Patent Application
20180309901
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a display control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
Conventionally, there is a technique that can switch an operation mode of an operating system (hereinafter, OS) that operates on an information processing apparatus. For example, in Windows 10 (registered trademark) which is an OS of Microsoft Corporation, a desktop mode premised upon usage while a plurality of windows are displayed, and a tablet mode premised upon usage of one window in a full screen mode are implemented. A user can perform work while changing the operation mode of the OS in accordance with an intended use.
Some applications perform a notification to a user by performing a pop-up display of a screen under specific conditions (an error occurrence or the like). If a notification by a pop-up of a screen is performed during work in the tablet mode described above, there is a possibility that it would obstruct a user operation. Therefore, a technique (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-060400) for preventing a reduction of work efficiency by not performing a display of predetermined information when it is detected that the OS is operating in a specific operation mode premised upon being used in a full screen mode such as the tablet mode described above is proposed.
However, in the specific operation mode, if configuration is taken such that a notification regarding an error that has occurred in a printer is not performed, there may be cases where inconvenience occurs when using a device such as a printer. For example, there may be a case in which a user does not notice that printing that they have executed has stopped due to a printer error or the like. When a printer remains stopped due to an error or the like, in a case where the printer is being used by sharing in an office environment or the like, this may lead to also obstructing the work of other users who cause subsequent printing to be executed. Accordingly, performing a notification that obstructs a user operation as little as possible in a specific operation mode such as the tablet mode described above is required.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising: an obtainment unit configured to obtain information from an external apparatus; a determination unit configured to determine an operation mode of the information processing apparatus; and a notification unit configured to perform a notification based on the information obtained by the obtainment unit, wherein the notification unit, if the mode determined by the determination unit is a specific operation mode, performs the notification based on the information obtained by the obtainment unit in a second notification screen that is smaller than a first notification screen, and, if the mode determined by the determination unit is not the specific operation mode, performs the notification based on the information obtained by the obtainment unit in the first notification screen.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display control method in an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus, comprising: obtaining information from an external apparatus; determining an operation mode of the information processing apparatus; and performing a notification based on the obtained information, wherein if the mode determined is a specific operation mode, performs the notification based on the obtained information in a second notification screen that is smaller than a first notification screen, and, if the mode determined is not the specific operation mode, performs the notification based on the obtained information in the first notification screen.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as: an obtainment unit configured to obtain information from an external apparatus; a determination unit configured to determine an operation mode of the computer; and a notification unit configured to perform a notification based on the information obtained by the obtainment unit, wherein the notification unit, if the mode determined by the determination unit is a specific operation mode, performs the notification based on the information obtained by the obtainment unit in a second notification screen that is smaller than a first notification screen, and, if the mode determined by the determination unit is not the specific operation mode, performs the notification based on the information obtained by the obtainment unit in the first notification screen.
By the present application invention, it is possible to suitably perform a notification to a user in accordance with an operation mode of an information processing apparatus.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings).
Below, explanation is given in detail of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention in regard to the scope of the patent claims, and, in addition, there is no limitation to all combinations of the features explained in the embodiments being necessary for means for solving the present invention.
With reference to
An information processing apparatus 100 has an input interface 102, a CPU 103, a ROM 104, a RAM 105, a storage apparatus 106, an output interface 108, a display unit 107, a keyboard 101, a mouse 109, and a network interface 110. The network interface 110 is connected via a network cable 111 to a network 190. The CPU 103 (central processing unit) performs calculation processing to control the operations of each unit of the information processing apparatus 100. The ROM 104 is a non-volatile storage region and stores an initialization program or the like. The storage apparatus 106 is a non-volatile storage region and saves a group of application programs, an OS (operating system), a printer driver, and other various data. The RAM 105 is a volatile storage region and is used as a work memory by various programs stored in the storage apparatus 106, which is a hard disk or the like. In addition, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is assumed to be able to switch the operation modes of the OS (not shown) that operates in the information processing apparatus 100. Here, explanation is given of an example of a desktop mode and a tablet mode used in Windows 10 (registered trademark), an OS of Microsoft Corporation. As described above, the tablet mode is an operation mode premised on the fact that a window is used in a full screen mode and is referred to as a first operation mode for convenience here. Also, the desktop mode is an operation mode in which it is possible to display several windows in a screen and is referred to as a second operation mode for convenience here.
