US 2008/0178217 A1 · Image Display Method and Program

Abstract

To improve ease of operation with which a user selects an image when many images are simultaneously displayed on a screen, a frame, which divides many images into 12 areas, is superimposed and displayed on a screen displaying thumbnail exhibition thereon. For example, the press of a channel key allows selecting one of the areas and moving to the selected area a focus frame indicating a candidate image for selection, and then the presses of cursor keys allow moving the focus frame to a desired image to be selected. The number of areas can be changed and displayed according to the number of channel keys when a television remote control is used, or according to the number of numeric keys when a mobile telephone is used.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An image display method for selecting one image from among a plurality of images simultaneously displayed on an image display screen by using an operation device having some keys, the image display method comprising the steps of:

checking how many keys the operation device has:
superimposing and displaying an auxiliary image on the screen on which the plurality of images are simultaneously displayed, wherein the auxiliary image sets a plurality of areas, each of which contains some images, on the screen on which the plurality of images are simultaneously displayed, and wherein a number of the areas is changed according to a number of the keys of the operation device;
allowing a user to select any area from among the plurality of areas through an operation of the key corresponding to the area, and thereby limit a range of candidate images for selection to the selected area;
and
allowing the user to select any image from among the candidate images for selection in the selected area.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image Display Method and Program

Life of this patent

Image Display Method and Program

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5