Patent Publication Number: US-2011057957-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In an information processing apparatus, in general, a graphical user interface (GUI) is operated using a hardware button, a touch panel, and the like. 
     In the hardware key, since a finger operating a key and the GUI to be operated are separately located, an intuitive operation may be difficult. In the selection and determination operation, the key should be pressed, and thus a quick operation may be hindered. 
     [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-280461 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Meanwhile, in the touch panel, since a finger operating the touch panel and the GUI to be operated are not separately located, the intuitive operation becomes possible. However, in the selection and determination operation, the touch panel should be tapped (a finger is in contact with the touch panel and then separated), and thus a quick operation may be hindered. 
     In light of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an information processing apparatus, which facilitates a selection and determination operation of a GUI object, an information processing method, and a program. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a display unit which displays a plurality of items on one side of a display screen, a detection unit which detects an operation input to the one side of the display screen, and a control unit which, when contact operation is detected, selects the item displayed near the detection position of the contact operation, and when pressing operation with a predetermined pressure is detected in such a state that the item is selected, determines the selection of the item. 
     According to the above configuration, a plurality of items are displayed on one side of a display screen, and an operation input to the one side of the display screen is detected. When contact operation is detected, the item displayed near the detection position of the contact operation is selected. Further, when pressing operation with a predetermined pressure is detected in such a state that the item is selected, the selection of the item is determined. According to this configuration, the item is intuitively selected by the contact operation near the item, and the selected item can be quickly determined by the pressing operation without changing a position of a finger. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method including the steps of displaying a plurality of items on one side of a display screen, detecting an operation input to the one side of the display screen, and when contact operation is detected, selecting the item displayed near the detection position of the contact operation, and when pressing operation with a predetermined pressure is detected in such a state that the item is selected, determining the selection of the item. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a program for causing a computer to execute the above information processing method. The program may be provided using a computer-readable recording medium or may be provided through communication means. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus, which can facilitate the selection and determination operation of the GUI object, an information processing method, and a program. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an external view of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the information processing apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing a procedure of selection processing of an item; 
         FIG. 4  is a view for explaining the selection processing of the item; 
         FIG. 5A  is a view for explaining the selection processing of the item; 
         FIG. 5B  is a view for explaining the selection processing of the item; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing a procedure of scroll processing of the item; 
         FIG. 7  is a view for explaining the scroll processing of the item; 
         FIG. 8  is a view for explaining the scroll processing of the item; 
         FIG. 9A  is a view for explaining the scroll processing of the item; 
         FIG. 9B  is a view for explaining the scroll processing of the item; 
         FIG. 10A  is a view for explaining a variation  1  of an information processing method (application of the selection processing); 
         FIG. 10B  is a view for explaining a variation  1  of an information processing method (application of the selection processing); 
         FIG. 11  is a view for explaining a variation  2  of the information processing method (improvement of movement processing); 
         FIG. 12  is a view for explaining a variation  2  of the information processing method (improvement of movement processing); 
         FIG. 13  is a view for explaining a variation  2  of the information processing method (improvement of movement processing); 
         FIG. 14  is a view for explaining a variation  3  of the information processing method (application of the scroll processing); and 
         FIG. 15  is a view for explaining a variation  3  of the information processing method (application of the scroll processing). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that, in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elements that have substantially the same function and structure are denoted with the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of these structural elements is omitted. 
     [1. Configuration of Information Processing Apparatus  100 ] 
     First, a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 1  is an external view of the information processing apparatus, and  FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the information processing apparatus. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , an information processing apparatus  100  has a display  101  and a sensor  103 . The information processing apparatus  100  is a portable information processing apparatus, such as a PDA, a cell phone, a camera, a game machine, and a music player. 
     The display  101  displays thereon a plurality of items I on one side (for example, the right side) of a display screen  101   a . The sensor  103  is provided along at least one side of the display screen  101   a  and detects an operation input (contact operation, pressing operation, and the like) to one side of the display screen  101   a  performed by a finger F of a user. 
