Patent Publication Number: US-2023161530-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus, terminal device, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing information processing program

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-188964 filed Nov. 19, 2021. 
     BACKGROUND 
     (i) Technical Field 
     A technology of the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a terminal device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing an information processing program. 
     (ii) Related Art 
     There is a technology for adding settings related to notification sound to job information. 
     JP2020-010116A discloses an image forming apparatus that executes a job which is an executive instruction generated by a terminal device. The image forming apparatus includes a speaker for outputting notification sound, outputs the notification sound on the basis of notification information that is information related to the notification sound added to the job by the terminal device, and executes the job. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is a technology that transmits job information, to which setting information related to a user interface is added, to the information processing apparatus and reflects the settings of the setting information in the output of a user interface of the information processing apparatus. 
     However, the setting information needs to be manually added whenever a user transmits a job. In a case where a user forgets to add the setting information, the mode of an output from the user interface of the information processing apparatus is not changed into a mode intended by the user. 
     Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an information processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing an information processing program that can change the settings of a user interface without being necessary for a user to manually add the setting information of the information processing apparatus to job information. 
     Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure overcome the above disadvantages and/or other disadvantages not described above. However, aspects of the non-limiting embodiments are not required to overcome the disadvantages described above, and aspects of the non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure may not overcome any of the disadvantages described above. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a processor configured to: receive setting information that includes settings related to a user interface reflected in a terminal device connected to use the information processing apparatus; and reflect the received setting information in settings related to a user interface of the information processing apparatus. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an information processing system; 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a smartphone according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  3    is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  4    is a flowchart showing the flow of transmission processing of the smartphone according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  5    is a flowchart showing the flow of reflection processing of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  6    is a diagram showing an example of a conversion table of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An example of an exemplary embodiment of the technology of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the respective drawings, identical or equivalent components and portions will be denoted by identical reference numerals. Further, since the scales of the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of description, there is a case where the scales are different from actual scales. 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an information processing system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The information processing system includes a terminal device and an information processing apparatus. In the exemplary embodiment, a case where a smartphone is used as the terminal device will be described and the smartphone will be denoted by reference numeral  10 . Likewise, in the exemplary embodiment, a case where an image forming apparatus is used as the information processing apparatus will be described and the image forming apparatus will be denoted by reference numeral  20 . 
     The smartphone  10  is a device that is used to use the image forming apparatus  20 . The smartphone  10  includes a user interface. The user interface is, for example, an input unit, a display unit, a speaker, or the like. The smartphone  10  transmits setting information, which includes settings related to the user interface, to the image forming apparatus  20 . The settings related to the user interface include setting items and set values. The settings related to the user interface are, for example, the notification sound setting of the speaker, the language setting of the display language of the display unit, the brightness setting of the brightness of the display unit, or the text size setting of texts to be displayed on the display unit. The setting information is, for example, the type of the operating system (OS), the version of OS, the model number of the model of the smartphone  10 , or the like. 
     The image forming apparatus  20  is an image forming apparatus capable of executing processing, such as printing, copying, scanning, and facsimile. The image forming apparatus  20  receives the setting information of the smartphone  10 . 
       FIG.  2    is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the smartphone  10 . The smartphone  10  includes various components, such as a central processing unit (CPU)  11 , a read only memory (ROM)  12 , a random access memory (RAM)  13 , a storage  14 , an input unit  15 , a display unit  16 , a communication interface (communication I/F)  17 , and a speaker  18 . The respective components are connected to each other to be capable of communicating with each other via a bus  19 . 
     The CPU  11  is a central processing unit, and executes various programs or controls each part. That is, the CPU  11  reads out programs from the ROM  12  or the storage  14  and executes the programs using the RAM  13  as a work area. The CPU  11  controls the respective components and executes various types of arithmetic processing according to the programs recorded in the ROM  12  or the storage  14 . In the exemplary embodiment, an information processing program transmitting the setting information is stored in the ROM  12  or the storage  14 . 
     The ROM  12  stores various programs and various data. The RAM  13  temporarily stores programs or data as a work area. The storage  14  is formed of a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores various programs including an operating system and various data. 
     The input unit  15  includes a pointing device, such as a mouse, and a keyboard, and is used to perform various inputs. 
