Abstract:
A display scrolling method includes the steps of displaying first and second windows on a display screen of a display; displaying first information in a predetermined order in the first window; displaying second information in a predetermined order in the second window; and scrolling the first and second information in synchronization with each other, wherein the resolution of the scrolling of at least one of the first and second information is set at a magnitude corresponding to the unit of the classification of the information.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2006-230392 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Aug. 28, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a display scrolling method and a display program. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As personal computers have become popular, opportunities of managing or storing various kinds of data files, for example, a data file of images captured using a digital camera, a data file of downloaded pieces of music or movie, and a data file of a blog, have increased. 
         [0006]    As a method of selecting a target data file from among stored data files, a method of using size-reduced thumbnail images (hereinafter, referred to simply as “thumbnails”) is known. That is, for example, in the case of a data file of images captured using a digital camera, thumbnails of images are created, and these thumbnails are displayed in a list. Then, if the thumbnail of the target image is found, the thumbnail is clicked. Then, the data file of the target image is selected, and the image is displayed at its original size and state on a display. 
         [0007]    In the case of pieces of music, thumbnails of jacket images of pieces of music are displayed in a list. Then, when one of the thumbnails is clicked, the data file of the corresponding piece of music is selected, and the reproduction of the piece of music is started. 
         [0008]    However, as the number of data files (the number of files) increases, the number of thumbnails is also increased in proportion. Therefore, there is a need for a method of displaying the thumbnails. Accordingly, as display methods, the following methods have been considered:
   (1) A method in which thumbnails are displayed chronologically, and the resolution (scale) of a time axis is made variable.   (2) A method in which thumbnails are displayed in two time axes having different resolutions.   
 
         [0011]    In the method (1), the time-related resolution (time interval) of thumbnails is changed to, for example, day, month, or year by reducing the number of thumbnails to be displayed similarly to the case in which, for example, when the scale of a map is changed when the map is to be displayed, the entirety is displayed or a part thereof is enlarged and displayed. 
         [0012]    According to the method (1), by changing the resolution of the time axis as desired, it is possible to view the entirety at a glance or to view areas of particular interest in detail. 
         [0013]    On the other hand, the method (2) is, for example, a method shown in  FIG. 9 . That is,  FIG. 9  shows a case in which data files of pieces of music and the thumbnails thereof are managed using a personal computer. A reference numeral  10  denotes a display screen (display area) of a display of the personal computer. On the display screen  10 , windows  11 A and  11 B having a horizontally long rectangular shape are displayed in two areas in the vertical direction. 
         [0014]    In the window  11 A of the upper area, thumbnails  12 A of jacket images of pieces of music are displayed chronologically by year. That is, the thumbnails  12 A are thumbnails of the jacket images of the best selling pieces of music among the pieces of music that were sold in corresponding years, and the thumbnails are displayed in the window  11 A in such a manner as to be arranged in one horizontal line in chronological order of year in which they were sold. Above each of the thumbnails  12 A, the “year” in which the piece of music corresponding to the thumbnail  12 A was sold is displayed using a numeral  13 A. Furthermore, in the lower area of the window  11 A, a scroll bar  14 A is displayed, and on both the left and right sides, scroll buttons  15 A are displayed. 
         [0015]    Similarly, in the window  11 B of the lower area, thumbnails  12 B of jacket images of pieces of music are displayed chronologically by month. In this case, the thumbnails  12 B are thumbnails of the jacket images of the best selling pieces of music among the pieces of music sold in corresponding months, and these thumbnails are displayed in the window  11 B in such a manner as to be arranged in one horizontal line in chronological order of month in which they were sold. The thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months continue to the following year. That is, a thumbnail of December in a certain year is to the left of the thumbnail of January of the next year. In other words, a thumbnail of January of the next year is to the right of a thumbnail of December of the previous year. 
