Operation device, control method for operation device, and program

Abstract

To facilitate respective operations such as an exchange operation of art works in a state where the art works corresponding to a plurality of kinds of music are displayed by arrangement.SOLUTION: On-vehicle equipment 1 includes: a display unit 110 for displaying art works of a plurality of kinds of music arranged in tile shapes within a predetermined display area; an operation unit 120 for performing an operation with respect to the display area; a display control unit 150 for exchanging an arbitrary art work with another art work that is not been displayed when an operation having a first directivity is performed by the operation unit 120 with respect to the arbitrary art work; and a reproduction control unit 160 for starting reproduction of the music corresponding to the arbitrary art work when an operation having second directivity different from the first directivity is performed with respect to the arbitrary art work.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation device for performing operations such as replacing artwork, a control method for the operation device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, audio devices that display multiple arrangements of artwork corresponding to multiple songs for the purpose of song selection are known (for example, Patent Document 1). In this type of audio device, when replacing any artwork currently displayed with another artwork, the general operation methods are (1) selecting the desired artwork, (2) deleting the desired artwork (for example, operating a delete button), (3) selecting another artwork, and (4) inserting the other artwork (for example, operating an insert button). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-252329 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when the display screen is small, the above-mentioned artwork replacement operation has a problem in that the delete and insert buttons are small and difficult to operate. Also, when the audio device is used as an in-vehicle device, it becomes a nuisance to the user while driving, regardless of the size of the display screen, and is dangerous.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention has an objective of providing an operating device, a control method for the operating device, and a program that enable various operations such as replacing artwork when artwork corresponding to multiple songs is displayed in an array. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The operating device of the present invention comprises a display unit that displays artwork for multiple songs in a tiled pattern within a specified display area, an operation unit that performs operations on the display area, and a display control unit that performs display control of the display area, and is characterized in that when an operation having a first directionality is performed by the operation unit on any artwork, the display control unit replaces the any artwork with other artwork that is not displayed.

[0007] The above-mentioned operation device is characterized in that it further includes a playback control unit that starts playing a song corresponding to any artwork when an operation having a second directionality different from the first directionality is performed on the artwork.

[0008] In the above operating device, the first direction is a direction toward the outside of the display area, and the second direction is a direction toward the inside of the display area.

[0009] In the above operating device, the display unit and the operating unit are configured with a touch panel, and the operation having the first directional property and the operation having the second directional property are flick operations.

[0010] The above-mentioned operating device further comprises a song list generation unit which generates a number of song lists in which songs are classified according to their features, and a recommendation level determination unit which determines the recommendation level of each song for each song list based on one or more of the user's preferences, the user's biometric information, and environmental information, and the display control unit displays artwork of songs with high recommendation levels in each song list in a row within the display area.

[0011] In the above-mentioned operating device, the display control unit is characterized in that, when any artwork is flicked toward the outside of the display area, the display control unit replaces the any artwork with the artwork of another song belonging to the same song list as the song corresponding to the any artwork.

[0012] In the above-mentioned operating device, the display control unit is characterized in that it places feature tiles indicating the features of each song at any position in the display area, and places artwork of songs with high recommendation ratings in the corresponding song list near the feature tiles.

[0013] In the above-mentioned operating device, the display control unit is characterized in that, when a feature tile is touched, it replaces all artwork displayed in the display area with the artwork of a song in the song list that corresponds to the touched feature tile.

[0014] In the above-mentioned operating device, the display control unit places a refresh tile, different from the feature tile, at any position in the display area, and when the refresh tile is touched, replaces all artwork displayed in the display area.

[0015] In the above-mentioned operating device, the display control unit displays artwork of the song being played in the center of the display area, and when the artwork of the song being played is touched, switches the screen to a screen that displays detailed information about the song being played.

[0016] The control method for an operating device of the present invention is characterized by executing a display step of displaying artwork for multiple songs in a tiled pattern within a specified display area, an operation step of performing an operation on the display area, and a replacement step of replacing any artwork with other artwork that is not displayed when an operation having a first direction is performed on any artwork by the operation step.

