Display method and apparatus having control of displayed icon

• US 6,885,387 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Machida, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/671,161
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 345/738, 345733-737, 345739-747, 709220-226
• US Class Current: 715/736
• 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: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A network apparatus is capable of calculating positions on a display screen where connecting states of network apparatuses connected to a network are displayed on the basis of connecting information of the network apparatuses on the network and peripherals connected thereto and displaying the positions. In addition, a controller is provided for controlling in such a manner that when it is necessary to change the display positions by a display change instruction, the display positions are again calculated and displayed on a display screen, and when a reduced display is designated, the peripherals connected to the network apparatus on the network are not displayed, and when an expanded display is designated, the peripherals connected to the network apparatus on the network are displayed.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which can communicate through a network with each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to said network, comprising:

display means for displaying an icon indicative of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses onto a virtual system display screen;

said virtual system display screen graphically displaying connecting states of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and peripherals locally connected to each of said information processing apparatuses;

obtaining means for obtaining information of the peripherals locally connected to said information processing apparatus from each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

first control means for displaying icons indicative of the peripherals locally connected to said information processing apparatus corresponding to the icon as a target of a user action in response to said user action for the icon of the information processing apparatus on said virtual system display screen on the basis of the information obtained by said obtaining means; and

second control means for controlling said display means to display each of the icons displayed by said the first control means such that a user may recognize whether a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has been installed to make the peripheral available.

2. A data processing method in an information processing apparatus which can communicate through a network with each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to said network, comprising:

a display step of displaying an icon indicative of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses onto a virtual system display screen;

said virtual system display screen graphically displaying connecting states of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and peripherals locally connected to each of said information processing apparatuses;

an obtaining step of obtaining information of the peripherals locally connected to said information processing apparatus from each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

a first control step of displaying icons indicative of the peripherals locally connected to said information processing apparatus corresponding to the icon as a target of a user action in response to said user action for the icon of the information processing apparatus on said virtual system display screen on the basis of the information obtained by said obtaining means; and

a second control step of controlling said display means to display each of the icons displayed by said the first control means such that a user may recognize whether a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has been installed to make the peripheral available.

3. A computer-readable memory which stores a computer program which is executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus which can communicate through a network with each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to said network, wherein said computer program comprises:

a display step of displaying an icon indicative of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses onto a virtual system display screen;

said virtual system display screen graphically displaying connecting states of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and peripherals locally connected to each of said information processing apparatuses;

an obtaining step of obtaining information of the peripherals locally connected to said information processing apparatus from each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

a first control step of displaying icons indicative of the peripherals locally connected to said information processing apparatus corresponding to the icon as a target of a user action in response to said user action for the icon of the information processing apparatus on said virtual system display screen on the basis of the information obtained by said obtaining means; and

a second control step of controlling said display means to display each of the icons displayed by said the first control means such that a user may recognize whether a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has been installed to make the peripheral available.

4. An information processing apparatus which can communicate with at least one peripheral, comprising:

display means for displaying an icon indicative of each of a plurality of peripherals on a display screen, said display screen graphically displaying states of the plurality of peripherals;

obtaining means for obtaining information of the plurality of peripherals;

first control means for controlling said display means to display icons indicative of statuses of the plurality of peripherals on said display screen on the basis of the information obtained by said obtaining means; and

second control means for controlling said display means to display each of the icons displayed by said first control means such that a user may recognize whether a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has been installed to make the peripheral available.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has not been installed in a memory of said apparatus, said second control means controls said display means to gray out the icon of the peripheral.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a communication interface for communicating with an external information processing apparatus, wherein said obtaining means obtains the information of one of the plurality of peripherals connected to the external information processing apparatus, by communicating with the external information processing apparatus via said communication interface.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said display means displays icons of the one peripheral and of the external information processing apparatus on said display screen.

8. A data processing method which can communicate with at least one peripheral, comprising:

a display step of displaying an icon indicative of each of a plurality of peripherals on a display screen, the display screen graphically displaying states of the plurality of peripherals;

an obtaining step of obtaining information of the plurality of peripherals;

a first controlling step of controlling the display screen to display icons indicative of statuses of the plurality of peripherals on the display screen on the basis of the obtained information; and

a second controlling step of controlling the display screen to display each of the icons displayed in said first controlling step such that a user may recognize whether a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has been installed to make the peripheral available.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein if a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has not been installed in a memory of the apparatus, said second controlling steps controls the display screen to gray out the icon of the peripheral.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of providing a communication interface for communicating with an external information processing apparatus, and obtaining information of one of the plurality of peripherals connected to the external information processing apparatus by communicating with the external information processing apparatus via the communication interface.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display screen displays icons of the one peripheral and of the external information processing apparatus on the display screen.

12. A computer-readable memory which stores a computer program which can communicate with at least one peripheral, wherein said computer program comprise:

a display step of displaying an icon indicative of each of a plurality of peripherals on a display screen, the display screen graphically displaying states of the plurality of peripherals;

an obtaining step of obtaining information of the plurality of peripherals;

a first controlling step of controlling the display screen to display icons indicative of statuses of the plurality of peripherals on the display screen on the basis of the obtained information; and

a second controlling step of controlling the display screen to display each of the icons displayed in the first controlling step such that a user may recognize whether a driver for the peripheral corresponding to the icon has been installed to make the peripheral available.