     In the information processing apparatus  100 , when the contact operation to the sensor  103  is detected, the item I displayed near (for example, the left side of) the contact position is selected. When pressing operation with a predetermined pressure to the sensor  103  is detected in such a state that the item I is selected, the selection of the item I is determined. According to this configuration, a user can intuitively select the item I by the contact operation performed near the item I and can quickly determine the selection by the pressing operation without changing the position of the finger F. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the information processing apparatus  100  includes the display  101  (display unit), the sensor  103  (detection unit), a controller  105  (control unit), a memory  107 , and a display memory  109 . The information processing apparatus  100  may include an operation interface, a communication interface, a speaker, a vibrator, and an acceleration sensor (not shown). 
     The display  101  displays a selection menu of the items I on the display screen  101   a . In the selection menu, a plurality of items I including the GUI object are displayed on the right side of the display screen  101   a . The display  101  may be configured as a resistive touch panel, a capacitance touch panel, an optical touch panel, and the like. In this case, the display  101  can substitute for some functions (a contact sensor) of the sensor  103 . 
     The sensor  103  detects the operation input (such as contact operation and pressing operation) to the right side of the display screen  101   a.    
     In the present embodiment, the sensor  103  has an operating surface. The sensor  103  detects a contact state and contact position of a finger to the operating surface, and, at the same time, detects a pressing force of a finger applied to the sensor  103  from the depression of the operating surface. The sensor  103  then supplies the detection result to the controller  105 . The sensor  103  may be configured so that the operating surface is provided on the hardware key. In this case, the sensor  103  may detect the pressing force of a finger applied to the sensor  103  from the depression of the hardware key instead of the depression of the operating surface. 
     In the present embodiment, the sensor  103  is provided outside the display  101  so as to be provided along the right side of the display screen  101   a . According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent reduction in visibility of the display screen  101   a , contamination of the display screen  101   a , and the like due to the operation to the display screen  101   a . However, the sensor  103  may be provided inside the display  101  so as to serve as part of the touch panel or may be provided on any other side than the right side of the display screen  101   a.    
     The controller  105  includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, and performs calculation processing and control processing necessary for the operation of the information processing apparatus  100 . The memory  107  stores programs, data, and the like necessary for the operation of the information processing apparatus  100 . The programs include a program for use in performing an information processing method to be described later. More particularly, the memory  107  stores configuration data of a selection menu configured of a plurality of items I having a hierarchical structure and data of the item I configuring each menu. The display memory  109  receives, from the controller  105 , data for use in performing various displays on the display screen  101   a  to hold the received data. 
     The controller  105  controls the display  101  so that a plurality of the items I are displayed on the right side of the display screen  101   a . When the contact operation is detected, the controller  105  performs processing for selecting the item I displayed near the contact position. When the pressing operation with a predetermined pressure is detected in such a state that the item I is selected, the controller  105  performs processing for determining the selection of the item I. 
     [2. Information Processing Method] 
     Next, selection processing and scroll processing of the item I, according to the information processing method of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 9 . 
     [2-1. Selection Processing of Item I] 
     First, the selection processing of the item I will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 .  FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing a procedure of the selection processing of the item I.  FIGS. 4 and 5  are views for explaining the selection processing of the item I. 
     The controller  105  determines whether or not an operation start trigger is present (step S 101 ). The trigger is detected in response to, for example, a predetermined operation to the sensor  103 , a predetermined operation to the GUI on the display screen  101   a , and a predetermined operation to the information processing apparatus  100  (such as, tilting of the information processing apparatus  100 ). Hereinafter, it is assumed that a case where the trigger is detected in response to the contact operation to the sensor  103 . 
     When the trigger is detected, the controller  105  controls the display  101  so that the display  101  displays a menu based on configuration data of a selection menu (S 103 ). In the menu, the strip-shaped item I is displayed on the right side of the display screen  101   a , and a hierarchical display bar LB is displayed on the upper side of the display screen  101   a . In the hierarchical display bar LB, in order to specify the hierarchy of the displayed item I (the selected hierarchy), the name of the item I located in the upper hierarchy of the displayed item I is shown. 
     In  FIG. 4 , a menu of a hierarchy A 1 B including four items IB 1  to IB 4  is displayed. The hierarchy A 1 B is located in the lower layer of the item A 1  of a hierarchy A. In the menu, the four items IB 1  to IB 4  and the hierarchical display bar LB are displayed (state S 1 ). In the hierarchical display bar LB, the hierarchy A “Item A 1 ” that is the upper hierarchy of the displayed hierarchy A 1 B is displayed, and, at the same time, a back button BB “&lt;BACK” for use in performing movement processing to the upper hierarchy is displayed. 
