Display Device, Printing Apparatus, Method to Display Contents in Storage Devices and a Computer Usable Medium Therefor

• US 20090097050A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: YOSHIDA, Shigetaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• 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 2201/0036 Detecting or checking connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A display device to display contents representing data files stored in at least one external memory device attached to the display device is provided. The display device includes at least one connection interface through which an external memory device is attached to the display device, a judging unit to judge as to whether an external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface, a list creation unit to create a list of data files which are stored in the external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit, a timer to measure a predetermined period, and a display control unit to display the list created by the list creation unit based on the data files stored in the external memory device which is attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses.

Claims

1. A display device to display contents representing data files stored in at least one external memory device attached to the display device, comprising:

at least one connection interface through which an external memory device is attached to the display device;

a judging unit to judge as to whether an external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface;

a list creation unit to create a list of data files which are stored in the external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit;

a timer, which is activated after attachment of the external memory device to the display device, to measure a predetermined period; and

a display control unit to display the list created by the list creation unit based on the data files stored in the external memory device which is attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses.

2. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the judging unit repeats judging as to whether an additional external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface until the predetermined period elapses;

wherein the list creation unit creates a list of data files which are stored in the additional external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit;

wherein the timer is activated after attachment of the additional external memory device to the display device and measures the predetermined period; and

wherein the display control unit displays the lists created based on the data files stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device which are attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses.

3. The display device according to claim 2,

wherein the timer is activated when the list is created by the list creation unit.

4. The display device according to claim 2,

wherein the display control unit displays the list of the data files, which are stored in the external memory device being attached to the display device, until the predetermined period elapses;

wherein the timer is activated when the list is displayed by the display control unit.

5. The display device according to claim 4,

wherein the display control unit displays, after the predetermined period elapses, the lists of the data files which are stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device being attached to the display device.

6. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switching unit to switch display configurations between at least two optional configurations, which are an optional configuration to display all the contents representing the data files stored in the attached external memory devices and an optional configuration to display the contents of the data files stored in one of the attached external memory devices.

7. A display device to display contents representing data files stored in at least one external memory device attached to the display device, comprising:

at least one connection interface through which an external memory device is attached to the display device;

a judging unit to judge as to whether a first external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface;

a list creation unit to create a first list of data files which are stored in the first external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit;

an indication receiving unit to receive a user'"'"'s operation which indicates attachment of an external memory device to the display device is completed; and

a display control unit to display the first list created by the list creation unit based on the data files stored in the first external memory device which is attached to the display device prior to receipt of the user'"'"'s operation through the indication receiving unit.

8. The display device according to claim 7,

wherein the judging unit repeats judging as to whether a second external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface until the user'"'"'s operation is received through the indication receiving unit;

wherein the list creation unit creates a second list of data files which are stored in the second external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit;

wherein the display control unit displays the first list created based on the data files stored in the first external memory device and the second list created based on the data files stored in the second external memory device which are attached to the display device prior to receipt of the user'"'"'s operation through the indication receiving unit.

9. The display device according to claim 8,

wherein the display control unit restricts display of a third list of data file stored in a third external memory device which is attached to the display device after receipt of the user'"'"'s operation.

10. The display device according to claim 9,

wherein the display control unit permits display of the third list of the data files stored in the third external memory device which is attached to the display device after receipt of the user'"'"'s operation when an operation to utilize one of the data files in the first and second lists is completed.

11. The display device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a switching unit to switch display configurations between at least two optional configurations, which are an optional configuration to display all the contents representing the data files stored in the attached external memory devices and an optional configuration to display the contents representing the data files stored in one of the attached external memory devices.

12. A printing apparatus, comprising:

a printing unit to form an image on a recording medium according to a data file stored in an external memory device;

at least one connection interface through which the external memory device is attached to the printing apparatus;

a display unit to display information concerning the data file stored in the external memory device being attached to the printing apparatus;

a display control unit to restrict displaying the information concerning the data file when a printing operation to print the data file is activated.

13. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a judging unit to judge as to whether the external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface;

a list creation unit to create a list of data files which are stored in the external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit; and

a timer, which is activated after attachment of the external memory device to the printing apparatus, to measure a predetermined period;

wherein the display control unit displays the list, created by the list creation unit based on the data files stored in the external memory device which is attached to the printing apparatus before the predetermined period elapses, in the display unit.

14. The printing apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the judging unit repeats judging as to whether an additional external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface until the predetermined period elapses;

wherein the list creation unit creates a list of data files which are stored in the additional external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit;

wherein the timer is activated after attachment of the additional external memory device to the printing apparatus and measures the predetermined period; and

wherein the display control unit displays the lists created based on the data files stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device which are attached to the printing apparatus before the predetermined period elapses.

15. The printing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the timer is activated when the list is created by the list creation unit.

16. The printing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the display control unit displays the list of the data files, which are stored in the external memory device being attached to the printing apparatus, until the predetermined period elapses;

wherein the timer is activated when the list is displayed by the display control unit.

17. The printing apparatus according to claim 16,

wherein the display control unit displays, after the predetermined period elapses, the lists of the data files which are stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device being attached to the printing apparatus.

