JP6296020B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for setting setting values of setting items in a wizard format.

  In an information processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus, a user can set setting values of various setting items. For example, in the image forming apparatus, setting values of setting items such as the number of copies, copy magnification, and printing paper can be set. The user can perform copying or the like with desired contents by setting the setting values of these setting items to appropriate values.

  Here, as a method for setting the setting values of a plurality of setting items, there is a setting method using a so-called wizard format (for example, see Patent Document 1 below). In the setting method using the wizard format, a plurality of wizard screens for setting the setting values of the setting items are sequentially displayed. The user completes the setting of the setting values of the plurality of setting items by performing operations according to the wizard screens that are sequentially displayed. As described above, in the setting method using the wizard format, a plurality of setting items can be set by the user proceeding in an interactive manner, so that the setting of the plurality of setting items can be simplified. it can.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-159045

  In the setting method using the wizard format, the wizard screens are sequentially displayed. Therefore, when the number of wizard screens to be displayed is large, it is troublesome for the user. Therefore, in general, the setting items that can be set by the setting method using the wizard format are limited to only basic setting items.

  However, setting items that are frequently changed are different for each user. For this reason, only basic setting items can be set by the setting method in the wizard format, and setting items that are frequently changed cannot be set. In addition, it may be possible to add the setting item selected by the user to the setting item set by the wizard format. In this case, the user needs to select the setting item to be added, which is troublesome for the user. It becomes.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to enable setting of setting items frequently changed by a user by a setting method using a wizard format with a simple operation.

  An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention sets a display unit, an operation unit that receives a user operation on a screen displayed by the display unit, and setting values of a plurality of setting items that can change setting values A setting unit having a normal setting mode and a wizard format setting mode as operation modes for performing a normal setting screen for setting setting values of the plurality of setting items in the display unit in the normal setting mode. In addition, a setting for the setting values of the plurality of setting items is received based on a user operation received by the operation unit on the normal setting screen. In the wizard format setting mode, a predetermined setting among the plurality of setting items is received. A number of wizard screens for sequentially setting the setting values of the basic setting items in the wizard format are displayed on the display section. A setting unit that receives a setting for the setting value of the basic setting item based on a user operation received by the operation unit on the wizard screen, and a process execution unit that executes a process using the setting value received by the setting unit In the information processing apparatus comprising: a change count counting unit that counts the number of times the setting value is changed on the normal setting screen in the normal setting mode for each setting item; and A setting unit that specifies a setting item for which the number of times counted by the number-of-changes counting unit is greater than a predetermined number of setting items excluding basic setting items, and the setting unit further includes the wizard format In the setting mode, in addition to the wizard screen for setting the setting value of the basic setting item, the setting specified by the specifying unit The wizard screen for setting items of the setting value is displayed on the display unit, an information processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention described above, setting items that are frequently changed by the user can be set by a setting method in a wizard format with a simple operation.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a figure which shows an example of the function selection screen which the display part of the image forming apparatus as an example of the information processing apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention displays, (B) is one implementation of this invention It is a figure which shows an example of the setting method selection screen which the display part of the image forming apparatus as an example of the information processing apparatus concerning a form displays. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a normal setting screen displayed by a display unit of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) And (B) is a figure which shows an example of the wizard screen which the display part of the image forming apparatus as an example of the information processing apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention displays. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in a storage unit of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) And (B) is a figure which shows an example of the order of the wizard screen displayed on a display part by the setting by a wizard format. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wizard screen displayed on a display unit of an image forming apparatus according to a modification.

  An image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is a multifunction device having a plurality of functions such as a facsimile communication function, a copy function, a printer function, and a scanner function. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 2, an image reading unit 10 disposed above the apparatus main body 2, and a connecting unit provided between the image reading unit 10 and the apparatus main body 2. 3.

  The image reading unit 10 is an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) having a document transport unit 11 and a scanner that optically reads a document transported by the document transport unit 11 or a document placed on a contact glass (not shown). is there. The image reading unit 10 acquires image data as an image formation target by reading a document one by one.