     The controller  105  determines whether the item I on the menu can be scrolled to select the following processing (S 105 ). When all of the items I configuring the menu may not be simultaneously displayed on the display screen  101   a , it is determined that the item I can be scrolled. 
     In  FIG. 4 , since the four items IB 1  to IB 4  can be simultaneously displayed on the display screen  101   a , the processing of step S 107  is selected. The number of times I that can be simultaneously displayed on the display screen  101   a  is not limited to four, but is set according to the size of the display screen  101   a , the size of the item I, and the like. 
     The controller  105  controls the display  101  so as to focus and display the selected item I (selected item) (S 107 ). The selected item means the item I displayed near the detection position of the contact operation by the finger F. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the item IB 1  displayed near (for example, on the left side of) the detection position of the contact operation that becomes a trigger is focused and displayed (state S 1 ). The selected item IB 1  is displayed while being extended to the left side to have an extended width W 1 . The non-selected items IB 2  to IB 4  are displayed with an initial width W 0 . 
     The controller  105  determines whether or not the contact operation to the sensor  103  is present (S 109 ). When the contact operation is not present, the controller  105  controls the display  101  so that the menu is not displayed (state S 2 ) (S 111 ) to return to the processing of step S 101 . 
     When the contact operation is present, the controller  105  determines whether or not the contact position is changed (S 113 ). When the contact position is changed, the controller  105  returns to the processing of step S 107  to focus and display the item I (selected item) displayed near the changed contact position. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the width of the selected item IB 2  is gradually increased to the extended width W 1 , and the width of the prior selected item IB 1  is gradually reduced to the initial width W 0  (state S 3 ). When the detection position is continuously changed, by virtue of the extending and shrinking of the width of the item I, a plurality of the items I are displayed in an undulating manner. 
     When the width of the selected item I is extended, it is possible to prevent reduction in visibility of the selected item I due to the finger F located near the selected item I. Meanwhile, when the width of the non-selected item I is shrunk, it is possible to prevent reduction in visibility of information (not shown), displayed in the center of the display screen  101   a , due to the display of the item I. 
     The controller  105  determines whether or not the pressing operation with a predetermined pressure to the sensor  103  is present (S 117 ). When the pressing operation is present, the controller  105  shifts to the processing of step S 119 . When the pressing operation is not present, the controller  105  returns to the processing of step S 107 . 
     When the pressing operation is present, the controller  105  determines whether the item I or the back button BB is selected (S 119 ). The back button BB is selected when the contact operation is performed near the hierarchical display bar LB in such a state that the back button BB is displayed. When the item I is selected, the controller  105  determines the selection of the item I (S 121 ). 
     When the selection of the item I is determined, the controller  105  determines whether the selected determined item I (selected determined item) has the item I of the lower hierarchy (S 123 ). When the selected determined item I has the item I of the lower hierarchy, the controller  105  displays a menu including the item I of the lower hierarchy instead of the currently displayed menu and updates the display of the hierarchical display bar LB (S 125 ). 
     In  FIG. 5A , the item IB 2  having the lower hierarchy is selected in the hierarchy A 1 B, and the pressing operation is performed (state S 4 ). According to this configuration, a menu including items IC 1  to IC 4  of a hierarchy A 1 B 2 C is displayed instead of the hierarchy A 1 B, and the display of the hierarchical display bar LB is changed to the display of the hierarchy A 1 B 2 C (“Item B 2 ”) (state S 5 ). 
     When the selected determined item I does not have the item I of the lower hierarchy, the controller  105  performs processing corresponding to the selected determined item I to display a menu including the item I of the upper hierarchy instead of the currently displayed menu, and, thus, to update the display of the hierarchical display bar LB (S 127 ). 
     Meanwhile, when the back button BB is selected in the processing of step S 119 , the controller  105  shifts to the processing of step S 127  to display a menu including the item I of the upper hierarchy instead of the currently displayed menu, and, thus, to update the display of the hierarchical display bar LB. 
