User interface for displaying and playing multimedia contents, apparatus comprising the same, and control method thereof

Abstract

A user interface for displaying and playing multimedia contents is capable of allowing the user to easily recognize information about multimedia contents at a glance, and allowing the user to more easily retrieve desired information, through an image pre-play function. An apparatus includes the user interface, and a control method for the apparatus are includes displaying a sorting item of a multimedia content, and arranging file information included in the sorting item and having the form of a playable image.

1 . A method of displaying and playing multimedia contents, comprising:
 displaying a sorting item of a multimedia content; and   arranging file information of the multimedia content based on the sorting item, the file information having a form of a playable image and having a pre-play function.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the file information in an activated state when the file information is selected using the sorting item.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaying of the sorting item of the multimedia content comprises:
 displaying a main item of the multimedia content;   displaying an upper-level item as a sub-item of the main item when the main item is selected; and   displaying a lower-level item as a sub-item of the upper-level item when the upper-level item is selected.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the displaying of the file information in the activated state comprises further displaying an indicator to indicate a position of the activated file information relative to other file information. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the arranging of the file information comprises further displaying a moving bar to move a position of the arranged file information relative to other file information. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the file information is arranged in the form of a playable thumbnail. 
     
     
         7 . A method of displaying and playing multimedia contents, comprising:
 displaying a sorting item of a multimedia content;   arranging file information of the multimedia content based on the sorting item, the file information having a form of a playable image and having a pre-play function; and   pre-playing a file corresponding to the file information when the file information is selected,   wherein the pre-playing of the file comprises stopping the pre-play of the file when a file stop command for the file is input, and resuming the pre-play of the file, resuming from a stop point at which the pre-play of the file was stopped, when a file return command is input.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the pre-playing of the file further comprises storing the stop point of the file in response to the file stop command. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus to display and play multimedia contents, comprising:
 an input unit to receive selection of a sorting item of a multimedia content; and   a controller to arrange file information of the multimedia content based on the sorting item, the file information having a form of a playable image and having a pre-play function.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller displays the file information in an activated state when the file information is selected using the sorting item. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the controller controls display of a main item of the multimedia content;   the controller control display of an upper-level item as a sub-item of the main item when the main item is selected; and   the controller controls display of a lower-level item as a sub-item of the upper-level item when the upper-level item is selected.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller further controls display of an indicator to indicate a position of the activated file information relative to other file information. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller further controls display of a moving bar to move a position of the arranged file information relative to other file information. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus to display and play multimedia contents, comprising:
 an input unit to receive selection of a sorting item of a multimedia content; and   a controller to arrange file information of the multimedia content based on the sorting item, the file information having a form of a playable image and having a pre-play function, and to pre-play a file corresponding to the file information when the file information is selected,   wherein the controller stops the pre-play of the file when a file stop command for the file is input, and resumes the pre-play of the file, resuming from a stop point at which the pre-play of the file was stopped, when a file return command is input.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a storage unit to store the stop point of the file in response to the file stop command.   
     
     
         16 . A user interface to display and play multimedia contents, comprising:
 at least one upper-level item arranged at an upper portion of the user interface;   at least one lower-level item arranged at a lower portion of the user interface, to represent at least one sub-item of the at least one upper-level item; and   a plurality of file information pieces having a pre-play function arranged at a central portion of the user interface,   wherein the upper-level item represents a sorting item of the multimedia contents, and each of the file information pieces provides additional information about an associated one of files of the multimedia contents, and is activated upon being selected by a user.   
     
     
         17 . The user interface according to  claim 16 , further comprising a first moving bar to move the at least one lower-level item in left and right directions. 
     
     
         18 . The user interface according to  claim 16 , further comprising a second moving bar to move the file information pieces in left and right directions. 
     
     
         19 . A method of confirming a content of multimedia contents, comprising:
 displaying menu items selectable to obtain one or more playable thumbnails corresponding to the multimedia contents;   displaying one or more of the playable thumbnails obtained via a selection of the menu items; and   pre-playing a content of a multimedia content corresponding to a selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails to confirm the content thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 stopping the pre-playing of the content of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails to pre-play a content of another one of the one or more playable thumbnails based on a user command; and   storing a stop point of the pre-play of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 retrieving the stop point based on a input command to resume pre-play of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails; and   resuming the pre-play of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails from the retrieved stop point.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pre-playing of the content comprises playing at least a portion of the multimedia content. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the multimedia content is an audio and/or video file. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus to reproduce multimedia contents, comprising:
 a display to display a graphic user interface; and   a controller to control display of the graphic user interface to:
 selectively display menu items selectable to obtain one or more playable thumbnails corresponding to the multimedia contents, 
 display one or more of the playable thumbnails obtained via a selection of the menu items, and 
 pre-play a content of a multimedia content corresponding to a selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails to confirm the content thereof. 
   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the controller further controls display of the graphic user interface to:
 stop the pre-playing of the content of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails to pre-play a content of another one of the one or more playable thumbnails based on a user command; and   storing a stop point of the pre-play of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the controller further controls display of the graphic user interface to:
 retrieve the stop point based on a input command to resume pre-play of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails; and   resume the pre-play of the selected one of the one or more playable thumbnails from the retrieved stop point.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the pre-playing of the content comprises playing at least a portion of the multimedia content. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the multimedia content is an audio and/or video file.