Abstract:
The present invention provides an information presentation method for presenting specific information in a basic presentation frame image on a display, the method comprising the steps of: indicating a time axis in the basic presentation frame image in one direction of the basic presentation frame image; providing a presentation area extended along the time axis in the basic presentation frame image; and presenting the specific information in the presentation area at a location along the time axis indicated by and corresponding to chronological information pertained to the specific information.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2006-195170 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Jul. 18, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method for presenting information such as content and files on a display screen, and an apparatus therefor. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As a method for presenting various kinds of information which are stored in a local medium or on an external network such as the Internet, including but not limited to, music content, video content, factual information that indicates facts and events such as news, or file data such as image files or document files which are created by user, there are known techniques that display an icon for each piece of information or display each information itself arranged in the order of dates or names. 
     As a specific example, for the historic event “lunar landing of Apollo 11 in July, 1969”, information itself is displayed in a chronological table. 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-249640 discloses that the personal history of user from his birth to present day is displayed in the format of a chronological table data that consists of a pair of date-and-time data and event data, where the personal history is sectioned into blocks of several years, such as the period from an age of zero to an age of four, the period from an age of five to an age of nine, the period from an age of ten to an age of fourteen, and so forth. 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-66049 discloses that, upon reception of a request for displaying of a chronological table from a user terminal that is connected to a server via a network, the server reads personal history information of the source of the request out of personal event database and reads history information out of history event database so as to create data for displaying the chronological table in which these information are arranged in correspondence with each other, and then transmits the generated data to the user terminal, which is the request source. 
     When one file or a plurality of files contained in a folder is/are presented on a personal computer (PC), an icon that indicates the file or icons each of which indicates the corresponding file is/are displayed in a presentation window for the folder in one line or column or in a plurality of lines or columns arranged in the order of file names thereof or the dates of file creation/update thereof. 
     In such a presentation, when a new file is created on a PC or an existing file is acquired anew from a local storage device or via a network to add the file to the folder, or when an existing file that belongs to another folder is moved or copied to the first-mentioned folder through drag and drop of the icon on the PC, the icon that indicates the newly-created, acquired, moved or copied file is displayed at a position that is determined by the file name or the file creation/update date thereof in the presentation window of the folder so as to move the display position of all icons indicating other files that are posterior to the first-mentioned file, that is, the newly-created, acquired, moved or copied one, behind the icon of the first-mentioned file. 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-44555 discloses that, as a method for controlling information display, the streaming video of video content now under replay is displayed in the video display area of a displayed screen image, the complete information of video content that is currently selected with a selection cursor is displayed in the detail information area thereof, and the icon image of the video content now under selection is displayed in the selected video display area thereof, where a mark indication of “now under replay” is affixed to the icon of video content which is currently being replayed, a mark indication of “viewed” is affixed to the icon of video content which has already been viewed by user, and the icon of video content whose media data has been deleted is displayed in a faint color or in gray. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to chronological table display offered by the above conventional approaches, since chronological data is generated from existing information for the display of a chronological table, it is difficult to add any new information to the chronological table to display the added information at a suitable position in terms of time; that is, in order to do so, it undesirably requires the rewriting of the overall chronological table data. 
     The same problem holds true also when files contained in a folder are presented on a PC, etc., through display of icons thereof. That is, if it is assumed that icons are arranged in the order of file creation/update dates, when a file is added to the folder through new creation, acquisition, moving or copying thereof, although the icons of the files that belong to the folder, including that of the newly-created, acquired, moved or copied one, are arranged in the order of file creation/update date, it is difficult to arrange and display them at positions in terms of time corresponding to the respective file creation/update dates because they are arranged at certain intervals. 
     For this reason, according to information presentation offered by chronological table display or icon display of the related art, it is difficult for user to intuitively know the state/item/event, etc. at a certain position in time, such as month and year or date, month, and year, on a time axis such as a chronological axis. 
     In order to address the above-identified problem among others, the present invention offers information presentation that allows user to intuitively know the state/item/event, etc. at a certain position in time, such as month and year or date, month, and year, on a time axis such as a chronological axis. 
     An information presentation method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for presenting specific information in a basic presentation frame image on a display, the method comprising the steps of: indicating a time axis in the basic presentation frame image in one direction of the basic presentation frame image; providing a presentation area extended along the time axis in the basic presentation frame image; and presenting the specific information in the presentation area at a location along the time axis indicated by and corresponding to chronological information pertained to the specific information. 