         [0016]    Above each of the thumbnails  12 B, “year month” in which the piece of music of the thumbnail  12 B was sold is displayed using a numeral  13 B. Furthermore, in the lower area of the window  11 B, a scroll bar  14 B is displayed, and scroll buttons  15 B are displayed on both the right and left sides. 
         [0017]    When the scroll bar  14 A is dragged (moved) using a mouse (not shown) to the left or to the right, or when one of the scroll buttons  15 A is depressed, the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are continuously moved to the left or to the right. Therefore, when the scroll bar  14 A or the scroll button  15 A is operated, it is possible to display the thumbnail  12 A of any year in the window  11 A. 
         [0018]    Similarly, when the scroll bar  14 B or the scroll button  15 B is operated, the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are continuously moved to the left or to the right, so that the thumbnail  12 B of any month can be displayed in the window  11 B. 
         [0019]    However, in this case, when the thumbnails  12 A or  12 B are moved by operating the scroll bars  14 A and  14 B or the scroll buttons  15 A and  15 B in the manner described above, as is also shown in  FIG. 11 , it is assumed that the thumbnails  12 A and the thumbnails  12 B are moved in a linearly synchronous manner. 
         [0020]    That is, as is also shown in  FIG. 10 , when the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are continuously moved by operating the upper scroll bar  14 A or the upper scroll button  15 A, the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are continuously moved in a linearly synchronous manner with the movement of the upper scroll bar  14 A or the upper scroll button  15 A. The movement of the thumbnails  12 B is in the same direction as that of the thumbnails  12 A and is set at a scrolling rate 12 times that of the thumbnails  12 A. 
         [0021]    Conversely, when the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are continuously moved by operating the lower scroll bar  14 B or the lower scroll button  15 B, the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are linearly and continuously moved in a synchronous manner with the movement of the lower scroll bar  14 B or the lower scroll button  15 B. The movement of the thumbnails  12 A is in the same direction as that of the thumbnails  12 B and is set at a scrolling rate 1/12 that of the thumbnails  12 B. 
         [0022]    That is, as is also shown in  FIG. 11 , the thumbnails  12 A and the thumbnails  12 B have different resolutions of a time axis, but move at the same speed with respect to time. For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , when the thumbnail  12 B of June 1999 is positioned in the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnail  12 A of 1999 is positioned slightly to the left of the center of the window  11 A. That is, when the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B are to be displayed, synchronization is achieved so that a phase difference does not occur between the display position of the thumbnail  12 A and the display position of the thumbnail  12 B. 
         [0023]    In the method (2), since the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B are displayed simultaneously arranged in the two time axes having different resolutions, viewing of the entirety at a glance and detailed comparison of information are easy. Furthermore, when one of the windows  11 A and  11 B is scrolled, the other is scrolled in a synchronous manner. Therefore, there is no need to scroll each of the two windows  11 A and  11 B individually, and operation time and effort can be reduced. Furthermore, if the resolutions of the time axes of the windows  12 A and  12 B are made equal to each other and are not synchronously moved, it is possible to compare the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B with each other. 
         [0024]    As a reference document of the related art, for example, there is Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-75473. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    However, in the case of the method (1), the resolution needs to be switched according to the situation, and therefore, the operation becomes complicated. Furthermore, even if a comparison is performed to determine which one of the two thumbnails is a target, this is not possible. Furthermore, since the thumbnails, the number of which is reduced, are displayed only when the time axis is expanded, whether or not the thumbnails have been reduced in number is not known unless the resolution is changed. 
         [0026]    In the case of the method (2), the window  11 A and the window  11 B move in a linearly synchronous manner with their respective time-related resolutions. Therefore, the method may be inappropriate depending on display content. 
