Abstract:
A display control method, content data reproduction apparatus, and program for displaying a search screen of content data to which attribute items are assigned for each of a plurality of attributes, which receive as input a display instruction of a search screen displayed in a hierarchy based on the plurality of attributes and display a search screen corresponding to the input display instruction by linking the attribute items assigned to the attributes linked with the search screen and number data indicating the number of the content data to which the attribute items are assigned.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-168104 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Jun. 8, 2005, the entire content of which being incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a display control method, content data reproduction apparatus, and program for displaying a reproduction screen of content data.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In recent years, the increase in storage capacity of recording media and the advances in technology for compression of music, movies, and still images, an enormous number of track data can be stored in the recording media of mobile audio players. Such mobile audio players are provided with liquid crystal displays etc., but these have limited display space, so search screens may be displayed for enabling users to efficiently search for the track data to be played back from among the enormous track data. In conventional mobile audio players, for example, the search screens are displayed based on attribute items such as the artists, albums, and genres previously assigned to the track data. As an example of specific related art, there is Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2001-76415.  
         [0006]     In the above mobile audio players, however, it is not possible to determine how many track data are assigned to an attribute item until when for example selecting the attribute item displayed on the search screen and displaying the next search screen. The same is true in a player reproduction video data and other content data besides track data.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In the present invention, it is therefore desirable to provide a display control method, content data reproduction apparatus, and program enabling efficient searching of content data to which attribute items are assigned for each of the plurality of attributes.  
         [0008]     According to the present invention, there are provided a display control method, content data reproduction apparatus, and program for displaying a search screen of content data to which attribute items are assigned for each of a plurality of attributes, which receive as input a display instruction of a search screen displayed in a hierarchy based on the plurality of attributes and display a search screen corresponding to the input display instruction by linking the attribute items assigned to the attributes linked with the search screen and number data indicating the number of the content data to which the attribute items are assigned.  
         [0009]     According to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data control method including receiving a display instruction signal of a search screen to display a search screen of content data in accordance with that signal and displaying, on a display, attribute item data and number data indicating the number of the content data to which the attribute item data are assigned linked together.  
         [0010]     Preferably, the display control method further includes confirming communication of content data, updating management data for managing the number data based on the attribute item data assigned to the content data when confirming communication of the content data, and displaying number data indicating the number of content data to which the attribute item data is assigned based on the updated management data.  
         [0011]     More preferably, the display control method further includes updating change data indicating a change of the number data based on the attribute item data assigned to the content data when confirming communication of the content data and displaying the change data on the display.  
         [0012]     Preferably, the display control method further includes generating non-input contents designation data indicating attribute items of content data for which input is to be refused and inputting, from an external device, content data to which attribute items are assigned other than attribute items shown by the non-input contents designation data.  
         [0013]     According to a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a content data reproduction apparatus including a display part displaying a search screen included attribute item data for identifying content data, a reproduction part reproducing the content data, and a control part configured to make the display part display attribute item data relating to attributes linked with the search screen and number data indicating the number of the content data to which the attribute item data are assigned linked together.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the content data reproduction apparatus further includes a communication part configured to communicate content data with an external device, the control part being configured to update management data for managing the number data based on the attribute item data assigned to the content data when confirming communication of the content data.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the control part is configured to update a change of data indicating a change of the number data based on the attribute item data assigned to the content data and makes the display part display the change data when confirming communication of the content data.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the control part is configured to refer to non-input contents designation data indicating attribute items of content data for which input from the external device is to be refused and inputs, from the external device, the content data to which attribute items are assigned other than attribute items shown by the non-input contents designation data.  
         [0017]     According to a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a content data reproduction apparatus including a display part displaying a search screen, included attribute item data for identifying content data, hierarchically based on the attributes, a reproduction part reproducing the content data, and a control part configured to make the display part display an attribute item data relating to an attribute linked with the search screen and a number data indicating the number of the attribute item relating to attributes linked with the search screen to be displayed next by designation of the attribute item data.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the control part is configured to make the display part display, linked together, the attribute item relating to the attribute linked with the search screen to be displayed next and the number data indicating the number of content data to which the attribute item is assigned when displaying that screen.  
