Projector selection system, projector selecting method, and program for implementing the system and method

Abstract

A projector selection system selects one of projectors from a computer which is connected to the projectors through a network. An identifier is displayed on each of the projectors by identifier assigning means and identifier display means. A preview image, which is a scale-down version of an image displayed on the screen by the projector, is acquired by preview image generating means and preview image transmitting means. The preview image is displayed on a dialog display area on the screen of the computer.

1 . A projector selection system which has one or more projectors and a computer interconnected through a network for selecting one of said projectors from said computer, wherein: 
 said computer comprises a search client and a dialog display,    said projector comprises a search response server and a projector information storage,    said search client includes:    projector search means for transmitting a search command for searching said projectors to said network, and acquiring projector information from said projector information storage as a response to the search command from said projector, said projector information including a projector name, an IP address, and a status;    identifier assigning means for generating a unique identifier for said projector which has responded, transmitting an identifier assignment for assigning the identifier to each of said projectors through said network, and omitting the transmission of the identifier assignment to said projector which has already made a display; and    preview image requesting means for transmitting an image request command to said network for requesting a preview image which is a scale-down version of an image displayed by said projector on a screen, and acquiring the preview image as a response to the image request command from said projector,    said dialog display includes means for displaying the projector information and the preview image,    said projector information storage includes means for preserving the projector information, and    said search response server includes:    search response means for receiving the search command from said network, and returning the projector information from said projector information storage;    display presence/absence checking means for checking the status indicating whether or not said display has already made a display;    identifier display means for displaying the identifier received from said network on a screen;    preview image generating means for generating the preview image based on the displayed identifier or an existing display; and    preview image transmitting means for receiving the image request command from said network, and returning the preview image generated by said preview image generating means.    
   
   
       2 . A projector selection system which has one or more projectors and a computer interconnected through a network for selecting one of said projectors from said computer, wherein: 
 said computer comprises a search client and a dialog display,    said projector comprises a search response server and a projector information storage,    said search client includes:    projector search means for transmitting a search command for searching said projectors to said network, and acquiring projector information from said projector information storage as a response to the search command from said projector, said projector information including a projector name, an IP address, and a status; and    preview image requesting means for transmitting an image request command to said network for requesting a preview image which is a scale-down version of an image displayed by said projector on a screen, and acquiring the preview image as a response to the image request command from said projector,    said dialog display includes means for displaying the projector information and the preview image,    said projector information storage includes means for preserving the projector information, and    said search response server includes:    search response means for receiving the search command from said network, and returning the projector information from said projector information storage;    display presence/absence checking means for checking the status indicating whether or not said display has already displayed an image;    IP address display means responsive to the search command received from said network for displaying the IP address set for said projector on a screen, and omitting a display of the IP address of said projector which has already made a display;    preview image generating means for generating the preview image based on the displayed IP address or an existing display; and    preview image transmitting means for receiving the image request command from said network, and returning the preview image generated by said preview image generating means.    
   
   
       3 . A program for causing said computer and said search response server of said projector to function as said projector selection system according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       4 . A program for causing said computer and said search response server of said projector to function as said projector selection system according to  claim 2 .  
   
   
       5 . A projector selecting method for selecting one of projectors from a computer, said projectors and said computer being interconnected through a network, said computer comprising a search client and a dialog display, said projector comprising a search response server and a projector information storage, said method comprising the steps of: 
 said search client transmitting a search command for searching said projectors to said network using projector search means, and waiting for a response to the search command;    said search response server receiving the search command, reading a projector name and an IP address from said projector information storage, acquiring a status indicative of a presence or absence of a display from display presence/absence checking means, and returning projector information including the projector name, IP address and status, using search response means;    said search client passing the received projector information to said dialog display for displaying the projector information on a screen;    said search client generating a unique identifier for each of said projectors which have responded, transmitting an identifier assignment to each of said projectors for assigning the identifier, and omitting a transmission of the identifier to said projector which has already made a display;    said search response server receiving the identifier assignment, displaying the identifier on a screen using identifier displaying means, and returning an assignment completion;    said search response server generating a preview image which is a scale-down version of an image displayed on the screen by said projector using preview image generating means based on the displayed identifier or an existing display;    said search client responding to a selection of a desired projector made on said dialog display, and transmitting an image request command for requesting the preview image using preview image requesting means;    said search response server receiving said image request command, and transmitting the generated preview image as image data using preview image transmitting means; and    said search client passing the received image data to said dialog display for displaying the preview image on the screen.    
   
   
       6 . A projector selecting method for selecting one of projectors from a computer, said projectors and said computer being interconnected through a network, said computer comprising a search client and a dialog display, said projector comprising a search response server and a projector information storage, said method comprising the steps of: 
 said search client transmitting a search command for searching said projectors to said network using projector search means, and waiting for a response to the search command;    said search response server receiving the search command, reading a projector name and an IP address from said projector information storage, acquiring a status indicative of a presence or absence of a display from display presence/absence checking means, and returning projector information including the projector name, IP address and status, using search response means;    said search client passing the received projector information to said dialog display for displaying the projector information on a screen;    said search response server receiving the search command, displaying the IP address set for said projector on a screen using IP address display means, and omitting a display of the IP address for said projector which has already made a display;    said search response server generating a preview image which is a scale-down version of an image displayed on the screen by said projector using preview image generating means based on the displayed IP address or an existing display;    said search client, responding to a selection of a desired projector made on said dialog display, and transmitting an image request command for requesting the preview image using preview image requesting means;    said search response server receiving said image request command, and transmitting the generated preview image as image data using preview image transmitting means; and    said search client passing the received image data to said dialog display for displaying the preview image on the screen.    
   
   
       7 . A program for causing said computer and said search response server of said projector to execute said projector selecting method according to  claim 5 .  
   
   
       8 . A program for causing said computer and said search response server of said projector to execute said projector selecting method according to  claim 6.