     According to the above information presentation method, for example, if it is assumed that a chronological axis that shows calendar years at certain periodical intervals is displayed as the time axis, the information to be presented is an icon or a text that corresponds to each content, and that information indicating the month and year of release of the content for sale of or the date of acquisition thereof is affixed as the time information, each of the icons and/or texts that represents the corresponding content is presented in the presentation area of the presentation window display at a position in time, viewed along the chronological axis, that corresponds to the month and year in which the corresponding content was released for sale or acquired. Thus, it is possible for user to intuitively know the state of release of the content for sale or acquisition thereof in each month and year. 
     As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to present information so that user is able to intuitively know the state/item/event, etc. at a certain position in time, such as month and year or date, month, and year, on a time axis such as a chronological axis. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram that illustrates an example of a presentation mode of information; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram that illustrates an example of a presentation mode for a case where information to be presented is added; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram that illustrates an example of a presentation mode for a case where information is superposed at a position where another information is presented; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram that illustrates an example of a presentation mode for a case where no time information is affixed; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart that illustrates an example of information presentation processing; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram that illustrates an example of a presentation mode for a case where a plurality of presentation window displays is presented concurrently. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     1. System Configuration 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an example of a system that implements an information presentation method according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     In the illustrated exemplary system, an information processing apparatus  10  located at user side is connected to a server  91  via the Internet  100 . 
     The information processing apparatus  10  is provided with functions of information processing and connection to the Internet  100  as in PCs, and so on, and is further provided with a function of replaying content, for example, replaying of music based on music data, replaying of video (reproducing of image) based on video data (image data). 
     Specifically, the information processing apparatus  10  has a CPU  11 , which is interconnected via bus  12  to an internal memory device  13  such as hard disk in which various programs containing, including but not limited to, an information presentation program described later and various information (data) such as content and file are stored. In addition, a main memory  14 , in which programs and data are expanded, is connected to the bus  12  for interconnection therewith. 
     Moreover, a manipulation unit  15  is connected to the bus  12 ; and an audio output unit  17  is connected to the bus  12  with an audio processing unit  16  interposed therebetween, whereas a display  19  is connected to the bus  12  with a display processing unit  18  interposed therebetween. 
     The audio processing unit  16  functions to decode audio data such as music data and convert the decoded data into an analog signal. An example of the audio output unit  17  is an audio amplification circuit and a speaker system (headphones). The display processing unit  18  functions to decode image data (video data) and/or to process display data for a screen such as a presentation window display and so on. An example of the display  19  is a liquid crystal display, or an organic electroluminescent (EL) display for image display and/or video display. 
     Furthermore, the bus  12  is further interconnected to an interface  21  that is provided for connecting the information processing apparatus  10  to an external local storage device  31 , to a disk drive  22  that is provided for driving a local disk  32  such as a CD, DVD, etc., inserted into the information processing apparatus  10 , and to a network interface  23  that is provided for connecting the information processing apparatus  10  to the Internet  100 . 
     The local storage device  31  and the local disk  32  have information such as content, files, etc., stored therein. The information is read out of the local storage device  31  and the local disk  32  into the information processing apparatus  10 . 
     The server  91  offers information on the Internet  100  to distribute content. A network storage device  92 , in which information such as various kinds of content, files, etc., is stored, is connected to the server  91 . 
     2. Information Presentation Method 
     When presenting information stored in the internal memory device  13 , the local storage device  31 , the local disk  32 , or the network storage device  92  in the exemplary system illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a presentation window display is shown on the display  19  for presentation of information as explained below. 
     2-1. An Exemplary Mode of Information Presentation 
       FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an example of a mode of information presentation. 
     The present exemplary mode explains the presentation of files contained in a folder that is stored under the folder name of “My Content” in the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31 . 
     As a presentation window display  1 , an image that contains a time axis  2  extending in a horizontal direction at the upper end thereof and presentation area  3  provided under the time axis  2  and along the axial direction thereof is shown on the display  19 . 
     In this example, it is assumed that the time axis  2  represents a chronological axis that shows calendar years at certain periodical intervals, such as years 1980, 1981, . . . and so on. 