The mouse 109 and the keyboard 101 are operation units, and a user can use them to appropriately perform various kinds of necessary settings. The information processing apparatus 100 can accept a user input from an operation unit, via the input interface 102. An image is displayed in the display unit 107, by outputting image data to the display unit 107 via the output interface 108. Note that, in the present embodiment, although the display unit 107 and the operation units are given as different configurations, there is no limitation to this, and they may be configured such that at least a portion thereof is integrated as with a touch panel or the like. In addition, the network interface 110 is connected via the network cable 111 to the network 190. Note that configuration may be taken so as to connect to the network 190 by wireless communication.
A printing apparatus 150 has a network interface 151, a RAM 152, a print engine 153, a ROM 154, and a CPU 156. The network interface 151 is connected via a network cable 157 to the network 190. Note that configuration may be taken so as to connect to the network 190 by wireless communication. The RAM 152 is a volatile storage region, is used as a work memory and a main memory of the CPU 156, and saves various data or a reception buffer for temporarily saving a received print job. The print engine 153 is included in a printing unit that performs printing based on data saved in the RAM 152. The ROM 154 is a non-volatile storage region, and stores various control programs such as a status management program 155, and data used by each control program. The CPU 156 (central processing unit) performs calculation processing to control the operations of each unit of the printing apparatus 150. The CPU 156 controls each unit of the printing apparatus 150 in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM 154.
The status management program 155 is a program for monitoring a processing status of a print job or a state of the printing apparatus 150 based on, for example, information of various sensors (not shown) in the printing apparatus 150, generating status information, and storing it in the RAM 152.
Here, although distribution of processing of the information processing apparatus 100 and the printing apparatus 150 was described above as an example, there is no limitation in particular to this distribution configuration, and another configuration may be used.
The information processing apparatus 100 transmits a print job to the printing apparatus 150 via the network 190, by a printer driver (not shown) or the like. The printing apparatus 150 performs print processing by controlling a printing unit (not shown) in accordance with the print control unit 231.
An application 211 operates on the information processing apparatus 100. The application 211 is a module of a portion of a printer driver (not shown), and is an application for causing management information of the printing apparatus 150 which is an external apparatus to be displayed. The application 211 starts when an execution button for printing is selected, or when a start button of the application 211 is selected. The application 211 is configured by including an operation mode obtainment unit 212, a first display unit 213, a second display unit 214, a display control changing unit 215, and a management information obtainment unit 216. The operation mode obtainment unit 212 can obtain operation mode information of the OS. The first display unit 213 causes a UI of the application 211 to be displayed on the display unit 107. The management information obtainment unit 216 obtains management information that is obtained from the printing apparatus 150. The first display unit 213 performs a detailed display relating to a state of the printing apparatus 150, based on the obtained management information. Explanation is given by
A window information obtainment unit 217 obtains window information of other software currently being displayed in the display unit 107 of the information processing apparatus 100. The display control changing unit 215 changes the display of the application 211, based on the information obtained by the operation mode obtainment unit 212 and the information obtained by the window information obtainment unit 217. Using
In the present embodiment, a display that uses the toast notification function when an error has occurred in the tablet mode is performed. In the present embodiment, the screen 310 is used in place of the screen 300 of
As a default setting, the setting item 404 is ON by the entry of a check in a check-box. In this state, upon detecting the tablet mode and that a window of another piece of software is started, the screen 310 as illustrated in
By the simplified notification method setting portion 405, it is possible to alternatively select by a radio button whether to perform a notification by email or whether to perform a notification by using an OS notification function (toast), as methods of a simplified notification. Here, it is assumed that a setting for performing a notification by using the OS notification function (toast) is made as a default setting. Note that configuration may be taken such that it is possible to further perform a setting of an email address when notification by email is selected. In addition, configuration may be taken such that it is possible to select both as the method of a simplified notification.