         [0019]     According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a content data reproduction apparatus including display means for displaying a search screen included attribute item data for identifying content data, a reproduction means reproducing the content data, and a control means for making the display part display, linked together, an attribute item data relating to attributes linked with the search screen and a number data indicating the number of the content data to which the attribute item data has been assigned.  
         [0020]     According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a program including: routine for carrying out the display of a display part on a search screen, including attribute item data for identifying content data, hierarchically based on the attribute, a routine reproducing the content data, and a routine for carrying out the display of a display part, linked together, the attribute item data relating to the attribute linked with the search screen and the number data indicating the number of the attribute items relating to the attribute linked with the search screen to be displayed next by designation of the attribute item data.  
         [0021]     In summary, according to the present invention, there can be provided a display control method, content data reproduction apparatus, and program able to efficiently display information enabling a user to determine content data for reproduction other than content data being currently played back on a reproduction screen displaying the attributes of content data. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of the preferred embodiments given with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the configuration of a mobile audio player according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a table for explaining attributes assigned to track data stored in the mobile audio player shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 3A  to  3 C are schematic views of the mobile audio player shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]     FIGS.  4  is a view for explaining a search screen (uppermost level) displayed on an LCD panel shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a view for explaining a search screen (artist display) displayed on the LCD panel shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a view for explaining transition of the search screen shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a view for explaining a search screen (album display) displayed on the LCD panel shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is a view for explaining a modification of the search screen shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart for explaining an example of the operation where the mobile audio player shown in  FIG. 1  receives as input track data from a computer;  
         [0032]      FIGS. 10A  to  10 D are views for explaining artist table data AR_T, album table data AL_T, genre table data J_T, and track table data T_J; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 11  is a flow chart for explaining an example of operation where the mobile audio player shown in  FIG. 1  receives as input a search screen display instruction from a user. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0034]     Below, a mobile audio player of an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. First, the correspondence between components of the present embodiment and components of the claims will be explained. The track data of the embodiment is an example of the content data of the present invention. The artist name, album name, track name, etc. of the present embodiment are examples of attribute items of the claims. Track number data  52 ,  62 ,  62   a , etc. displayed on the search screens DISP 1 , DISP 2 , and DISP 2   a  shown in  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 8  etc. linked with the attribute items are examples of the number data of the present invention. Further, the various types of data shown in  FIG. 10  are examples of the management data of the claims.  
         [0035]     Step ST 21  shown in  FIG. 11  is an example of a first step and a first routine of the claims, while steps ST 22  to ST 24  are an example of a second step and a second routine of the claims. The steps shown in  FIG. 9  are an example of a third step of the claims. A program PRG shown in  FIG. 1  is an example of the program of the claims. Further, an LCD panel  14  is an example of the display part of the present invention, and a CPU  17  etc. are an example of a control part of the claims.  
         [0036]     Below, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained.  FIG. 1  is a view of the configuration of a mobile audio player  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the mobile audio player  1 , for example, has a universal serial bus (USB) interface  11 , synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM)  12 , hard disk drive (HDD)  13 , liquid crystal display (LDD) panel  14 , input device  15 , flash memory  16 , central processing unit (CPU)  17 , and audio output circuit  18 . The USB interface  11 , SDRAM  12 , HDD  13 , flash memory  16 , CPU  17 , and audio output circuit  18  are connected via for example a data bus  10 .  
         [0037]     The USB interface  11  is connected to a personal computer  3  and inputs/outputs data with the personal computer  3 . The SDRAM  12  temporarily stores the data etc. relating to the processing of the CPU  17 .  
