Image forming apparatus, operation-screen changing method, and computer-readable recording medium

• US 8,589,797 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ichihara, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US12/389,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 715/733
• US Class Current: 715/733
• 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 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• 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 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• 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 1/00949 Combining applications, e.g. to create workflows allocation of computer machine resources considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks G06F9/5038
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus, a plurality of sets of flow definition data and screen definition data are stored in associated manner in a storage unit. A client device selects one of the sets of the flow definition data. Screen definition data corresponding to a process defined by the selected flow definition data is acquired from the storage unit and an editing screen is created from this screen definition data. The editing screen is sent to the client device and a predetermined operation with respect to a component of the editing screen is received from the client device. Screen definition data is created based on the changed editing screen in accordance with the predetermined operation, and the new screen definition data is stored in the storage unit so as to be associated with the flow definition data.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for connection to an image forming apparatus and a client device via a network, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit that stores in advance therein screen definition data defining a screen-content of a work flow including a combination of a plurality of information processings executed in the image forming apparatus;

a transmitting unit that transmits the screen definition data corresponding to the work flow to the client device in accordance with a selection of the work flow from the client device;

a receiving unit that receives definition data of a screen content edited by the client device, the screen content being edited by the client device via an editing screen generated by an edit-screen creating unit, the editing screen defining a main display area that is an area for items that are to be displayed and a non-display area that is an area for items that are not to be displayed, the edit-screen creating unit automatically including a non-display drop area instead of the non-display area when screen size is insufficient to display both the main display area and the non-display area on the same screen, and an item displayed on the main display area being configured to be moved onto the non-display drop area via drag and drop operation; and

a storing control unit that controls storing of the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device in the storage unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage unit stores the definition data of the screen content with a form of structured documents; and

the storing control unit associates the definition data of the screen content which has been edited by the client device with the screen definition data previously stored in the storage unit, by adding the screen definition data which has been edited by the client device to the screen definition data previously stored in the storage unit with the form of structured documents.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the transmitting unit transmits the screen definition data based on the screen definition data associated by the storing control unit and the screen definition data previously stored in the storage unit to the image forming device.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the screen definition data stored in the storage unit is formatted as a structured document using tags, and

the storing control unit adds the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device to the structured document to associate the definition data of the screen content with the screen definition data.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the storing control unit is configured to create screen data by combining the screen definition data and the definition data of the screen content, and

the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the screen data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the editing screen includes a first item that is included on the main display area, a second item that is included on the non-display area, and a third item that is grayed-out and included on the main display area.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the storing control unit is configured to create screen data by combining the screen definition data and the definition data of the screen content, the created screen data defining a display area and defining that the first item is displayed on the display area, that the second item is not displayed on the display area, and that the third item is grayed-out and displayed on the display area.

8. An operation-screen changing method implemented using an image processing apparatus which is connected to an image forming apparatus and a client device via a network, comprising:

storing, in advance, screen definition data defining a screen-content of a work flow including a combination of a plurality of information processings executed in the image forming apparatus;

transmitting the screen definition data corresponding to the work flow to the client device in accordance with a selection of the work flow from the client device;

receiving definition data of a screen content edited by the client device, the screen content being edited by the client device via an editing screen generated by an edit-screen creating unit, the editing screen defining a main display area that is an area for items that are to be displayed and a non-display area that is an area for items that are not to be displayed, automatically including, by the edit-screen creating unit, a non-display drop area instead of the non-display area when screen size is insufficient to display both the main display area and the non-display area on the same screen, and an item displayed on the main display area being configured to be moved onto the non-display drop area via drag and drop operation; and

storing the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the storing of the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device includes associating the screen definition which has been edited by the client device with the screen definition data previously stored, by adding the screen definition data which has been edited by the client device to the screen definition data previously stored using a form of a structured document.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the transmitting transmits the screen data based on the screen definition data which has been associated with the screen definition data previously stored to the image forming device.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the screen definition data which is stored is formatted as a structured document using tags,

the method further comprising;

adding the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device to the structured document to associate the definition data of the screen content with the screen definition data.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

creating screen data by combining the screen definition data and the definition data of the screen content, and

transmitting the screen data.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program which when executed on a computer causes the computer to execute an operation-screen changing method in an information processing apparatus which is connected to an image forming apparatus and a client device via a network, the computer program causing the computer to execute:

storing, in advance, screen definition data defining a screen-content of a work flow including a combination of a plurality of information processings executed in the image forming apparatus;

transmitting the screen definition data corresponding to the work flow to the client device in accordance with a selection of the work flow from the client device;

receiving definition data of a screen content edited by the client device, the screen content being edited by the client device via an editing screen generated by an edit-screen creating unit, the editing screen defining a main display area that is an area for items that are to be displayed and a non-display area that is an area for items that are not to be displayed, automatically including, by the edit-screen creating unit, a non-display drop area instead of the non-display area when screen size is insufficient to display both the main display area and the non-display area on the same screen, and an item displayed on the main display area being configured to be moved onto the non-display drop area via drag and drop operation; and

storing the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein:

the storing of the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device includes associating the screen definition which has been edited by the client device with the screen definition data previously stored, by adding the screen definition data which has been edited by the client device to the screen definition data previously stored using a form of a structured document.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein:

the transmitting transmits the screen data based on the screen definition data which has been associated with the screen definition data previously stored to the image forming device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein:

the screen definition data which is stored is formatted as a structured document using tags, and

the computer program, which when executed on the computer, further causes;

adding the definition data of the screen content edited by the client device to the structured document to associate the definition data of the screen content with the screen definition data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the computer program, which when executed on the computer, further causes:

creating screen data by combining the screen definition data and the definition data of the screen content, and

transmitting the screen data.