Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with remote operation program, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with remote control program

• US 9,876,920 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: Matsuhara, Kenji, Hase, Junichi, Takahashi, Kazusei, Anezaki, Kazuya, Kubota, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES, TED W
• Application Number:
  US14/289,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20140355058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 1/00381 Input by recognition or interpretation of visible user gestures manual input means, e.g. digitisers, writing tablets H04N1/00392; gesture input to computers G06F3/017; recognition algorithms G06V40/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00896 using a low-power mode, e.g. standby
• 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 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An information processing apparatus remotely controls an image forming apparatus having an operating state changeable. The information processing apparatus includes a remote operation accepting portion to accept a user operation, and a remote control portion to remotely control the image forming apparatus on the basis of a remote operation accepted by the remote operation accepting portion. The remote control portion includes a motion detecting portion to detect a motion of the user, and a state maintaining portion to control the image forming apparatus not to change the operating state while a remote-operation motion for inputting a remote operation is detected by the motion detecting portion after a communication with the image forming apparatus has been established.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus remotely controlling an image forming apparatus having an operating state changeable, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a related program table comprising a plurality of application programs; and

a hardware processor configured to;

accept an operation by a user;

execute a remote application program to remotely control said image forming apparatus on the basis of a remote operation accepted;

execute an application program;

determine whether the application program being executed is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table of the memory; and

remotely control said image forming apparatus not to change the operating state based on determining that the application program being executed is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table, the application program being different from the remote application program for remotely controlling said image forming apparatus after a communication with said image forming apparatus has been established, the hardware processor of the information processing apparatus executing the application program without communicating with the image forming apparatus to execute the application program.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is configured to detect a moving motion of the user, and

the hardware processor is configured to remotely control the image forming apparatus not to change the operating state on the condition that the moving motion is not detected.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display portion to display an image; and

an image pick-up portion to pick up an image of a subject, wherein

said hardware processor is configured to detect a line of sight of the user on the basis of the image picked up by said image pick-up portion, and

the hardware processor is configured to remotely control the image forming apparatus not to change the operating state as long as the user'"'"'s line of sight detected in the state where an image is displayed by said display portion is in the direction of said display portion, irrespective of the time elapsed from when a remote operation was lastly accepted.

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

said image forming apparatus includes a second hardware processor configured, in the state where an operating mode has been switched to a normal mode, in response to a lapse of a predetermined idle time without being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, to switch the operating mode to a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in said normal mode, and

said hardware processor of the information processing apparatus is configured to remotely operate said image forming apparatus before said idle time passes from when a remote operation was lastly accepted.

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

the operating state of the image forming apparatus includes a normal mode and a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the normal mode, and

the hardware processor is further configured to remotely control said image forming apparatus to maintain said normal mode when the hardware processor determines the application program being executed is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table of the memory.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of application programs includes at least two programs from among a browsing program, a program for an address book, an image editing program, and a program for a social network service.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application program is executed solely by the hardware processor of the information processing apparatus.

8. An image forming apparatus remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising a hardware processor configured to:

acquire, from said information processing apparatus, motion information indicating a motion of a user who is operating said information processing apparatus; and

maintain, on the basis of the motion information acquired, a state of being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus based on the information processing apparatus determining that an application program executed by said information processing apparatus is one of a plurality of application programs stored in a related program table in a memory of the information processing apparatus, the application program being different from a remote application program for remotely controlling said image forming apparatus after a communication with said information processing apparatus has been established, the application program being executed by the information processing apparatus without communicating with the image forming apparatus to execute the application program.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said motion information includes application identification information for identifying the application program, and

said hardware processor is configured to determine whether the motion of the user is a remote-operation motion based on whether said application program is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table in the memory of the information processing apparatus based on the application identification information included in said motion information.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where the user is moving, said motion information includes moving-motion information indicating that the user is moving, and

said hardware processor is configured to determine that the motion of the user is the remote-operation motion on the condition that said motion information does not include the moving-motion information.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

in the case where a line of sight of the user is in the direction of a display portion included in said information processing apparatus, said motion information includes viewing information indicating that the user is viewing the display portion, and

said hardware processor is configured to determine that the motion of the user is the remote-operation motion on the condition that said motion information includes said viewing information, even if said motion information includes said moving-motion information.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the hardware processor is configured, in the state where an operating mode has been switched to a normal mode, in response to a lapse of a predetermined idle time without being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, to switch the operating mode to a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in said normal mode, and

said hardware processor is configured to prohibit the switching of the operating mode to the power saving mode.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the operating state includes a normal mode and a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the normal mode, and

the hardware processor is further configured to maintain said normal mode when the application program being executed is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table in the memory of the information processing apparatus.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of application programs includes at least two programs from among a browsing program, a program for an address book, an image editing program, and a program for a social network service.

