1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to switching between services.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, noncontact communication (short-range wireless communication) such as near field communication (NFC) and TransferJet (registered trademark) has come into use. In such noncontact communication, communication distance is extremely short. If a user places devices that are to communicate with each other within a few centimeters from each other (i.e., performs a touch operation), a wireless link is established. If the user then separates the devices (i.e., performs a detach operation), the wireless link becomes disconnected. (refer to http://www.transferjet.org/tj/transferjet whitepaper.pdf). Such noncontact communication allows the user to easily transmit image data from a camera to a printer by performing the touch operation.
Further, there is a multifunction printer capable of printing and storing in a memory card, data acquired from an external device. It is necessary for the user of such a multifunction printer to previously set whether to print or store the data, by operating the printer (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-354499).
If the user is to use noncontact communication to transmit the image data from the camera to the printer and store the image data in the memory card of the printer, it becomes necessary for the user to operate the printer and specify settings for storing the data. It then becomes necessary for the user to place the camera near the printer (i.e., perform the touch operation). Since the user is required to perform the touch operation and also operate on the printer, the operations are burdensome for the user.
The present invention is directed to switching displaying of services to be provided, every time the user places the communication apparatus and a communication peer apparatus separated from and close to each other. The user can thus select the services to be provided.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a communication apparatus performs a process for selecting and displaying a predetermined service from a plurality of services, detects whether there is connection with or disconnection from a communication peer, switching, if a connection with the communication peer is detected after disconnecting from the communication peer, a service to be selected and displayed, and providing the selected displayed service.
According to the present invention, the communication apparatus and the communication peer cooperating with each other can switch the service to be provided to the user, when the user places the communication apparatus and the communication peer close to and away from each other.
Further features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
According to a first exemplary embodiment, the service provided by cooperation between the camera and the printer is switched by the user performing the touch operation, i.e., placing the camera and the printer close to each other, and the detach operation, i.e., placing the camera and the printer away from each other.
According to the present exemplary embodiment, TransferJet (registered trademark) will be used as the wireless communication. However, this is not a limitation, and communication complying with NFC or Infrared Data Association (IrDA) may also be used. A communication range of the wireless communication is several millimeters to several centimeters. The wireless link can thus be established between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 by the user placing an antenna of the digital camera 101 within several millimeters to several centimeters from the antenna of the printer 102. The wireless link is a connection between wireless units in the digital camera 101 and the printer 102. Further, the wireless link between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 becomes disconnected by the user separating the antenna of the digital camera 101 from the antenna of the printer 102 by more than several centimeters.
As described above, the user can establish or disconnect the wireless link between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 by only manually moving either or both of the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 close to or away from each other.
The printer 102 also includes a print application for the printing unit 301 to print the image data received from the digital camera 101. Further, the printer 102 includes a display application for the display unit 202 to display the image data received from the digital camera 101. Furthermore, the printer 102 includes a storage application for storing in the memory 302 the image data received from the digital camera 101. Moreover, the printer 102 includes a transfer application for transferring the image data received from the digital camera 101 to the PC 103 via the wired communication unit 304. The printer 102 can provide various services by executing such applications. The applications are stored in the memory 302 of the printer 102. Further, the control unit 306 executes each of the applications one by one and does not execute a plurality of applications at the same time.
A case where the image data of an image taken by the user using the digital camera 101 is displayed in the printer 102 will be described below.
In step S401 illustrated in
In step S402 in
The printer 102 generates the application information to be transmitted previous to the wireless link being established, and stores the information in the memory 302. However, the printer 102 may generate the application information after the wireless link is established. Further, the printer 102 may acquire the application information in the digital camera 101 before transmitting the application information to the digital camera 101. The printer 102 may thus transmit to the digital camera 101 the application information including only the application identifiers corresponding to the applications in the digital camera 101. For example, if the digital camera 101 does not support the transfer application, the printer 102 transfers to the digital camera 101 the application information excluding the application identifier indicating the transfer application. Furthermore, after the wireless link is established, the printer 102 may generate the application information by confirming a device identifier (i.e., a device ID) of the digital camera 101 and omitting the application identifiers that the digital camera 101 has previously been notified of. As a result, the printer 102 does not transmit the same application information to the communication peer apparatus that the printer 102 has once connected to, so that a communication load is reduced.
