JP2010193022A - Method for displaying content list based on day of week, information display apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and so on for displaying a content list from vast contents by the number of times of operation of least possible degree and displaying the same content list by the same operation. <P>SOLUTION: An information display apparatus having a user interface part for displaying a content list for retrieving contents includes: a calendar information storage means for storing day-of-week information corresponding to date information in relation with the date information; a display control means for allowing a user to input day-of-week information by using the user interface means; a content retrieval means for retrieving a plurality of contents coincident with the input day-of-week information out of a plurality of contents by using the calendar information storage means; and a content list generation means for generating a content list based on the plurality of contents retrieved about the day-of-week information. The user interface means displays the generated content list. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for displaying a content list, an information display device, and a program.

  In recent years, with the technical development of information devices, even a small terminal such as a mobile phone can store a huge amount of content. The content is not limited to that received via the Internet. For example, it is based on various media such as a moving image of a program received from a broadcasting station, a still image and a moving image acquired by a camera, a text recorded as schedule management, and a sound acquired by a microphone.

  From the enormous amount of content stored in such an information device, the user must search for the desired content. The user needs to narrow down the number of contents according to the date and time associated with the contents, keywords, categories, and the like. Therefore, the user desires to reach the desired content with as few operations as possible.

  The information display device arranges an index of a plurality of contents in one screen so that a user can easily find a desired content. Such an index column displayed on the display of the information display device is called a content list. However, a small terminal such as a mobile phone has a small display size. Therefore, it is necessary to display the content list to the user step by step.

  FIG. 1 shows an information display device displaying a content list in the prior art.

  According to FIG. 1, based on the date and time associated with the content, a plurality of indexes are arranged in order from the oldest. The user can visually search the content index by shifting the screen of the mobile phone up and down.

  There is an apparatus that displays a content list according to the user's preference instead of such a content list simply arranged in time order (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this technology, even when the preference level changes with the passage of time in the user, it is possible to display a content list that is optimal at that time.

JP 2006-005514 A

  According to the technique of Patent Literature 1, since the information display device automatically displays a content list based on the user's preference according to the time, the display of the content list changes according to the time. For this reason, the user may feel inconvenience in the change of the content list.

  In addition, it is preferable that the number of operations is reduced as much as possible in order for the user to search for a desired content from a large amount of content. It can be said that it is convenient for the user to always display the same content list in the same operation.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method, an information display device, and a program capable of displaying the same content list with the same number of operations as many times as possible from a huge amount of content. To do.

According to the present invention, in a content list display method in an information display device having a user interface unit that displays a content list for searching for a plurality of contents associated with date information.
The information display device has a calendar information storage unit that stores and stores the day of the week information corresponding to the date information,
A first step for allowing a user to input day information using a user interface unit;
A second step of searching for a plurality of contents that match the input day-of-week information among the plurality of contents using the calendar information storage unit;
A third step of generating a content list based on the plurality of contents searched for the day information;
And a fourth step of displaying the content list on the user interface unit.

According to another embodiment of the content list display method of the present invention,
The content is also associated with time information,
A fifth step for allowing the user to input time range information using the user interface unit;
A sixth step of searching for a plurality of contents that match the input time range information among the plurality of contents searched for the day information;
A seventh step of generating a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the time range information;
It is also preferable to have an eighth step of displaying the content list on the user interface unit.

According to another embodiment of the content list display method of the present invention,
The information display device further includes a cache memory unit,
A ninth step of previously holding in the cache memory a content list that would be displayed if the user performed a shift operation on the content list displayed on the user interface unit;
It is also preferable to further include a tenth step of displaying the content list acquired from the cache memory unit on the user interface unit when the user performs a shift operation.

According to another embodiment of the content list display method of the present invention,
The information display device is a mobile phone,
The user interface unit includes a display and a numeric keypad, and each day of the week is preferably assigned to each key of the numeric keypad.

