User interface control apparatus and method

• US 7,218,976 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Minagawa, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Sunray
• Application Number:
  US10/125,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 700/67, 710/1, 719/318
• US Class Current: 700/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/002 Interacting with the operator

Abstract

An identifier which indicates a reason why a direct change is disabled upon application of a specific conflict resolution rule can be described in a conflict resolution rule description file (301). In case of a process executed when a UI is not displayed, a status variable list (304) that holds setup values and status values is accessed in place of an internal structure (305) to easily check if each setup item is enabled/disabled. Upon matching overall data, a start point list which lists setup items in a given priority order is loaded to execute conflict resolution in turn, thus resolving conflicts among setup items.

Claims

1. A user interface control apparatus for resolving a conflict between a plurality of pieces of setup information input to a predetermined apparatus to be controlled via a user interface and/or a plurality of pieces of environment information of the apparatus to be controlled, comprising:

holding means for holding conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with at least one of the setup information and the environment information;

status control means for controlling to enable/disable a direct change in state of a predetermined setup item on the user interface in accordance with the conflict resolution rules; and

message control means for sending a message including a reason why the direct change in state of the predetermined setup item is disabled by said status control means via the user interface, wherein;

the conflict resolution rules include;

a command for disabling the direct change in state of the predetermined setup item; and

reason information indicating a reason why the direct change is disabled by the command.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said status control means controls to enable/disable the direct change in state of the predetermined setup item on the user interface in accordance with the command included in the conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with at least one of the setup information and the environment information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said message control means sends the message according to the reason information included in the applied conflict resolution rule via the user interface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conflict resolution rules are described and stored in a conflict resolution rule description file, and the conflict resolution rules in the conflict resolution rule description file have a predetermined priority order, and

when said status control means repetitively applies a plurality of conflict resolution rules to one setup item, said message control means sends a message corresponding to the reason information included in the conflict resolution rule with the highest priority of the repetitively applied conflict resolution rules via the user interface.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the priority order is determined in accordance with an order in which the conflict resolution rules are described in the conflict resolution rule description file.

6. A user interface control method for resolving a conflict between a plurality of pieces of setup information input to a predetermined apparatus to be controlled via a user interface, and/or a plurality of pieces of environment information of the apparatus to be controlled, comprising the steps of:

controlling to enable/disable a direct change in state of a predetermined setup item on the user interface in accordance with conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with at least one of the setup information and the environment information, wherein the conflict resolution rules include a command for disabling the direct change in state of the predetermined setup item, and reason information indicating a reason why the direct change is disabled by the command; and

sending a message corresponding to the reason information included in the applied conflict resolution rule via the user interface.

7. A control program for resolving a conflict between a plurality of pieces of setup information input to a predetermined apparatus to be controlled via a user interface, and/or a plurality of pieces of environment information of the apparatus to be controlled, executing:

a step of controlling to enable/disable a direct change in state of a predetermined setup item on the user interface in accordance with conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with at least one of the setup information and the environment information, wherein the conflict resolution rules include a command for disabling the direct change in state of the predetermined setup item, and reason information indicating a reason why the direct change is disabled by the command; and

a step of sending a message according to the reason information included in the applied conflict resolution rule via the user interface.

8. A storage medium that stores a control program for resolving a conflict between a plurality of pieces of setup information input to a predetermined apparatus to be controlled via a user interface, and/or a plurality of pieces of environment information of the apparatus to be controlled, said control program executing:

a step of controlling to enable/disable a direct change in state of a predetermined setup item on the user interface in accordance with conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with at least one of the setup information and the environment information, wherein the conflict resolution rules include a command for disabling the direct change in state of the predetermined setup item, and reason information indicating a reason why the direct change is disabled by the command; and

a step of sending a message according to the reason information included in the applied conflict resolution rule via the user interface.

9. A user interface control apparatus, which comprises first input means for inputting a setup change request to a predetermined apparatus to be controlled via a user interface, and second input means for inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled without the intervention of the user interface, and resolves a conflict between setup states of setup items on the user interface, comprising:

a first storage area for storing setup information indicating the setup state of each setup item on the user interface, and information indicating whether or not a direct change of the setup state is enabled;

a second storage area for storing an internal structure of the user interface by reflecting the setup information of each setup item in said first storage area;

a third storage area for storing predetermined conflict resolution rules to be applied to the setup change request input by said first or second input means;

checking means for checking if the information, which indicates whether or not the direct change is enabled, and is stored in said first storage area in correspondence with the setup item to be changed by the setup change request, indicates that the direct change is enabled; and

change means for, when said checking means determines that the information, which indicates whether or not the direct change is enabled, and is stored in said first storage area in correspondence with the setup item to be changed by the setup change request, indicates that the direct change is enabled, changing at least one of the setup information and the information indicating whether or not the direct change is enabled, of the specific setup item, which are stored in said first storage area.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a fourth storage area for storing a list that describes the setup items associated with the conflict resolution rules; and

means for matching setup states of the setup items by applying processes of said checking means and said change means while each setup item in the list is considered as the setup item to be changed by the setup change request.

