Patent ID: 8090712

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for controlling a display controlling apparatus to display an image collection having a plurality of items, the method comprising: (a) comparing a second item, which is located adjacent to a first item in a display position when the image collection is sorted in a first sort order, and a third item, which is located adjacent to the first item when the image collection is sorted in a second sort order different from the first sort order, and determining whether a dissimilarity exists between the second item and the third item; (b) displaying a first set of items of the image collection including the first item and the second item in the first sort order in a first direction so that the first item and the second item are located adjacent to each other and controlling display of the third item such that the third item is displayed in a second direction different from the first direction when the third item is determined in step (a) to be dissimilar from the second item, and such that the third item is not displayed in the second direction when the third item is determined in step (a) not to be dissimilar from the second item; (c) receiving an instruction from a user to change a sort order after the items are displayed based on the control performed in step (b); and (d) displaying, in response to the instruction of step (c), a second set of items of the image collection including the first item and the third item in the second sort order in the first direction while maintaining the display position of the first item.