JP2012009106A - Audio device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an audio device for assisting in being able to quickly select desired audio content among a plurality of audio content.SOLUTION: When a list of music is displayed 511 as a selection reception list 501, playback of music A is temporarily stopped, and playback of music C where focus frame 300 is positioned in the displayed selection reception list 501 is started. When a scroll operation 512 is started by the time five seconds pass after starting to play back the music C, the playback of music C is stopped, and after a scroll stops, playback of music F where focus frame 300 is positioned in a selection reception list 502 at that point in time is started. When a determination operation 514 is performed by the time five seconds pass after starting to play back the music J whose playback is started in a similar manner, playback of a music list which has the position of the music J being played back at that point in time as a playback start position is started.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for assisting a user in selecting an audio content from a plurality of audio contents in an audio device.

  In the audio apparatus, as a technology for supporting the user's selection of desired audio content from a plurality of audio contents such as music and albums, a list of music is displayed and the music is selected from the displayed list. A technique (for example, Patent Document 1) that reproduces a music piece received and selected from a user is known.

  Further, in the audio device, as a technique for supporting the user's selection of desired audio content from among a plurality of audio contents, a part of each piece of music is sequentially reproduced and when a user's reproduction instruction is generated, There is also known a technique (for example, Patent Document 2) in which a piece of music that has been partially reproduced at the time is played as a piece of music selected by the user and the whole piece of music is reproduced.

JP 2008-269713 A JP 2007-80304 A

  According to the technology for accepting selection of music from the music list from the user, when the number of music is large, the user keeps gazing at the display of the list for a long time before finding the desired music. Need arises. On the other hand, in a vehicle-mounted audio device or the like, it is difficult for a user such as a driver to continuously perform such long-time gaze, so the user can use the list to select a desired piece of music. There was a situation where it was not possible to select and play back promptly.

  Also, according to the technology for accepting selection of a piece of music that is being played back at that time when a user's playback instruction is generated while sequentially playing back a part of each piece of music, a part of each piece of music is Since a part of all the music pieces ordered in the above order is played after completion, if there are a large number of music pieces, it takes a long time to play a part of the desired music piece. May end up.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to support a user so that a user can quickly select and reproduce desired audio contents from a plurality of audio contents.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an audio device that displays a list of audio contents and reproduces audio contents selected by the user from the list, in response to a user operation, one audio in the list. Selection candidate content setting means for setting the content as selection candidate content, start portion playback means for playing back the top portion of the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the selection candidate content setting means, and the selection candidate content setting means When the selection candidate content is set by the above, a playback means for playing back the audio content set as the selection candidate content at that time point in response to the user's determination operation.

  According to such an audio apparatus, the user can set an arbitrary audio content as a reproduction candidate content using a list, reproduce the head portion thereof, and confirm the content. Further, when the reproduction candidate content whose content has been confirmed is the desired audio content, it is possible to reproduce the audio content simply by performing a determination operation.

  Therefore, it is possible to quickly confirm the contents of each audio content without waiting for the completion of the reproduction of a part of each audio content in the order before the audio content. In addition, the contents of each audio content can be confirmed from the playback of the head portion thereof, and the audio content as the selection candidate content can be switched without necessarily observing the list. There is no need to keep an eye on. Therefore, even in an environment where it is difficult for the user to continuously gaze for a long time, such as an in-vehicle audio device, desired audio content can be selected more quickly.

  Here, in such an audio apparatus, when the playback unit is playing back the top part of the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the head part playback unit when the user's decision operation occurs. In order to enable the user to view the audio content seamlessly, it is preferable that the audio content is reproduced by continuing the reproduction of the audio content from the position during the reproduction.

  Here, the above-described audio device pauses the playback of the audio content being played at the time when the list starts to be displayed, and at the top of the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the head partial playback means. When the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the selection candidate content setting means and the user's determination operation do not occur before the reproduction of the part is completed, the audio content paused at the start of the list display is displayed. It is also preferable to provide a playback return means for restarting playback.

