Information processing apparatus, control method for use therein, and computer program

• US 8,762,882 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Takuo, Imamura, Makoto, Karasawa, Hidenori, Kubota, Yoshiyasu, Kitao, Takashi, Sato, Shogo
• Primary Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US12/024,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20080187248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716
• US Class Current: 715/789
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00448 horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0045 vertically
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: operation accepting means for accept an operation input; image storing means for storing a plurality of images; management information storing means for storing management information corresponding to the plurality of images stored in the image storing means; image drawing means for drawing, in a display area including at least an image display area, at least one of images stored in the image storing means onto the image display area in a predetermined sequence; and controlling means for, when an operation input commanding selection of an image included in the image display area has been accepted by the operation accepting means, controlling recording of the selection of the image to management information stored in the management information storing means in correspondence with the image.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to

store a plurality of images;

store reduced size images corresponding to each of the plurality of images;

control displaying, in a first display area, at least one of said plurality of images;

control displaying, in a second display area, a plurality of the reduced size images corresponding to the plurality of images;

control displaying, in a third display area, a plurality of storage areas that are each assigned to a specific user; and

a user interface configured to receive at least one user input selecting the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area and dragging the at least one of the images or the reduced size images to at least one of the plurality of storage areas displayed in the third display area, wherein

the circuitry is configured to

store the at least one of the images or the one of the reduced size images to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface;

determine a number of times the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface; and

control displaying a graphic indicia indicating the determined number of times that the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying a marker indicative of said at least one of the storage areas in proximity to said selected at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area in response to receiving said at least one user input.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a predetermined input is received at said user interface, said circuitry is configured to control enlarging or reducing a size of at least one of said storage areas.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is configured to control displaying each of said storage areas as a rectangular area adjacent to said first display area, and

when a user input commanding movement of an end portion adjacent to said first display area in each of said storage areas toward said first display area is received at said user interface, said circuitry is configured to control moving said end portion in accordance with said user input to enlarge each of said storage areas.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when at least two reduced size images are displayed in any of said storage areas, said circuitry is configured to control displaying the at least two reduced size images so as to be overlapped with one another with at least a part displayed in said storage area.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said circuitry is configured to control displaying a cursor that moves in accordance with a user input received at said user interface, and

when said cursor is superimposed on any of a plurality of reduced size images drawn as superimposed on each other in any of said storage areas, said circuitry is configured to control moving each reduced size image superimposed on said reduced size image to display said reduced size image in the entirety thereof.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

one of the storage areas corresponds to a bookmark area, and

the circuitry is configured to control storing at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area in the bookmark area upon receiving a predetermined user input at the user interface.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control displaying a graphic indicia indicating whether the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or the one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display are stored in the bookmark area.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a predetermined user input is received at said user interface, said circuitry is configured to control displaying such that a reduced size image included in one of the storage areas corresponds to at least one of images included in said first display area.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the reduced size images corresponding to said plurality of stored images.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is configured to control displaying a cursor that moves in accordance with a user input received at said user interface, and

when a predetermined drag operation is received at said user interface when said cursor is superimposed on a predetermined area, said circuitry is configured to control displaying an image associated with said predetermined area in accordance with said drag operation.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is configured to control, in accordance with a user input received at said user interface, moving a displayed image.

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

the user input is configured to receive a plurality of user inputs each selecting the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area and dragging the at least one of the images or the reduced size images to at least one of the plurality of storage areas displayed in the third display area, and

the circuitry is configured to

count a number of times the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the user inputs received at the user interface;

and

control displaying a graphic indicia indicating the counted number of times that the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas.

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

the circuitry is configured to control displaying a plurality of cursors that are each graphically customized to correspond to one of the plurality of storage areas.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein

a first cursor corresponds to a first storage area and a second cursor corresponds to a second storage area, and

when the user interface receives an input corresponding to the first cursor dragging the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area to the second storage area, the circuitry is configured to control displaying the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area in the second storage area with an icon corresponding to the first cursor disposed thereon.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein

when the user interface receives a user input instructing an increase or decrease of said storage area, the circuitry is configured to increase or decrease a size of said storage area and decrease or increase an overlap amount of the at least two reduced size images.

17. A method performed by an information processing apparatus having a memory configured to store a plurality of images and reduced size images corresponding to each of the plurality of images, the method comprising:

controlling displaying, in a first display area, at least one of said plurality of images stored in said memory;

controlling displaying, in a second display area, a plurality of the reduced size images corresponding to the plurality of images;

controlling displaying, in a third display area, a plurality of storage areas that are each assigned to a specific user;

receiving, at a user interface of the information processing apparatus, at least one user input selecting the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area and dragging the at least one of the images or the reduced size images to at least one of the plurality of storage areas displayed in the third display area;

storing the at least one of the images or the one of the reduced size images to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface;

determining a number of times the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface; and

controlling displaying a graphic indicia indicating the determined number of times that the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program configured to cause a computer execute, in an information processing apparatus having a memory configured to store a plurality of images and reduced size images corresponding to each of the plurality of images, a method comprising:

controlling displaying, in a first display area, at least one of said plurality of images stored in said memory;

controlling displaying, in a second display area, a plurality of the reduced size images corresponding to the plurality of images;

controlling displaying, in a third display area, a plurality of storage areas that are each assigned to a specific user;

receiving, at a user interface of the information processing apparatus, at least one user input selecting the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area and dragging the at least one of the images or the reduced size images to at least one of the plurality of storage areas displayed in the third display area;

storing the at least one of the images or the one of the reduced size images to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface;

determining a number of times the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface; and

controlling displaying a graphic indicia indicating the determined number of times that the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas.

19. An information processing apparatus comprising:

means for storing a plurality of images;

means for storing reduced size images corresponding to each of the plurality of images;

means for controlling displaying, in a first display area, at least one of the images stored in said means for storing the plurality of images;

means for controlling displaying, in a second display area, a plurality of the reduced size images corresponding to the plurality of images;

means for controlling displaying, in a third display area, a plurality of storage areas that are each assigned to a specific user;

means for receiving at least one user input selecting the at least one of the images displayed in the first display area or one of the reduced size images displayed in the second display area and dragging the at least one of the images or the reduced size images to at least one of the plurality of storage areas displayed in the third display area; and

means for storing the at least one of the images or the one of the reduced size images to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface;

means for determining a number of times the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas based on the at least one user input received at the user interface; and

means for controlling displaying a graphic indicia indicating the determined number of times that the at least one of the images or the at least one of the reduced size images is stored to the at least one of the plurality of storage areas.