When a user uses the printing apparatus 150 to execute printing, a printer driver (not shown) equipped by the information processing apparatus 100 starts the application 211. Note that, regarding a method of starting the application 211, for example, the application 211 may be started by a user operation, or another piece of software that detects, for example, that an error has occurred in the printing apparatus 150 may start the application 211.
In step S501, the application 211 obtains the operation mode of the OS by the operation mode obtainment unit 212.
In step S502, the application 211 determines whether the operation mode of the OS is the tablet mode. If the operation mode of the OS is the tablet mode (YES in step S502), a transition is made to the processing of step S503. Note that the operation mode is not limited to the desktop mode and the tablet mode. For example, additionally, configuration may be taken so as to handle a case of a full-screen mode, which is used so as to not allow another window to be displayed when a user appreciating a game, a DVD, or the like, similarly to the tablet mode. When not the tablet mode, in other words when the desktop mode (NO in step S502), transition is made to the processing of step S508.
In step S503, the application 211 obtains window information of another piece of software that is being displayed on the OS. Specifically, information relating to the display state of another window is obtained here.
In step S504, the application 211 determines whether the window of the other piece of software is present on the screen of the OS. In other words, it is determined whether the window of the other piece of software is being displayed on a foreground on the OS screen. If the window of the other piece of software is present (YES in step S504), a transition is made to the processing of step S505, and if it is not present (NO in step S504), a transition is made to the processing of step S508.
In step S505, the application 211 determines to perform a background start, and operation continues in the background without causing the UI of the application 211 to be displayed.
In step S506, the application 211 uses the notification function of the OS (toast notification function) to perform a toast display as illustrated in
A toast used here is an OS standard notification method that is implemented in Windows 8 (registered trademark) onward. A toast display is a simplified notification screen, and for example a screen size is decided in advance, only characters can be displayed, and there are also restrictions on a number of characters displayed. A toast display also does not steal the focus of an application window (UI) that a user is operating (is currently being displayed). In addition, a toast display has a notification interval of approximately five seconds by default, and when that interval passes, the toast display disappears from the screen. Therefore, it is possible to make a notification to the effect that there is information that should be notified, obstructing user work as little as possible. In addition, even if a toast display disappears, a history remains in history information of the OS. Therefore, even if a user misses clicking on a toast in the set interval, it is possible to start the application from the OS history information.
For the display content of toast, configuration may be taken to show simplified information to the effect that there is some kind of notification regarding printing as illustrated in
As an example of a simplified notification, although explanation was given regarding a method by a toast display, configuration may be taken to perform a UI display without impeding a user operation as much as possible other than this. Note that, in this case too, it is assumed to be something smaller than the first notification screen. For example, it is assumed to be something that is approximately equal to a toast display or is smaller than a toast display. Configuration may be taken to, for example, display by making the size of the UI of the application 211 small while the application is started in the background. In addition, configuration may be taken to display by changing the display position of the UI of the application 211 to a screen edge or the like, and configuration may be taken to limit detail displayed on the UI of the application 211 to be only the message display portion 302, for example.
In step S507, the application 211 determines whether a screen displayed by the toast notification function has been clicked. If the screen displayed by the toast notification function has been clicked (YES in step S507), a transition is made to the processing of step S508, and if not clicked (NO in step S507), this processing flow terminates.
In step S508, the application 211 displays the UI of the application 211 indicated in
The information that the information processing apparatus 100 obtains from the printing apparatus 150 is information for a user to know whether a requested print job is appropriately progressing, and whether a state of a consumable or the like of the printing apparatus 150 is appropriate. However, because a display region is limited in an OS-standard notification method such as a toast, there may be cases in which is not possible to perform a display appropriately. Therefore, configuration may be taken such that a vendor generates their own application to display status information of each ink of the printing apparatus, progress information of a job being executed in the printing apparatus, and information regarding an error that has occurred. In a case of the desktop mode or in a state in which a window of another piece of software has not been started even if it is the tablet mode, the UI of the application 211 is displayed instead of a toast display. By this it is possible to perform a display while bothering a user as little as possible.
