Information processing apparatus, method and program

• US 20070085840A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Music Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takatsuka, Susumu, Kinouchi, Takashi, Sakata, Junichiro, Asaka, Kotaro, Tsukazaki, Hideo, Ozawa, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, includes: display control means for displaying, on the display, an item associated with predetermined content; detection means for detecting a contact of a user with the touch panel; determination means for determining whether or not the contact of the user is released, the contact being detected by the detection means; selection means for completing, when the determination means determines that the contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the display control means on a position where the contact of the user was detected by the detection means until just before; and playback means for playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the selection means.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

display control means for displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

detection means for detecting a contact of a user with said touch panel;

determination means for determining whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by said detection means;

selection means for completing, when said determination means determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by said display control means on a position where said contact of the user was detected by said detection means until just before; and

playback means for playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by said selection means, wherein said playback means plays back predetermined content during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by said detection means until said determination means determines that said contact of the user is released.

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

said predetermined content is part or all of the content associated with the item, said item being displayed, during the period from when said contact of the user is detected by said detection means until said determination means determines that said contact of the user is released, by said display control means on the position where said contact of the user was detected by said detection means.

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

said predetermined content is sound effects.

4. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a detection step of detecting a contact of a user with said touch panel;

a determination step of determining whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by the process of said detection step;

a selection step of completing, when the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the process of said display control step on a position where said contact of the user was detected by the process of said detection step until just before; and

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the process of said selection step, wherein

the process of said playback step plays back predetermined content during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by the process of said detection step until the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released.

5. A program for causing a computer to execute a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, said program comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a detection step of detecting a contact of a user with said touch panel;

a determination step of determining whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by the process of said detection step;

a selection step of completing, when the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the process of said display control step on a position where said contact of the user was detected by the process of said detection step until just before; and

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the process of said selection step, wherein

the process of said playback step plays back predetermined content during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by the process of said detection step until the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released.

6. An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

display control means for displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

detection means for detecting a contact of a user with said touch panel;

determination means for determining whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by said detection means;

selection means for completing, when said determination means determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by said display control means on a position where said contact of the user was detected by said detection means until just before, or a selection of all the items displayed by said display control means in an area specified by positions where said contact of the user was detected by said detection means during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by said detection means until said determination means determines that said contact of the user is released; and

playback means for playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by said selection means.

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

switching means for switching a target whose selection is to be completed by said selection means from the item corresponding to the position where said contact of the user was detected by said detection means until just before to the item corresponding to the area specified by positions where said contact of the user was detected by said detection means during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by said detection means until said determination means determines that said contact of the user is released.

8. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a detection step of detecting a contact of a user with said touch panel;

a determination step of determining whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by the process of said detection step;

a selection step of completing, when the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the process of said display control step on a position where said contact of the user was detected by the process of said detection step until just before, or a selection of all the items displayed by the process of said display control step in an area specified by positions where said contact of the user was detected by the process of said detection step during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by the process of said detection step until the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released; and

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the process of said selection step.

9. A program for causing a computer to execute a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a detection step of detecting a contact of a user with said touch panel;

a determination step of determining whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by the process of said detection step;

a selection step of completing, when the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the process of said display control step on a position where said contact of the user was detected by the process of said detection step until just before, or a selection of all the items displayed by the process of said display control step in an area specified by positions where said contact of the user was detected by the process of said detection step during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by the process of said detection step until the process of said determination step determines that said contact of the user is released; and

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the process of said selection step.

10. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

display control means for displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

selection means for selecting the item displayed by said display control means in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

acquisition means for acquiring related content that has a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection means, wherein

said display control means displays the item selected by said selection means on a center of a circle or polygon, and a first related item associated with the related content acquired by said acquisition means on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising

detection means for detecting a contact of a user with a touch panel on said display, wherein

said selection means selects, in accordance with the contact of said user detected by said detection means, the item associated with the content, said item being displayed on said display.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said display control means displays a line between said item and said first related item;

and

said line to be displayed is at least a line with an arrow according to said relationship, a line with a pattern according to said relationship, or a line with a color according to said relationship.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

when the first related item on the part or all of the circumference of the circle or polygon is selected by said selection means, said display control means displays an image where said first related item selected by said selection means moves from the part or all of the circumference of the circle or polygon to said center, and also displays an image where a second related item associated with related content that is acquired by said acquisition means and has a certain relationship to said first related item moves from said center where said first related item is displayed to a predetermined position on a part or all of the circumference of the circle or polygon.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said content is playback history information of other users.

15. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

an acquisition step of acquiring related content that has a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step, wherein the process of said display control step displays the item selected by the process of said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and a related item associated with the related content acquired by the process of said acquisition step on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon.

16. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

an acquisition step of acquiring related content that has a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step, wherein

the process of said display control step displays the item selected by the process of said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and a related item associated with the related content acquired by the process of said acquisition step on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon.

17. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

extraction means for extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

display control means for displaying an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction means on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

selection means for selecting the item displayed by said display control means in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

playback means for playing back content associated with the item selected by said selection means.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising

detection means for detecting a contact of a user with a touch panel on said display, wherein

said selection means selects, in accordance with the contact of said user detected by said detection means, the item associated with the content, said item being displayed on said display.

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

said extraction means extracts content whose at least two of metadata have a value within a predetermined range;

and

said display control means displays an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction means on a predetermined position of said display based on axes of said two of the metadata.

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

if said extraction means extracts a plurality of pieces of content each of which is associated with said items, priorities of said plurality of pieces of content are set in accordance with values of predetermined metadata of said plurality of pieces of content;

and

said playback means plays back said plurality of pieces of content associated with the items selected by said selection means in accordance with said priorities.

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

said display control means displays the item associated with the content having a certain relationship in a different manner from other items.

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

said different manner of display is done by adding at least a blink, color, shape, brilliance or numeric character.

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

said display control means displays a line between the items associated with the content having said certain relationship;

and

said line to be displayed is at least a line with an arrow according to said relationship, a line with a pattern according to said relationship, or a line with a color according to said relationship.

24. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a extraction step of extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a display control step of displaying an item associated with said content extracted by the process of said extraction step on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step.

25. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a extraction step of extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a display control step of displaying an item associated with said content extracted by the process of said extraction step on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step.

26. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

selection means for selecting an item associated with content in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation, said item being displayed on said display;

acquisition means for acquiring related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection means;

first display control means for displaying the item selected by said selection means on a center of a circle or polygon, and a related item associated with the related content acquired by said acquisition means on a part or all of circumference of the circle or polygon;

extraction means for extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

second display control means for displaying an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction means on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata; and

display switching means for switching what is to be displayed between a screen displayed by said first display control means and a screen displayed by said second display control means, wherein

when said display switching means switches what is to be displayed from one screen to another screen, said first or second display control means displays an image showing transition from the one screen to the another screen.

27. The information processing apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising

detection means for detecting a contact of a user with a touch panel on said display, wherein

said selection means selects, in accordance with the contact of said user detected by said detection means, the item associated with the content, said item being displayed on said display.

28. The information processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein

said extraction means extracts content whose at least two of metadata have a value within a predetermined range;

and

said second display control means displays an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction means on a predetermined position of said display based on axes of said two of the metadata.

29. The information processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein

when said display switching means switches what is to be displayed from one screen to another screen, said first or second display control means displays the another screen reflected by information of the content selected by said selection section on the one screen.

30. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a selection step of selecting an item associated with content in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation, said item being displayed on said display;

an acquisition step of acquiring related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step;

a first display control step of displaying the item selected by the process of said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and a related item associated with the related content acquired by the process of said acquisition step on a part or all of circumference of the circle or polygon;

an extraction step of extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a second display control step of displaying an item associated with said content extracted by the process of said extraction step on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata; and

a display switching step of switching what is to be displayed between a screen displayed by the process of said first display control step and a screen displayed by the process of said second display control step, wherein

when the process of said display switching step switches what is to be displayed from one screen to another screen, the process of said first or second display control step displays an image showing transition from the one screen to the another screen.

31. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a selection step of selecting an item associated with content in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation, said item being displayed on said display;

an acquisition step of acquiring related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step;

a first display control step of displaying the item selected by the process of said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and a related item associated with the related content acquired by the process of said acquisition step on a part or all of circumference of the circle or polygon;

an extraction step of extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a second display control step of displaying an item associated with said content extracted by the process of said extraction step on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata; and

a display switching step of switching what is to be displayed between a screen displayed by the process of said first display control step and a screen displayed by the process of said second display control step, wherein

when the process of said display switching step switches what is to be displayed from one screen to another screen, the process of said first or second display control step displays an image showing transition from the one screen to the another screen.

32. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

extraction means for extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

first display control means for displaying an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction means on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

selection means for selecting the item displayed on said display in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

playback means for playing back content associated with the item selected by said selection step;

second display control means for displaying content associated with the item selected by said selection means in list format; and

display switching means for switching what is to be displayed between a first screen displayed by said first display control means and a second screen displayed by said second display control means, wherein

when said display switching means switches what is to be displayed from said first screen to said second screen, said first display control means displays an image showing transition from said first screen to said second screen.

33. The information processing apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising

detection means for detecting a contact of a user with a touch panel on said display, wherein

said selection means selects, in accordance with the contact of said user detected by said detection means, the item associated with the content, said item being displayed on said display.

34. The information processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

said extraction means extracts content whose at least two of metadata have a value within a predetermined range;

and

said first display control means displays an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction means on a predetermined position of said display based on axes of said two of the metadata.

35. The information processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

when said display switching means switches what is to be displayed from said first screen to said second screen, said second display control means displays a list where said content are listed in order of values of predetermined metadata of said content.

36. The information processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

said predetermined metadata is ranking information.

37. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

an extraction step of extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a first display control step of displaying an item associated with said content extracted by the process of said extraction step on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed on said display in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step;

a second display control step of displaying content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step in list format; and

display switching step of switching what is to be displayed between a first screen displayed by the process of said first display control step and a second screen displayed by the process of said second display control step, wherein

when the process of said display switching step switches what is to be displayed from said first screen to said second screen, the process of said first display control step displays an image showing transition from said first screen to said second screen.

38. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

an extraction step of extracting content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a first display control step of displaying an item associated with said content extracted by the process of said extraction step on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed on said display in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a playback step of playing back content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step;

a second display control step of displaying content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step in list format; and

display switching step of switching what is to be displayed between a first screen displayed by the process of said first display control step and a second screen displayed by the process of said second display control step, wherein

when the process of said display switching step switches what is to be displayed from said first screen to said second screen, the process of said first display control step displays an image showing transition from said first screen to said second screen.

39. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

display control means for displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

selection means for selecting the item displayed by said display control means in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

content extraction means for extracting, based on metadata of the content, content having the same attribute as the content associated with the item selected by said selection means; and

list generation means for generating, by using the content extracted by said content extraction means, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection means are listed, wherein

said display control means displays the item selected by said selection means on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by said list generation means.

40. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a content extraction step of extracting, based on metadata of the content, content having the same attribute as the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step; and

a list generation step of generating, by using the content extracted by the process of said content extraction step, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step are listed, wherein

the process of said display control step displays the item selected by said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by the process of said list generation step.

41. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a content extraction step of extracting, based on metadata of the content, content having the same attribute as the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step; and

a list generation step of generating, by using the content extracted by the process of said content extraction step, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step are listed, wherein

the process of said display control step displays the item selected by said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by the process of said list generation step.

42. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

display control means for displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

selection means for selecting the item displayed by said display control means in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

content extraction means for extracting, based on analytical data generated by analyzing the content, content having an analytical data value whose degree of similarity to an analytical data value of the content associated with the item selected by said selection means is greater than a predetermined value; and

list generation means for generating, by using the content extracted by said content extraction means, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection means are listed, wherein

said display control means displays the item selected by said selection means on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by said list generation means.

43. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a content extraction step of extracting, based on analytical data generated by analyzing the content, content having an analytical data value whose degree of similarity to an analytical data value of the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step is greater than a predetermined value; and

a list generation step of generating, by using the content extracted by the process of said content extraction step, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step are listed, wherein

the process of said display control step displays the item selected by the process of said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by the process of said list generation step.

44. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection step of selecting the item displayed by the process of said display control step in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a content extraction step of extracting, based on analytical data generated by analyzing the content, content having an analytical data value whose degree of similarity to an analytical data value of the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step is greater than a predetermined value; and

a list generation step of generating, by using the content extracted by the process of said content extraction step, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by the process of said selection step are listed, wherein

the process of said display control step displays the item selected by the process of said selection step on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by the process of said list generation step.

45. An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

a display control section that displays, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a detection section that detects a contact of a user with said touch panel;

a determination section that determines whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by said detection section;

a selection section that completes, when said determination section determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by said display control section on a position where said contact of the user was detected by said detection section until just before; and

a playback section that plays back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by said selection section, wherein

said playback section plays back predetermined content during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by said detection section until said determination section determines that said contact of the user is released.

46. An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, comprising:

a display control section that displays, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a detection section that detects a contact of a user with said touch panel;

a determination section that determines whether or not said contact of the user is released, said contact being detected by said detection section;

a selection section that completes, when said determination section determines that said contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by said display control section on a position where said contact of the user was detected by said detection section until just before, or a selection of all the items displayed by said display control section in an area specified by positions where said contact of the user was detected by said detection section during a period from when said contact of the user is detected by said detection section until said determination section determines that said contact of the user is released; and

a playback section that plays back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by said selection section.

47. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control section that displays, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection section that selects the item displayed by said display control section in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

a acquisition section that acquires related content that has a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection section, wherein

said display control section displays the item selected by said selection section on a center of a circle or polygon, and a first related item associated with the related content acquired by said acquisition section on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon.

48. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

an extraction section that extracts content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a display control section that displays an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction section on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

a selection section that selects the item displayed by said display control section in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation; and

a playback section that plays back content associated with the item selected by said selection section;

49. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a selection section that selects an item associated with content in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation, said item being displayed on said display;

an acquisition section that acquires related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection section;

a first display control section that displays the item selected by said selection section on a center of a circle or polygon, and a related item associated with the related content acquired by said acquisition section on a part or all of circumference of the circle or polygon;

an extraction section that extracts content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a second display control section that displays an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction section on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata; and

a display switching section that switches what is to be displayed between a screen displayed by said first display control section and a screen displayed by said second display control section, wherein

when said display switching section switches what is to be displayed from one screen to another screen, said first or second display control section displays an image showing transition from the one screen to the another screen.

50. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

an extraction section that extracts content whose at least one of metadata has a value within a predetermined range;

a first display control section that displays an item associated with said content extracted by said extraction section on a predetermined position of said display based on an axis of said one of the metadata;

a selection section that selects the item displayed on said display in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a playback section that plays back content associated with the item selected by said selection step;

a second display control section that displays content associated with the item selected by said selection section in list format; and

a display switching section that switches what is to be displayed between a first screen displayed by said first display control section and a second screen displayed by said second display control section, wherein

when said display switching section switches what is to be displayed from said first screen to said second screen, said first display control section displays an image showing transition from said first screen to said second screen.

51. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control section that displays, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection section that selects the item displayed by said display control section in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a content extraction section that extracts, based on metadata of the content, content having the same attribute as the content associated with the item selected by said selection section; and

a list generation section that generates, by using the content extracted by said content extraction section, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection section are listed, wherein

said display control section displays the item selected by said selection section on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by said list generation section.

52. An information processing apparatus performing a process of displaying a predetermined image on a display, comprising:

a display control section that displays, on said display, an item associated with predetermined content;

a selection section that selects the item displayed by said display control section in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

a content extraction section that extracts, based on analytical data generated by analyzing the content, content having an analytical data value whose degree of similarity to an analytical data value of the content associated with the item selected by said selection section is greater than a predetermined value; and

a list generation section that generates, by using the content extracted by said content extraction section, a related content list where related content having a certain relationship to the content associated with the item selected by said selection section are listed, wherein

said display control section displays the item selected by said selection section on a center of a circle or polygon, and related items associated with said related content on a part or all of a circumference of the circle or polygon in order of the related content list generated by said list generation section.