Patent Publication Number: US-11659111-B2

Title: Image processing apparatus, method for controlling image processing apparatus, and storage medium for displaying information associated with a setting

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/907,091, filed Feb. 27, 2018, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/610,943, filed Jan. 30, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,936,088, which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-018268, filed Feb. 3, 2014, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image processing apparatus, a method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and a storage medium. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     A certain image processing apparatus executes a plurality of applications to perform various kinds of data processing. Such an image processing apparatus is provided with a function of storing setting data corresponding to applications that have been executed by a user. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-292864 discusses a user interface for automatically setting default values for each application and application customization processing. 
     A large majority of users of image processing apparatuses uses a small number of setting patterns for applications to be executed. Particularly for each application, a user needs to reset patterns each time although the user uses less number of setting patterns. 
     Although setting registration functions (default value change, custom menu, mode memory, etc.) are proposed to avoid pattern setting each time, the user does not bother to register settings. 
     Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-292864 discusses a method for predicting a user&#39;s intention to save the user the trouble of registering settings for applications. With this method, however, the user may not grasp settings registered to an image processing apparatus. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the present invention are generally directed to providing a mechanism for simultaneously displaying setting data automatically registered in the course of execution of each application and setting data set for each application by a user. This enables the user to conveniently select setting data to be executed. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, an image processing apparatus for executing a plurality of applications associated with specific functions to perform image processing includes a first registration unit configured to, when executing any one of the plurality of applications, automatically register first setting data set for the any one of the plurality of applications in a storage unit in association with the application, a second registration unit configured to, according to a registration instruction, register second setting data set for any one of the plurality of applications in association with the any one of the plurality of applications, and a display control unit configured to display on a display unit a calling-up and setting screen including a first button group for calling up the first setting data automatically registered in the storage unit and a second button group for calling up the second setting data registered in the storage unit. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to display setting data automatically registered in the course of execution of each application and setting data set for each application by a user in an identical calling-up and setting screen, enabling the user to conveniently select setting data to be executed. 
     Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus. 
         FIG.  2    is a plan view illustrating an operation unit illustrated in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    illustrates an example of a user interface (UI) screen displayed on a display unit. 
         FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  illustrate a table for managing registration data. 
         FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  illustrate management data for buttons displayed on the display unit. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a configuration of applications. 
         FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  illustrate examples of user interfaces displayed on the display unit. 
         FIG.  8    is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image processing apparatus. 
         FIG.  9    is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image processing apparatus. 
         FIG.  10    is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image processing apparatus. 
         FIG.  11    is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image processing apparatus. 
         FIGS.  12 A,  12 B,  12 C,  12 D, and  12 E  illustrate tables for managing registered setting data. 
         FIG.  13    illustrates an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Various exemplary embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 
     &lt;Descriptions of System Configuration&gt; 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment. In the present exemplary embodiment, as an image processing apparatus for executing a plurality of applications associated with specific functions to perform image processing, the image processing apparatus is provided with the plurality of applications. The image processing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment is, for example, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) capable of executing a copy application, a facsimile application, and an E-mail application. More specifically, specific functions executable by applications include a print function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and an E-mail function. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , a control unit  1  controls operations of each unit of an MFP  100 . The control unit  1  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  10 , a local area network (LAN)  11 , a communication unit  12 , a random access memory (RAM)  13 , a hard disk drive (HDD)  14 , and a read-only memory (ROM)  15 . The CPU  10  controls the entire control unit  1 . The LAN  11  is a network for enabling the MFP  100  to exchange data with external apparatuses. The MFP  100  is connected to the Internet via the LAN  11 . 
     The communication unit  12  transmits and receives data via the LAN  11 . The RAM  13  provides a system work memory necessary for operations of the CPU  10 . The HDD  14  may be a storage medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical medium, and a flash memory. 
     The HDD  14  is configured to store in a table format (described below) document data and setting data associated with each application. The HDD  14  does not need to be included in the MFP  100 . An external server or a personal computer (PC) may be used as a storage apparatus via the communication unit  12 . The ROM  15  is a boot ROM which stores a boot program of a system. The CPU  10  loads a program installed in the HDD  14  into the RAM  13  by using the boot program in the boot ROM (ROM  15 ), and performs various control based on the loaded program. The HDD  14  further includes a specific area for managing a button group (an automatically registered button group) displayed in a specific area in a recall portal screen  300  (described below). The relevant specific area is used as a first-in first-out (FIFO) area. 
