Information processing apparatus

An information processing apparatus includes a display unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The storage unit contains a plurality of content images to be displayed in a predetermined display order, and a plurality of sample images respectively corresponding to the plurality of content images. The control unit (i) acquires the content image from the storage unit and causes the display unit to display the content image on the screen, and (ii) acquires from the storage unit, upon deciding that a user has instructed to display the sample image, a predetermined number of sample images respectively corresponding to a predetermined number of content images subsequent in the display order to the content image currently displayed on the screen, and causes the display unit to display the sample images on a part of the screen.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-051719 filed on Mar. 19, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a portable information processing apparatus with a display unit, and more particularly to a technique to switch display contents on the display unit.

Techniques thus far developed, in relation to a display system for displaying a content, include utilizing a tilt sensor in a mobile phone terminal, to switch the display content on a display unit of an electronic paper, depending on the extent of the tilt. With such a display system, for example, when a tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor exceeds a predetermined level, a right-hand page is displayed when the display unit is tilted to the right, a left-hand page is displayed when the display unit is tilted to the left, a page a specified number of pages ahead is displayed when the display unit is tilted forward, and a page a specified number of pages behind is displayed when the display unit is tilted backward.

SUMMARY

The disclosure proposes further improvement of the foregoing technique.

In an aspect, the disclosure provides an information processing apparatus including a display unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The storage unit contains a plurality of content images to be displayed on a screen of the display unit in a predetermined display order, and a plurality of sample images respectively corresponding to the plurality of content images, and smaller in size than the content images. The control unit includes a processor, and acts as an instruction identifier and a controller, when the processor executes a control program. The instruction identifier identifies, when a user operates the display unit, a type of an instruction corresponding to the operation. The controller (i) acquires the content image from the storage unit and causes the display unit to display the content image on the screen, and (ii) acquires from the storage unit, when the instruction identifier decides that an instruction to display the sample image has been made, a predetermined number of sample images respectively corresponding to a predetermined number of content images subsequent in the display order to the content image currently displayed on the screen, and causes the display unit to display the sample images on a part of the screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereafter, an embodiment of the disclosure will be described, with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1is a plan view showing an appearance of an information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 2is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment.

The information processing apparatus10according to this embodiment is an identification (ID) card, for example a staff ID, and includes a control unit11, a display unit12, a storage unit13, a network (NW) communication unit14, an acceleration sensor16, and an angular speed sensor17. The mentioned elements are configured to transmit and receive data or signals to and from each other, via a bus.

The display unit12includes, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or an electronic paper.

The storage unit13is, for example, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) having a large capacity, and contains a plurality of content images to be displayed on the display unit12, and a plurality of sample images respectively corresponding to the plurality of content images, and smaller in size than the content images. Here, the content image refers to an image representing a content provided by, for example, a site on the World Wide Web.

The controller21may be configured to generate the sample image from the content image representing the content, with its image processing function, and causes the display unit12to display the sample image thus generated. The following description refers, however, to the case where the controller21causes the display unit12to display the sample image stored in the storage unit13.

The NW communication unit14is a communication interface including a communication module such as a non-illustrated local area network (LAN) chip. The NW communication unit14is connected to a server via a network such as a public telephone network, to perform data communication with the server. For example, the content transmitted from the server is received by the NW communication unit14, and stored in the storage unit13.

The acceleration sensor16, which is a known tri-axis acceleration sensor, detects acceleration in three directions, namely along an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis of the screen of the display unit12of the information processing apparatus10, and outputs detection signals XS, YS, and ZS respectively indicating the acceleration in the three directions. Because of being incorporated in the information processing apparatus10, the acceleration sensor16detects the acceleration in the three directions exerted on the information processing apparatus10.

The angular speed sensor17, which is a known angular speed sensor, detects the rotation speed of the information processing apparatus10about the Y-axis. In this embodiment, a pair of angular speed sensors17are provided. One of the angular speed sensors17detects the rotation of the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis, and outputs a detection signal HS indicating the rotation angle. The other angular speed sensor17detects the rotation of the screen of the display unit12about the X-axis, and outputs a detection signal VS indicating the rotation angle.

The control unit11includes a processor, a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and so forth. The processor is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processing unit (MPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or the like. The control unit11acts, when the processor executes a control program stored in the ROM or the storage unit13, as the controller21, a displacement detector22, an instruction identifier23, and a communication controller24. Here, the components of the control unit11cited above may each be constituted in the form of a hardware circuit, instead of being performed according to the program.