  In the apparatus main body 2, an image forming unit 20, a paper feeding unit 30, an image memory 40, a storage unit 50, a communication unit 60, and the like are accommodated.

  The image memory 40 is an area for temporarily storing image data read by the image reading unit 10.

  The image forming unit 20 reads image data stored in the image memory 40 and forms (prints) an image on a sheet supplied from the sheet feeding unit 30 using the data. The printed paper is discharged to the discharge tray 4.

  The storage unit 50 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

  The communication unit 60 is a communication interface including a communication module such as a LAN chip (not shown). The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to another PC (Personal Computer) or the like via a network, and transmits / receives data to / from the PC connected by the communication unit 60.

  A display unit 70 and an operation unit 80 are disposed on the front side of the apparatus main body 2. The display unit 70 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic EL (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display. The display unit 70 displays, for example, a setting screen that displays a list of a plurality of setting items for which setting values can be set in the image forming apparatus 1.

  The operation unit 80 is, for example, a start key for instructing execution of a print job or the like, a determination key (enter key) for performing a confirmation operation on a GUI (Graphical User Interface) constituting a setting screen, and a numerical value input. Numerical value input keys and the like, and accepts an operation on the screen displayed on the display unit 70 from the user.

  The image forming apparatus 1 further includes a control unit 100. The control unit 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. The control unit 100 executes a control program such as an information processing program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 50 on the CPU, so that the control unit 101, the setting unit 102, the change count counting unit 103, and the identification unit It functions as the unit 104. In addition, each said structure of the control unit 100 may be each comprised by the hard circuit irrespective of the operation | movement based on the above-mentioned control program.

  The control unit 101 governs overall operation control of the image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 101 is connected to the image reading unit 10, the image forming unit 20, the paper feeding unit 30, the image memory 40, the storage unit 50, the communication unit 60, the display unit 70, the operation unit 80, and the like. It controls the operation of each of the above mechanisms and transmits / receives signals or data to / from each mechanism. In particular, the control unit 101 functions as a processing execution unit that executes processing such as copy processing using a setting value received by the setting unit 102 described later.

  The setting unit 102 sets (changes) the setting value of the setting item based on the function of displaying the setting screen on the display unit 70 and the user operation received by the operation unit 80 on the setting screen displayed on the display unit 70. Has a function to accept. The setting unit 102 has a normal setting mode and a wizard format setting mode as operation modes for setting setting values of a plurality of setting items.

  FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an example of a function selection screen D1 displayed on the display unit 70. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, a copy function, a scan function, a FAX transmission function, and a BOX storage function are shown as functions of the image forming apparatus 1, and a plurality of buttons d1 to d4 corresponding to each function are provided. It is arranged on the function selection screen D1. When the operation unit 80 receives a selection operation of the button d1 associated with the copy function, a setting method selection screen D2 illustrated in FIG. 3B is displayed on the display unit 70 under the control of the setting unit 102.

  On the setting method selection screen D2, as a method for setting the setting (copy setting) when the image forming apparatus 1 executes the copy function, setting by a wizard format and setting by a normal setting screen are shown.

  When the operation unit 80 receives the selection operation of the button d6 on the setting method selection screen D2, the operation mode of the setting unit 102 is the normal setting mode. In the normal operation mode, the setting unit 102 displays the normal setting screen D3 on the display unit 70 (see FIG. 4). The normal setting screen D3 is a screen for setting the setting values for each of a plurality of setting items for which setting values can be set in the image forming apparatus 1. In the example shown in FIG. 4, setting items related to print quality are shown on the display unit 70. The setting unit 102 receives settings for the setting values of the setting items based on a user operation input on the normal setting screen D3. As described above, the user can perform copying with desired contents by setting the setting value of each setting item to an appropriate value on the normal setting screen D3.