11. A user interface control method for resolving a conflict between setup states of setup items on a user interface used to set up a predetermined apparatus to be controlled, comprising:

a first input step of inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled via the user interface;

a second input step of inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled without the intervention of the user interface;

a checking step of checking if information, which is stored in a status variable list that stores setup information indicating the setup state of each setup item on the user interface, and information indicating whether or not a direct change of the setup state is enabled, corresponds to the setup item to be changed by the setup change request, and indicates whether or not the direct change of the setup state is enabled, indicates that the direct change is enabled; and

an update state of updating, when it is determined in the checking step that the information, which corresponds to the setup item to be changed by the setup change request and indicates whether or not the direct change of the setup state is enabled, indicates that the direct change is enabled, at least one of the setup information and the information indicating whether or not the direct change is enabled, of the specific setup item stored in the status variable list in accordance with a conflict resolution rule to be applied according to the setup change request input in the first or second input step.

12. A control program for resolving a conflict between setup states of setup items on a user interface used to set up a predetermined apparatus to be controlled, executing:

a first input step of inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled via the user interface;

a second input step of inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled without the intervention of the user interface;

a checking step of checking if information, which is stored in a status variable list that stores setup information indicating the setup state of each setup item on the user interface, and information indicating whether or not a direct change of the setup state is enabled, corresponds to the setup item to be changed by the setup change request, and indicates whether or not the direct change of the setup state is enabled, indicates that the direct change is enabled; and

an update state of updating, when it is determined in the checking step that the information, which corresponds to the setup item to be changed by the setup change request and indicates whether or not the direct change of the setup state is enabled, indicates that the direct change is enabled, at least one of the setup information and the information indicating whether or not the direct change is enabled, of the specific setup item stored in the status variable list in accordance with a conflict resolution rule to be applied according to the setup change request input in the first or second input step.

13. A storage medium that stores a control program for resolving a conflict between setup states of setup items on a user interface used to set up a predetermined apparatus to be controlled, said control program executing:

a first input step of inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled via the user interface;

a second input step of inputting a setup change request to the apparatus to be controlled without the intervention of the user interface;

a checking step of checking if information, which is stored in a status variable list that stores setup information indicating the setup state of each setup item on the user interface, and information indicating whether or not a direct change of the setup state is enabled, corresponds to the setup item to be changed by the setup change request, and indicates whether or not the direct change of the setup state is enabled, indicates that the direct change is enabled; and

an update state of updating, when it is determined in the checking step that the information, which corresponds to the setup item to be changed by the setup change request and indicates whether or not the direct change of the setup state is enabled, indicates that the direct change is enabled, at least one of the setup information and the information indicating whether or not the direct change is enabled, of the specific setup item stored in the status variable list in accordance with a conflict resolution rule to be applied according to the setup change request input in the first or second input step.

14. A user interface control apparatus for resolving a conflict between at least two pieces of setup values regarding setup information or environment information of a printing device which are input via a user interface provided by a printer driver which generates printing data to be transferred to the printing device, the apparatus comprising:

determination means for determining whether the setting of a predetermined setup value input via the user interface is enabled or disabled in response to the input of the predetermined setting value; and

control means for, if it is determined that the setting of the predetermined setup value is disabled, revoking the input of the predetermined setting value, and providing a message including a reason why the setting of the predetermined setup value is disabled,

wherein the conflict resolution rules include;

a command for disabling the setting of the predetermined setup value; and

reason information indicating a reason why the setting is disabled by the command.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said determination means determines whether the setting of the predetermined setup value is enabled or disabled in accordance with the command included in the conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with the at least two pieces of setup values.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means provides the message according to the reason information included in the applied conflict resolution rule via the user interface.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the conflict resolution rules are described and stored in a conflict resolution rule description file, and the conflict resolution rules in the conflict resolution rule description file have a predetermined priority order, and

when said determination means repetitively applies a plurality of conflict resolution rules to one setup item, said control means provides a message corresponding to the reason information included in the conflict resolution rule with the highest priority of the repetitively applied conflict resolution rules via the user interface.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the priority order is determined in accordance with an order in which the conflict resolution rules are described in the conflict resolution rule description file.