The controller21serves to control the overall operation including, as a primary task, controlling of the displaying operation of the display unit12. The communication controller24controls the communicating operation of the NW communication unit14.

The displacement detector22detects, upon receipt of the detection signals XS, YS, and ZS outputted from the acceleration sensor16, and the detection signals HS and VS outputted from the respective angular speed sensors17, the displacement direction and other data of the information processing apparatus10, on the basis of the detection signal.

For example, the displacement detector22detects, when the detection signal YS outputted from the acceleration sensor16is either higher than a predetermined threshold S or lower than a threshold −S, an upward or downward displacement of the information processing apparatus10, as shown inFIG. 3.

The displacement detector22detects gravity acceleration on the basis of the detection signals XS, YS, and ZS outputted from the acceleration sensor16, to acquire the direction of the gravity acceleration (vertical direction) V as shown inFIG. 4, and detects the direction of the X-axis of the screen of the display unit12with respect to the vertical direction V, as a reference direction Q. When the user tilts the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis thereof as shown inFIG. 4, the displacement detector22detects a tilt direction K and a tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis, with respect to the as shown inFIG. 4, on the basis of the detection signal HS from the angular speed sensor17. Further, the displacement detector22detects the tilt direction K and the tilt angle α of the rotation about the Y-axis, both in a forward direction and in a reverse direction.

Here, it is also possible to detect the tilt direction K and the tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12, on the basis of the detection signals XS, YS, and ZS outputted from the acceleration sensor16. Alternatively, a pendulum type or a float switch type tilt sensor may be employed in place of the acceleration sensor16, to detect the direction of the screen of the display unit12.

The instruction identifier23identifies the type of the instruction made about the display of the content image and the sample image on the screen of the display unit12, on the basis of the upward and downward displacement of the information processing apparatus10detected by the displacement detector22, and the tilt direction K and the tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis.

The controller21controls the display of the content image and the sample image on the screen of the display unit12, on the basis of the instruction identified by the instruction identifier23.

Hereunder, the control of controls the display of the content image and the sample image on the screen of the display unit12, based on the upward and downward displacement of the information processing apparatus10, and the tilt direction K and the tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis, will be described in detail.

FIG. 5illustrates a plurality of content images C1to C4stored in the storage unit13, and sample images Sa1to Sa4respectively corresponding to the content images C1to C4. The sample images Sa1to Sa4are reduced images (thumbnails) of the respective content images C1to C4. With respect to the content images C1to C4and the sample images Sa1to Sa4, a display order, according to which the images are to be displayed on the display unit12, is specified in advance. The display orders of the content images C1to C4and the sample images Sa1to Sa4are cyclically specified, so that transition from the last display order to the first display order, and transition from the first display order to the display order, are both possible.

FIG. 6is a flowchart showing a display control process of the content images and the sample images displayed on the screen of the display unit display unit12.

First, when the content image C1is displayed on the screen of the display unit12as shown inFIG. 7A(step S101), the displacement detector22stands by for an upward displacement of the information processing apparatus10(No at step S102). When the user swings the information processing apparatus10upward in this state, the displacement detector22detects the upward displacement of the information processing apparatus10(Yes at step S102). When the displacement detector22thus detects the upward displacement, the instruction identifier23decides that the user has made an instruction to display the sample image, on the basis of the upward displacement (step S103).

When it is decided that the instruction to display the sample image has been made, the controller21generates, according to the instruction, a reduced image of the content image C1and displays the entirety of the reduced content image C1on the upper side of the screen of the display unit12as shown inFIG. 7B. In addition, the controller21reads out, from the storage unit13, the sample images Sat, Sa3, and Sa4, respectively corresponding to a predetermined number of content images C2, C3, and C4subsequent to the content image C1in the display order, and causes the display unit12to display the sample images in a region A in the screen where the reduced content image C1is not displayed, in this embodiment the region A on the lower side of the reduced content image C1(step S104).

The displacement detector22also detects the direction of the X-axis of the screen of the display unit12with respect to the vertical direction V, as the reference direction Q, immediately after detecting the upward displacement of the information processing apparatus10(step S105).

