INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE GENERATING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20060187483A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: BABA, TATSURU
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00389 Programmable function keys, e.g. for one-touch operation H04N1/00387 takes precedence; for automation of transmitter jobs H04N1/32058
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00503 Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00832 Recording use, e.g. counting number of pages copied
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function

Abstract

There are provided an image processing apparatus, an image generating apparatus, and an image processing method, capable of automating assignment of keys to functions and registration of macros provided by the image generating apparatus and presenting an index such as a shortcut key associated with one of the registered functions to a user at the timing when the user uses that function. To achieve this, first an operation command issued by a user through a control panel 1000 is received and history information about the operation command is stored in a storage device 900. A controller unit 200 detects history information about an operation command received through the control panel 1000 from among the history information, creates and registers a shortcut key for performing a operation command received through the control panel 1000 on the basis of the result of the detection, and presents the shortcut key to the user at a predetermined timing.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which performs processing in accordance with an operation command from a user, comprising:

receiving unit configured to receive an operation command from the user;

storing unit configured to store history information concerning the operation command;

detecting unit configured to detect, on the basis of an operation command received by the receiving unit, history information about an operation command relating to the operation command from among the history information stored in the storing unit; and

registering unit configured to register an index for executing an operation command received by the receiving unit, on the basis of the result of detection by the detecting unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects history information relating to the operation command from among history information stored in a predetermined time period out of the history information stored in the storing unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising determining unit configured to determine, on the basis of the result of detection by the detecting unit, whether or not an operation command received by the receiving unit is a routinely issued operation command,

wherein the registering unit registers the index if the determining means determines that an operation command received by the receiving unit is a routinely issued operation command.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the determining unit determines that an operation command received by the receiving unit is a routinely issued operation command if the receiving unit has received an operation command relating to an operation command just received by the receiving unit a predetermined number of times or more.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a displaying unit configured to display an index registered by the registering unit, wherein the displaying unit displays the index at a predetermined timing.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which a file to be executed on the basis of the operation command associated with the index is selected.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the registering unit is capable of individually registering indexes for executing a plurality of different operation commands;

and

the displaying unit displays each of the indexes at a timing preset for each of the plurality of the indexes registered by the registering unit.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the displaying unit displays the index as a shortcut key that can cause the operation command associated with the index to be executed when the index is selected by a user.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the displaying unit displays description of the operation command associated with the index in a user-readable form along with the index.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising authenticating unit configured to authenticate a user, wherein:

the receiving unit receives an operation command issued by a user successfully authenticated by the authenticating unit; and

the determining unit determines that an operation command received by the receiving unit is a routinely issued operation command if an operation command from the user just issued the operation command has been received a predetermined number of times or more.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit receives from a user an instruction as to whether to register the index, before the registering unit registers the index;

and

the registering unit registers the index if the instruction from the user instructs to register the index.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storing unit configured to store print data and printing unit configured to print the print data stored in the storing unit, wherein:

the operation command specifies processing to be performed when the print data stored in the storing unit is printed by the printing unit.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the specified processing includes at least any of N in 1 printing for printing N pages on one sheet of recording medium, two-sided printing, and staple finishing.

14. An image generating apparatus which generates an image in accordance with an operation command from a user, comprising:

receiving unit configured to receive an operation command concerning image generation from a user;

storing unit configured to store history information about the operation command;

detecting unit configured to detect, on the basis of an operation command received by the receiving unit, history information about an operation command relating to the operation command from among the history information stored in the storing unit; and

registering unit configured to register an index for executing an operation command received by the receiving unit, on the basis of the result of detection by the detecting unit.

15. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

receiving an operation instruction relating to image processing from a user;

detecting, on the basis of an operation command received in the receiving step, history information about an operation command relating to the operation command from among the history information about operation commands received in the receiving step in the past; and

registering an index for executing an operation command received in the receiving step, on the basis of the result of detection in the detecting step.

16. A program for causing a computer to perform processing in accordance with an operation command from a user, causing the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an operation command issued from a user to the computer;

detecting, on the basis of an operation command received in the receiving step, history information about an operation command relating to the operation command from among the history information about operation commands issued to the computer in the past; and

registering an index for executing an operation command received in the receiving step, on the basis of the result of detection in the detecting step.

17. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon the program according to claim 16.