Information processing apparatus, method and program

• US 7,925,997 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/333,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 710/10, 709/222, 715/866
• US Class Current: 715/866
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5087 for receiving image data
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5091 for user-identification or authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• 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 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and 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

Abstract

It is possible to provide a user with an operation screen having settings with which the user is familiar, such as an operation screen that has been used in the past for this external input/output device. When a external input/output device is connected to a information processing apparatus, specific information for specifying the device is acquired. Then, from a storage device that associates and stores an operation screen for processing an image that has been handled by the external device and the specific information, a corresponding operation screen is selected based upon the specific information that has been acquired. By displaying the selected operation screen on a touch-sensitive panel display, various setting operations can be performed with regard to an image that has been input from the external input/output device.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for inputting and processing an image transmitted from an external device, the information processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from the external device, indication information for indicating the external device;

a storage unit configured to store display information for displaying an operation screen for receiving a setting for processing the image transmitted from the external device;

a display unit configured to display the operation screen;

a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the information processing apparatus has communicated with the external device indicated by indication information acquired by the acquisition unit in the past; and

a control unit, configured to (a) receive, in a case where the determining unit determines that the information processing apparatus has not communicated with the external device in the past, model information representing a type of the external device indicated by indication information acquired by the acquisition unit from the external device and (b) control the display unit to display the operation screen based on the received model information and the display information stored in the storage unit,

wherein the control unit controls, in a case where the determining unit determines that the information processing apparatus has communicated with the external device in the past, the display unit to display an operation screen corresponding to the received indication information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires individual information, which indicates the individual of the external device, as the indication information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a registering unit that registers, in a case where the control unit receives the model information of the external device and controls the display unit to display the operation screen based on the received model information and the display information stored in the storage unit, the indication information in association with the displayed operation screen.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display, for every type of model of external devices, a first operation screen that makes operation possible based on model information and advanced processing settings, and a second operation screen that makes operation possible based on simple processing settings.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is an image that has been captured by the external device, the image being input via any one of a USB cable, network, or removable storage medium.

6. A control method for controlling an information processing apparatus for inputting and processing an image transmitted from an external device, the control method comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring, from the external device, indication information for indicating the external device;

a determining step of determining whether or not the information processing apparatus has communicated with the external device indicated by the acquired indication information in the past; and

a control step of (a) receiving from the external device, in a case where it is determined that in the determining step that the information processing apparatus has not communicated with the external device in the past, model information representing a type of the external device and (b) controlling a display unit to display the operation screen based on the received model information and the display information stored in a storage unit,

wherein the control step controls, in a case where it is determined in the determining step that the information processing apparatus has communicated with the external device in the past, the display unit to display an operation screen corresponding to the received indication information.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer, which inputs and processes an image transmitted from an external device, to execute procedures comprising:

an acquisition code to acquire, from the external device, indication information for indicating an external device;

a determining code to determine whether or not the information processing apparatus has communicated with the external device indicated by the indication information in the past; and

a control code to (a) receive from the external device, in a case where it is determined that the information processing apparatus has not communicated with the external device in the past, model information representing a type of the external device and (b) control a display unit to display the operation screen based on the received model information and the display information stored in a storage unit,

wherein in a case where it is determined that the information processing apparatus has communicated with the external device in the past, an operation screen corresponding to the received indication information is displayed by the display unit.