IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20080291283A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hasui, Shigeki, ACHIWA, KEN, Kinbara, Hideyasu
• Application Number:
  US11/864,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20080291283A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like

Abstract

In an image processing apparatus which generates an input signal when a mobile information terminal contacts a display surface and makes a wireless communication with the contacting mobile information terminal, it is difficult to make an appropriate display by discriminating whether a contact object is a mobile information terminal or a user'"'"'s finger. To accomplish this, when a mobile information terminal (200) is placed on a touch panel (104), this placement is recognized based on a wireless communication response (701), and a processing menu for the terminal is displayed. On the other hand, if the user'"'"'s finger (300) is placed, since no wireless communication response (701) is detected, it is recognized that the contact object is not the mobile information terminal (200), and a general manipulation menu is displayed.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, which comprises a display input unit adapted to generate an input signal when an object contacts a display surface that displays an image, and a wireless communication unit adapted to make a wireless communication with a mobile information terminal which contacts the display surface of the display input unit, and executes processing of image data input from the mobile information terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a discrimination unit adapted to discriminate, when the display input unit generates an input signal, whether or not the object which contacts the display surface is the mobile information terminal; and

a display control unit adapted to control display contents on the display input unit in accordance with a discrimination result of said discrimination unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal when the wireless communication unit detects a communication response from the mobile information terminal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mode selection unit adapted to select an operation mode in the display input unit,

wherein said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal when said mode selection unit selects an operation mode for the mobile information terminal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination unit discriminates according to a contact position of the object on the display input unit whether or not the object is the mobile information terminal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window for the mobile information terminal when said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a manipulation menu window according to a contact position of the object on the display surface when said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is not the mobile information terminal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a terminal type identification unit adapted to identify a type of the mobile information terminal,

wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window according to the type of the mobile information terminal, which is identified by said terminal type identification unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a terminal position specification unit adapted to specify a contact position of the mobile information terminal on the display surface of the display input unit,

wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window for the mobile information terminal near the contact position of the display surface, which is specified by said terminal position specification unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an other menu area specification unit adapted to specify an other menu area that allows to display an other menu other than a processing menu for the mobile information terminal on the display surface based on the contact position specified by said terminal position specification unit,

wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display the other menu within the other menu area when a size of the other menu area specified by said other menu area specification unit is larger than a predetermined threshold.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to vary a size of the other menu in accordance with the size of the other menu area and display the other menu within the other menu area.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a manipulation menu area specification unit adapted to specify a displayable area that can display the manipulation menu window on the display surface based on the contact position specified by said terminal position specification unit; and

a display unit information acquisition unit adapted to acquire display unit information of the mobile information terminal,

wherein said display control unit controls to display the manipulation menu window on a display unit of the mobile information terminal using the wireless communication unit in accordance with the display unit information acquired by said display unit information acquisition unit, when an size of the displayable area specified by said manipulation menu area specification unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display input unit comprises a liquid crystal touch panel.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the display input unit and the wireless communication unit have an integrated arrangement.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit makes a wireless communication based on a Bluetooth standard.

15. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, which comprises a display input unit adapted to generate an input signal when an object contacts a display surface that displays an image, and a wireless communication unit adapted to make a wireless communication with a mobile information terminal which contacts the display surface of the display input unit, and executes processing of image data input from the mobile information terminal, said method comprising the steps of:

discriminating, when the display input unit generates an input signal, whether or not the object which contacts the display surface is the mobile information terminal; and

controlling display contents on the display input unit in accordance with a discrimination result in the discriminating step.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the discriminating step discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal when the wireless communication unit detects a communication response from the mobile information terminal.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the display controlling step controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window for the mobile information terminal when the discriminating step discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal.

18. A computer program for making a computer execute a method of controlling an image processing apparatus, which comprises a display input unit adapted to generate an input signal when an object contacts a display surface that displays an image, and a wireless communication unit adapted to make a wireless communication with a mobile information terminal which contacts the display surface of the display input unit, and executes processing of image data input from the mobile information terminal, said program comprising the steps of:

discriminating, when the display input unit generates an input signal, whether or not the object which contacts the display surface is the mobile information terminal; and

controlling display contents on the display input unit in accordance with a discrimination result in the discriminating step.

19. A computer-readable recording medium recording a computer program according to claim 18.