Image processing apparatus, and method and program for presenting information representing operation procedures to be performed on the image processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9307105-B2
Application number	US-201414512260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 21, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus combines a plurality of sub-movies representing operation procedures to be performed to perform maintenance on the image forming apparatus and plays the combined sub-movies sequentially as one movie. In response to stopping the movie being played, the image forming apparatus displays a replay mark for use to issue a command to replay the movie from the beginning of a sub-movie corresponding to a position where the movie is stopped.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a first storage unit configured to store a plurality of sub-movies respectively representing operation procedures to be performed on the image processing apparatus;
a second storage unit configured to store pieces of information each indicating a combination of sub-movies to be played, in association with respective pieces of maintenance identifying information for respectively identifying a plurality of maintenance events;
a detecting unit configured to detect occurrence of a maintenance event;
an acquiring unit configured to acquire sub-movies to be played from among the plurality sub-movies stored in the first storage unit, based on the information indicating the combination of the sub-movies stored in the second storage unit in association with the maintenance identifying information for identifying the detected maintenance event;
a playing unit configured to play the acquired sub-movies as a single movie; and
a display unit configured to, according to playing of a single sub-movie among the acquired sub-movies being paused, display a replay mark for a user instructing replaying of the movie from the beginning of the paused sub-movie.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit displays the replay mark together with a play mark for the user instruction playing of the sub-movie from a position where the sub-movie is paused.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the playing unit stops the playing of a sub-movie in response to reaching an end of the sub-movie.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the second storage unit stores information indicating a playing order of sub-movies, and
the playing unit plays the acquired sub-movies according to the playing order.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-movies to be played include a preparation procedure movie representing an operation procedure to be performed before an operation procedure for solving the detected maintenance event is performed, and a main procedure movie representing an operation procedure to be performed after the operation procedure represented by the preparation procedure movie is performed.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a first determination unit configured to determine whether the operation procedure represented by the preparation procedure movie is completed,
wherein in response to the first determination unit determining that the operation procedure represented by the preparation procedure movie is completed, a playing position of the sub-movies is moved to the beginning of the main procedure movie.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first determination unit determines whether a cover provided on the image processing apparatus is opened, wherein the cover is a cover corresponding to a position where a maintenance event has occurred.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second determination unit configured to determine, in a case where a cover is closed when the sub-movies are being played by the playing unit, whether all maintenance events that have occurred in the image processing apparatus have been solved, wherein the cover is a cover corresponding to a position where a maintenance event has occurred,
wherein in a case where it is determined that all maintenance events have not yet been solved, the movie is switched to a movie related to an unsolved maintenance event.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting unit is capable of detecting a state in which replacement of a predetermined toner cartridge is necessary as a maintenance event.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the acquiring unit acquires at least a sub-movie indicating the procedure of opening a toner cover in order to expose a mount portion of the predetermined toner cartridge, one or more sub-movies indicating the procedure of replacing the predetermined toner cartridge, and a sub-movie indicating the procedure of closing the toner cover, according to the detecting unit detecting the state in which the replacement of the predetermined toner cartridge is necessary.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting unit is capable of detecting occurrence of a jammed sheet as a maintenance event.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the acquiring unit acquires at least a sub-movie indicating the procedure of opening a cover in order to expose a portion of the jammed sheet, one or more sub-movies indicating the procedure of removing the jammed sheet, and a sub-movie indicating the procedure of closing the cover, according to the detecting unit detecting the occurrence of the jammed sheet.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a reading unit configured to read an image on a document to generate image data.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a printing unit configured to make printing based on the read image data.

15. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising:
storing a plurality of sub-movies respectively representing operation procedures to be performed on the image processing apparatus;
storing pieces of information each indicating a combination of sub-movies to be played, in association with respective pieces of maintenance identifying information for respectively identifying a plurality of maintenance events;
detecting occurrence of a maintenance event;
acquiring sub-movies to be played from among the plurality of sub-movies, based on the information indicating the combination of the sub-movies stored in association with the maintenance identifying information for identifying the detected maintenance event;
playing the acquired sub-movies as a single movie; and
displaying, according to playing of a single sub-movie among the acquired sub-movies being paused, a replay mark for a user instructing replaying of the movie from the beginning of the paused sub-movie.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions configured to control a computer to execute a method comprising:
storing a plurality of sub-movies respectively representing operation procedures to be performed on the image processing apparatus;
storing pieces of information each indicating a combination of sub-movies to be played, in association with respective pieces of maintenance identifying information for respectively identifying a plurality of maintenance events;
detecting occurrence of a maintenance event;
acquiring sub-movies to be played from among the plurality of sub-movies, based on the information indicating the combination of the sub-movies stored in association with the maintenance identifying information for identifying the detected maintenance event;
playing the acquired sub-movies as a single movie; and
displaying, according to playing of a single sub-movie among the acquired sub-movies being paused, a replay mark for a user instructing replaying of the movie from the beginning of the paused sub-movie.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ikeda Toru

Classifications

• H04N2201/3267

  of motion picture signals, e.g. video clip · CPC title

• G06F3/1256

  User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks · CPC title

• H04N1/32635

  of reproducing apparatus or receiver, e.g. out of paper · CPC title

• H04N1/00037

  Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state (H04N1/00031 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/0049 Primary

  providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp (H04N1/00408 takes precedence) · CPC title