Image output apparatus and control method thereof, and image output system

• US 20060098174A1
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohuchi, Masatomo
• Granted Patent: US 7,777,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An image output apparatus has a communication unit which can communicate with a plurality of external devices, displays an image received from an external device through the communication unit, and acquires, from an external device serving as a provision source of the image being displayed, indication information related to sending of the image to an external device. The image output apparatus controls sending of the image being displayed to an external device other than the external device serving as the provision source on the basis of the acquired indication information.

Claims

1. An image output apparatus comprising:

a communication unit capable of communicating with a plurality of external devices;

a display control unit configured to display an image received from an external device through said communication unit;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from an external device serving as a provision source of an image being displayed by said display control unit, indication information related to sending of the image being displayed to an external device; and

a sending unit configured to control sending of the image being displayed by said display control unit to an external device other than the external device serving as the provision source on the basis of the indication information acquired by said acquisition unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the indication information indicates whether sending of the image being displayed is permitted, and

said sending unit sends, upon receipt of an image request from an external device, the image being displayed to the external device serving as a source of the request if the indication information indicates that sending is permitted.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a holding unit configured to hold, in a memory, an image for which the indication information indicates that sending is permitted, wherein

said sending unit sends, upon receipt of an image request from an external device, an image held in the memory by said holding unit to the external device serving as a source of the request.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said display control unit combines a plurality of images received from a plurality of external devices to generate a composite image and displays the composite image, and

said holding unit processes the composite image so as to include ones, of the images from the plurality of external devices, for which the indication information indicates that sending is permitted and stores the composite image in the memory.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said holding unit operates at least one of when an image sending request is made from an external device and when an image displayed by said display control unit changes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a holding unit configured to hold, for each of external devices connected to the image output apparatus, connection information including identification information, access information, and history information indicating use of the image output apparatus in a memory; and

a presentation unit configured to present the identification information and the history information, wherein

said sending unit sends the image being displayed to an external device indicated by the identification information included in the indication information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said presentation unit displays the identification information and the history information by said display control unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said presentation unit sends the identification information and the history information to the external device serving as the provision source.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the history information further includes at least one of one of screens sent out from the external devices and use order in which the external devices use the image output apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the history information further includes information indicating an external device having made a request for sending of the image being displayed.

11. An image output system in which an image output apparatus and a plurality of image providing apparatuses are connected over a network, comprising:

a display control unit configured to display an image received from an external device over the network;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from an external device serving as a provision source of an image being displayed by said display control unit, indication information related to sending of the image being displayed to an external device; and

a sending unit configured to control sending of the image being displayed by said display control unit to an external device other than the external device serving as the provision source on the basis of the indication information acquired by said acquisition unit.

12. A control method for an image output apparatus which comprises communication unit for communicating with a plurality of external devices over a network, comprising

a display control step of displaying an image received from an external device through the communication unit;

an acquisition step of acquiring, from an external device serving as a provision source of an image being displayed in the display control step, indication information related to sending of the image being displayed to an external device; and

a sending step of controlling sending of the image being displayed by the display control step to an external device other than the external device serving as the provision source on the basis of the indication information acquired in the acquisition step.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the indication information indicates whether sending of the image being displayed is permitted, and

the sending step sends, upon receipt of an image request from an external device, the image being displayed to the external device serving as a source of the request if the indication information indicates that sending is permitted.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising

a holding step of holding, in a memory, an image for which the indication information indicates that sending is permitted, wherein

the sending step sends, upon receipt of an image request from an external device, an image held in the memory in the holding step to the external device serving as a source of the request.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein

the display control step combines a plurality of images received from a plurality of external devices to generate a composite image and displays the composite image, and

the holding step processes the composite image so as to include ones, of the images from the plurality of external devices, for which the indication information indicates that sending is permitted and stores the composite image in the memory.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein

the holding step is performed at least one of when an image sending request is made from an external device and when an image displayed by the display control step changes.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

a holding step of holding, for each of external devices connected to the image output apparatus, connection information including identification information, access information, and history information indicating use of the image output apparatus in a memory;

and

a presentation step of presenting the identification information and history information, wherein

the sending step sends the image being displayed to an external device indicated by the identification information included in the indication information.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the presentation step displays the identification information and the history information by the display control step.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the presentation step sends the identification information and the history information to the external device serving as the provision source.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the history information further includes at least one of one of screens sent out from the external devices and use order in which the external devices use the image output apparatus.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the history information further includes information indicating an external device having made a request for sending of the image being displayed.

22. A control program causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 12.

23. A computer readable medium for storing a control program causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 12.