     A timer  16  performs timing processing according to an instruction of the CPU  10 . When a specified time interval has elapsed, the timer  16  notifies the CPU  10  of the relevant passage of time as an interruption. 
     An operation unit  20  is controlled by the control unit  1 , and includes a display unit  21  and an input unit  22 . The display unit  21  is used to display information about the MFP  100  to a user. The input unit  22  receives an input from the user via an interface, such as a touch panel, a mouse, a camera, an audio input, and a keyboard. 
     The display unit  21  displays a user interface (UI) screen (described below) to receive settings from the user. 
     An image processing unit  30  is controlled by the control unit  1 , and includes an image analysis unit  31 , an image generation unit  32 , and an image output unit  33 . The image analysis unit  31  analyzes the structure of a document image, and extracts necessary information from an analysis result. The image generation unit  32  reads a document (for example, by scanning the document), converts an image of the document into image data in digital form, and stores the image data in the HDD  14 . 
     The image generation unit  32  can also generate document image data in another format by using the information analyzed by the image analysis unit  31 . The image output unit  33  outputs the image data stored in the HDD  14 . The image data can be output, for example, by printing the document image data on paper, by transmitting via the communication unit  12  the document image data to an external device, a server, a facsimile, etc. connected to the network, or by storing the document image data in a storage medium connected to the MFP  100 . 
       FIG.  2    is a plan view illustrating the operation unit  20  illustrated in  FIG.  1   . 
     Referring to  FIG.  2   , the display unit  21  according to the present exemplary embodiment is a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit composed of a touch-panel sheet stuck on a liquid crystal panel. The display unit  21  displays an operation screen and soft keys. When a displayed key is pressed by a user operation, the display unit  21  transmits relevant positional information to the CPU  10 . In this case, therefore, the display unit  21  also functions as the input unit  22 . 
     Various keys and buttons operated by the user will be described below. 
     A start key  201  is used to instruct to start a document read operation. Two (green and red) light emitting diodes (LEDs)  202  are provided at the center of the start key  201  to indicate whether the start key  201  is usable or not. A stop key  203  is used to stop the current operation. A numeric keypad  204  includes numeric and character buttons, and is used to instruct to set the number of copies or to change the screen of the display unit  21 . A user mode key  205  is pressed to set the MFP  100 . 
     A recall portal screen according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below. 
       FIG.  3    illustrates an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit  21  illustrated in  FIG.  2   . This example screen is an example of a recall portal screen. The UI screen controls display so that button groups (described below) are arranged in respective division areas. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , a recall portal screen  300  includes a fixed setting area  301  registered by a user&#39;s explicit instruction, and a recall setting area  302  registered by a recall function (described below) during job execution. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the CPU  10  performs control to display fixed settings in the fixed setting area  301  and display recall settings in the recall settings display area  302 , allowing the user to easily identify each area. Buttons  303  to  307  are pressed to call up setting data to be fixedly preset by the user in setting screens (described below) illustrated in  FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  according to a user&#39;s registration instruction. Buttons  308  to  310  are associated with setting data that has been automatically set by a recall portal  401  illustrated in  FIG.  6    according to the present exemplary embodiment. In particular, the button  308  is pressed to automatically set a specific mail address “yoshida@ca . . . ” as a destination in setting data associated with an E-mail application  403  in  FIG.  6   . The button  309  is pressed to select the number of copies “15”, two-sided printing, stapling, etc. in setting data associated with a copy application  402  in FIG.  6 . 
     The button  310  is pressed to select monochrome printing and 2in1 in setting data associated with the copy application  402 . Processing (registration and deletion) for setting data subjected to automatic registration will be described below. In the present exemplary embodiment, buttons are displayed in different areas, and shapes of buttons to be displayed are differentiated to allow the user operating the relevant UI screen to perform button operations with sufficient visibility. 
     When the recall portal screen  300  is activated, the recall portal screen  300  first reads a fixed registration data management table  1201  illustrated in  FIG.  4 A  to display the fixed setting area  301 . Subsequently, the recall portal screen  300  sequentially calls up entries  1202  to  1210  in this order. Each time the recall portal screen  300  calls up an entry, the CPU  10  refers to an application identifier (ID). When the application ID is “0000”, the CPU  10  performs control not to display the corresponding button on the display unit  21 . On the other hand, when the application ID is not “0000”, the CPU  10  performs control to display a display text (display TXT) on the corresponding button. 