[0017] The program of the present invention is characterized by causing a computer to execute each step of the above-mentioned control method for an operating device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a system configuration diagram of an in-vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2A is a functional block diagram of an in-vehicle device, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an example of a music list. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display example of an artwork screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of the artwork screen when the feature-specific artwork group is rotated and the artwork is replaced from the state of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of display control of an in-vehicle device. [Figure 6] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an operation of replacing any artwork on the artwork screen. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display of the artwork screen when the artwork is replaced by the operation of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a playback start operation on the artwork screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of how the artwork screen is displayed when music playback is started by the operation shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of how the artwork screen is displayed when a feature tile is touched in the state shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of how the artwork screen is displayed when the refresh tile is touched in the state shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a status screen display. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, an in-vehicle device used in a vehicle is illustrated as a display device and an operating device. The in-vehicle device may be a device installed after the vehicle is shipped (e.g., a commercially available car navigation device), or may be a device already installed in the vehicle at the vehicle shipping stage.

[0020] 1 is a system configuration diagram of an in-vehicle system SY according to an embodiment of the present invention. The in-vehicle system SY includes an in-vehicle device 1, a mobile terminal 2 carried by a vehicle occupant such as a driver, a bracelet 3 worn on the wrist of the vehicle occupant, a vehicle control device 4 installed in the vehicle, and an external server 5 provided on the Internet.

[0021] The main hardware components of the in-vehicle device 1 include a memory 11, a navigation unit 12, an AV unit 13, a touch panel TP, a speaker 14, a mobile communication interface (hereinafter abbreviated as "I / F") 15, a bracelet communication I / F 16, a vehicle communication I / F 17, a server communication I / F 18, and a control unit 19.

[0022] The memory 11 non-volatilely stores various control programs and control data, as well as music data (including audio data and metadata) for playing music on the AV unit 13. It also stores the operation history of each music data by the in-car device 1 (number of times played, cumulative playback time, etc.).

[0023] The navigation unit 12 includes a program and sensors (including GPS) for implementing a navigation function. The AV unit 13 includes a program and a player for implementing a music playback function. The touch panel TP is used for displaying and operating various information. In particular, in this embodiment, it displays an artwork screen D1 (see FIG. 3, etc.) for presenting recommended songs to the user, and a status screen D2 (see FIG. 12) for displaying information about the song being played and for configuring various settings.

[0024] Speaker 14 outputs audio reproduced by navigation unit 12 or AV unit 13. Mobile communication I / F 15 communicates with mobile terminal 2 via wireless communication or wired communication. Possible wireless communication methods include Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication and infrared communication. Possible wired communication methods include communication via a dock connector or a dedicated cable. Mobile communication I / F 15 may be configured to be able to communicate with multiple mobile terminals 2.

[0025] The bracelet communication I / F 16 communicates with the bracelet 3 via wireless communication such as Bluetooth communication or infrared communication. The bracelet communication I / F 16 may also be configured to be able to communicate with multiple bracelets 3. The vehicle communication I / F 17 communicates with the vehicle control device 4 via a dedicated circuit. The server communication I / F 18 communicates with the external server 5 via an Internet line. The control unit 19 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and controls the in-vehicle device 1.

[0026] The mobile terminal 2 includes, as its main hardware configuration, a mobile communication I / F 21, a music memory 22, and an operation history memory 23. As the mobile terminal 2, a tablet terminal such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a PDA, or the like can be adopted.

[0027] The mobile communication I / F 21 communicates with the in-car device 1. The music memory 22 stores music data in a non-volatile manner. The music data stored in the mobile terminal 2 can be played back by the music playback function (not shown) of the mobile terminal 2, but can also be played back by the AV unit 13 of the in-car device 1. The operation history memory 23 stores the number of times each music data has been played back by the music playback function of the mobile terminal 2, the cumulative playback time, and the like. If the mobile terminal 2 has an Internet connection function, the operation history memory 23 also stores music search history, preview history, and purchase history in a web browser or a specified web server (not shown). The music data and operation history stored in the mobile terminal 2 are transmitted to the in-car device 1 via the mobile communication I / F 21.

[0028] The bracelet 3 has, as its main hardware configuration, a bracelet communication I / F 31, a body temperature sensor 32, and a heart rate sensor 33. The bracelet 3 is made of a long, thin plate of resin material bent into a C-shape, and is worn so that its inner surface comes into contact with the user's wrist.