         [0038]     The HDD  13  stores compressed (or non-compressed) track data (music data). The track data is written into the HDD  13  from the personal computer  3  via the USB interface  11 . The HDD  13  has a storage capacity of for example 20 GB and can store track data of about 10,000 tracks (equivalent to 700 compact discs) compressed by adaptive transform acoustic coding (ATRAC)  3  etc. The individual track data stored in the HDD  13  (hereinafter also simply referred to as “track data”), as shown in  FIG. 2 , is included identification data M_ID, artist name data (in the order of Japanese syllabary or English alphabetic sequence) AR_N, album name data AL_N, genre name data J_N, and track name data T_N linked by management data TABLE. The management data TABLE is stored in the HDD  13  and read out to the SDRAM  12  at the time of for example activation of the mobile audio player  1 .  
         [0039]     The LCD panel  14  is provided on a front surface of a housing of the mobile audio player  1  as shown in  FIG. 3B . Various screens are displayed on the LCD panel  14  by the CPU  17 . As main screens displayed on the LCD panel  14 , there are for example a menu screen, track selection screen, setup screen, and reproduction screen. These screens are switched (changed) in response to key operation of the user. Further, the LCD panel  14  is a touch panel which detects a position on the screen touched by the user by his or her finger etc. and outputs a detection position signal S 14  indicating that position to the CPU  17 . The LCD panel  14  may be for example an organic electroluminescence display (organic EL display).  
         [0040]     The input device  15  is included the various keys provided on the housing of the mobile audio player  1  as shown in  FIGS. 3A  to  3 C and operated by the user. The input device  15  inputs the data by the touch panel function of the LCD panel  14 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , one side face of the mobile audio player  1  is provided with a headphone terminal  21  and a HOLD key  32 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , the front surface of the mobile audio player  1  is provided with the LCD panel  14 , a BACK key  38 , a cross key  37 , a VIEW key  39 , and a MENU key  40 . The cross key  37  has an up cross-key  37   a  for moving a cursor to the top of the screen, a left cross-key  37   b  for moving the cursor to the left of the screen (lower level), a down cross-key  37   c  for moving the cursor to the bottom of the screen, a right cross-key  37 d for moving the cursor to the right of the screen (higher level), and an execute key  37   e  for inputting an execute instruction such as a reproduction instruction. As shown in  FIG. 3C , the other side face of the mobile audio player  1  is provided with a fast rewind key  34 , a play/pause key  35 , a fast forward key  36 , and a volume dial  33 .  
         [0041]     The flash memory  16  stores for example a program PRG defining the operation of the CPU  17 .  
         [0042]     The audio output circuit  18  outputs an audio signal in accordance with the track data decoded by the CPU  17  to the headphone terminal  21 .  
         [0043]     The CPU  17  centrally controls the operation of the mobile audio player  1  explained in the present embodiment based on the program PRG read out from the flash memory  16 . Further, the CPU  17  reads out the track data selected by the user based on the search screen explained later from the HDD  13 , decodes (plays back) the same, and outputs this to the audio output circuit  18 .  
         [0044]     The CPU  17  for example hierarchically changes and displays search screens of the track data based on the operation signal from the input device  15 . The CPU  17  displays for example the search screen DISP 1  on the LCD panel  14  as shown in  FIG. 4  as the uppermost level. The CPU  17  displays “by Artist Name”, “by Album Title”, “Track Title”, and “by Genre” as default as the highest search level attribute item data  50  on the search screen DISP 1  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Note that, the CPU  17  can newly add attribute items such as “Album Jacket”, “Composer Name”, “Playlist”, “Rating”, and “Bookmark” in response to the operation of the input device  15  by the user.  
         [0045]     The CPU  17  displays track number data  52  indicating the numbers of track data to which attribute items are assigned linked with the attribute items  50  shown in  FIG. 4 . For example, the example shown in  FIG. 4  shows that the artist name is assigned to 125 track data. Note that, the CPU  17  may indicate the number of attribute items which will be displayed on the search screen next linked with each of the attribute items  50  when an attribute item is selected by the user. In this case, the example shown in  FIG. 4  shows that the mobile audio player  1  holds the track data of 125 artists (groups).  
