Information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020099809-A1
Application number	US-201916565501-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an extractor, a creator, and a sender. The extractor compares items of capability information concerning plural devices and extracts a capability which is not sufficiently provided in a first device but is provided in a second device. The plural devices include the first and second devices. The creator creates a menu to be used in the first device. The first device is able to display the capability extracted by the extractor by using an icon in a mode different from an icon representing another capability and to display device information which indicates that the capability is available in the second device. The sender sends the menu to the first device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
an extractor that compares items of capability information concerning a plurality of devices and extracts a capability which is not sufficiently provided in a first device but is provided in a second device, the plurality of devices including the first and second devices; a creator that creates a menu to be used in the first device, the first device being able to display the capability extracted by the extractor by using an icon in a mode different from an icon representing another capability and to display device information which indicates that the capability is available in the second device; and a sender that sends the menu to the first device.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, as the second device, the creator selects a device that is available for an operator to use the first device.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, if a plurality of the second devices are available for the operator of the first device, the creator creates the menu so that the plurality of the second devices are displayed in ascending order of a distance from the second devices to the first device or in descending order of the capability of the second devices.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, as the second device, the creator selects a device that is available in an organization in which the first device is installed and a device that is installed in a building in which the first device is installed and that is available for anyone.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an obtaining unit that obtains the capability information and the device information concerning each of the plurality of devices from the plurality of devices.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:
the obtaining unit obtains the capability information and the device information immediately before the creator creates a menu or receives the capability information and the device information voluntarily sent from the plurality of devices; and if the obtaining unit has received the capability information and the device information voluntarily sent from the plurality of devices, the creator creates a menu immediately after the obtaining unit has received the capability information and the device information.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the device information includes information concerning a location of the second device.

8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:
comparing items of capability information concerning a plurality of devices and extracting a capability which is not sufficiently provided in a first device but is provided in a second device, the plurality of devices including the first and second devices; creating a menu to be used in the first device, the first device being able to display the extracted capability by using an icon in a mode different from an icon representing another capability and to display device information which indicates that the capability is available in the second device; and sending the menu to the first device.

9 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
extracting means for comparing items of capability information concerning a plurality of devices and extracting a capability which is not sufficiently provided in a first device but is provided in a second device, the plurality of devices including the first and second devices; creating means for creating a menu to be used in the first device, the first device being able to display the capability extracted by the extracting means by using an icon in a mode different from an icon representing another capability and to display device information which indicates that the capability is available in the second device; and sending means for sending the menu to the first device.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kosaka Fumi
• Michimura Tadao
• Yamamoto Norio
• Inoue Seiji

Classifications

• H04N1/00474

  outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print · CPC title

• H04N1/00413 Primary

  using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options (H04N1/00464 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00503 Primary

  Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

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