JP2004279605A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To directly develop a setting screen by a mechanical key operation by giving a number to each setting screen. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is equipped with a pressure sensitive touch panel type LCD display part 55 for displaying an operational screen, an operation part unit 4 having the mechanical key for inputting the number of sheets on which an image is formed and a variable power rate, and an operation part control board 2 controlling the unit 4. The control board 2 has a function to operate and develop the screen on the display part 55 not only by operation on the display but also by the input of the number by using the mechanical key by giving a systematized number based on functional classification and screen developing order to every kind of operational screen and to display the systematized number with each key of the operational screen displayed on the display part 55 concurrently. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a display control technique on an LCD display unit of an operation unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the operation unit of an image forming apparatus equipped with a display element such as an LCD and a touch panel, a screen for setting an image forming condition and a state of the apparatus is displayed on the display element, and by pressing a displayed key position. Various settings are made by detecting a user operation and developing the screen according to the operated key. However, since all the functions that can be selected cannot be displayed in a list because the display space is limited, it is common to expand the screen according to the operation of the user and set various conditions.
As a technique for facilitating setting of various conditions by a user, for example, there are a technique described in Patent Document 1 and a technique described in Patent Document 2.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-10-177442 [Patent Document 2] JP-A-11-205509
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-177442, a dedicated mechanical key is arranged near the display position of a key on a display element, and it is possible to detect that a key is operated by operating the mechanical key. The versatility is lacking because a dedicated key is arranged for a given key.
Further, in the technology described in JP-A-11-205509, each key displayed on the display element can be selected by an operation using a mechanical key, but only the key can be selected without using a touch panel. The screen developing process and the image forming condition setting process performed by one selection operation are equivalent.
However, when setting image forming conditions on a screen located at a deeper level of the screen hierarchy, it is necessary to sequentially develop the screen by touch panel operation and perform the next key operation after the screen development is completed. Users, especially those who are familiar with operations and screen development, will feel annoying.
The present invention solves the above-described problem by assigning a number to each setting screen and directly expanding the screen by operating a mechanical key.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 includes a pressure-sensitive touch panel type display unit for displaying an operation screen, an operation unit unit having a mechanical key for inputting the number of images to be formed and a magnification, and an operation unit. Operation unit control board that controls the unit unit. The operation unit control board assigns systematic numbers to various operation screens based on function classification and screen deployment order, and inputs numbers not only with display but also with mechanical keys However, the most important feature is an image forming apparatus having a function of expanding a screen on a display unit and displaying a systematic number for each key of an operation screen displayed on the display unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the operation unit control board is configured such that each key of the operation screen displayed on the display unit is used only during a period in which the mechanical key is used for a screen expanding operation. The main feature of the present invention is an image forming apparatus having a function of displaying a systematic number with respect to.
[0005]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. A main body control board 1 and an operation section control board 2 are provided. The main body control board 1 and the operation section control board 2 are connected by a communication means 3 such as a synchronous serial or the like so that bidirectional data communication such as a drawing command, various set values, and key input information can be performed.
A main body CPU 11 and a nonvolatile memory 12 are mounted on the main body control board 1, and setting values and the like that need to be remembered even when the power is turned off are stored in the nonvolatile memory 12. Since a non-volatile memory is not mounted on the operation unit control board 2, setting values to be remembered are exchanged with the main body control board 1 via the communication means 3.
The operation unit CPU 21 on the operation unit control board 2 has a flash ROM 22 in which a control program is stored, an SRAM 23 used as a work area, an LCD controller 25 for controlling an LCD module 24, and an LCD controller 24. A touch panel 26, a driver 28 of a key board 27, and the like are connected.
The operation unit CPU 21 can read / write from / to an SDRAM 29 called a VRAM for storing display pixels to the LCD module 24 via an LCD controller 25. A key switch on a certain key board 27, a backlight of the LED, and the LCD module 24 can be controlled. The LCD controller 25 performs VRAM refresh processing and display data transfer (display signal output) from the VRAM to the LCD module 24. The output of this signal 30 can be suppressed by setting an internal register.
[0006]
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of an operation unit mounted on the image forming apparatus. The operation unit 4 includes a numeric keypad 41 for inputting the number of prints and a magnification, a start key 42 for instructing a start of a print operation, and a clear / stop key for instructing interruption of the print operation and clearing of a numeric keypad input result. 43, a ten-key screen operation key 44 for entering / leaving a screen development mode without touch panel operation by inputting a corresponding number with ten keys 41, and a reset key 45 for returning a set print mode to a default state It has.
The operation unit 4 also includes a preheating key 46 for instructing transition / release of the preheating state, an initial setting mode transition / release key 47 for setting the apparatus in accordance with the convenience of the manager or the user, and an LCD. There are provided a language switching key 48 for switching the display language to another language, and hard keys such as application switching keys 49 to 52 for selecting an application such as copy, facsimile, printer, and scanner.
On some hard keys, LEDs 53 for indicating the selected state of the keys are added. In particular, both a red LED and a green LED 54 are added on the start key 42 so that a green LED is turned on when the apparatus can perform a printing operation, and a red LED is turned on when the apparatus cannot be operated. In addition, a touch panel is arranged on the LCD display unit (screen) 55 so as to be superimposed thereon, so that the user's screen pressing position can be detected.
[0007]
FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a screen development for setting the function of the application scaling. On the basic screen of (1), a status area 61 indicating the status of the apparatus, a counter area 62 displaying the number of originals, the number of sets, the number of copies, and the like, a key row 63 for selecting a paper feed tray, and changing the original size or paper designation. A key row 64 for selecting a magnification, a set magnification display section 65, and a key row 66 for setting additional functions such as scaling, double-sided / aggregation / editing / printing, cover / insert, and the like are arranged.
