JP2000313150A - Input control system for imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an input control system for imaging apparatus in which a series of key input operation can be executed by repeating a simple operation during test operation for an imaging apparatus, for example. SOLUTION: In an imaging apparatus (copy machine, printer, scanner, etc.), having an operating panel 1, information of a series of key input operation inputted from the operating panel 1 is stored in a key input memory section 5 along with identifier information and the information of key input operation is called when key input is executed again. Furthermore, the information of key input operation can be called by designating the identifier information from the host computer 8 side through a network or a PC interface, or the information of a series of key input operation can be acquired from the host computer side by providing a remote operation control section 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input control system for an image device having a mechanism for executing an operation of the device by a key input operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Functionality of an image device such as a printer is verified by manually designating and executing a complicated test operation using an operation panel in a development debug or an evaluation process. For example, JP-A-6-42
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 34-34980 discloses a virtual printer that simulates on a computer the operation sequence of an actual printer including an operation panel system and a paper transport system with the aim of reducing the number of evaluation steps and development steps using an operation panel. And a printer control method and a control system for verifying operation on a virtual printer of a personal computer (PC). Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-35423 discloses a printer and a printer panel control system in which a key operation on an operation panel is taken out by an external interface. This is for setting the parameters of the extension interface board. Even when the parameter setting program is not built in the printer main body, the setting for the extension interface of the printer can be performed. More specifically, it performs control such as extracting information of operation keys to the extended interface device, transferring a message to be displayed on the display panel to the printer side, and displaying the message. However, the former is a simulated operation verification and is effective at the time of development, but cannot be used as a product evaluation because it is not a verification using an actual device. In the latter case, all the key operation information of the printer operation panel is taken out to the external interface device, and all the display information is output to the panel in order to enable various parameter settings for the extended interface that will be provided in the future. It is a technology that can be displayed, does not hold a series of key operation information from the operation panel, and does not reproduce a series of executions.

[0003]

The image equipment such as a printer performs functional verification by designating and executing a complicated test operation manually using an operation panel in a development debugging or evaluation process. In that case,
In particular, the evaluation patterns of image equipment having complex functions, such as fax, printer, copy, and scanner, are combinations of each function, and the number of evaluation patterns is enormous. Further, in the running test, it is troublesome to repeatedly execute the complicated test operation and record the error contents of the display unit and the like, and it is difficult to shorten the evaluation period. Therefore, in the present invention, a series of key input information using an operation panel on a real machine (hereinafter, referred to as a key script)
Can be stored in the device and the same operation can be performed again with simple operations.This makes it possible to significantly reduce the number of evaluation steps that are excellent in verifiability, and also reduce network, serial, centro, USB (Universal Serial Bus), Using a host interface such as IEEE1394, a series of key input information can be obtained and set from an external PC, so that manual operation panel input can be minimized. It is intended to be.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input control system for an image device having an operation panel including a key and a display unit, wherein the operation control of the image device is performed according to a key input from the operation panel. A key input storage unit that stores a series of key input operation information input from the operation panel together with the identifier information, and a series of key input storage units stored in the key input storage unit based on the identifier information. An input control system for an image device, comprising: a key input switching unit for calling key input operation information and transferring the key input operation information to the device control unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the input control system for an image device according to the first aspect, when the identifier information is designated from a host computer via a network or a PC interface, the identifier information is transmitted. Having a remote operation control unit for transferring to the input switching unit,
The key input switching unit is an input control system for an image device, wherein a series of key input operation information already stored is called based on the transferred identifier information and transferred to the device control unit. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the input control system for an image device according to the second aspect, the remote operation control section transmits identifier information and a series of key input operation information from a host computer via a network or a PC interface. An input control system for an imaging device, comprising: receiving an acquisition request of the key device; calling the relevant information from the key input storage unit; and transferring the information to the host computer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the input control system for an image device according to the first aspect, a setting request for identifier information and a series of key input operation information is received from a host computer via a network or a PC interface. An input control system for an image device, comprising: a remote operation control unit that transfers information to be stored to a key input storage unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the input control system for an image device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the device control section stores the series of key input operation information designated by the identifier information. A display output switching unit that generates relevant display information and transfers the information to a display unit; and the display output switching unit includes a display flow storage unit that stores the display information together with identifier information. An input control system for an imaging device.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the input control system for an image device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the device control section relates to a series of key input operation information designated by identifier information. A display output switching unit configured to generate display information and transfer the display information to a remote operation control unit, so that the display information can be obtained from a host using a network or a PC interface. This is an input control system for an image device to be used.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the input control system for an image device according to the fifth or sixth aspect, the display information related to the series of key input operation information designated by the identifier information is a series of keys. An input control system for an image device, comprising: a status related to device control during execution of input operation information, a processing result, and display information related to the operation information.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the internal configuration of an input control system for an image apparatus according to the present invention and the connection with an external host computer. An input control system for an image device includes an operation panel 1 including a key input unit 11 such as a button and a touch panel and a display unit 12 such as an LCD and a CRT.
For printers, scanners, faxes, digital cameras, etc. In the input control system for an image device according to the present invention, a user can use the operation panel 1 to input and execute operating conditions of the image control system. In addition, the display unit 12 can confirm the progress status, error information, and the like. In the input control system for an image device of the present invention, a series of key input information input from the operation panel 1 is stored in the device, and thereafter, the same series of key inputs is specified by an operation unit or a remote host PC. You can run it again. This is realized by storing a series of input key information in the key input switching unit 4, reading out the information, and transferring the read information to the device control unit 9. Here, the device control unit 9
Has a function of controlling the operation of the device in accordance with a key input from the operation panel, and transferring status such as an error and information of a processing result to the display unit. Note that the “series of key input information” here is hereinafter referred to as a key script.

