Method and apparatus for displaying a connection status of a device based on connection information

• US 6,473,811 B1
• Filed: 03/11/1999
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Onsen, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Application Number:
  US09/266,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 710/15, 710/17, 710/19, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 710/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32523 a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32539 Detecting or indicating the status of the output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0036 Detecting or checking connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0043 Point to multipoint H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0046 Software interface details, e.g. interaction of operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0072 Detecting the status of a connected apparatus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus to which a plurality of devices are connected comprises: an obtaining means for obtaining system setting information provided by the operating system; and a displaying means for recognizing the connection status of the plurality of devices based on the system setting information obtained by the obtaining means, and displaying the connection status of the plurality of devices.

Also, an information processing apparatus to which a plurality of devices are connected comprises: an obtaining means for obtaining connection information of the plurality of devices; a comparing means for comparing the length of character strings of connection information for the plurality of devices, based on connection information obtained by the obtaining means; and a displaying means for displaying the connection status of the plurality of devices according to the comparison results from the comparing means.

Thus, the object of providing an information processing apparatus, connection status displaying method, information processing system, and storage medium, whereby the connection status of multiple connected devices can be easily confirmed, and the user can immediately grasp where the device to be used is located, can be realized.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus that uses functions of an operating system to detect connection information of a device, judge whether or not the connection information of the device has already been registered, and, if it is judged that the detected connection information has not been registered, register the detected connection information to a registry, said apparatus comprising:

a judgment unit for judging whether a device is connected to said information processing apparatus or to another device based on detected connection information; and

a display unit for displaying a connection status of the device, including whether the device is connected to said information processing apparatus or to another device, based on the connection information.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a printer.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating system provides system setting information that includes a registry for registering connection information.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit displays whether or not the device is available, in a recognizable manner.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit displays a type of head mounted on the device, in a recognizable manner.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a comparison unit for comparing a length of character strings of the connection information for the device, based on the detected connection information, wherein said display unit displays a connection status according to a comparison result from said comparison unit.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said display unit connects and displays each of a plurality of devices in ascending order of character string length, based on comparison results from said comparison unit.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said display unit connects and displays devices with a same character string length in a same connection order, based on comparison results from said comparison unit.

9. An information processing apparatus to which a plurality of devices are connected, said apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining connection information of the plurality of devices;

comparing means for comparing a length of character strings of the connection information for the plurality of devices, based on the connection information obtained by said obtaining means; and

displaying means for displaying a connection status of the plurality of devices according to comparison results from said comparing means.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of devices comprises printers.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the connection information includes a registry.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said displaying means displays whether or not each device of the plurality of devices is available, in a recognizable manner.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said displaying means displays a type of head mounted on each device of the plurality of devices, in a recognizable manner.

14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said displaying means connects and displays each device of the plurality of devices in ascending order of character string length, based on the comparison results from said comparing means.

15. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said displaying means connects and displays devices with a same character string length in a same connection order, based on the comparison results from said comparing means.

16. A connection status displaying method for an information processing apparatus that uses functions of an operating system to detect connection information of a device, judge whether or not the connection information of the device has already been registered, and, if it is judged that the detected connection information has not been registered, register the detected connection information to a registry, said method comprising:

a judgment step of judging whether a device is connected to the information processing apparatus or to another device based on detected connection information; and

a display step of displaying a connection status of the device, including whether the device is connected to the information processing apparatus or to another device, based on the connection information.

17. A connection status displaying method according to claim 16, wherein the device is a printer.

18. A connection status displaying method according to claim 16, wherein the operating system provides system setting information that includes a registry for registering connection information.

19. A connection status displaying method according to claim 16, wherein said display step displays whether or not the device is available, in a recognizable manner.

20. A connection status displaying method according to claim 16, wherein said display step displays a type of head mounted on the device, in a recognizable manner.

21. A connection status displaying method according to claim 16, further comprising a comparison step of comparing a length of character strings of the connection information for the device, based on the detected connection information, wherein said display step displays a connection status according to a comparison result from said comparison step.

22. A connection status displaying method according to claim 21, wherein said display step connects and displays each device of a plurality of devices in ascending order of character string length, based on comparison results from said comparison step.

23. A connection status displaying method according to claim 21, wherein said display step connects and displays devices with a same character string length in a same connection order, based on comparison results from said comparison step.

24. A connection status displaying method for an information processing apparatus to which a plurality of devices are connected, said method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining connection information of the plurality of devices;

a comparing step of comparing a length of character strings of connection information for the plurality of devices, based on connection information obtained in said obtaining step; and

a displaying step of displaying a connection status of the plurality of devices according to comparison results from said comparing step.

25. A connection status displaying method according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of devices comprises printers.

26. A connection status displaying method according to claim 24, wherein the connection information includes a registry.

27. A connection status displaying method according to claim 24, wherein said displaying step displays whether or not each device of the plurality of devices is available, in a recognizable manner.

28. A connection status displaying method according to claim 24, wherein said displaying step displays a type of head mounted on each device of the plurality of, in a recognizable manner.

29. A connection status displaying method according to claim 24, wherein said displaying step connects and displays each device of the plurality of devices in ascending order of character string length, based on the comparison results from said comparing step.

30. A connection status displaying method according to claim 24, wherein said displaying step connects and displays devices with a same character string length in a same connection order, based on the comparison results from said comparing step.

31. A storage medium storing a computer-readable program for implementing a connection status displaying method for an information processing apparatus that uses functions of an operating system to detect connection information of a device, judge whether or not the connection information of the device has already been registered, and, if it is judged that the detected connection information has not been registered, register the detected connection information to a registry, the program comprising:

code for a judgment step of judging whether a device is connected to the information processing apparatus or to another device based on detected connection information; and

code for a display step of displaying a connection status of the device, including whether the device is connected to the information processing apparatus or to another device, based on the connection information.

32. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the device is a printer.

33. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the operating system provides system setting information that includes a registry for registering connection information.

34. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the display step displays whether or not the device is available, in a recognizable manner.

35. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the display step displays a type of head mounted on the device, in a recognizable manner.

36. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the program further comprises code for a comparison step of comparing a length of character strings of the connection information for the device, based on the detected connection information, wherein the display step displays a connection status according to a comparison result from the comparison step.

37. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein the display step connects and displays each device of a plurality of devices in ascending order of character string length, based on comparison results from the comparison step.

38. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein the display step connects and displays devices with a same character string length in a same connection order, based on comparison results from the comparison step.

39. A storage medium storing a computer-readable program for implementing a connection status displaying method for an information processing apparatus to which a plurality of devices are connected, the program comprising:

code for an obtaining step of obtaining connection information of the plurality of devices;

code for a comparing step of comparing a length of character strings of connection information for the plurality of devices, based on the connection information obtained in the obtaining step; and

code for a displaying step of recognizing a connection status of the plurality of devices, based on comparison results from the comparing step.

40. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the plurality of devices comprises printers.

41. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the connection information includes a registry.

42. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the displaying step displays whether or not each device of the plurality of devices is available, in a recognizable manner.

43. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the displaying step displays a type of head mounted on each device of the plurality of devices, in a recognizable manner.

44. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the displaying step connects and displays each device of the plurality of devices in ascending order of character string length, based on comparison results from the comparing step.

45. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the displaying step connects and displays devices with a same character string length in a same connection order, based on comparison results from the comparing step.