Image processing apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

In an image processing apparatus which generates an input signal when a mobile information terminal contacts a display surface and makes a wireless communication with the contacting mobile information terminal, it is difficult to make an appropriate display by discriminating whether a contact object is a mobile information terminal or a user's finger. To accomplish this, when a mobile information terminal ( 200 ) is placed on a touch panel ( 104 ), this placement is recognized based on a wireless communication response ( 701 ), and a processing menu for the terminal is displayed. On the other hand, if the user's finger ( 300 ) is placed, since no wireless communication response ( 701 ) is detected, it is recognized that the contact object is not the mobile information terminal ( 200 ), and a general manipulation menu is displayed.

1 . An image processing apparatus, which comprises a display input unit adapted to generate an input signal when an object contacts a display surface that displays an image, and a wireless communication unit adapted to make a wireless communication with a mobile information terminal which contacts the display surface of the display input unit, and executes processing of image data input from the mobile information terminal, said apparatus comprising:
 a discrimination unit adapted to discriminate, when the display input unit generates an input signal, whether or not the object which contacts the display surface is the mobile information terminal; and   a display control unit adapted to control display contents on the display input unit in accordance with a discrimination result of said discrimination unit.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal when the wireless communication unit detects a communication response from the mobile information terminal. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mode selection unit adapted to select an operation mode in the display input unit,
 wherein said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal when said mode selection unit selects an operation mode for the mobile information terminal.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said discrimination unit discriminates according to a contact position of the object on the display input unit whether or not the object is the mobile information terminal. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window for the mobile information terminal when said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a manipulation menu window according to a contact position of the object on the display surface when said discrimination unit discriminates that the object is not the mobile information terminal. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a terminal type identification unit adapted to identify a type of the mobile information terminal,
 wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window according to the type of the mobile information terminal, which is identified by said terminal type identification unit.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a terminal position specification unit adapted to specify a contact position of the mobile information terminal on the display surface of the display input unit,
 wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window for the mobile information terminal near the contact position of the display surface, which is specified by said terminal position specification unit.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising an other menu area specification unit adapted to specify an other menu area that allows to display an other menu other than a processing menu for the mobile information terminal on the display surface based on the contact position specified by said terminal position specification unit,
 wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to display the other menu within the other menu area when a size of the other menu area specified by said other menu area specification unit is larger than a predetermined threshold.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said display control unit controls the display input unit to vary a size of the other menu in accordance with the size of the other menu area and display the other menu within the other menu area. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a manipulation menu area specification unit adapted to specify a displayable area that can display the manipulation menu window on the display surface based on the contact position specified by said terminal position specification unit; and   a display unit information acquisition unit adapted to acquire display unit information of the mobile information terminal,   wherein said display control unit controls to display the manipulation menu window on a display unit of the mobile information terminal using the wireless communication unit in accordance with the display unit information acquired by said display unit information acquisition unit, when an size of the displayable area specified by said manipulation menu area specification unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display input unit comprises a liquid crystal touch panel. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the display input unit and the wireless communication unit have an integrated arrangement. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit makes a wireless communication based on a Bluetooth standard. 
   
   
       15 . A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, which comprises a display input unit adapted to generate an input signal when an object contacts a display surface that displays an image, and a wireless communication unit adapted to make a wireless communication with a mobile information terminal which contacts the display surface of the display input unit, and executes processing of image data input from the mobile information terminal, said method comprising the steps of:
 discriminating, when the display input unit generates an input signal, whether or not the object which contacts the display surface is the mobile information terminal; and   controlling display contents on the display input unit in accordance with a discrimination result in the discriminating step.   
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the discriminating step discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal when the wireless communication unit detects a communication response from the mobile information terminal. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the display controlling step controls the display input unit to display a processing menu window for the mobile information terminal when the discriminating step discriminates that the object is the mobile information terminal. 
   
   
       18 . A computer program for making a computer execute a method of controlling an image processing apparatus, which comprises a display input unit adapted to generate an input signal when an object contacts a display surface that displays an image, and a wireless communication unit adapted to make a wireless communication with a mobile information terminal which contacts the display surface of the display input unit, and executes processing of image data input from the mobile information terminal, said program comprising the steps of:
 discriminating, when the display input unit generates an input signal, whether or not the object which contacts the display surface is the mobile information terminal; and   controlling display contents on the display input unit in accordance with a discrimination result in the discriminating step.   
   
   
       19 . A computer-readable recording medium recording a computer program according to  claim 18 .