In step S402 in
According to the present exemplary embodiment, the digital camera 101 supports the print application, the display application, the storage application, and the transfer application. Further, the application identifiers are arranged in the application information in the order of the print application, the display application, the storage application, and the transfer application. Since there is no application identifier registered in the skip list, the print application is set as the selected application. If all of the application identifiers included in the application information is registered in the skip list, the registration in the skip list is cleared. As a result, the selected application that the user has erroneously rejected can be reset as the selected application. Further, the application identifier which is frequently selected in the digital camera 101, among the application identifiers included in the application information and not registered in the skip list, may be set as the selected application.
In step S504 in
In step S404 in
According to the present exemplary embodiment, since the user desires to display the image in the printer 102 instead of printing the image, the user places the antenna 207 of the digital camera 101 away from the antenna 308 of the printer 102 (i.e., performs the detach operation) to indicate rejection of the print service. If the user performs the detach operation, the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 are placed out of the communication range, so that the wireless link between the wireless unit 205 in the digital camera 101 and the wireless unit 307 in the printer 102 cannot be maintained.
The process performed by the digital camera 101 thus proceeds to step S506 in
In step S406 in
In step S407 in
In step S504 in
In step S409 in
According to the present exemplary embodiment, “image display” desired by the user is selected. The user thus continues to place the antenna 207 of the digital camera 101 and the antenna 308 of the printer 102 close to each other to indicate that the user has decided on the display service. As a result, the wireless link between the wireless unit 205 in the digital camera 101 and the wireless unit 307 in the printer 102 is maintained.
Since the wireless link is maintained (YES in step S505), the process performed by the digital camera 101 proceeds to step S507 in
In step S411 in
In step S412 in
In step S414 in
In step S417 in
In step S418 in
The above-described flowchart realized by the digital camera 101 may be illustrated as a block diagram of the software functions in
A function block group 802 operates during a selection mode in which the application is selected, and includes components 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, and 826 to be described below. An information receiving unit 821 receives the application information from the printer 102 (i.e., corresponding to step S502). A selection unit 822 selects one application from the application identifiers included in the application information (i.e., corresponding to step S503). Further, the selection unit 822 registers in and deletes from the skip list, the application identifiers (i.e., corresponding to step S506). A display control unit 823 causes the display unit 203 to display the application information (i.e., corresponding to step S504). A confirmation unit 824 controls the wireless unit 205 and confirms the wireless link with the printer 102 (i.e., corresponding to step S505). A determination unit 825 determines, when the wireless link is maintained, whether the predetermined condition is satisfied (i.e., corresponding to step S507). A notification unit 826 notifies the printer 102 of the selected application (i.e., corresponding to step S508).
A function block group 803 operates when communication is performed in the application level (i.e., in a communication mode) and includes components 831, 832, 833, and 834 to be described below.
An activation unit activates the application (i.e., corresponding to step S509). A communication control unit 832 controls the communication link between the applications (i.e., corresponding to step S510 and step S512). A data transmission unit 833 transmits the data (i.e., corresponding to step S511). A disconnection unit 834 disconnects the wireless link (corresponding to step S513).
As described above, the service to be performed can be switched by the user performing the touch operation and the detach operation between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102. As a result, the desired service can be performed without the user operating on the buttons on the apparatuses.
According to the above-described exemplary embodiment, when the wireless link is established (reconnected), the selected application is reset. However, the selected application may be reset when the wireless link is disconnected. In such a case, when it is detected that the communication peer with which the wireless link is established in step S401 is different from the communication peer with which the wireless link is established in step S406, the selected application is reset after connection.