[0029] The bracelet communication I / F 31 communicates with the in-vehicle device 1. The body temperature sensor 32 measures the body temperature of the user. The heart rate sensor 33 measures the heart rate of the user. In addition to the body temperature sensor 32 and the heart rate sensor 33, various sensors (such as a sweat sensor) for detecting the user's biometric information may be added. The bracelet 3 may also be provided with a display function to display the sensor measurement results and the time. The measurement results of the bracelet 3 are transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1 via the bracelet communication I / F 31.

[0030] The vehicle control device 4 includes, as its main hardware components, a vehicle communication I / F 41, an acceleration sensor 42, and a vibration sensor 43. In addition, the vehicle control device 4 includes various sensors and parts (mounted on a general vehicle control device) necessary for vehicle driving control.

[0031] The vehicle communication I / F 41 communicates with the in-vehicle device 1. The acceleration sensor 42 measures the acceleration of the vehicle. The vibration sensor 43 measures the vibration of the vehicle. These measurement results are transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1 via the vehicle communication I / F 41. In addition to the measurement results of the acceleration sensor 42 and the vibration sensor 43, detection results of steering operation and detection results of skidding, swaying, deviation from a diagonal line, etc. of the vehicle may also be transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1.

[0032] The external server 5 has a music database 51 in which a large number of music data items are stored. The in-car device 1 can obtain music data items from the music database 51 and play the obtained music data items by the AV unit 13.

[0033] With the above configuration, the in-car device 1 generates a song list sorted by song feature quantities from song data stored in a predetermined storage area such as the song database 51 of the external server 5, the song memory 22 of the mobile terminal 2, and the memory 11 of the in-car device 1. Then, for each song list, the recommendation level (degree of recommendation to the user) of each song is calculated based on the user's operation history, the measurement results of the bracelet 3, the detection results of the vehicle control device 4, etc., and artwork of several songs with high recommendation levels is presented to the user (displayed on the touch panel TP, see FIG. 3, etc.).

[0034] Next, the functional configuration of the in-vehicle device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2(a). The in-vehicle device 1 mainly comprises a display unit 110, an operation unit 120, a music list generating unit 130, a recommendation level determining unit 140, a display control unit 150, and a playback control unit 160. Of these, the display unit 110 and the operation unit 120 are realized by a touch panel TP. The other units are mainly realized by an AV unit 13 and a control unit 19.

[0035] In the case of, for example, the artwork mode, the display unit 110 displays the artwork of a plurality of songs arranged in tiles on the touch panel TP (a predetermined display area). FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of the artwork screen D1 displayed in the artwork mode. In the figure, the tiles (rectangular areas) marked with "(AW-***)" indicate the artwork (disc jackets, etc.) of each song. In addition, the tiles marked with "GENRE REFRESH", "HIT CHART REFRESH", and "EPM REFRESH" correspond to the song feature amounts "genre", "hit chart", and "EPM", respectively, and are arranged at any position on the artwork screen D1, one at a time. Hereinafter, the tiles indicating each of these song feature amounts are referred to as "feature amount tiles". The "feature amount tiles" are displayed according to the song feature amounts set by the user, so the number of displayed tiles is arbitrary. In addition, they may be hidden by operating the refresh tile, which will be described later.

[0036] Furthermore, a tile labeled "ALL REFRESH" is a refresh tile that is placed at any position on the artwork screen D1. The refresh tile is always displayed in only one place on the artwork screen D1, regardless of the set song feature amount. Furthermore, a large tile displayed in the center of the touch panel TP indicates the artwork of the song being played. Meanwhile, in the status mode, the display unit 110 displays a status screen D2 (see FIG. 12) that shows detailed information about the song being played. Details of each screen D1, D2 will be described later.

[0037] The operation unit 120 performs operations on the screens D1 and D2 displayed on the touch panel TP. For example, in the artwork mode, it performs artwork replacement and playback start instructions. In the status mode, it performs playback operations and various settings.

[0038] The song list generator 130 generates a song list by classifying songs stored in a predetermined storage area such as the memory 11, the song memory 22, the song database 51, etc. according to song feature quantities. The song feature quantities to be adopted can be set on the status screen D2. In this embodiment, it is assumed that three types of song feature quantities are set: "genre," "hit chart," and "EPM." Note that song feature quantities refer to information that serves as a criterion for classifying songs. Therefore, in addition to these three types, "era," "artist," "BPM (Beats Per Minute)," "key," etc. can also be set.

