Information processing apparatus and control method for displaying user interface

• US 7,913,189 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Baba, Tatsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulrich; Nicholas S
• Application Number:
  US11/276,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20060187483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 715/847, 715/811, 715/745, 715/825
• US Class Current: 715/847
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00389 Programmable function keys, e.g. for one-touch operation H04N1/00387 takes precedence; for automation of transmitter jobs H04N1/32058
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00503 Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00832 Recording use, e.g. counting number of pages copied
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function

Abstract

There are provided an image processing apparatus, an image generating apparatus, and an image processing method, capable of automating assignment of keys to functions and registration of macros provided by the image generating apparatus and presenting an index such as a shortcut key associated with one of the registered functions to a user at the timing when the user uses that function. To achieve this, first an operation command issued by a user through a control panel 1000 is received and history information about the operation command is stored in a storage device 900. A controller unit 200 detects history information about an operation command received through the control panel 1000 from among the history information, creates and registers a shortcut key for performing a operation command received through the control panel 1000 on the basis of the result of the detection, and presents the shortcut key to the user at a predetermined timing.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which performs processing in accordance with one or more operation commands from a user, comprising:

a receiving unit constructed to receive an operation command for instructing a plurality of processes from the user;

a determining unit constructed to determine whether or not the operation command received by said receiving unit has been issued at certain fixed intervals a predetermined number of times or more in a predetermined time interval;

a querying unit constructed to query the user whether or not to register an index for executing the plurality of processes instructed by the operation command received by said receiving unit when it is determined by said determining unit that the operation command has been issued at the certain fixed intervals a predetermined number of times in the predetermined time interval;

a registering unit constructed to register the index for executing the plurality of processes when the user responds to the query by said querying unit to register the index;

a display control unit constructed to cause a display unit (i) to display the index registered by said registering unit at the certain fixed intervals, and (ii) not to display the index registered by said registering unit at other times; and

an executing unit constructed to execute the plurality of processes corresponding to the index when the user designates the index displayed on the display unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said registering unit is capable of respectively registering indexes for executing different pluralities of processes, and

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display each of the indexes at a timing preset for each of the indexes.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising a printing unit configured to perform print processing,

wherein the operation command specifies contents of the print processing to be performed by the printing unit.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the specified contents of the print processing include at least any of multi-page printing for printing a plurality of pages on one sheet of recording medium, two-sided printing, and staple finishing.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising;

a storing unit configured to store history information concerning one or more operation commands which have been performed, each for instructing a plurality of processes; and

a detecting unit configured to detect history information relating to the operation command received by said receiving unit,

wherein said determining unit performs the determination based on the operation command received by said receiving unit and the history information detected by said detecting unit.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said detecting unit detects history information relating to the operation command received by said receiving unit from among history information of a predetermined time period stored in the storing unit.

7. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

receiving an operation instruction for instructing a plurality of processes from a user;

determining whether or not the operation instruction received in said receiving step has been issued at certain fixed intervals a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time interval;

querying the user whether or not to register an index for executing the plurality of processes instructed by the operation instruction received in said receiving step when it is determined in said determining step that the operation instruction has been issued at the certain fixed intervals a predetermined number of times in the predetermined time interval;

registering the index for executing the plurality of processes when the user responds to the query made in said querying step to register the index;

controlling a display unit (i) to display the index registered in said registering step at the certain fixed intervals, and (ii) not to display the index registered in said registering step at other times; and

executing the plurality of processes corresponding to the index when the user designates the index displayed on the display unit.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform processing in accordance with one or more operation commands from a user, said processing comprising the steps of:

receiving an operation command for instructing a plurality of processes issued from the user to the computer;

determining whether or not the operation command received in said receiving step has been issued at certain fixed intervals a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time interval;

querying the user whether or not to register an index for executing the plurality of processes instructed by the operation command received in said receiving step when it is determined in said determining step that the operation command has been issued at the certain fixed intervals the predetermined number of times in the predetermined time interval;

registering the index for executing the plurality of processes when the user responds to the query made in the querying step to register the index;

controlling a display unit (i) to display the index registered in said registering step at the certain fixed intervals, and (ii) not to display the index registered in said registering step at other times; and

executing the plurality of processes corresponding to the index when the user designates the index displayed on the display unit.