  Here, in the above audio apparatus, more specifically, the selection candidate content setting means scrolls the display of the list according to the user's scroll operation, and displays the list when the scrolling is stopped. The audio content at a specific position may be set as the selection candidate content, or the audio content designated by the designation operation is received by accepting a user's designation operation of one audio content in the list. It may be set as selection candidate content.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to assist the user in quickly selecting desired audio content from among a plurality of audio contents.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the control screen which the audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention displays. It is a figure which shows the scroll operation | movement of the audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the music selection reception process of the audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the operation example of the music selection reception process of the audio apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described taking application to an in-vehicle audio device as an example.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an audio apparatus according to this embodiment.
The audio device 1 is mounted on an automobile, and is an audio output device 11, which is a device for outputting audio data, such as a radio tuner or a CD / DVD player, an external interface 12, an HDD 13, an audio processing unit 14, a speaker 15, and an operation. Unit 16, display unit 17, control unit 18, and media player 19. Here, the HDD 13 stores a plurality of audio files each representing music and content management data representing management information of audio contents recorded in the HDD 13.

  A portable music player 2 can be connected to the external interface 12, and the portable music player 2 manages a plurality of audio files each representing a song and management of audio contents recorded in the portable music player 2. Content management data representing information is recorded

  Here, the content management data stored in the HDD 13 includes the music represented by the audio file stored in the HDD 13, each album to which each music belongs, the artist of each music, and the genre of each music. As the audio contents stored in the HDD 13, the attributes of each audio content are registered. As an attribute of each audio content, for example, in the case of an audio content attribute that is a song, the title of the song, the playback time of the song, the artist of the song, the genre of the song, and the album of each album to which the song belongs The name and artwork of the music are registered. If the attribute of the audio content is an album, the album name of the album, the playback time of the album, the artist of the album, the genre of the album, the artwork of the album, and the like are registered.

  Similarly, the content management data stored in the portable music player 2 includes the music represented by the audio file stored in the portable music player 2, the album to which the music belongs, the artist of the music, The genre of each piece of music is registered as the audio content stored in the portable music player 2, and the attribute of each audio content is registered.

  However, the above audio apparatus 1 may be configured using a computer having a general configuration including a microprocessor, a memory, and other peripheral devices in terms of hardware. In this case, the control unit 18, the audio processing unit 14, and the media player 19 of the audio device 1 described above may be realized as a process that is realized by executing a program prepared in advance by the microprocessor. In this case, such a program may be provided to the audio apparatus 1 via a recording medium or an appropriate communication path.

In such a configuration, the audio processing unit 14 has a function of decoding the sound represented by the input audio data and outputting it to the speaker 15 as necessary.
In addition, the control unit 18 performs a process of accepting a setting as to which of the audio output device 11, the HDD 13, and the portable music player 2 is the audio source via the operation unit 16 from the user. In addition, when the audio output device 11 is set as an audio source, the control unit 18 controls the operation of the audio output device 11 according to a user operation of the operation unit 16 and outputs an audio output to the audio processing unit 14. For example, the speaker 15 outputs a sound represented by the audio data output from the device 11.

  On the other hand, when the HDD 13 is set as the audio source, the media player 19 uses the content management data recorded in the HDD 13 to display the display unit 17 for accepting the playback control operation of the audio content recorded in the HDD 13. An appropriate GUI using the operation unit 16 is provided to the user, the audio content to be played is set in accordance with the playback control operation received by the GUI, and the audio content to be played is played. Each audio content is reproduced by causing the audio processing unit 14 to output the sound represented by the audio data of the audio content to be reproduced to the speaker 15.

  In addition, when the portable music player 2 is set as an audio source, the media player 19 uses the content management data read from the portable music player 2 to control playback of audio content recorded in the portable music player 2. An appropriate GUI using the display unit 17 and the operation unit 16 for reception is provided to the user, audio content to be played back is set according to the playback control operation received by the GUI, and the audio to be played back Play content. The reproduction of each audio content controls the reading of the audio data of the audio content from the portable music player 2 and also sends the audio represented by the audio data read from the portable music player 2 to the audio processing unit 14 through a speaker. 15 to output.

  Next, the media player 19 performs a user's control menu call operation using the operation unit 16 as a GUI provided for accepting the reproduction control operation of the audio content recorded in the HDD 13 or the portable music player 2 described above. In response, a control screen as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed.

