Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015271555-A1
Application number	US-201314437144-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2013
Priority date	Nov 2, 2012
Publication date	Sep 24, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A home screen display unit displays a global navigation screen 12 that is located on an upper layer with respect to a screen transition and that is used for selecting a category of content to be processed. The home screen display unit displays a content zone screen 18 that is located on a lower layer with respect to a screen transition and that is used for selecting a piece of content to be processed from among a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to the category selected in the global navigation screen 12 . If a specific piece of content is selected in the content zone screen 18 , a game screen display unit displays a screen of the selected content. The home screen display unit displays, in the global navigation screen 12 , an image of at least a portion of the content zone screen 18 with image quality lower than that in the case where the image is displayed in the content zone screen 18.

First claim

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
an upper hierarchical layer display unit configured to display a first screen on an upper hierarchical layer, the first screen displaying one or more categories of content to be processed; a lower hierarchical layer display unit configured to display a second screen on a layer lower than the upper hierarchical layer, the first screen transitioned to the second screen after a selection of a category on the first screen, and the second screen displaying a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to a category selected in the first screen; and a content screen display unit configured to display a screen of selected content transitioned from the second screen upon selection of a specific piece of content on the second screen, wherein the upper hierarchical layer display unit displays, in the first screen, an image of a piece of content contained in the second screen with image quality lower than that in the case where the image is displayed in the second screen.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the upper hierarchical layer display unit displays in the first screen a plurality of menus corresponding to a plurality of categories, and, when one of the menus is focused on, displays in advance in the first screen an image of at least a portion of the second screen that is displayed if a determination operation for the focused menu is performed.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a common menu display unit that displays, at a same position in the first screen and in the second screen, a common menu for specifying an operation that is independent of layers of the screen transitions.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the common menu display unit displays, as the common menu, an item indicating content being played back in the background, and wherein, if the item is selected, the content screen display unit switches to a screen of the content being played back and displays said screen, regardless of whether the first screen or the second screen is displayed.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a middle hierarchical layer display unit configured to display an intermediate screen on a middle hierarchical layer, the intermediate screen displaying a condition for one piece of content, which is selected from among a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to a category selected in the first screen and which is to be displayed with a high priority in the second screen,
wherein the middle hierarchical layer display unit displays in the intermediate screen an image of at least a portion of the second screen with image quality lower than that in the case where the image is displayed in the second screen, and with image quality higher than that in the case where the image is displayed in the first screen.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a middle hierarchical layer display unit configured to display an intermediate screen on a middle hierarchical layer, the intermediate screen displaying a condition for content to be displayed with a high priority in the second screen, the content included in a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to a category selected in the first screen; and a screen transition control unit, wherein the plurality of categories in the first screen includes a first category for playing back content and a second category for viewing, as content, information on other users, and wherein, if the second category is selected in the first screen, the screen transition control unit allows a transition to the intermediate screen, and otherwise if the first category is selected in the first screen, the screen transition control unit allows a direct transition to the lower screen without allowing a transition to the intermediate screen.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a middle hierarchical layer display unit configured to display an intermediate screen on a middle hierarchical layer, the intermediate screen displaying a condition for content to be displayed with a high priority in the second screen, the content included in a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to a category selected in the first screen,
wherein the upper hierarchical layer display unit displays in the first screen an image of at least a portion of the intermediate screen with image quality lower than that in the case where the image is displayed in the intermediate screen, and with image quality higher than that of the image of at least a portion of the second screen.

8 . An information processing method comprising:
displaying a first screen on an upper hierarchical layer, the first screen displaying one or more categories of content to be processed; displaying a second screen on a layer lower than the upper hierarchical layer, the first screen transitioned to the second screen after a selection of a category on the first screen, and the second screen displaying a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to a category selected in the first screen; and displaying a screen of selected content transitioned from the second screen upon selection of a specific piece of content on the second screen, wherein the displaying the first screen includes displaying, in the first screen, an image of a piece of content contained in the second screen with image quality lower than that in the case where the image is displayed in the second screen.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a computer program, the computer program comprising:
a module configured to display a first screen on an upper hierarchical layer, the first screen displaying one or more categories of content to be processed; a module configured to display a second screen on a layer lower than the upper hierarchical layer, the first screen transitioned to the second screen after a selection of a category on the first screen, and the second screen displaying, a plurality of pieces of content corresponding to a category selected in the first screen; and a module configured to display a screen of selected content transitioned from the second screen upon selection of a specific piece of content on the second screen, wherein the module configured to display the first screen displays, in the first screen, an image of a piece of content contained in the second screen with image quality lower than that in the case where the image is displayed in the second screen.

Assignees

• Arriola George
• Sony Computer Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Arriola George
• Bagu Casas Anahi
• Kimura Shinji
• Enomoto Shiqeru
• Yamanaka Yasuhiro
• Kobayashi Motoki
• Hiramatsu Shuji
• Tanaka Yumiko
• Sugawara Taku

Classifications

• H04N21/431 Primary

  Generation of visual interfaces {for content selection or interaction}; Content or additional data rendering · CPC title

• H04N21/4788

  communicating with other users, e.g. chatting {(arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104)} · CPC title

• H04N21/42209

  for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic programme guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel · CPC title

• H04N21/4312

  involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations · CPC title

• G06F16/904

  Browsing; Visualisation therefor (for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957) · CPC title