[0039] FIG. 2(b) is a diagram showing an example of a created song list. Here, the "genre" song list is a list of songs that belong to the genre (jazz, rock, pop, etc.) set on the status screen D2. The "hit chart" song list is a list of songs that are at the top of a ranking determined based on song sales and requests. The song rankings are stored in the song database 51 of the external server 5. The "EPM" song list is a list of songs to which an EPM value is added as metadata. The EPM value is a numerical representation of the activeness of a song, and is expressed on a scale of 100, for example, from "1 to 100."

[0040] The recommendation level determination unit 140 determines the recommendation level of each song for each song list based on one or more of the following elements: "user preferences," "user biometric information," and "environmental information." Which of these elements to adopt is set for each song list on the status screen D2. The weighting of each element is also set for each song list on the status screen D2. Therefore, even for the same song, the recommendation level calculated for each categorized song list is different. In the song list shown in FIG. 2(b), the identification information (song ID) of each song is listed in descending order of recommendation level. The recommendation level is expressed on a scale of 100, for example, "1 to 100" (see the parentheses after each song ID).

[0041] Here, the "user's taste" is determined based on the operation history of each piece of music data in the in-car device 1 and / or the mobile terminal 2 (such as the number of times each piece of music data has been played, the total playback time, the number of searches, the number of times it has been listened to, and whether it has been purchased). In other words, a piece of music that is determined to be the user's preference from the operation history is highly recommended. In addition, the "user's biometric information" is determined based on the measurement results of the bracelet 3 (body temperature sensor 32 and / or heart rate sensor 33). The biometric information to be adopted is set in the status screen D2. However, the "user's biometric information" is reflected only when "EPM" is adopted as a music feature in the status screen D2. For example, if the measurement results of the bracelet 3 indicate that the user is in an excited state, the recommendation level of a piece of music with a low sense of activity (low EPM value) is high.

[0042] The "environmental information" is determined based on the vehicle's driving position and / or the vehicle's driving state. The environmental information to be adopted is set on the status screen D2. The "vehicle's driving position" refers to the area type (sea, mountain, urban area, etc.), road type (expressway, national highway, prefectural road, municipal road, etc.), nearest tourist spot, destination and mark point registered in the navigation unit 12, etc. The "vehicle's driving position" can be detected by acquiring current position information from the navigation unit 12. The "vehicle's driving state" refers to the driving speed, the vehicle's shaking (sideways skidding, wobbling, diagonal deviation, etc.), braking frequency, etc. The "vehicle's driving state" can be detected by acquiring the measurement results of the acceleration sensor 42 and the vibration sensor 43 from the vehicle control device 4. When the recommendation level is determined based on the "environmental information", for example, if the current driving position is near the "sea", the recommendation level of a song related to the sea (a song with a keyword related to the sea added as metadata) will be high, and when the vehicle becomes more swaying, the recommendation level of a song with a high BPM will be high to prevent drowsiness.

[0043] When displaying the artwork screen D1, the display control unit 150 preferentially displays artwork related to songs with a high recommendation level in each song list. For example, when the song list shown in FIG. 2(b) is generated, as shown in FIG. 3, the display control unit 150 selects and displays the number of artworks (16 in the example of FIG. 3) that can be displayed on the artwork screen D1 in descending order of recommendation level. Note that the "***" in the notation (AW-***) of each artwork indicates the song feature amount (G: genre, H: hit chart, E: EPM) of the corresponding song and its ranking (two-digit number) in each song list.

[0044] The display control unit 150 also arranges artworks of songs belonging to the same song list in close proximity on the artwork screen D1, and replaces the artworks to be displayed as time passes. In this embodiment, the artworks are replaced at a predetermined time t2 (periodically). In addition, the artworks are replaced when at least one of the "user's biometric information" and the "environmental information" changes. Note that, when replacing the artworks, the artworks of songs with low recommendation levels in each song list are prioritized among the artworks displayed on the touch panel TP. For example, if five artworks with recommendation levels 1 to 5 are displayed for an arbitrary song list, the display control is performed such that the artwork with recommendation level 5 is replaced with the artwork with recommendation level 6 at first, and the artwork with recommendation level 4 is replaced with the artwork with recommendation level 7 at the next timing. Note that the status screen D2 may be configured so that a predetermined number of artworks from the top of the recommendation levels are not replaced.

