JP2009252329A - Audio device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an audio device which assists user's selection of music, by using a compact display device, while ensuring visibility and operability. <P>SOLUTION: In an album menu, in which album art work is displayed in a line, when title art work developing operation of a user is caused, in a state where album art work 403 is set to art work being selected (d); the interval between the album art work 403 selected at the time and the next album art work 404 is widened; and title art work 451-454 included in the album of selected album art work 403 are inserted in a line into the interval. Also, when reproduction indication is produced in the album menu, an album of album art work selected at this time, and a title of title art work selected at that time are reproduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for supporting a user's selection of music in an audio playback apparatus that plays back music.

In an audio playback apparatus that plays back music, as a technique for supporting the user's selection of music, a list of album images that are images associated with the album, and an album image selected by the user from the list of album images Display a list of title images that are images associated with the titles included in the album associated with the title image, and select the title image from the list of title images to associate the selected title image with the user. There is known a technique for receiving a selected title as a title selected by a user (for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-82745

In many cases, a display device provided in an in-vehicle audio device or a portable audio playback device is a relatively small display device.
In such a small display device, when both the album image list and the title image list are separately displayed as described above, the size of each image is reduced and the visibility is deteriorated. On the other hand, if the display of the list of album images and the display of the list of title images are performed while switching between the two displays, both lists cannot be checked at the same time, and the operability is degraded. .

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to support a user's selection of music so that visibility and operability can be ensured even when a relatively small display device is used in an audio playback apparatus that plays music. And

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an audio device that reproduces a song, a song, a title image that is an image associated with the song, and an album image that is an image associated with the album to which the song belongs. A storage device for storing, a menu control unit for displaying a menu including an album image sequence in which album images associated with each album are arranged in a row, and a playback control unit for controlling the reproduction of music; The control means includes an album selection accepting means for accepting selection of an album image in the album image sequence on the menu, and an album image that is a target of the development operation when a user title image expansion operation occurs. Each title image associated with each song belonging to the associated album is displayed in the album image row. The target of the expansion operation is between the album image that is the target of the expansion operation and the album image that is arranged next to the album image that is the target of the expansion operation on the album image sequence. A title image expansion unit that inserts and arranges a space between the album image and the next arranged album image, and a music selection reception unit that receives selection of the title image on the menu. Is. However, the reproduction control means associates the reproduction control of each piece of music belonging to the album with which the album image accepted by the album selection acceptance means is associated with the title image accepted by the music selection acceptance means. It controls the playback of the music being played.

  According to such an audio device, a list of album images is displayed in a form in which the album images are arranged in a line, and the title images of the songs of the album of the album image are displayed in accordance with the expansion operation on the album image by the user. Each title image is inserted and arranged in the album image sequence. Therefore, the display space for the album image list can be shared for the display of the title image list, thereby ensuring the large size of each image and simultaneously displaying the album image list and the title image list. Can do. Therefore, even when a relatively small display device is used, it is possible to support the user's selection of albums and music while ensuring visibility and operability.

  Here, in such an audio apparatus, in the title image expansion means, the title image associated with each piece of music belonging to the album associated with the album image subjected to the expansion operation is arranged in a row, and the album image sequence May be arranged so as to be inserted between the album image that is the target of the expansion operation and the album image that is arranged next.

  Further, in such an audio device, the image expansion means accepts an operation of moving the album image on the menu as a user title image expansion operation for the album image, and the target of the expansion operation Each title image associated with each song belonging to the album associated with the album image associated with the album image is the album image that is the target of the expansion operation in the album image sequence, and the album image that is arranged next. During the period, the album image that is the target of the expansion operation is moved by moving each album image arranged before the album image that is the target of the expansion operation on the arrangement of the album image sequence according to the movement operation. It is configured to be inserted and arranged with a wide interval between the image and the album image arranged next. It may be.

  Note that these audio devices are preferably applied to an audio device having a relatively small display device such as an in-vehicle audio device that is an audio device mounted on a car or a portable music player that is a portable audio device. Can do.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in an audio playback device that plays back a song, the user can select a song so that visibility and operability can be ensured even when a relatively small display device is used. Can help.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking application to an in-vehicle audio apparatus mounted on an automobile as an example.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an in-vehicle audio apparatus according to the present embodiment.
The in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 is mounted on an automobile, and includes a radio receiver 11, a removable disk drive 12 that reproduces a removable disk such as a CD or a DVD disk, an external interface 13, an HDD 14, an audio processing unit 15, a speaker 16, and an operation. Unit 17, display unit 18, control unit 19, and music player 20.