     The display unit  16  is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various types of information. The display unit  16  may adopt a touch panel system and function as the input unit  15 . 
     The communication interface  17  is an interface that is used to communicate with other devices, such as a database. For example, standards, such as Ethernet (registered trademark), FDDI, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark), are used for the communication interface  17 . 
     The speaker  18  outputs sound. In a case where the notification sound setting is ON, the speaker  18  outputs notification sound at the time of the reception of an operation input, at the time of the occurrence of an error, or the like. 
       FIG.  3    is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus  20 . The image forming apparatus  20  includes various components, such as a CPU  21 , a ROM  22 , a RAM  23 , a storage  24 , an input unit  25 , a display unit  26 , a communication interface (communication I/F)  27 , a speaker  28 , and an image forming unit  29 . The respective components are connected to each other to be capable of communicating with each other via a bus  30 . 
     The CPU  21  is a central processing unit, and executes various programs or controls each part. That is, the CPU  21  reads out programs from the ROM  22  or the storage  24  and executes the programs using the RAM  23  as a work area. The CPU  21  controls the respective components and executes various types of arithmetic processing according to the programs recorded in the ROM  22  or the storage  24 . In the exemplary embodiment, an information processing program reflecting the setting information is stored in the ROM  22  or the storage  24 . 
     The ROM  22  stores various programs and various data. The RAM  23  temporarily stores programs or data as a work area. The storage  24  is formed of an HDD or an SSD, and stores various programs including an operating system and various data. 
     The input unit  25  includes a pointing device, such as a mouse, and a keyboard, and is used to perform various inputs. 
     The display unit  26  is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various types of information. The display unit  26  may adopt a touch panel system and function as the input unit  25 . 
     The communication interface  27  is an interface that is used to communicate with other devices, such as a database. For example, standards, such as Ethernet (registered trademark), FDDI, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark), are used for the communication interface  27 . 
     The speaker  28  outputs sound. In a case where the notification sound setting is ON, the speaker  28  outputs notification sound at the time of the reception of an operation input, at the time of the occurrence of an error, or the like. 
     The image forming unit  29  is to form printing data on a recording medium, such as paper. A toner system, an inkjet system, and the like are adapted as a system for forming an image. 
     Next, the action of the smartphone  10  will be described. 
       FIG.  4    is a flowchart showing the flow of transmission processing of the smartphone  10 . The CPU  11  reads out a transmission program from the ROM  12  or the storage  14  and develops the transmission program in the RAM  13  to execute the transmission program, so that transmission processing is executed. 
     In Step S 101 , the CPU  11  transmits the setting information together with a connection request. That is, the CPU  11  transmits the connection request for starting to use the image forming apparatus  20  that is an external information processing apparatus. Then, the CPU  11  transmits even the setting information, which includes settings related to the user interface reflected in the smartphone  10  used as the terminal device, when transmitting the connection request. The connection request is a request for establishing communication using, for example, Near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or the like. The CPU  11  proceeds to Step S 102 . 
     In Step S 102 , the CPU  11  establishes a connection on the basis of the connection request. The CPU  11  proceeds to Step S 103 . 
     In Step S 103 , the CPU  11  transmits job information. The job information is information that is used to execute the function of the image forming apparatus  20 . The CPU  11  proceeds to Step S 104 . 
     In Step S 104 , the CPU  11  ends the established connection. The CPU  11  ends the transmission processing. 
     As described above, the smartphone  10  transmits the setting information, which includes the settings related to the user interface reflected in the terminal device, to cause the setting information to be reflected in the image forming apparatus  20  by the processing of Steps S 101  to S 103 . Here, in the smartphone  10 , a user does not need to manually determine the settings to be reflected in the image forming apparatus  20 . 
     Next, the action of the image forming apparatus  20  will be described. 
       FIG.  5    is a flowchart showing the flow of reflection processing of the image forming apparatus  20 . The CPU  21  reads out a reflection program from the ROM  22  or the storage  24  and develops the reflection program in the RAM  23  to execute the reflection program, so that reflection processing is executed. 
