Playback apparatus, menu display method, and recording medium recording program implementing menu display method

1. A playback apparatus for playing back and providing contents to a user, the playback apparatus comprising:

a menu screen display unit to display a menu screen of the contents;

an input unit to detect an input operation of a selection of content displayed in the menu screen; and

a control unit to cause the menu screen display unit to switch the menu screen on a basis of the input operation detected by the input unit, and to instruct a playback operation of the selected content,

wherein the menu screen display unit, under control of the control unit, switches an upper layer menu screen to and from a lower layer menu screen through an intermediate layer menu screen therebetween,

the upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents,

the lower layer menu screen shows some of the contents, which are classified into one of the categories displayed in the upper layer menu screen, a focused content being horizontally shifted relative to other contents shown on the lower layer menu screen,

the intermediate layer menu screen displays a menu selected in the upper layer menu screen, and displays a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen, a focused one of the plurality of menus being horizontally shifted relative to others of the plurality of menus,

one or more individual pictures are displayed on the upper layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen,

the controller, when switching from the upper layer menu screen to the intermediate layer menu screen, causes the menu screen display unit to display an enlarging of one of the individual pictures displayed in the upper layer menu screen and a moving of the one of the individual pictures to become one of the individual pictures of the intermediate layer menu screen, the moving of the one of the pictures is independent of other objects displayed on the menu screen display unit, and

each of said upper layer menu screen, lower layer menu screen, and intermediate layer menu screen displays:

at least a first display switch guide configured for indicating the existence of an upper layer menu screen,

at least a first scroll bar, and

at least a second and third display switch guide configured for indicating that the displayed menus are scrollable.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the menu screen display unit switches the intermediate layer menu screen to and from the lower layer menu screen while changing the menus displayed in the intermediate layer menu screen via animation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen are target menus representing the contents to be selected, and wherein the control unit accepts the selection of the content in both the lower layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen on a basis of an operation detected by the input unit, and instructs the playback operation of the selected content.

4. A menu display method for displaying menu screens, in which a user's selection of content is accepted, the menu display method comprising the steps of:

displaying an upper layer menu screen;

displaying an intermediate layer menu screen, wherein one or more individual pictures are displayed on the upper layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen;

displaying a lower layer menu screen;

switching the upper layer menu screen, the intermediate layer menu screen, and the lower layer menu screen in response to a user's operation; and

when switching from the upper layer menu screen to the intermediate layer menu screen, causing a display unit to display an enlarging of one of the individual pictures displayed in the upper layer menu screen and a moving of the one of the individual pictures to become one of the individual pictures of the intermediate layer menu screen, the moving of the one of the pictures is independent of other objects displayed on the menu screen display unit, wherein

the upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents,

the lower layer menu screen shows some of the contents, which are classified into one of the categories displayed in the upper layer menu screen, a focused content being horizontally shifted relative to other contents shown on the lower layer menu screen,

the intermediate layer menu screen displays a menu selected in the upper layer menu screen, and displays a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen, a focused one of the plurality of menus being horizontally shifted relative to others of the plurality of menus, and

each of said upper layer menu screen, lower layer menu screen, and intermediate layer menu screen displays:

at least a first display switch guide configured for indicating the existence of an upper layer menu screen,

at least a first scroll bar, and

at least a second and third display switch guide configured for indicating that the displayed menus are scrollable.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein, in the step of switching the menu screen, the intermediate layer menu screen is switched to and from the lower layer menu screen while changing the menus displayed in the intermediate layer menu screen via animation.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen are target menus representing the contents to be selected, and wherein the selection of the content is accepted in both the lower layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen.

7. A recording medium recording a program thereon allowing a processor to execute a menu display process, for displaying menu screens in which a user's selection of content is accepted, the process comprising the steps of:

displaying an upper layer menu screen;

displaying an intermediate layer menu screen, wherein one or more individual pictures are displayed on the upper layer menu screen and the intermediate layer menu screen;

displaying a lower layer menu screen;

switching the upper layer menu screen, the intermediate layer menu screen, and the lower layer menu screen in response to a user's operation; and

when switching from the upper layer menu screen to the intermediate layer menu screen, causing a display unit to display an enlarging of one of the individual pictures displayed in the upper layer menu screen and a moving of the one of the individual pictures to become one of the individual pictures of the intermediate layer menu screen, the moving of the one of the pictures is independent of other objects displayed on the menu screen display unit, wherein

the upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents,

the lower layer menu screen shows some of the contents, which are classified into one of the categories displayed in the upper layer menu screen, a focused content being horizontally shifted relative to other contents shown on the lower layer menu screen,

the intermediate layer menu screen displays a menu selected in the upper layer menu screen, and displays a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen, a focused one of the plurality of menus being horizontally shifted relative to others of the plurality of menus, and

each of said upper layer menu screen, lower layer menu screen, and intermediate layer menu screen displays:

at least a first display switch guide configured for indicating the existence of an upper layer menu screen,

at least a first scroll bar, and

at least a second and third display switch guide configured for indicating that the displayed menus are scrollable.