User interface changeable information processing apparatus and method therefor

Abstract

A request for the transmission of operation data is transmitted by a remote controller to an object apparatus to be manipulated. When following the request it is found that the operation data can not be accepted, the request for the transmission of operation data is transmitted to a server. The operation data received from the object apparatus or the server are employed to update and save the operation data held by the remote controller, with an operating screen corresponding to the communication status being displayed, so that input manipulation can be performed in accordance with the procedures corresponding to the condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 input means for inputting instruction information;    condition recognition means for identifying a condition;    input procedure determination means for selecting input procedures to be performed by said input means in consonance with said condition identified by said condition recognition means; and    processing means for performing processing based on said instruction information that is input by said input means in accordance with said input procedures that have been selected.    
     
     
         2 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing means includes transmission means for transmitting said instruction information that is entered by said input means, and said condition recognition means identifies a reception condition at a destination to which said instruction information is transmitted by said transmission means.  
     
     
         3 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said input procedure determination means employs the identification provided by said condition recognition means to select a transmission destination with which communication is possible, and determines said input procedures in consonance with said transmission destination that is selected.  
     
     
         4 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein when said condition recognition means understands that reception is disabled at a destination that is instructed in said instruction information, said input procedure determination means selects a transmission destination other than said reception disabled destination.  
     
     
         5 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said input means selects an item from a display menu and inputs said item.  
     
     
         6 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said input procedure determination means selects a menu to be displayed.  
     
     
         7 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said input means inputs an instruction in a natural language.  
     
     
         8 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said input means inputs an oral instruction in a natural language.  
     
     
         9 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, to perform recognition, said condition recognition means employs, as a condition, the contents of an instruction input by said input means.  
     
     
         10 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 reception means for receiving information from another information processing apparatus when an instruction for performing a process other than a regular process is input by said input means,    wherein said decision means designates said input procedures in accordance with said information that is received.    
     
     
         11 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 output means for outputting information;    determination means for selecting a priority level for an information item to be output;    decision means for designating an output form for said information item based on said priority level selected by said determination means; and    output control means for permitting said output means to output said information item using said output form that has been designated.    
     
     
         12 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said information item is either a schedule, a task or a received document.  
     
     
         13 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said priority level for each information item is set by said user.  
     
     
         14 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein, to select said priority level, said decision means compares the time concerning an information item to be output with the current time.  
     
     
         15 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said decision means selects said priority level based on the person who is associated with an information item to be output.  
     
     
         16 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said information item is a schedule, and said person who is associated with said information item to be output is a meeting attendee or a sponsor.  
     
     
         17 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said decision means includes a personal priority level storage means for storing a priority level that is assigned to each person, and refers to said person's priority level storage means to determine what priority level is assigned to a person associated with an information item that is to be output.  
     
     
         18 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said decision means selects said priority level based on an attribute of said person.  
     
     
         19 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said attribute is either a position or a post of a person.  
     
     
         20 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said decision means designates said priority level based on a relation level assigning between an information item to be output and a user.  
     
     
         21 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said decision means designates said relation level by comparing a value of a predetermined attribute concerning an information item to be output with a value of an attribute for a user concerned with a process to be executed.  
     
     
         22 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said predetermined attribute is a person.  
     
     
         23 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said information item is received information, and said predetermined attribute concerning said information item is a transmitter.  
     
     
         24 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said output means visually outputs an information item.  
     
     
         25 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said output means visually outputs a plurality of information items at the same time.  
     
     
         26 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said decision means designates for output data a highlighting level in consonance with said priority level.  
     
     
         27 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said output means visually outputs an information item, and in consonance with said priority level, said decision means designates a color and a size for output data and additional characters.  
     
     
         28 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said output means restricts the output of an information item having a low priority level.  
     
     
         29 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein, when said output means outputs a plurality of information items, said decision means designates an output form based on correlations of said priority levels for said information items.  
     
