Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program

• US 9,769,229 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morotomi, Shiro, Kawahara, Hiroyuki, Matsumoto, Kissei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US13/788,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 715716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

An information processing apparatus capable of simultaneously executing a reproduction function of content data and a communication function with an external apparatus includes a reproduction section configured to execute the reproduction function, a communication control section configured to execute the communication function using a communication section, an operation input allocation section configured to allocate an operation input from a first operation section to the reproduction function or the communication function, an operation input acquisition section configured to acquire an operation input from a second operation section, and a display control section configured to cause a display section to display information relating to the reproduction function or information relating to the communication function.

Claims

1. A mobile communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with a communication partner;

a display unit configured to display a screen;

a selecting unit configured to select, in response to a first user operation, one music piece from a plurality of music pieces of a playlist displayed on the screen;

a reproducing unit configured to reproduce music data corresponding to the selected one music piece, the music data being received by the communication unit; and

a switching unit configured to switch the screen being displayed by the display unit, based on a second user operation,

wherein the switching unit switches the screen from a first screen when reproducing the music data to a second screen that is different from the first screen, based on a single pressing, as the second user operation, of an operable area associated with a button,

wherein the switching unit switches the screen from the first screen when reproducing the music data to a third screen that is different from the first and second screens, based on a double pressing, as the second user operation, of the operable area associated with the button,

wherein one or more communication partners is registered within a storage memory, the display unit displays information of the one or more communication partners, and the display unit is further configured to display music information of a music piece currently reproduced by one of the communication partners, and

wherein the communication unit, the display unit, the selecting unit, the reproducing unit, and the switching unit are each implemented via at least one processor.

2. The mobile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is further configured to display

one of a title name, an artist name, an album name, or a thumbnail image of the jacket of the selected one of the music pieces while the music data is reproduced.

3. The mobile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the music data is received from the at least one communication partner via the communication unit.

4. The mobile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second user operation is a pushing of the button by the user.

5. The mobile communication apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the button is provided on a surface of the mobile communication apparatus adjacent to the display unit.

6. A method performed by a mobile communication apparatus, the method comprising:

communicating with a communication partner;

displaying a screen;

selecting, in response to a first user operation, one music piece from a plurality of music pieces of a playlist displayed on the screen;

reproducing music data corresponding to the selected one music piece, the music data being received from the communication partner; and

switching the screen being displayed, based on a second user operation,

wherein the screen is switched from a first screen when reproducing the music data to a second screen that is different from the first screen, based on a single pressing, as the second user operation, of an operable area associated with a button,

wherein the screen is switched from the first screen when reproducing the music data to a third screen that is different from the first and second screens, based on a double pressing, as the second user operation, of the operable area associated with the button, and

wherein one or more communication partners is registered within a storage memory, information of the one or more communication partners is displayed, and music information of a music piece currently reproduced by one of the communication partners is further displayed.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

displaying one of a title name, an artist name, an album name, or a thumbnail image of the jacket of the selected one of the music pieces while reproducing the music data.

8. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

registering one or more communication partners; and

displaying information of the one or more communication partners.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

displaying music information of a music piece currently reproduced by one of the communication partners.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a mobile communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to execute a method, the method comprising:

communicating with a communication partner;

displaying a screen;

selecting, in response to a first user operation, one music piece from a plurality of music pieces of a playlist displayed on the screen;

reproducing music data corresponding to the selected one music piece, the music data being received from the communication partner; and

switching the screen being displayed, based on a second user operation,

wherein the screen is switched from a first screen when reproducing the music data to a second screen that is different from the first screen, based on a single pressing, as the second user operation, of an operable area associated with a button,

wherein the screen is switched from the first screen when reproducing the music data to a third screen that is different from the first and second screens, based on a double pressing, as the second user operation, of the operable area associated with the button, and

wherein one or more communication partners is registered within a storage memory, information of the one or more communication partners is displayed, and music information of a music piece currently reproduced by one of the communication partners is further displayed.

11. A communication apparatus comprising a communication device, a display device, and a processing device, the processing device executing instructions for control of:

maintaining a playlist of music pieces;

broadcasting the playlist;

permitting the broadcasted playlist to be opened by a communication partner registered with the communication apparatus to communicate with the communication apparatus;

receiving a designation of one of the music pieces on the playlist;

collecting music data corresponding to the designation of one of the music pieces on the playlist; and

transmitting the collected music data via the communication device,

wherein the processing device is configured to switch a screen, being displayed by the display device, from a first screen to a second screen that is different from the first screen, based on a single pressing of an operable area associated with a button, and

wherein the processing device is further configured to switch the screen from the first screen to a third screen that is different from the first and second screens, based on a double pressing of the operable area associated with the button.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the designation of one of the music pieces of the playlist is received from a communication partner registered with the communication apparatus to communicate with the communication apparatus.

13. A method performed by a communication apparatus comprising a communication device, a display device, and a processing device, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a playlist of music pieces;

broadcasting, by the communication device, the playlist;

permitting the broadcasted playlist to be opened by a communication partner registered with the communication apparatus to communicate with the communication apparatus;

receiving a designation of one of the music pieces on the playlist;

collecting, by the processing device, music data corresponding to the designation of one of the music pieces on the playlist; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the collected music data via the communication device,

wherein the processing device is configured to switch a screen, being displayed by the display device, from a first screen to a second screen that is different from the first screen, based on a single pressing of an operable area associated with a button, and

wherein the processing device is further configured to switch the screen from the first screen to a third screen that is different from the first and second screens, based on a double pressing of the operable area associated with the button.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein

the designation of one of the music pieces of the playlist is received from a communication partner registered with the information processing apparatus to communicate with the information processing apparatus.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a communication apparatus having a processing device and a display device, cause the communication apparatus to execute a method, the method comprising:

maintaining a playlist of music pieces;

broadcasting the playlist;

permitting the broadcasted playlist to be opened by a communication partner registered with the communication apparatus to communicate with the communication apparatus;

receiving a designation of one of the music pieces on the playlist;

collecting music data corresponding to the designation of one of the music pieces on the playlist; and

transmitting the collected music data via the communication device,

wherein the processing device is configured to switch a screen, being displayed by the display device, from a first screen to a second screen that is different from the first screen, based on a single pressing of an operable area associated with a button, and

wherein the processing device is further configured to switch the screen from the first screen to a third screen that is different from the first and second screens, based on a double pressing of the operable area associated with the button.