[0045] Furthermore, when the operation unit 120 performs a flick operation (operation having a first direction) from any artwork as the origin (starting point) toward the outside of the touch panel TP, the display control unit 150 replaces the arbitrary artwork with other artwork that is not being displayed. Note that a "flick operation" refers to an operation of touching the screen as if quickly sweeping it. Furthermore, when the operation unit 120 touches a feature tile indicating a song feature of each song, the display control unit 150 replaces all of the displayed artwork with the artwork of the song in the song list that corresponds to the touched feature tile. Furthermore, when the operation unit 120 touches a refresh tile that is arranged in only one place on the touch panel TP, all of the displayed artwork is replaced.

[0046] The display control unit 150 also changes the display position on the touch panel TP of the feature-based artwork group, which is a collection of artwork for songs belonging to the same song list (each artwork (AW-***) with the same initial alphabetical "*"; in the example of FIG. 3, symbols E02 to E04), over time. In this embodiment, the display position of each feature-based artwork group (the display position of each artwork constituting the feature-based artwork group) is gradually rotated clockwise every predetermined time t1 (periodically).

[0047] When a flick operation is performed inward on the touch panel TP starting from any artwork on the artwork screen D1, the playback control unit 160 starts playing the music corresponding to the artwork. After the music playback ends, auto-play (automatic selection and automatic playback of the next music) is performed. At this time, it is preferable to select the next music based on the music list to which each music belongs and the recommendation level. After the artwork screen D1 starts to be displayed, the playback control unit 160 continues auto-play until the user performs a playback start operation.

[0048] Next, the configuration of the artwork screen D1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In the artwork screen D1, as shown by the reference symbol E01, the artwork of the song being played (in the example of the figure, the song "AW-E04") is displayed large in the center of the touch panel TP (playing song display area E01). In the example of the figure, the playing song display area E01 is four times larger than the other artwork, but the size may be set to the user's preference. In addition, the size of the artwork other than the playing song display area E01 (artwork of a song not being played) may also be settable. Note that the size of the artwork may be set by an absolute value such as mm or display pixel unit, or may be set by a relative value such as large, medium, or small.

[0049] As shown by symbols E02 to E04, a group of artworks by feature is displayed corresponding to three types of music feature, "genre," "hit chart," and "EPM," respectively (feature-based display areas E02 to E04). Also, each feature tile ("GENRE REFRESH," "HIT CHART REFRESH," "EPM REFRESH") indicating the corresponding feature is arranged so as to be adjacent to at least one artwork in each feature-based artwork group. Note that in the example shown in the figure, the feature tile is the same size as the surrounding artwork, but the size may be set to the user's preference.

[0050] Also, as shown by the reference symbols E02 to E04, artworks and feature tiles belonging to the same feature-based artwork group are displayed with the same decoration. In this embodiment, as decoration, a frame of the same color is added for each music feature (in the drawings, the frame color is expressed by a different filling pattern). The music feature and the frame color are not in a 1:1 correspondence, but are determined according to the selection order of the music feature. For example, when three music feature items, "genre", "hit chart", and "EPM", are selected, the frame of "genre" is red, the frame of "hit chart" is blue, and the frame of "EPM" is yellow; when two items, "hit chart" and "EPM", are selected, the frame of "hit chart" is red, and the frame of "EPM" is blue. In this way, the set colors are changed according to the number of selected music feature items and the selection order. Also, the display position of each feature-based artwork group on the touch panel TP is determined according to the set frame color. In this embodiment, the arrangement order of the artwork groups for each feature amount in any rotation direction around the played music display area E01 is determined according to a hue circle.

[0051] Also, as indicated by the reference symbol E05, a refresh tile is displayed at only one arbitrary position on the touch panel TP (refresh tile display area E05). The refresh tile is decorated with a different decoration from the decorations added to the artwork groups for each feature amount.