  As shown in the figure, the main menu area 200 of this control screen is provided with an output source switching menu 201, a volume display 202, and other menu calling buttons 203. The user can select an output source switching menu. 201 can be used to switch the output source.

A list switching menu area 210 is provided on the left side of the upper part of the main menu area 200, and a selection acceptance list area 220 is provided on the right side of the upper part of the main menu area 200.
When the HDD 13 or the portable music player 2 is selected as the output source, the list switching menu area 210 displays a list switching menu including items of artist, album, genre, and music, and the user can switch the list. Using the menu, one of artist, album, genre, and music (song) can be selected as a list display target attribute.

  When the HDD 13 or the portable music player 2 is selected as the output source, the selection acceptance list area 220 is selected using a list switching menu created based on the content management data stored in the output source. The list of the list display target attributes is displayed as a selection reception list (a part of the list when it does not fit in the selection reception list area 220). That is, if the list display target attribute is an artist, a list of artist information managed in the content management data stored in the output source is displayed. If the list display target attribute is an album, the list is displayed on the output source. If a list of album information managed in the stored content management data is displayed and the list display target attribute is a genre, information on the genre managed in the content management data stored in the output source If the list display target attribute is music, a list of music information managed in the content management data stored in the output source is displayed.

  Here, FIG. 2 shows a state in which a song (song) is selected in the list switching menu. In this case, the selection acceptance list includes a list of songs having information of each song as one item 221. Is displayed. In addition, as information on each piece of music that becomes the item 221 of the selection reception list, the title of the music, the album name of the album to which the music belongs, and the artwork of the title are displayed.

The control unit 18 scrolls the selection acceptance list displayed in this way up and down in accordance with a scroll operation through the user operation unit 16.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 3a1-a5, the display range that is the range displayed in the selection reception list area 220 in the selection reception list is set to five items, and the five items in the display range are displayed, The focus frame 300 is fixedly displayed at the position of the center item (third item). In the following drawings, the focus frame 300 is a figure in which only one of the figures (frames) serving as the background of each item on the selection acceptance list area 220 has an increased fill color brightness.

  Then, in response to the user's forward scroll operation, the display range 301 is displayed downward on the selection reception list illustrated in FIG. 3B, and on the selection reception list illustrated in FIG. 3B in response to the user's reverse scroll operation. Move the range 301 upward. Here, the forward scroll operation refers to a scroll operation in which the scroll operation direction is the forward direction, and the reverse scroll operation refers to a scroll operation in which the scroll operation direction is the reverse direction.

As a result, the display of the selection reception list in the selection reception list area 220 is scrolled up and down as shown in FIGS.
Here, the audio content corresponding to the item in which the focus frame 300 is positioned on the selection acceptance list is automatically set as the selection candidate content. Therefore, the user can set an arbitrary item as the selection candidate content by performing a scroll operation. Here, the selection candidate content refers to an audio content that is accepted as an audio content selected by the user when the user generates a decision operation.

The focus frame 300 is moved up and down on the display of the selection acceptance list according to the user's scroll operation, or moved to the item position corresponding to the designated position according to the user's position designation operation. May be. Alternatively, a cursor may be displayed, and the focus frame 300 may be moved to an item designated by the cursor. However, in any case, the audio content corresponding to the item where the focus frame 300 is positioned is automatically set as the selection candidate content.
Next, an audio content selection receiving operation performed by the media player 19 using such a selection reception list on the control screen will be described.
Here, as an example, a music selection receiving operation when a music list is displayed as the selection receiving list will be described.
FIG. 4 shows a procedure of music selection acceptance processing performed by the media player 19.
Here, the music selection accepting process starts when a music (song) is selected from the list switching menu and the music list is displayed as a selection accepting list as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, the reproduction being performed at the present time is paused (step 402).
Then, reproduction from the top of the selection candidate content is started (step 404). Here, when the list of songs is displayed as the selection acceptance list, the selection candidate content is a song in which the item on which the focus frame 300 is positioned represents information on the selection acceptance list. Hereinafter, the music that is the selection candidate content will be described as the selection candidate music.

  Then, the start of scrolling of the selection acceptance list according to the user's scroll operation as described above (step 406), the generation of the determination operation using the user operation unit 16 (step 408), and the selection started at step 404 It is monitored whether or not the candidate music piece has been reproduced for 5 seconds from the start of playback (step 410).

