Content selecting method and content selecting apparatus

Abstract

A content selecting method allows a target content to be selected as desired from a plurality of contents. The method includes transforming a three-dimensional image into a content selection image made up of a two-dimensional image viewed from a predetermined point of view, the three-dimensional image including content indicators each representing one of a plurality of contents, each of the content indicators being designated by a plurality of three-dimensional coordinates made of first, second and third impression item values obtained by converting three items representative of impressions of each content into numerical terms; displaying the content selection image; and discriminating a target content selected from the plurality of contents in accordance with the position of a selected target part on the content selection image and with the positions of the plurality of content indicators on the content selection image.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2005-366510 filed on Dec. 20, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a content selecting method and a content selecting apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a data recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing song data.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]In the past, song searching apparatuses generally created impression values each made up of two-dimensional data numerically representing the impressions of a plurality of songs. Such impression values were each displayed as a point on a two-dimensional image. The song searching apparatus typically allowed users to select individual points on the two-dimensional image as indicators representative of songs (e.g., Japanese Published Une...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a content selecting method and a content selecting apparatus for allowing the user to select contents of preferred impressions easily and precisely.

[0010]That is, when any one of a plurality of contents is arranged to be selected according to an embodiment of the present invention, a three-dimensional image is transformed into a content selection image made up of a two-dimensional image viewed from a predetermined point of view. The three-dimensional image includes content indicators each representing one of a plurality of contents. Each of the content indicators is designated by a plurality of three-dimensional coordinates made of first, second, and third impression item values obtained by converting three items representative of impressions of each content into numerical terms. With the content selection image displayed on a display device, the target content selected from the plurality of contents is discriminated in accordance with the position of a selected target part on the content selection image and with the positions of the plurality of content indicators on the content selection image. Given the three-dimensional positions of the content indicators in the content selection image, the user can intuitively determine selectable contents of preferred impressions. When allowed simply to select as a target part the content with the favored impressions, the user can discriminate from that part the content of the impressions closest to those preferred. According to an embodiment of the invention, it is thus possible to implement a content selecting method and a content selecting apparatus for allowing the user to select the contents of preferred impressions easily and accurately.

Problems solved by technology

Because the traditional song searching apparatus represented the impressions of a plurality of songs as the impression values formed by two-dimensional data, it was difficult to let the impressions of given songs be adequately recognized merely from the corresponding points on the two-dimension image.

That is, the typical song searching apparatus had difficulty allowing users to choose precisely the contents of preferred impressions.