IP Library Granted Patent US 9,529,493
Granted Patent B2
US 9,529,493 · App. 12/606,314 · Granted Dec 27, 2016

Terminal, image display method and program for displaying music-related images

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,529,493
App. No.
12/606,314
Granted
Dec 27, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A jacket image receiver acquires data for music to be played back and, in addition, a related image related to the music. A three-dimensional image generating unit displays the related image related to music played back in the past along with the related image related to the music currently played back, arranging the images in a three-dimensional space. The three-dimensional image generating unit flickers an image representing a water surface in order to create a visual effect that makes the related images appear floating on the water surface.

Claims (32)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program, the program causing a computer to function as:

a module operative to receive, over a network, an audio stream signal with one or more full audio compositions in sequence contained therein, to capture and playback in real time an audio composition upon receipt in the audio stream signal, and to simultaneously receive in real time over said network respective information regarding the audio composition, including a static representative image related to the audio composition;

a module operative to display the static representative image related to the audio composition, and operative to arrange the representative image in a three-dimensional virtual space in respective order received from the audio stream signal;

a module operative to flicker an image representing a water surface in order to create a visual effect that makes the representative image appear floating on the water surface,

a module operative to store a sample of a full audio composition in a stream data storage during real-time playback of the full audio composition, wherein the sample is retained after playback and associated with the respective information regarding the full audio composition, and

a module operative to refer to a prior audio composition of the audio stream signal sequenced prior to an audio composition currently streamed, in response to user operation, by using the respective information of the prior audio composition, and operative to acquire an associated sample retained for the prior audio composition and to play back the associated sample of the prior audio composition.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a module operative to generate the image representing a water surface based on an image obtained by inverting a background image.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a module operative to reflect the representative image on the image representing a water surface.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein

the module for flickering the image representing a water surface flickers the image according to a movement of an object of the representative image in the three-dimensional virtual space.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein

the module for flickering the image representing a water surface flickers the image according to a beat of the audio composition currently played back.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein

the module for flickering the image representing a water surface flickers the image according to a type of the audio composition currently played back.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a module operative to provide a user interface that allows a user to view a representative image associated with a prior audio composition, creating a visual effect that makes the representative image appear moving on the water surface.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a module operative to impose a restriction when the user in a viewing process selects the representative image associated with the prior audio composition such that only the associated sample of the selected prior audio composition is played back.

9. A terminal apparatus having a processor, the terminal apparatus comprising:

a display;

an acquisition unit operative to receive, over a network, an audio stream signal with one or more full audio compositions in sequence contained therein, to acquire and playback in real time an audio composition upon receipt in the audio stream signal, and to simultaneously acquire in real time over said network a static representative image related with the audio composition;

a three-dimensional image generating unit operative to display, on the display, a static representative image associated with an audio composition that was previously acquired with a static representative image associated with an audio composition currently being played back, arranging the images in a three-dimensional space;

a sample storing unit to store a sample of a full audio composition in a stream data storage during real-time playback of the audio composition, wherein the sample is retained after playback and associated with the respective representative image of the full audio composition, and

a user operation acquisition unit to acknowledge, using the processor, a user's operation of selecting a prior audio composition of the audio stream signal sequenced prior to an audio composition currently streamed, by using the respective information of the prior audio composition, wherein a prior audio composition is referred to and an associated sample retained for the prior audio composition thus stored is acquired and played back upon a user's selection of the prior audio composition,

wherein the three-dimensional image generating unit flickers an image representing a water surface in order to create a visual effect that makes the respective static representative images appear floating on the water surface.

10. An image displaying method executed by a computer having a processor, the method comprising:

acquiring over a network and displaying a static representative image in real time with capturing and playback of an audio composition from an audio stream signal, received of said network, with one or more full audio compositions in sequence contained therein, and arranging the representative image in a three-dimensional virtual space; and

flickering, on a display using the processor, an image representing a water surface in order to create a visual effect that makes the representative image appear floating on the water surface,

wherein a sample of a respective full audio composition is stored in a stream data storage during real-time playback of the audio composition, wherein the sample is retained after playback and associated with the respective static representative image of the full audio composition, and

wherein, selection, in response to user operation, of a prior full audio composition of the audio stream signal sequenced prior to an audio composition currently streamed, an associated sample retained for the prior audio composition is acquired and played back.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 6, 2017
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 043761/0975 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2016
From: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039779/0126 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 26, 2016
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 039551/0207 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027449/0546 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027448/0794 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2010
From: NAKAYAMA, RYUJI
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 023760/0957 →