     In addition, according to this example, it is assumed that the “My Content” folder contains subfolders having the names of “Music”, “Movie”, “My History”, and “My Family”, where the presentation area  3  is divided into four sub-areas  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7  in the vertical direction of the presentation window display  1 , and the names of the above four subfolders are shown respectively at the corresponding left ends of the presentation window display  1  to indicate the types of information to be presented. 
     Each music file (music data) contained in the “Music” folder is presented on the presentation window display  1  by showing one of the icons  41 ,  42 , . . .  47 , each of which indicates the corresponding music file, in the area  4 . 
     Each movie file (video data and audio data of a movie) contained in the “Movie” folder is presented on the presentation window display  1  by showing one of the icons  51 ,  52 , . . .  56 , each of which indicates the corresponding movie file, in the area  5 . 
     Each photograph file (still picture data) contained in the “My History” folder is presented on the presentation window display  1  by showing one of the icons  61 ,  62 , . . .  66 , each of which indicates the corresponding photograph file, in the area  6 . 
     Each photograph file (still picture data) contained in the “My Family” folder is presented on the presentation window display  1  by showing one of the icons  71 ,  72 , . . .  76 , each of which indicates the corresponding photograph file, in the area  7 . 
     In such a presentation, time information that indicates date, month, and year related to each file is affixed thereto; for example, time information indicating “Dec. 1, 1979”, which is the date of the release of the music S 1  for sale, is affixed to the music file presented by means of the icon  41 ; time information indicating “Nov. 1, 1979”, which is the date of the screening of the movie M 1 , is affixed to the movie file presented by means of the icon  51 ; time information indicating “Jan. 15, 1980”, which is the date of the photographing of the picture H 1 , is affixed to the picture file presented by means of the icon  61 ; and time information indicating “Feb. 15, 1980”, which is the date of the photographing of the picture F 1 , is affixed to the picture file presented by means of the icon  71 . 
     Then, each icon indicating the corresponding file is displayed at a time position, which is indicated by the time information affixed to the file, along the direction of the horizontal axis  2  (the left-right direction of the screen) inside the corresponding one of the areas  4 - 7 . 
     For example, the icon  41  is displayed at a position Pb that corresponds to “Dec. 1, 1979” in the area  4  when the time information affixed to the corresponding music file that is presented by the icon  41  indicates “Dec. 1, 1979” as described above. The icon  51  is displayed at a position Pa that corresponds to “Nov. 1, 1979” in the area  5  when the time information affixed to the corresponding movie file that is presented by the icon  51  indicates “Nov. 1, 1979” as described above. The icon  61  is displayed at a position Pc that corresponds to “Jan. 15, 1980” in the area  6  when the time information affixed to the corresponding photograph file that is presented by the icon  61  indicates “Jan. 15, 1980” as described above. Finally, the icon  71  is displayed at a position Pd that corresponds to “Feb. 15, 1980” in the area  7  when the time information affixed to the corresponding photograph file that is presented by the icon  71  indicates “Feb. 15, 1980” as described above. 
     If month and year only is indicated as the time information, meaning that no specific day is indicated thereby, an icon is displayed while assuming that the missing day of the time information thereof should be the first of the month or the fifteenth of the month. For example, if the time information affixed to the corresponding music file that is presented by the icon  42  indicates “March, 1980”, the icon  42  is displayed at the position Pe, which corresponds to “Mar. 15, 1980” in the area  4 . 
     If year only is indicated as the time information, meaning that no specific day and month is indicated thereby, an icon is displayed while assuming that the missing day and month of the time information thereof should be the very first of the year, that is, January 1 of the year, or the middle of the year, that is, July 1 of the year. Alternatively, in such a case, the icon indicating the corresponding file with the missing day and month is displayed at a specially allocated area of the presentation window display  1 . Further alternatively, an alert message is issued to user to notify him/her that time information is incomplete because there is not any sufficient time information affixed to the corresponding file, or the system prompts user to input time information in such an occasion. It should be noted that, according to the above example illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the display position of each file (content) is determined by the corresponding time position indicated by the time information affixed to each thereof while taking the center of each icon as the reference position thereof. Notwithstanding the above, for example, the left edge of each icon may alternatively be taken as the reference position thereof. In such an alternative configuration, it is preferable that the criteria of the reference position (e.g. the center, the left edge) be uniformly adopted, not varying from one icon to another. 