  On the other hand, when the operation unit 80 receives the selection operation of the button d5 on the setting method selection screen D2, the operation mode of the setting unit 102 is the wizard format setting mode. In the wizard format setting mode, the setting unit 102 displays the wizard screen D4 on the display unit 70 (see FIG. 5A). The wizard screen D4 is a screen for sequentially setting preset values of basic setting items among a plurality of setting items shown in the normal setting screen D3 in a wizard format. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, a dialog d7 for setting a setting value for the basic setting item for the number of copies is arranged on the wizard screen D4. The wizard screen D4 has a button d8 for transitioning to the next wizard screen. When the operation unit 80 receives the selection operation of the button d8 on the wizard screen D4, the setting unit 102 displays the wizard screen D5 on the display unit 70 (see FIG. 5B). The wizard screen D5 includes a dialog d9 for setting a setting value for the basic setting of the copy magnification, a button d10 for transitioning to the previous wizard screen, and a button d11 for transitioning to the next wizard screen. . The setting unit 102 sequentially receives settings for the setting values of the basic setting items based on user operations input on the wizard screens D4, D5, and the like. As described above, in the setting method in the wizard format, the basic setting items can be easily set by the user proceeding with the operation in an interactive format.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the number-of-changes counting unit 103 has a function of counting the number of times the set value is changed in the normal setting mode for each setting item. The change count counting unit 103 stores the counted number in the storage unit 50.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in the storage unit 50. As shown in the figure, the storage unit 50 stores the number of times the setting value is changed in the normal setting mode for each setting item.

  The storage unit 50 also indicates whether each setting item is a basic setting item or a normal setting item. Here, the basic setting item is a setting item that is set by a setting method using a wizard format among a plurality of setting items for which setting values can be set in the image forming apparatus 1. On the other hand, the normal setting items are setting items excluding the basic setting items described above among a plurality of setting items for which setting values can be set in the image forming apparatus 1. The setting unit 102 refers to the data stored in the storage unit 50 and identifies setting items to be set by setting in the wizard format.

  Returning to FIG. 2, for the normal setting item, the specifying unit 104 sets a setting item in which the number of times counted by the above-described number-of-changes counting unit 103 is larger than a predetermined number by setting in the wizard format. It has a function to specify as an item to be added to the target (additional setting item). When the predetermined number of times is “40”, in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the eco print setting and the aggregation setting are specified as additional setting items. The setting unit 102 adds the setting value of the additional setting item specified by the specifying unit 104 to the target for setting the setting value in the wizard format. That is, in this case, the setting value of the additional setting item is set in a wizard format in addition to the predetermined basic setting item.

  FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating an example of the order of wizard screens displayed on the display unit 70 in the setting in the wizard format. In the example shown in FIG. 7A, the copy number setting, copy magnification setting, printing paper setting, and single-sided printing / double-sided printing setting are the basic settings, and the basic settings are displayed on the display unit 70 in a predetermined order. Is set to be.

  FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating an example of the order in which additional setting items are displayed on the display unit 70 in the setting in the wizard format. As shown in FIG. 7B, the setting unit 102 causes the display unit 70 to display a wizard screen for setting the setting value of the additional setting item after the wizard screen for setting the setting value of the basic setting item. In the example shown in FIG. 7B, there are a plurality (two) of additional setting items. In this case, the setting unit 102 displays the wizard screens in descending order of the number of times counted by the change count counting unit 103. To display. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the number of changes to the eco print setting is “50” and the number of changes to the aggregation setting is “60”, so the setting unit 102 sets the setting value of the aggregation setting on the display unit 70. The wizard screen is displayed first, and then the wizard screen for setting the eco print setting value is displayed.

  The above is the description of the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. Next, a specific operation flow of the image forming apparatus 1 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The setting unit 102 of the image forming apparatus 1 displays the function selection screen D1 shown in FIG. 3A on the display unit 70 (step S1).

  When the operation unit 80 accepts a function selection operation by the user on the function selection screen D1 (YES in step S2), the setting unit 102 causes the display unit 70 to display the setting method selection screen D2 shown in FIG. (Step S3).

  When the operation unit 80 receives a setting selection operation on the normal setting screen on the setting method selection screen D2 (NO in step S4), the setting unit 102 causes the display unit 70 to display the normal setting screen D3 shown in FIG. Step S5).