According to the present invention, in an information display device having user interface means for displaying a content list for searching for a plurality of contents associated with date information,
Calendar information storage means for storing the day of the week information corresponding to the date information,
Input control means for allowing the user to input day information using the user interface means;
Content search means for searching for a plurality of contents that match the input day of the week information among a plurality of contents using calendar information storage means;
Content list generation means for generating a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the day information;
And display control means for displaying a content list using the user interface means.

According to another embodiment of the information display device of the present invention,
The content is also associated with time information,
The input control means causes the user to input time range information using the user interface means,
The content search means searches for a plurality of contents that match the input time range information among the plurality of contents searched for the day information,
It is also preferable that the content list generating means generates a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the time range information.

According to another embodiment of the information display device of the present invention,
Cache memory means;
Memory control means for holding in advance in the cache memory means a content list that would be displayed if the user performed a shift operation on the content list displayed on the user interface means,
It is also preferable that the user interface means displays the content list acquired from the cache memory unit when the user performs a shift operation.

According to another embodiment of the information display device of the present invention,
The information display device is a mobile phone,
Preferably, the user interface means includes a display and a numeric keypad, and each day of the week is assigned to each key of the numeric keypad.

According to the present invention, for a plurality of contents associated with date information, in a program for causing a computer mounted on an information display device having user interface means for displaying a content list for searching for the contents to function,
Calendar information storage means for storing the day of the week information corresponding to the date information,
Input control means for allowing the user to input day information using the user interface means;
Content search means for searching for a plurality of contents that match the input day of the week information among a plurality of contents using calendar information storage means;
Content list generation means for generating a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the day information;
The computer is caused to function as display control means for displaying a content list using user interface means.

  According to the content list display method, information display apparatus, and program of the present invention, the content list can be narrowed down based on the day of the week. Then, the same content list can be displayed.

This is an information display device displaying a content list in the prior art. It is the information display apparatus which displayed the content list based on the day information in the present invention. It is the information display apparatus which displayed the content list based on the time range information in this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the content which should be beforehand memorize | stored in a cache memory according to operation of an information display apparatus. It is a functional block diagram of the information display apparatus in this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The user interface unit of the information display device usually has a display unit and an input unit. When the information display device is a small terminal such as a mobile phone, the user interface unit includes a small display and a numeric keypad. The content list is displayed on the display. The content list is a list in which indexes of a plurality of contents are arranged in a list in order to facilitate a search for contents by a user.

  Although the size of the display is small, the mobile phone can store a huge amount of content. Therefore, the index of all contents cannot be displayed on one screen of the display. Therefore, it is necessary to cause the user to specify content by displaying the content list on the display step by step.

  At least date information is associated with the content, and generally time information is also associated with the content. For example, a date and time such as “2009/2/4; 14: 35” is added to the content. If the content is a still image or a moving image shot by the user, for example, the shooting date and time is added. In the case of recorded broadcast content, the broadcast date and time is added.

  The information display device according to the present invention includes a calendar information storage unit that stores the day of the week information corresponding to the date information in association with each other. In the case of a mobile phone, a scheduler is usually installed as an application for the user. Thereby, the day information can be acquired from the date information of the content.

  FIG. 2 is an information display device that displays a content list based on day information according to the present invention.

According to FIG. 2, for example, as shown below, each day of the week is assigned to each key of the numeric keypad, and the assignment is explicitly shown on the display. The day of the week may be displayed on each key of the numeric keypad. The day of the week is 7th (Monday to Sunday). For this reason, all days of the week can be assigned in the numeric keypad.
Numeric keypad: Key “1”: “Sunday”
Key “2”: “Monday”
Key “3”: “Tuesday”
Key “4”: “Wednesday”
Key “5”: “Thursday”
Key “6”: “Friday”
Key “7”: “Saturday”

  The cellular phone 1 causes the user to input day information using the user interface unit 10. Here, it is assumed that the user presses the keys “2” and “Monday”.

  At this time, the mobile phone 1 searches the plurality of contents whose date is “Monday” among the plurality of contents using the calendar information.

  Next, a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for date information of “Monday” is generated.