     
         30 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 output means for outputting information;    count means for counting information items to be output;    determination means for selecting output forms for said information items based on an information item count obtained by said count means; and    output control means for permitting said output control means to output said information items using said output forms that have been selected.    
     
     
         31 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein, in accordance with the number of information items, said decision means determines the amount of information that is to be output for said information items.  
     
     
         32 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein, when the number of information items is large, said decision means reduces the amount of information to be output for each of said information items.  
     
     
         33 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein, in accordance with the number of information items and the size of an output area, said decision means determines the amount of information to that is be output for said information items.  
     
     
         34 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein, when the number of information items is small, said decision means directs the output of the contents of each of said information items.  
     
     
         35 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said output means visually outputs an information item.  
     
     
         36 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein said output means visually outputs a plurality of information items at the same time.  
     
     
         37 . An information processing apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein based on a search item said output means searches for information, and changes said search item in consonance with the number of objects to be searched for.  
     
     
         38 . An information processing method comprising: 
 an input step of inputting instruction information;    a condition recognition step of identifying a condition;    an input procedures determination step of selecting input procedures to be performed at said input step in consonance with said condition identified at said condition recognition step; and    a processing step of performing processing based on said instruction information that is input at said input step in accordance with said input procedures that have been determined.    
     
     
         39 . An information processing method according to  claim 38 , wherein said processing step includes a transmission step of transmitting said instruction information that is entered at said input step, and wherein at said condition recognition step is identified a reception condition at a destination to which said instruction information is transmitted at said transmission step.  
     
     
         40 . An information processing method according to  claim 39 , wherein at said input procedure determination step, the identification provided at said condition recognition step is employed to select a transmission destination with which communication is possible, and said input procedures are determined in consonance with said transmission destination that is selected.  
     
     
         41 . An information processing method according to  claim 40 , wherein when at said condition recognition step it is understood that reception is disabled at a destination that is instructed in said instruction information, a transmission destination other than said reception disabled destination is selected at said input procedure determination step.  
     
     
         42 . An information processing method according to  claim 38 , wherein an item is selected from a display menu and is input at said input step.  
     
     
         43 . An information processing method according to  claim 38 , wherein a menu to be displayed is selected at said input procedure determination step.  
     
     
         44 . An information processing method according to  claim 38 , wherein an instruction in a natural language is input at said input step.  
     
     
         45 . An information processing method according to  claim 44 , wherein an oral instruction in a natural language is input at said input step.  
     
     
         46 . An information processing method according to  claim 38 , wherein, to perform recognition, at said condition recognition step, the contents of an instruction input at said input step are employed as a condition.  
     
     
         47 . An information processing method according to  claim 46 , further comprising: 
 a reception step of receiving information from another information processing apparatus when an instruction for performing a process other than a regular process is input at said input step,    wherein at said decision step, said input procedures are designated in accordance with said information that is received.    
     
     
         48 . An information processing method comprising: 
 an output step of outputting information;    a determination step of selecting a priority level for an information item to be output;    a decision step of designating an output form for said information item based on said priority level selected at said determination step; and    an output control step of controlling said output step so as to output said information item using said output form that has been designated.    
     
     
         49 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein said information item is either a schedule, a task or a received document.  
     
     
         50 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein said priority level for each information item is set by said user.  
     
     
         51 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein, to select said priority level, at said decision step the time concerning an information item to be output is compared with the current time.  
     
     
         52 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein at said decision step, said priority level is selected based on the person who is associated with an information item to be output.  
     
     
         53 . An information processing method according to  claim 52 , wherein said information item is a schedule, and said person who is associated with said information item to be output is a meeting attendee or a sponsor.  
     
     
         54 . An information processing method according to  claim 52 , wherein said decision step includes a personal priority level storage step of storing a priority level that is assigned to each person, and wherein said person's priority level storage step is referred to to determine what priority level is assigned to a person associated with an information item that is to be output.  
     
