# US 8,751,959 B2 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer-readable recording medium storing information processing program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,959 B2 - Document ID: US8751959B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/050,394 - Filed: 2008-03-18 - Published: 2008-09-25 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2007-03-19 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Jun Murata - Inventors: Jun Murata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751959B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/1225: {Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts} - G06F 9/44526: {Plug-ins; Add-ons} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An information processing apparatus is disclosed. The information processing apparatus executes a function corresponding to a menu item of application software which menu item is selected by a user. The information processing apparatus includes an information processing unit which executes plural small functions of which the function corresponding to the selected menu item is formed, a recipe data forming unit which forms recipe data in which an executing condition and an executing order of the plural small functions corresponding to the selected menu item are defined, and an information process executing unit which causes the information processing unit to execute the plural small functions based on the formed recipe data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus which executes a function corresponding to a menu item of application software selected by a user, comprising: circuitry configured to act as: an information processing unit which executes a plurality of small functions forming the function corresponding to a selected menu item; a recipe data forming unit which forms recipe data in which executing conditions and an executing order of the plurality of small functions corresponding to the selected menu item are defined; an information process executing unit which causes the information processing unit to execute the plurality of small functions based on the recipe data; and a selecting unit which receives user input specifying the executing conditions and the executing order from the user of the information processing apparatus, a corresponding one of the executing conditions being set for a corresponding one of the plurality of small functions, the setting occurring for each of the plurality of small functions, wherein the information processing unit executes each of the plurality of small functions based on the executing order and the executing conditions defined in the recipe data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the recipe data further includes: a function name which indicates the function corresponding to the selected menu item, the function being realized when the plurality of small functions are executed by the information processing unit; a name of an object to be processed by the information processing unit; and displaying position information which indicates a displaying position of the function name on a menu of the application software. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to act as: a memory unit; and a recipe data storing unit which stores the recipe data formed by the recipe data forming unit in the memory unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the circuitry is further configured to act as: a menu item displaying unit which displays the selected menu item on a menu of the application software, wherein the menu item displaying unit displays a function name defined in the recipe data on the menu of the application software based on the recipe data stored in the memory unit by the recipe data storing unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein: when the function name displayed by the menu item displaying unit is selected as the selected menu item, the information process executing unit makes the information processing unit execute the plurality of small functions based on the recipe data in which the function name is defined. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: when a subset of the plurality of small functions in the information processing unit is selected, the recipe data forming unit defines the executing order of the plurality of small functions based on an order of selection of small functions in the subset, defines the corresponding one of the executing conditions based on a value, input by the user, corresponding to a selected small function in the subset, and forms the recipe data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the plurality of small functions include: an image processing function which applies a predetermined process to image data input to the information processing apparatus; a data outputting function which outputs the image data input to the information processing apparatus or data processed by the image processing function; and an information reporting function which reports an executing status and an executed result when at least one of the image processing function and the data outputting function is executed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function includes a printing function. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the image printing function includes a monochrome printing function. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of small functions includes at least one of a file selecting function, a color converting function, an image printing function, and a message displaying function. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of small functions corresponds to a plug-in program. ### Claim 12 An information processing method which executes a function corresponding to a menu item of application software selected by a user, in an information processing apparatus, comprising: an information processing step, carried out by processing circuitry, which executes a plurality of small functions forming the function corresponding to a selected menu item; a recipe data forming step which forms recipe data in which executing conditions and an executing order of the plurality of small functions corresponding to the selected menu item are defined; an information process executing step which causes the information processing step to execute the plurality of small functions based on the recipe data; and a selecting step which receives user input specifying the executing conditions and the executing order from the user of the information processing apparatus, a corresponding one of the executing conditions being set for a corresponding one of the plurality of small functions, the setting occurring for each of the plurality of small functions, wherein the information processing step executes each of the plurality of small functions based on the executing order and the executing conditions defined in the recipe data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The information processing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the recipe data further includes: a function name which indicates the function corresponding to the selected menu item, the function being realized when the plurality of small functions are executed by the information processing step; a name of an object to be processed by the information processing step; and displaying position information which indicates a displaying position of the function name on a menu of the application software. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The information processing method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: a recipe data storing step which stores the recipe data formed by the recipe data forming step in a memory. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The information processing method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a menu item displaying step which displays the selected menu item on a menu of the application software, wherein the menu item displaying step displays the function name defined in the recipe data on the menu of the application software based on the recipe data stored in the memory. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The information processing method as claimed in claim 15, wherein: when the function name displayed by the menu item displaying step is selected as the selected menu item, the information process executing step makes the information processing step execute the plurality of small functions based on the recipe data in which the function name is defined. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The information processing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein: when a subset of the plurality of small functions in the information processing step is selected, the recipe data forming step defines the executing order of the plurality of small functions based on an order of selection of small functions in the subset, defines the corresponding one of the executing conditions based on a value, input by the user, corresponding to a selected small function in the subset, and forms the recipe data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The information processing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the plurality of small functions include: an image processing function which applies a predetermined process to image data input to the information processing apparatus; a data outputting function which outputs the image data input to the information processing apparatus or data processed by the image processing function; and an information reporting function which reports an executing status and an executed result when at least one of the image processing function and the data outputting function is executed. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an information processing program in an information processing apparatus that, when executed, causes the information processing apparatus to execute: a function corresponding to a menu item of application software selected by a user; an information processing step which executes a plurality of small functions forming the function corresponding to a selected menu item; a recipe data forming step which forms recipe data in which executing conditions and an executing order of the plurality of small functions corresponding to the selected menu item are defined; an information process executing step which causes the information processing step to execute the plurality of small functions based on the recipe data; and a selecting step which receives user input specifying the executing conditions and the executing order from the user of the information processing apparatus, a corresponding one of the executing conditions being set for a corresponding one of the plurality of small functions, the setting occurring for each of the plurality of small functions, wherein the information processing step executes each of the plurality of small functions based on the executing order and the executing conditions defined in the recipe data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing the information processing program as claimed in claim 19, wherein: the recipe data further includes: a function name which indicates the function corresponding to the selected menu item, the function being realized when the plurality of small functions are executed by the information processing unit; a name of an object to be processed by the information processing step; and displaying position information which indicates a displaying position of the function name on a menu of the application software. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing the information processing program as claimed in claim 19, wherein: the information processing program causes the information processing apparatus to further execute: a recipe data storing step which stores the recipe data formed by the recipe data forming step in a memory. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing the information processing program as claimed in claim 21, wherein: the information processing program causes the information processing apparatus to further execute: a menu item displaying step which displays the selected menu item on a menu of the application software, and the menu item displaying step displays the function name defined in the recipe data on the menu of the application software based on the recipe data stored in the memory; and when the function name displayed by the menu item displaying step is selected as the selected menu item, the information process executing step makes the information processing step execute the plurality of small functions based on the recipe data in which the function name is defined. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing the information processing program as claimed in claim 19, wherein: when a subset of the plurality of small functions in the information processing step is selected, the recipe data forming step defines the executing order of the plurality of small functions based on an order of selection of small functions in the subset, defines the corresponding one of the executing conditions based on a value, input by the user, corresponding to a selected small function in the subset, and forms the recipe data. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing the information processing program as claimed in claim 19, wherein: the plurality of small functions include: an image processing function which applies a predetermined process to image data input to the information processing apparatus; a data outputting function which outputs the image data input to the information processing apparatus or data processed by the image processing function; and an information reporting function which reports an executing status and an executed result when at least one of the image processing function and the data outputting function is executed.