  However, the above-described in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 is configured using a computer having a configuration as a general general-purpose computer having a microprocessor, a memory, and other peripheral devices in terms of hardware. In this case, the control unit 19, the audio processing unit 15, and the music player 20 of the above-described in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 are realized as a process that is realized by executing a program prepared in advance by the microprocessor. It may be. In this case, such a program may be provided to the in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 via a recording medium or an appropriate communication path.

Here, the portable storage device 2 such as a memory card or a USB memory device can be selectively connected to the external interface 13.
Next, the radio receiver 11 receives the radio broadcast, and the audio processing unit 15 performs a process of outputting the sound represented by the input audio data to the speaker 16.
In such a configuration, when the radio receiver 11 is set as an audio source by the user operation of the operation unit 17, the control unit 19 receives the reception channel of the radio receiver 11 according to the user operation of the operation unit 17. And the audio processing unit 15 causes the speaker 16 to output the sound represented by the audio data output from the radio receiver 11.

  In addition, when a removable disk such as a CD or a DVD attached to the removable disk drive 11 is set as an audio source by the user operation of the operation unit 17, the control unit 19 forms an audio file or an audio track on the removable disk. Is read out and output to the audio processing unit 15, and the audio processing unit 15 is caused to output the sound represented by the provided audio data from the speaker 16.

  In addition, when the music player 20 is set as an audio source by a user operation of the operation unit 17, the control unit 19 activates a reproduction control process of the music player 20, and the audio recorded in the HDD 14 is recorded in the HDD 14. The sound represented by the audio data reproduced from the file is output from the speaker 16 to the audio processing unit 15.

  In addition, when the removable disk such as a CD or DVD storing audio files is loaded in the removable disk drive 11 or when the portable storage device 2 is connected, the control unit 19 removes the removable disk or portable storage. Audio file reading processing for reading an audio file stored in the apparatus 2 and recording it in the HDD 14, or when a CD-DA is installed in the removable disk drive 11, the audio data of the audio track recorded in the CD-DA Is also read and recorded as an audio file on the HDD 14.

The HDD 14 stores a music database, an audio file, and an image file.
Here, the contents of the music database are shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the music database is for each album (the album in which the audio file of at least one title in the album is stored in the HDD 14) including the title (musical piece) stored in any audio file in the HDD 14. Each album data represents an album that represents the name of the corresponding album, an artist that represents a singer or performer of the corresponding album, and a classification of the corresponding album as a song. Various attributes of the corresponding album such as genre are registered. Each album data stores an album artwork file path indicating the position of an image file storing an album artwork which is an image (usually an album jacket photo) associated with the corresponding album, and title data. Is done. In the title data, a title information record provided corresponding to each title that is included in the corresponding album and in which an audio file storing the title is stored in the HDD 14 is stored.

  The title information record includes a title representing the name of the corresponding title, an artist representing the singer or performer of the corresponding title, a genre representing the classification of the corresponding title as a song, and the name of the album to which the corresponding title belongs. Various attributes of the corresponding title, such as an album to represent, are registered. Each title information record includes an audio file path indicating the position of the audio file storing the audio data of the corresponding title, and the position of the image file storing the title artwork that is an image associated with the corresponding title. The title artwork file path to be shown is stored.

Hereinafter, the reproduction control process performed by the music player 20 in such a configuration will be described.
FIG. 3 shows the procedure of this reproduction control process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, a predetermined number of albums in which album data is registered in the music database is selected in a predetermined album order (for example, album data registration order or Iweo order), and the album of the selected album is selected. The artwork is set as a display target artwork, and an album menu in which the display target artwork is arranged in a line from left to right according to the album order is displayed on the display device as shown in FIG. 4a (step 302). The album artwork of each album is obtained as album artwork stored in the image file indicated by the album artwork file path registered in the album data of the album.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 4a, this album menu has a predetermined number (five in the figure) of album artwork 401-405 arranged in a horizontal row from left to right according to the album order. . Further, the album menu is provided with a scroll bar 410 for accepting a user's left / right scroll operation and an information display box 420.