         [0027]    For example, when the thumbnail  12 B is scrolled from the state shown in  FIG. 9  to the position at which December 1999 is in the center as shown in  FIG. 10 , the thumbnail  12 A is scrolled to the position at which the portion between 1999 and 2000 is in the center. Then, when the thumbnail  12 B is scrolled to the position at which January 2000 is in the center, the thumbnail  12 A is scrolled slightly to the left from the position at which the portion between 1999 and 2000 is in the center. 
         [0028]    For this reason, in the window  11 B, regardless of the fact that the thumbnail  12 B being browsed is changed from one for 1999 to one for 2000, the display of the thumbnail  12 A does not change much. By only viewing the window  11 A, it is difficult to instantly understand whether the thumbnail  12 A for 1999 is in the center or the thumbnail  12 B for 2000 is in the center, thereby causing confusion. 
         [0029]    It is desirable to solve the above-described problems. 
         [0030]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a display scrolling method including the steps of: displaying first and second windows on a display screen of a display; displaying first information in a predetermined order in the first window; displaying second information in a predetermined order in the second window; and scrolling the first and second information in synchronization with each other, wherein the resolution of the scrolling of at least one of the first and second information is set at a magnitude corresponding to the unit of the classification of the information. 
         [0031]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, in two windows that are scrolled synchronously, when thumbnails of the window of a synchronously moving origin are scrolled, thumbnails of the window of a synchronously moving follower are scrolled in units of the display. Therefore, the correspondence between thumbnails of the synchronously moving origins and thumbnails of the synchronously moving follower is easy to understand, and it is possible to instantly understand the correspondence between two thumbnails. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows an example of a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2  shows an example of changes in a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 3  shows an example of changes in a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of operation according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 5  is a system diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing another example of a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram showing another example of a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0041]      FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0042]      FIG. 11  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     [1] Example of Display  
       [0043]      FIG. 1  shows an example of a display according to an embodiment of the present invention. Similarly to the case in  FIG. 9 , this example shows a case in which data files of pieces of music and thumbnails of the pieces of music are managed using a personal computer, and thumbnails are used for jacket images of CDs of pieces of music. In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  10  denotes a display screen (display area) in a display of the personal computer, and this example shows a case in which the entire area of the display screen  10  is used. 
         [0044]    On the display screen  10 , windows  11 A and  11 B having a horizontally long rectangular shape are displayed in such a manner as to be arranged in two areas in the vertical direction. In the window  11 A of the upper area, thumbnails  12 A of jacket images of pieces of music are displayed chronologically by year. That is, the thumbnails  12 A are thumbnails of jackets of the best selling pieces of music in that year among the pieces of music sold in corresponding years, and these are displayed in such a manner as to be arranged in one horizontal line in the window  11 A in chronological order of year in which they were sold. In the upper area of each of the thumbnails  12 A, the “year” in which the piece of music of the thumbnail  12 A was sold is displayed using a numeral  13 A. Furthermore, in the lower area of the window  11 A, a scroll bar  14 A is displayed, and on both the left and right sides, scroll buttons  15 A are displayed. 
         [0045]    Similarly, in the window  11 B of the lower area, thumbnails  12 B of jacket images of pieces of music are displayed chronologically by month. In this case, each of the thumbnails  12 B is a thumbnail of a jacket image of a piece of music that was the best selling piece of music in that month among the pieces of music sold in corresponding months, and the thumbnails are displayed in the window  11 B in such a manner as to be arranged in one horizontal line in chronological order of month in which they were sold. The thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months continue to the following year. That is, a thumbnail of December in a certain year is to the left of the thumbnail of January of the next year. In other words, a thumbnail of January of a certain year is to the right of a thumbnail of December of the previous year. 
         [0046]    Above each of the thumbnails  12 B, “year month” in which the piece of music of the thumbnail  12 B was sold is displayed using a numeral  13 B. Furthermore, in the lower portion of the window  11 B, a scroll bar  14 B is displayed, and scroll buttons  15 B are displayed on both the right and left sides. 