When the content image C1and the sample images Sat, Sa3, and Sa4are displayed on the screen of the display unit12, and the X-axis of the screen of the display unit12with respect to the vertical direction V is detected as the reference direction Q as described above, the displacement detector22detects the tilt direction K and the tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12with respect to the reference direction Q, about the Y-axis in the forward or reverse direction, on the basis of the detection signal HS from the angular speed sensor17. The instruction identifier23then stands by for the detection of the downward displacement of the information processing apparatus10by the displacement detector22(step S106), or until the tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis in the forward or reverse direction, detected by the displacement detector22, exceeds a predetermined value (e.g., 10 degrees) (step S107).

In this state, for example when the user tilts the information processing apparatus10about the Y-axis of the screen of the display unit12in the forward direction, such that the tilt angle α of the screen of the display unit12about the Y-axis exceeds the predetermined value (No at step S106, Yes at step S107), the instruction identifier23decides that the user has instructed to switch the display of the content image and the sample images, on the basis of the fact that the tilt angle α has exceeded the predetermined value (step S108).

When it is decided that the instruction to switch the display of the content image and the sample images has been made, the controller21moves, according to the instruction, the sample images Sa2, Sa3, and Sa4displayed on the screen of the display unit12, from the higher side to the lower side along the tilt direction K of the screen detected as above. To be more detailed, the controller21erases the display of the sample image Sa2by moving the sample images from the higher side to the lower side along the tilt direction K of the screen. Then the controller21reads out the sample image Sa1, next in the display order, from the storage unit13, and displays the sample image Sa1at the highest position along the tilt direction K, with the sample images Sa4and Sa3displayed next to the sample image Sa1, from the higher side, as shown inFIG. 7BandFIG. 7C. Further, upon erasing the display of the sample image Sat at the lowest position along the tilt direction K of the screen of the display unit12, the controller21causes the display unit12to display the content image C2, corresponding to the sample image Sa2, in the region of the screen of the display unit12other than the region A (step S109). Then the operation returns to step S106.

In the case where the user still keeps the information processing apparatus10tilted about the Y-axis of the screen of the display unit12, so that the tilt angle α and the tilt direction K detected by the displacement detector22are maintained (No at step S106, Yes at step S107), the instruction identified by the instruction identifier23remains unchanged from the switching of the display of the sample images (step S108). Accordingly, the controller21erases the display of the sample image Sa4at the lowest position along the tilt direction K of the screen. Then the controller21reads out the sample image Sa3, next in the display order, from the storage unit13, and displays the sample image Sa3at the highest position along the tilt direction K, with the sample images Sat and Sa1displayed next to the sample image Sa3, from the higher side, for example as shown inFIG. 7DandFIG. 7E. Further, upon erasing the display of the sample image Sa4at the lowest position along the tilt direction K of the screen of the display unit12, the controller21causes the display unit12to display the content image C4, corresponding to the sample image Sa4, in the region of the screen of the display unit12other than the region A (step S109). Then the operation returns to step S106.

Thus, the predetermined number of sample images displayed on the screen of the display unit12are sequentially updated in the predetermined display order as shown inFIG. 7DandFIG. 7E, and the content image displayed on the screen is also updated.

Likewise, when the screen of the display unit12is tilted in the reverse direction about the Y-axis, the controller21erases the sample image by moving the same on the screen of the display unit12in the direction opposite to the forward direction (to the lower side along the tilt direction K). Then the controller21reads out the next sample image from the storage unit13in the reverse display order, and displays the sample image thus read out so as to appear from the higher side toward the lower side of the screen. Further, upon erasing the display of the sample image at the lowest position along the tilt direction K of the screen, the controller21causes the display unit12to display the content image corresponding to the sample image that has been erased, on the screen, as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 7G.

Thus, the predetermined number of sample images displayed on the screen of the display unit12are sequentially updated in the same display order as that of the content images. Therefore, the user can easily predict the content image to be displayed next, after the content image currently displayed on the screen.

When the user resets the screen of the display unit12of the information processing apparatus10to the generally horizontal posture, the tilt angle α about the Y-axis of the screen, detected by the displacement detector22, becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined value (No at step S107). Therefore, the instruction identifier23decides that the user has instructed to stop switching the display of the sample images (step S110).

When it is decided that the instruction to stop switching the display of the sample images has been made, the controller21stops, according to the instruction, moving the sample images on the screen of the display unit12, and maintains the current display of the content image (step S111). Then the operation returns to step S106.

