Information processing apparatus and playback control method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus is capable of playing back moving picture data from a disc medium of a two-layer structure. The apparatus includes an estimation processing portion to estimate an available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer by power from the battery and an available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer by power from the battery, based on an amount of charge remaining in the battery, a display processing portion to display results of estimation by the estimation processing portion on a display screen of the information processing apparatus, and a playback control portion to play back one selected by a user from the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer and the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various feature of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing an exterior of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram for explaining a function configuration of a system controlling processor in the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram showing an example of a sectional structure of a disc medium in an example of playback processing executed by the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary diagram for explaining an example of a content list produced by the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram for explaining an example of power consumption information defining an amount of power consumption for each of the types of format set in advance by the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram showing an example of details of an imaging picture data item under playback, which is displayed on a display screen of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram of an example of a message indicating that the moving picture data item under playback, which is displayed on a display screen of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, cannot be played back continuously to the end;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining a first part of the procedures of playback processing executed by the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining a second part of the procedures of playback processing executed by the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus capable of playing back moving picture data from a disc medium of a two-layer structure including a first recording layer that stores a moving picture data item having a first resolution and a second recording layer that stores a moving picture data item having a second resolution, the information processing apparatus comprising: a battery to drive the information processing apparatus;an estimation processing portion to estimate an available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer by power from the battery and an available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer by power from the battery, based on an amount of charge remaining in the battery;a display processing portion to display results of estimation by the estimation processing portion on a display screen of the information processing apparatus; anda playback control portion to play back one selected by a user from the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer and the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the estimation processing portion calculates the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer by power from the battery and the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer by power from the battery, based on the amount of charge remaining in the battery and power consumption information indicating power consumption per unit time for each of types of resolution.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display processing portion displays on the display screen a content list including information indicative of the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer estimated by the estimation processing portion, information indicative of the first resolution of the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer, information indicative of the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer estimated by the estimation processing portion, and information indicative of the second resolution of the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the playback control portion is configured to determine which of the first recording layer and the second recording layer stores the moving picture data item currently played back; andthe display processing portion displays information representing that the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer is being played back, if it is determined that the moving picture data item currently played back is the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer, and displays information representing that the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer is being played back, if it is determined that the moving picture data item currently played back is the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the disc medium is a double-sided disc medium, which has the first recording layer formed on a first recording surface and the second recording layer formed on a second recording surface; andthe display processing portion detects which of the first recording surface and the second recording surface of the disc medium stores the moving picture data item selected by the user, and displays on the display screen a message which leads the user to turn over the disc medium, if the detected recording surface is not currently readable.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the estimation processing portion executes the estimation while the moving picture data item is being played back; andthe display processing portion displays on the display screen the results of the estimation executed while the moving picture data item is being played back.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the first resolution is higher than the second resolution;the estimation processing portion executes the estimation while the moving picture data item having the first resolution is being played back, and determines whether the moving picture data item having the first resolution can be played back to the end, based on the results of the estimation executed while the moving picture data item having the first resolution is being played back; andthe display processing portion displays on the display screen a message that the moving picture data item having the first resolution cannot be played back to the end, and a message inquiring of the user whether to switch playback of the moving picture data item having the first resolution to playback of the moving picture data item having the second resolution stored in the second recording layer.

8. A playback control method applied to an information processing apparatus, which has a battery that drives the information processing apparatus and which plays back moving picture data from a disc medium of a two-layer structure including a first recording layer that stores a moving picture data item having a first resolution and a second recording layer that stores a moving picture data item having a second resolution, the method comprising: estimating an available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer by power from the battery and an available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer by power from the battery, based on an amount of charge remaining in the battery;displaying results of estimation by the estimating on a display screen of the information processing apparatus; andplaying back one selected by a user from the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer and the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

9. The playback control method according to claim 8, wherein the estimating includes calculating the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer by power from the battery and the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer by power from the battery, based on the amount of charge remaining in the battery and power consumption information indicating power consumption per unit time for each of types of resolution.

10. The playback control method according to claim 8, wherein the displaying includes displaying on the display screen a content list including information indicative of the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer estimated by the estimation processing portion, information indicative of the first resolution of the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer, information indicative of the available time to play back the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer estimated by the estimation processing portion, and information indicative of the second resolution of the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

11. The playback control method according to claim 8, wherein: the playing back includes determining which of the first recording layer and the second recording layer stores the moving picture data item currently played back; andthe displaying includes displaying information representing that the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer is being played back, if it is determined that the moving picture data item currently played back is the moving picture data item stored in the first recording layer, and displays information representing that the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer is being played back, if it is determined that the moving picture data item currently played back is the moving picture data item stored in the second recording layer.

12. The playback control method according to claim 8, wherein: the disc medium is a double-sided disc medium, which has the first recording layer formed on a first recording surface and the second recording layer formed on a second recording surface; andthe displaying includes detecting which of the first recording surface and the second recording surface of the disc medium stores the moving picture data item selected by the user, and displaying on the display screen a message which leads the user to turn over the disc medium, if the detected recording surface is not currently readable.

13. The playback control method according to claim 8, wherein: the estimating includes executing the estimation while the moving picture data item is being played back; andthe displaying includes displaying on the display screen the results of the estimation executed while the moving picture data item is being played back.

14. The playback control method according to claim 8, wherein: the first resolution is higher than the second resolution;the estimating includes executing the estimation while the moving picture data item having the first resolution is being played back, and determining whether the moving picture data item having the first resolution can be played back to the end, based on the results of the estimation executed while the moving picture data item having the first resolution is being played back; andthe displaying includes displaying on the display screen a message that the moving picture data item having the first resolution cannot be played back to the end, and a message inquiring of the user whether to switch playback of the moving picture data item having the first resolution to playback of the moving picture data item having the second resolution stored in the second recording layer.