         [0047]    When the scroll bar  14 A is dragged (moved) using a mouse (not shown) to the left or to the right, or when one of the scroll buttons  15 A is depressed, the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are continuously moved to the left or to the right. Therefore, when the scroll bar  14 A or the scroll button  15 A is operated, it is possible to display the thumbnail  12 A of any year in the window  11 A. 
         [0048]    Similarly, when the scroll bar  14 B or the scroll button  15 B is operated, the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are continuously moved to the left or to the right, so that the thumbnail  12 B of any month can be displayed in the window  11 B. 
         [0049]    Up to this point, the display method is the same as the display method illustrated in  FIG. 9 . In particular, in an embodiment of the present invention, the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B are synchronously moved in a non-linear manner as described below. In the following description, “a state in which the thumbnail  12 B (or  12 A) is being displayed in the window  11 B (or  11 A)” is assumed to include a state in which at least a portion of the thumbnail  12 B is positioned in the center of the window  11 B. 
         [0050]    That is, for example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in a state in which a thumbnail of June 1999 as the thumbnail  12 B for the corresponding month is displayed in the center of the window  11 B, it is assumed that the scroll bar  14 B or the scroll button  15 B is operated to continuously scroll the thumbnails  12 B, for example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a thumbnail of December 1999 as the thumbnail  12 B is displayed in the center of the window  11 B. 
         [0051]    However, even if the thumbnail  12 B is placed in this display state, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are not scrolled, and the thumbnail of 1999 is maintained to be positioned in the center of the window  11 A similarly to the state of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0052]    Furthermore, it is assumed that the scroll bar  14 B or the scroll button  15 B is operated to continuously scroll the thumbnails  12 B and, for example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a thumbnail of January 2000 as the thumbnail  12 B is displayed in the center of the window  11 B. Then, in this case, as is also shown in  FIG. 3 , the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are scrolled by an amount corresponding to one frame, and a thumbnail of 2000 is displayed in the center of the window  11 A. 
         [0053]    Even if the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled in the direction of time passage hereafter in a similar manner, in a state in which the thumbnails  12 B of January to December of 2000 are being displayed in the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnail of 2000 as the thumbnail  12 A for the corresponding year is maintained to be displayed in the center of the window  11 A. Then, when a thumbnail of January 2001 as the thumbnail  12 B is scrolled to the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled by an amount corresponding to one frame, and the thumbnail of 2001 is displayed in the center of the window  11 A. 
         [0054]    Conversely, for example, when the thumbnails  12 B are continuously scrolled from the display state of  FIG. 3 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the thumbnail of December 1999 as the thumbnail  12 B is displayed in the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are scrolled, and the thumbnail of 1999 is displayed in the center of the window  11 A. 
         [0055]    Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , also, when the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled so as to display the thumbnail of January 1999 in the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnail  12 A is maintained as is displayed, and the thumbnail of 1999 is maintained to be displayed in the center of the window  11 A. 
         [0056]    Even if the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled in a direction reverse to the direction of time passage, in a state in which the thumbnails  12 B of December 1999 to January 2000 are displayed in the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnail of 1999 as the thumbnail  12 A for the corresponding year is maintained to be displayed in the center of the window  11 A. Next, when the thumbnail of December 1998 as the thumbnail  12 B is scrolled to the center of the window  11 B, the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled by an amount corresponding to one frame, and the thumbnail of 1998 is displayed in the center of the window  11 A. 
         [0057]    That is, when the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled, as is also shown in  FIG. 4 , in a state in which the thumbnail  12 B of year N month n (N is a numeral indicating year, n is a numeral indicating month, which is one of 1 to 12) is displayed in the center of the window  11 B, even if the thumbnail  12 B is of any month, the thumbnail  12 A of year N is displayed in the center of the window  11 A. Therefore, even if the thumbnails  12 B are continuously scrolled, the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in a step-like manner. 