In the input control system for an image device according to the present invention, a re-operation instruction for inputting operating conditions can be given from the operation panel 1 attached to the device or a remote PC. For this purpose, the key input switching unit 4 has at least the following two modes, and can execute six commands. <Mode> 1, Normal operation mode 2, Script operation mode <Command> 1, Script OPEN command 2, Script CLOSE command 3, Script RUN command 4, Script READ command 5, Script WRITE command 6, Script DELETE command

The key input switching unit 4 is initially set in a normal operation mode, and upon receiving a script OPEN command, shifts to a script operation mode and returns to a normal operation mode by a script CLOSE command. . When the script RUN command is received during the script operation mode, the execution of the script is started. When the execution of the script is completed or the continuous execution becomes impossible due to an error, the mode returns to the normal operation mode.
Script OPEN command, script CLOSE command,
When executing the script DELETE command, the ID of the key script to be operated is specified. When a script READ command and a script WRITE command are received during the script operation mode, the key script is read from the key input storage unit and the key script is written to the key input storage unit. The key input storage unit 5 can hold a plurality of key script data sets, and each data set is given an identifier ID such as a serial number or a device number.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure of a series of key input operation information. As shown in FIG.
It consists of creation date, creation time, key number list, device internal status, and execution time. The key number list has a list structure in consideration of a case where not only a single key number but also a plurality of keys are simultaneously pressed. The device internal status can represent a normal state or an error state when a key is pressed.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described for each claim. (Invention of Claim 1) When the user starts inputting a key script from the operation panel 1 and stores it in the key input storage unit 5, the script OPEN command is issued by pressing a predetermined key on the operation panel 1. It is sent to the key input switching unit 4. Thereafter, the key input information is stored as a key script in the key input storage unit in a data configuration as shown in FIG. 2 by the script WRITE command until the key for instructing the completion of the key script is pressed. The storage start, storage end, and ID are shown on the display unit. Subsequently, when the saved key script is to be executed again, the key script to be executed is selected from the saved key script list display.
When D is selected, the key input switching unit 5 displays the script RUN
The command is sent and the execution is reproduced. When an unnecessary data set ID is selected in the list display and deletion is instructed, the corresponding key script is deleted from the key input storage unit 4.
When an ID is selected in the list display and an instruction to start execution of the key script is issued, the key input switching unit 4 calls the specified key script from the key input storage unit 5 and transfers the key number list to the device control unit 9 in order. Here, the operation unit 1
The same operation as when the key script is directly input from 1 can be reproduced.