  Returning to FIG. 3, when such an album menu is displayed, a scroll operation using the user's scroll bar 410 is generated (step 304), and the user's display target artwork selection operation on the album menu is performed. The occurrence (step 306), the occurrence of the user's reproduction instruction operation (step 308), the occurrence of the title artwork development operation (step 310), and the occurrence of the title artwork movement operation (step 312) are monitored. However, the title artwork moving operation can occur only during the period in which the title artwork is displayed as the display target artwork as described later.

Here, at the initial stage of displaying the album menu, no title artwork set as a display target artwork, a title developing album described later, and a display candidate title artwork described later are not set.
Therefore, first, an operation in a state where the title artwork set as the display target artwork, the album under development, and the display candidate title artwork are not set will be described.
In this case, first, if a scroll operation occurs (step 304), the album artwork to be arranged in the album menu as the display target artwork for only the album artwork of the album, and the arrangement of the scroll are scrolled. Update according to the direction and the scroll amount (step 314).

  That is, for example, when an album menu including only album artwork as a display target artwork is displayed as shown in FIG. 4a, when a scroll operation in the right direction occurs as shown in FIG. 4b. In step 314, as shown in the drawing, the arrangement position on the album menu of the artwork to be displayed at the time is moved to the left direction opposite to the scroll direction by the operation amount of the scroll operation. The display target artwork 401 that is located outside the menu area is excluded from the display target artwork and the display is erased. Also, in the blank on the right side of the album menu generated by the movement, the album artwork after the album immediately after the album order of the album artwork which is the display target artwork 405 on the right end of the album menu after the movement, The number that can be arranged in the blank according to the album order is selected, and the artwork to be displayed 406 is arranged in a line from left to right in the album menu according to the album order.

  If a scroll operation in the left direction occurs in the state shown in FIG. 4a, in step 314, on the contrary, the display target art at the time is displayed in the right direction opposite to the scroll direction by the operation amount of the scroll operation. The arrangement position of the work on the album menu is moved, and the display target artwork that is located outside the area of the album menu as a result of the movement is excluded from the display target artwork and the display is erased. Also, in the blank on the left side of the album menu generated by the movement, the album artwork before the previous album in the album order of the album artwork that is the artwork to be displayed on the left side of the album menu after the movement is displayed in the album A number that can be arranged in a blank according to the reverse order of the order is selected, and the artwork to be displayed is arranged in a line from right to left in the album menu according to the reverse order of the album order as the artwork to be displayed.

  Then, if the album menu is updated in accordance with the scroll operation in this way (step 314), the album set in the album being expanded is the album artwork of the album and each album included in the album. It is checked whether there is an album in which all of the title artwork in the title is no longer the display target artwork (step 316). Since there is no album here, the process returns to the monitoring in steps 304-312.

  Next, for example, as shown in FIG. 4c, when a user's operation for selecting the artwork to be displayed on the album menu occurs (step 306), the selected artwork to be displayed is selected as the selected artwork. Set (step 306). That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4c, when the album artwork 403 that is the artwork to be displayed by the user is selected, the album artwork 403 is set as the selected artwork. If the album artwork 403 is set as the selected artwork, the information display box 420 displays the name of the album stored in the album data of the album of the selected artwork, the artist, and the like (step) 320). Then, the process returns to the monitoring in steps 304-312.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4c, if the user gives an instruction to start playback with the album artwork 403 set to the selected artwork (step 308), the album of the selected artwork is played (step 322). ). Here, an instruction to start reproduction is accepted by, for example, double-clicking the artwork being selected by the user. However, the reproduction instruction operation may be separately provided by providing a button for receiving a reproduction instruction on the album menu and operating the button.
In the reproduction of this album, the audio files of the respective titles included in the album of the selected artwork are sequentially reproduced based on the album data of the album of the selected artwork. The audio file of each title included in each album is obtained as each audio file in which an audio file path is registered in each title information record included in the title data of the album data of the album.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4c, if the user's title artwork expansion operation occurs with the album artwork 403 set to the selected artwork (step 310), steps 324 and 326 are performed and step 304- is performed. Returning to the monitoring of 312.
Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 4d, the title artwork development operation is accepted by a drag operation in the left direction of the album artwork set in the selected artwork. However, the title artwork development operation may be received by operating a separate button for accepting the title artwork development operation on the album menu. Alternatively, after the selection of the album artwork 403 in step 306, if no user operation occurs for a predetermined period, it is automatically accepted that a title artwork development operation has occurred. May be.

