Electronic apparatus, display controlling method for electronic apparatus and graphical user interface

• US 7,703,043 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishizawa, Kazuto, Urano, Masahiro, Inaishi, Daisuke, Kusanagi, Ko, Sato, Hiroshi, Sakai, Shimon, Sato, Daisuke, Utsuki, Shingo, Ishimura, Yuji, Kanda, Satoshi, Moriwaki, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin; Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kumar; Anil N
• Application Number:
  US11/177,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 715/853
• US Class Current: 715/830
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A graphical user interface is disclosed which achieves an easy search for a desired item upon scrolling. Plural first icons representing first items of a high hierarchy are arrayed along a direction of a display screen, and plural second icons representing second items of a low hierarchy which belong to a selected one of the first items are arrayed along an intersecting direction with the selected first item positioned at the intersecting position. The selected noticed icon from among the plural second icons is displayed emphatically at a fixed position on the display screen, and explanation information of the noticed item icon is displayed in the proximity of the display position of the noticed icon. In response to a scrolling instruction, scrolling is executed while explanation information of the second icons other than the noticed item icon is displayed.

Claims

1. A method for controlling display on an electronic apparatus, comprising:

storing display data in a storage section of the electronic apparatus, the display date comprising first representation images representing first items of a high hierarchy end second representation images representing second items of a low hierarchy;

accepting operation inputs from a user, including selecting and scrolling images displayed on a display screen, the images including first representation images and second representation images;

displaying first representation images as a first array along a first direction on the display screen;

displaying second representation images corresponding to a selected first representation image as a second array along a second direction on the display screen, the second array intersecting the first array at an intersecting position, wherein the selected first representation image is displayed at the intersecting position;

emphasizing, at a display position on the display screen, a user selected second representation image in the second array;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to at least one unselected second representation images;

scrolling the second representation images displayed in the second array, when the user inputs the scrolling operation, wherein speed of the scrolling increases as time elapses after the scrolling is started in response to the scrolling operation;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to a scrolled second representation image;

emphasizing successively, on the display screen, the scrolled second representation images, when each scrolled second representation image is displayed at the display position on the screen;

displaying a bar display along the second direction on the display screen, the bar display successively indicating, using a mark, the display position of an emphasized second representation image on the display screen; and

displaying, on the display screen, a group bar in the second direction when the scrolling speed reaches a value greater than a predetermined value, the group bar having a predetermined width along the first direction and being displayed adjacent to the second array such that the height of the group bar is equal to a length of the display screen in the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dividing the second representation images into groups based on attributes relating to the second items;

dividing the bar display into divisional portions, each of the divisional portions corresponding to one of the groups; and

displaying the groups and the corresponding divisional portions along the second direction on the display screen.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image is displayed adjacent to the selected second representation image and explanation information corresponding to the at least one unselected second representation image is displayed adjacent to the at least one unselected second representation image.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected second representation image in the second array is not displayed at the intersecting position.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a display screen;

a storage section for storing a plurality of display data, the plurality of display data comprising first representation images representing first items of a high hierarchy and second representation images representing second items of a low hierarchy;

an operation inputting section for accepting operation inputs from a user, including selecting and scrolling images displayed on the display screen, the images including first representation images and second representation images; and

a display control section for;

displaying the first representation images as a first array along a first direction on the display screen;

displaying the second representation images corresponding to a selected first representation image as a second array along a second direction on the display screen, the second array intersecting the first array at an intersecting position, wherein the selected first representation image is displayed at the intersecting position;

emphasizing, at a display position on the display screen, a user selected second representation image in the second array;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to at least one unselected second representation images;

scrolling the second representation images displayed in the second array, when the user inputs the scrolling operation using the operation inputting section, wherein speed of the scrolling increases as time elapses after the scrolling is started in response to the scrolling operation;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to a scrolled second representation image;

emphasizing successively, on the display screen, the scrolled second representation images, when each scrolled second representation image is displayed at the display position on the screen;

displaying a bar display along the second direction on the display screen, the bar display successively indicating, using a mark, the display position of an emphasized second representation image on the display screen; and

