Patent EP0767418A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0767418A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image controlling device and image controlling method
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1996-10-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-10-02
Abstract
Abstract An image controlling device and method thereof is provided with superior operability when making selections from a menu displayed on a display device such as a CRT display. In the preferred embodiments of the image controlling device and method of the present invention, a menu is constructed by arranging a plurality of menu items three-dimensionally along a cylinder. A portion of these menu items is then displayed in such a manner that viewing is performed from the center of this cylinder outwards. The shifting velocity of the menu items is changed while all of the menu items are shifted in response to input signals from a controller operated by the user and the menu item arranged at the center of the picture is determined to be the selected menu item. When a following level exists for the selected menu item, this level is proceeded to and menu items are displayed on the display device in the same way. When the selected menu item does not have a following level an image corresponding to this menu item is displayed.
Inventors
- 👤 Junichi Sony Corporation Nagahara
- 👤 Toshikazu c/o Sony Corporation Minoshima
- 👤 Tomohisa c/o Sony Corporation Shiga
- 👤 Hajime c/o Sony Corporation Ogura
- 👤 Mayu Career Development Internat. Inc. Irimajiri
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04815; G06F3/0482; G06F2203/00; G06F2203/048; G06F2203/04802; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/977
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
An image controlling device for controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising: input means for inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said menu items; image generating means for generating said menu image in response to a signal from said input means with said menu items arranged along a closed curved surface closed in at least one direction being viewed from a viewpoint at the center of said closed curved surface; and output means for outputting said menu image generated by said image generating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image controlling device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of menu items has a hierarchical structure linking the center of said menu items of upper-level and the center of said closed curved surface of lower level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image controlling device according to claim 1, wherein said closed curved surface is a polygonal plane surface closed in every direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image controlling device according to claim 3, wherein said closed curved surface is formed from polygons all having the same shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image controlling device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of menu items can be rotated within said three-dimensional space taking the center of said closed curved surface as an axis in response to a signal from said input means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
An image controlling device according to claim 1, wherein a direction of viewing said menu items from said viewpoint at the center of said closed curved surface can be rotated in response to a signal from said input means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
An image controlling method of controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of: inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said menu items; generating said menu image in response to said instruction from said user with said menu items arranged along a closed curved surface closed in at least one direction being viewed from a viewpoint at the center of said closed curved surface; and outputting said menu image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image controlling method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of menu items has a hierarchical structure linking the center of said menu items of upper-level and the center of the closed curved surface of lower levels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image controlling method according to claim 7, wherein said closed curved surface is a polygonal plane surface closed in every direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image controlling method according to claim 9, wherein said closed curved surface is formed from polygons all having the same shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
An image controlling method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of menu items are made to be rotated within said three-dimensional space taking the center of said closed curved surface as an axis in response to said input from said user and the menu image is then generated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image controlling method according to claim 1, wherein a direction of viewing said menu items from said viewpoint at the center of said closed curved surface can be made to rotate in response to said instruction from said user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
118 words
An image controlling device for controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising: input means for inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; controlling means for carrying out a process for shifting said plurality of menu items within said three-dimensional space in the same direction at the same velocity in response to a signal from said input means; selecting means for carrying out a process for deciding upon said menu item at a prescribed position as a selected menu item; and image generating means for generating a menu image on the basis of processing results of said controlling means and said selecting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image controlling device according to claim 13, wherein said selecting means decides upon said menu item displayed in the center of said menu image as said selected menu item.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image controlling device according to claim 13, wherein said image generating means generates said menu image in such a manner that said selected menu item becomes an image having a prescribed movement differing from other menu items.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
An image controlling device according to claim 13, wherein, when new information has been added to said menu item, said image generating means generates a menu image so that a prescribed object moves around the periphery of said menu item to which said new information has been added.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image controlling device according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of menu items have a hierarchical structure and an image expressing a transition between levels is also generated at the time of transitions between levels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
An image controlling method of controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of: inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; shifting said plurality of menu items within said three-dimensional space in the same direction at the same velocity in response to said instruction from said user; deciding upon a menu item at a prescribed position as a selected menu item; and generating a menu image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image controlling method according to claim 18, wherein said menu item displayed in the center of said menu image is decided upon as said selected menu item.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
An image controlling method according to claim 18, wherein said menu image is generated in such a manner that said selected menu item becomes an image having a prescribed movement differing from other menu items.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
An image controlling method according to claim 18, wherein, when new information has been added to said menu item, a menu image is generated so that a prescribed object moves around the periphery of said menu item to which said new information has been added.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image controlling method according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of menu items have a hierarchical structure and an image expressing a transition between levels is also generated at the time of transitions between levels.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
129 words
An image controlling device for controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising: input means for inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; controlling means for carrying out a process for changing a direction of a line of sight expressing the direction of said menu image displayed in response to a signal from said input means; selecting means for carrying out a process for deciding upon said menu item at a prescribed position within a visual field angle in the direction of said line of sight as a selected menu item; and image generating means for generating a menu image on the basis of processing results of said controlling means and said selecting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
94 words
An image controlling method of controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of: inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; changing a direction of a line of sight expressing the direction of said menu image displayed in response to said instruction from said user; deciding upon said menu item at a prescribed position within a visual field angle in the direction of said line of sight as a selected menu item; and generating a menu image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
93 words
An image controlling device for controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising: input means for inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; controlling means for calculating shifting velocity from prescribed parameters in response to a signal from said input means, shifting said menu items in three-dimensional space at said shifting velocity and generating three-dimensional space information; and image generating means for generating said menu image on the basis of said three-dimensional information generated by said controlling means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
An image controlling device according to claim 25, wherein said prescribed parameters include at least acceleration.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
80 words
An image controlling method of controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of: inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; calculating shifting velocity from prescribed parameters in response to said instruction from said user, shifting said menu items in three-dimensional space at said shifting velocity and generating three-dimensional space information; and generating said menu image on the basis of said three-dimensional information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
An image controlling method according to claim 25, wherein said prescribed parameters include at least acceleration.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
98 words
An image controlling device for controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising: input means for inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; controlling means for calculating a shifting velocity from prescribed parameters in response to a signal from said input means and changing at said shifting velocity a direction of a line of sight expressing the direction of said menu image displayed; and image generating means for generating a menu image on the basis of said direction of said line of sight.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
90 words
An image controlling method of controlling displaying of a menu image having a plurality of menu items arranged in three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of: inputting an instruction from a user for selecting said plurality of menu items; calculating a shifting velocity from prescribed parameters in response to said instruction from said user and changing at said shifting velocity a direction of a line of sight expressing the direction of said menu image displayed; and generating a menu image on the basis of said direction of said line of sight.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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