     Then, the CPU  10  performs control to search for an entry having the same application ID stored in an application icon table  1211  illustrated in  FIG.  4 B , and to display the relevant icon at a predetermined position of the corresponding button displayed on the display unit  21 . 
     In the recall portal screen  300 , the CPU  10  processes the entire fixed registration data management table  1201  illustrated in  FIG.  4 A . Then, to display recall settings in the recall settings display area  302 , the CPU  10  reads a recall data management table  1101  illustrated in  FIG.  5 A . 
     The recall portal screen  300  sequentially reads entry  1102  and subsequent entries. Each time the recall portal screen  300  calls up an entry, the CPU  10  refers to the application ID. When the application ID is “0000”, the CPU  10  performs control not to display the corresponding button. On the other hand, when the application ID is not “0000”, the CPU  10  performs control to display a display TXT on the corresponding button. 
     Then, the CPU  10  performs control to search for an entry having the same application ID stored in the application icon table  1211  illustrated in  FIG.  4 B , and display the relevant icon at a predetermined position of the corresponding button. 
     Thus, the CPU  10  can display the UI screen illustrated in  FIG.  3    on the display unit  21  by using the recall data management table  1101  illustrated in  FIG.  5 A  and the fixed registration data management table  1201  illustrated in  FIG.  4 A . 
     Hereinafter, to simplify descriptions, all of the fixed settings are collectively referred to as fixed settings  301 S in connection with the fixed setting area  301 . Similarly, all of the recall settings are collectively referred to as recall settings  302 S in connection with the recall settings display area  302 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, button shapes for the fixed settings  301 S are differentiated from button shapes for the recall settings  302 S to allow the user to visually identify each area based on button shapes. 
     Each of the buttons for the fixed settings  301 S displays the icon of an application to be activated by pressing the relevant button, and a button name input by the user. The button name is input to a button specified in a user setting registration screen (described below) by the user. Unregistered buttons are not displayed. 
     Meanwhile, for each of the buttons for the recall settings  302 S, the CPU  10  performs control to display the icon for an application to be activated by pressing the relevant button, and a text expressing the summary of the setting generated by display TXT generation (refer to step S 606  in  FIG.  8   ) (described below). The buttons for the recall settings  302 S are generated and deleted by recall data registration processing (described below) executed by the CPU  10 . 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a configuration of applications in the image processing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. The present exemplary embodiment corresponds to an application registration sequence. Each application is executed by the CPU  10  to perform corresponding data processing. 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , the recall portal  401 , a kind of application, operates in conjunction with other applications such as the copy application  402 , the E-mail application  403 , and a Fax application  404 . 
     Each application can be identified by the application ID, and stores data described in a recall data registration configuration and a setting data management table (described below). 
     When a button displayed on the operation unit  20  is pressed, the recall portal  401  calls up recall data according to the button, and transmits a relevant action ID to the application ID (refer to a notification  406 ). An application specified by the application ID reads setting data according to the received action ID, and sets the setting data. Needless to say, any kind of application can be specified as long as it is capable of exchanging the above-described setting data. 
       FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  illustrate examples of user interfaces displayed on the display unit  21  illustrated in  FIG.  1   . These example screens are examples of the user setting registration screens. 
     Referring to  FIG.  7 A , a fixed setting registration screen  501  includes the fixed setting area  301  having a similar configuration to the configuration of the recall portal screen  300 . The fixed setting area  301  of the fixed setting registration screen  501  differs from that of the recall portal screen  300  in that unregistered buttons  502 ,  503 ,  504 , and  505  are displayed and that any button in the fixed setting area  301  is selected only by pressing it. 
     A Cancel button  506  is used to cancel data registration, and a Next button  507  is used to display the following fixed setting registration screen  508 . 
     The fixed setting registration screen  508  illustrated in  FIG.  7 B  is used to input a text to be displayed on each button. 
     The fixed setting registration screen  508  includes an area  509  for confirming the contents of an input text, and a keyboard (software keyboard)  510  for inputting characters. Pressing a Back button  511  displays the fixed setting registration screen  501  illustrated in  FIG.  7 A . Pressing an OK button  512  completes registration procedures. 
