JP2006107170A - Information selection device using three-dimensional gui - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a space saving and intuitive information selection device that reduces operation time by designating a press for a direction operation and a rotation of an operation member for a depth operation in a GUI for three-dimensionally displayed information selection. <P>SOLUTION: In the information selection device for displaying and selecting three-dimensionally displayed information, an object storage part stores a plurality of objects three-dimensionally displayable as selection candidates. A three-dimensional display control part generates and displays on a display a display image changed in display position in an object depth direction according to a rotation operation input from a depressible and rotatable operation input part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information selection device that searches for and selects desired information from a plurality of pieces of information using a GUI.

Devices for displaying and reproducing media contents such as music and video have come to have a large capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) not only in personal computers but also in DVD recorders and car audio. In addition, functions such as mobile phones have been explosively increasing. In such a device, when a desired information is selected from a large amount of information such as contents and functions by using a GUI and an operation such as reproduction is performed, the button operation must be performed many times using only the conventional cross button. Rather, it puts a burden on the user. In order to solve this, there are input devices such as a jog shuttle and a jog dial to which operations by rotation are added. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information selection device that selects information by a conventional information selection device technology. The conventional information selection device stores a plurality of object information OBJECTi (i = 1, 2,..., I) having one or more attributes such as titles and genres related to contents such as video as objects to be selection candidates, for example. Object information storage unit 701, operation input unit 702 capable of rotating input such as a jog shuttle and jog dial, and the input operation of operation input unit 702 are analyzed, and the object to be displayed from object information storage unit 701 And a display control unit 703 that generates a display image and a display 704 that displays an output image. In the display control unit 703, first, the input operation analysis unit 703a classifies the input operations of the operation input unit 702, and in the case of a rotation operation, analyzes the rotation direction of clockwise or counterclockwise. Next, the display target determining unit 703b updates the display target head object index Is (0 <Is <I + 1) of the current display target object. For example, s = s + 1 is updated in the clockwise direction, and s = s−1 is updated in the counterclockwise direction. In addition, the selection candidate determination unit 703c updates the selection candidate object index Ir in the same manner as the display target determination unit 703b. In the output image generation unit 703d, from the object information storage unit 701, OBJECTn (n = Is, Is + 1,..., Ir,..., Is + N−1) based on the display target head object index Is and the predetermined display target number N. And a display image is generated according to a predetermined drawing method for each selection candidate object and other objects. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output image displayed on the display 704. For example, there is a method of selecting a desired channel with a dynamic graphical interface from TV broadcasting or the like with a rotary menu wheel (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As described above, a comfortable search is realized by a remote controller such as a jog dial to which an operation by rotation is applied as a device for searching information from a large amount of information.
Japanese translation of PCT publication No. 2002-507344

  However, in the above information selection device, the GUI operation by the one-dimensional list or the two-dimensional table display is comfortable with the jog shuttle or jog dial, but the content search arranged in three dimensions is rotated to improve the listability. It is extremely difficult to do only with it. In addition, providing another button increases the number of buttons, which increases the burden on the user.

  It is an object of the present invention to reduce the operation time, save space, and intuitively by performing a direction operation by pushing down and a depth direction operation by rotating an operation member in a three-dimensionally displayed GUI. It is to provide an information selection device that is easy to understand.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the information selection device of the present invention is an information selection device that displays and selects information displayed three-dimensionally, and becomes a plurality of selection candidates displayed three-dimensionally. A display image in which the display position in the depth direction of the object in the object storage unit is changed in accordance with an object storage unit that stores an object, an operation input unit that can be pressed and rotated, and a rotation operation that is input from the operation input unit Since the three-dimensional display control unit to be generated and the display for displaying the generated image are provided, the time for selecting a target item can be reduced and the operability can be improved.

  According to the information selection device of the present invention, it is possible to easily perform a content selection operation arranged in three dimensions by assigning a rotation operation to a movement of depth and a pressing operation to a movement in the vertical and horizontal directions of the screen. In addition, when the rotation speed is high, a plurality of contents are moved together in the depth direction, so that a visual change can be suppressed while skipping at high speed and searching, and visibility can be improved.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information selection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Information selection device selects content information with one or more attributes such as date, title, genre, etc. related to music, video, etc. stored in optical disks such as DVD and CD, semiconductor memory such as SD, and hard disk A display selection apparatus having a GUI for reproducing or selecting a desired function from a plurality of functions, and includes an object information storage unit 101, an operation input unit 102, a three-dimensional display control unit 103, and a display 104.

