Information Processing Apparatus that Displays Status of External Apparatus in Status Monitor, and Displaying Method

• US 20140026092A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Oguma, Takashi, Asano, Takehiko, Taira, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,606,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1218 Reducing or saving of used resources, e.g. avoiding waste of consumables or improving usage of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a processor, a communication unit, an input unit, a display unit, and a storage unit storing a program. The program causes the information processing apparatus to display i) a status of an external apparatus received via the communication unit in a status window of a status monitor displayed on the display unit, ii) a tab indicating a category of the status in a side portion of the status window, iii) a first icon in the tab indicating a change in the status, and iv) a second icon that, when selected, causes the information processing apparatus to switch between displaying a maximum size status window and a minimum size status window. The maximum size status window includes the tab selected via the input unit and a tab page of the selected tab, and the minimum size status window includes the selected tab but not the tab page of the selected tab.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a communication unit;

an input unit;

a display unit; and

a storage unit storing a program,

wherein the program causes the information processing apparatus to display;

i) a status of an external apparatus received via the communication unit in a status window of a status monitor displayed on the display unit,

ii) a tab in a side portion of the status window indicating a category of the status,

iii) a first icon in the tab indicating a change in the status, and

iv) a second icon that, when selected, causes the information processing apparatus to switch between displaying a maximum size status window and a minimum size status window,

wherein the maximum size status window includes a tab selected via the input unit and a tab page of the selected tab, and

wherein the minimum size status window includes the selected tab but not the tab page of the selected tab.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program further causes the information processing apparatus to:

display in the tab an attribute value of the status corresponding to the first icon, and

update the first icon and the attribute value in accordance with the change in the status irrespective of whether the tab has been selected.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first icon is one of the plurality of first icons respectively corresponding to the plurality of statuses of the external apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of statuses includes a status of a consumable provided in the external apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the external apparatus includes an image forming apparatus, the consumable includes paper within a paper feed cassette, and the attribute value of the status includes a remaining amount of paper in the paper feed cassette.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the external apparatus includes an image forming apparatus, the consumable includes toner within a toner container, and the attribute value of the status includes a remaining amount of toner in the toner container.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the status corresponds to a print job, and

the program further causes the information processing apparatus to display a print status bar indicating the status.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the print status bar comprises a green print status bar when the print job is printing.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the print status bar comprises a yellow print status bar when the print job is paused or pending.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the print status bar comprises a red print status bar when the print job is stopped due to an error.

17. The displaying method according to claim 10, wherein the status corresponds to a print job, the method further comprising displaying a print status bar indicating the status.

18. The displaying method according to claim 17, wherein the print status bar comprises a green print status bar when the print job is printing.

19. The displaying method according to claim 17, wherein the print status bar comprises a yellow print status bar when the print job is paused or pending.

20. The displaying method according to claim 17, wherein the print status bar comprises a red print status bar when the print job is stopped due to an error.

11. A displaying method carried out by an information processing apparatus comprising a communication unit, an input unit, and a display unit, the displaying method comprising:

displaying a status of an external apparatus received via the communication unit in a status window of a status monitor displayed on the display unit;

displaying a tab indicating a category of the status in a side portion within the status window;

displaying a first icon in the tab indicating a change in the status; and

displaying a second icon that, when selected, causes the information processing apparatus to switch between displaying a maximum size status window and a minimum size status window,

wherein the maximum size status window includes the a tab selected via the input unit and a tab page of the selected tab, and

wherein the minimum size status window includes the selected tab but not the tab page of the selected tab.

12. The displaying method according to claim 11, further comprising:

displaying in the tab an attribute value of the status corresponding to the first icon; and

updating the first icon and the attribute value in accordance with the change in the status irrespective of whether the tab has been selected.

13. The displaying method according to claim 12, wherein the first icon is one of the plurality of first icons respectively corresponding to the plurality of statuses of the external apparatus.

14. The displaying method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of statuses includes a status of a consumable provided in the external apparatus.

15. The displaying method according to claim 14, wherein the external apparatus includes an image forming apparatus, the consumable includes paper within a paper feed cassette, and the attribute value of the status includes a remaining amount of paper in the paper feed cassette.

16. The displaying method according to claim 14, wherein the external apparatus includes an image forming apparatus, the consumable includes toner within a toner container, and the attribute value of the status is a remaining amount of toner in the toner container.