     An example case where the following new job is executed by the copy application  402  illustrated in  FIG.  6    will be described in detail below with reference to  FIGS.  6  to  12 E . The new job is executed in a state where the UI screen illustrated in  FIG.  3    is displayed on the display unit  21 . 
     [Example of a New Job] 
     A job setting is a setting of {3 copies, color copy, one-sided printing, 4in1}. 
     The image output unit  33  illustrated in  FIG.  1    includes an engine for printing a color image on one side or on both sides of a sheet. The image output unit  33  is further provided with an Nin1 function for laying out a plurality of pages on one page and printing the page via the image generation unit  32 , where N is an integer (2, 4, 6, or 9). 
     Although the present exemplary embodiment will be described below based on the copy application  402  as an example, the copy application  402  may be replaced with the E-mail application  403 , the Fax application  404 , or any other applications capable of exchanging data illustrated in  FIG.  4   . 
       FIGS.  8  to  11    are flowcharts illustrating data processing methods performed by the image processing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.  FIG.  8    is a flowchart illustrating an example of job completion processing of an application.  FIGS.  9 ,  10 , and  11    are flowcharts corresponding to detailed procedures of steps S 603 , S 605 , and S 607  illustrated in  FIG.  8   , respectively. 
     More specifically, the flowchart illustrated in  FIG.  9    corresponds to registered ID list acquisition processing performed by the recall portal  401 . The flowchart illustrated in  FIG.  10    corresponds to setting data storage processing of an application. The flowchart illustrated in  FIG.  11    corresponds to recall data registration processing performed by the recall portal  401 . Each step of the flowcharts illustrated in  FIGS.  8  to  11    is implemented when the CPU  10  loads and executes a control program stored in the HDD  14 . 
       FIGS.  12 A to  12 E  illustrate examples of setting data management tables for applications managed by the HDD  14  illustrated in  FIG.  1   . 
     In step S 601 , when the copy application  402  completes job execution, the recall portal  401  starts job completion processing. In step S 602 , when the recall portal  401  starts the job completion processing, the recall portal  401  first acquires an application ID. In this case, the recall portal  401  starts processing corresponding to step S 701  in  FIG.  9    in which the recall portal  401  acquires the application ID of the copy application  402 . 
     More specifically, in step S 703 , the copy application  402  transmits the application ID to a registered ID list acquisition routine of the recall portal  401  (refer to a request  407  illustrated in  FIG.  6   ). In step S 603 , the copy application  402  acquires action IDs already registered by the copy application  402  itself. 
     To be more precise, when the recall portal  401  starts processing in step S 701  illustrated in  FIG.  9   , in step S 702 , the recall portal  401  reads settings for the copy application  402  already registered by the recall portal  401  itself. In step S 703 , the recall portal  401  transmits a registered ID list (described in detail below) to the copy application  402  which is a requestor. In step S 704 , the recall portal  401  exits this processing routine. In step S 603 , the copy application  402  as a requestor acquires the registered ID list. 
     In step S 604 , the recall portal  401  reads setting data corresponding to the action ID acquired from the copy application  402 , and searches for the setting data registered in the HDD  14  to determine whether the read setting data is identical to the currently executed setting data. When the recall portal  401  determines that the read setting data is identical to the currently executed setting data (YES in step S 604 ), then in step S 608 , the recall portal  401  ends the job completion processing without performing the recall data registration processing. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, on the other hand, when the recall portal  401  determines that the read setting data is not identical to the currently executed setting data (NO in step S 604 ), then in step S 605 , the recall portal  401  invokes a setting data storage processing routine (refer to  FIG.  10   ) of the copy application  402  (described below), stores setting data  1018  illustrated in  FIG.  12 D  (refer to steps S 802  to S 805  for details), and acquires “action ID=0005”. In step S 606 , the recall portal  401  generates a display text (display TXT) based on the currently executed setting data. In step S 607 , the recall portal  401  transmits the action ID and the generated display TXT to the recall data registration processing (refer to steps S 901  to  904  illustrated in  FIG.  11   ) of the recall portal  401  (described below), and exits this processing routine. 