[0052] Next, the change in the artwork screen D1 over time will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows an example of the display of the artwork screen D1 after a certain time (a time longer than the predetermined times t1 and t2) has elapsed from the state of Fig. 3. However, it is assumed that the song being played is the same song.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, each of the feature-based display areas E02 to E04 has moved slightly in a clockwise direction centered on the playback music display area E01, compared to the state in FIG. 3. At this time, each feature tile also moves in the same way as the corresponding artwork. Furthermore, the refresh tile display area E05 also moves in a clockwise direction with the movement of the other tiles. Also, in FIG. 4, the artwork to be displayed is replaced. In this case, the artwork of the music with a low recommendation level in each music list is replaced preferentially. For example, in the feature-based display area E02 for "genre," two artworks ("AW-G07" and "AW-G08") are hidden, compared to the state in FIG. 3. Also, in the feature-based display area E03 for "hit chart," one artwork ("AW-H06") has been added, and in the feature-based display area E04 for "EPM," one artwork ("AW-E05") has been added. In addition to replacing the artworks in each of the feature-specific display areas E02 to E04, the artworks are also rearranged based on a predetermined algorithm, such as random arrangement.

[0054] Next, the flow of display control in the in-vehicle device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 5. It is assumed here that the user does not perform an operation to replace artwork. The in-vehicle device 1 (display control unit 150) determines whether a predetermined time t1 has elapsed since the previous rotation (movement of display position) of the artwork group classified by feature amount (S01). If the predetermined time t1 has elapsed (S01: Yes), the display position of the artwork group classified by feature amount is rotated (S02). If the predetermined time t1 has not elapsed (S01: No), S02 is omitted.

[0055] Then, it is determined whether a predetermined time t2 has passed since the previous artwork replacement (S03). If the predetermined time t2 has not passed (S03: No), it is determined whether at least one of the "user's biometric information" and the "environmental information" has changed (whether the ranking of the recommendation level of each music list has changed) (S04), and if there has been no change (S04: No), it returns to S01. Also, if the predetermined time t2 has passed since the previous artwork replacement (S03: Yes), or if at least one of the "user's biometric information" and the "environmental information" has changed (S04: Yes), the artwork is replaced (S05), and it returns to S01.

[0056] Next, changes in the artwork screen D1 caused by user operations will be described with reference to Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 6, when a flick operation is performed from an arbitrary artwork ("AW-H04" in the example of the figure) toward the outside of the touch panel TP (for example, in the direction of the reference numerals 61 to 63), another artwork ("AW-H06" in the example of the figure) is displayed in place of the arbitrary artwork as shown in Fig. 7. However, the replacement with another artwork is subject to the condition that the song corresponding to the arbitrary artwork belongs to the same song list.

[0057] Also, as shown in Fig. 8, when a flick operation is performed from an arbitrary artwork ("AW-H04" in the example of the figure) toward the inside of the touch panel TP (for example, in the direction of symbols 65, 66), the arbitrary artwork is displayed in the playback music display area E01 as shown in Fig. 9, and playback of the music corresponding to the arbitrary artwork begins. Also, in the area where the arbitrary artwork was displayed, another artwork is displayed in place of the arbitrary artwork ("AW-H06" in the example of the figure). In this case, too, replacement with another artwork is subject to the condition that it belongs to the same music list as the music corresponding to the arbitrary artwork.

[0058] Also, as shown in FIG. 10, when an arbitrary feature tile (in the example of FIG. 3, "GENRE REFRESH") is touched, all artworks displayed on the touch panel TP and feature tiles other than the arbitrary feature tile (in the example of FIG. 10, "HIT CHART REFRESH", "EPM REFRESH") are replaced with the artworks of songs in the song list corresponding to the touched feature tile. In other words, in the example of FIG. 10, all the displayed artworks become the artworks of songs belonging to the "genre" song list. In this case, the artworks in the "genre" feature-specific display area E02 are not replaced or rearranged. Also, the display positions of the played song (display in the played song display area E01) and the refresh tile display area E05 do not change.

[0059] Also, as shown in FIG. 11, when the refresh tile ("ALL REFRESH") is touched from the state of FIG. 3, all artwork displayed on the touch panel TP is replaced. In this case, the display position of each feature tile does not change. Also, the display positions of the played music (display in the played music display area E01) and the refresh tile display area E05 do not change. Furthermore, the display positions of each feature-specific display area E02 to E04 and the number of artworks that make up each feature-specific artwork group do not change.

[0060] Next, the configuration of the status screen D2 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Display switching from the artwork screen D1 to the status screen D2 (switching from artwork mode to status mode) is performed by touching the played music display area E01 of the artwork screen D1 (not shown). As shown in the figure, the status screen D2 has an overall design based on "circles", making it easy to distinguish at a glance from the artwork screen D1, which is based on "squares". Display switching from the status screen D2 to the artwork screen D1 is performed by touching a predetermined screen switching button (not shown) provided on the status screen D2, or the played music display area E11, which will be described later.

