EP1148412A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Managing Data Objects
Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 2001-04-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2021-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A device for managing image and audio files displays thumbnails, which are representative of the files, on a screen in different arrangements, depending on the selected layout and order. When the user enters input to indicates that he or she wishes to browse through the thumbnails, the thumbnails move across the screen in sequence, following a path through a focus outline in the center of the screen. The path followed by the thumbnails depends on the selected layout. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Eduardo Agusto Intel. Prop. Dept. Sciammarella
- 👤 Junichi Intel. Prop. Dept. Rekimoto
- 👤 Haruo Intel. Prop. Dept. Oba
- 👤 Makoto Intel. Prop. Dept. Imamura
- 👤 Hideyuki Intel. Prop. Dept. Agata
- 👤 Masakazu Intel. Prop. Dept. Hayashi
- 👤 Masato Intel. Prop. Dept. Kuninori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04817; G06F16/00; G06F16/50; G06F16/54; G06F16/60; G06F16/64; G06F16/90; G06F16/904; G06F3/04815; G06F3/0482; G06F3/0483; G06F3/0484; G06F3/0485; H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; G06F2203/00; G06F2203/048; G06F2203/04806; H04N21/41; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/4316; H04N21/47
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A device for managing data objects, comprising: displaying means for displaying thumbnails
representative of data objects; defining means for defining a focus region that
indicates a focus thumbnail subject to processes; moving means for moving the displayed thumbnails along
a predetermined path through the focus region; and enable/disable means for selectively enabling and
disabling the moving means, the displaying means statically
displaying a single thumbnail in the focus region when the
enable/disable means disables the moving means, the
displaying means displaying the thumbnails to move along the
predetermined path through the focus region when the
enable/disable means enables the moving means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in partial overlap
with sections of each thumbnail exposed, and changes
relative position of thumbnails to change exposed sections
of thumbnails while the enable/disable means enables the
moving means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in partial overlap,
and changes overlapping sections of thumbnails while the
enable/disable means disables the moving means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means further displays an interface portion with
a plurality of indicia, and further comprising selection
means for selecting one of the indicia of the interface
portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the indicia
include a plurality of layout indicia each representing one
of a plurality of layouts, the displaying means displaying
the thumbnails in relative positions, and the moving means
moving the thumbnails along a predetermined path, in
accordance with the layout indicium selected by the
selection means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
displaying means further displays file names of files
containing the data objects of the thumbnails, the
displaying means displaying the file names in a pattern that
is inverse a pattern formed by the thumbnails.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the displaying means displays the selected layout
indicium at a present layout position to indicate presently
displayed layout of the thumbnails; and when the selection means newly selects a layout
indicium, the displaying means displays movement of the
newly selected layout indicium to the present layout
position and movement of a preceding selected layout
indicium out of the present layout position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the layout indicia include a line indicium; and when the selection means selects the line indicium,
the displaying means displays the thumbnails in a line
layout with the thumbnails aligned in partial overlap in a
line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in the line layout
with a reciprocal pivoting motion, the focus thumbnail
serving as an unmoving axis of the pivoting movement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the layout indicia include a circle indicium; and when the selection means selects the circle indicium,
the displaying means displays the thumbnails in a circle
layout with the thumbnails disposed in partial overlap in a
circular ring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein, when
number of thumbnails exceeds a predetermined number, the
displaying means displays a portion of the thumbnails in an
arc with a predetermined radius and the moving means
sequentially changes displayed thumbnails while enabled.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the layout indicia include a grid indicium; and when the selection means selects the grid indicium,
the displaying means displays the thumbnails in a grid
layout with thumbnails aligned with fixed mutual positions
in rows and columns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the displaying means displays the thumbnails in the
grid layout in rows having a length that can be completely
displayed at once; and when the enable/disable means enables the moving means,
the moving means moves the thumbnails of a single column
through the focus region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
moving means when enabled moves the thumbnails in the grid
layout through the focus region one row at a time in
succession, starting from the same end of each successive
row.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the layout indicia include a helix indicium; and when the selection means selects the helix indicium,
the displaying means displays the thumbnails in a helix
layout that mimics a side view of a helix by displaying
thumbnails at a far side of the helix in a smaller scale
than thumbnails at a near side of the helix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in the helix layout
to mimic a helix with a shorter radius when the
enable/disable means enables the moving means than when the
enable/disable means disables the moving means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
displaying means displays movement of the thumbnails in the
helix layout through the focus region by displaying spiral