  When the user's title artwork expansion operation occurs with the album artwork 403 set to the selected artwork as shown in FIG. 4c, in step 324, the selected artwork is displayed as shown in FIG. 4e. The set album artwork 403 is arranged at the top left of the album menu, and the album artwork 404 of the next album in the album order of the album artwork 403 set as the selected artwork is displayed at the right end of the album menu. Reposition to. Then, the album of the album artwork 403 set as the selected artwork is set as the title developing album.

  Then, in step 326, based on the title data of the album data of the selected album artwork 403, the title artwork of the title included in the album of the selected album artwork 403 is added to the top of the album menu according to the title order. The number that can be arranged between the album artwork 403 and the last album artwork 404 is selected. Note that the title artwork of the title included in each album is obtained as the artwork stored in the image file indicated by the image file path of each title information record included in the title data of the album data of the album. Also, the title order is determined as the registration order of the title information records of the title data, or the title order of the title names.

  Then, the selected title artwork is set as a display candidate title artwork. Also, as shown in FIG. 4e, the selected title artwork 451, 452, 453, 454 is set as a display target artwork, and the selected album artwork 403 at the top of the album menu and the last album artwork 404 are displayed. Place additional. However, as illustrated, the display target artworks 451 to 454 that are title artworks are displayed in a slightly smaller size than the display target artworks 403 and 404 that are album artworks.

  As a result, when a title artwork expansion operation occurs, title artworks 451-454 of a predetermined number (four in FIG. 4e) of titles included in the album of the selected album artwork 403 are displayed as albums. This is displayed behind the album artwork 403 when the album menu is selected in the menu.

The operation in the state where the title artwork set as the display target artwork, the album being developed, and the display candidate title artwork are not set has been described.
Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 4E, the operation when the title artwork, the title developing album, and the display candidate title artwork set as the display target artwork as described above exist will be described.
In this case, for example, when a user's display target artwork selection operation on the album menu occurs during the monitoring of steps 304-312 (step 306) as shown in FIG. 4f, the selected display target is selected. If the artwork is a title artwork 452 as shown in FIG. 4f, the title artwork 452 is set as the selected artwork. If the title artwork 452 is set to the selected artwork, the name of the title stored in the title information record of the title of the title artwork 452 set to the selected artwork is displayed in the information display box 420. , Artist, etc. are displayed (step 320). Then, the process returns to the monitoring in steps 304-312.

  Next, during the monitoring of steps 304-312, if the user gives an instruction to start playback with the title artwork 452 set to the selected artwork as shown in FIG. 4f (step 308), the selected artwork is displayed. The audio file of the title of the title artwork 452 set to is reproduced (step 322). Here, the audio file to be reproduced by the reproduction of the title is obtained as an audio file in which the audio file path is registered in the title information record of the title of the title artwork 452 set to the selected artwork.

  Next, if a title artwork movement operation occurs during the monitoring in steps 304-312 (step 312), the setting of the display target artwork, its arrangement, display candidate artwork, and data developing album is updated (step 312). 328). Here, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the title artwork moving operation is accepted by a left / right drag operation of the title artwork set as the display target artwork on the album menu.