         [0058]    On the other hand, in the display state of  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2 , it is assumed that the scroll bar  14 A or the scroll button  15 A is operated to scroll the thumbnails  12 A in the direction of time passage, so that, for example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the thumbnail  12 A of 2000 is displayed in the center of the window  11 A. Then, as is also shown in  FIG. 3 , the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are scrolled, and the thumbnail  12 B of January 2000 is displayed in the center of the window  11 B. 
         [0059]    When the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in the direction of time passage hereafter in a similar manner and the thumbnails  12 A from year (N−1) to year N are displayed in the center of the window  11 A, the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled in the direction of time passage, and the thumbnail  12 B of January year N is displayed in the center of the window  11 B. 
         [0060]    Conversely, when the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in a direction reverse to the direction of time passage and thumbnails  12 A from year (N+1) to year N are displayed in the center of the window  11 A, the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled in a direction reverse to the direction of time passage, and the thumbnail  12 B of December year N is displayed in the center of the window  11 B. 
         [0061]    As in the foregoing description, in the above-described scrolling display, the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years and the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are scrolled in a synchronous manner. As is also shown in  FIG. 4 , even if the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are continuously scrolled, the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years are scrolled in a step-like manner in units of year. 
         [0062]    Therefore, the correspondence between thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years and thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months is easy to understand. Furthermore, since thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years and thumbnail  12 Bs for corresponding months are displayed at the same time, the entirety can be viewed at a glance and also, a part thereof can be viewed in detail. 
       [2] Description of Hardware and Software  
       [0063]    A description will be given here of hardware and software for implementing the above-described scrolling. 
       [2-1] Example of Hardware  
       [0064]    In  FIG. 5 , a reference numeral  100  denotes an example of a personal computer to which the present invention is applied. The personal computer  100  is configured similar to a typical personal computer, and includes a CPU  101 , a ROM  102 , and a RAM  103 . 
         [0065]    In this case, the CPU  101  executes various kinds of programs. A BIOS executed by the CPU  101  and basic data have been written into the ROM  102 . The RAM  102  serves as a work area when the CPU  101  executes a program, and the memories  102  and  103  are connected to the CPU  101  via a system bus  111 . 
         [0066]    Furthermore, a hard disk device  104  as a large-capacity storage is connected to the system bus  111 . In this case, an OS for allowing the personal computer  100  to function, and a program for the implementation of the display of thumbnails, which is described with reference to [1], have been stored in the hard disk device  104 . Furthermore, digital audio data to be reproduced as pieces of music, and image data with which jacket images of pieces of music are to be displayed as the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B have been stored in the hard disk device  104 . 
         [0067]    A communication interface circuit  105  is connected to the system bus  111 , and the personal computer  100  is connected to an external network  131  via a communication interface circuit  105 . A home server, a NAS, an external server, or a host network, and the like, which are not shown in  FIG. 5 , are connection to the network  131 . 
         [0068]    Furthermore, an audio reproduction circuit  106  and a display control circuit  107  are provided in the personal computer  100 , and these components are also connected to the system bus  111 . When digital audio data is supplied to the audio reproduction circuit  106 , the audio reproduction circuit  106  converts the digital audio data into an analog audio signal and supplies the analog audio signal to speakers  121 L and  121 R. 
         [0069]    The display control circuit  107  includes a video RAM (not shown). When display data is supplied to the video RAM, the display control circuit  107  repeatedly reads the display data at a predetermined periodic frequency, converts the display data into a video signal, and supplies the video signal to a display  122 , whereby an image is displayed. Furthermore, a keyboard  108  and a mouse  109  as character input means and pointing devices are connected to the system bus  111 . 
       [2-2] Example of Software  
       [0070]      FIG. 6  shows an example of a routine for scrolling thumbnails  12 A and thumbnails  12 B in synchronization with each other in a step-like manner, as described with reference to [1]. In the following, a case is described in which, when the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled using the mouse  109 , the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in synchronization with each other in a step-like manner. That is, the following is assumed:
       the synchronously moving origins: the window  11 B and the thumbnails  12 B   the synchronously moving followers: the window  11 A and the thumbnails  12 A.         
