Image processing apparatus, image processing apparatus control method, and storage medium

• US 9,208,410 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sako, Ritsuto
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES, TED W
• Application Number:
  US13/912,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1254 Automatic configuration, e.g. by driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1255 Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/007 only remotely, e.g. at a host computer dedicated computer interfaces to print systems G06F3/1201

Abstract

An image processing apparatus wirelessly communicates with an information processing apparatus without passing through an access point, provides a print service in which predetermined printing is performed in response to a print request from the information processing apparatus via a wireless communication unit, and enables a setting that is used for providing the print service if the setting is disabled when the information processing apparatus establishes communication with the image processing apparatus via the wireless communication unit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus that is capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus by wireless communication, the image processing apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to directly communicate with the information processing apparatus by wireless communication without passing through an access point;

a providing unit configured to provide a service in which image processing is executed in response to an image processing request transmitted from the information processing apparatus via the wireless communication unit; and

an enabling unit configured to enable a setting in the image processing and that is used for providing the service,

wherein, in the information processing apparatus, if there is no image processing apparatus that direct and wireless communication is established, a selection screen which includes a key to display an image processing apparatus name and a key to directly and wirelessly communicate with the image processing apparatus that corresponds to the image processing apparatus name is displayed, and when the wireless communication unit establishes the direct and wireless communication between the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in response to pressing the key to directly and wirelessly communicate, the enabling unit enables the setting that is used for providing the service if the setting is not enabled and

wherein, if there is image processing apparatus that the direct and wireless communication is established, the selection screen is displayed, which includes the key to display the image processing apparatus name and a symbol for explaining that the direct and wireless communication is established between the image processing apparatus among the image processing apparatuses that the names are displayed, and the enabling unit is controlled not to enable the setting.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit searches for the information processing apparatus for which a wireless communication setting is enabled, and receives identification information, from the searched information processing apparatus, for identifying the information processing apparatus,

wherein the enabling unit enables the setting that is used for providing the service when the identification information coincides with identification information stored in a storage unit of the image processing apparatus by analyzing the received identification information,

wherein the wireless communication unit establishes wireless communication when the setting is enabled, and

wherein the providing unit provides the image processing service when the setting is enabled and wireless communication is established.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit searches for the information processing apparatus of which a wireless communication setting is enabled, and receives identification information, from the searched information processing apparatus, for identifying the information processing apparatus, and when wireless communication is established based on the identification information, the wireless communication unit further receives attribute information of the information processing apparatus from the information processing apparatus,

wherein the enabling unit enables the setting that is used for providing the service when the attribute information coincides with attribute information stored in a storage unit of the image processing apparatus by analyzing the received attribute information, and

wherein the providing unit provides the image processing service when the setting is enabled and wireless communication is established.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the attribute information further includes one or more attributes relating to the setting that is used for providing the service, and

wherein the enabling unit analyzes the each attribute so as to enable the setting when the attribute is used for providing the service, and not to enable the setting when the attribute is not used for providing the service.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the attribute relating to the setting that is used for providing the service is a setting in which the wireless communication unit responds to the image processing apparatus upon receipt of a search request for the image processing apparatus that is capable of communicating by wireless communication, or a setting in which the enabling unit sets a type of image processing executed by the image processing apparatus.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the information processing apparatus establishes wireless communication, the wireless communication unit interrupts communication with the access point after storing identification information for connecting to the access point in the storage, and communicates with only the information processing apparatus by interrupting the communication with the access point, and

wherein when the information processing apparatus removes the wireless communication setting, the wireless communication unit acquires the identification information for connecting to the access point from the storage unit, and resumes the communication with the access point based on the acquired identification information.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a security function that is used for communicating with a plurality of the information processing apparatuses is set in the setting that is used for providing the service, and

wherein the providing unit provides the service with the information processing apparatus without using the security function as long as wireless communication with the information processing apparatus is established.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service in which image processing is executed includes at least print processing or fax processing.

9. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus that is capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus by wireless communication, the method comprising:

directly communicating with the information processing apparatus by wireless communication without passing through an access point;

providing a service in which image processing is executed in response to an image processing request transmitted from the information processing apparatus in the wireless communication step; and

enabling a setting in the image processing apparatus and that is used for providing the service,

wherein, in the information processing apparatus, if there is no image processing apparatus that direct and wireless communication is established, a selection screen which includes a key to display an image processing apparatus name and a key to directly and wirelessly communicate with the image processing apparatus that corresponds to the image processing apparatus name is displayed, and when direct and wireless communication is established, in the wireless communication step, between the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in response to pressing the key to directly and wirelessly communicate, the setting that is used for providing the service in the enabling step is enabled if the setting is not enabled, and

wherein, if there is image processing apparatus that the direct and wireless communication is established, the selection screen is displayed, which includes the key to display the image processing apparatus name and a symbol for explaining that the direct and wireless communication is established between the image processing apparatus among the image processing apparatuses that the names are displayed, and it is controlled not to enable the setting.

10. A non-transitory storage medium on which is stored a computer program for making a computer execute a method for controlling an image processing apparatus that is capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus by wireless communication, the method comprising:

directly communicating with the information processing apparatus by wireless communication without passing through an access point;

providing a service in which image processing is executed in response to an image processing request transmitted from the information processing apparatus in the wireless communication step; and

enabling a setting in the image processing apparatus and that is used for providing the service,

wherein in the information processing apparatus, if there is no image processing apparatus that direct and wireless communication is established, a selection screen which includes a key to display an image processing apparatus name and a key to directly and wirelessly communicate with the image processing apparatus that corresponds to the image processing apparatus name is displayed, and when the direct and wireless communication is established, in the wireless communication step, between the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in response to pressing the key to directly and wirelessly communicate, the setting that is used for providing the service in the enabling step is enabled if the setting is not enabled, and

wherein, if there is image processing apparatus that the direct and wireless communication is established, the selection screen is displayed, which includes the key to display the image processing apparatus name and a symbol for explaining that the direct and wireless communication is established between the image processing apparatus among the image processing apparatuses that the names are displayed, and it is controlled not to enable the setting.