According to the first exemplary embodiment, the printer transmits to the digital camera, the information about the plurality of applications included in the printer. According to a second exemplary embodiment, the printer previously activates one application and transmits only the information about the activated application to the digital camera.
The hardware configurations of the digital camera and the printer are the same as those according to the first exemplary embodiment, and description will thus be omitted. A case in which the image taken by the user using the digital camera 101 is displayed on the printer 102 will be described below.
In step S901 illustrated in
In step S904 in
According to the present exemplary embodiment, the user desires the image to be displayed instead of printed, so that the user performs the detach operation to reject the print service. If the user performs the detach operation, the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 are placed out of communication range, so that the wireless link between the wireless unit 205 in the digital camera 101 and the wireless unit 307 in the printer 102 cannot be maintained.
As a result, the process performed by the digital camera proceeds to step S911, and the wireless unit 205 in the digital camera 101 disconnects the wireless link. On the other hand, the process performed by the printer 102 proceeds to step S1004, and the printer 102 switches the application to be activated. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the application to be activated is switched from the print application to the display application based on the predetermined order (i.e., in the order of the print application, the display application, the storing application, and the transfer application). However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and the order of the applications may be changed to an order of usage frequency, so that the application is switched in the order from higher usage frequency. The application to be executed is thus switched in the order of the application frequently used by the user, and user-friendliness is improved. In step S1010, the wireless unit 307 in the printer 102 disconnects the wireless link.
The user then performs the touch operation again. In step S901 in
In step S902 in
Since the service, i.e., “image display”, which is desired by the user is selected, the user continues to place the antenna 207 of the digital camera 207 and the antenna 308 of the printer 102 close to each other to indicate that the user has decided on the display service. The wireless link between the wireless unit 205 in the digital camera 101 and the wireless unit 307 in the printer 102 is thus maintained.
The process illustrated in
In step S908 in
In step S910 and step S1009, upon transmitting and receiving the data between the applications, the applications in the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 disconnect the communication link between the applications. In step S911 and step S1010, the user who is notified of the data reception performs the detach operation, and the wireless unit 205 in the digital camera 101 and the wireless unit 307 in the printer 102 disconnect the wireless link.
As described above, the service to be performed can be switched by the user performing the touch operation and the detach operation between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102. As a result, the service desired by the user can be performed without the user operating on the buttons on the apparatuses.
A similar effect as described above may be achieved using the digital camera 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment and the printer 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment. More specifically, the digital camera 101 acquires and sets as the selected application, the application information including a first application identifier. The user then performs the detach operation and the touch operation, and the digital camera 101 acquires the application information including a second application identifier that is different from the first application identifier. The digital camera 101 then resets the acquired application information as the selected application and then transmits the reset selected application to the printer 102.
Peer-to-peer communication can be performed via short-range wireless communication 1105 by placing the digital camera 1101 and the cellular phone 1102 close to each other. The short-range wireless communication 1105 includes non-contact integrated chip (IC) card wireless communication and NFC using electromagnetic induction, and communication using induction electric field. If the distance between the apparatuses is within several centimeters in the short-range wireless communication 1105, communication can be performed between the apparatuses.
A communication middleware unit 1205 provides a control function of the communication unit 1201 and a selecting function of the service to be performed. A communication control unit 1206 controls the short-range wireless communication. A communication detection unit 1207 controls and detects connection and disconnection of the short-range wireless communication. The communication detection unit 1207 detects connection when another device that can communicate using the short-range wireless communication 1105 is placed close to a short-range wireless communication area. On the other hand, the communication detection unit 1207 detects disconnection when another device that can communicate using the short-range wireless communication 1105 is placed away from the short-range wireless communication area.
