Image processing apparatus, method for controlling operation of image processing apparatus, and recording medium

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to

count a number of times of use, for each respective application program of a plurality of application programs installed on the image processing apparatus, each time of use being counted when the respective application program has been activated for at least a determined time period,

control a display to output a plurality of graphical representations, each of the plurality of graphical representations corresponding to one of the plurality of application programs,

select an application program of the plurality of application programs having a greatest counted number of times of use, and

control a display to output an operation screen of the selected application program when the image processing apparatus is in an unused state, the control of the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program being performed in response to determining that the selected application program corresponds to a graphical representation of a subset of the plurality of graphical representations, the subset of the plurality of graphical representations being set to be displayed on a home screen.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

count the number of times of use on a time slot basis for each of the plurality of application programs, and

select an application program of the plurality of application programs having the greatest counted number of times of use for a current time slot of a plurality of time slots, the current time slot corresponding to a current time.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is configured to select the application program having the greatest counted number of times of use for the current time slot in response to determining that a time slot setting is enabled for the plurality of time slots.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is configured to determine that the time slot setting is enabled based on a received instruction.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is configured to determine that the time slot setting is enabled based on a received instruction.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is configured to select the application program having the greatest counted number of times of use for the current time slot in response to determining that a time slot setting is enabled for the current time slot of the plurality of time slots.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determined time period is configured for each of the plurality of application programs.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the determined time period varies for each particular application program of the plurality of application programs based on a length of time taken to display the operation screen of the particular application program in response to receiving an instruction to execute the particular application program.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, the circuitry is configured to

receive an input that reselects a graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations output by the display after the control of the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program is performed, and

re-control the display to output the operation screen of a specific application program among the plurality of application programs corresponding to the reselected graphical representation when the image processing apparatus is in the unused state.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to determine whether to reselect an application program of the plurality of application programs based on a first mode and a second mode after the control of the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program is performed when the image processing apparatus is in the unused state, the application program having the greatest counted number of times of use is reselected in the first mode, and an application program identified by an instruction received from an external source is reselected in the second mode.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to selects the subset of the plurality of graphical representations based on a received instruction.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program in response to determining that the selected application program has a number of times of use higher than a determined threshold.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program in response to determining that the control of the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program has been enabled.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry enables the control of the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program based on a received instruction.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing apparatus enters the unused state in response to determining that

none of the plurality of application programs have been operated for a period of time, and

a control panel of the image processing apparatus has not been operated for the period of time.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to recount the number of times of use after a determined duration.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

count the number of times of use on a time slot basis for each of the plurality of application programs,

select an application program of the plurality of application programs having the greatest counted number of times of use for a first time slot of a plurality of time slots, and

reselect an application program of the plurality of application programs identified by an instruction received from an external source for a second time slot of the plurality of time slots.

18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

the display including a touch panel,

wherein the circuitry is configured to control the display to output a user interface including at least one of

the plurality of graphical representations, or

the operation screen of the selected application program.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable recording medium storing a program for causing an image processing apparatus to perform a method for controlling operation of the image processing apparatus that, when executed by at least one processor of the image processing apparatus, causes the at least one processor to:

count a number of times of use, for each respective application program of a plurality of application programs installed on the image processing apparatus, each time of use being counted when the respective application program has been activated for at least a determined time period;

control a display to output a plurality of graphical representations, each of the plurality of graphical representations corresponding to one of the plurality of application programs;

select an application program of the plurality of application programs having a greatest counted number of times of use; and

control the display to output an operation screen of the selected application program when the image processing apparatus is in an unused state, the control of the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program being performed in response to determining that the selected application program corresponds to a graphical representation of a subset of the plurality of graphical representations, the subset of the plurality of graphical representations being set to be displayed on a home screen.

20. A method for controlling operation of an image processing apparatus, comprising:

counting a number of times of use, for each respective application program of a plurality of application programs installed on the image processing apparatus, each time of use being counted when the respective application program has been activated for at least a determined time period;

controlling a display to output a plurality of graphical representations, each of the plurality of graphical representations corresponding to one of the plurality of application programs;

selecting an application program of the plurality of application programs having a greatest counted number of times of use; and

controlling the display to output an operation screen of the selected application program when the image processing apparatus is in an unused state, the controlling the display to output the operation screen of the selected application program being performed in response to determining that the selected application program corresponds to a graphical representation of a subset of the plurality of graphical representations, the subset of the plurality of graphical representations being set to be displayed on a home screen.