In addition, the processing flow illustrated in
Therefore, by the present embodiment, it is possible to appropriately change whether to perform a display by a detailed UI or whether to perform a simplified notification by using an OS notification function or the like, in accordance with an operation mode of the OS and a window start state of another piece of software. In the case of a simplified notification, because, in comparison to a detailed UI display, a window size is smaller and display content is limited to information of minimum necessary, it is possible to perform a notification without obstructing a user operation.
In the present embodiment, in addition to the configuration explained in the first embodiment, explanation is given regarding a configuration that enables display control of an application in accordance with a job progress status, by confirming an issued job progress status and error information of a printing apparatus. Note that basic operation in a system of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, and only differences are explained. In addition, in the figures, explanation is given by adding the same reference numerals to the same configurations.
The job determination unit 600 determines, from information relating to a job in the managed information obtained from the printing apparatus 150 by the management information obtainment unit 216, whether a job for which execution was requested by itself is currently executing in the printing apparatus 150. The error determination unit 601 determines, based on information relating to an error in the managed information obtained from the printing apparatus 150 by the management information obtainment unit 216, whether an error such as printing by the printing apparatus 150 stopping has occurred. For example, in the error determination unit 601, it is determined based on error classification information in the information relating to an error obtained from the printing apparatus 150, whether printing has stopped. As the error classification information of each error, a state such as a service call, an operator call, or a warning is obtained. The error determination unit 601 determines that printing is stopped if an error classified into the classifications of a service call or an operator call has occurred, and does not determine that printing is stopped if an error classified into the classification of a warning has occurred.
The display control changing unit 215 changes the display of the application 211 based on the information obtained by the operation mode obtainment unit 212 and the window information obtainment unit 217, the determination result of the job determination unit 600, and the determination result of the error determination unit 601.
In the simplified notification setting portion 802, the setting item 805 of whether to notify only an error for a job instructed by itself, when a setting item 803 for whether to perform a simplified notification in the specific operation mode (here, the tablet mode) in the OS is ON is included. As a default setting, the setting item 805 is ON by the entry of a check in a check-box. In this state, a simplified notification as illustrated in
[Processing Flow]
After the processing of step S505, in step S701 the application 211 obtains, by the management information obtainment unit 216, for example, the error information, job information, and ink information of the printing apparatus 150 that has been caused to be held by the management information holding unit 232.
In step S702, the application 211 determines whether there is an error based on the operated requested by the information processing apparatus 100. Here, the application 211, by the job determination unit 600, determines, from the job information obtained in step S701, whether it is in a state in which an error has occurred due to a job that it has instructed execution for. As an example of information used in the determination here, it is possible to use information of a name of an information processing apparatus that issued the job, an owner name that issued the job, or a GUID that uniquely identifies the job. If it determines that an error has occurred in a job that it instructed execution for (YES in step S702), a transition is made to the processing of step S506, and a toast display is performed. If it determines that an error has not occurred in a job that it instructed execution for (NO in step S702), this processing flow terminates. In other words, if an error has not occurred in a job that it instructed execution for, an error notification screen is not displayed. Processing for step S506 onward is similar to that in the first embodiment.
Therefore, by the present embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, it is possible to perform a notification that does not obstruct user work as much as possible, even in cases other than where a job issued by an information processing apparatus itself has stopped due to an error. Note that, in the present embodiment, although description was given a case in which a job issued by an information processing apparatus itself is stopped due to an error, in addition configuration make be taken, for example, to change whether to perform a simplified notification in accordance with a classification or an emergency level of the error.
Note that, in the above described embodiment, although explanation was given regarding a notification method for a case where an error has occurred, additionally configuration may be taken such that notification is performed by a similar method when starting printing.
Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™, a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
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 such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-047370, filed Mar. 10, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-047370 | Mar 2016 | JP | national |
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/434,214, filed Feb. 16, 2017, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-047370, filed Mar. 10, 2016, the entire disclosures of which are both hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15434214 | Feb 2017 | US |
| Child | 16018799 | US |