In addition, the update in step 328 is performed as follows.
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 5a1, if the title artwork 452 is dragged leftward on the album menu, it is arranged on the left side of the album artwork 404 of the next album of the album to which the title of the title artwork 452 belongs. As shown in FIG. 5a2, all the display target artworks 403 and 451 to 454 are moved to the left on the album menu by the dragged amount. However, the display target artwork 403 that is outside the album menu area as a result of the movement is excluded from the display target artwork and is not displayed on the album menu. Then, as shown in FIG. 5 a 2, the artwork to be displayed is currently displayed in the blank portion immediately before the album artwork 404 of the next album, which is caused by the leftward movement of the display subject artwork 403, 451-454. Title artwork of titles after the title immediately after the title artwork 454 at the right end of the title artwork 451-454 in the title artwork included in the same album as the display target artwork 451-454, Select the number that can be placed in the blank area according to the title order. Then, the selected title artwork 455 is set as a display candidate title artwork. In addition, the selected title artwork 455 is set as a display target artwork, and arranged in the blank portion in order of title from left to right.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5b1, if the title artwork 452 is dragged in the right direction on the album menu, the title artwork 452 is placed on the left side of the album artwork 404 of the next album to which the title belongs. All the display target artworks 451-455 are moved rightward by the dragged amount on the album menu as shown in FIG. 5b2. However, the artwork to be displayed that is outside the area of the album menu as a result of the movement is excluded from the artwork to be displayed and is not displayed on the album menu. Further, as a result of the movement, the display target artwork 455 that overlaps the album artwork 404 of the next album or is positioned on the right side of the album artwork 404 of the next album is excluded from the display target artwork. The display on the album menu is not performed, and the display of the album artwork 404 of the next album is maintained as it is. The display target artwork 455 that overlaps the album artwork 404 of the next album or is positioned on the right side of the album artwork 404 of the album is also excluded from the display candidate title artwork. As a result, if no title artwork of a title belonging to the album to which the title of the dragged title artwork 452 belongs is set as a display candidate title artwork, the title of the album is being developed. Also cancel the album setting.

  As shown in FIG. 5b2, the artwork to be displayed is currently displayed in the blank on the left side of the artwork to be displayed 451-454 at that time point caused by the movement of the artwork to be displayed 451-455 in the right direction. The title artwork of the title before the title immediately before the title artwork 451 at the left end of the display artwork 451-454 included in the same album as the display artwork 451-454 is blank according to the reverse order of the title order. Select the number that can be placed in the part, set it as the artwork to be displayed, and place it in the blank part from right to left in the reverse order of the title order. In addition, when there is no title immediately before the title of the leftmost title artwork 454, or when all the titles immediately before the title of the leftmost title artwork 454 are displayed as display target artwork, a blank space remains. 5b2, the album artwork 403 of the album including the titles of the title artworks 451 to 454 that are currently displayed artwork is set as the display artwork, and the leftmost title artwork 454 is displayed. Display on the left. In addition, even when the album artwork 403 of the album including the titles of the title artworks 451 to 455 that are currently displayed artwork is displayed, if a blank space remains, it is displayed at the left end at that time. The album artwork of the album immediately before the album immediately before the album artwork 403 is selected according to the reverse order of the album order, can be arranged in the blank portion, set as the display target artwork, and the album artwork is displayed in the blank portion. Arrange from right to left in reverse order.

  Here, as a result of the above processing, the title menu display is updated every time a title artwork movement operation occurs in the title order, and among the title artworks displayed as the display target artwork after the update, Only the title artwork displayed at the right end and the title artwork of each title prior to the title artwork displayed at the right end are set as the display candidate title artwork.

  As described above, the user can increase / decrease or change the title artwork displayed as the figure display target artwork by the title artwork moving operation. In addition, when the user searches for the title artwork of the target title while increasing / decreasing or changing the title artwork in this way, as shown in FIG. 5C, the searched title artwork 455 is displayed. It is possible to select by an artwork selection operation, and to further reproduce the title by performing a reproduction instruction operation.

  Next, if a scroll operation occurs while the title artwork 451-454 is displayed as the display target artwork, as shown in FIG. Album artwork and display candidate for albums that are being expanded Title album artwork to be placed in the album menu as the display target artwork, title artwork and its arrangement, scroll method of scrolling operation, scrolling Update according to the amount (step 314).

  That is, if a scroll operation in the left direction occurs as shown in FIG. 5e in the state of FIG. 5d, the album menu of the artwork to be displayed at that time is the amount of the scroll operation in the right direction opposite to the scroll direction. The upper arrangement position is moved, and the display target artworks 453, 454, and 404 which are positions outside the area of the album menu as a result of the movement are excluded from the display target artwork and the display is deleted.

  The artwork on the left side of the album menu generated by the movement in the right direction is replaced with the artwork before the artwork immediately before the artwork arranged in the artwork arrangement order described later. A number that can be arranged in a blank is selected according to the reverse order of the work arrangement order, and the display target artworks 402 and 401 are arranged in a line from right to left in the album menu according to the reverse of the artwork arrangement order.