[0061] In the center of the status screen D2, a circular playback song display area E11 that displays the artwork of the song being played is arranged, and around it, a playback song information area E12, a playback song operation area E13, a recommendation level setting area E14, and a sound setting area E15 are arranged as if dividing a circular area that is concentric with the playback song display area E11 and has a larger diameter than the playback song display area E11 into a sector shape. The playback song information area E12 displays the metadata and source of the song being played (recording media such as the memory 11, the song memory 22, and the song database 51). The playback song operation area E13 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) related to playback song operations such as play / pause buttons and fast forward / rewind buttons that are installed in general audio devices.

[0062] The recommendation level setting area E14 is an area for selecting and setting each condition for determining the recommendation level, and displays selection buttons and setting areas for each of the following items. In the recommendation level setting area E14, the user can select a song feature (select a feature type such as "genre", "hit chart", "EPM", or "era", and set the details (such as specifying "genre" or "era")), select a parameter for determining the recommendation level (which element of "user's preference", "user's biological information", or "environmental information" to use for each song list, and set the weighting of the element), select biological information (which of the body temperature sensor 32 and the heart rate sensor 33 to use), select environmental information (which of the vehicle's "driving position" and "driving location" to use), and select a source (which of the memory 11, the song memory 22, or the song database 51 to use). When a setting change is made in the recommendation level setting area E14, the recommendation level of each song list is affected, and the display of the artwork screen D1 is updated.

[0063] Also, the sound setting area E15 displays a GUI related to sound settings such as an area for setting an equalizer and a volume, as well as a spectrum analyzer (music waveform) display, which are typically found in audio devices.

[0064] Furthermore, a link display area E16 is disposed in the lower right corner of the status screen D2. The link display area E16 indicates the link status between the in-car device 1 and the bracelet 3 by turning on / off an image that resembles the bracelet 3. Note that when the in-car device 1 and the bracelet 3 are not linked, even if biometric information is selected in the recommendation level setting area E14, the biometric information does not affect the recommendation level of the music list "EPM."

[0065] As described above, according to this embodiment, the artwork of one or more songs belonging to each song list classified by feature amount is displayed in tiles on the touch panel TP on the artwork screen D1, and the artwork to be displayed is replaced over time, so that songs can be presented in a more attractive way than in a conventional playlist in which song titles are listed according to the playback order. Furthermore, by replacing the artwork, fresh songs can always be presented to the user. Furthermore, by expanding the source of songs, such as the external server 5, the user can expect to encounter unexpected songs that he or she has never heard before.

[0066] In addition, if the user does not perform any operation, the automatic playback eliminates the need for song selection operations, so the user does not have to bother while driving. On the other hand, the user can also change or stop songs through user operations. In this way, according to this embodiment, a method of presenting songs can be realized that takes advantage of the advantages of radio and eliminates its disadvantages.

[0067] According to the present embodiment, on the artwork screen D1, a flick operation from an arbitrary artwork toward the outside of the touch panel as a starting point replaces the arbitrary artwork with another artwork, so that the replacement of artwork can be easily performed in one step. In addition, it is also possible to replace a plurality of songs at once by touching the feature tile or the refresh tile, so that the operation is even easier. In addition, a flick operation from an arbitrary artwork toward the inside of the touch panel starts the playback of a song corresponding to the arbitrary artwork, so that the playback operation can also be easily performed in one step.

[0068] In addition, the screen can be switched to the status screen D2 by touching the artwork of the song currently being played (playing song display area E01) displayed in the center of the artwork screen D1. This makes it possible to check detailed information and perform detailed settings in fewer steps compared to the conventional screen switching method in which a menu screen is displayed and then the desired screen is switched to.

[0069] The following modified examples may be adopted. For example, the display control unit 150 in the above embodiment displays the artwork of all songs except for the song being played in the same size (see FIG. 3, etc.), but the display size of each artwork may be changed depending on the recommendation level of each song. In other words, the artwork of a song with a high recommendation level may be displayed larger than the artwork of a song with a low recommendation level. This configuration allows the user to grasp the recommendation level of a song at a glance.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the color of the frame added to the artwork is changed as a decoration for each music feature, but instead of or together with the color of the frame, the pattern of the frame may be changed. Also, instead of the frame, the background color of each artwork (tile) may be changed, or a specified mark may be added.