A service information table 1208 stores the service information defined for each display state in the display units 1103 and 1104. The service information table 1208 is stored in storing units in the digital camera 1101 and the cellular phone 1102. The service information indicates types of services that can be performed in a display state, for example, in a form of a list of services, including “image print” and “image transfer”, as illustrated in
A service information acquisition unit 1209 acquires from the service information table 1208 the service information corresponding to the display state notified from the display control unit 1204. A service information transmission unit 1210 transmits to the connected peer apparatus via the short-range wireless communication 1105, the service information acquired by the service information acquisition unit 1209. A service information receiving unit 1211 receives the service information from the peer apparatus. A service information determination unit 1212 compares the service information of both devices communicating with each other and determines the service to be performed. A service information reception timer 1213 measures the time necessary for the service information receiving unit 1211 to receive the service information of the peer apparatus. If the service information is not received even when a predetermined time has elapsed, the process is ended without determining the service by the service information determination unit 1212. An application management unit 1214 executes the application software that provides the service determined by the service information determination unit 1212.
A process according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart illustrated in
The digital camera 1101 and the cellular phone 1102 are initially placed at a distance that is far enough so that the short-range wireless communication 1105 cannot be performed. If the image file stored in the digital camera 1101 is to be transferred to the cellular phone 1102, the image file to be transferred is selected by the user operating on the digital camera 1101. In general, the display unit 1103 in the digital camera 1101 displays the image file to be transferred. On the other hand, the display state of the cellular phone 1102 is a menu screen.
The user then places the digital camera 1101 close to the cellular phone 1102 in such a state. In step S1301, the communication detection unit in the digital camera 1101 which is monitoring connection of the short-range wireless communication 1105 detects whether the connection is established. If the communication detection unit detects the connection (YES in step S1301), the process proceeds to step S1302. In step S1302, the determination unit 1215 determines the display state of the display unit and notifies the service information acquisition unit 1209 of the display state. The service information acquisition unit 1209 thus acquires the current display state of the display unit 1103.
As a result, the service information acquisition unit 1209 can confirm that the display state is “select image file”. In step S1303, the service information acquisition unit 1209 searches the service information table 1208 and acquires the service information corresponding to the display state. According to the present exemplary embodiment, since the display state is “select image file”, the service information acquisition unit 1209 acquires as the service information, “image display (in the transmitting side)”, “image print (in the transmitting side)”, and “image transfer (in the transmitting side)” (refer to
In step S1304, the service information transmission unit 1210 transmits to the cellular phone 1102, i.e., the peer apparatus, the service information acquired by the service information acquisition unit 1209. In step S1305, the service information reception timer 1213 is then started. In step S1306, it is determined whether the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information from the peer apparatus after a predetermine time has elapsed from when the service information reception timer 1213 is started. If the service information receiving unit 1211 has not received the service information (YES in step S1306), it is determined that an error has occurred in the peer apparatus, or that the peer apparatus is a legacy device which is not suitable to the process. The service selection process is then suspended and ends. If the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information (NO in step S1306), the process proceeds to step S1307. In step S1307, it is determined whether the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information from the cellular phone 1102. If the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information from the cellular phone 1102 (YES in step S1307), the service information reception timer 1213 is stopped.
Instep S1308, the service information determination unit 1212 compares the service information of the digital camera 1101 acquired by the service information acquisition unit 1209 and the received service information of the cellular phone 1102. In step S1309, the service information determination unit 1212 determines whether there is the service information that is performed in cooperation between the digital camera 1101 and the cellular phone 1102, based on the comparison result. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the display state of the cellular phone 1102 is the menu screen. The service information receiving unit 1211 thus receives as the service information, “image transfer (in the receiving side)”, moving “image transfer (in the receiving side)”, and “document file transfer (in the receiving side). As a result, “image transfer (in the transmitting side)” and “image transfer (in the receiving side)” match as the service information to be performed in cooperation, and the image transfer service is determined as the service to be used. The process then proceeds to step S1310.