     In Step S 201 , the CPU  21  receives the setting information together with the connection request. That is, the CPU  21  receives the connection request for causing the image forming apparatus  20  to start to be used by the smartphone  10 . Then, the CPU  21  receives even the setting information when receiving the connection request. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 202 . 
     In Step S 202 , the CPU  21  stores current set values of the settings related to the user interface in the ROM  22  or the storage  24 . The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 203 . 
     In Step S 203 , the CPU  21  reflects the setting information in the settings related to the user interface on the basis of a conversion table. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 204 . 
     Here, an example of the conversion table is shown in  FIG.  6   . The conversion table is a table in which the setting information and the settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20  are associated with each other in advance. The conversion table includes, for example, setting items, the set values of the smartphone  10 , and the set values of the image forming apparatus  20  as items. The setting items are, for example, notification sound, brightness, and a font size. The setting items may be prepared for each type or version of OS. The CPU  21  reflects a set value, which is obtained for each setting item from the conversion table, in the image forming apparatus  20  used as the information processing apparatus. The CPU  21  converts the set values of the smartphone  10  into the set values of the image forming apparatus  20  using predetermined processing. The predetermined processing is, for example, processing for multiplying the set value by a predetermined value, processing for converting the set value into a value, which is associated with the set value in advance, or the like. For example, with regard to brightness, the CPU  21  sets a value, which is obtained by multiplying the set value of the smartphone  10  by  10 , as the set value of the image forming apparatus  20  in a case where the type of OS is OS 1 . As a specific example, the CPU  21  sets the set value of the brightness of the image forming apparatus  20  to  20  in a case where the set value of the brightness of the smartphone  10  is 2. Further, for example, with regard to a font size, the CPU  21  changes the set value of the image forming apparatus  20  to  36 ,  24 , and  12  in order in a case where the type of OS is OS 1  and the font size of the smartphone  10  is changed to large, medium, and small. 
     In Step S 204 , the CPU  21  determines whether or not an error has occurred. The type of error does not matter. An error is, for example, the insufficient replenishment of recording mediums, the insufficient power supply of a power source, an operation error made by a user, or the like. Further, an error may be the failure of the interface that occurs in a case where the setting information is reflected in the user interface in Step S 203 . In a case where the 
     CPU  21  determines that an error has occurred (YES in Step S 204 ), the CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 205 . In a case where the CPU  21  determines that an error has not occurred (NO in Step S 204 ), the CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 206 . 
     In Step S 205 , the CPU  21  notifies a user of the error via the user interface. That is, the CPU  21  notifies the user of the error on the basis of the settings related to the user interface reflected in Step S 203 . For example, in a case where the notification sound setting is set to ON in Step S 203 , the CPU  21  notifies the user of the error using notification sound output from the speaker  28 . The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 206 . In a case where the error is the failure of the interface that occurs in a case where the setting information is reflected in the user interface in Step S 203 , the CPU  21  may notify the user of the occurrence of the error in a state where there is a failure in a part of the interface. Alternatively, in a case where the error is the failure of the interface that occurs in a case where the setting information is reflected in the user interface in Step S 203 , the CPU  21  may notify the user of the error using the interface in a state where the set value causing the error has returned to a state where the setting information is not yet reflected. 
     In Step S 206 , the CPU  21  establishes a connection on the basis of the connection request. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 207 . 
     In Step S 207 , the CPU  21  receives the job information. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 208 . 
     In Step S 208 , the CPU  21  starts to execute a job. That is, the CPU  21  executes a job on the basis of the job information received in Step S 207 . The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 209 . 
     In Step S 209 , the CPU  21  displays the progress of the job. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 210 . 
     Here, the display of the progress of the job is shown in  FIG.  7    as an example of the display screen of the display unit  26  of the image forming apparatus  20 . For example, the CPU  21  displays a message according to the language setting of the display language of the display unit  26 . Further, for example, the CPU  21  displays a display screen with the degree of brightness according to the brightness setting of the brightness of the display unit  26 . Furthermore, for example, the CPU  21  displays texts according to the text size setting of texts to be displayed on the display unit. 
     In Step S 210 , the CPU  21  ends the execution of the job. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 211 . 
     In Step S 211 , the CPU  21  ends the established connection. The CPU  21  proceeds to Step S 212 . 