     The title of content such as a song title or the name of a file is displayed inside the icon or at a position immediately over or under the icon. 
     In addition to the above, the presentation window display  1  is provided with scroll buttons  8   a ,  8   b , and  8   c  at the lower end thereof. Upon manipulation of the scroll button  8   a ,  8   b , or  8   c  by user, the time axis  2  together with the presentation area  3  are scrolled in such a manner that new years appear while old years disappear, or conversely, old years appear while new years disappear in accordance with the user manipulation. As they scroll, icons displayed in each of the areas  4 - 7 , or in other words, files presented thereby in each of the areas  4 - 7  change. 
     As the initial presentation window display  1  that appears at its first view, a portion of the chronological display whose corresponding years displayed on the time axis  2  are nearest to the present day is displayed. Alternatively, it may be configured that a portion of the chronological display whose corresponding years displayed on the time axis  2  are farthest to the present day is displayed. 
     It may be configured that one folder that actually contains a plurality of files or could contain a plurality of files may be presented by means of one icon. 
     In  FIG. 2 , as an example of such a configuration, it is assumed here that the “My History” folder contains a “The First Wedding Anniversary” subfolder, and the “My Family” folder contains a “Birth of Taro” subfolder, where the icon  61  denotes the “The First Wedding Anniversary” folder, and the icon  71  denotes the “Birth of Taro” folder, respectively. 
     In such a case, only one time information is affixed to one folder as a whole, named as the “The First Wedding Anniversary” or “Birth of Taro”. Alternatively, it may be configured that each file contained in the above one folder may be assigned its time information on an individual basis. 
     In the above example, when time information is affixed to each file, it is not always necessary for each of time information to indicate the same day, month, and year as that indicated by others. That is, it may be configured that time information affixed to a certain file indicates Jan. 13, 1980, whereas another time information affixed to another file indicates Jan. 17, 1980, as long as they indicate dates that are close to each other. If so configured, for example, the average of dates indicated by the respective time information affixed to the respective files may be taken as the time position where the folder containing these files should be presented. Alternatively, it may be configured that the day, month, and year of the oldest one among these files may be taken as the time position where the folder containing these files should be presented. 
     According to the example described above, it is assumed that the information processing apparatus  10  presents information stored in the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31  through user manipulation. Without any limitation to the foregoing, however, the same holds true for a case where user accesses to information located on the Internet  100 . 
     More specifically, upon reception of a request for presentation of information from the information processing apparatus  10 , connected to the server  91 , to the server  91 , data for showing a presentation window display that is the same as or similar to the presentation window display  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is sent from the server  91  to the information processing apparatus  10  so that the presentation window display that is the same as or similar to the presentation window display  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2  appears on the display  19 . 
     In such a presentation, a title such as “Recommended Pops”, “Foreign Movies in 1980s”, and so on, is shown in the present window display. In addition thereto, the content presented in the presentation area of the presentation window display is one having the presented title among many other content stored in the network storage device  92 . 
     In addition, the system may be further configured so as to allow user to acquire content by paying charge therefor through purchase of the presented content, etc., or acquire it for free, thereby making it possible for the information processing apparatus  10  to receive content data transmitted from the server  91  to perform streaming replay thereof or to store the downloaded content data into the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31  therein. 
     2-2. Addition of Information to be Presented 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , when a certain folder is present, as user acquires or creates a new file and add it to the folder, or s/he adds a file that belongs to another folder to the first-mentioned folder through manipulation on the information processing apparatus  10 , the added file is also presented in the manner shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The addition of a file to the target folder is performed in accordance with any of the following methods &lt;1&gt;-&lt;4&gt;. 
     &lt;1&gt; As described above, user acquires content anew through the Internet  100  so as to add the acquired file to the folder, and store it into the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31 . 
     &lt;2&gt; Through so-called “ripping” (digital audio extraction), a certain music file is extracted out of the local disk  32  into the information processing apparatus  10  so as to add the extracted file to the folder, and store it into the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31 . 
     &lt;3&gt; Through drag and drop user manipulation of the icon of a file that has already been stored in the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31  but belongs to another folder, the file is moved to the first-mentioned (i.e. target) folder; or the file is copied to the first-mentioned folder through copying manipulation. When viewed from a folder that is designated as the destination of the moving of a file, the moving of a file is nothing more than a variation of file addition. 
