Abstract:
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium has a program stored therein for causing a processor of an information processing apparatus to execute a process. The information processing apparatus is configured to provide an image, and has an image processing apparatus display the image. The process includes displaying a screen for confirming whether to continue communication with the image processing apparatus, on a display of the information processing apparatus, after a time specified by a user has elapsed since the communication with the image processing apparatus has been established; and disconnecting the communication in a case where a command to continue the communication is not received from the user after the screen has been displayed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) claiming the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120 and 365(c) of a PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2015/050229 filed on Jan. 7, 2015, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-002294 filed on Jan. 9, 2014, with the Japanese Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to image processing systems that display images provided by information processing apparatuses on image processing apparatuses, and more specifically, a program, an information processing apparatus, and an image processing system that automatically disconnect communication between an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventionally, in conferences in companies, educational institutions, administrative agencies, and the like, electronic blackboards have been used on which images drawn by users such as characters, digits, figures, and the like can be displayed on background images displayed on displays. 
         [0006]    Also, a display image of a computer may be provided as a background image for such an electronic blackboard, to be displayed. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional technology that displays a display image provided by a computer, on another apparatus. The image display system disclosed in Patent Document 1 provides an image that is displayed on the display of a computer to a projector via a wireless or wired network, whereby the projector projects the image. 
         [0007]    The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 may be applied to an electronic blackboard so that a display image on a mobile PC used by a user is provided for the electronic blackboard via wireless communication. In such a case, if the user has stopped using the electronic blackboard, but forgets to disconnect the communication between the electronic blackboard and the mobile PC, the display image of the mobile PC remains displayed on the electronic blackboard, and there may be a risk in that confidential communication leaks. 
         [0008]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a program, an information processing apparatus, and an image processing system with which communication can be automatically disconnected between an image processing apparatus that can display an image provided by an information processing apparatus, and the information processing apparatus. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    According to an embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium has a program stored therein for causing a processor of an information processing apparatus to execute a process. The information processing apparatus is configured to provide an image, and has an image processing apparatus display the image. The process includes displaying a screen for confirming whether to continue communication with the image processing apparatus, on a display of the information processing apparatus, after a time specified by a user has elapsed since the communication with the image processing apparatus has been established; and disconnecting the communication in a case where a command to continue the communication is not received from the user after the screen has been displayed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of an image processing system according to an embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus  120   a;    
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus  110 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus  120   a  and the image processing apparatus  110 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for setting automatic disconnection according to an embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the information processing apparatus  120   a  according to an embodiment; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for confirming communication disconnection. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    In the following, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of an image processing system according to an embodiment. An image processing system  100  includes an image processing apparatus  110 , information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , and an access point  130 . The image processing apparatus  110  and the access point  130  are connected with a network  140 . The network  140  may be configured to include a network such as a wireless LAN. 
         [0019]    The image processing apparatus  110  can display images provided by the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , and also can display an image drawn by a drawing operation of a user performed on a display screen, on the display screen of the image processing apparatus  110 . The image processing apparatus  110  communicates with the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c  via the network  140  and a cable  150 . The image processing apparatus  110  can have virtual network computing (VNC) including a remote desktop function installed, so as to be capable of remote-controlling the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c  with which communication have been established. 
         [0020]    The information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c  provide images for the image processing apparatus  110 . The information processing apparatuses  120   a  and  120   b  include wireless communication functions to transmit images to the access point  130  via wireless communication compliant with various wireless communication protocols, to provide the images for the image processing apparatus  110  via the network  140 . 
         [0021]    Also, the information processing apparatus  120   c  includes an interface to output an image signal, and can provide an image for the image processing apparatus  110  via the cable  150  such as a VGA cable that is connected to the interface. 
         [0022]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , although the information processing apparatuses are note PCs, the information processing apparatuses may be any other information processing apparatuses such as tablet PCs and smart phones. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus  120   a . In the following, the hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus  120   a  will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . Note that the information processing apparatuses  120   b  and  120   c  have substantially the same hardware configuration as the information processing apparatus  120   a , and the description is omitted. 
         [0024]    The information processing apparatus  120   a  includes a CPU  200 , a ROM  201 , a RAM  202 , an HDD  203 , a network interface (I/F)  204 , and a display  205 . 