movement of the helix.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
displaying means displays movement of the thumbnails in the
helix layout through the focus region by shifting the helix
one pitch distance to move the present focus thumbnail out
of the focus region and to move a thumbnail of an adjacent
ring of the helix into the focus region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein, when the
selection means selects a new layout indicium that is
different from a preceding selected layout indicium, the
displaying means repositions the thumbnails into a new
layout that corresponds to the new layout indicium while
displaying the thumbnails moving toward and into positions
of the new layout.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
indicia include a plurality of order indicia each
representing one of a plurality of predetermined sequence
orders, the displaying means displaying the thumbnails in an
order represented by an order indicium selected by the
selection means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
68 words
A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the displaying means displays the selected order
indicium at a present order position to indicate present
order of the thumbnails; and when the selection means newly selects an order
indicium, the displaying means displays movement of the
newly selected order indicium to the present order position
and movement of a preceding selected order indicium out of
the present order position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
56 words
A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein, when the
selection means selects a new order indicium that is
different from a preceding selected order indicium, the
displaying means repositions the thumbnails according a new
order that corresponds to the new order indicium, while
displaying movement of the thumbnails into positions
appropriate for the new order.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the order indicia include a time indicium; and when the selection means selects the time indicium,
the displaying means displays the thumbnails in groups
according to when the corresponding data objects were
produced.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the order indicia include a time indicium; and when the selection means selects the time indicium,
the displaying means displays the thumbnails separated by
distance corresponding to time between when the
corresponding data objects were produced.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
indicia include a plurality of application indicia each
representing one of a plurality of applications, and further
comprising an application launcher that launches an
application that corresponds to the application indicium
selected by the selection means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
further request means for indicating desire for further
information on data object that corresponds to the focus
thumbnail, the displaying means enlarging display of the
focus thumbnail when the further request means indicates a
desire for further information.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the
displaying means displays application indicia representing
software applications when the further information request
means indicates a desire for further information on the data
object of the focus thumbnail.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays thumbnails of audio data objects
for audio contents based on data of the audio data object.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
displaying means displays thumbnails of audio data objects
according to amount of data in the audio data object.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
displaying means displays thumbnails of audio data objects
according to content of data in the audio data object.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising: retrieval means for retrieving data objects from a
memory card; and recognition means for recognizing presence of a memory
card and activating the retrieval means when a memory card
is present.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the
displaying means displays thumbnails one at a time in a
sequence that the retrieval means retrieves the data objects
from the memory card.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
search means for searching to find thumbnails that meet
certain criteria, the displaying means displaying only
thumbnails found by the search means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the
enable/disable means enables the moving means, the moving
means determines a target position for each thumbnail, and
moves the thumbnails to their respective target positions in
an easing-in movement.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in a line layout
with the thumbnails aligned in partial overlap in a line.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in a circle layout
with the thumbnails disposed in partial overlap in a
circular ring.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in a grid layout
with thumbnails aligned with fixed mutual positions in rows
and columns.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
displaying means displays the thumbnails in a helix layout
that mimics a side view of a helix by displaying thumbnails
at a far side of the helix in a smaller scale than
thumbnails at a near side of the helix.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
51 words
A method for managing data objects, comprising the
steps of: displaying thumbnails representative of data objects; defining a focus region that indicates a focus
thumbnail subject to processes; and selectively displaying a single thumbnail in the focus
region, and displaying the thumbnails moving along a
predetermined path through the focus region.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
71 words
A program storage medium for storing data of a
program indicative of a process for managing data objects,
the program comprising: a program for displaying thumbnails representative of
data objects; a program for defining a focus region that indicates a
focus thumbnail subject to processes; and a program for selectively displaying a single
thumbnail in the focus region, and displaying the thumbnails
moving along a predetermined path through the focus region.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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