     &lt;4&gt; A new image file, a new text file, or any other new file is created on the information processing apparatus  10 ; and then, the newly-created file is added to the folder to be stored into the internal memory device  13  or the local storage device  31 . 
       FIG. 3  schematically illustrates an example of presentation of an added file when the file is added to “My Content” folder having a configuration illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     This example illustrates a case where a photograph file presented by the icon  77  is added to the “My Family” folder. 
     According to this example of file addition, as time information affixed to the added photograph file indicates “Feb. 1, 1981”, the icon  77  is displayed at the position Pj, that is, the position corresponding to “Feb. 1, 1981” in the area  7 . 
     2-3. Exemplary Case where there is not Sufficient Space for Presentation 
     When one folder contains two or more files whose affixed time information indicates dates that are close to each other, in some cases, it is possible that there is not enough space for presenting one of such files at the supposed display position in the presentation area of the presentation window display, that is, space for displaying the icon representing the file due to the presence of any other file/icon. 
     In such a case, the target file is presented in such a manner that it is superposed at a position where other file will be presented, or at a position where other file has already been presented. 
       FIG. 4  schematically illustrates an example thereof. This example shows a case where music files presented by the icons  48  and  49  are added to the “Music” folder in the “My Content” folder having a configuration illustrated in  FIG. 3 , respectively. 
     Herein, it is assumed that both of time information affixed to the music file presented by the icon  48  and time information affixed to the music file presented by the icon  43  indicate “May 15, 1980”. For this reason, the icon  48  is superposed on the icon  43  for display thereof. In such a case, it is preferable that the whole of or at least a part of the icon  43  is visible by making the icon  48  semitransparent, or shifting the icon  48  in an upward direction or in a downward direction with respect to the icon  43 . 
     On the other hand, it is assumed that time information affixed to the music file presented by the icon  49  indicates “May 1, 1981”, meaning that the icon  49  is supposed to be displayed between the icons  45  and  46 ; however, there is no sufficient space for displaying any more icon between the icons  45  and  46 . For this reason, the icon  49  is displayed in such a manner that its left end portion is superposed on the right end portion of the icon  45  to partially overlap therewith, whereas its right end portion is superposed on the left end portion of the icon  46  to partially overlap therewith. Also in this case, it is preferable that the icon  49  is configured to be semitransparent, or is shifted in an upward direction or in a downward direction with respect to the icons  45  and  46 . 
     As an alternative configuration, the target file may be presented at a peripheral position with respect to the position where other file has already been presented or at a peripheral position with respect to the position where other file will be presented if the area  4  has a sufficient size in a vertical direction. More specifically, for example, if the area  4  has a sufficient size in a vertical direction, it may be configured that the icon  48  is displayed above or below the position of the icon  43  in the area  4  without superposing the icon  48  on the icon  43 , or the icon  48  is displayed above or below the positions of the icons  45  and  46  in the area  4  without partially overlapping the icon  48  on the icons  45  and  46 . 
     It should be noted that the size of the icon and the dimension of the time axis  2  are assumed to be constant in this exemplary case; and it may be configured that user can arbitrarily select, for example, between a 2-year presentation mode where the length of time represented by the time axis  2  corresponds to 2 years as illustrated in  FIG. 4  or a 1-year presentation mode where the length of time represented by the time axis  2  corresponds to 1 year. 
     According to such a configuration, in the latter presentation mode, it is possible to display the icon  49  without overlapping it with the icons  45  and  46  because there is enough space for placing the icon  49  between the icons  45  and  46 . 
     2-4. Exemplary Case where no Time Information is Affixed 
     Although time information that indicates a presentation position is generally affixed to each file to be presented at the time of creation thereof, in some cases, it is possible that there is not any time information affixed to some kind of files such as an existing file, and so on. 
     When no time information is affixed to a target file that is to be presented, as a first solution, the information processing apparatus  10  issues an alert to user to the effect that no time information is affixed thereto or prompts user to input missing time information at the time of acquisition or presentation of the file. 
     More specifically, such an alert message or an input-prompt message is issued as a written message “Please enter your desired date on this file.” shown on the display  19 , or as a voice message of the same content that is outputted from the audio output unit  17 , thereby inviting the user to input day, month, and year. 
