# US 10,484,552 B2 · Information processing apparatus and information processing method for creating workflow > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,484,552 B2 - Document ID: US10484552B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/950,952 - Filed: 2018-04-11 - Published: 2018-11-01 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-28 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Jun Nakawaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484552B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00474: {outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print} - H04N 1/00949: {Combining applications, e.g. to create workflows (allocation of computer machine resources considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks G06F9/5038)} - H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An information processing apparatus displays a creation screen and adds display information. The creation screen is for a user to create a workflow by combining function providers. The function providers includes a function provider having a setting interface to call a setting screen to perform a setting of a corresponding function, and an execution interface to execute the corresponding function. In a case where a setting interface of a function provider added to the workflow refers to a result of an execution by an execution interface of a preceding function provider, display information is automatically added to a definition file for the workflow. The automatically added display information is information to display a message to prompt the user to standby during the execution by the execution interface of the preceding function provider. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the information processing apparatus to perform operations including: displaying a creation screen for a creator to create a workflow by combining a plurality of function providers based on an operation, by the creator, of arranging the plurality of function providers in the creation screen, wherein the plurality of function providers includes a function provider having a setting interface to call a setting screen to perform a setting of a corresponding function, and an execution interface to execute the corresponding function, and automatically adding, without an operation by the creator for adding display information, the display information to the workflow displayed in the creation screen in a case where a setting interface of a function provider, which has been added to the workflow in the creating screen by the creator, refers to a result of an execution by an execution interface of a preceding function provider in the workflow, wherein the display information automatically added is information to display a message to prompt a user to standby during the execution by the execution interface of the preceding function provider included in the created workflow when the created workflow is executed by the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein displaying includes displaying, on the creation screen and based on a calling order, parts corresponding to the setting interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow and parts corresponding to the execution interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein executing the instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform operations including controlling parts corresponding to the display information automatically added to the workflow to be displayed on the creation screen. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein executing the instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform operations of including in the creation screen: a first region to display a list of selectable function providers, a second region to display, based on the calling order, (i) the parts corresponding to the setting interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow, (ii) the parts corresponding to the execution interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow, and (iii) the parts corresponding to the display information, and a third region to perform a setting of the setting screen for a function provider selected from among the plurality of function providers used for the workflow. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein displaying includes displaying, on the creation screen, a first flow in which the parts corresponding to the execution interface are arranged, and a second flow in which the parts corresponding to the setting interface and the parts corresponding to the display information are arranged. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein displaying includes displaying, on the creation screen, a first flow in which the parts corresponding to the execution interface are arranged, a second flow in which the parts corresponding to the setting interface are arranged, and a third flow in which the parts corresponding to the display information are arranged. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein executing the instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform operations including: defining a calling order in such a manner that the setting interface is called after the execution interface of the other preceding function provider when the setting interface of the function provider added to the workflow refers to a result of the execution by the execution interface of the other preceding function provider, and defining a calling order in such a manner that the setting interface is called prior to the execution interface of the other preceding function provider when the setting interface of the function provider added to the workflow does not refer to a result of the execution by the execution interface of the other preceding function provider. ### Claim 8 A method for an information processing apparatus, the method comprising: displaying a creation screen for a creator to create a workflow by combining a plurality of function providers based on an operation, by the creator, of arranging the plurality of function providers in the creation screen, wherein the plurality of function providers includes a function provider having a setting interface to call a setting screen to perform a setting of a corresponding function, and an execution interface to execute the corresponding function; and automatically adding, without an operation by the creator for adding display information, the display information to the workflow displayed in the creation screen in a case where a setting interface of a function provider, which has been added to the workflow in the creating screen by the creator, refers to a result of an execution by an execution interface of a preceding function provider in the workflow, wherein the display information automatically added is information to display a message to prompt a user to standby during the execution by the execution interface of the preceding function provider included in the created workflow when the created workflow is executed by the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein displaying includes displaying includes displaying, on the creation screen and based on a calling order, parts corresponding to the setting interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow and parts corresponding to the execution interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising controlling parts corresponding to the display information automatically added to the workflow to be displayed on the creation screen. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising including in the creation screen: a first region to display a list of selectable function providers, a second region to display, based on the calling order, (i) the parts corresponding to the setting interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow, (ii) the parts corresponding to the execution interface of each of the plurality of function providers used for the workflow, and (iii) the parts corresponding to the display information, and a third region to perform a setting of the setting screen for a function provider selected from among the plurality of function providers used for the workflow. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein displaying includes displaying, on the creation screen, a first flow in which the parts corresponding to the execution interface are arranged, and a second flow in which the parts corresponding to the setting interface and the parts corresponding to the display information are arranged. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein displaying includes displaying, on the creation screen, a first flow in which the parts corresponding to the execution interface are arranged, a second flow in which the parts corresponding to the setting interface are arranged, and a third flow in which the parts corresponding to the display information are arranged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising: defining a calling order in such a manner that the setting interface is called after the execution interface of the other preceding function provider when the setting interface of the function provider added to the workflow refers to a result of the execution by the execution interface of the other preceding function provider; and defining a calling order in such a manner that the setting interface is called prior to the execution interface of the other preceding function provider when the setting interface of the function provider added to the workflow does not refer to a result of the execution by the execution interface of the other preceding function provider. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to cause an information processing apparatus to perform a method, the method comprising: displaying a creation screen for a creator to create a workflow by combining a plurality of function providers based on an operation, by the creator, of arranging the plurality of function providers in the creation screen, wherein the plurality of function providers includes a function provider having a setting interface to call a setting screen to perform a setting of a corresponding function, and an execution interface to execute the corresponding function; and automatically adding, without an operation by the creator for adding display information, the display information to the workflow displayed in the creation screen in a case where a setting interface of a function provider, which has been added to the workflow in the creating screen by the creator, refers to a result of an execution by an execution interface of a preceding function provider in the workflow, wherein the display information automatically added is information to display a message to prompt a user to standby during the execution by the execution interface of the preceding function provider included in the created workflow when the created workflow is executed by the user.