Patent ID: 6983426

Claim:
An information-processing apparatus comprising: icon-specifying means for specifying a desired icon from icons displayed in an array hierarchical structure; a first display control means for controlling a display of an icon hierarchy including a plurality of first icons on a first hierarchical layer, a plurality of second icons on a second hierarchical layer at a level lower than said first hierarchical layer, a plurality of third icons on a third hierarchical layer at a level lower than said second hierarchical layer and a plurality of fourth icons on a fourth hierarchical layer at a level lower than said third hierarchical layer so as to exhibit an array of said first icons as a column or a row on a screen and an array of said second icons as another column or another row on said screen wherein: the number of said first icons displayed on said screen and the number of said second icons displayed on said screen are determined by the size of a display area on said screen; and said array of said first icons, said array of said second icons and said array of said third icons are displayed on said screen to form an array hierarchical structure when said icon-specifying means specifies one of said second icons in said array hierarchical structure: second display control means for changing said array hierarchical structure displayed on said screen so as to: display said second icons to replace said first icons in said array hierarchical structure on said screen, display said third icons to replace said second icons in said array hierarchical structure on said screen and display said fourth icons to replace said third icons in said array hierarchical structure on said screen when said icon-specifying means specifies one of said third icons in said array hierarchical structure; and layer-count-acquiring means for acquiring the number of hierarchical layers to be displayed wherein said first control means is capable of controlling said display so as to exhibit icons pertaining to as many hierarchical layers as indicated by said number of hierarchical layers to be displayed, which is acquired by said layer-count-acquiring means.