INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM THEREOF

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus that can make the user easily search for desired data. By mutually superposing and displaying icons of respective plural files and folders, and carrying out the flipping operation for thus superposed and displayed icons, an arbitrary icon is shifted and displayed such that the icon is spread. Accordingly, the operation of searching for a desired icon from among the plural icons can be made more intuitive and comprehensible with a sense of flipping a page of a book. Furthermore, since plural icons indicative of the contents of files and folders corresponding to the respective plural icons are displayed such that the icons are not superposed one another, the user can visually confirm the contents of the respective icons, which makes it possible to easily search for an icon of a desired file or folder, and easily search for desired data consequently.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram indicative of the hardware configuration of a personal computer;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram indicative of the functional configuration of the personal computer;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a virtual three-dimensional space;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a folder icon;

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show schematic views of a file icon;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in an over look mode;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in an approach mode;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of the GUI screen in the approach mode;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of the GUI screen in the approach mode;

FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the GUI screen in the approach mode;

FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of the GUI screen in the approach mode;

FIG. 12 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in a folder detail mode;

FIG. 13 shows a schematic view of the GUI screen in the folder detail mode;

FIG. 14 shows a schematic view of the GUI screen in the folder detail mode;

FIG. 15 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in a file reproduction mode;

FIG. 16 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in the file reproduction mode;

FIG. 17 shows a schematic view indicative of the switching transition among modes;

FIG. 18 shows a flowchart indicative of a performance processing sequence;

FIG. 19 shows a flowchart indicative of an initialization processing sequence;

FIG. 20 shows a flowchart indicative of a drawing contents determination processing sequence;

FIG. 21 shows a flowchart indicative of an additional function execution processing sequence;

FIG. 22 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in the folder detail mode in another embodiment;

FIG. 23 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in the folder detail mode in yet another embodiment;

FIG. 24 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in the folder detail mode in yet another embodiment;

FIG. 25 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in the folder detail mode in yet another embodiment; and

FIG. 26 shows a schematic view of a GUI screen in the folder detail mode in yet another embodiment.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: display control means for mutually superposing and displaying a plurality of selection item display elements indicative of a plurality of selection items respectively on a display unit with a plurality of data and logical storage locations for the plural data being the selection items respectively, and displaying a plurality of item contents display elements indicative of the contents of the selection items corresponding to the respective plural selection item display elements on the display unit such that the contents can be visually confirmed; andoperation means for carrying out a predetermined operation for the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements;wherein the display control means shifts and displays an arbitrary selection item display element among the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements based on the predetermined operation by the operation means such that a page of a book is spread.

2. The information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control means displays the item contents display elements close to the display position for the selection item display elements.

3. The information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control means displays the item contents display elements such that the item contents display elements are not superposed one another.

4. The information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the display control means sets up the display size of the item contents display elements such that the item contents display elements are not superposed one another.

5. The information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the display control means sets up the display direction of the item contents display elements such that the item contents display elements are not superposed one another.

6. The information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the display control means sets up the display size and the display direction of the item contents display elements such that the item contents display elements are not superposed one another.

7. The information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control means shifts and displays the item contents display element according to the shifting of the selection item display element.

8. An information processing method, comprising: a first display control step of mutually superposing and displaying a plurality of selection item display elements indicative of a plurality of selection items respectively on a display unit with a plurality of data and logical storage locations for the plural data being the selection items respectively, and displaying a plurality of item contents display elements indicative of the contents of the selection items corresponding to the respective plural selection item display elements on the display unit such that the contents can be visually confirmed; anda second display control step of, when a predetermined operation is carried out for the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements by an operation section, shifting and displaying an arbitrary selection item display element among the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements based on the predetermined operation such that a page of a book is spread.

9. An information processing program that makes an information processing apparatus execute the steps, comprising: a first display control step of mutually superposing and displaying a plurality of selection item display elements indicative of a plurality of selection items respectively on a display unit with a plurality of data and logical storage locations for the plural data being the selection items respectively, and displaying a plurality of item contents display elements indicative of the contents of the selection items corresponding to the respective plural selection item display elements on the display unit such that the contents can be visually confirmed; anda second display control step of, when a predetermined operation is carried out for the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements by an operation section, shifting and displaying an arbitrary selection item display element among the super posed and displayed plural selection item display elements based on the predetermined operation such that a page of a book is spread.

10. An information processing apparatus, comprising: display control means for displaying a plurality of icons indicative of groups to which a plurality of contents belong on a first display area, and displaying information of the plural contents which belong to the respective groups on a second display area; andreproduction control means for controlling the reproduction processing for contents selected on the second display area;wherein the display control means shifts and displays the spread and arrayed plural icons one by one in accordance with instructions of a user.

11. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a display controller that mutually superposes and displays a plurality of selection item display elements indicative of a plurality of selection items respectively on a display unit with a plurality of data and logical storage locations for the plural data being the selection items respectively, and displays a plurality of item contents display elements indicative of the contents of the selection items corresponding to the respective plural selection item display elements on the display unit such that the contents can be visually confirmed; andan operation unit that carries out a predetermined operation for the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements;wherein the display controller shifts and displays an arbitrary selection item display element among the superposed and displayed plural selection item display elements based on the predetermined operation by the operation unit such that a page of a book is spread.

12. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a display controller that displays a plurality of icons indicative of groups to which a plurality of contents belong on a first display area, and displays information of the plural contents which belong to the respective groups on a second display area; anda reproduction controller that controls the reproduction processing for contents selected on the second display area;wherein the display controller shifts and displays the spread and arrayed plural icons one by one in accordance with instructions of a user.