When the scaling key in the key row 66 is pressed on the screen of FIG. 3A, the screen changes to a screen of FIG. This screen is an example in which functions such as zoom, enlargement, reduction, and applied scaling can be set with the key row 67, and 71% of reduction is set as a default function after screen expansion. When the application scaling key in the key sequence 67 is pressed on the screen of (2), the screen transits to the application scaling setting screen of (3). On this screen, a function to determine the magnification by inputting the document size and the copy size can be set.
[0008]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which classification / function numbers are defined for additional functions such as scaling, double-sided / combined / edited / printed / cover / insert. Classification numbers are defined at the magnification, double-sided / combined / edited / printed / cover / interleaf levels, and function numbers are defined for functions that can be set under that classification.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when a corresponding number according to the number definition of FIG. 4 is displayed on the corresponding function key. On the screen of (1), the classification numbers [1] to [4] are displayed together with the function classification keys (key column 66) of scaling, double-sided / combination, editing / printing, cover / insert, and On the screen (2), function numbers [1] to [4] are displayed together with the function keys (key column 67) for zooming, enlarging, reducing, and applying scaling.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process when a numeric keypad operation key on the operation unit is pressed. When the ten-key screen operation key 44 is pressed (S1), if it is a shift to the ten-key screen operation mode (shift at S2), the use purpose of the ten-key screen 41 is switched to the screen operation (S3), and the ten-key screen operation mode is switched. Is released (released in S2), the use purpose of the numeric keypad is switched to normal operation (S4). In this example, the numeric keypad operation key performs a toggle operation.
[0009]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen that directly transitions to a setting screen for a designated function by designating a function number using a numeric keypad. When the user operates [1] → [4] with the numeric keypad 41 on the basic screen of (1), the input number is displayed as “1-4” in the status area 61 as shown in the screen of (2), and further, the numeric keypad is displayed. When [#] is operated at 41, the input number is determined, and the screen directly transits to the setting screen of the corresponding function number. In the case of this example, the input number is "1-4" and "applied scaling" is selected from the number definition of FIG. 4, and the setting screen of applied scaling as shown in (3). Transitions to
FIG. 8 is a control flowchart at the time of the operation shown in FIG. From the state of waiting for a classification number (S1), when there is an input from the numeric keypad 41 (Y in S2), the input number is held as a classification number, and a state of waiting for a function number is entered (S3). (S4) It is held as a function number and waits for a confirmed [#] key operation (S5). If the [#] key is pressed (# in S6), the screen number is determined and the corresponding screen is displayed (S7). If any key other than the [#] key is operated (other than # in S6), the input is invalid. And the process ends.
[0010]
FIG. 9 shows a screen when the corresponding number in accordance with the number definition of FIG. 4 is displayed on the corresponding function key only during the period in which the numeric keypad operation key on the operation unit is pressed and the mode is shifted to the numeric keypad operation mode. It is a figure showing an example.
When the numeric keypad operation key 44 is pressed in the normal screen (the state of the numeric keypad operation mode release) of FIG. 9A, the status area 61 is displayed in the status area 61 as shown in the screen of FIG. In this way, the display indicates that the mode is being changed, and classifies the keys from [1] to [4] for each function classification key (key row 66) of scaling, double-sided / combined, edit / print, cover / insert. When the numbers are displayed together and the numeric keypad screen operation key 44 is pressed again, these displays are deleted and the screen returns to the upper normal screen.
FIG. 10 is a control flowchart at the time of the operation shown in FIG. When the ten-key screen operation key 44 is pressed (Y in S1), if the pressing indicates a shift to the screen operation by the ten keys 41 (move in S2), <Numeric key screen operation> is displayed in the status area 61 ( S3) Further, the corresponding number according to the number definition of FIG. 4 is displayed on the corresponding key (S4), and the use purpose of the ten keys 41 is switched to the screen operation (S5). When the release from the screen operation by the ten keys 41 is indicated (released in S2), the <Numeric keypad operation in progress> in the status area 61 is deleted (S6), and the corresponding number according to the number definition of FIG. The key is erased (S7), and the use purpose of the numeric keypad 41 is switched to a normal operation (S8).
[0011]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, by allowing the user to recognize the corresponding number from the screen, it is possible to assign a number to each operation screen and directly expand the screen to a deep hierarchy by operating the mechanical keys. .
According to the second aspect of the invention, only when the user performs a mechanical key operation, the corresponding number can be recognized on the screen, so that various operation screens are numbered, and the operation of the mechanical key directly deepens the hierarchy. It can be deployed on the screen.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of an operation unit mounted on the apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a first display example of an LCD display unit.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a classification / function number is defined for an additional function;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second display example of the LCD display unit.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a first control example.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a third display example of the LCD display unit.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a second control example.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a fourth display example of the LCD display unit.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a third control example.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 operation section control board, 4 operation section unit, 55 LCD display section

Claims (2)

An operation unit control including a pressure-sensitive touch panel display unit for displaying an operation screen, an operation unit unit having a mechanical key for inputting the number of images to be formed and a magnification, and an operation unit control board for controlling the operation unit unit On the board, systematic numbers are assigned to various operation screens based on the function classification and screen development order, and the screen on the display is expanded and operated not only by operation on the display but also by entering the number with the mechanical key and displayed on the display An image forming apparatus having a function of displaying a systematic number for each key of an operation screen to be displayed. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit control board is a systematic number for each key of the operation screen displayed on the display unit only during a period in which the mechanical key is used for a screen expanding operation. An image forming apparatus having a function of displaying the image.

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