  Then, the cellular phone 1 displays the content list on the display of the user interface unit.

  FIG. 3 is an information display device that displays a content list based on the time range information in the present invention.

Time range information is assigned to each key on the numeric keypad, and the assignment is explicitly shown on the display. The time range may be displayed on each key of the numeric keypad. According to FIG. 3, for example, time range information is assigned as follows.
Numeric keypad: Key “1”: “Morning” (4:00 to 10:00)
Key “2”: “Daytime” (10:00 to 18:00)
Key “3”: “Night” (18: 00 to 4:00)

  The cellular telephone device 1 allows the user to input time range information using the user interface unit 10. Here, it is assumed that the keys “3” and “night” are pressed.

  Next, the mobile phone 1 searches for a plurality of contents whose time range information is “night” among the plurality of contents searched for the day information.

  Next, a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for time information of “night” is generated.

  Then, the cellular phone 1 displays the content list on the display of the user interface unit.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing content that should be stored in the cache memory in advance according to the operation of the information display device.

  The information display device further includes a cache memory unit. The information display device holds in advance in the cache memory unit a content list that will be displayed if the user performs a shift operation on the content list displayed on the display of the user interface unit.

  According to FIG. 4, the index of the content searched based on day information is represented, and is arranged in time series in the two-dimensional direction. The horizontal axis represents time range classification, and the vertical axis represents time order (descending order). According to the present invention, a content list in the vertical direction in time and in the horizontal direction in time range is selected with the content list currently displayed as the center. These content lists are stored in the cache memory unit in the background of the information display device. Thereby, when the user performs a shift operation, the content list acquired from the cache memory unit can be displayed on the user interface unit. The reaction speed with respect to a user's operation can be improved.

  FIG. 5 is a functional configuration diagram of the information display device according to the present invention.

  According to FIG. 5, the information display device 1 includes a user interface unit 10, a communication / broadcast interface unit 11, a display control unit 12, an input control unit 13, a content storage unit 14, a content search unit 15, calendar information. The storage unit 16, the content list generation unit 17, the cache memory unit 18, and the memory control unit 19 are included. These functional components excluding the user interface unit 10 and the communication / broadcasting interface are realized by executing a program that causes a computer mounted on the information display device to function.

  Specifically, the user interface unit 10 includes a display (display unit) and a numeric keypad (input unit).

  The communication / broadcasting interface unit 11 accumulates content received via a network or broadcast in the content accumulation unit 14. The content is associated with a date and time.

  The display control unit 12 displays the content list output from the content list generation unit 17 or the cache memory unit 18 on the display of the user interface unit 10.

  The input control unit 13 causes the user to input “day information” and “time range information” using the user interface unit 10. The input “day information” and “time range information” are output to the content search unit 15. Similarly, the input control unit 13 causes the user to input “shift operation information” and outputs the “shift operation information” to the memory control unit 19.

  The content storage unit 14 stores a plurality of contents associated with at least date information. In addition, time information is also associated with the content. The content may be output from the communication / broadcast interface unit 11, or may be generated or acquired by a user operation.

  The content search unit 15 uses the calendar information storage unit 16 to search for a plurality of contents that match the input day-of-week information among the plurality of contents. In addition, the content search unit 15 searches for a plurality of contents that match the input time range information among the plurality of contents searched for the day information. The index of the plurality of searched contents is output to the content list generating unit 17.

  The calendar information storage unit 16 stores day-of-week information corresponding to date information in association with each other.

  The content list generation unit 17 generates a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the day information. Further, the content list generation unit 17 generates a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the time range information.

  Further, the content list generation unit 17 outputs to the cache memory unit 18 a content list that would be displayed if the user performed a shift operation on the content list displayed on the user interface unit 10. To do.

  The cache memory unit 18 stores the content list output from the content list generation unit 17. Then, in response to an instruction from the memory control unit 19, the content list is output to the display control unit 12. The cache memory unit 18 prefetches the content list after the shift operation in the background.