Here, the artwork arrangement order determines the order of each album artwork and each display candidate title artwork, and each order is determined as follows.
That is, the order J of the album artwork in the artwork arrangement order is n in the order of the album order of the album artwork, and each title of each album in the album order before the album of the album artwork Let j = n + m, where m is the total number of title artworks that are display candidate title artworks among the title artworks. Further, the order K in the artwork arrangement order of the display candidate title artwork is J, the order in the artwork arrangement order of the album artwork of the album to which the title of the display candidate title artwork belongs, and the display candidate title artwork. The order of the titles in the title order is p, and K = J + p. In this way, by defining the artwork arrangement order, for example, after the title artwork is displayed as shown in FIG. 5d, the entire display can be scrolled so that the display of the title artwork is not lost. become able to.

  Next, in the state shown in FIG. 5d, if a scroll operation in the right direction occurs as shown in FIG. 5f, the artwork to be displayed at the time is displayed in the left direction opposite to the scroll direction by the operation amount of the scroll operation. The display target artworks 403, 451, and 452, which are positions outside the album menu area as a result of the movement, are excluded from the display target artwork and the display is erased.

  Then, by moving in the left direction, the artwork after the artwork immediately after in the artwork arrangement order of the artwork to be displayed on the right end of the album menu after moving is displayed in the blank on the right side of the album menu generated by the movement. Then, the number that can be arranged in a blank according to the artwork arrangement order is selected, and the display target artworks 405 and 406 are arranged in a line from left to right in the album menu according to the artwork arrangement order.

  If the display of the album menu is updated in accordance with the scroll operation in step 314 as described above, the album set as the album being expanded as shown in FIG. Then, it is checked whether there is an album in which all of the album artwork 403 of the album and the title artworks 451 to 454 of the titles included in the album are no longer display target artworks (step 316). If it does not exist, the process returns to the monitoring in steps 304-312. If it exists, the setting of the album set in the existing title developing album is set as the title developing album and the title developing album is set. Display title title of the album title To cancel the setting of as all of the display candidate title artwork of title artwork 451-454 that has been set as the work (step 318), returns to the monitoring of step 304-312.

  Here, when the setting of the album artwork 403 as the album title developing album is released in this way, only the album artwork 403 is displayed in the subsequent scroll, as shown in FIG. The title artwork 451-454 of each title of the album of the artwork 403 is not displayed.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
By the way, in the above embodiment, the album artwork and the title artwork as the display target artwork are displayed side by side in the album menu, but this is the same as the display target artwork in the album menu. The album artworks and title artworks may be displayed side by side in a vertical row.

Also, in the album menu, album artwork and title artwork as display target artwork may be displayed in a line in a circle.
That is, in this case, at the start of the album menu display, as shown in FIG. 6a, the album artwork of each album is set as a display target artwork, and the display target artwork 601 is formed into a circle so as to form a ring. Display in a row on top. Further, in this album menu, the display target artwork positioned in front is displayed in a larger size. Then, according to the scroll operation of the scroll bar 410 as shown in FIG. 6b, the ring formed by the display target artwork 601 is rotated, or as shown in FIG. 6c, according to the title artwork development operation, The title artwork 602 of each title of the album of the selected album artwork 601a is inserted and displayed between the selected album artwork 601a and the album artwork 601b arranged next as the display artwork. To. Also, as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6D, the album or title for which the selection operation of the album artwork 601 or the title artwork 602 is received on this album menu is performed according to the reproduction instruction operation.

Moreover, although the above embodiment demonstrated taking the application to the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus 1 as an example, this embodiment is applicable similarly to arbitrary audio apparatuses, such as a portable audio player.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, a list of album images is displayed in the album menu in a form in which the album images are arranged in a line, and the album of the album image is displayed according to the expansion operation on the album image by the user. The title images of the titles are displayed in a form inserted and arranged in the album image row on the album menu. Therefore, the display space for the album image list can be shared for the display of the title image list, thereby ensuring the large size of each image and simultaneously displaying the album image list and the title image list. Can do. Therefore, even when a relatively small display device is used, it is possible to assist the user in selecting an album or title while ensuring visibility and operability.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the content of the music database which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the reproduction | regeneration control processing which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Car-mounted audio apparatus, 2 ... Portable memory | storage device, 11 ... Radio receiver, 12 ... Removable disk drive, 13 ... External interface, 14 ... HDD, 15 ... Audio processing part, 16 ... Speaker, 17 ... Operation part, 18 ... Display unit, 19 ... control unit, 20 ... music player.