In step S1310, the application service management unit 1214 executes the application software that provides the cooperative service (i.e., the image transfer service) determined by the service information determination unit 1212. In step 1311, the application management unit 1214 performs the determined cooperative service (i.e., the image transfer service) employing the executed application software.
Since a similar process is also performed in the cellular phone 1102, i.e., the peer apparatus, the application software that provides the image transfer service is activated in the cellular phone 1102. The applications of the image transfer service corresponding to each of the digital camera 1101 and the cellular phone 1102 are thus activated in each of the apparatuses, and the image file selected in the digital camera 1101 is transferred to the cellular phone 1102.
Further, if there is no matching service information as a result of the comparison performed in step S1308, or if there are a plurality of matching service information and the service information cannot be uniquely determined (NO in step S1309), the process proceeds to step S1302. In step S1302, the service information determination unit 1212 performs the service selection process.
In step S1302, the process performed in step S503 illustrated in
As described above, if the operator selects the image file on the display unit 1103 in the digital camera 1101 and displays the menu screen in the cellular phone 1102, the image file can be transferred by touching the cellular phone 1102 with the digital camera 1101 (i.e., placing the cellular phone 1102 close to the digital camera 1101). Further, the process can be performed without malfunction, even when there is an error in the peer apparatus or when the peer apparatus is a legacy device. Furthermore, if the service to be performed cannot be uniquely determined, the service to be performed can be easily selected by the user performing the touching and the detaching operations.
The service information according to the fourth exemplary embodiment describes the types of services that can be performed in the display states. Further, the service information according to the fourth exemplary embodiment describes the applications, service setting information, communication protocols (hereinafter referred to as protocols) that are necessary for performing the service (refer to
Referring to
The service information acquisition unit 1209 acquires the display state from the display control unit 1204, and acquires from the service information table the service information and the service list corresponding to the display state. The service information transmission unit 1210 transmits the service information and the service list to the peer apparatus. The service information receiving unit 1211 receives the service information and the service list from the peer apparatus.
A service information determination unit 1212 includes a selection menu control unit 1216 and a selected information reception timer 1217. The selection menu control unit 1216 causes the operator to select, when the service to be used cannot be automatically determined, the item of the service information. More specifically, referring to
The selected information reception timer 1217 measures the time for receiving the service information from the peer apparatus 1602. The selected information reception timer 1217 is started when the selection menu control unit 1216 displays the selection menu on the display units 1603 and 1604, and is stopped when the service information is determined.
The process according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below with reference to a flowchart illustrated in
The digital camera 1601 and the cellular phone 1602 are initially placed at a distance that is long enough so that the short-range wireless communication 1605 cannot be performed. If the image file stored in the digital camera 1601 is to be printed by the printer 1602, the image file to be printed is selected by the operator operating on the digital camera 1601. In general, the display unit 1603 in the digital camera 1601 displays the image file to be printed. On the other hand, the display state of the printer 1602 is the menu screen.
The digital camera 1601 is then placed close to the printer 1602 in such a state. In step S1701, the communication detection unit in the digital camera 1601 which is monitoring connection of the short-range wireless communication 1105 detects whether the connection is established. If the communication detection unit detects the connection (YES in step S1701), the process proceeds to step S1702. In step S1702, the determination unit 1215 determines the display state of the display unit and notifies the service information acquisition unit 1209 of the display state. The service information acquisition unit 1209 thus acquires the current display state of the display unit 1603.