  When the change of the setting value is received on the normal setting screen D3 (YES in step S6), the setting unit 102 stores the changed setting value in the storage unit 50 (step S7). Further, the change count counting unit 103 counts the number of change of the setting item received in the process of step S6 (step S8). Specifically, the number-of-changes counting unit 103 rewrites the number of changes of the setting items stored in the storage unit 50 to the number of changes increased by one. The processes in steps S6 to S8 are repeated until the setting on the normal setting screen D3 is completed (YES in step S9).

  On the other hand, when the setting in the wizard format is selected on the setting method selection screen D2 (YES in step S4), the specifying unit 104 refers to the number of changes in the normal setting item stored in the storage unit 50 and performs additional setting. A process for specifying an item is performed (step S10). And the setting part 102 produces | generates the wizard screen which sets the additional setting item specified by the process of step S10 (step S11). The setting unit 102 determines the order in which the wizard screens are displayed in the setting in the wizard format.

  After the processing in step S11, the setting unit 102 causes the display unit 70 to display a wizard screen set in advance so as to be displayed first among the wizard screens for setting the basic setting items (step S12).

  When the change of the setting value is received on the wizard screen (YES in step S13), the setting unit 102 stores the changed setting value in the storage unit 50 (step S14).

  When the instruction to transition to the next wizard screen is received on the wizard screen (YES in step S15), the setting unit 102 causes the display unit 70 to display the next wizard screen (step S16), and the process of step S13 is performed. Return.

  When the setting value is changed on the wizard screen displayed last in the setting in the wizard format, the setting in the wizard format is completed (YES in step S17).

  When a function execution instruction is given after the setting of the set value is completed (YES in step S18), control unit 101 executes the function with the changed setting stored in storage unit 50 (step S19).

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 1, the setting item changed frequently on the normal setting screen is counted, and the setting item that the user frequently changes is identified by analyzing the change number. Can do. Then, by adding the setting item specified by the setting unit 102 to the target for setting the setting value in the wizard format, the setting item that the user frequently changes without performing the operation of selecting the setting item to be added by the user. It is possible to set with the setting method in the wizard format.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

<Modification 1>
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wizard screen displayed on the display unit 70 of the image forming apparatus according to the first modification. A wizard screen D6 shown in FIG. 9 is a wizard screen that is finally displayed by setting in the wizard format. The wizard screen D6 includes a button (GUI) for receiving an instruction to change the display screen displayed on the display unit 70 from the wizard screen to the normal setting screen in addition to the dialog d12 for setting the setting value for the eco print setting. ) D13 is arranged.

  When the selection operation of the button d13 is performed on the wizard screen D6, the setting unit 102 changes the display screen displayed on the display unit 70 from the wizard screen D6 illustrated in FIG. 9 to the normal setting screen D3 illustrated in FIG. . At this time, the setting unit 102 causes the display unit 70 to display a normal setting screen D3 with the setting value set by the setting in the wizard format as an initial value.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the first modification, the wizard screen can be changed to the normal setting screen with a simple operation. Further, according to the image forming apparatus according to the first modification, it is possible to continue the setting operation on the normal setting screen while the setting value set on the wizard screen is stored.

  The setting unit 102 may include the above-described button d13 in the wizard screen that is finally displayed on the display unit 70 in the setting in the wizard format, and may not include the button d13 in the other wizard screens.

<Modification 2>
In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the case has been described where the wizard screen for setting the setting values of the basic setting items is displayed on the display unit 70 in a predetermined order. On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus according to the second modification, the setting unit 102 displays the wizard screen for setting the setting value of the basic setting item on the display unit 70 in descending order of the number of times counted by the change number counting unit 103. Let As a result, in the image forming apparatus according to the second modification, the basic setting items frequently changed by the user can be set in an early order in the setting in the wizard format.

<Modification 3>
In the image forming apparatus according to the third modification, the specifying unit 104 specifies basic setting items for which the number of times counted by the change count counting unit 103 is less than a predetermined number for the basic setting items. Then, the setting unit 102 excludes the setting value of the basic setting item specified by the specifying unit 104 from the target for setting the setting value in the wizard format. For example, when the predetermined number of times is “10”, in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the print sheet setting is specified as the setting item to be deleted. As described above, in the image forming apparatus according to the third modification, the basic setting items that are rarely changed by the user can be excluded from the objects to be set by the wizard format.

