Content browsing system, content browsing method, and computer program product

• US 8,009,179 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Araki, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini; Javid
• Application Number:
  US11/822,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 345/660, 715/788
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A content browsing system changes a display state of a content that includes an object or the object according to zoom operation of a user, and includes an evaluation information storage unit and a display controlling unit. The evaluation information storage unit stores therein evaluation information related to the content or the object. The display controlling unit controls the display state of the content or the object selected as a zoom target based on the evaluation information.

Claims

1. A content browsing system that performs zoom operation for a content that includes an object or the object to change a display state of the content or the object, the content browsing system comprising:

a storage unit that stores therein a plurality of evaluation indices related to the content or the object, the plurality of evaluation indices including a ranking score, a popularity level, a difficulty level and a publication year; and

a display control unit that selectively controls the display state of the content or the object selected as a zoom target based on the plurality of evaluation indices; and

wherein contents or objects, including the content or the object, are displayed in an evaluation index area, the evaluation index area is a display area defined by at least one evaluation index selected from the plurality of evaluation indices.

2. The content browsing system according to claim 1, wherein the display state of the content or the object is associated with a plurality of information items related to the content or the object, and the display control unit controls number of information items displayed.

3. The content browsing system according to claim 1, wherein the display state of the content or the object is associated with a font size of text in the content or the object, and the display control unit controls the font size in which the text is displayed.

4. The content browsing system according to claim 1, wherein the display state of the content or the object is associated with a degree of detail of the content or the object, and the display control unit determines the degree of detail in which the content or the object is displayed.

5. The content browsing system according to claim 1, wherein the display state of the content or the object is associated with a size of an image in the content or the object, and the display control unit controls the size in which the image is displayed.

6. The content browsing system according to claim 1, further comprising a selecting unit that allows a user to select, from a plurality of evaluation values, a selected evaluation value for the display control unit.

7. A computer program product for performing zoom operation for a content that includes an object or the object to change a display state of the content or the object, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the medium that, when executed, cause a computer to execute:

storing a plurality of evaluation indices related to the content or the object, the plurality of evaluation indices including a ranking score, a popularity level, a difficulty level and a publication year;

controlling selectively the display state of the content or the object selected as a zoom target based on the plurality of evaluation indices; and

displaying contents or objects, including the content or the object, in an evaluation index area, the evaluation index area is a display area defined by at least one evaluation index selected from the plurality of evaluation indices.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with number of information items related to the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the number of information items displayed based on evaluation information.

9. The computer program product according to claim 7, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with a font size of text in the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the font size in which the text is displayed based on evaluation information.

10. The computer program product according to claim 7, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with a degree of detail of the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the degree of detail in which the content or the object is displayed based on evaluation information.

11. The computer program product according to claim 7, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with a size of an image in the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the size in which the image is displayed based on evaluation information.

12. The computer program product according to claim 7, further comprising selecting, from a plurality of evaluation values, a selected evaluation value for controlling the display state of the content or the object.

13. A content browsing method for performing zoom operation for a content that includes an object or the object to change a display state of the content or the object, content browsing method comprising:

storing a plurality of evaluation indices related to the content or the object, the plurality of evaluation indices including a ranking score, a popularity level, a difficulty level and a publication year;

controlling selectively the display state of the content or the object selected as a zoom target based on the plurality of evaluation indices; and

displaying contents or objects, including the content or the object, in an evaluation index area, the evaluation index area is a display area defined by at least one evaluation index selected from the plurality of evaluation indices.

14. The content browsing method according to claim 13, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with number of information items related to the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the number of information items displayed based on evaluation information.

15. The content browsing method according to claim 13, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with a font size of text in the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the font size in which the text is displayed based on evaluation information.

16. The content browsing method according to claim 13, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with a degree of detail of the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the degree of detail in which the content or the object is displayed based on evaluation information.

17. The content browsing method according to claim 13, further comprising associating the display state of the content or the object with a size of an image in the content or the object, wherein the controlling includes determining the size in which the image is displayed based on evaluation information.

18. The content browsing method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting, from a plurality of evaluation values, a selected evaluation value for controlling the display state of the content or the object.