Playback apparatus, menu display method, and recording medium recording program implementing menu display method

• US 20070028269A1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Satoshi, Nezu, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A playback apparatus includes a menu screen display unit for displaying a content menu screen, an input unit for detecting a user'"'"'s input operation to detect a selection of the content, and a control unit for causing the menu screen display unit to switch the menu screen, and for instructing playback of the selected content. The menu screen display unit, under the control of the control unit, switches an upper layer menu screen to and from a lower layer menu screen through an intermediate layer menu screen. The upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents using menus. The lower layer menu screen shows some of contents using menus. The intermediate layer menu screen displays the menu selected in the upper layer menu screen in an area and a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen in another area.

Claims

1. A playback apparatus for playing back and providing contents to a user, the playback apparatus comprising:

a menu screen display unit for displaying a menu screen of the contents;

an input unit for detecting a user'"'"'s input operation so as to detect a selection of the content displayed in the menu screen; and

a control unit for causing the menu screen display unit to switch the menu screen on the basis of the user'"'"'s operation detected by the input unit, and for instructing a playback operation of the selected content, wherein

the menu screen display unit, under the control of the control unit, switches an upper layer menu screen to and from a lower layer menu screen through an intermediate layer menu screen therebetween, and wherein

the upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents providable to the user using menus,

the lower layer menu screen shows some of the contents, which are classified into one of the categories displayed as the menus in the upper layer menu screen, using menus, and

the intermediate layer menu screen displays the menu selected in the upper layer menu screen in an area, and displays a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen in another area.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the menu screen display unit switches the intermediate layer menu screen to and from the upper layer menu screen or the lower layer menu screen while changing the menus displayed in the intermediate layer menu screen via animation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the menu screen display unit switches the upper layer menu screen and the lower layer menu screen without displaying the intermediate layer menu screen therebetween.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen are the target menus representing the contents to be selected, and wherein

the control unit accepts the selection of the content in both the lower layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen on the basis of the user'"'"'s operation detected by the input unit, and instructs the playback operation of the selected content.

5. A menu display method for displaying menu screens, in which a user'"'"'s selection of content is accepted, the menu display method comprising the steps of:

displaying an upper layer menu screen;

displaying an intermediate layer menu screen;

displaying a lower layer menu screen; and

switching the upper layer menu screen, the intermediate layer menu screen, and the lower layer menu screen in response to a user'"'"'s operation, wherein

the upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents providable to the user using menus,

the lower layer menu screen shows some of the contents, which are classified into one of the categories displayed as the menus in the upper layer menu screen, using menus, and

the intermediate layer menu screen displays the menu selected in the upper layer menu screen in an area, and displays a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen in another area.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, in the step of switching the menu screen, the intermediate layer menu screen is switched to and from the upper layer menu screen or the lower layer menu screen while changing the menus displayed in the intermediate layer menu screen via animation.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, in the step of switching the menu screen, the upper layer menu screen and the lower layer menu screen are switched without displaying the intermediate layer menu screen therebetween.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen are the target menus representing the contents to be selected, and wherein

the selection of the content is accepted in both the lower layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen.

9. A recording medium recording a program thereon allowing a processor to execute a menu display process, for displaying menu screens in which a user'"'"'s selection of content is accepted, the process comprising the steps of:

displaying an upper layer menu screen;

displaying an intermediate layer menu screen;

displaying a lower layer menu screen; and

switching the upper layer menu screen, the intermediate layer menu screen, and the lower layer menu screen in response to a user'"'"'s operation, wherein

the upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents providable to the user using menus,

the lower layer menu screen shows some of the contents, which are classified into one of the categories displayed as the menus in the upper layer menu screen, using menus, and

the intermediate layer menu screen displays the menu selected in the upper layer menu screen in an area, and displays a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen in another area.