     
         55 . An information processing method according to  claim 52 , wherein at said decision step said priority level is selected based on an attribute of said person.  
     
     
         56 . An information processing method according to  claim 55 , wherein said attribute is either a position or a post of a person.  
     
     
         57 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein at said decision step, said priority level is designated based on a relation level assigning between an information item to be output and a user.  
     
     
         58 . An information processing method according to  claim 57 , wherein at said decision step said relation level is designated by comparing a value of a predetermined attribute concerning an information item to be output with a value of an attribute for a user concerned with a process to be executed.  
     
     
         59 . An information processing method according to  claim 58 , wherein said predetermined attribute is a person.  
     
     
         60 . An information processing method according to  claim 59 , wherein said information item is received information, and said predetermined attribute concerning said information item is a transmitter.  
     
     
         61 . An information processing method according to  claim 58 , wherein an information item is visually output at said output step.  
     
     
         62 . An information processing method according to  claim 61 , wherein at said output step a plurality of information items are visually output at the same time.  
     
     
         63 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein at said decision step, for output data, a highlighting level is designated in consonance with said priority level.  
     
     
         64 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein an information item is visually output at said output step, and wherein at said decision step, a color and a size for output data and additional characters are designated in consonance with said priority level.  
     
     
         65 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein the output of an information item having a low priority level is restricted at said output step.  
     
     
         66 . An information processing method according to  claim 48 , wherein, when a plurality of information items are output at said output step, at said decision step an output form is designated based on correlations of said priority levels for said information items.  
     
     
         67 . An information processing method comprising: 
 an output step of outputting information;    a count step of counting information items to be output;    a determination step of selecting output forms for said information items based on an information item count obtained at said count step; and    an output control step of controlling said output control step so as to output said information items using said output forms that have been selected.    
     
     
         68 . An information processing method according to  claim 67 , wherein, in accordance with the number of information items, at said decision step is determined the amount of information that is to be output for said information items.  
     
     
         69 . An information processing method according to  claim 67 , wherein, when the number of information items is large, at said decision step is reduced the amount of information to be output for each of said information items.  
     
     
         70 . An information processing method according to  claim 67 , wherein, in accordance with the number of information items and the size of an output area, at said decision step is determined the amount of information that is to be output for said information items.  
     
     
         71 . An information processing method according to  claim 67 , wherein, when the number of information items is small, at said decision step is directed the output of the contents of each of said information items.  
     
     
         72 . An information processing method according to  claim 67 , wherein an information item is visually output at said output step.  
     
     
         73 . An information processing method according to  claim 72 , wherein at said output step, a plurality of information items are visually output at the same time.  
     
     
         74 . An information processing method according to  claim 72 , wherein based on a search item at said output step information is searched for, and said search item is changed in consonance with the number of objects to be searched for.  
     
     
         75 . A computer-readable storage medium in which is stored a program for controlling a computer, the program comprising codes for permitting the computer to perform: 
 an input step of inputting instruction information;    a condition recognition step of identifying a condition;    an input procedures determination step of selecting input procedures to be performed at said input step in consonance with said condition identified at said condition recognition step; and    a processing step of performing processing based on said instruction information that is input at said input step in accordance with said input procedures that have been determined.    
     
     
         76 . A computer-readable storage medium in which is stored a program for controlling a computer, the program comprising codes for permitting the computer to perform: 
 an output step of outputting information;    a determination step of selecting a priority level for an information item to be output;    a decision step of designating an output form for said information item based on said priority level selected at said determination step; and    an output control step of controlling said output step so as to output said information item using said output form that has been designated.    
     
     
         77 . A computer-readable storage medium in which is stored a program for controlling a computer, the program comprising code for permitting the computer to perform: 
 an output step of outputting information;    a count step of counting information items to be output;    a determination step of selecting output forms for said information items based on an information item count obtained at said count step; and    an output control step of controlling said output control step so as to output said information items using said output forms that have been selected.