Claims (7)

An audio device for playing music,
A storage device that stores a song, a title image that is an image associated with the song, and an album image that is an image associated with the album to which the song belongs;
Menu control means for displaying a menu including an album image sequence in which album images associated with each album are arranged in a row;
Playback control means for controlling the playback of music,
The menu control means includes
Album selection accepting means for accepting selection of an album image in the album image sequence on the menu;
When the expansion operation of the title image targeted for the album image in the album image sequence occurs by the user, each of the music items associated with each song belonging to the album with which the album image targeted for the expansion operation is associated The title image includes an album image that is the target of the expansion operation in the album image sequence, and an album image that is arranged next to the album image that is the target of the expansion operation on the array of the album image sequence. A title image expansion means for inserting and arranging the image after expanding the interval between the album image subjected to the expansion operation and the album image arranged next,
Music selection accepting means for accepting selection of a title image on the menu;
The reproduction control unit associates the reproduction control of each piece of music belonging to the album with which the album image received by the album selection reception unit is associated with the title image received by the music selection reception unit. An audio apparatus characterized by controlling reproduction of a music piece. The audio device according to claim 1,
The title image expansion means is arranged in a form in which the title images associated with the music pieces belonging to the album associated with the album image that is the target of the expansion operation are arranged in a line in the arrangement direction of the album image string, An audio apparatus, wherein the audio apparatus is arranged to be inserted between the album image to be expanded and the album image arranged next. The audio device according to claim 1 or 2,
The image expanding means accepts an album image moving operation on the menu as a user title image expanding operation for the album image, and an associated album image is associated with the expanding operation. Each title image associated with each song belonging to the album is displayed between the album image targeted for the expansion operation in the album image sequence and the album image arranged next, in the album image sequence. By moving each album image arranged before the album image subject to the development operation on the line according to the moving operation, the album image subject to the development operation and the next arranged An audio device characterized by being inserted and arranged after widening the interval between the album images. The audio device according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
The audio device is a vehicle-mounted audio device mounted on an automobile. A computer program that is read and executed by a computer,
The computer program stores the computer,
A storage device that stores a song, a title image that is an image associated with the song, and an album image that is an image associated with the album to which the song belongs;
Menu control means for displaying a menu including an album image sequence in which album images associated with each album are arranged in a row;
Function as a playback control means for controlling the playback of music, and
The menu control means includes
Album selection accepting means for accepting selection of an album image in the album image sequence on the menu;
Each title associated with each song belonging to the album with which the album image targeted for the expansion operation is associated when the expansion operation of the title image of the user for the album image in the album image sequence occurs An image is an album image that is the target of the expansion operation in the album image sequence, and an album image that is arranged next to the album image that is the target of the expansion operation in the album image sequence. In between, title image expansion means for inserting and arranging after expanding the interval between the album image that is the target of the expansion operation and the album image that is arranged next,
Music selection accepting means for accepting selection of a title image on the menu;
The reproduction control unit associates the reproduction control of each piece of music belonging to the album with which the album image received by the album selection reception unit is associated with the title image received by the music selection reception unit. A computer program for controlling reproduction of a music piece. A computer program according to claim 5,
The title image expansion means is arranged such that the title images associated with the music pieces belonging to the album with which the album image that is the object of the expansion operation is associated are arranged in a line in the arrangement direction of the album image string. A computer program which is inserted and arranged between an album image to be expanded and an album image arranged next. A computer program according to claim 5 or 6,
The image expanding means accepts an album image moving operation on the menu as a user title image expanding operation for the album image, and an associated album image is associated with the expanding operation. Each title image associated with each song belonging to the album is displayed between the album image targeted for the expansion operation in the album image sequence and the album image arranged next, in the album image sequence. By moving according to the moving operation each album image arranged before the album image that is the target of the expansion operation on the line, the album image that is the target of the expansion operation is arranged next to the album image. A computer program which is inserted and arranged after widening the interval between the album images.