         [0046]     When “by Artist Name” is designated by operation of the input device  15  by the user during the display of the search screen DISP 1  shown in  FIG. 4  on the LCD panel  14 , the CPU  17  displays for example the search screen DISP 2  shown in  FIG. 5  on the LCD panel  14 . The above designation is for example carried out by the user operating the up cross-key  37   a  and the down cross-key  37   c  to position the cursor on “by Artist Name” and operating the execute key  37   e  in that state.  
         [0047]     The CPU  17 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , sorts the tracks by artist name as the attribute item  60  and displays the artist names on the search screen DISP 2 . The attribute items include, other than the artist name, the genre name, content name, album name, playlist name, artist table, album table, track table, etc. The CPU  17  displays track number data  62  indicating the number of the track data to which an attribute item is assigned linked with each of the attribute items  60  shown in  FIG. 5 . For example, the example shown in  FIG. 5  shows that the mobile audio player  1  holds 41 track data of an artist “AB”.  
         [0048]     The CPU  17 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , displays a portion of the sorted artist names on the search screen DISP 2 . When the left cross-key  37   b  shown in  FIG. 3B  is operated by the user, it displays a group of sorted artist names before the artist names currently displayed as shown in  FIG. 6 . Further, when the right cross-key  37   d  is operated by the user, the CPU  17  displays a group of sorted artist names after the artist names currently displayed as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0049]     Further, as shown in  FIG. 6 , when the up cross-key  37   a  is continuously operated, the CPU  17  scrolls up in the group of sorted artist names currently displayed on the search screen DISP 2 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 6 , when the down cross-key  37   c  is continuously operated on the search screen DISP 2 , the CPU  17  scrolls down in the group of sorted artist names currently displayed.  
         [0050]     When “by Album Title” is designated by the operation of the input device  15  by the user during the display of the search screen DISP 1  shown in  FIG. 4  on the LCD panel  14 , the CPU  17  displays for example the search screen DISP 3  on the LCD panel  14  shown in  FIG. 3B . The CPU  17 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , displays a reproduction list  71  showing title name data of the track data in one album and their reproduction times linked on the search screen DISP  3 . Further, the search screen DISP 3  displays a reproduction track attribute table  72  displaying the title name data of the track data currently being played, the artist name data, the album name data, the reproduction position data, the rating data, etc.  
         [0051]     When the left cross-key  37   b  shown in  FIG. 4  is operated by the user during the display of the search screen DISP 3  shown in  FIG. 7 , the CPU  17  displays the title name data of the track data of the album sorted one album before the album name currently displayed and its reproduction time linked together. Further, when the right cross-key  37   d  shown in  FIG. 4  is operated by the user during the display of the search screen DISP 3  shown in  FIG. 7 , the CPU  17  displays the title name data of the track data in the album sorted one album after the album name currently displayed and its reproduction time linked together.  
         [0052]     Further, as shown in  FIG. 7 , when the up cross-key  37   e  is continuously operated, the CPU  17  scrolls up in the title name data of the track data and the reproduction time linked together in the album currently displayed on the search screen DISP 3 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 7 , when the bottom cross-key  37   c  is continuously operated, the CPU  17  scrolls down in the title name data of the track data and the reproduction time linked together in the album currently displayed on the search screen DISP 3 .  
         [0053]     Further, when the mobile audio player  1  is connected to the computer  3  as shown in  FIG. 1 , the CPU  17  may display track number data  62   a  further indicating the increase of the track number data of each attribute item by the track data input from the computer  3 . The base value for calculating the increase is the number of tracks held by the player when it was connected to the computer the previous time. The number of tracks increased by the connection with the computer the current time is displayed based on this base number of tracks. Not only connection with a computer, but also direct download of content by the player (terminal) from a server may be considered as an embodiment. In this case, the increase is displayed for each download based on the number of tracks held in the player in the previous download. The example of  FIG. 8  shows that the number of tracks of the track data of the artist “AB” increases by “11” and becomes “41”.  
