Information processing apparatus and user detection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9712707-B2
Application number	US-201514936432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Nov 11, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

An information processing apparatus detects a first user and a second user that approaches the information processing apparatus by using a plurality of detection devices including a first detection device and a second detection device which is different from the first detection device. The information processing apparatus includes a second user determination unit configured to determine that a user detected by the first detection device is the second user, in a case where a certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user, at which the first user has been detected, the second detection device not detecting the user during the certain time period.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus for detecting a first user and a second user that approaches the information processing apparatus by using a plurality of detection devices including a first detection device and a second detection device which is different from the first detection device, the information processing apparatus comprising:
a second user determination unit configured to determine that a user detected by the first detection device is the second user, in a case where a certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user, at which the first user has been detected, the second detection device not detecting the user during the certain time period.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second user determination unit is configured to determine that the user detected by the first detection device and the second detection device is the second user, in a case where the second detection device detects the user after the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein in a case where a separation detection device detects that the first user separates from the information processing apparatus, the second user determination unit does not determine that the user detected by the first detection device and the second detection device is the second user, in the case where the second detection device detects the user after the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein until a second certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device or the second detection device detects a motion of the first user, the second user determination unit does not determine that the user detected by the first detection device and the second detection device is the second user, in the case where the second detection device detects the user after the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second user determination unit is configured to determine that the user detected by the first detection device is the second user, in a case where the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user, at which the first detection device and the second detection device have detected the first user, the second detection device not detecting the user during the certain time period.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a return request transmission unit configured to send a return request to another information processing apparatus to cause the other information processing apparatus to return from an energy-saving mode, in a case where the second user determination unit determines that the user detected by the first detection device is the second user.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a registration reception unit configured to receive a registration of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, each of which is a transmission destination of the return request, with a priority order,
wherein the return request transmission unit is configured to query the other information processing apparatuses, in an order specified by the priority order, whether the respective other information processing apparatuses are in use, and to send the return request to an information processing apparatus which is not in use among the other information processing apparatuses.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a return request transmission destination determination unit configured to determine an information processing apparatus among the other information processing apparatuses, to which the return request is to be sent according to the detection device that detects a user, referring to return destination determination information in which the other information processing apparatuses of the transmission destinations of the return request are registered associated with the detection device that detects the user or an order of the detection devices detecting the user, and to send the return request to the determined information processing apparatus.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least two of the detection devices are configured to detect one user simultaneously, and the each of the detection devices forms a detection area configured to exclusively detect one user.

10. A user detection method for detecting a first user and a second user that approaches an information processing apparatus by using a plurality of detection devices including a first detection device and a second detection device, which is different from the first detection device, the user detection method comprising:
determining by a second user determination unit that a user detected by the first detection device is the second user, in a case where a certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user, at which the first user has been detected, the second detection device not detecting the user during the certain time period.

11. The user detection method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining by the second user determination unit that the user detected by the first detection device and the second detection device is the second user, in a case of detecting by the second detection device the user after the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user.

12. The user detection method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
suspending, in a case of detecting by a separation detection device that the first user separates from the information processing apparatus, the determination by the second user determination unit that the user detected by the first detection device and the second detection device is the second user, in the case of detecting by the second detection device the user after the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user.

13. The user detection method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
suspending, until a second certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device or the second detection device detects a motion of the first user, the determination by the second user determination unit that the user detected by the first detection device and the second detection device is the second user, in the case of detecting by the second detection device the user after the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user.

14. The user detection method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining by the second user determination unit that the user detected by the first detection device is the second user, in a case where the certain time period has elapsed since the first detection device detects the user, at which the first detection device and the second detection device have detected the first user, the second detection device not detecting the user during the certain time period.

15. The user detection method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
sending by a return request transmission unit a return request to another information processing apparatus to cause the other information processing apparatus to return from an energy-saving mode, in a case o

Assignees

• Nagasawa Yuichi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagasawa Yuichi

Classifications

• H04N1/00933

  Timing control or synchronising (H04N1/00928, H04N1/00931, H04N1/00954 and H04N1/0096 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00915

  Assigning priority to, or interrupting, a particular operation · CPC title

• H04N1/00896 Primary

  using a low-power mode, e.g. standby · CPC title