Patent ID: 7546551

Claim:
An information processing apparatus for providing menu information, said apparatus comprising: a processor; menu generation means for generating a plurality of menus in correspondence to a plurality of categories, the plurality of menus operative to search the plurality of categories including at least one of image content, video content and audio content, each menu having at least one menu item and at least one menu having at least one menu item arranged along a first direction when displayed on a display screen, the image content, video content and audio content being selectable for search from a menu corresponding to another of the categories; display control means for controlling display of the plurality of menus generated by the menu generation means according to a plurality of menu levels; and menu level shifting means for shifting a menu level in response to a first input signal that corresponds to a movement in a second direction, the movement the second direction crossing the first direction, wherein, in response to the shifting of the menu level, the display control means reduces a size of a display region in the second direction, and displays a respective menu of another menu level utilizing at least part of the display region of a previously displayed menu corresponding to a respective menu level displayed before menu level shifting, and the movement corresponding to the first input signal is possible in two directions parallel to the second direction, and the display control means, in response to the shifting of the menu level, displays a new menu of a respective menu level which is adjacent to the menu level that was previously displayed, said new menu being displayed at one side of the display screen, the side being in one of the two directions parallel to the second direction.