     In  FIG. 5B , the back button BB is selected in the hierarchy A 1 B, the pressing operation is performed (state S 6 ). According to this configuration, a menu including items IA 1  to IA 4  of the hierarchy A is displayed instead of the hierarchy A 1 B, and the display of the hierarchical display bar LB is changed to “Top” (the highest hierarchy) (state S 7 ). 
     As described above, according to the selection processing of the item I, the item I can be intuitively selected by the contact operation near the item I, and the selection can be quickly determined by the pressing operation without changing the position of the finger F. Further, by virtue of the pressing operation to the item I and the back button BB, it is possible to easily perform the selection and determination operation of the item I on the selection menu including a plurality of the items I having a hierarchical structure. 
     In the above description, the selection of the item I or the back button BB is determined by the pressing operation; however, instead of the pressing operation, when the item I or the back button BB is maintained in the selected state over a predetermined period of time, the selection may be determined. In this case, before the elapse of the predetermined period of time, the execution of the selection and determination of the item I of the back button BB may be notified to a user beforehand through, for example, visual means, auditory means, or tactile means. 
     [2-2. Scroll Processing of Item I] 
     Next, the scroll processing of the item I will be described with reference to  FIGS. 6 to 9 .  FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing a procedure of the scroll processing of the item I.  FIGS. 7 to 9  are views for explaining the scroll processing of the item I. 
     In  FIG. 7 , the menu in the hierarchy A 1 B including eleven items IB 1  to IB 11  is displayed. In the scroll processing of the item I, the display area of the hierarchical display bar LB is reduced on the left side of the display screen  101   a , and the five items I can be displayed on the display screen  101   a.    
     The upper and lower ends of the sensor  103  provided along the right side of the display screen  101   a  are set as scroll areas, and the center of the sensor  103  is set as a non-scroll area. The controller  105  determines the contact operation to the scroll area as the input of the scroll operation. 
     In  FIG. 7 , the items IB 4  to IB 8  are displayed on the display screen  101   a . The sensor areas provided along the display areas of the items IB 4  and IB 8  are set as the scroll areas, and the sensor area provided along the display area of the items IB 5  to IB 7  is set as the non-scroll area. 
     Since the processing of steps S 201  and S 203  is similar to the selection processing of steps S 101  and S 103 , the processing of step S 205  and the subsequent steps will be hereinafter described. 
     The controller  105  determines whether the item I on the menu can be scrolled to select the following processing (S 205 ). In  FIG. 7 , since the eleven items IB 1  to IB 11  may not be simultaneously displayed on the display screen  101   a , the processing of step S 207  is selected. 
     The controller  105  focuses and displays the selected item I (S 207 ). The controller  105  determines whether or not the contact operation to the sensor  103  is present (S 209 ). When the contact operation is not present, the controller  105  hides the menu (S 211 ). When the contact operation is present, the controller  105  determines whether the contact position is in the scroll area (S 213 ). 
     When the contact position is in the scroll area, the controller  105  performs the scroll processing (S 215 ). In the scroll processing, a plurality of the items I are scroll-displayed along the right side of the display screen  101   a . As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the contact position is in the scroll area at the lower end of the sensor  103 , the controller  105  controls the display  101  so that the items IB 1  to IB 11  are scroll-displayed upward (state S 11 ). When the contact position is in the scroll area at the upper end of the sensor  103 , the controller  105  controls the display  101  so that the items IB 1  to IB 11  are scroll-displayed downward (state S 12 ). 
     For example, in the state S 11  of  FIG. 8 , the items IB 2  to IB 6  are first displayed according to the contact operation to the lower end scroll area. When the contact operation is continued, the items IB 7  to IB 11  are finally displayed. When the contact operation is continued, a plurality of the items I are displayed in an undulating manner according to the change of the selected item I. 
     The controller  105  may regulate the speed of scrolling the items I in accordance with the detection result (the contact position and the pressing force) of the sensor  103 . 
     For example, the scrolling speed may be regulated so as to become higher as the contact position to the scroll area is closer to the end of the scroll area. The end of the scroll area means the upper end portion of the upper end scroll area and the lower end portion of the lower end scroll area. According to this configuration, the finger F is gradually moved to the center in the scroll area to reduce the scrolling speed, and pressing with a predetermined pressure is finally performed, whereby the item I can be smoothly selected and determined. 
