Method of displaying directory structure of recorded data

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of displaying directories differently based on attributes of files included therein. The present method examines a directory structure and the attributes of data files recorded on a recording medium, generates a mark for visually differentiating directories including at least one file of a pre-specified attribute, based on the examined attribute information, and displays a generated mark with the examined directory structure information. Owing to the present invention, a user can recognize directories including at least one file having a desired attribute at a glance, therefore, reproduction, selection, or copy for a file having a desirable attribute can be conducted very quickly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computerized method of displaying the structure of a directory of file data stored in a recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing files having different attributes, comprising the steps of:
 pre-specifying an attribute of a file; 
 using a computer to examine the structure of the file data, including file attributes, to determine whether or not a directory that is capable of containing files having different attributes includes at least one file having the pre-specified attribute on the recording medium; 
 using a computer to generate a mark for indicating the result of the examining step; and 
 displaying the generated mark on the directory as an indication of whether the directory that is capable of containing files having different attributes does or does not include at least one file having the pre-specified attribute. 
 
     
     
       2. The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the file of said pre-specified attribute is related to audio or video contents. 
     
     
       3. The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said displaying step further displays an uppermost directory of the said directory. 
     
     
       4. The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said mark is displayed on the directory, that does include at least one file of said pre-specified attribute. 
     
     
       5. The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said mark is displayed on the directory that does not include at least one file of said pre-specified attribute. 
     
     
       6. The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said mark further shows the number of files included in a directory. 
     
     
       7. A computerized system to display the structure of a directory of file data stored in a recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing files having different attributes, comprising:
 means for pre-specifying a file attribute; 
 computerized means for examining the structure of the file data, including file attributes, to determine whether or not a directory that is capable of containing files having different attributes includes at least one file having a the pre-specified attribute on the recording medium; 
 computerized means for generating a mark for indicating the result of the examining step; and 
 computerized means for displaying the generated mark on the directory as an indication that the directory that is capable of containing files having different attributes includes at least one file having the pre-specified attribute. 
 
     
     
       8. The system set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the file of said pre-specified attribute is related to audio or video contents. 
     
     
       9. The system set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said means for displaying further displays an uppermost directory of the said directory. 
     
     
       10. The system set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said mark is displayed on the directory, including at least one file of said pre-specified attribute. 
     
     
       11. The system set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said mark is displayed on the directory not including any file of said pre-specified attribute. 
     
     
       12. The system set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said mark further shows the number of files included in a directory. 
     
     
       13. A computerized method of displaying directories of files contained on a recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing flies having different attributes including at least one ‘MP3’ file, and the number of files having attributes other than an “MP3” attribute, and excluding any file that does not have an “MP3” attribute from the displayed directory without requiring a user of a device or system using the memory to open and check all directories individually to obtain file attribute information, comprising:
 a1) pre-specifying at least one file attribute 
 a2) computerized reading of recorded file system data; 
 b) computerized recognizing of the directory structure and respective attributes of files on the recording medium; 
 c) computerized flagging of every directory on the recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing files having different attributes including the at least one pre-specified file attribute; 
 d) computerized composing of directory-display information that differentiates flag-set directories from other directories by adding a specific mark to the flag-set directory display; and 
 e) computerized displaying of composed directory-display information. 
 
     
     
       14. A computerized system for displaying directories of files contained on a recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing files having different attributes including at least one ‘MP3’ file, and the number of files having attributes other than an “MP3” attribute, and excluding any file that does not have an “MP3” attribute from the displayed directory without requiring a user of a device or system using the memory to open and check all directories individually to obtain file attribute information, comprising:
 f) computerized means for reading recorded file system data; 
 g) computerized means for recognizing the directory structure and respective attributes of files on the recording medium; 
 h) means for pre-specifying at least one specific file attribute and computerized means for flagging every directory on the recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing tiles having different attributes including said at least one pro-specified file attribute; 
 i) computerized means for composing directory-display information that differentiates flag-set directories from other directories by adding a specific mark to the flag-set directory display; and 
 j) computerized means for displaying composed directory-display information. 
 
     
     
       15. A computerized method for displaying directories of files contained on a recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing files having different attributes including at least one specific file, and the number of files having attributes other than an attribute of the at least one specific file, and identifying any directory having a file that does not have the attribute of the at least one specific file from the displayed directories without having to open and check all the directories individually to obtain file attribute information, the computerized method comprising:
 pre-specifying at least one file attribute;   computerized reading of recorded file system data;   computerized recognizing of a directory structure and respective attributes of files on the recording medium;   computerized flag-setting of at least one directory on the recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein the at least one directory is capable of containing files having different attributes including the at least one pre-specified file attribute, and wherein the at least one flag-set directory contains at least one file having attributes including the at least one pre-specified file attribute;   computerized composing of directory-display information that differentiates the at least one flag-set directory from other directories by visually differentiating the at least one flag-set directory from the other directories; and   computerized displaying of the composed directory-display information.    
     
     
       16. A computerized system for displaying directories of files contained on a recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein any directory is capable of containing files having different attributes including at least one specific file, and the number of files have attributes other than an attribute of the at least one specific file, and for identifying any directory having a file that does not have the attribute of the at least one specific file from the displayed directories without having to open and check all the directories individually to obtain file attribute information, the computerized system comprising:
 computerized means for reading recorded file system data;   computerized means for recognizing a directory structure and respective attributes of files on the recording medium;   means for pre-specifying at least one specific file attribute and computerized means for flag-setting at least one directory on the recording medium that contains a plurality of directories, wherein the at least one directory is capable of containing files having different attributes including the at least one pre-specified file attribute, and wherein the at least one flag-set directory contains at least one file having attributes including the at least one pre-specifies file attribute;   computerized means for composing directory-display information that differentiates the at least one flag-set directory from other directories by visually differentiating the at least one flag-set directory from the other directories; and   computerized means for displaying the composed directory-display information.