Information processing apparatus that is capable of controlling scanner and that when an application is activated transmits device information indicating a device connected to the apparatus to the application, and control method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9560233-B2
Application number	US-201313934100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2013
Priority date	Jul 9, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

In an information processing apparatus controlling a scanner, a reading instruction and a reading setting made in the scanner is detected by the scanner driver. When the reading instruction is detected, reading to be performed according to the detected reading setting is acquired by an application via an operating system, and the scanner driver is instructed that the scanner executes the reading according to the acquired reading setting, with the application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a reading apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:
a reception unit configured to receive an activation instruction generated based on an event issued by the reading apparatus in accordance with an instruction of a reading operation input in the reading apparatus,
wherein a scanner driver corresponding to the reading apparatus receives the event including a reading setting;
a list acquiring unit configured to acquire a list from the scanner driver if the activation instruction is received,
wherein a reading apparatus included in the list connects to the information processing apparatus and corresponds to the scanner driver;
a selection unit configured to select a reading apparatus from the list;
an acquiring unit configured to acquire the reading setting of the selected reading apparatus from the scanner driver;
a first acquisition unit configured to acquire an occurrence time of the event;
a second acquisition unit configured to acquire an activation time when an application is activated by the activation instruction;
a time determination unit configured to determine whether a time difference between the occurrence time acquired by the first acquisition unit and the activation time acquired by the second acquisition unit is within a predetermined time;
a determination unit configured to determine that the selected reading apparatus corresponds to the reading apparatus which has generated the event when the time determination unit determines that the time difference is within the predetermined time; and
an instruction unit configured, if it is determined that the selected reading apparatus corresponds to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, to cause the reading apparatus to execute the reading according to the acquired reading setting,
wherein the reception unit, the list acquiring unit, the selection unit, the acquiring unit, the first acquisition unit, the second acquisition unit, the time determination unit, the determination unit and the instruction unit are executed by a processor.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a change unit configured to change the reading setting, with the application, wherein the change unit is executed by the processor.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an addition unit configured to add, by the application, another setting to the acquired reading setting, wherein the instruction unit instructs a driver of the reading apparatus to perform processing based on the setting added by the addition unit, wherein the addition unit is executed by the processor.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an event determination unit configured to determine whether the reading setting includes event information or not, wherein if it is determined that the reading setting includes the event information and the time difference is within the predetermined time, the determination unit determines that the selected reading apparatus corresponds to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, wherein the event determination unit is executed by the processor.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if it is determined that the selected reading apparatus does not correspond to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, processing of the selection unit, the acquiring unit and the determination unit is performed again.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if it is determined that the reading setting does not include the event information, the determination unit determines that the selected reading apparatus does not correspond to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, without accepting the determination result of the time difference.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the apparatus becomes communicable with the reading apparatus, a scanner driver for the reading apparatus is activated, and
if the apparatus is disconnected from the reading apparatus, the scanner driver is terminated.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an operating system included in the apparatus employs a sandbox technology.

9. A control method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a reading apparatus generating an event by an instruction of a reading operation, the method comprising:
receiving an activation instruction generated based on an event issued by the reading apparatus in accordance with an instruction of a reading operation input in the reading apparatus, wherein a scanner driver corresponding to the reading apparatus receives the event including a reading setting;
acquiring a list from the scanner driver if the activation instruction is received, wherein a reading apparatus included in the list connects to the information processing apparatus and corresponds to the scanner driver;
selecting a reading apparatus from the list;
acquiring the reading setting of the selected reading apparatus from the scanner driver;
acquiring an occurrence time of the event, and an activation time when an application is activated by the activation instruction;
determining whether a time difference between the occurrence time and the activation time is within a predetermined time, and when the determining determines that the time difference is within the predetermined time, further determining that the selected reading apparatus corresponds to the reading apparatus which has generated the event; and
causing, if it is determined that the selected reading apparatus corresponds to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, the reading apparatus to execute the reading according to the acquired reading setting.

10. The control method according to claim 9 further comprising changing the detected reading setting, with the application.

11. The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising adding another setting to the acquired reading setting,
wherein a driver of the reading apparatus is instructed to perform processing based on the added setting.

12. The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising determining whether the reading setting includes event information or not, wherein if it is determined that the reading setting includes the event information and the time difference is within the predetermined time, the determining determines that the selected reading apparatus corresponds to the reading apparatus which has generated the event.

13. The control method according to claim 9 , wherein if it is determined that the selected reading apparatus does not correspond to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, the selecting, acquiring the reading setting, and determining are performed again.

14. The control method according to claim 9 , wherein if it is determined that the reading setting does not include the event information, the determining determines that the selected reading apparatus does not correspond to the reading apparatus which has generated the event, without accepting the determination result of the time difference.

15. The control method according to claim 9 , wherein if the apparatus becomes communicable with the reading apparatus, a scanner driver for the reading apparatus is activated, and
if the apparatus is disconnected from the reading apparatus, the scanner driver is terminated.

16. The control method a

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Hanano Hideki

Classifications

• H04N1/00225

  details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners (using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241) · CPC title

• H04N1/00962 Primary

  Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software (program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34) · CPC title

• H04N2201/0074

  Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus · CPC title