  The memory control unit 19 inputs “shift operation information” from the input control unit 13. The memory control unit 19 controls the content list that the cache memory unit 18 should output to the display control unit 12 depending on whether the shift operation information is “up”, “down”, “right”, or “left”.

  As described above in detail, according to the content list display method, information display device, and program of the present invention, the content list can be narrowed down based on the day of the week. The same content list can be displayed with the same operation. In addition, since the day of the week is only the seventh day, the content list can be narrowed down by only one key operation even if the information display terminal has only a numeric keypad, such as a mobile phone.

  In the various embodiments of the present invention described above, various changes, modifications, and omissions in the scope of the technical idea and the viewpoint of the present invention can be easily made by those skilled in the art. The above description is merely an example, and is not intended to be restrictive. The invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and the equivalents thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information display apparatus, mobile telephone 10 User interface part 11 Communication broadcast interface part 12 Display control part 13 Input control part 14 Content storage part 15 Content search part 16 Calendar information storage part 17 Content list generation part 18 Cache memory part 19 Memory control part

Claims (9)

In a content list display method in an information display device having a user interface unit that displays a content list for searching for a plurality of contents associated with date information,
The information display device includes a calendar information storage unit that stores and stores day of week information corresponding to date information,
A first step of allowing the user to input day information using the user interface unit;
A second step of searching for a plurality of contents that match the input day of the week information among the plurality of contents using the calendar information storage unit;
A third step of generating a content list based on the plurality of contents searched for the day information;
A content list display method comprising: a fourth step of displaying the content list on the user interface unit. The content is further associated with time information,
A fifth step of allowing the user to input time range information using the user interface unit;
A sixth step of searching for a plurality of contents that match the input time range information among the plurality of contents searched for the day information;
A seventh step of generating a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the time range information;
The content list display method according to claim 1, further comprising an eighth step of displaying the content list on the user interface unit. The information display device further includes a cache memory unit,
A ninth step of holding in advance in the cache memory a content list that would be displayed if the user performed a shift operation on the content list displayed on the user interface unit;
The method according to claim 2, further comprising: a tenth step of displaying the content list acquired from the cache memory unit on the user interface unit when the user performs a shift operation. How to display the content list. The information display device is a mobile phone,
4. The content list display method according to claim 1, wherein the user interface unit includes a display and a numeric keypad, and each day of the week is assigned to each key of the numeric keypad. In an information display apparatus having user interface means for displaying a content list for searching for a plurality of contents associated with date information,
Calendar information storage means for storing the day of the week information corresponding to the date information,
Using the user interface means, input control means for allowing the user to input day information;
Content search means for searching for a plurality of contents that match the input day-of-week information among a plurality of contents using the calendar information storage means;
Content list generation means for generating a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the day information;
An information display device comprising: display control means for displaying the content list using the user interface means. The content is further associated with time information,
The input control means causes the user to input time range information using the user interface means,
The content search means searches for a plurality of contents that match the input time range information among a plurality of contents searched for the day information,
6. The information display device according to claim 5, wherein the content list generation unit generates a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the time range information. Cache memory means;
Memory control means for previously holding in the cache memory means a content list that would be displayed if the user performed a shift operation on the content list displayed on the user interface means. Have
The information display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the user interface unit displays the content list acquired from the cache memory unit when the user performs a shift operation. The information display device is a mobile phone,
8. The information display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the user interface means includes a display and a numeric keypad, and each day of the week is assigned to each key of the numeric keypad. In a program for causing a computer mounted on an information display device having user interface means for displaying a content list for searching for a plurality of contents associated with date information to function,
Calendar information storage means for storing the day of the week information corresponding to the date information,
Using the user interface means, input control means for allowing the user to input day information;
Content search means for searching for a plurality of contents that match the input day-of-week information among a plurality of contents using the calendar information storage means;
Content list generation means for generating a content list based on a plurality of contents searched for the day information;
A program for an information display apparatus, characterized in that a computer is caused to function as display control means for displaying the content list using the user interface means.

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