19. A user interface control apparatus, comprising:

conflict resolution means for, in response to a first setting value input via a user interface provided by a printer driver which generates printing data to be transferred to a printing device, resolving a conflict by setting a second setting value already maintained by the printer driver into a value that does not occur a conflict with the first value;

control means for disabling the setting of a control of the second setting value in a state in which the conflict is resolved by said conflict resolution means; and

providing means for providing a message including a reason why the setting of the control is disabled by said control means via the user interface.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said providing means includes:

first display means for displaying a mark which indicates that the setting of the control is disabled on the user interface; and

second display means for displaying the message on the user interface in response to obtaining a predetermined event for the mark displayed by said first display means.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein when a setting value for enabling a booklet printing is input as the first setting value in a state in which a setting value for disabling a collate printing is already set as the second setting value in the printer driver, said conflict resolution means resolves the conflict by changing the second setting value into a value for enabling the collate printing in response to the input of the first setting value, and said control means disables the setting of a control of the collate printing in the state in which the setting value is set in the value for enabling the collate printing.

22. A user interface control method for resolving a conflict between at least two pieces of setup values regarding setup information or environment information of a printing device which are input via a user interface provided by a printer driver which generates printing data to be transferred to the printing device, the method comprising:

a determination step of determining whether the setting of a predetermined setup value input via the user interface is enabled or disabled in response to the input of the predetermined setting value; and

a control step of, if it is determined that the setting of the predetermined setup value is disabled, revoking the input of the predetermined setting value, and providing a message including a reason why the setting of the predetermined setup value is disabled,

wherein the conflict resolution rules include;

a command for disabling the setting of the predetermined setup value; and

reason information indicating a reason why the setting is disabled by the command.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said determination step includes determining whether the setting of the predetermined setup value is enabled or disabled in accordance with the command included in the conflict resolution rules to be applied in accordance with the at least two pieces of setup values.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein said control step includes providing the message according to the reason information included in the applied conflict resolution rule via the user interface.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the conflict resolution rules are described and stored in a conflict resolution rule description file, and the conflict resolution rules in the conflict resolution rule description file have a predetermined priority order, and

when said determination step repetitively applies a plurality of conflict resolution rules to one setup item, said control step provides a message corresponding to the reason information included in the conflict resolution rule with the highest priority of the repetitively applied conflict resolution rules via the user interface.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the priority order is determined in accordance with an order in which the conflict resolution rules are described in the conflict resolution rule description file.

27. A user interface control method, comprising:

a conflict resolution step of, in response to a first setting value input via a user interface provided by a printer driver which generates printing data to be transferred to a printing device, resolving a conflict by setting a second setting value already maintained by the printer driver into a value that does not occur a conflict with the first value;

a control step of disabling the setting of a control of the second setting value in a state in which the conflict is resolved in said conflict resolution step; and

a providing step of providing a message including a reason why the setting of the control is disabled in said control step via the user interface.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said providing step includes:

a first display step of displaying a mark which indicates that the setting of the control is disabled on the user interface; and

a second display step of displaying the message on the user interface in response to obtaining a predetermined event for the mark displayed in said first display step.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein when a setting value for enabling a booklet printing is input as the first setting value in a state in which a setting value for disabling a collate printing is already set as the second setting value in the printer driver, said conflict resolution step includes resolving the conflict by changing the second setting value into a value for enabling the collate printing in response to the input of the first setting value, and said control step includes disabling the setting of a control of the collate printing in the state in which the setting value is set in the value for enabling the collate printing.

30. A storage medium that stores a control program for resolving a conflict between at least two pieces of setup values regarding setup information or environment information of a printing device which are input via a user interface provided by a printer driver which generates printing data to be transferred to the printing device, the control program executing:

a determination step of determining whether the setting of a predetermined setup value input via the user interface is enabled or disabled in response to the input of the predetermined setting value; and

a control step of, if it is determined that the setting of the predetermined setup value is disabled, revoking the input of the predetermined setting value, and providing a message including a reason why the setting of the predetermined setup value is disabled,

wherein the conflict resolution rules include;

a command for disabling the setting of the predetermined setup value; and

reason information indicating a reason why the setting is disabled by the command.

31. A storage medium that stores a control program, the control program executing:

a conflict resolution step of, in response to a first setting value input via a user interface provided by a printer driver which generates printing data to be transferred to a printing device, resolving a conflict by setting a second setting value already maintained by the printer driver into a value that does not occur a conflict with the first value;

a control step of disabling the setting of a control of the second setting value in a state in which the conflict is resolved in said conflict resolution step; and

a providing step of providing a message including a reason why the setting of the control is disabled in said control step via the user interface.