     Upon reception of user input of the missing date in accordance with the alert or the prompt request, the information processing apparatus  10  generates time information to affix the generated time information to the target file. If the user does not input the missing date, the following second approach is taken. 
     As the second solution, the information processing apparatus  10  presents the target file at a specially allocated area of the presentation window display at the time of execution of presentation. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , if no time information is affixed to a movie file that is to be presented in the area  5 , a part of the area  5  is designated as a specially allocated area  9  so that the icon  57  that indicates the movie file is displayed in the area  9 . 
     In such a presentation, it is preferable that a message “The presentation position of this file can not be identified.” is displayed in the area  9  so as to notify the above alert or prompt request to the user. 
     Upon reception of user input of the missing date on the target file, the information processing apparatus  10  generates time information so as to affix the generated time information to the target file, and then deletes the area  9  and displays the icon  57  at a time position that is indicated by the generated time information in the area  5 . 
     It should be noted that the area  9  as well as the icon  57  displayed in the area  9  continues to be displayed on a fixed position on the presentation window display  1 , meaning that it does not disappear, even when user performs scrolling through manipulation of the scroll buttons  8   a ,  8   b , and  8   c.    
     2-5. Information Presentation Processing 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an example of information presentation processing that is executed by the CPU  11  of the information processing apparatus  10  when the above-described information processing is implemented. 
     According to exemplary information presentation processing in this example, an overall processing routine is initiated so as to present one or more presentation target information (i.e. information that is to be presented), where, firstly, in step S 81 , one piece of presentation target information is selected. The order of selection may be arbitrary. 
     Next, at step S 82 , a decision is made to judge whether the above-described time information is affixed to the selected presentation target information or not. If it is judged that there is time information affixed thereto, the process moves on to step S 83 , where the presentation position of the selected presentation target information is determined based on the affixed time information, and the process goes to step S 85 . 
     On the other hand, if it is judged that no time information described above is affixed to the selected presentation target information, the process moves from the step S 82  to the step S 84  so as to set a specially allocated area on the presentation window display described above; and then, the process goes on to the step S 85 . 
     At the step S 85 , a decision is made to judge whether all of the presentation target information has been selected or not. If it is judged that the selection has not been completed yet and thus that there is any other presentation target information that remains to be selected, the process returns from the step S 85  to the step S 81  to select one of the remaining piece(s) of presentation target information; and the above-described processing executed at the steps S 82  (decision), S 83 , and S 84  are iterated on the additionally selected presentation target information. 
     On the other hand, if it is judged that all of the presentation target information has been selected, the process moves from the step S 85  on to step S 86 , where data for showing a presentation window display in which each icon that represents a corresponding one of the presentation target information is placed at time position that is indicated by time information affixed to the presentation target information or placed in the specially allocated area described above depending on the result of processing done at the step S 83  or at the step S 84 . Then, the generated data is stored in a display memory provided in the display processing unit  18 . Subsequently, the process goes to step S 87 , where a presentation window display, several examples of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 , is shown on the display  19  based on the display data. 
     2-6. Another Exemplary Mode of Information Presentation 
     According to the above examples illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 , information is presented while displaying a single presentation window display  1 , or in other words, only one time axis  2 . However, the present invention is not limited to such an exemplary embodiment. That is, the present invention may be configured so that a plurality of presentation window displays having length of time varying from one to another are shown concurrently, where the length of time is indicated by a predetermined dimension of the time axis shown on the display; and information to be presented is presented at least a part of or the whole of the respective presentation areas of the plurality of the presentation window displays. 
       FIG. 7  schematically illustrates an example of such a display. This example shows a case where three of presentation window displays,  1 A,  1 B, and  1 C, are shown on the display  19 . 
     The presentation window display  1 A is configured to have the time axis  2 A and the presentation area  3 A, where the time axis  2 A represents periods sectioned at intervals of ten years, such as, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The presentation window display  1 B is configured to have the time axis  2 B and the presentation area  3 B, where the time axis  2 B represents periods sectioned at intervals of one year, such as, years 1988, 1989, and 1990. Finally, the presentation window display  1 C is configured to have the time axis  2 C and the presentation area  3 C, where the time axis  2 C represents periods sectioned at intervals of one month, such as, September, October, and November of year 1989. 
