IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SCREEN DATA PROVIDING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20130329253A1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: SASAKI, Tohru
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• 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 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0072 Detecting the status of a connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image processing apparatus for executing a job set thereto, and includes a communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with a portable terminal, a distance estimation unit configured to estimate a distance between the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal, a screen determination unit configured to determine a screen to be displayed on the portable terminal according to the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit, a screen configuration data generation unit configured to generate a first screen configuration data that constitute the screen determined by the screen determination unit, and a job execution control unit configured to control execution of the job based on a setting condition received from the portable terminal via the communication unit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for executing a job set thereto, the image processing apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with a portable terminal;

a distance estimation unit configured to estimate a distance between the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal;

a screen determination unit configured to determine a screen to be displayed on the portable terminal according to the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit;

a screen configuration data generation unit configured to generate a first screen configuration data that constitute the screen determined by the screen determination unit; and

a job execution control unit configured to control execution of the job based on a setting condition received from the portable terminal via the communication unit.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a screen determination table including a first identification data of a first screen registered in correspondence with a first distance and a second identification data of a second screen registered in correspondence with a second distance;

wherein the screen determination unit is configured to determine whether the first screen or the second screen is to be displayed on the portable terminal by referring to the screen determination table,

wherein the first screen is a screen displayed on the image processing apparatus for receiving input that instructs the execution of the job,

wherein the first distance is less than a predetermined threshold,

wherein the second screen is a screen that displays a status of the image processing apparatus, and

wherein the second distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second identification data of the first and second screens are registered in correspondence with a user identification data assigned to each user.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an operation panel;

wherein a screen displayed on the operation panel is substantially the same as the screen to be displayed on the portable terminal based on the first screen configuration data generated by the screen configuration data generation unit when the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit is less than a predetermined threshold.

5. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a server unit configured to transmit a second screen configuration data that constitutes a screen to be displayed on the image processing apparatus in a case where the communication unit performs wired communication with another data processing apparatus;

wherein the screen displayed on the portable terminal is substantially the same as the screen constituted by the second screen configuration data in a case where the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

6. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein in a case where the distance estimation unit estimates that the distance between the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal is less than the predetermined threshold, the screen determination unit determines that the screen to be displayed on the portable terminal is a screen for receiving input of settings of the job or a screen for receiving input of selections of one of a copying job, a scanning job, or a job to be performed on a stored document.

7. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein in a case where the distance estimation unit estimates that the distance between the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the screen determination unit determines that the screen to be displayed on the portable terminal is a screen for displaying a remaining amount of consumable supplies, a screen for displaying whether a part of the image processing apparatus is operational, or a screen for displaying a status of a registered job.

8. A method for providing screen data of an image processing apparatus that executes a job set thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

performing, by a communication unit, wireless communication with a portable terminal;

estimating, by a distance estimation unit, a distance between the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal;

determining, by a screen determination unit, a screen to be displayed on the portable terminal according to the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit;

generating, by a screen configuration data generation unit, a screen configuration data that constitute the screen determined by the screen determination unit; and

controlling, by a job execution control unit, execution of the job based on a setting condition received from the portable terminal.

9. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded for causing a computer to execute a method for providing screen data of an image processing apparatus that executes a job set thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

performing, by a communication unit, wireless communication with a portable terminal;

estimating, by a distance estimation unit, a distance between the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal;

determining, by a screen determination unit, a screen to be displayed on the portable terminal according to the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit;

generating, by a screen configuration data generation unit, a screen configuration data that constitute the screen determined by the screen determination unit; and

controlling, by a job execution control unit, execution of the job based on a setting condition received from the portable terminal.