Electronic apparatus, playback management method, display control apparatus, and display control method

An electronic apparatus, comprising:

• an index file generating unit to generate an index file including a plurality of pieces of file information for stream files of content recorded on a predetermined recording medium, each of the pieces of file information including first link information linking to one of the stream files;
• a stream data playback unit to read and play back the stream files from the recording medium;
• a bookmark information registering unit to, in response to an instruction to register a bookmark during the playback of the stream files, record second link information for linking to a bookmarked position in the piece of file information for the played back stream file;
• and
• a playback managing unit to read the index file and play back the stream files, wherein the playback managing unit controls display of a first thumbnail image generated from a first image representing the content of an associated stream file and a second thumbnail image generated from a second image representing the content of the associated stream file corresponding to a playback start position of the associated stream file at which a bookmark is registered in different sizes in a mixed manner with a display element to indicate that each of the first and second thumbnail images is associated with the associated stream file and to visually distinguish from the second thumbnail image as representing a registered bookmark for the associated stream file from the first thumbnail image representing the content of the associated stream file;
• wherein at least one of the units includes a processor.

A playback management method, comprising:

• obtaining stream content data;
• generating, by a processor, stream files of content by converting the obtained stream data;
• generating, by the processor, an index file including a plurality of pieces of file information of the stream files, each of the pieces of file information including first link information linking to one of the stream files;
• and
• in response to an instruction to register a bookmark during the obtaining of the stream data, recording by the processor second link information for linking to a bookmarked position of the generated stream file in the piece of file information of the index file;
• controlling, by the processor, display of a first thumbnail image generated from a first image representing the content of the generated stream file and a second thumbnail image generated from a second image representing the content of the generated stream file corresponding to a playback start position in the generated stream file at which the bookmark is registered in different sizes in a mixed manner with a display element to indicate that each of the first and second thumbnail images is associated with the generated stream file and to visually distinguish the second thumbnail image as representing a registered bookmark for the generated stream file from the first thumbnail image representing the content of the generated stream file.

A playback management method, comprising:

• generating by a processor an index file including a plurality of pieces of file information for stream files of content recorded on a predetermined recording medium, each of the pieces of file information including first link information linking to one of the stream files;
• reading and playing back the stream files from the recording medium;
• in response to an instruction to register a bookmark during the playback of the stream files, recording second link information for linking to a bookmarked position in the piece of file information for the played back stream file;
• and
• controlling display of a first thumbnail image generated from a first image representing the content of an associated stream file and a second thumbnail image generated from a second image representing the content of the associated stream file corresponding to a playback start position in the associated stream file at which a bookmark is registered in different sizes in a mixed manner with a display element to indicate that each of the first and second thumbnail images is associated with the associated stream file and to visually distinguish the second thumbnail image as representing a registered bookmark for the associated stream file from the first thumbnail image representing the content of the associated stream file.

A display control method, comprising:

• inputting a stream file of content and in which a bookmark is registered;
• generating by a processor a selection screen on which a first thumbnail image generated from a first image representing the content of the stream file and a second thumbnail image generated from a second image representing the content of the stream file corresponding to a bookmark registration position at which the bookmark is registered in the stream file are sequentially arranged in different sizes in a mixed manner with a display element to indicate that each of the first and second thumbnail images is associated with the stream file and to visually distinguish the second thumbnail image as representing a registered bookmark for the stream file from the first thumbnail image representing the content of the stream file;
• and
• starting playback of the stream file from the beginning of the stream file when the first thumbnail image is selected on the selection screen, and starting playback of the stream file from the bookmark registration position as a playback start position when the second thumbnail image is selected on the selection screen.

An electronic apparatus, comprising:

• a storing means for storing information of a bookmark associated with a stream file;
• a selection screen generating means including a processor to generate a selection screen configured such that a first thumbnail image generated from a first image representing a first stream file and a second thumbnail image generated from a second image representing the content of the first stream file corresponding to a bookmark registration position at which the bookmark is registered in the first stream file are sequentially arranged in different sizes in a mixed manner with a display element to indicate that each of the first and second thumbnail images is associated with the first stream file and to visually distinguish the second thumbnail image as representing a registered bookmark for the first stream file from the first thumbnail image representing the content of the first stream file;
• and
• a display control means for controlling display of the selection screen generated by the selection screen generating means.