     In Step S 212 , the CPU  21  returns the settings related to the user interface to the stored set values. The CPU  21  ends the reflection processing. 
     Since the processing of Step S 203  is executed before the processing of Steps S 205  and S 209  as described above, the CPU  21  reflects the setting information in the settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20 , which is used as the information processing apparatus, before an output from the user interface. Steps S 205  and S 209  are merely specific examples of an output from the user interface, and an output from the user interface is not limited thereto. 
     Further, since the processing of Step S 203  is executed before the processing of Step S 207  or S 208 , the CPU  21  reflects the setting information in the settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20 , which is used as the information processing apparatus, before receiving the job information or before executing the job. 
     Furthermore, the CPU  21  temporarily reflects the received setting information in the settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20 , which is used as the information processing apparatus, using the processing of Steps S 202 , S 203 , and S 212 . The CPU  21  may return the settings related to the user interface to the stored set values in a case where a time when the image forming apparatus  20  is not used by the smartphone  10  exceeds a predetermined time. 
     The processing of Step S 204  may be executed at any time as long as being executed between Step S 203  and Step S 212 . For example, the error may be an error in which the processing for establishing a connection in Step S 206  fails. Further, for example, the error may be an error that is caused by the execution of the job in Step S 208 . Furthermore, the error may be an error caused by processing for starting to use the image forming apparatus that is executed after a connection request for starting to use the image forming apparatus is received. The processing for starting to use the image forming apparatus is, for example, processing for establishing a connection, processing for recovering from a power saving mode, processing for logging in executed by a user, or the like. 
     MODIFICATION EXAMPLES 
     The smartphone  10  or the image forming apparatus  20  according to the exemplary embodiment has been described above. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiment. The present disclosure may have various improvements or modifications. 
     The terminal device may be a personal computer or a tablet-type terminal, or the like including a user interface. Further, the information processing apparatus may be an automated teller machine, a point of sales (POS), a vending machine, or the like including a user interface. 
     In Step S 103  of  FIG.  4   , the CPU  11  may convert the setting information into settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20  on the basis of the conversion table and transmit the converted settings. The conversion table is prepared for each type of OS, each version of OS, or each model number of the model of the image forming apparatus  20 . In this case, the CPU  21  does not execute Step S 203  of  FIG.  5   . 
     In Step S 201  of  FIG.  5   , the CPU  21  may be adapted to receive the connection request only in a case where there is no user in use. The CPU  21  determines that there is no user in use in a case where there is no user logged in or a case where there is no operation executed by a user for a certain period of time, or the like. Further, in Steps S 201  to S 212  of  FIG.  5   , the CPU  21  stops receiving an operation executed by another user. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus  20  can prevent processing, which is requested by a user in use, from being hindered by another user. 
     In  FIG.  7   , the conversion table may be a table in which the model number of the model of the smartphone  10  and the settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20  are associated with each other in advance. For example, in a case where the model of the smartphone  10  is a model for the elderly, the model number of the model of the smartphone  10  and the settings related to the user interface of the image forming apparatus  20  may be associated with each other so that a font size is converted into a value larger than the default. 
     The above-mentioned processing can also be realized by a dedicated hardware circuit. In this case, the processing may be executed by a piece of hardware or may be executed by a plurality of pieces of hardware. 
     In the embodiments above, the term “processor” refers to hardware in a broad sense. Examples of the processor include general processors (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit) and dedicated processors (e.g., GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, and programmable logic device). 
     In the embodiments above, the term “processor” is broad enough to encompass one processor or plural processors in collaboration which are located physically apart from each other but may work cooperatively. The order of operations of the processor is not limited to one described in the embodiments above, and may be changed. 
     Further, a program for operating the smartphone  10  or the image forming apparatus  20  may be provided by a computer-readable recording medium, such as a universal serial bus (USB) memory, a flexible disk, or a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM); or may be provided online via a network, such as the Internet. In this case, the program recorded in the computer-readable recording medium is usually transferred to a memory, a storage, or the like and is stored. Furthermore, for example, this program may be provided as single application software, or may be incorporated into the software of the smartphone  10  or the image forming apparatus  20  as a function of the smartphone  10  or the image forming apparatus  20 . 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.