Systems and methods for displaying remote operation screens of an image forming apparatus based on a configuration of display(s) of a mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9986107-B2
Application number	US-201615051099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Feb 24, 2015
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus capable of being remotely operated by a mobile terminal includes: a specification unit configured to specify an image to be displayed on the mobile terminal as an operation image for the image forming apparatus; an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the number of display units of the mobile terminal; a decision unit configured to, when a plurality of images is specified as the operation images and the number of the display units of the mobile terminal is recognized as two or more, make a first decision that at least two of the plurality of images are to be displayed on at least two of the two or more display units of the mobile terminal; and a transmission unit configured to transmit a display instruction based on the first decision to the mobile terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus capable of being remotely operated by a mobile terminal, comprising:
a processor that includes:
a specification processing unit specifying an image to be displayed on the mobile terminal as an operation image for the image forming apparatus;
an acquisition processing unit acquiring information on the number of displays of the mobile terminal; and
a decision processing unit, when a plurality of images is specified as the operation images and the number of the displays of the mobile terminal is recognized as two or more, making a first decision that at least two of the plurality of images are to be displayed on at least two of the two or more displays of the mobile terminal, wherein the two or more displays are independent from each other and display different images; and
a transmitter transmitting a display instruction based on the first decision to the mobile terminal, wherein the display instruction describes that a relatively large first image out of the at least two images is to be displayed on a relatively large first display out of the at least two displays, and that a relatively small second image out of the at least two images is to be displayed on a relatively small second display out of the at least two displays;

wherein the processor further includes a determination processing unit determining whether the second image is to be prepared by the image forming apparatus or the mobile terminal based on the speed of network communication with the mobile terminal; and
wherein the determination processing unit determines that the second image is to be prepared by the image forming apparatus when the network communication speed is higher than a predetermined level, and the determination processing unit determines that the second image is to be prepared by the mobile terminal when the network communication speed is lower than the predetermined level.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first image corresponds to an operation screen displayed on the operation unit of the image forming apparatus, and
the second image includes a plurality of hardware key images corresponding to a plurality of hardware keys provided in the operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second image is generated by arranging the plurality of hardware key images in a predetermined direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first image corresponds to a display screen displayed on the operation unit of the image forming apparatus, and
the second image relates to a pop-up screen superimposed and displayed on the display screen on the operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second image is generated by arranging a plurality of item elements included in the pop-up screen in a predetermined direction.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when it is determined that the second image is to be prepared by the image forming apparatus, the transmitter transmits the at least two images prepared by the image forming apparatus to the mobile terminal, and
when it is determined that the second image is to be prepared by the mobile terminal, the transmitter transmits to the mobile terminal the first image and information for generation of the second image by the mobile terminal.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter transmits to the mobile terminal the first image out of the at least two images and information for generation of the second image out of the at least two images by the mobile terminal.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter transmits the at least two images prepared by the image forming apparatus to the mobile terminal.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when a plurality of images including the at least two images is specified as the operation images and the number of the display of the mobile terminal is recognized as one, the decision processing unit makes a second decision that a composite image of the at least two images is to be displayed on the single display of the mobile terminal, and
the transmitter transmits a display instruction based on the second decision to the mobile terminal.

10. A non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable program for causing a computer built in a mobile terminal capable of operating remotely an image forming apparatus to execute the steps of:
a) receiving a display instruction describing that at least two images are to be individually displayed as operation images for the image forming apparatus on at least two of a plurality of displays of the mobile terminal;
b) displaying the at least two images as operation images for the image forming apparatus individually on at least two out of the plurality of displays according to the display instruction, wherein the two or more displays are independent from each other and display different images;
c) determining whether one of the at least two images is to be prepared by the image forming apparatus or the mobile terminal based on the speed of network communication between the mobile terminal and the image forming apparatus; and
d) when it is determined that the one image is to be prepared by the mobile terminal, generating the one image.

11. The non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable program according to claim 10 , wherein
at the step c), it is determined that the one image is to be prepared by the image forming apparatus when the network communication speed is higher than a predetermined level, and it is determined that the one image is to be prepared by the mobile terminal when the network communication speed is lower than the predetermined level.

12. The non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable program according to claim 10 , wherein
the step d) includes:
d-1) when it is determined that the one image is to be prepared by the mobile terminal, transmitting a request for transmission of information for generation of the one image;
d-2) receiving the information for generation from the image forming apparatus; and
d-3) generating an image in which a plurality of item elements included in the information for generation is arranged in a predetermined direction as the one image.

13. An image forming system having an image forming apparatus and a mobile terminal capable of operating remotely the image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming apparatus including a processor, the processor including:
a specification processing unit specifying an image to be displayed as an operation image for the image forming apparatus on a mobile terminal; and
a decision processing unit, when a plurality of images is specified as the operation images and the number of the displays of mobile terminal is recognized as two or more, making a first decision that at least two of the plurality of images are to be displayed on at least two of the two or more displays of the mobile terminal, wherein the two or more displays are independent from each other and display different images; and

the mobile terminal including a processor, the processor including:
a display control processing unit displaying the at least two images on the at least two displays of the mobile terminal;

wherein the processor of the image forming apparatus further includes an acquisition processing unit acquiring information on the number of the displays of the mobile terminal;
the image f

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Kurumasa Yoichi
• Kawamura Yuji
• Kawabata Mie
• Nagatani Kentaro
• Kunioka Jun
• Sugiura Hiroshi

Classifications

• H04N1/00307

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

• H04N1/00204

  with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server (programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561) · CPC title

• H04N1/00472

  using a pop-up window · CPC title

• H04N1/32767

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

• H04N1/00973

  from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal · CPC title