         [0073]    A routine  200  is provided in the hard disk device  104 , and is loaded into the RAM  103  and executed by the CPU  101 . In  FIG. 6 , for the routine  200 , only the portions related to an embodiment of the present invention are extracted and shown. A case is shown in which a user performs necessary operations using the mouse  109 . 
         [0074]    That is, when the execution of the routine  200  is instructed, the processing of the CPU  101  starts from step  201  of the routine  200 . Next, in step  202 , initialization is performed. The initialization includes the following processing. Predetermined image data is read from the hard disk device  104  and is supplied to the display control circuit  107 , and the windows  11 A and  11 B are displayed on the display  122 . Also, for example, the image data of the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B stored in the hard disk device  104  are read and supplied to the display control circuit  107 . As a result, the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B are displayed on a display  122  in the order of year and month, as shown in, for example,  FIG. 1 . 
         [0075]    Next, in step  211 , waiting for the left button of the mouse  109  to be depressed is done. When the left button of the mouse  109  is depressed, the process proceeds from step  211  to step  212 , where the coordinates of the mouse pointer at this time are obtained. Next, it is determined in step  213  whether or not the mouse pointer, the coordinates of the mouse pointer being is obtained in step  212 , is positioned within the scroll bar  14 A or  14 B. In this case, since the synchronously moving origins are the window  11 B and the thumbnails  12 B, the mouse pointer is positioned within the scroll bar  14 B. 
         [0076]    When the mouse pointer is positioned within the scroll bar  14 B, the process proceeds from step  213  to step  221 . In step  221 , at this time, a thumbnail  12 B 1  (at least a portion thereof is positioned in the center of the window  11 B) displayed in the center of the window  11 B among the thumbnails  12 B of the synchronously moving origin is determined. Next, it is determined in step  222  whether or not the scroll bar  14 B has been moved (dragged) through the operation of the mouse. 
         [0077]    Then, when the scroll bar  14 B has been moved, the process proceeds from step  222  to step  223 . In step  223 , the thumbnails  12 B that are the synchronously moving origins are scrolled in such a manner as to correspond to the movement direction and the amount of movement of the scroll bar  14 B. In step  224 , a thumbnail  12 B 2  (at least a portion thereof is positioned in the center of the window  11 B) displayed in the center of the window  11 B among the scrolled thumbnails  12 B is determined. 
         [0078]    Next, in step  225 , it is determined whether or not the year of the thumbnail  12 B 1  determined to be positioned in the center in step  221  is the same as the year of the thumbnail  12 B 2  determined to be positioned in the center in step  224 . When they are of different years, the process proceeds from step  225  to step  226 . In step  226 , the thumbnails  12 A of the window  11 A are scrolled by an amount corresponding to one year in the same direction as that of the thumbnails  12 B, that is, by an amount corresponding to one frame. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step  227 . 
         [0079]    When it is determined in step  225  that the thumbnail  12 B 1  and the thumbnail  12 B 2  are of the same year, the process proceeds from step  225  to step  227 , and the thumbnails  12 A are not scrolled at this time. 
         [0080]    Therefore, when the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled, in the case that the year of the thumbnail  12 B positioned in the center of the window  11 B changes, the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled by an amount corresponding to one year. When the year does not change even if the month of the thumbnail  12 B changes, the thumbnails  12 A are not scrolled. That is, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the thumbnails  12 B and  12 A are synchronously moved in a step-like manner. 
         [0081]    Then, it is determined in step  227  whether or not the left button of the mouse  109  has been maintained depressed. When it has been maintained depressed, the process returns from step  227  to step  221 . Therefore, when the movement of the scroll bar  14 B is continued using the mouse  109 , the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled in response. Also, when the thumbnail  12 B becomes a thumbnail of the next year or the previous year, the thumbnail  12 A changes to a thumbnail after one year or before one year. 