  When the scrolling is started (step 406), the reproduction of the selection candidate music started at step 404 is terminated (step 412), and the scrolling is stopped (step 414). Next, if the scrolling is stopped (step 414), the start of the scrolling (step 416), the excess of 0.2 seconds from the scrolling stop time (step 418), and the occurrence of the decision operation (step 420) are monitored. .

If scrolling has started (step 416), the process returns to step 414 to wait for the scroll to stop.
If the scroll stop period exceeds 0.2 seconds (step 418), the process returns to step 404 to start reproduction from the head of the selection candidate music at that time, and returns to the monitoring of steps 406-410.
When the determination operation occurs (step 420), the control screen display is deleted (step 422), and the music list playback with the selection candidate music as the playback start position is started (step 424). The reception process ends. Here, the reproduction of the music list with the start of the selection candidate music as the reproduction start position means that the music after the selection candidate music on the selection reception list is sequentially reproduced in the order according to the display order on the selection reception list. The target audio content is played from the beginning of the song. However, when the repeat mode is set as the playback mode, the selection candidate music is repeatedly played when the determination operation occurs (step 420), and when the random mode is set as the playback mode, After the selection candidate music is played when the decision operation occurs (step 420), the music to be played sequentially is selected at random.

  On the other hand, if a determination operation occurs during the monitoring in steps 406 to 410 (step 408), the display of the control screen is deleted (step 426), and the currently playing position of the selected candidate song is set as the playback start position. Playback of the music list to be performed is started (step 428), and the music selection receiving process is terminated. Here, the reproduction of the music list whose playback start position is the position where the selection candidate music is currently being played back is the selection candidate music on the selection acceptance list after playing the portion of the selection candidate music after the current playback position. Each later piece of music is played back sequentially from the beginning of the song as audio content to be played in the order according to the display order on the selection acceptance list. However, when the repeat mode is set as the playback mode, the selection candidate music is repeatedly played when the decision operation occurs (step 408), and when the random mode is set as the playback mode, After the selection candidate music is played when the decision operation occurs (step 408), the music to be played sequentially is selected at random.

  Next, when the reproduction period of the selection candidate music started at step 404 exceeds 5 seconds during the monitoring of steps 406-410 (step 410), the display of the control screen is deleted (step 430). Then, the reproduction of the selection candidate music is finished (step 432), the reproduction paused in step 402 is resumed (step 434), and the music selection acceptance process is finished.

The music selection reception process has been described above.
Here, FIG. 5 shows an operation example of such a music selection receiving process.
As shown in the figure, when a song (song) is selected in the list switching menu during the reproduction of the song A and the song list is displayed as the selection acceptance list 501, 511, the song A being played at that time is played. Is paused and playback of the music piece C in which the focus frame 300 is positioned in the displayed selection acceptance list 501 is started.

  Then, when the scroll operation 512 is started before 5 seconds have elapsed after the reproduction of the music C is started, the reproduction of the music C is stopped. In this case, if neither scroll operation nor determination operation occurs until 5 seconds have elapsed after the start of playback of the music C, the playback of the music C was stopped and paused when 5 seconds passed. The reproduction of the music piece A is resumed.

When the scroll operation 512 is finished and the scrolling is stopped, the reproduction of the music F in which the focus frame 300 is positioned in the selection reception list 502 at the time is started.
When the scroll operation 513 is started again until 5 seconds have elapsed after the reproduction of the music F starts, the reproduction of the music F is stopped. In this case, if neither scroll operation nor determination operation occurs until 5 seconds have elapsed after the start of reproduction of the music F, the reproduction of the music F is stopped and paused when 5 seconds have elapsed. The reproduction of the music piece A is resumed.

When the scroll operation 513 is finished and the scrolling is stopped, the reproduction of the music J in which the focus frame 300 is positioned in the selection reception list 503 at the time is started.
Then, when the determination operation 514 is performed until 5 seconds have elapsed after the reproduction of the music J starts, reproduction of the music list with the current reproduction position of the music J as the reproduction start position is started. As a result, the playback of the music J is continued until the playback of the entire music J is completed, and after the music J has been played back, the music K, the music L,. Played sequentially.