     The scrolling speed may be regulated so as to become higher as the pressure applied to the scroll area is increased. In order to distinguish from the pressing operation for determining the selection of the item I, the pressure should be less than a predetermined pressure. According to this condition, the degree of pressing is gradually increased to reduce the scrolling speed, and pressing with a predetermined pressure is finally performed, whereby the item I can be smoothly selected and determined. 
     During the scroll processing, the controller  105  selects the item I displayed near the contact position (the scroll area) as in the case of the selection processing and controls the display  101  so that the selected item I is displayed while increasing in size. 
     The controller  105  determines whether or not the pressing operation with a predetermined pressure to the scroll area or the non-scroll area is present (S 217 ). Since the processing from step S 219  to S 227  is similar to the selection processing from step S 119  to S 127 , the description will be omitted. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  show a relation between the scroll processing and the movement processing to the upper hierarchy. 
     For example, it is assumed that a case where the four items I (for example, the items IB 6  to IB 9  of the hierarchy A 1 B) and the hierarchical display bar LB are displayed in the menu. When the contact operation to the arbitrary item I is detected (state S 13  shown in  FIG. 9A ), the scroll processing is started. When the contact operation to the back button BB is detected (state S 16  shown in  FIG. 9B ), the movement processing is started. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9A , when the scroll processing is started (state S 13 ), the hierarchical display bar LB is reduced in size, the five items I are displayed (state S 14 ). In the scroll processing, the items I are scroll-displayed in the lower direction in response to the contact operation to the upper end scroll area. When the scrolling reaches the upper end to display the item I 1 , the hierarchical display bar LB returns, and the four items (the items IB 1  to IB 4 ) are displayed under the hierarchical display bar LB (state S 15 ). 
     Meanwhile, as shown in  FIG. 9B , when the movement processing is started (state S 16 ), whether or not the pressing operation to the back button BB is present is determined. When the pressing operation to the back button BB is performed following the contact operation (state S 17 ), the menu in the upper hierarchy (for example, the hierarchy A) is displayed, and, at the same time, the display of the hierarchical display bar LB is updated (state S 18 ). 
     Of the items I of the upper hierarchy, the item I (for example, the item IA 1  of the hierarchy A) selected and determined for the purpose of selecting the last menu (for example, the hierarchy A 1 B) is displayed under the hierarchical display bar LB. The movement processing is started (state S 16 ), and when the contact operation to the item I is detected following the contact operation to the back button BB, the transition to the scroll processing is performed (state S 14 ). 
     As described above, according to the scroll processing of the items I, a plurality of the items I are scroll-displayed by the contact operation to the scroll area, whereby the selection and determination operation of the item I can be easily performed. 
     [3. Variation of Information Processing Method] 
     Further, the variation of the information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 10 to 15 .  FIGS. 10A and 10B  are views for explaining a variation  1  of the information processing method (application of the selection processing).  FIGS. 11 to 13  are views for explaining a variation  2  of the information processing method (improvement of the movement processing).  FIGS. 14 and 15  are views for explaining a variation  3  of the information processing method (application of the scroll processing). 
     [3-1. Variation  1  (Application of Selection Processing) 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a variation in which the selection processing is applied to the setting of an analog value. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10A , when the item IB 6  “Analog  6 ” for setting is selected and determined on the menu in the hierarchy A 1 B (state S 21 ), a menu in a hierarchy A 1 B 6 C is displayed, and a setting menu of the analogue value is displayed (state S 22 ). In the setting menu, a slider SL with an operating knob SN and the hierarchical display bar LB are displayed. 
     When the contact operation is detected near the operating knob SN, the operating knob SN is in the selection state, and setting processing is started. When a change of the contact position is detected while the operating knob SN is in the selection state, the operating knob SN is moved and displayed in synchronism with the change of the contact position (state S 23 ). 
     When a capacitance sensor is used, the detection position is changed according to the inclination and posture of the finger F, and therefore, a setting value can be fine-adjusted. In the setting processing, the slider SL may be scroll-displayed as in the scroll processing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10B , when the pressing operation with a predetermined pressure is detected while the operating knob SN is in the selection state (state S 24 ), the setting of the analog value is temporarily determined according to the position of the operating knob SN. When the contact operation is undetectable in the temporarily determined state, the temporarily determined value is determined as the setting value. When a change of the detection position of the contact operation is detected in the temporarily determined state, the setting operation is started again. 