<Modification 4>
In the image forming apparatus according to the modified example 4, the change count counting unit 103 counts the number of times the set value is changed on the normal setting screen from the current time to a predetermined time. That is, the data referred to when the specifying unit 104 specifies the additional setting item is limited to the number of times the setting value has been changed in the period from the current time to a predetermined time. . The identifying unit 104 does not use the number of times the setting value has been changed in a period other than the period from the current time to a predetermined time before the identifying unit 104 identifies the additional setting item. Although the setting items frequently changed by the user may change depending on the period, the image forming apparatus according to the modification 4 specifies the additional setting item based on the number of times the setting value has been changed in the most recent period. Setting items that the user frequently changes can be specified with high accuracy.

<Other variations>
In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus is shown as an example of the information processing apparatus, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this case. The information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to, for example, a portable terminal such as a tablet terminal or a smartphone, a personal computer, and the like in addition to the image forming apparatus.

  The control program described in the above embodiment may be recorded on a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or semiconductor memory. In this case, a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium that records the control program is an embodiment of the present invention.

1 image forming apparatus 20 image forming unit 50 storage unit 70 display unit 80 operation unit 100 control unit 101 control unit 102 setting unit 103 change count counting unit 104 identification unit

Claims (8)

A normal setting mode and a wizard as operation modes for setting a setting value of a plurality of setting items that can change a setting value, a display unit, an operation unit that receives a user operation on a screen displayed by the display unit A setting unit having a format setting mode, wherein in the normal setting mode, a normal setting screen for setting setting values of the plurality of setting items is displayed on the display unit, and the operation unit is displayed on the normal setting screen. The setting for the setting values of the plurality of setting items is received based on the user operation received by the user. In the wizard format setting mode, the setting values of the basic setting items predetermined among the plurality of setting items are sequentially set in the wizard format. A plurality of wizard screens for setting are displayed on the display unit, and An information processing comprising: a setting unit that receives a setting for a setting value of the basic setting item based on a user operation received by the operation unit; and a processing execution unit that executes a process using the setting value received by the setting unit In the device
A change count counter that counts the number of times the setting value has been changed on the normal setting screen in the normal setting mode for each setting item;
For the setting items excluding the basic setting item among the plurality of setting items, a specifying unit that specifies a setting item in which the number of times counted by the change number counting unit is greater than a predetermined number of times, and
The setting unit further includes a wizard screen for setting the setting value of the setting item specified by the specifying unit in addition to the wizard screen for setting the setting value of the basic setting item in the wizard format setting mode. Is displayed on the display unit.   The setting unit sets a setting value of the setting item specified by the specifying unit after displaying a wizard screen for setting a setting value of the basic setting item on the display unit in the wizard format setting mode. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wizard screen is displayed on the display unit.   When there are a plurality of setting items specified by the specifying unit, the setting unit displays the wizard screen for setting the setting value of each setting item in descending order of the number of times counted by the change number counting unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, which is displayed on a section.   The said setting part displays the wizard screen for setting the setting value of each said basic setting item on the said display part in order with many frequency | counts counted by the said change frequency counting part. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims. The specifying unit further specifies, for the basic setting item, a basic setting item in which the number of times counted by the change number counting unit is less than a predetermined number of times,
The said setting part further does not display the wizard screen for setting the setting value of the basic setting item which the said specific part specified in the said wizard format setting mode on the said display part. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.   The setting unit includes a button for accepting an instruction to change the operation mode from the wizard format setting mode to the normal setting mode in the wizard screen, and when the operation unit accepts a user operation to select the button, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a normal setting screen showing a setting value set in the wizard format setting mode as an initial value is displayed on the display unit.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the setting unit includes the button in a wizard screen that is finally displayed on the display unit in the wizard format setting mode, and does not include the button in other wizard screens. .   8. The change count counting unit according to claim 1, wherein the change count counting unit counts the number of times the set value is changed on the normal setting screen between a current time and a predetermined time before. The information processing apparatus described.

Images