Image forming apparatus supporting near field communication function and method of displaying menu in image forming apparatus

• US 8,976,393 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jea-hong, Kim, Dae-hyun, Park, Sung-joon
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH, SATWANT K
• Application Number:
  US13/862,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20140126011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00106 using land mobile radio networks, e.g. mobile telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• 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 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/006 Using near field communication, e.g. an inductive loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - 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

An image forming apparatus to support a near field communication (NFC) function receives address book information stored in a user terminal by tagging the user terminal, and generates a quick menu in which image forming functions related to the received address book information are listed and displays the quick menu on a user interface unit.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus configured to support a near field communication (NFC) function, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an NFC module to receive address book information stored in a user terminal by tagging the user terminal having the NFC function;

a control unit to determine, based on the received address book information, at least one image forming function from among image forming functions supported by the image forming apparatus that is executable, and to generate a quick menu in which at the least one image forming function is listed; and

a user interface unit to display the generated quick menu.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit generates the quick menu to display a list of the executable image forming functions based on types of addresses included in the received address book information.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:

an address analyzing unit to analyze types of addresses included in the received address book information;

a list determining unit to determine a list of image forming functions to be included in the quick menu by mapping each of executable image forming functions according to the analyzed types; and

a quick menu generating unit to generate the quick menu based on the determined list of the image forming functions.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit includes an address analyzing unit to analyze an NFC data exchange format (NDEF) message that is received from the user terminal via the NFC module, and

wherein the control unit generates the quick menu based on the address book information included in a payload body of the analyzed NDEF message.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the address analyzing unit determines whether to additionally receive address book information stored in the user terminal by using another wireless communication module included in the image forming apparatus based on a Type Name Format (TNF) field value of the analyzed NDEF message, and

the control unit generates the quick menu based on the additionally received address book information when it is determined to additionally receive the address book information stored in the user terminal by using the other wireless communication module.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the address analyzing unit uses the other wireless communication module when the TNF field value denotes unknown.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an address storing unit to classify addresses included in the received address book information and to store the addresses.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein when at least one image forming function is selected by the user on the displayed quick menu, the user interface unit sets a specific option by using the address book information that is mapped on the selected image forming function.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 8, wherein when a plurality of image forming functions are selected on the displayed quick menu, the control unit performs the image forming functions according to a WorkFlow function.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface unit displays the generated quick menu as a popup window.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the address book information comprises at least one of a fax number, an email address, a telephone number, a server address, and a universal resource locator (URL) address, and

wherein image forming functions supported by the image forming apparatus comprise at least one of printing, scanning, photocopying, faxing, scan to email, scan to server, scan to URL, scan to PC, scan to shared folder, and a WorkFlow function.

12. A method of displaying a menu in an image forming apparatus supporting a near field communication (NFC) function, the method comprising:

receiving address book information stored in a user terminal by tagging the user terminal having the NFC function;

determining, based on the received address book information, at least one image forming function from among image forming functions supported by the image forming apparatus that is executable;

generating a quick menu in which the at least one image forming function is listed; and

displaying the generated quick menu.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein in the generating a quick menu, a list of the executable image forming functions is displayed based on types of addresses included in the received address book information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the generating of a quick menu comprises:

analyzing types of addresses included in the received address book information;

determining a list of image forming functions to be included in the quick menu by mapping the executable image forming functions according to the analyzed types; and

generating the quick menu based on the determined list of image forming functions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the generating of a quick menu comprises:

analyzing an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) format received from the user terminal via the NFC module; and

generating the quick menu based on the address book information included in a payload body of the analyzed NDEF message.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the generating of a quick menu comprises:

determining whether to additionally receive address book information stored in the user terminal by using another wireless communication module included in the image forming apparatus based on a Type Name Format (TNF) field value of the analyzed NDEF message; and

generating the quick menu based on the additionally received address book information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein in the determining, when the TNF field value denotes unknown, the other wireless communication is used.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

classifying addresses included in the received address book information and storing the classified addresses.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

when at least one image forming function is selected by a user on the displayed quick menu, a specific option is set by using address information mapped on the selected image forming function.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a program for executing the method of claim 12.