     Meanwhile, when the contact operation is undetectable while the operating knob SN is in the selection state, the operating knob SN is in a non-selection state. In this case, the setting value returns to the value before the start of the setting processing, and the operating knob SN is displayed while moving to a position corresponding to the setting value (state S 25 ). 
     [3-2. Variation  2  (Improvement of Movement Processing) 
       FIGS. 11 to 13  show a variation in which the movement processing to the upper hierarchy is improved. 
     In the variation shown in  FIG. 11 , the start of the movement processing is instructed in response to operation of covering the sensor  103  (detection of not less than a predetermined value of a contact/proximity area) instead of the pressing operation to the back button BB (state S 31 ). When the start of the movement processing is instructed, a message BD showing the start of the processing (“BACK”) is displayed over a predetermined period of time. When the pressing operation to the sensor  103  is detected in such a state that the message BD is displayed, the movement processing is performed (state S 32 ). 
     In the variation shown in  FIG. 12 , instead of the pressing operation to the back button BB, the movement processing is performed according to operation of changing the contact position to a sensor  113  which is provided above the display screen  101   a  and along the hierarchical display bar LB. Namely, while the finger F is in a state of being contact with the display area of each hierarchy on or near the display area of the hierarchical display bar LB (state S 33 ), when the operation of shifting the contact position to the right side is performed, the movement processing is performed (state S 34 ). For example, when the contact position is shifted to the right side in such a state that the finger F is in contact with the display area of the hierarchy A 1 B 2 C “Item C 1 ”, the menu of the hierarchy A 1 B (not shown) is displayed instead of the hierarchy A 1 B 2 C. 
     In the variation shown in  FIG. 13 , instead of the pressing operation to the back button BB, the movement processing is performed according to the pressing operation to a sensor  123  provided on the other side (for example, the left side) of the display screen  101   a . Namely, the selection of the item I (the movement processing to the lower hierarchy) is determined by the pressing operation to the sensor  103  (state S 35 ), and the movement processing to the upper hierarchy is performed by the pressing operation to the sensor  123  (state S 36 ). The sensor  123  may be provided not only on the left side of the display screen but also on the upper or lower side thereof. 
     [3-3. Variation  3  (Application of Scroll Processing)] 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  show a variation in which the scroll processing is applied to another object. 
     In the variation shown in  FIG. 14 , five items I 1  to I 5  are horizontally arranged and displayed on the display screen  101   a . A sensor  133  is provided along the lower side of the display screen  101   a . The scroll areas are set at the left and right ends, and the non-scroll area is set at the center. 
     When the contact operation to the non-scroll area is performed, the item I near the contact position is selected according to the contact operation to the non-scroll area, and the selection of the item I is determined according to the pressing operation (state S 41 ). On the display screen  101   a , a selection cursor C is displayed on the selected item I. When the contact operation to the scroll area at the left end is performed, the item I is displayed while being scrolled in the right direction according to the contact operation to the scroll area at the left end (state S 42 ). Likewise, when the contact operation to the scroll area at the right end is performed, the item I is displayed while being scrolled in the left direction according to the contact operation to the scroll area at the right end (state S 43 ). 
     In the variation shown in  FIG. 15 , item columns IG 1  and IG 2  are arranged and displayed respectively on the left and right sides of the display screen  101   a . The item columns IG 1  and IG 2  are configured of a plurality of items I. Sensors  143  and  144  are provided along the left and right sides of the display screen  101   a . The items I included in the item columns IG 1  and IG 2  are, for example, color filters for use in confirmation of visual effects of image processing. 
     The left item column IG 1  is scroll-displayed in the down/up direction according to the contact operation to the upper/lower portion of the left sensor  143  (state S 44 ). Likewise, the right item column IG 2  is scroll-displayed in the down/up direction according to the contact operation to the upper/lower portion of the right sensor  144  (state S 44 ). The selection of the items included in the item columns IG 1  and IG 2  displayed on the left/right side is determined according to the pressing operation to the left/right sensors  143  and  144  (state S 45 ). 
     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. 
     The present application contains subject matter related to that disclosed in Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2009-206462 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Sep. 7, 2009, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.