Image Forming Apparatus Displaying Information That Is Received from an External Device and Is Directed to a User

• US 20150281482A1
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Daisuke, Tsukamoto, Yasushi, Nishino, Tetsuya, Matsumae, Keisaku
• Granted Patent: US 9,294,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00095 Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• 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 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00514 for individual users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• 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 forming apparatus includes a display device, an operation device, an information-for-display reception unit, and a display control unit. The display device displays information for display. The operation device is receives input of an operation by a user. The information-for-display reception unit receives the information for display from an external device. The display control unit controls the display device, and causes the display device to display the information for display when the information for display received by the information-for-display reception unit is directed to the user.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a display device configured to display information for display;

an operation device configured to receive input of an operation from a user;

an information-for-display reception unit configured to receive the information for display from an external device;

a display control unit configured to control the display device;

a login reception unit configured to receive a login of the user, the login including identification information of the user; and

a print data reception unit configured to receive print data from the external device;

wherein,

the display control unit is configured to cause the display device to display the information for display, when identification information associated with the information for display received by the information-for-display reception unit matches the identification information of the user received by the login reception unit, and

the display control unit is further configured to cause the display device to display an indication of existence of the print data, when identification information associated with the print data received by the print data reception unit matches the identification information of the user received by the login reception unit.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information for display includes information associated with the print data.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information associated with the print data indicates that the print data exists.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the information for display includes a print button allowing the user to print the print data, and

a delete button allowing the user to delete the print data.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information for display is displayed by the display device in a pop-up display.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

no information is associated with the print data, and

the display control unit is further configured to cause the display device to display a default message indicating that the print data exists.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the user is a first user,

the information-for-display reception unit is configured to receive, via the external device, the information for display provided by a second user, the second user being different from the first user, and

the print data reception unit is configured to receive, via the external device, the print data provided by the second user.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a storage device in which the information for display and the print data from the external device are stored, wherein:

the print data reception unit is further configured to receive, from the external device, an instruction to delete the print data, and

the display control unit is further configured to delete, from the storage device, the print data and the information associated with the print data in response to the instruction received from the external device.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the instruction to delete the print data includes a deletion time specifying a time when the print data is to be deleted, and

the display control unit is further configured to delete, from the storage device, the print data and the information associated with the print data at the specified deletion time.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the information for display includes first information and second information, the second information being associated with the print data, and

the display control unit is further configured to cause the display device to display the first information prior to displaying the second information.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the information-for-display reception unit is configured to receive, via the external device, the information for display provided by a second user, the second user being different from the first user, and

the print data reception unit is configured to receive, via the external device, the print data provided by the second user.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an identification information transmission unit configured to transmit the identification information of the user received by the login reception unit to the external device, wherein:

the external device is configured to transmit information for display associated with the identification information of the user to the information-for-display reception unit, and the external device is configured to transmit print data associated with the identification information of the user to the information-for-display reception unit.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a printer configured to perform a print process based on the print data; and

a print control unit configured to control the printer, wherein the print control unit is configured to cause the printer to perform the print process according to an instruction received from the user via the operation device.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage device configured to store the information for display and the print data received from the external device.

15. A system comprising:

an image forming apparatus; and

an external device communicatively coupled with the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus including;

(a) a display device configured to display information for display,

(b) an operation device configured to receive input of an operation from a user,

(c) an information-for-display reception unit configured to receive the information for display from an external device,

(d) a display control unit configured to control the display device,

(e) a login reception unit configured to receive a login of the user, the login including identification information of the user, and

(f) a print data reception unit configured to receive print data from the external device,

wherein,

the display control unit is configured to cause the display device to display the information for display, when identification information associated with the information for display received by the information-for-display reception unit matches the identification information of the user received by the login reception unit, and

the display control unit is further configured to cause the display device to display an indication of existence of the print data, when identification information associated with the print data received by the print data reception unit matches the identification information of the user received by the login reception unit.

16. The image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information for display includes information associated with the print data.

17. The image forming apparatus of claim 16, wherein the information associated with the print data indicates that the print data exists.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the user is a first user, and

the external unit is configured to (i) receive the information for display and the print data from a second user, the second user being different from the first user, and (ii) transmit the information for display and the print data to the image forming apparatus.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, at an image forming apparatus having a display device, at least one of information for display and print data from a first user located at an external device;

receiving, at the image forming apparatus, a login of a second user different from the first user, the login including identification information of the second user; and

displaying, on the display device, at least one of (i) the information for display received from the first user and (ii) an indication of the existence of the print data received from the first user,

wherein,

the information for display is displayed when identification information associated with the received information for display matches the identification information of the second user, and

the indication of the existence of the print data is displayed when identification information associated with the received print data matches the identification information of the second user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the information for display and the print data are received at the image forming apparatus, and

the information for display includes information associated with the print data.