     In such a configuration, if time information that is affixed to a target file to be presented indicates Oct. 15, 1989, as illustrated in the figure, the time axis  2 A shows 1980s, the time axis  2 B shows the year 1989, and the time axis  2 C shows October, 1989. In addition thereto, an icon(s) representing the target file is/are displayed as explained below. 
     According to a first approach, an icon  39 C that represents the target file is displayed only at the position corresponding to “Oct. 15, 1989” in the presentation area  3 C, meaning that no icon representing the target file is displayed in the presentation areas  3 A and  3 B. 
     According to a second approach, an icon  39 A, an icon  39 B, and the icon  39 C representing the target file are displayed at the position corresponding to “Oct. 15, 1989” in the presentation areas  3 A,  3 B, and  3 C, respectively. 
     As another alternative configuration, the icon may be displayed either in the presentation area  3 A or  3 B only. Alternatively, the icons may be displayed in any arbitrary two of these presentation areas. 
     It may be configured to allow user to arbitrary select either one of these approaches. As still another configuration, an icon that is displayed in a certain presentation area may be moved or copied to any other presentation area through manipulation by user after displaying of the icon. 
     Note that each of icons  37 A and  37 B shown in the presentation area  3 A denotes a file that has been acquired or created aforetime. 
     As for scrolling of the presentation window displays  1 A,  1 B, and  1 C, it is possible to adopt an automatic linked scroll method. More specifically, for example, if such an automatic linked scroll is employed, when user scrolls the window on the presentation window display  1 A in such a manner that the time axis  2 A shows 1990s, the presentation window displays  1 B and  1 C are also automatically scrolled in synchronization with the scrolling of the presentation area  1 A so that the time axis  2 B shows the year 1990, and that the time axis  2 C shows the January, 1990; and subsequently, if user scrolls the window on the presentation window display  1 B in such a manner that the time axis  2 B shows year 1997, the presentation window display  1 C is also automatically scrolled in synchronization with the scrolling of the presentation area  1 B so that the time axis  2 C shows the January, 1997. 
     2-7. Other Exemplary Embodiments of Information to be Presented and Presentation Thereof 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to present any audio content other than music, moving-picture content other than movie, still-picture content other than photograph, and other content such as game software, electronic book, and so on, in the same manner as explained in the above embodiment. In addition, the present invention is not restricted to presentation of content. That is, the invention enables factual information that simply indicates facts and events (text) to be presented in the same manner as explained in the above embodiment. In such a case, it is possible to display not an icon but information itself or a part thereof. Although icons are taken as an example of display images according to the above embodiment of the present invention, if content such as a CD, DVD, and so on, is accompanied by a sleeve photograph, the size-reduced image (i.e. thumbnail image) thereof may be used. 
     Moreover, as another example configuration, time information indicating day, month, and year of the last replay of music or movie (i.e. the last time when user listened to music or viewed movie) may be affixed thereto so that an icon thereof is presented at the last replay date; and subsequently, the time information is automatically updated when user played back the music or the movie so that the time position of presentation is also subjected to automatic update. With such a configuration, it is possible for the user to intuitively know the latest replay history of each piece of music and/or movie. 
     Depending on a type(s) of information to be presented, the time axis on a presentation window display may represent (a) centuries such as the nineteenth century, the twentieth century, the twenty first century, and so on, (b) periods sectioned at intervals of ten years, as represented by the time axis  2 A in  FIG. 7 , (c) periods sectioned at intervals of one calendar year, as represented by the time axis  2 B in  FIG. 7 , (d) periods sectioned at intervals of one month so as to display both months and years, as represented by the time axis  2 C in  FIG. 7 , (e) more exact time, for example, not only months and years but also days, hours, minutes, and seconds, or (f) any other concept arranged in the order of time. 
     An example of other concept arranged in the order of time represented by the time axis is the display of the ordinal session/competition number (or other ordinal number) and venue of events that are held periodically, for example, once in every four years, shown as, for example, “Host country of the 1st competition: France, Host country of the 2nd competition: England, Host country of the 3rd competition: Germany”. Another example of such other concept arranged in the order of time represented by the time axis includes, but not limited to, “the first frame, the second frame, the third frame, . . . ” that constitute a period sectioned into a plurality of frames, “the first sample, the second sample, the third sample, . . . ” that constitute a period sectioned into a plurality of samples, just to name a few. 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.