INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM THEREFOR

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a plurality of recording media, an operation unit receiving an operation from a user, a communication unit outputting data stored on the recording media to an external device, and a controller displaying, on a display unit, a setting screen for setting a mode for outputting data via the communication unit and to control the apparatus on the basis of information input on the setting screen. The controller displays, as the setting screen, a function selection screen enabling the user to simultaneously select a recording medium serving as a source from which data is output via the communication unit and a function to be executed. On the basis of information input on the function selection screen using the operation unit, the controller performs a setting operation to output data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with a communication mode based on the selected function.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of an imager serving as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a GUI and the data output processing performed by the imager;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the GUI presented on a display unit of the imager serving as the example of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention and the data output processing performed by the imager;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a function selection processing sequence using a USB function selection screen presented as the GUI in the imager;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing sequence using the USB function selection screen and a USB disconnection screen, which are presented as the GUI in the imager;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing sequence in the case where a USB cable is disconnected and then reconnected to the imager;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing processing sequences in the case where the USB cable is disconnected and then reconnected to the imager;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the imager according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the imager according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of data-recordable recording media;an operation unit operable to receive an operation from a user;a communication unit operable to output data stored on the recording media to an external device; anda controller operable to display a setting screen for setting a data output mode for outputting data via the communication unit on a display unit and to control the information processing apparatus on the basis of information input on the setting screen using the operation unit,wherein the controller displays, as the setting screen displayed on the display unit, a function selection screen enabling the user to simultaneously select a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the communication unit and a function to be executed via the communication unit, andwherein the controller performs, on the basis of information input on the function selection screen using the operation unit, a setting operation to output data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with a communication mode based on the selected function.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller displays the function selection screen enabling the user to simultaneously select the recording medium serving as the output data source from which data is output via the communication unit and, as the function to be executed, one of a mass storage mode and a print mode, and wherein the controller performs, on the basis of selection information input on the function selection screen, a setting operation to output the data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with a communication mode corresponding to the selected mass storage mode or to output print data in accordance with a communication mode corresponding to the print mode.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller displays, on the display unit, a selection screen enabling the user to select termination of outputting of data via the communication unit or changing of the recording medium serving as the output data source from which data is output via the communication unit or the function to be executed.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the information processing apparatus communicates with the external device in accordance with the communication mode based on the selected function, when the information processing apparatus is disconnected from the external device, the controller maintains the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the information processing apparatus was disconnected from the external device.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit outputs data to the external device via a universal serial bus cable according to the universal serial bus standard, and wherein, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the communication unit or the external device, the controller maintains the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit outputs data to the external device via a universal serial bus cable according to the universal serial bus standard, and wherein, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the communication unit or the external device, and when the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected was a mass storage mode, the controller maintains a state existing prior to the disconnection of the universal serial bus cable without transferring a right to access the recording medium set in the mass storage mode as the output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable.

7. An information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of data-recordable recording media;a communication unit operable to output data stored on the recording media to an external device; anda controller operable to display a function selection screen on a display unit,wherein the controller performs a display operation to display, on the display unit, a selection screen enabling a user to select termination of outputting of data via the communication unit or changing of a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the communication unit or a function to be executed.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of data-recordable recording media;a universal serial bus connector operable to output data stored on the recording media via a universal serial bus cable; anda controller operable to display a graphical user interface (GUI) serving as a function selection screen on a display unit,wherein the controller performs a display operation to display, on the display unit, a GUI enabling a user to select termination of outputting of data via the universal serial bus cable or changing of a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable or a universal serial bus function to be executed.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of data-recordable recording media;a universal serial bus connector operable to output data stored on the recording media via a universal serial bus cable; anda controller operable to maintain, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the universal serial bus connector, a mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the universal serial bus connector, and when the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected was a mass storage mode, the controller maintains a state existing prior to the disconnection of the universal serial bus cable without transferring a right to access the recording medium set in the mass storage mode as an output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable.

11. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus including a plurality of data-recordable recording media and a communication unit operable to output data stored on the recording media to an external device, the method comprising the steps of: displaying, on a display unit, a setting screen for setting a data output mode for outputting data via the communication unit, the setting screen being a function selection screen enabling a user to simultaneously select a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the communication unit and a function to be executed; andcontrolling the information processing apparatus on the basis of information input on the setting screen, the information being selection information input on the function selection screen, to output data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with the selected function.

12. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein, when the function selection screen is displayed, the user is enabled to simultaneously select the recording medium serving as the output data source from which data is output via the communication unit and, as the function to be executed, one of a mass storage mode and a print mode, and wherein, on the basis of the selection information input on the function selection screen, the information processing apparatus is controlled to output the data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with a communication mode corresponding to the selected mass storage mode or to output print data in accordance with a communication mode corresponding to the print mode.

13. The information processing method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying, on the display unit, a selection screen enabling the user to select termination of outputting of data via the communication unit or changing of the recording medium serving as the output data source from which data is output via the communication unit or a universal serial bus function to be executed.

14. The information processing method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of maintaining, in the case where the information processing apparatus communicates with the external device in accordance with the communication mode based on the selected function, when the information processing apparatus is disconnected from the external device, the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the information processing apparatus was disconnected from the external device.

15. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus including a plurality of data-recordable recording media and a universal serial bus connector operable to output data stored on the recording media via a universal serial bus cable, the method comprising the steps of: displaying, on a display unit, a setting screen for setting a data output mode for outputting data via the universal serial bus connector, the setting screen being a function selection screen enabling a user to simultaneously select a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable and a function to be executed; andcontrolling the information processing apparatus on the basis of information input on the setting screen, the information being selection information input on the function selection screen, to output data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with the selected function.

16. The information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of maintaining, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the universal serial bus connector or from a device connected to the information processing apparatus via the universal serial bus connector, and when the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected was a mass storage mode, a state existing prior to the disconnection of the universal serial bus cable without transferring a right to access the recording medium set in the mass storage mode as the output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable.

17. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus including a plurality of data-recordable recording media and a universal serial bus connector operable to output data stored on the recording media via a universal serial bus cable, the method comprising the step of displaying a function selection screen on a display unit, the function display screen being a setting screen enabling a user to select termination of outputting of data via the universal serial bus cable or changing of a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable or a universal serial bus function to be executed.

18. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus including a plurality of data-recordable recording media and a universal serial bus connector operable to output data stored on the recording media via a universal serial bus cable, the method comprising the step of maintaining, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the universal serial bus connector or from a device connected to the information processing apparatus via the universal serial bus connector, a mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected.

19. The information processing method according to claim 18, wherein, when the universal serial bus cable is disconnected from the universal serial bus connector or from the device connected to the information processing apparatus via the universal serial bus connector, and when the mode of the information processing apparatus set at the time the universal serial bus cable was disconnected was a mass storage mode, the information processing apparatus is controlled to maintain a state existing prior to the disconnection of the universal serial bus cable without transferring a right to access the recording medium set in the mass storage mode as an output data source from which data is output via the universal serial bus cable.

20. A computer program for allowing an information processing apparatus including a plurality of data-recordable recording media and a communication unit operable to output data stored on the recording media to an external device to perform information processing comprising the steps of: displaying, by a controller, a setting screen on a display unit for setting a data output mode for outputting data via the communication unit, the setting screen being a function selection screen enabling a user to simultaneously select a recording medium serving as an output data source from which data is output via the communication unit and a function to be executed; andcontrolling, by the controller, the information processing apparatus on the basis of information input on the setting screen, the information being selection information input on the function selection screen, to output data recorded on the selected recording medium in accordance with the selected function.