         [0025]    The CPU  200  is a processor to execute various programs. The ROM  201  is a non-volatile storage device to store various data items. The RAM  202  is a volatile storage device to provide an execution space for various programs executed by the information processing apparatus  120   a . The HDD  203  is a storage device that can store various data items including programs sustainably. The network I/F  204  is an interface through which data communication via the cable  150  and wireless data communication can be executed. The display  205  is a display unit for displaying various images. 
         [0026]    The CPU  200  of the information processing apparatus  120   a  reads a program from the HDD  203  to load and execute the program on the RAM  202  under management of an OS, to implement functions, which will be described later, on the information processing apparatus  120   a.    
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus  110 . In the following, the hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus  110  will be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0028]    The image processing apparatus  110  includes a CPU  300 , a RAM  301 , a ROM  302 , an SDD  303 , a network I/F  304 , a graphics processing unit (GPU)  305 , a display controller  306 , and a display  307 . 
         [0029]    The CPU  300  is a processor to execute various programs. The RAM  301  is a volatile storage device to provide an execution space for various programs executed by the image processing apparatus  110 . The ROM  302  is a non-volatile storage device to store various data items. The SDD  303  is a storage device that can store various data items including programs sustainably. The CPU  300  of the image processing apparatus  110  reads a program from the SDD  303  to load and execute the program on the RAM  301  under management of an OS, to implement functions, which will be described later, on the image processing apparatus  110 . 
         [0030]    The network I/F  304  is an interface through which wired data communication and wireless data communication can be executed. The GPU  305  is a processor for image processing, and processes images to be displayed on the display  307 . The display controller  306  controls the display  307  under control of the GPU  305 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus  120   a  and the image processing apparatus  110 . In the following, the functional configuration of the information processing apparatus  120   a  and the image processing apparatus  110  will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0032]    The information processing apparatus  120   a  includes an event reception unit  400 , a communication control unit  401 , an automatic disconnection unit  402 , a display control unit  403 , and an image transmission unit  404 . 
         [0033]    The event reception unit  400  receives an event issued by the operating system (OS) of the information processing apparatus  120   a . Events received by the event reception unit  400  include, for example, an event that a click signal or a movement signal of a mouse as an input device has been received; an event that a signal of a pressed key on a keyboard has been received; an event that the display of the information processing apparatus  120   a  has been closed; an event that the power of a monitor has been turned off; and an event that displaying a locked screen or a screen saver has been started. In response to receiving such an event, the event reception unit  400  indicates the event having been received, along with the type of the event, to the automatic disconnection unit  402 . 
         [0034]    The communication control unit  401  controls communication with the image processing apparatus  110 . The communication control unit  401  transmits, in response to a command by a user, a request for connection to the image processing apparatus  110 , to establish communication with the image processing apparatus  110 . Also, the communication control unit  401  disconnects the communication with the image processing apparatus  110 . 
         [0035]    The automatic disconnection unit  402  functions so as to disconnect the communication with the image processing apparatus  110  automatically. If the user specifies automatic disconnection by using a screen for setting automatic disconnection illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  automatically disconnects the communication with the image processing apparatus  110  accordingly. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for setting automatic disconnection according to the embodiment. The screen for setting automatic disconnection  500  includes a check box  501  to specify whether to use the automatic disconnection function, and a pull-down menu  502 . The pull-down menu  502  is a menu for setting a display time interval of the screen for confirming communication disconnection, by which the user can specify the time discretionally, considering hours of a conference. The automatic disconnection unit  402  sets a time limit T so as to be equivalent to a value specified on the pull-down menu  502 , which will be used in a process illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0037]    The display control unit  403  controls the display  205 . The display control unit  403  displays images on the display  205  such as a screen for setting automatic disconnection, a screen for confirming communication disconnection, and a desktop screen. 
         [0038]    The image transmission unit  404  transmits images being displayed on the display  205  to the image processing apparatus  110 . Once communication with the image processing apparatus  110  has been established, the image transmission unit  404  transmits a display image on the display  205  supplied by the display control unit  403 . 
         [0039]    The image processing apparatus  110  includes a communication control unit  410 , an image reception unit  411 , an image processing unit  412 , and a display unit  413 . 
         [0040]    The communication control unit  410  controls communication with the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c . In response to requests for connection from the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , the communication control unit  410  establishes the communication. 
         [0041]    The image reception unit  411  receives images transmitted by the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c . In response to receiving the images from the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , the image reception unit  411  provides the received images to the image processing unit  412 . 