15. An image forming apparatus remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising a hardware processor configured to:

acquire, from said information processing apparatus, motion information indicating a motion of a user who is operating said information processing apparatus;

determine whether the motion of the user is a remote-operation motion, on the basis of the motion information acquired;

maintain a state of being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus in the case where said hardware processor determines that the motion of the user after a communication with said information processing apparatus has been established is the remote-operation motion;

execute a process; and

set, in response to being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, an operating condition for said hardware processor to execute a process;

set said operating condition to a predetermined initial condition in the case where a predetermined idle time has passed without being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, wherein

said hardware processor is further configured to prohibit the setting of the operating condition to the initial condition.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a remote operation program performed by a computer controlling an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus remotely controlling an image forming apparatus having an operating state changeable, the program causing said computer to perform:

a remote operation accepting step of accepting an operation of a user;

a remote control step of remotely controlling said image forming apparatus on the basis of a remote operation accepted in said remote operation accepting step;

an application executing step of executing an application program; and

a determining step of determining whether the application being executed is one of a plurality of application programs stored in a related program table in a memory of the information processing apparatus, wherein

the remote control step includes

a state maintaining step of causing said image forming apparatus not to change the operating state based on determining that the application program executed in the application executing step is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table in the memory of the information processing apparatus, the application program being different from a remote application program for remotely controlling said image forming apparatus after a communication with said image forming apparatus has been established, the program causing the information processing apparatus to execute the application program without communicating with the image forming apparatus.

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

the operating state of the image forming apparatus includes a normal mode and a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the normal mode, and

the state maintaining step includes maintaining said normal mode when the application program being executed is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table in the memory of the information processing apparatus.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of application programs includes at least two programs from among a browsing program, a program for an address book, an image editing program, and a program for a social network service.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a remote control program performed by a computer controlling an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus being remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus, the program causing said computer to perform:

a motion information acquiring step of acquiring, from said information processing apparatus, motion information indicating a motion of a user who is operating said information processing apparatus; and

a remotely-controlled-state maintaining step for, on the basis of the motion information acquired, maintaining a state of being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus based on the information processing apparatus determining that the application program executed by said information processing apparatus is one of a plurality of application programs stored in a related program table in a memory of the information processing apparatus, the application program being different from a remote application program for remotely controlling said image forming apparatus after a communication with said information processing apparatus has been established, the application program being executed by the information processing apparatus without communicating with the image forming apparatus to execute the application program.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 19, wherein

the operating state of the image forming apparatus includes a normal mode and a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the normal mode, and

the remotely-controlled-state maintaining step includes maintaining said normal mode when the application program being executed is one of the plurality of application programs stored in the related program table in the memory of the information processing apparatus.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of application programs includes at least two programs from among a browsing program, a program for an address book, an image editing program, and a program for a social network service.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a remote control program performed by a computer controlling an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus being remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus, the program causing said computer to perform:

a motion information acquiring step of acquiring, from said information processing apparatus, motion information indicating a motion of a user who is operating said information processing apparatus;

a remote-operation motion determining step of determining whether the motion of the user is a remote-operation motion on the basis of the motion acquired in the motion information acquiring step;

a remotely-controlled-state maintaining step of maintaining a state of being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus in a case where said remote-operation motion determining step determines that the motion of the user after a communication with said information processing apparatus has been established is the remote-operation motion;

a process executing step of executing a process; and

a setting step of setting an operation condition, in response to being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, for said process executing step to execute the process, the setting step including an initial condition setting step of setting said operation condition to a predetermined initial condition in the case where a predetermined idle time has passed without being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, wherein

said remotely-controlled-state maintaining step includes an initialization prohibiting step of prohibiting the setting of the operating condition to the initial condition in said initial condition setting step.

23. An image forming apparatus remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising a hardware processor configured to:

acquire, from said information processing apparatus, motion information indicating a motion of a user who is operating said information processing apparatus; and

maintain, on the basis of the motion information acquired, a state of being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus based on whether an application program executed by said information processing apparatus is a predetermined program being different from a remote application program for remotely controlling said image forming apparatus after a communication with said information processing apparatus has been established, wherein

said motion information includes application identification information for identifying the application program, and

said hardware processor is configured to determine whether the motion of the user is a remote-operation motion based on whether said application program is said predetermined program based on the application identification information included in said motion information.

24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

in the case where the user is moving, said motion information includes moving-motion information indicating that the user is moving, and

said hardware processor is configured to determine that the motion of the user is the remote-operation motion on the condition that said motion information does not include the moving-motion information.

25. The image forming apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

in the case where a line of sight of the user is in the direction of a display portion included in said information processing apparatus, said motion information includes viewing information indicating that the user is viewing the display portion, and

said hardware processor is configured to determine that the motion of the user is the remote-operation motion on the condition that said motion information includes said viewing information, even if said motion information includes said moving-motion information.

26. The image forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hardware processor is configured, in the state where an operating mode has been switched to a normal mode, in response to a lapse of a predetermined idle time without being remotely controlled by said information processing apparatus, to switch the operating mode to a power saving mode in which less power is consumed than in said normal mode, and

said hardware processor is configured to prohibit the switching of the operating mode to the power saving mode.