Information processing apparatus for performing processing dependent on presence/absence of user, and method therefor

• US 6,757,833 B2
• Filed: 03/24/1998
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Wakai, Masanori, Jeyachandran, Suresh, Suda, Aruna Rohra
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/046,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/183, 714/37, 710/260, 710/11, 710/14, 710/15, 710/16, 709/300
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

In response to an instruction by a user, or by performing reception, detection and assumption processing, the presence state of the user is determined, and corresponding presence mode conversion data are acquired and are set as user presence data. When the presence mode conversion data are referred to, and processing that corresponds to the user'"'"'s presence state is performed: when the user is present, urgent mail is transmitted, and when the user is absent, a message for the user is accepted.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

presence determination means for determining whether a presence state of a user exists;

process decision means for employing the result obtained by said presence determination means to decide what process is to be performed; and

processing means for performing said process selected by said process decision means, wherein

when said presence determination means determines that a contradiction exists in said user presence state, said process decision means designates a presence contradiction process as a process to be executed.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presence determination means determines that a contradiction exists in said user presence state when a presence state determined based on specific information differs from a presence state determined based on other specific information.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for confirming whether a user who is determined to be present at his or her seat is an authorized user.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for notifying said user that a contradiction exists.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for notifying another apparatus of a determination that a contradiction exists.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for locking a process.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for generating an alarm.

8. An information processing method comprising:

a presence determination step of determining whether a presence state of a user exists;

a process decision step of employing the result obtained at said presence determination step to decide what process is to be performed; and

a processing step of performing said process selected at said process decision step, wherein

when at said presence determination step it is determined that a contradiction exists in said user presence state, at said process decision step a presence contradiction process is designated as a process to be executed.

9. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein at said presence determination step, it is determined that a contradiction exists in said user presence state when a presence state determined based on specific information differs from a presence state determined based on other specific information.

10. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for confirming whether a user who is determined to be present at his or her seat is an authorized user.

11. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for notifying said user that a contradiction exists.

12. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for notifying another apparatus of a determination that a contradiction exists.

13. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for locking a process.

14. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said presence contradiction process is a process for generating an alarm.