File storing apparatus with file list display function

0001The present invention relates to a file storing apparatus including a display, user input means, data reading means for reading data from a data storage medium and control means, the control means being configured for causing the data reading means to read a file list, comprising all of the content files, e.g. audio and video files and potentially excluding control data files, stored in a data storage medium, from the data storage medium and to display said list on the display.

0002The recording capacity of recording media has increased dramatically in recent years. An example of a vast-capacity recording medium is the DCD, created by Dataplay, Inc., which currently has a recording capacity of about 500MB of data on a disk slightly larger than a US 25 cent coin and having a much greater storage capacity than CDs (Compact Discs) and a DVDs (Digital Video Discs). The above-mentioned recording medium has the capacity to store about 10 hours of music, or 100 to 150 songs, as digital data. A DCD player for reproducing a music file recorded on a DCD has been developed. A user can reproduce music after selecting the music files he/she wants to reproduce using the DCD player.

0003However, as vast-capacity recording media have been developed, some problems have arisen. One of the problems is that the shere capacity of the recording medium makes it difficult to review and search the files stored thereon. In order to search for a desired file or to check the entire file list, the user might have to operate a file skip button more than a hundred times.

0004To solve the above-mentioned problem, a file list display apparatus having the function of searching the file list at high-speed, including the function of checking the files by skipping one-by-one, has been introduced. In other words, a conventional file list display apparatus adapted to devices such as a MP3 players has a FF (forward fast) button and a REW (rewind) button on a control panel for skipping the files, respectively, forwards and backwards. When pressing the FF button or the REW button for a predetermined time, for example 2 seconds, the entire file list is scrolled forwards or backwards. Then, the user checks the scrolling list of files to find a desired file.

0005However, the user has to press the button for more than 2 seconds for the conventional high-speed search function, thus the status of a pressed key is sometimes wrongly recognized and consequently a function other than the desired function is performed. In addition, the scroll speed of the file list is too fast, thus the user might not be able to spot the song that he/she wants to listen to. Furthermore, the user has no other way to stop the scroll except by assuming the position of the file that he/she wants to reproduce is currently displayed. That is, the user performs a random scroll stopping process to search out the desired file. Then, after stopping the scroll at an approximate position by using the high-speed search function, the user has to search the desired file by stepping through the files one-by-one forwards and backwards.

0006An apparatus according to the present invention is characterised in that the control means is configured for causing the display to display said list as a set of non-overlapping sub-lists, no sub-list being larger than the display capacity of the display.

0007Preferably, the control means is responsive to the user input means to operate the apparatus in a first mode, in which said list is scrolled file-by-file across the display, and in a second mode, in which said list is displayed as a sequence of said sub-lists. More preferably, the user input means includes a mode button for selecting between said first and second modes.

0008Preferably, a memory is provided in the apparatus and the control means is operable to store said list in said memory. More preferably, the control means is configured to read said sub-lists from said memory for display.

0009Said sub-lists may comprise respective unbroken sequences of files in said list or respective broken sequences of files.

0010Other optional and preferred features of the present invention are set out in claims 8 to 27 appended hereto.

0011An embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a file list display apparatus according to the present invention;</li><li>Figure 2 is a flow chart showing a file list display method executed by the file list display apparatus of Figure 1; and</li><li>Figures 3 through 8 are views showing images displayed by the display of Figure 1.</li></ul>

0012In the following example, the present invention is applied to a Digital Convergence Disk (DCD) player for reproducing music files recorded on a DCD. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention is more generally applicable to devices using high-capacity storage media.

0013Referring to Figure 1, a file list display apparatus according to the present invention has a control panel 10 for the input of a display command, a detection unit 40 for detecting an entire list of files recorded in a recording medium 50, a storage unit 30 for storing the detected list, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 60 for displaying the file list, and a controller 20 for controlling the detection unit 40, the storage unit 30 and the LCD 60.

0014Generally, the recording medium 50 has a sector for storing only a list of recorded files. The detection unit 40 detects the entire file list recorded in the recording medium 50 by reading the data recorded in the sector for storing the list in the recording medium 50. The entire list detected by the detection unit 40 is stored in the storage unit 30 consisting of a memory such as a RAM. Detection by the detection unit 40 and storing by the storage unit 30 is controlled by the controller 20.

0015The LCD 60 displays a sub-list consisting of some part of the entire file list recorded in the recording medium 50. The controller 20 creates the sub-list by grouping the files successively listed in the entire list stored in the storage unit 30 by a predetermined number, for example ten. The created sub-list is transmitted to the sub-list having names of the ten files.

0016A plurality of control buttons 11, 13, 15 are disposed on the control panel 10. The control buttons include a FF (Forward Fast) button 15, a REW (Rewind or Fast-Rewind) button 11, and a MODE button 13. The FF button 15 is a button for inputting a forward scroll command, in other words, the command to provoke a forward sequential display of the files in the entire list until released. The REW button 11 is a button for inputting a backward scroll command, in other words, the command to provoke a backward sequential display of the files in the entire list until released.