         [0042]    The image processing unit  412  processes the images to be displayed on the display  307 . In response to receiving the images transmitted by the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , the image processing unit  412  provides the images to the display unit  413  constituted with the display controller  306 , and displays the images on the display  307 . 
         [0043]    Also, the image processing unit  412  generates a drawn image in response to a drawing operation performed by the user on the display  307 . The image processing unit  412  displays on the display  307  a composite image that is obtained by combining the drawn image and images provided by the information processing apparatuses  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c.    
         [0044]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the information processing apparatus  120   a  according to the embodiment. In the following, with reference to  FIG. 6 , a process executed by the information processing apparatus  120   a  when communication with the image processing apparatus  110  has been established, will be described. 
         [0045]    The process in  FIG. 6  starts with Step S 600 , and once the communication with the image processing apparatus  110  has been established, the automatic disconnection unit  402  activates a timer at Step S 601 . At Step S 602 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines whether the time limit T has expired on the timer. If the time limit T has expired on the timer (YES), the process goes forward to Step S 603 . 
         [0046]    At Step S 603 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  has the display control unit  403  display a screen for confirming communication disconnection  700  on the display  205  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . At Step S 604 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines whether a button  701  to command continuation of communication connection, which is displayed on the screen for confirming communication disconnection  700 , has been selected. If the button  701  has been selected (YES), the process goes back to Step S 601 , and the timer is newly activated. On the other hand, if the button  701  has not been selected (NO), the process goes forward to Step S 605 . 
         [0047]    At Step S 605 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since displaying the screen for confirming communication disconnection  700  has been started. In the embodiment, the predetermined time may be a fixed value, for example, one minute may be adopted as the time. If the predetermined time has not elapsed since displaying the screen for confirming communication disconnection  700  has been started (NO), the process goes back to Step S 604 . On the other hand, if the predetermined time has elapsed since displaying the screen for confirming communication disconnection  700  has been started (YES), the process goes forward to Step S 606 . 
         [0048]    On the other hand, if the time limit T has not expired on the timer at Step S 602  (NO), the process goes forward to Step S 607 . At Step S 607 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines whether there has been input on an input device of the information processing apparatus  120   a . In the embodiment, the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines that there has been input on an input device, for example, if receiving an indication of a received event from the event reception unit  400 , such as an event that a click signal or a movement signal of a mouse has been received, or an event that a signal of a key on a keyboard has been pressed; 
         [0049]    If the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines that there has been input on an input device (YES), the process goes back to Step S 601 . On the other hand, if the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines that there has been no input on an input device (NO), the process goes forward to Step S 608 . 
         [0050]    At Step S 608 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines whether the display  205  has been closed. Since the embodiment adopts, as the information processing apparatus  120   a , a PC that includes an open-and-close display, the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines whether the display  205  has been closed. 
         [0051]    In other embodiments, it may be determined whether the power of a monitor has been turned off, or whether displaying a locked screen or a screen saver has been started, namely, whether it is in a state in which a user operation on the information processing apparatus  120   a  can be received immediately. If the power of a monitor has been turned off, or displaying a locked screen or a screen saver has been started, the automatic disconnection unit  402  determines that it is not in a state in which a user operation on the information processing apparatus  120   a  can be received immediately. 
         [0052]    If the display  205  has been closed (YES), the process goes forward to Step S 606 . On the other hand, if the display  205  has not been closed (NO), the process goes back to Step S 602 . 
         [0053]    At Step S 606 , the automatic disconnection unit  402  has the communication control unit  401  disconnect the communication with the image processing apparatus  110 . The process ends at Step S 609 . 
         [0054]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a screen for confirming communication disconnection is displayed when the time limit T has expired on the timer. In other embodiments, the automatic disconnection unit  402  may calculate a physical distance between the information processing apparatus  120   a ,  120   b , or  120   c  and the image processing apparatus  110 , to display a screen for confirming communication disconnection if the distance becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined distance. A function to display a screen for confirming communication disconnection if the time limit T has expired on the timer, and a function to display a screen for confirming communication disconnection if the distance becomes greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, may be executed in parallel. 
         [0055]    So far, an embodiment in the present disclosure has been described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but may be changed within a range that one skilled in the art can conceive, such that an element in the embodiment described above may be changed or deleted, or another element may be added to the elements in the embodiment described above. 
       RELATED-ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Documents 
       [0000]    
       
         [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-352796