The music selection reception process has been described above.
Note that the above-described music selection receiving process may eliminate the process of stopping the reproduction of the selection candidate music in step 412 and continue the reproduction of the selection candidate music before the start of the scroll even during scrolling. Alternatively, the playback paused in step 402 is resumed at the start of scrolling, and the playback is paused again when scrolling is stopped, so that the playback continues from the playback paused in step 402 during scrolling. May be.

  By the way, the audio content selection reception operation performed by the media player 19 using the selection reception list on the control screen has been described by taking the selection selection operation of music as an example. It can be performed by the same process as the music selection receiving process.

  That is, for example, in the case of album selection reception, when the album list is displayed as the selection reception list, the selection candidate music is replaced with the selection candidate album, and the music selection reception processing of FIG. 4 is performed. Here, the selection candidate album refers to the album that is the selection candidate content, that is, the album corresponding to the item in which the focus frame 300 is positioned. In this case, step 404 is performed. In the process of starting playback of the selection candidate music, the playback is started from the head of the head music of the focused album.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user can set an arbitrary audio content as a playback candidate content by using the selection reception list, play the head portion thereof, and check the content. . Further, when the reproduction candidate content whose content has been confirmed is the desired audio content, it is possible to reproduce the audio content simply by performing a determination operation.

  Therefore, it is possible to quickly confirm the contents of each audio content without waiting for the completion of the reproduction of a part of each audio content in the order before the audio content. In addition, the contents of each audio content can be confirmed from the playback of the head portion thereof, and the audio content as the selection candidate content can be switched without necessarily viewing the list. There is no need to keep watching closely. Therefore, even in an environment where it is difficult for the user to continuously gaze for a long time, such as the in-vehicle audio device 1, desired audio content can be selected and reproduced more quickly.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Audio device, 2 ... Portable music player, 11 ... Audio output device, 12 ... External interface, 13 ... HDD, 14 ... Audio processing part, 15 ... Speaker, 16 ... Operation part, 17 ... Display part, 18 ... Control part , 19 ... Media player, 200 ... Main menu area, 201 ... Output source switching menu, 202 ... Volume display, 203 ... Button, 210 ... List switching menu area, 220 ... Selection acceptance list area, 300 ... Focus frame.

Claims (6)

An audio device that displays a list of audio content and plays back audio content selected by the user from the list,
Selection candidate content setting means for setting one audio content in the list as a selection candidate content in response to a user operation;
A head portion playback means for playing back the head portion of the audio content set in the selection candidate content by the selection candidate content setting means;
A playback means for playing back the audio content set as the selection candidate content at that time in response to the user's decision operation when the selection candidate content is set by the selection candidate content setting means. Features audio equipment. The audio device according to claim 1,
The playback means plays back the playback of the audio content when the start portion of the audio content set as the selection candidate content is being played back by the head partial playback means at the occurrence of the user's decision operation. An audio apparatus, wherein the audio content is reproduced by continuing from an inside position. The audio device according to claim 1 or 2,
When the display of the list is started, the playback of the audio content being played back at that time is paused, and the selection candidate until the completion of the playback of the head portion of the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the head portion playback means. When there is no change of the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the content setting means or when the user's decision operation does not occur, a playback return means for restarting playback of the audio content paused at the start of the list display is provided. An audio device characterized by. The audio device according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
The selection candidate content setting means scrolls the display of the list according to a user's scroll operation, and sets the audio content at a specific position on the display of the list as the selection candidate content when the scrolling is stopped. An audio device characterized by that. The audio device according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
The selection candidate content setting unit receives an audio content designation operation of the user in the list, and sets the audio content designated by the designation operation as the selection candidate content. A computer program that is read and executed by a computer,
The computer,
Display a list of audio content, and function as an audio device for playing back audio content selected by the user from the list;
The audio apparatus includes a selection candidate content setting unit that sets one audio content in the list as a selection candidate content in response to a user operation;
A head portion playback means for playing back the head portion of the audio content set as the selection candidate content by the selection candidate content setting means;
A playback means for playing back the audio content set as the selection candidate content at that time in response to the user's decision operation when the selection candidate content is set by the selection candidate content setting means. A featured computer program.