displaying, on the display screen, a group bar in the second direction when the scrolling speed reaches a value greater than a predetermined value, the group bar having a predetermined width along the first direction and being displayed adjacent to the second array such that the height of the group bar is equal to a length of the display screen in the first direction.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second representation images are divided into groups based on attributes relating to the second items, a display order of the second representation images being set for each of the groups.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the bar display is divided into divisional portions along the second direction on the display screen, the divisional portions corresponding to one of the groups.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronic apparatus is a receiver for receiving the groups, wherein the groups represent broadcasting programs from a television broadcasting group, a radio broadcasting group, and a data broadcasting group.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image includes explanation items greater in number than explanation items in the explanation information corresponding to each of the scrolled second representation images.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image is emphasized on the display screen.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first representation images represent categories of processing functions or processing objects, and each second representation image represents items corresponding to one of the processing functions or processing objects,

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second representation images represent contents, the second representation images being divided into groups based on attributes of the contents.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the display control section displays the first representation images and the second representation images in a translucent and overlapping relationship on the, display screen.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image is displayed adjacent to the selected second representation image and explanation information corresponding to the at least one unselected second representation image is displayed adjacent to the at least one unselected second representation image.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the selected second representation image in the second array is not displayed at the intersecting position.

16. A computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer program, which when executed on a processor, causes the processor to perform a method for controlling display on en electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

storing display data in a storage section of the electronic apparatus, the display data comprising first representation images representing first items of a high hierarchy and second representation images representing second items of a low hierarchy;

accepting operation inputs from a user, including selecting and scrolling images displayed on a display screen, the images including first representation images and second representation images;

displaying first representation images as a first array along a first direction en the display screen;

displaying second representation images corresponding to a selected first representation image as a second array along a second direction on the display screen, the second array intersecting the first array at an intersecting position, wherein the selected first representation image is displayed at the intersecting position;

emphasizing, at a display position on the display screen, a user selected second representation image in the second array;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to the selected second representation image;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to at least one unselected second representation images;

scrolling the second representation images displayed in the second array, when the user inputs the scrolling operation, wherein speed of the scrolling increases as time elapses after the scrolling is started in response to the scrolling operation;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to a scrolled second representation image;

emphasizing successively, on the display screen, the scrolled second representation images, when each scrolled second representation image is displayed at the display position on the screen;

displaying a bar display along the second direction on the display screen, the bar display successively indicating, using a mark, the display position of an emphasized second representation image on the display screen; and

displaying, on the display screen, a group bar in the second direction when the scrolling speed reaches a value greater than a predetermined value, the group bar having a predetermined width along the first direction and being displayed adjacent to the second array such that the height of the group bar is equal to a length of the display screen in the first direction.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the second representation images are divided into groups based on attributes relating to the second items.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the bar display is divided into divisional portions along the second direction on the graphical user interface, the divisional portions corresponding to one of the groups.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the selected second representation image in the second array is not displayed at the intersecting position.

20. A method for controlling display on an electronic apparatus, comprising:

storing display data in a storage section of the electronic apparatus, the display data comprising first representation images representing first items of a higher hierarchy and second representation images representing second items of a lower hierarchy;

accepting operation inputs from a user, including selecting and scrolling images displayed on a display screen, the images including first representation images and second representation images;

displaying first representation images as a first array along a first direction on the display screen;

displaying second representation images corresponding to a selected first representation image as a second array along a second direction on the display screen, the second array intersecting the first ray at an intersecting position, wherein the selected first representation image is displayed at the intersecting position;

emphasizing, at a display position on the display screen, a user selected second representation image in the second array, wherein the display position is at a different location on the display screen from a location of the intersecting position;

scrolling the second representation images displayed in the second array, when the user inputs the scrolling operation, wherein speed of the scrolling increases as time elapses after the scrolling is started in response to the scrolling operation;

displaying, on the display screen, explanation information corresponding to a scrolled second representation image;

emphasizing successively, on the display screen, the scrolled second representation images, when each scrolled second representation image is displayed at the display position on the screen;

displaying a bar display along the second direction on the display screen, the bar display successively indicating, using a mark, the display position of an emphasized second representation image on the display screen; and

displaying, on the display screen, a group bar in the second direction when the scrolling speed reaches a value greater than a predetermined value, the group bar having a predetermined width along the first direction and being displayed adjacent to the second array such that the height of the group bar is equal to a length of the display screen in the first direction.