         [0082]    When it is determined in step  227  that the left button of the mouse  109  has not been depressed, the process returns from step  227  to step  211 , where waiting for the left button of the mouse  109  to be depressed next is done. When it is determined in step  222  that the scroll bar  14 B has not been moved, the process also returns from step  222  to step  211 . 
         [0083]    On the other hand, when the position of the mouse pointer, which is obtained in step  212 , is determined in step  213 , in the case that the mouse pointer is not positioned in the scroll bar  14 B, the process proceeds from step  213  to step  231 . In step  231 , it is determined whether or not the mouse pointer is positioned in the thumbnail  12 A or  12 B. 
         [0084]    When the mouse pointer is positioned in the thumbnail  12 A or  12 B, the process proceeds from step  231  to step  232 . In step  232 , digital audio data of the piece of music corresponding to the thumbnail at which the mouse pointer is positioned is read from the hard disk device  104 , the read digital audio data signal is supplied to the reproduction circuit  106 , whereby the digital audio data is D/A-converted into an analog audio signal, and the signal is supplied to the speakers  121 L and  121 R. 
         [0085]    Therefore, when the reproduction of the thumbnails  12 A or  12 B displayed in the window  11 A or  11 B is instructed, the piece of music displayed as the thumbnail can be reproduced. When the reproduction of the piece of music is completed, in the case of the routine  200  of  FIG. 6 , the process of the CPU  101  returns from step  232  to step  211 , and waiting for a next operation is done. 
         [0086]    When it is determined in step  231  that the mouse pointer is not positioned in the thumbnail  12 A or  12 B, the process proceeds from step  231  to step  241 . In step  241 , processing corresponding to the position of the mouse pointer, for example, a completion process, is performed. 
         [0087]    When the synchronously moving origin and the synchronously moving follower are reverse, that is, when the synchronously moving origins are the window  11 A and thumbnails  12 A and the synchronously moving followers are the window  11 B and thumbnails  12 B, step  226  in the routine  200  is changed. When the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in the direction of time passage, the thumbnail of January of the year after change is displayed as the thumbnail  12 B in the center. When the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in a direction reverse to the direction of time passage, the thumbnail of December of the year after change may be displayed as the thumbnail  12 B in the center. 
       [3] Other Examples of Display  
     [3-1] Example 1 
       [0088]    In an example shown in  FIG. 7 , a case is shown in which different items are displayed in synchronization between the window  11 A and the window  11 B. That is, in the window  11 A, thumbnails  12 A indicating important news for corresponding years are displayed in the order of year, and in the window  11 B, thumbnails  12 B of jacket images of the best selling pieces of music for corresponding years are displayed chronologically by year in which they were sold. In this example, the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B are displayed in such a manner that those of the same year are arranged vertically (in such a manner that the phase does not deviate). 
         [0089]    Similarly to the case [1], when the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled, the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled in units of year in a synchronous manner in the same direction and at the same scrolling rate as those of the thumbnail  12 B. Conversely, when the thumbnails  12 A are scrolled, the thumbnails  12 B are scrolled in units of year in a synchronous manner in the same direction and at the same scrolling rate as those of the thumbnail  12 A. 
         [0090]    When one of the thumbnails  12 A is clicked, the details of the important news of the thumbnail  12 A are displayed in the entire area of the display screen  10 . When one of the thumbnails  12 B is clicked, the piece of music of the thumbnail  12 B is reproduced. 
         [0091]    Therefore, it is possible to search for the thumbnail  12 B of the target piece of music by using the thumbnails  12 A displayed in the window  11 A as a hint. Conversely, it is possible to know events of the year by using the thumbnail  12 B that is the best selling piece of music as a hint. 