[0071] As a modified example, instead of setting frame colors for each song feature, an intermediate color between the two types of song feature may be set. For example, a reddish purple frame may be added to artwork corresponding to a song with a recommendation level of "1" in "genre" (set in red) and a recommendation level of "5" in "hit chart" (set in blue). This allows a gradation to be formed throughout the artwork, further improving its appearance. Also, since the user can guess the two types of song feature from the frame colors, the user can select songs more intuitively.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the artwork is exemplified as a disc jacket of a song, but the artwork is not limited to this. For example, an original image created by a user for the song may be used as the artwork. In other words, the "artwork of a song" in the claims means artwork associated with the song.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the feature-specific artwork group is rotated when a predetermined time t1 has elapsed, and the artwork is replaced when a predetermined time t2 has elapsed or when at least one of the "user's biometric information" and "environmental information" has changed (see FIG. 5), but the feature-specific artwork group may be rotated and the artwork may be replaced at the same timing. Also, the setting may be variable to determine whether or not the feature-specific artwork group is rotated, the rotation direction, whether or not the artwork is replaced, the replacement algorithm, and the predetermined times t1 and t2.

[0074] In the above embodiment, when replacing artwork or instructing to start playback, the "operation on any artwork" is an operation that starts from any artwork, but it may be defined as an operation that ends at any artwork, or an operation that goes through any artwork. In addition, which of these operations is used to replace artwork or instruct to start playback may be set on the status screen D2.

[0075] In the above embodiment, a flick operation toward the outside of the touch panel TP is exemplified as an operation for replacing artwork (operation having a first directionality), but other than the outside, it may be defined as one or more of the upward direction, downward direction, right direction, left direction, right diagonal direction, and left diagonal direction. It may also be defined as the inside. Similarly, a flick operation toward the inside of the touch panel TP is exemplified as an operation for instructing the start of playback (operation having a second directionality), but it may be defined as one or more of the above options. Furthermore, other than the flick operation, it may be possible to realize replacement of artwork or start of playback by other operations with directionality, such as a drag operation, pinch in (pinch close) / pinch out (pinch open), etc.

[0076] In addition, in the above embodiment, the recommendation level setting area E14 of the status screen D2 is configured to set parameters for determining the recommendation level for each song list, but the parameters may also be set collectively as parameters common to all song lists.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the biometric information of the vehicle occupant (driver) is detected by the bracelet 3, but the biometric information may be detected by other devices (for example, a thermometer or a heart rate measuring device). The mobile terminal 2 may be provided with a biometric information detection function (body temperature sensor 32 or heart rate sensor 33).

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, artwork is displayed for the purpose of presenting music to the user, but the present invention can also be applied to presenting content other than music data (such as video or still images).

[0079] In the above embodiment, the display unit 110 and the operation unit 120 are realized by the touch panel TP, but each may be realized by separate hardware. In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the in-vehicle device 1, but the present invention can also be applied to other electronic devices (display devices, operation devices).

[0080] It is also possible to provide each of the components of the in-vehicle system SY described above as a program. The program can also be provided by storing it on various recording media (CD-ROM, flash memory, etc.). In other words, the program for causing a computer to function as each of the components of the in-vehicle system SY, and the recording media on which it is recorded, are also included in the scope of the present invention. Other modifications are possible as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1: In-vehicle device 2: Mobile terminal 3: Bracelet 4: Vehicle control device 5: External server 110: Display unit 120: Operation unit 130: Song list generation unit 140: Recommendation level determination unit 150: Display control unit 160: Playback control unit D1: Artwork screen D2: Status screen E01: Playing song display area E02: "Genre" feature-specific display area E03: "Hit chart" feature-specific display area E04: "EPM" feature-specific display area E05: Refresh tile display area E11: Playing song display area E12: Playing song information area E13: Playing song operation area E14: Recommendation level setting area E15: Sound setting area E16: Link display area SY: In-vehicle system TP: Touch panel

Claims

[Claim 1] a display unit that displays artwork of a plurality of songs in a tiled manner within a predetermined display area; an operation unit for performing an operation on the display area; A display control unit that controls display of the display area, An operating device characterized in that the display control unit replaces any artwork with other artwork that is not displayed when an operation having a first direction is performed on any artwork by the operating unit.

Images