  Similar to the conventional information selection device, the object information storage unit 101 has object information OBJECTi (i = 1, 2, etc.) having one or more attributes such as title and genre related to contents such as video as objects to be selected, for example. .., I) are stored in plural. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of attribute information such as a title and a genre related to each object information held in the object information storage unit 101. Here, the three-dimensional order ORDERi (XORDERi, YORDERYi, ZORDERi) corresponding to OBJECTi is data ranked for display based on the attribute information of each object. For example, XORDER and YORDER may be determined from the type of genre, and the result of sorting in the order of title names of objects of the same genre may be set as ZORDER.

  The operation input unit 102 is an input device having an operation member that accepts a rotation operation and a pressing (touch) operation like the wheel pad shown in FIG. With respect to the rotation operation, there is a device that recognizes rotation by a certain continuous touch operation without rotating a member such as a wheel pad itself, or an upper member that rotates itself, and press recognition is performed by a lower sensor.

  The three-dimensional display control unit 103 includes an input operation analysis unit 103a, a display target determination unit 103b, a selection candidate determination unit 103c, an arrangement parameter determination unit 103d, a display format determination unit 103e, a perspective transformation parameter determination unit 103f, and an output image generation unit 103g. Consists of.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of processing in the input operation analysis unit 103a, the display target determination unit 103b, and the selection candidate determination unit 103c. According to the flowchart, the input operation analysis unit 103a determines whether the operation input event input from the operation input unit 102 is a rotation operation or a pressing operation. If it is a rotation operation, the rotation speed Rs is determined. At this time, it is assumed that the sign of the speed Rs changes depending on the rotation direction. In the case of a pressing operation, the pressed position is assigned in, for example, eight directions.

  Next, the display target determining unit 103b receives the rotation speed and updates the current target depth value Zp according to a function Zext = FuncZext (Rs) that determines the depth direction skip number Zext. As the function FuncZext, when the input value Rs is positive, an integer value FuncZtrans (Rs) = 0 (Rs <Rzero), FuncZtrans (Rs) = 1 (Rs <Rone), and FuncZtrans (Rs) = Zskip (otherwise) is taken. It is a function. Here, Rzero and Rone are predetermined threshold values satisfying Rzero <Rone, and may be automatically determined according to the use history of the user's rotation speed or the case where the user can specify. Zskip is a predetermined depth direction skip number of 1 or more, and may be the same group object number of objects in the depth direction of the current selection candidate object. When the input value Rs is negative, only the sign of the result changes, and the absolute values are equal and FuncZext (Rs) = − FuncZext (−Rs) is satisfied. Next, it is assumed that Zp = Zp + Zext is updated so that Zp falls within a range [Zmin, Zmax] determined by a predetermined minimum value and maximum value. Further, the XY direction display positions Xp and Yp may be updated from the input 8-direction information by the pressing operation. In the update method, the 8-direction information is decomposed into components in the X direction and the Y direction, and when each direction component is non-zero, the display target head object index Is of the conventional information selection device is Xp, Increase or decrease Yp by one. At this time, the result of increasing / decreasing Xp and Yp is rounded to the maximum value or the minimum value so as not to exceed the respective defined areas as with Zp.

  The selection candidate determination unit 103c sets Zr of the selection candidate position (Xr, Yr, Zr) to Zr = Zp. (Xr, Yr) is (Xp, Yp) when the display position is updated by a pressing operation. In the case of a type that is not updated, the 8-direction information is decomposed into X-direction and Y-direction components based on the 8-direction information input by the pressing operation, and the respective direction components are non-zero. Xr and Yr are increased or decreased one by one in the same manner as the display target head object index Is of the information selection device. At this time, the result of increasing / decreasing Xr and Yr is rounded to the maximum value or the minimum value so as not to exceed the respective domain.