         [0092]    Since the age information is transferred between the windows  11 A and  11 B, it is not necessary to match the first (start year) thumbnail with the final (end year) thumbnail between the thumbnails  12 A in the window  11 A and the thumbnails  12 B in the window  11 B. For example, the thumbnail  12 B corresponding to the thumbnail  12 A of a certain year may not exist. In that case, the portion corresponding to the thumbnail  12 B may be set to be blank. 
         [0093]    In this example, the resolutions of the thumbnail  12 A and the thumbnail  12 B are the same in units of year. However, even when the resolutions are in units of different periods of time, processing is possible similarly to the case [1]. 
       [3-2] Example 2 
       [0094]    In an example shown in  FIG. 8 , a case is shown in which the thumbnails  12 A of the best selling pieces of music for corresponding years are displayed in the window  11 A, and in the window  11 B, articles (information) that introduce events in the year indicated by the thumbnail  12 A positioned in the center of the window  11 A are displayed as the thumbnails  12 B. 
         [0095]    In the manner described above, the thumbnails  12 B of the window  11 B to which information is to be transferred does not necessarily need to be chronologically arranged information, and processing corresponding to the transferred age may be processing differing from a scrolling process. 
       [4] SUMMARY  
       [0096]    According to the above-described scrolling method, in two windows  11 A and  11 B that are synchronously moved, when the thumbnails of the synchronously moving origin are scrolled, the scrolling result is transferred in units of the display of the thumbnails of the synchronously moving followers, and therefore, the thumbnails of the synchronously moving followers are scrolled in units of the display. Therefore, for example, as are also shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the correspondence between thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years and thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are easy to understand. It is possible to instantly know the correspondence between the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B of the two windows  11 A and  11 B. 
         [0097]    For example, since the thumbnails  12 A for corresponding years and the thumbnails  12 B for corresponding months are displayed at the same time, the entirety can be viewed at a glance and also, a part thereof can be viewed in detail. Furthermore, for example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , there is no need to achieve matching of the start point and the end point of data between the window of the synchronously moving origin and the window of the synchronously moving follower. For the processing of the window of the synchronously moving follower, in addition to scrolling, processing corresponding to the transferred information can be performed. 
         [0098]    In the foregoing description, a case has been described in which the thumbnails  12 A of the window  11 A and the thumbnail  12 B of the window  11 B are used for jacket images of CDs. The thumbnails can also be thumbnails of chronological tables, covers of books, various kinds of materials, private photographs, still images, moving images, content such as pieces of music that can be downloaded via the network  131 , and the like. In those cases, when the target thumbnail  12 A or  12 B is clicked, it is also possible to display the content (main body) that provides the thumbnails at its original size and download it. 
         [0099]    Furthermore, in the foregoing description, the scrolling direction of the windows  11 A and  11 B is along a time axis. For example, in an address book, thumbnails  12 A of letters of the alphabet indicating beginning letters of names can also be displayed in the window  11 A. In the window  11 B, names, photographs, and the like of persons with the letter beginnings of the thumbnails positioned in the center of the window  11 A can also be displayed, and the content of the windows  11 A and  11 B can also be scrolled as described in [1]. 
         [0100]    That is, displays may be performed in the following manner.
   (A) The thumbnails  12 A of items (for example, year N) classified in terms of wide classification are displayed in a predetermined order in the window  11 A.   (B) The thumbnails  12 B of items (for example, month n) classified in terms of narrow classification are displayed in a predetermined order in the window  11 B.   (C) The display of the thumbnails  12 A and  12 B is set to be scrollable.   (D) When items (year N month n) in terms of narrow classification corresponding to the thumbnail  12 B positioned in the center of the window  11 B are contained in certain items (year N) in terms of wide classification, the thumbnails  12 A of the items (year N) in terms of wide classification are typically displayed in the center of the window  11 A.   
 
         [0105]    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.