As a result, the service information acquisition unit 1209 can confirm that the display state is “select image file”. In step S1703, the service information acquisition unit 1209 searches the service information table 1208 and acquires the service information corresponding to the display state. According to the present exemplary embodiment, since the display state is “select image file”, the service information acquisition unit 1209 acquires as the service information, “image print (in the transmitting side)” and “image transfer (in the transmitting side)” (refer to
In step S1704, the service information transmission unit 1210 transmits to the printer 1602, i.e., the peer apparatus, the service information acquired by the service information acquisition unit 1209. In step S1705, the service information reception timer 1213 is then started. In step S1706, it is determined whether the service information from the peer apparatus has been received after a predetermine time has elapsed from when the service information reception timer 1213 is started. If the service information has not been received after a predetermine time has elapsed (YES in step S1706), it is determined that an error has occurred in the peer apparatus, or that the peer apparatus is a legacy device that is not suitable to the process. The service selection process is then suspended and ends. If the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information (NO in step S1706), the process proceeds to step S1707. In step S1707, it is determined whether the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information from the peer apparatus. If the service information receiving unit 1211 has received the service information from the peer apparatus (YES in step S1707), the service information reception timer 1213 is stopped. The process then proceeds to step S1708.
Instep S1708, the service information determination unit 1212 compares the service information of the digital camera 1601 acquired by the service information acquisition unit 1209 and the received service information of the printer 1602. In step S1709, the service information determination unit 1212 determines whether there is the service information that is to be cooperatively performed, based on the comparison result. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the display state of the printer 1602 is the menu screen. The service information receiving unit 1211 thus receives “image print (in the receiving side)” and “image transfer (in the receiving side)” as the service information. As a result, “image print (in the transmitting side)” and “image print (in the receiving side)”, and “image transfer (in the transmitting side)” and “image transfer (in the receiving side)” match as the service information that is to be cooperatively executed.
If there are services that match in all of the items (YES in step S1709), the process proceeds to step S1710. In step S1710, sums of the priority levels of all items related to such services in the own apparatus and the peer apparatus are compared, and the service whose sum of the priority levels is greatest is determined as the service to be performed. In addition, if there is only one service that matches in all of the items (YES in step S1710), the service is determined as the service to be performed, regardless of the priority level. The process then proceeds to step S1720. In step S1720, the application management unit 1214 activates the application software that provides the cooperative service determined by the service information determination unit 1212. In step S1721, the application management unit 1214 performs the determined cooperative service employing the activated application software. On the other hand, if there is no service that matches (NO in step S1709), the processing is ended without performing the service. In that case, an error may be displayed for the user.
According to the fourth exemplary embodiment, since the priority level (i.e., the sum of the priority levels) of the image print service is higher than that of the image transfer service, the image print service is determined to be the service to be performed. Further, since the priority levels of application #1 and application #2 illustrated in
According to the present exemplary embodiment, the user is caused to select the application. However, the user may similarly be caused to select a service. In such a case, the user is caused to select the service from the services that can be commonly performed by the digital camera 1601 and the printer 1602. The service to be performed can thus be easily selected even when the service to be performed cannot be uniquely determined based on the priority level.
In step S1720, the application management unit 1214 activates the application software that provides the selected cooperative service. In step S1721, the application management unit 1214 performs the determined cooperative service employing the executed application software. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the service in which the printer 1602 prints the image selected in the digital camera 1601 is performed. On the other hand, if the service information is not selected in the own apparatus or the peer apparatus, and the operator selects to end the process in step S1719 (YES in step S1719), the process ends.
The service information is selected as described below with reference to
Further, since the image print service can be determined by comparison between the priority levels, the choices of the items that have not been determined may be displayed first. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the choices of applications for performing image print as illustrated in
If there is no matching service information in the service information exchanged between the digital camera 1601 and the printer 1602 (NO in step S1709), the process proceeds to step S1711. In step S1711, a comparison is performed between the service lists (of all services) of the digital camera 1601 and the printer 1602. In step S1712, if it is determined that there is the service information that match among the service information which is to be cooperatively performed (YES in step S1712), the process proceeds to step S1713. In step S1713, the choices for selecting the service information are displayed and the operator is caused to select the service. According to the present exemplary embodiment, there is a plurality of methods for selecting the service. For example, a list of matching service information is displayed, and the operator is caused to select the service to be used. Further, the operator may be caused to select the item of the service information that cannot be determined. The processes performed after step S1713 are the same as described above, and description will be omitted.