         [0054]     Note that in the example shown in  FIG. 8 , the case where the track number data of each attribute item increased was exemplified, but for example, when the track data recorded in the HDD  13  shown in  FIG. 1  is erased at the time of connection with the computer  3 , the decrease in the track number data of each attribute item may be displayed on the search screen DISP 2   a.    
         [0055]     The CPU  17  generates for example non-input track designation data IND indicating attribute items (artists, albums, genres) etc. of track data not to be input from the computer  3  in accordance with operation of the input device  15  by the user and stores this in the SDRAM  12  or HDD  13 . When receiving track data from the computer  3 , the CPU  17  writes the track data into the HDD  13  only when the attribute item of the input track data is not shown in the non-input track designation data IND. Note that when the CPU  17  is connected with the computer  3 , it may transmit the non-input track designation data IND read out from the SDRAM  12  or the HDD  13  to the computer  3  via the USB interface  11 . In this case, the computer  3  controls the system so as not to output to the mobile audio player  1  any track data to which an attribute item indicated by the non-input track designation data IND input from the mobile audio player  1  is assigned.  
         [0056]     Due to this, when subscription type track data distributed in push marketing campaigns is input from the computer  3  to the mobile audio player  1 , the recording of a large amount of track data which the user is not interested in into the HDD  13  by the mobile audio player  1  can be avoided. As a result, the search efficiency of the track data by the user can be raised and, at the same time, the recording capacity of the HDD  13  can be efficiently utilized.  
         [0057]     Below, an example of operation of the mobile audio player  1  shown in  FIG. 1  will be explained.  
         [0058]     First Example of Operation  
         [0059]     In this example of operation, the case where the mobile audio player  1  receives as input the track data from the computer  3  will be explained.  FIG. 9  is a flow chart for explaining this example of operation.  
         [0060]     Step ST 11   
         [0061]     The CPU  17  of the mobile audio player  1  judges whether the player has been connected with the computer  3  shown in  FIG. 1  and if it receives as input the track data via the USB interface  11 . If yes, the routine proceeds to step ST 12 .  
         [0062]     Step ST 12   
         [0063]     The CPU  17  acquires the attribute item data assigned to the track data from among the track data input at step ST 11 .  
         [0064]     Step ST 13   
         [0065]     The CPU  17  judges whether or not the attribute item data acquired at step ST 12  is indicated in the non-input track designation data IND read out from the SDRAM  12  or the HDD  13 . When judging that it is indicated, the routine returns to step ST 11 , while when judging that it is not indicated, the routine proceeds to step ST 14 .  
         [0066]     Step ST 14   
         [0067]     The CPU  17  writes the track data received at step ST 11  into the HDD  13 .  
         [0068]     Step ST 15   
         [0069]     The CPU  17  increments (updates) the track number data and the track increase data of corresponding items of the various types of attribute item table data based on the attribute item data of the input track data acquired at step ST 12 .  
         [0070]     Specifically, for example, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the CPU  17  generates, as the attribute item table data, artist table data AR_T, album table data AL_T, genre table data J_T, and track table data T_J and makes the SDRAM 12  store this. The artist table data AR_T indicates the number of tracks of an artist stored in the HDD  13  and the increase in the number of tracks due to the previous input for each artist. The album table data AL_T indicates the number of tracks of an album stored in the HDD  13  and the increase in the number of tracks due to the previous input for each album. The genre table data J_T indicates the number of tracks of a genre stored in the HDD  13  and the increase in the number of tracks due to the previous input for each genre. The track table data T_J indicates the number of tracks stored in the HDD  13  and the increase in the number of tracks due to the previous input.  
         [0071]     Second Example of Operation  
         [0072]     In this example of operation, a case where the mobile audio player  1  receives a search screen display instruction from the user will be explained.  FIG. 11  is a flow chart for explaining this example of operation.  
