Apparatus for accessing another apparatus to perform processing and method therefor, and memory medium in which such program is stored

• US 6,633,871 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Wakai, Masanori, Fujii, Kenichi, Jeyachandran, Suresh, Suda, Aruna Rohra
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Sanjiv
• Application Number:
  US09/169,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 707/205, 707/9, 707/10, 713/201, 713/202, 395/200.2, 395/188.01, 395/200.59, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0046 Software interface details, e.g. interaction of operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

According to an information processing method, a device to be accessed is designated, an operation screen is downloaded by accessing the designated device, and information that is entered by a user during the display of an operation screen is transmitted to the designated device as operating information. Therefore, the execution of a process at another device and the employment of a job stored in another device are facilitated. In addition, when designated devices are accessed and logged in, the identifiers for those devices are registered in a device list, and thus, when logout is instructed, since all devices whose identifiers are registered in the device list will be logged out, all the devices that were logged in are logged out.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

designation means for designating a device to be accessed;

downloading means for accessing said device designated by said designation means and for downloading an operation screen;

display means for displaying said operation screen;

input means for receiving information to be input in a column or operation to a button from a user of said apparatus while said operation screen including the column or the button is displayed; and

transmission means for transmitting to said designated device information that is entered in said column or said operation to said button by said input means so that the user of said apparatus can operate said designated device as the user of said device.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits, as user identification information, information that is input while a login screen is being displayed as said operation screen.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said designation means designates said device to be accessed using an address and the name of an apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a transmission setup screen is loaded by said downloading means, and wherein setup operation information is transmitted by said transmission means in order for target information to be transmitted by said designated device to another device.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a print setup screen is loaded by said downloading means, and wherein setup operation information is transmitted by said transmission means in order for information to be printed to be transmitted by said designated device to another device.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

login means for accessing said device designated by said designation means and for logging in said device;

registration means for registering in a device list all identifiers of said device that are logged in by said login means;

instruction means for instructing logout; and

logout means for, when logout is instructed by said instruction means, logging out of all the devices having the identifier that are registered in said device list.

7. An information processing method comprising:

a designation step of designating a device to be accessed;

a downloading step of accessing said device designated at said designation step and of downloading an operation screen;

a display step of displaying said operation screen;

an input step of receiving information to be input in a column or operation to a button from a user of said apparatus while said operation screen including the column or the button is displayed; and

a transmission step of transmitting to said designated device information that is entered in said column or said operation to said button at said input step so that the user of said apparatus can operate said designated device as the user of said device.

8. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein, at said transmission step, information that is input while a login screen is being displayed as said operation screen is transmitted as user identification information.

9. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein, at said designation step, said device to be accessed is designated using an address and a name of a step.

10. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein a transmission setup screen is loaded at said downloading step, and wherein setup operation information is transmitted at said transmission step in order for target information to be transmitted by said designated device to another device.

11. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein a print setup screen is loaded at said downloading step, and wherein setup operation information is transmitted at said transmission step in order for information to be printed to be transmitted by said designated device to another device.

12. An information processing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a login step of accessing said device designated at said designation step and of logging in said device;

a registration step of registering in a device list all identifiers of said devices that are logged in at said login step;

an instruction step of instructing logout; and

a logout step of, when logout is instructed at said instruction step, logging out of all the devices having the identifiers that are registered in said device list.

13. A memory medium on which is stored a program, comprising:

a designation step of designating a device to be accessed;

a downloading step of accessing said device designated at said designation step and of downloading an operation screen;

a display step of displaying said operation screen;

an input step of receiving information to be input in a column or operation to a button from a user of said apparatus while said operation screen including the column or the button is displayed; and

a transmission step of transmitting to said designated device said information that is entered in said column or said operation to said button at said input step so that the user of said apparatus can operate said designated device as the user of said device.

14. A memory medium according to claim 13, wherein the program further comprises:

a login step of accessing said device designated at said designation step and of logging in said device;

a registration step of registering in a device list all identifiers of said devices that are logged in at said login step;

an instruction step of instructing logout; and

a logout step of, when logout is instructed at said instruction step, logging out of all the devices having the identifiers that are registered in said device list.