At step S106, when the user swings the information processing apparatus10downward, so that the displacement detector22detects the downward displacement of the information processing apparatus10(Yes at step S106), the instruction identifier23decides, on the basis of the downward displacement, that the user has instructed to display only the content image (step S112).

When it is decided that the instruction to display only the content image has been made, the controller21returns to step S101according to the instruction, and erases the sample images thus far displayed on the screen of the display unit12, and leaves only the content image displayed over the entire region of the screen of the display unit12.

Here, when the display of a page is switched according to the tilt direction in an existing display system, the page to be displayed next is unable to be predicted, and therefore it is difficult to retrieve the desired page and have that page displayed on the screen.

With the arrangement according to this embodiment, in contrast, the display can be switched among different content images and sample images, simply by holding the information processing apparatus10and moving the same upward or downward, and maintaining the screen of the display unit12in the generally horizontal posture or tilting the same. In addition, since the predetermined number of sample images displayed on the screen of the display unit12are sequentially updated in the same display order as that of the content images, the user can easily predict the content image to be displayed next, after the content image currently displayed on the screen. Consequently, when sequentially displaying the content images, the user can predict the content image to be displayed next, and easily obtain the display of the desired content image.

In the foregoing embodiment, the content image is reduced on the screen of the display unit12, and the reduced content image is moved upward to thereby create a vacant space in the lower region of the screen, and display the predetermined number of sample images in the vacant space. Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 8A, the predetermined number of sample images may be displayed so as to overlap the display of the content image, in a part of the screen of the display unit12. Otherwise, as shown inFIG. 8B, the display of the content image may be shifted upward, so as to erase an upper portion of the content image, and the predetermined number of sample images may be displayed in a vacant space created in the lower region of the screen by shifting the content image upward screen. Further, the vacant space may be created in the upper region of the screen, to display the predetermined number of sample images in such vacant space.

Referring now toFIG. 5, the controller21may perform an image processing to crop an upper left corner portion of each of the content images C1to C4, and store the respective cropped images as sample images Sb1to Sb4. Then as shown inFIG. 9, a predetermined number of sample images out of the sample images Sb1to Sb4may be displayed in the region A of the screen of the display unit12. Without limitation to the upper left corner portion of the content image, a different portion of the content image may be cropped, to create the sample images.

Referring again toFIG. 5, the controller21may generate images respectively including the header information of the content images C1to C4, as sample images Sc1to Sc4, and a predetermined number of sample images out of the sample images Sc1to Sc4may be displayed in the region A of the screen of the display unit12, as shown inFIG. 10.

In the foregoing embodiment, the sample images are displayed on the screen of the display unit12when the user swings the information processing apparatus10upward, and the sample images are erased2when the user swings the information processing apparatus10downward. Alternatively, however, the controller21may display or erase the sample images according to a different operation performed by the user on the information processing apparatus10. For example, the controller21may display the sample images, when the user rotates the information processing apparatus10about the X-axis of the screen of the display unit12in a predetermined direction, so that the instruction identifier23accordingly decides that the user has instructed to display the sample image, and erase the sample images, when the user rotates the information processing apparatus10about the X-axis of the screen of the display unit12in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction, so that the instruction identifier23accordingly decides that the user has instructed to erase the sample image.

In the foregoing embodiment, likewise, the controller21updates the sample images by moving them on the screen of the display unit12, when the user tilts the information processing apparatus10about the Y-axis of the screen of the display unit12. Instead, however, the controller21may update the sample images one by one by moving the sample images in the direction in which the user has swung, each time the user swings the information processing apparatus10to the left or to the right, so that the instruction identifier23accordingly decides that the user has instructed to display the sample image.

Further, an operation key to instruct to display or erase the sample image, and an operation key to instruct to move or update the sample image may be provided on the information processing apparatus10, so that (i) each time the instruction to display the sample image is inputted by a press of the operation key, the controller21may display the sample image; (ii) each time the instruction to erase the sample image is inputted by a press of the operation key, the controller21may erase the display of the sample image; (iii) each time the instruction to move the sample image is inputted by a press of the operation key, the controller21may move the display position of the sample image; or (iv) each time the instruction to update the display of the sample image is inputted by a press of the operation key, the controller21may update the display of the sample image.

Further, the information processing apparatus according to the disclosure is applicable to different types of portable devices, without limitation to the IC card.

The configurations according to the foregoing embodiment, described with reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 10, are merely exemplary, and in no way intended to limit the disclosure to those configurations.