As described above, the operator can print the image file by only selecting the image file on the display unit 1603 in the digital camera 1601 and touching the printer 1602 with the digital camera 1601. It is thus not necessary for the operator to set all of the service setting information to start the service. Further, by using the priority levels, the process can be flexibly performed even when there is a plurality of services, applications, service setting information, and protocols. Furthermore, if the service to be used cannot be automatically determined, the operator can be caused to select the service to be used from available services. Moreover, if the service can be narrowed down using the priority levels of the service information, the operator can be caused to select only the items in the service information that cannot be automatically determined. As a result, the operation to be performed by the operator can be simplified, and the operator can use the service by easy operation.
According to a fifth exemplary embodiment, the service information is selected from the display state of the own apparatus, and the cooperative service with the peer apparatus is then started. If the service can be normally started, the service is continued. If the service with the peer apparatus cannot be started, the service is switched to another service, and the cooperative service with the peer service is then started.
The system configuration according to the present exemplary embodiment is similar to that illustrated in
The process according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart illustrated in
The digital camera 1601 and the printer 1602 are initially placed at a distance that is long enough so that the short-range wireless communication 1605 cannot be performed. If the user desires the image file stored in the digital camera 1601 to be printed by the printer 1602, the image file to be printed is selected by the user operating on the digital camera 1601. In general, the display unit 1603 in the digital camera 1601 displays the image file to be printed.
The digital camera 1601 is then placed close to the printer 1602 in such a state. In step S2101, the communication detection unit in the digital camera 1601 which is monitoring connection of the short-range wireless communication 1105 detects whether the connection is established. If the communication detection unit detects the connection (YES in step S2101), the process proceeds to step S2102. In step S2102, the determination unit 1215 determines the display state of the display unit and notifies the service information acquisition unit 1209 of the display state. The service information acquisition unit 1209 thus acquires the current display state of the display unit 1603.
As a result, the service information acquisition unit 1209 can confirm that the display state is “select image file”. In step S2103, the service information acquisition unit 1209 searches the service information table 1208 and acquires the service information corresponding to the display state. According to the present exemplary embodiment, since the display state is “select image file”, the service information acquisition unit 1209 acquires as the service information, “image print (in the transmitting side)” and “image transfer (in the transmitting side)” (refer to
Instep S2104, the service information determination unit 1212 confirms the priority level of the service information acquired by the service information acquisition unit 1209 and selects the service information of the highest priority level. In step S2105, upon selecting the service information, the application management unit 1214 executes the application software providing the service corresponding to the selected service information. In step S2106, the application management unit 1214 notifies the peer apparatus of service start using the executed application software. In step S2107, if the peer apparatus does not support the service, an error is generated, or there is no response (YES in step S2107). The service thus ends due to the error. On the other hand, if the peer apparatus supports the service, a normal response is returned with respect to starting the service (NO in step S2107), and the process proceeds to step S2108. In step S2108, the service is thus continuously performed. If the service ends due to the error, the service information determination unit 1212 reselects the service of the next priority level and performs the processes starting from step S2105. If none of the services of the service information acquired in step S2103 can be performed, the process ends.
According to the present exemplary embodiment, since the display state of the digital camera 1601 is “select image file”, the service information acquisition unit 1209 acquires as the service information, “image print (in the transmitting side)” and “image transfer (in the transmitting side)”. The selection and starting of the service information are then repeated until “image print (in the transmitting side)” using application #1 with which the printer 1602 complies is selected. Further, when “image print (in the transmitting side)” using the application #1 is selected, the image print service in cooperation with the printer 1602 is performed.
As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the service can be performed using the automatic service selection based on the display state even when the peer apparatus does not support the automatic service selection.
The present invention may also be realized by supplying software (i.e., a program code) that can implement the functions of the above-described exemplary embodiments, to a system or an apparatus using a computer-readable storage medium, and the system or the apparatus reading out and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-111532 filed May 13, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-111532 | May 2010 | JP | national |