     Upon reception of a registered ID list acquisition request  407  from the copy application  402  as illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the recall portal  401  starts the registered ID list acquisition routine (steps S 701  to S 704 ). 
     Referring to the registered ID list acquisition started in step S 701  illustrated in  FIG.  9   , in step S 702 , the recall portal  401  collects action IDs of data having the application ID of the requestor from the recall data management table  1101  illustrated in  FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  and the fixed registration data management table  1201  illustrated in  FIG.  4 A . In step S 703 , the recall portal  401  returns the action IDs to the copy application  402  as a requestor. In step S 704 , the recall portal  401  exits this processing routine. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the registered ID list is a list of {0001, 0002, 0003, 0004}. 
     Referring to the job completion processing started in step S 601  illustrated in  FIG.  8   , in step S 605 , the recall portal  401  invokes a setting data storage routine (refer to steps S 801  to S 806  illustrated in  FIG.  10   ). 
     More specifically, in step S 801 , the recall portal  401  starts the setting data storage processing. In step S 802 , the recall portal  401  determines whether an upper limit of settings is reached. The recall portal  401  makes such determination, for example, based on whether there is any unused entry. 
     In this case, the recall portal  401  determines whether there is any unused entry based on whether the first item of an entry is “0”. When the recall portal  401  determines that there is no unused entry (Upper Limit Reached in step S 802 ), then in step S 806 , the recall portal  401  exits this processing routine. 
     For example, in the case of the example illustrated in  FIG.  12 A , an entry  1007  is unused. Therefore, the recall portal  401  determines that the upper limit of settings is not reached (Upper Limit Not Reached in step S 802 ), then in step S 803 , the recall portal  401  generates a number for the entry  1007  as an action ID. In step S 804 , the recall portal  401  updates the relevant entry. In step S 805 , the recall portal  401  stores the setting data  1018  as illustrated in  FIG.  12 D . In step S 806 , the recall portal  401  exits this processing routine. 
     When a job completion processing routine of the copy application  402  requests to register recall data in step S 607  illustrated in  FIG.  8   , then in step S 901  illustrated in  FIG.  11   , the recall portal  401  starts a recall data registration processing routine. 
     Referring to the recall data registration processing, in step S 902 , the recall portal  401  reads registration data from the recall data management table  1101  illustrated in  FIGS.  5 A and  5 B . More specifically, the recall portal  401  reads “application ID= 403 ” and “action ID=0003” of the oldest entry  1102  registered in the recall data management table  1101  illustrated in  FIG.  5 A . Then, the recall portal  401  notifies the E-mail application  403  having “application ID= 403 ” of the deletion of the registered “action ID=0003” (refer to a notification  405 ). 
     Upon reception of the notification  405 , the E-mail application  403  deletes the entry  1012  corresponding to “action ID=0003” in the setting data management table  1008  illustrated in  FIG.  12 B . 
     Referring to the recall data registration processing illustrated in  FIG.  11   , the recall portal  401  moves the entry  1102  deleted last and subsequent entries, as illustrated in  FIGS.  5 A and  5 B . Then, in step S 903 , the recall portal  401  registers the requested “application ID= 402 ”, “action ID=0005”, and display TXT to an unused entry  1107 . In step S 904 , the recall portal  401  exits this processing routine. 
     In the second exemplary embodiment, instead of user setting buttons, application activation buttons are arranged on a recall portal screen. 
       FIG.  13    illustrates an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit  21  illustrated in  FIG.  2   . This example screen corresponds to a recall portal screen  1300 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  13   , the recall portal screen  1300  includes a button  1303  for activating the copy application  402 , a button  1304  for activating the E-mail application  403 , and a button  1305  for activating the Fax application  404  in an application button area  1301 . Buttons  1306  to  1308  are equivalent to the buttons  308  to  310  illustrated in  FIG.  3   . 
     According to the present exemplary embodiment, a user can arbitrarily select whether to use automatically registered setting data or to execute a user-selected application on the recall portal screen  1300 . 
     Each process of the present exemplary embodiment can be implemented also by executing software (program) acquired via a network or various storage media on a processing apparatus (CPU or processor), such as a personal computer. 
     The above-described exemplary embodiments are not seen to be limiting and can be modified in diverse ways (including organic combinations of these exemplary embodiments) without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. These modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that these exemplary embodiments are not seen to be limiting. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.