18. The printing apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the display control unit permits displaying the additional list of the data files which are stored in the additional external memory device when the printing operation is completed.

19. The printing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a switching unit to switch display configurations between at least two optional configurations, which are an optional configuration to display all the contents representing the data files stored in the attached external memory devices and an optional configuration to display the contents representing the data files stored in one of the attached external memory devices.

20. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a judging unit to judge as to whether a first external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface;

a list creation unit to create a first list of data files which are stored in the first external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit; and

an indication receiving unit to receive a user'"'"'s operation which indicates attachment of an external memory device to the printing apparatus is completed.

wherein the display control unit displays the first list created by the list creation unit based on the data files stored in the first external memory device which is attached to the printing apparatus prior to receipt of the user'"'"'s operation through the indication receiving unit.

21. The printing apparatus according to claim 20,

wherein the judging unit repeats judging as to whether a second external memory device is attached to one of the at least one connection interface until the user'"'"'s operation is received through the indication receiving unit;

wherein the list creation unit creates a second list of data files which are stored in the second external memory device according to the judgment made by the judging unit;

wherein the display control unit displays the first list created based on the data files stored in the first external memory device and the second list created based on the data files stored in the second external memory device which are attached to the printing apparatus prior to receipt of the user'"'"'s operation through the indication receiving unit.

22. The printing apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein the display control unit restricts display of a third list of data file stored in a third external memory device which is attached to the printing apparatus after receipt of the user'"'"'s operation.

23. The printing apparatus according to claim 22,

wherein the display control unit permits display of the third list of the data files stored in the third external memory device which is attached to the printing apparatus after receipt of the user'"'"'s operation when the printing operation to print one of the data files in the first and second lists is completed.

24. The printing apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

a switching unit to switch display configurations between at least two optional configurations, which are an optional configuration to display all the contents representing the data files stored in the attached external memory devices and an optional configuration to display the contents representing the data files stored in one of the attached external memory devices.

25. A method to display contents representing data files stored in an external memory device in a display device, comprising steps of:

judging as to whether the external memory device is attached to the display device;

creating a list of data files stored in the attached external memory device;

activating a timer to measure time after the external memory device is attached to the display device; and

controlling displaying the list created in the list creating step based on the data files stored in the external memory device which is attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses.

26. The method according to claim 25,

wherein the judging step is repeated to judge as to whether an additional external memory device is attached to the display device until the predetermined period elapses;

wherein the list creation step is repeated to create an additional list of the data files which are stored in the additional external memory device according to the judgment made in the repeated judging step;

wherein the timer activating step is repeated to measure the predetermined period after the attachment of the additional external memory device to the display device; and

wherein the lists created based on the data files being stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device, which are attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses, are displayed in the display device.

27. The method according to claim 26,

wherein the timer activating step takes place following the list creation step.

28. The method according to claim 26,

wherein the list of the data files, which are stored in the external memory device being attached to the display device, is displayed after the list is created in the list creation step until the predetermined period elapses;

and

wherein the timer activating step takes place after the list is displayed in the display device in the display controlling step.

29. The method according to claim 28,

wherein the lists of the data files, which are stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device being attached to the display device, are displayed in the display device after the predetermined period elapses.

30. The method according to claim 26,

wherein display of the list is restricted when an operation to utilize one of the data files in the lists being displayed is executed in the display device.

31. The method according to claim 30,

wherein display of the additional list of the data files which are stored in the additional external memory device is permitted when the operation is completed.

32. A computer usable medium comprising computer readable instructions to display contents representing data files stored in an external memory device in a display device, the computer readable instructions comprising steps of:

judging as to whether the external memory device is attached to the display device;

creating a list of data files stored in the attached external memory device;

activating a timer to measure time after the external memory device is attached to the display device; and

controlling displaying the list created in the list creating step based on the data files stored in the external memory device which is attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses.

33. The computer usable medium according to claim 32,

wherein the judging step is repeated to judge as to whether an additional external memory device is attached to the display device until the predetermined period elapses;

wherein the list creation step is repeated to create an additional list of data files which are stored in the additional external memory device according to the judgment made in the repeated judging step;

wherein the timer activating step is repeated to measure the predetermined period after the attachment of the additional external memory device to the display device; and

wherein the lists created based on the data files being stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device, which are attached to the display device before the predetermined period elapses, are displayed in the display device.

34. The computer usable medium according to claim 33,

wherein the timer activating step takes place following the list creation step.

35. The computer usable medium according to claim 33,

wherein the list of the data files, which are stored in the external memory device being attached to the display device, is displayed after the list is created in the list creation step until the predetermined period elapses;

and

wherein the timer activating step takes place after the list is displayed in the display device in the display controlling step.

36. The computer usable medium according to claim 35,

wherein the lists of the data files, which are stored in the external memory device and the additional external memory device being attached to the display device, are displayed in the display device after the predetermined period elapses.

37. The computer usable medium according to claim 33,

wherein display of the list is restricted when an operation to utilize one of the data files in the lists being displayed is executed in the display device.

38. The computer usable medium according to claim 37,

wherein display of the additional list of the data files which are stored in the additional external memory device is permitted when the operation is completed.