  The arrangement parameter determining unit 103d determines the depth direction moving speed Ztrans according to the function Ztrans = FuncZtrans (Rs). The function FuncZtrans may be proportional to Rs, or when skipping in the depth direction, the calculated movement speed may be divided by the skip number Zext so that the movement speed does not change even during skipping. In addition, when a speed limit threshold value is set in advance and Rs is larger than the threshold value, the speed may not be changed further. In the function FuncZtrans, when the input value Rs is negative, only the sign of the result is changed, and the absolute value is equal and FuncZtrans (Rs) = − FuncZtrans (−Rs). Next, the elapsed time T from the acquisition of the input event is obtained, and the arrangement in the depth direction is determined by Ztrans * T. Further, when the update of the position Zp in the depth direction obtained by the display target determining unit 103b is 2 or more, the number of objects to be skipped is displayed in a fixed manner by reducing the arrangement interval in the depth direction. Sometimes it is. If only the selection candidate changes in the XY direction, the arrangement information does not change, but at the same time as Xp and Yp, using the predetermined speeds Xtrans and Ytrans, Xtrans * T and Ytrans * T are used in the XY direction as in the depth direction. In some cases, the placement parameters are determined.

  The display format determination unit 103e assigns a display format for each depth value Zi of the display target object according to the selection candidate position (Xr, Yr, Zr). For example, the color contrast is set so as to become darker for each Zi, and the fill and transparency are semi-transparent (Zi <Zr), opaque (Zr <Zi <Zr + Nzopaque), wire frame (otherwise), etc. Make it easy to see. Note that the object display format may be changed to a wire frame to understand that it is the skip mode when skipping multiple depth directions.

  The perspective transformation parameter determination unit 103f determines perspective projection transformation parameters such as a viewpoint position and an angle of view. At this time, when skipping in the depth direction, the parameter is changed so that only the viewpoint position is moved in the Y direction and objects to be skipped are displayed together. There is a case.

  Based on Xp, Yp, Zp determined by the display target determination unit 103b and the predetermined display target numbers Nx, Ny, Nz, the output image generation unit 103g receives a three-dimensional order ORDERLi (XORDERERi, YORDERYi) from the object information storage unit 101. , ZORDERI) calls a display target object that satisfies Xp <XORDERDER <Xp + Nx, Yp <YORDERi <Yp + Ny, Zp <ZORDERER <Zp + Nz. Next, the display format determining unit 103e assigns a plurality of rendering methods to each object based on the selection candidate object, and generates object rendering information such as a color including transparency, a fill format, and a shape for all objects. Finally, the perspective projection conversion drawing process as shown in FIG. 5 is performed as the perspective projection conversion parameter input determined by the object drawing information and the perspective conversion parameter determination unit 103f. In perspective projection conversion drawing processing, conversion to screen coordinates, clipping, and painting processing are performed to generate a display image.

  The display 104 displays the output image generated by the three-dimensional display control unit 103. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output image displayed on the display 104, in which 602 is a selection candidate object, 603 is a vertical and horizontal object that is switched by a pressing operation, and 604 is a depth object that is switched by a rotating operation. .

  As described above, according to the information selection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the content selection operation arranged in three dimensions can be easily performed by assigning the rotation operation to the movement of the depth and the pressing operation to the movement in the vertical and horizontal directions of the screen. It can be carried out. In addition, when the rotation speed is high, a plurality of contents are moved together in the depth direction, so that a visual change can be suppressed while skipping at high speed and searching, and visibility can be improved.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as a user interface for media content playback and a function selection user interface for home AV systems, in-vehicle AV systems, mobile phones, and the like that include a hard disk, semiconductor memory, and DVD. Furthermore, the present invention is useful as a PC application that realizes the above-described information selection user interface such as AV contents and functions by a program, and as a recording medium storing the PC application.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the information selection apparatus by embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of attribute information, such as a genre and a three-dimensional order relevant to the object information hold | maintained at the object information storage part shown in FIG. The figure which shows an example of rotation operation and the pressing operation in the operation input part shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows a process outline in the three-dimensional display control part shown in FIG. The figure which shows the perspective projection conversion drawing process processed with the three-dimensional display control part shown in FIG. The figure which shows an example of the output image displayed on the display shown in FIG. The block diagram which shows the structure of the information selection apparatus by a prior art The figure which shows an example of the output image displayed on the display by a prior art

