Cooperation system, information processing apparatus, cooperation method and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with cooperation program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10178250-B2
Application number	US-201715722931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2017
Priority date	Oct 21, 2016
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a display, a position detector that detects a position in a display surface of the display and a hardware processor. The hardware processor, in response to detection of the position with which an object has been in contact, detects a portable device; establishes a communication path with the portable device; detects a continuation state based on a state of the portable device or a state of the information processing apparatus; in the case where the communication path is established with the portable device, and the portable device is detected, switches to a cooperation mode; in the case where the portable device is no longer detected, if the continuation state is detected, maintains the cooperation mode; and in the case where the portable device is no longer detected, if the continuation state is not detected, switches from the cooperation mode to the single mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
a display that displays an image;
a position detector that detects a position with which an object has been in contact in a display surface of the display; and
a hardware processor, wherein
the hardware processor,
in response to detection by the position detector of the position with which the object has been in contact, detects a portable device,
establishes a communication path with the portable device,
detects a continuation state based on a state of the portable device or a state of the information processing apparatus,
in the case where the communication path is established with the portable device, and the hardware processor detects the portable device, switches from a single mode to a cooperation mode,
the single mode being an operation mode in which the information processing apparatus is not in cooperation with the portable device, and the cooperation mode being an operation mode in which the information processing apparatus is in cooperation with the portable device,
in the case where the hardware processor no longer detects the portable device in the cooperation mode, if the continuation state is detected, maintains the cooperation mode, and
in the case where the hardware processor no longer detects the portable device in the cooperation mode, if the continuation state is not detected, switches from the cooperation mode to the single mode.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor,
in response to the detection of the position with which the object has been in contact by the position detector, further accepts an operation by a user,
in the cooperation mode, in accordance with the accepted operation, further sets a device-side setting value used for execution of a device-side process defined as a process, executed by the information processing apparatus, of a cooperation process defining a series of a plurality of processes executed by the information processing apparatus and the portable device that are in cooperation with each other,
in the single mode, in accordance with the accepted operation, further sets a device single setting value used for execution of a device single process different from the device-side process,
further executes the device-side process in the cooperation mode in accordance with the device-side setting value in cooperation with the portable device,
further executes the device single process in the single mode in accordance with the device single setting value,
in the cooperation mode after the portable device is no longer detected, in the case where the communication, path established with the portable device is disconnected, further stores the device-side setting value set in association with the portable device,
in the case where the communication path established with the portable device during the cooperation mode is disconnected, further switches from the cooperation mode to the single mode,
in the case where the operation mode is switched from the single mode to the cooperation mode, if the device-side setting value associated with the portable device is stored, further restarts setting of the device-side setting value, and
in the case where the operation mode is switched from the single mode to the cooperation mode, if the device-side setting value associated with the portable device is not stored, further sets the device-side setting value from its beginning.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor, in the case where the portable device is executing a predetermined application program, detects the continuation state.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the predetermined application program is an application program different from an application program for execution of a process in cooperation with information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor, in the case where a predetermined time period has not elapsed since a portable-slide setting value used for execution of a portable-side process defined as a process, executed by the portable device, of a cooperation process, is accepted in the portable device, detects the continuation state.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor, in the case where a predetermined time period has not elapsed since a device-side setting value is accepted, detects the continuation state.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor, in the case where a defect pf a hardware resource occurs, detects the continuation state.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor, in the case where a remaining amount of battery that has power for driving the portable device is equal to or less than a predetermined value, detects the continuation state.

9. A cooperation system that includes the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 and a portable device carried by a user,
the portable device comprising portable-side hardware processor, wherein
the portable-side hardware processor
accepts an operation by the user,
in accordance with the accepted operation, sets a portable-side setting value used for execution of a portable-side process defined as a process, executed by the portable device, of a cooperation process, or a portable single setting value used for execution of a portable single process other than the portable-side process,
in the case where the information processing apparatus is in any one of the single mode and the cooperation mode, executes the portable single process, and
in the case where the information processing apparatus is in the cooperation mode, executes the portable -side process in cooperation with the information processing apparatus.

10. The cooperation system according to claim 9 , wherein
the hardware processor of the information processing apparatus, in the case where a communication path is established between the information processing apparatus and the portable device at a time point at which the operation mode is switched from the cooperation mode to the single mode, further notifies the portable device of the switch to the single mode, and
the portable-side hardware processor, in the case where the portable device is notified of the switch to the single mode by the information processing apparatus, deletes the portable-side setting value.

11. The cooperation system according to claim 9 , wherein
the hardware processor of the information processing apparatus further transmits the detected continuation state to the portable device, and
the portable-side hardware processor, in the case where notification of the continuation state is not made at a time point at which the communication path between the information processing apparatus and the portable device is disconnected, deletes the portable-side setting value.

12. The cooperation system according to claim 9 , wherein
the hardware processor of the information processing apparatus, in the case where the operation mode is switched from the single mode to the cooperation mode, further transmits a continuation signal, which indicates whether a device-side setting piton restarts setting of the device-side setting value, to the portable device, and
the portable-side hardware processor,
in response to reception of a continuation signal, which indicates that the setting of the device-side setting value is not to be restarted, from the info

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Haba Shoko
• Kurumasa Yoichi
• Tomiyasu Kazuhiro
• Nishimura Ryosuke
• Kawabata Mie
• Qu Zhenhuan

Classifications

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• G06F3/1236

  Connection management · CPC title

• G06F3/1292

  Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing · CPC title

• H04N1/00307 Primary

  with a mobile telephone apparatus (constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00) · CPC title

• H04N1/32767

  in response to a user operation, e.g. actuating a switch (H04N1/32769 and H04N1/32771 take precedence) · CPC title