# US 9,436,368 B2 · Graphical user interface, display control device, display method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,368 B2 - Document ID: US9436368B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/729,483 - Filed: 2015-06-03 - Published: 2015-09-17 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2007-08-15 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Ayuko Ishihara; Takuo Ikeda; Hidenori Karasawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436368B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - G06F 3/0485: Scrolling or panning - H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract There is provided a graphical user interface that displays information on a plurality of different types of content on a single screen. The graphical user interface includes an overview display area and a detail display area. The overview display area displays an overview of the information on the content in chronological order, based on time information for the plurality of the different types of content. The detail display area displays, in greater detail, the information on the content that corresponds to the time information that is selected in the overview display area. Scrolling the information that is displayed in the overview display area causes the information on the content that is displayed in the detail display area to be scrolled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer program instructions, which, when executed by an information processing system, cause the information processing system to: provide a graphical user interface (GUI) including first and second modes, wherein in the first mode a plurality of first content objects are displayed in chronological order, the first mode is switched to a second mode based on a selection of one of the first content objects displayed in the first mode, and in the second mode second content objects corresponding to the selected one of the first content objects displayed in the first mode are displayed, the displayed second content objects include one or more of electronic messages transmitted to a person and one or more electronic messages received from the person, the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are simultaneously displayed, and the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person are displayed so as to be aligned along a first virtual line, and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are displayed so as to be aligned along a second virtual line, which is different from the first virtual line and substantially parallel to the first virtual line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second content objects displayed in the second mode are substantially rectangular in shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein in the second mode a graphical button is displayed, and the second mode is switched to the first mode in response to an input received selecting the graphical button displayed in the second mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first content objects displayed in the first mode are scrollable in accordance with a received user operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein in the second mode the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are displayed in chronological order in an order that the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are transmitted or received. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein in the second mode the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the first virtual line are disposed such that a third virtual line running perpendicular to the first virtual line and bisecting one of the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person does not intersect the one or more electronic messages received from the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the second virtual line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein in the second mode the one or more electronic messages received from the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the second virtual line are disposed such that a third virtual line running perpendicular to the second virtual line and bisecting one of the one or more electronic messages received from the person does not intersect the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the first virtual line. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein, the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person include a first transmitted message, and a second transmitted message, the one or more of electronic messages received from the person include a first received message, and when the first received message is received after the first transmitted message is transmitted and the second transmitted message is transmitted after the first received message is received, the first transmitted message and the second transmitted message are disposed such that a minimum distance between the first transmitted message to be displayed and the second transmitted message to be displayed is greater than a font size of the first transmitted message or the second transmitted message. ### Claim 9 An information processing system comprising: circuitry configured to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) including first and second modes, wherein in the first mode a plurality of first content objects are displayed in chronological order, the first mode is switched to a second mode based on a selection of one of the first content objects displayed in the first mode, and in the second mode second content objects corresponding to the selected one of the first content objects displayed in the first mode are displayed, the displayed second content objects include one or more of electronic messages transmitted to a person and one or more electronic messages received from the person, the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are simultaneously displayed, and the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person are displayed so as to be aligned along a first virtual line, and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are displayed so as to be aligned along a second virtual line, which is different from the first virtual line and substantially parallel to the first virtual line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The information processing system of claim 9, wherein the second content objects displayed in the second mode are substantially rectangular in shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The information processing system of claim 9, wherein in the second mode a graphical button is displayed, and the second mode is switched to the first mode in response to an input received selecting the graphical button displayed in the second mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The information processing system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of first content objects displayed in the first mode are scrollable in accordance with a received user operation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The information processing system of claim 9, wherein in the second mode the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are displayed in chronological order in an order that the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are transmitted or received. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The information processing system of claim 9, wherein in the second mode the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the first virtual line are disposed such that a third virtual line running perpendicular to the first virtual line and bisecting one of the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person does not intersect the one or more electronic messages received from the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the second virtual line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The information processing system of claim 9, wherein in the second mode the one or more electronic messages received from the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the second virtual line are disposed such that a third virtual line running perpendicular to the second virtual line and bisecting one of the one or more electronic messages received from the person does not intersect the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the first virtual line. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The information processing system of claim 13, wherein, the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person include a first transmitted message, and a second transmitted message, the one or more of electronic messages received from the person include a first received message, and when the first received message is received after the first transmitted message is transmitted and the second transmitted message is transmitted after the first received message is received, the first transmitted message and the second transmitted message are disposed such that a minimum distance between the first transmitted message to be displayed and the second transmitted message to be displayed is greater than a font size of the first transmitted message or the second transmitted message. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: providing, by circuitry, a graphical user interface (GUI) including first and second modes, wherein in the first mode a plurality of first content objects are displayed in chronological order, the first mode is switched to a second mode based on a selection of one of the first content objects displayed in the first mode, and in the second mode second content objects corresponding to the selected one of the first content objects displayed in the first mode are displayed, the displayed second content objects include one or more of electronic messages transmitted to a person and one or more electronic messages received from the person, the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are simultaneously displayed, and the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person are displayed so as to be aligned along a first virtual line, and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are displayed so as to be aligned along a second virtual line, which is different from the first virtual line and substantially parallel to the first virtual line. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the second content objects displayed in the second mode are substantially rectangular in shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein in the second mode a graphical button is displayed, and the second mode is switched to the first mode in response to an input received selecting the graphical button displayed in the second mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of first content objects displayed in the first mode are scrollable in accordance with a received user operation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein in the second mode the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are displayed in chronological order in an order that the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person and the one or more electronic messages received from the person are transmitted or received. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein in the second mode the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the first virtual line are disposed such that a third virtual line running perpendicular to the first virtual line and bisecting one of the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person does not intersect the one or more electronic messages received from the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the second virtual line. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein in the second mode the one or more electronic messages received from the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the second virtual line are disposed such that a third virtual line running perpendicular to the second virtual line and bisecting one of the one or more electronic messages received from the person does not intersect the one or more electronic messages transmitted to the person and displayed so as to be aligned along the first virtual line. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein, the one or more of electronic messages transmitted to the person include a first transmitted message, and a second transmitted message, the one or more of electronic messages received from the person include a first received message, and when the first received message is received after the first transmitted message is transmitted and the second transmitted message is transmitted after the first received message is received, the first transmitted message and the second transmitted message are disposed such that a minimum distance between the first transmitted message to be displayed and the second transmitted message to be displayed is greater than a font size of the first transmitted message or the second transmitted message.