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Object information storage part 102 Operation input part 103 Three-dimensional display control part 103a Input operation analysis part 103b Display target determination part 103c Selection candidate determination part 103d Arrangement parameter determination part 103e Display format determination part 103f Perspective conversion parameter determination part 103g Output image generation Unit 104 Display 501 Display 502 Object 503 Viewpoint 601 Display 602 Selection candidate object 603 Vertical and horizontal object 604 Depth object 701 Object information storage unit 702 Operation input unit 703 Display control unit 703a Input operation analysis unit 703b Display target determination unit 703c Selection candidate determination unit 703d Output image generation unit 704 Display 801 Display 802 Selection candidate object 803 Vertical direction Objects

Claims (16)

An information selection device for selecting and displaying information displayed three-dimensionally,
An object storage unit for storing an object as a plurality of selection candidates to be displayed three-dimensionally;
An operation input unit that can be pressed and rotated; and
A three-dimensional display control unit that generates a display image in which the display position in the depth direction of the object in the object storage unit is changed in accordance with the rotation operation input from the operation input unit;
A display for displaying the generated image;
An information selection device comprising: The 3D display control unit
The information selection according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether the rotation direction input from the operation input unit is clockwise or counterclockwise, and whether the display position of the object is advanced or retracted in the depth direction is determined. apparatus. The 3D display control unit
The information selection according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rotation speed input from the operation input unit is determined, and a position movement speed from the current display position of the object is determined according to the magnitude of the rotation speed. apparatus. The 3D display control unit
The information according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the selection candidate object is managed, and the current selection candidate object is changed according to a depth position determined by a rotation operation input from the operation input unit. Selection device. The 3D display control unit
The information selection device according to claim 4, wherein the number of selection candidate objects to be skipped in the depth direction is determined according to the rotation speed input from the operation input unit. The 3D display control unit
When skipping multiple selection candidate objects in the depth direction, skip every predetermined number or every number included in a similar group in the depth direction to which the current selection candidate object belongs. The information selection device according to claim 5, wherein: The 3D display control unit
The information selection apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein when a plurality of selection candidate objects are skipped in the depth direction, the display method is changed from a case where the objects are moved one by one. The 3D display control unit
The information selection device according to claim 7, wherein when skipping a plurality of selection candidate objects in the depth direction, the display information is changed so that the skipped groups move together. The 3D display control unit
The information selection according to claim 8, wherein when skipping a plurality of selection candidate objects in the depth direction, movement control is performed after arranging the plurality of objects to be skipped so that the distance is closer in the depth direction. apparatus. The 3D display control unit
When moving a plurality of objects to be skipped so that their distances are close to each other in the depth direction, the moving speed on the screen is constant regardless of the rotation speed input from the operation input unit. The information selection device according to claim 9. The 3D display control unit
11. When skipping a plurality of selection candidate objects in the depth direction, changing one by one and changing perspective projection transformation parameters such as a viewpoint position and an angle of view. The information selection device according to item 1. The 3D display control unit
It is determined whether there is a target object to be displayed in the object storage unit at a depth position determined by the rotation operation input from the operation input unit, and if there is no target object, the display position of the current object is not changed. The information selection device according to claim 1, wherein: The 3D display control unit
The information selection device according to any one of claims 4 to 12, wherein the display position of the object in the vertical and horizontal directions and the selection candidate object are changed by pressing. The 3D display control unit
14. The display position of an object is managed in units of groups in the vertical and horizontal directions of the screen, and the display position of only the group to which the selection candidate object belongs is changed by a rotation operation input from the operation input unit. Information selection device. The 3D display control unit
Compare the depth value of other objects with the current selection candidate, and change the display format to semi-transparent, wireframe, non-display etc. for objects that may be visible on the front side by the rotation operation input from the operation input unit It changes. The information selection apparatus of any one of Claims 4-14 characterized by the above-mentioned. The 3D display control unit
The display format is changed by using semi-transparency, wire frame, fog blend, non-display, or the like for all objects existing behind the predetermined depth. The information selection device described in 1.

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