0017The MODE button 13 is a button for inputting a command to change the mode of file list display operation, in other words, the command is to change the function of the FF button 15 and the REW button 11.

0018In one embodiment, when both the MODE button 13 and the FF button 15 are pressed simultaneously, the forward display command to provoke a forward sequential display the sub-lists is generated. When both the MODE button 13 and the REW button 11 are pressed simultaneously, the backward display command to provoke a backward sequential display the sub-lists is generated. As described so far, when the MODE button 13 is pressed simultaneously with pressing of the key buttons 11, 15, a display mode according to the commands input by the key buttons 11, 15 is changed from a sequential one-by-one display of each file to a sequential sub-list (e.g., by 10s) display of the files.

0019Alternatively, when the MODE button 13 is first pressed, the FF button 15 functions as a button for inputting the forward display command to provoke a forward sequential display of the sub-lists and the REW button 11 functions as a button for inputting the backward display command to provoke a backward sequential display of the sub-lists. Thus, when the MODE button 13 is first pressed, a display mode according to the commands input by the key buttons 11, 15 is changed from a sequential one-by-one display of each file to a sequential sub-list (e.g., by 10s) display of the files, and when pressed a second time, back to a sequential one-by-one display of each file.

0020Accordingly, whenever the MODE button 13 is pressed, the functions of the FF button 15 and the REW button 11 are shifted between the functions of inputting the forward/backward scroll commands and the functions of inputting forward/backward sub-list display commands.

0021Referring to Figure 2, when the recording medium 50, such as the DCD, is inserted into the reproducing apparatus, the detection unit 40 reads the entire file list recorded in the recording medium 50 (S10). The entire list read by the detection unit 40 is stored into the storage unit 30 by the controller 20 (S20). If, when the entire list is stored into the storage unit 30 as described above, the user presses the control buttons 11, 13, 15 disposed on the control panel 10, the file list display operation corresponding to the pressed button(s) is performed.

0022In Figure 2, "1" is indicated for the case that the FF button 15, the REW button 11, and the MODE button 13 are pressed, or the buttons 11, 13, 15 are activated. When the user presses the FF button 15 and the REW button 11 (S30), the controller 20 recognizes that the display command or the scroll command of the file list is input. The fact that whether the command input by the operation of the FF button 15 or the REW button 11 is the display command or the scroll command is determined according to whether that the MODE button 13 is activated or not (S40). In other words, when the MODE button 13 is pressed together with the REW button 11 or the FF button 15, the controller 20 determines that the forward or the backward display command is input. When the FF button 15 or the REW button 11 is solely pressed in the status that the MODE button 13 is not pressed, the controller 20 judges that the forward or the backward scroll command is input and transmits the next file or the previous file for display on LCD 60 (S50). Thus, whenever the forward or the backward scroll command is input, the displayed files are updated to display the next file in forwards or backwards sequential order.

0023When the forward or backward display command is input as described above, the controller 20 creates a sub-list having the names of the next or previous ten files with respect to the currently displayed list from the files in the entire file list using the entire file list stored in the storage unit 30 (S60), as will be further described with respect to Figures 3 to 5. The controller 20 then transmits the created sub-list to the LCD 60, and accordingly, the sub-list is displayed on the LCD 60 (S70).

0024When the forward or the backward display command is input once more according to the above method in the mode where sub-lists are displayed by the LCD 60, the controller 20 creates the sub-list having the next ten files or the previous ten files with respect to the sub-list being displayed from the files of the entire list stored in the storage unit 30 (S60). The created sub-list is displayed on LCD 60. As described above, the sub-list creating step (S60) and the created sub-list displaying step (S70) are repeated whenever the display command is input.

0025Figures 3 through 5 show a concrete example of a sub-list displayed on the LCD 60 by the above file list display operation. For example, when the currently displayed list on the LCD 60 corresponds to the names of the 11^th to 20^th files, as shown in Figure 3, if the user presses the MODE button 13 and the FF button 15 together, then a sub-list having the names of the 21^st file to 30^th files is displayed on the LCD 60 as shown in Figure 4. Similarly, in the status of Figure 3, when the user presses the MODE button 13 and the REW button 11 together, a sub-list having the names of the first to tenth files is displayed on the LCD 60 as shown in Figure 5. Therefore, the user can check the sub-list having the names of the ten preceding files before the currently displayed ten files, or the names of ten files listed after the currently displayed ten files by pressing the MODE button 13 together with the FF button 15 or the REW button 11.

0026On the other hand, when the user presses the FF button 15 or the REW button 11 without pressing the MODE button 13, the files in the currently displayed list are scrolled across the LCD 60. In other words, in the current display status as shown in Figure 3, when the user presses the FF button 15, the 12^th to the 21^st files are displayed. The 20^th file is the last file of the currently displayed files. Moreover, in the status shown in Figure 3, when the user presses the REW button 11, the 10^th to 19^th files are displayed. The 10^th file is the first file of the currently displayed files. Accordingly, the user can scroll through the files one-by-one using the REW button 11 and the FF button 15.

