying the graphical user interface including a list of the plurality of sort sub-options associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort options, when the selection of the one of the plurality of sort options from the other user is received from the other user in the step of receiving, and

the step of displaying includes displaying the graphical user interface including a list of the content data associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options, when the selection of the one of the plurality of sort sub-options is received from the other user in the step of receiving.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a predetermined mark that identifies content data currently being played back in a list of content data associated with one of the plurality of sort sub-options.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

redisplaying the predetermined mark when the graphical user interface returns to the list of content data associated with the one of the plurality of sort sub-options after displaying a list of sort sub-options including the one of the plurality of sort sub-options.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the predetermined mark is an icon.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein

the content data includes music data.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein

the plurality of sort options, plurality of sort sub-options, and the content data associated with the plurality of sub options correspond to different hierarchical levels.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform a method of an information processing apparatus to play back content data, the method comprising:

displaying, on a display unit of the information processing apparatus, a graphical user interface on the display unit, the graphical user interface being configured to display

a plurality of content libraries, each of the plurality of content libraries including content data selected by one or more different users,

a plurality of sort options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of content libraries by another user that is different from the respective one or more different users,

a plurality of sort sub-options associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of sort options by the other user, and

content data associated with the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options in response to a selection of one of the plurality of sort sub-options by the other user;

automatically playing back a first set of content data based on the selected one of the plurality of sort options in response to a first user interaction with the graphical user interface; and

automatically playing back a second set of content data based on the selected one of the plurality of sort sub-options in response to a second user interaction with the graphical user interface.