         [0073]     Step ST 21   
         [0074]     The CPU  17  of the mobile audio player  1  judges whether it has received a search screen display instruction by operation of the input device  15  by the user. When yes, the routine proceeds to step ST 22 .  
         [0075]     Step ST 22   
         [0076]     The CPU  17  specifies an attribute item displayed on the search screen instructed by the search screen display instruction received at step ST 21 . The CPU  17 , for example, in the case of displaying the search screen DISP 2   a  shown in  FIG. 8 , specifies the  13  artist names shown in  FIG. 5  as the attribute items to be displayed.  
         [0077]     Step ST 23   
         [0078]     The CPU  17  specifies the track number data and the track increase data for each of the attribute items which were specified and displayed at step ST 22  based on the various types of attribute item table data shown in  FIG. 10 . The CPU  17 , for example, in the case of displaying the search screen DISP 2   a  shown in  FIG. 8 , specifies the track number data and the track increase data corresponding to the artists to be displayed based on the artist table data AR_T shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0079]     Step ST 24   
         [0080]     The CPU  17  displays the attribute item specified at step ST 22  and the track number data and track increase data specified at step ST 23  on the search screen linked together. The CPU  17  displays for example the search screen DISP 2   a  shown in  FIG. 8  on the LCD panel  14 .  
         [0081]     As explained above, in the mobile audio player  1 , for example, the search screens DISP 1 , DISP 2 , and DISP 2   a  shown in  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 8  etc. the track number data  52 ,  62 , and  62   a  indicating numbers of track data to which attribute items are assigned linked with the attribute items which can be selected by the user. Due to this, the user can determine how much track data can be selected from when designating each attribute item on the search screen based on the track number data. This serves as reference for determining which attribute items to designate.  
         [0082]     Further, in the mobile audio player  1 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the track increase data is displayed for each attribute item in addition to the track number data. Due to this, it is easy to search for track data newly input from the computer  3  in the mobile audio player  1 .  
         [0083]     Further, in the mobile audio player  1 , when receiving track data from the computer  3 , the track data is written into the HDD  13  only when the attribute item of the track data which is input is not indicated in the non-input track designation data IND. Due to this, when subscription type track data distributed in push marketing campaigns is input from the computer  3  to the mobile audio player  1 , the recording of a large amount of track data which the user is not interested in into the HDD  13  by the mobile audio player  1  can be avoided. As a result, the search efficiency of the track data by the user can be raised and, at the same time, the recording capacity of the HDD  13  can be efficiently utilized.  
         [0084]     The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Namely, a skilled person may perform a variety of changes, combinations, sub combinations, and replacements concerning the components of the embodiments explained above within the technical range of the present invention or its equivalent range.  
         [0085]     For example, in the above embodiments, the case of displaying track number data indicating the number of the track data to which an attribute item was assigned in the search screen linked with each of the attribute items which can be selected by the user was exemplified, but the number of the attribute items which can be selected from on the search screen displayed next when each attribute item is selected may be displayed instead. For example, the search screen DISP 1  shown in  FIG. 4  can display, linked with “by Artist Name”, the number of artist names which can be selected from on the search screen and the change in the number displayed where artist names are selected.  
         [0086]     Further, in the above embodiments, the case where the present invention was applied to a mobile audio player was exemplified, but the present invention can also be applied to a mobile phone or a personal computer or other nonportable type of device. Further, in the above embodiment, as the content data of the present invention, audio data such as track data was exemplified, but image data such as video and photos may also be used. Further, in the present invention, as the recording means for storing the content data, in place of the HDD  13  shown in  FIG. 1 , opto-magnetic recording media such as MD®, optical recording media such as CD-R (CD-recordable) and DVD-R (DVD-recordable), semiconductor memories such as Memory Sticks® and SD Cards®, and so on may be used. Further, the present invention may also be applied to a personal computer, compact disk or other optical disk player, opto-magnetic disk player, etc.  
         [0087]     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alternations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors in so far as they are within scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.