0027Figure 6 shows another example of the present invention. Another configuration of the sub-list is shown in Figure 6. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 5, the example of the sub-list created by grouping the successively listed files in the entire list has been described. However, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 6, the example of the currently displayed sub-list has the first, the 11^th, the 21^st files, etc., in other words, the files are all the first files of the files grouped into ten from the entire list of 100 files. In other words, the 100 files stored on the recording medium 50 are grouped into groups, or folders, of ten files per group.

0028In the current display status shown in Figure 6, when the user presses the MODE button 13 and the FF button 15 together, a next sequential sub-list having the second, the 12^th, 22^nd ... 92^nd files is displayed. When the current display status is as shown in Figure 6 and the user presses the MODE button 13 and the REW button 11 together, the previous sequential sub-list having, the 100^th, 10^th, 20^th ... 80^th, 90^th files is displayed.

0029It is preferable that the user can select the method for displaying the sub-list according to the method selected from two methods shown in Figure 3 and Figure 6. In other words, the user can select a more convenient method for him/herself by disposing a separate key button (such as a menu button, not shown) for selecting the display method on the control panel 10, or by disposing an input button (not shown) that allows the user to freely input the display method.

0030Furthermore, the user can select the type of the files recorded in the displayed sub-list. For example, the user can set up to display a song of a certain singer whom the user selected, or can set to successively display from recently reproduced files. In this case, there should be separate means for inputting a condition in regard to the files that the user desires. For example, encoded MP3 files include separate ID3 tags for song title, artist, album, genre, etc.

0031Furthermore, the user can freely determine the number of the files displayed one time of the sub-list. For example, when the user selects the number of the files in the sub-list as six, the controller 20 creates the sub-list having the names of the six files and successively displays the sub-list having the names of six files on the LCD 60.

0032In the meantime, as shown in Figure 6, a cursor 60a for selecting any file in the sub-list currently displayed is displayed on the LCD 60. The cursor functions to select a file that the user uses. For example, as shown in Figure 6, when the user presses a play button (not shown) in the status that the first file is selected, then the song recorded in the first file is played. To select any file by using the cursor 60a, a cursor button 17 is disposed on the control panel 10. Whenever the cursor button 17 is pressed, the position of the cursor is moved to the next file.

0033When the user presses the FF button 15 or the REW button 11 without pressing the MODE button 13 in the status of Figure 6, the scroll operation in regard to the file selected by the current cursor is performed. In other words, when the user presses the FF button 15 in the status of Figure 6, the forward scroll operation is performed only in regard to the first file currently selected, and thus the first file is updated to the second file as shown in Figure 7. Moreover, when the user presses the REW button 11 in the status of Figure 6, the backward scroll operation is performed only in regard to the first file currently selected, and thus the first file is updated to the 100th file as shown in Figure 8.

0034Meanwhile, the examples that when the MODE button 13 is pressed together with the FF button 15 or the REW button 11, then the display command is input, and when the FF button 15 or the REW button 11 is solely pressed, then the scroll command is input have been described in the above preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the activated status and the inactivated status of the MODE button 13 can be set up to be shifted whenever the MODE button 13 is pressed. Accordingly, the user does not have to press the MODE button 13 all the time to update the sub-list. In addition, the display command input and the scroll command input can be easily changed by just pressing the MODE button 13 one time.

0035Furthermore, the examples that the display command or the skip command is input by using the plurality of control buttons 11, 13, 15, 17 disposed on the control panel 10 have been described in the above preferred embodiments of the present invention. Yet, the display command or the skip command can be input by using a scroll bar in GUI (Graphic User Interface) circumstance. In other words, the displayed sub-list can be changed by allowing the scroll bar for indicating the position of the currently displayed sub-list of the entire list to be displayed at one part of the LCD 60, and by allowing the user to freely move the scroll bar. When the user moves the scroll bar from the current position to another position, the sub-list having the names of 10 files existed in the area corresponding to the moved position is displayed. The scroll bar can be displayed on the LCD 60 when the MODE button 13 is pressed and activated.

0036Moreover, the example that the entire list of the files recorded into the recording medium 50 is read by the detection unit 40, and the read entire list is stored into the storage unit 30 has been described in the preferred embodiments of the present invention. Yet, when the display command or the skip command is input without disposing the storage unit 30, the sub-list can be created after reading the entire list of the files recorded in the recording medium 50.

0037As described so far, according to the present invention, the sub-list having a predetermined number of files in the entire list of the files recorded in the vast-capacity recording medium can be successively displayed. In addition, the possibility of wrong manipulation becomes less and the user can use the apparatus conveniently, compared to the conventional file list display apparatus, which has a high-speed search function manipulated by pressing the skip button for 2 to 3 seconds. Therefore, the user can easily refer the list of a number of files, and a special file also can be easily searched.

0038Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention should not be limited to the described preferred embodiment, but various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not limited within the described range but the following claims.