(Invention of claim 2) The invention of claim 2 is a method according to claim 1, wherein a panel operation can be performed remotely by using a network or a PC interface as a method of designating an identifier later and reproducing the execution. In the input control system for an image device according to claim 1, when the identifier information is designated from a host computer via a network or a PC interface, the identifier information is transmitted to an input switching unit. A remote operation control unit 2 for transferring data;
Is for retrieving a series of key input operation information already stored based on the transferred identifier information and transferring it to the device control unit. Here, the host computer 8
Sends the following command to the key input switching unit 4 via the host interface 7 and the remote operation control unit 2 in order to execute the key script stored in the key input storage unit 5 again. 1. Specify the ID of the key script to be executed by the script OPEN command. 2. Script RU
Execute N command. 3. Execute the script CLOSE command. According to the above command sequence, the key input switching unit 4 calls the specified key script from the key input storage unit 5 and sequentially transfers the key number list to the device control unit, thereby performing the same operation as when directly inputting from the operation unit. Can be reproduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, a series of key input operation information can be obtained from a host using a network or a PC interface. Is such that a series of key input operation information can be obtained from a host using a network or a PC interface. The configuration is such that in the input control system for an image device according to claim 1, the key input storage unit 5 receives an acquisition request for identifier information and a series of key input operation information from a host computer via a network or a PC interface. The corresponding information is transferred to the calling host side. Here, when a key script acquisition request is sent from the host computer 8 in the “remote valid mode” state, the key input switching unit 4 returns key script data matching the ID specified in the acquisition request.

(Invention of claim 4) In the invention of claim 1, a series of key input operation information is set from a host side using a network or a PC interface. And a remote operation control unit 2 that receives a request for setting identifier information and a series of key input operation information from the server and transfers information to be stored to the key input storage unit 5. Here, when a key script setting request is sent from the host computer 8 in the “remote valid mode” state, the key input switching unit 4 sends the ID designated by the setting request.
And the key script data are stored in the key input storage unit 5.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a status, a processing result, and display information relating to device control during execution of a designated series of key inputs can be saved. In any one of the image device input control systems described above, the device control unit 9 generates display information related to a series of key input operation information designated by the identifier information, and displays the information. The display output switching unit 3 includes a display flow switching unit 3 that stores the display information together with identifier information. In this case, by storing the data shown in FIG. 2 as the display flow information, the display flow storage unit 6 can hold the internal status of the device at the time of executing a series of key inputs.

(Claim 6) A status, a processing result, and display information during execution of a designated series of key input operations are obtained from a host using a network or a PC interface. In the input control system for an image device according to any one of Items 1 to 4, the device control unit 9 generates display information regarding a series of key input operation information specified by identifier information, and
It has an output switching unit 3 for transferring such information to the remote operation control unit 2. In this case, when a display flow information acquisition request is sent from the host computer 8 in the “remote valid mode” state, the display flow switching unit 6 returns display flow information data matching the identifier specified in the acquisition request.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since a series of key input information is stored in the apparatus and can be executed again by a simple operation, a series of complicated operations using the operation panel can be performed. For example, in the development debug / evaluation step of repeatedly performing the above, the number of steps can be reduced. Advantageous Effect According to Claim 2: Since remote execution can be performed using a host PC or the like, the same test operation can be performed simultaneously on a large number of devices without using manual operations in actual device evaluation on a production line. it can. Advantageous Effects According to Claim 3: Since a series of input operation information can be obtained from the host using a network or a PC interface, a test operation can be created using an operation panel of an actual device, and verification accuracy is improved. Advantageous Effect According to Claim 4: Since a series of input operation information can be set from the host side using a network or a PC interface, test operation information once created can be reused, and the number of evaluation steps can be reduced. Advantageous Effect According to Claim 5: Since information on device control during execution of a series of key inputs can be stored,
It becomes easy to organize and analyze the evaluation results. Advantageous Effects According to Claim 6: Since information regarding device control during execution of a series of key inputs can be obtained from the host using a network or a PC interface, it is easy to organize and analyze evaluation results. Advantageous Effect According to Claim 7: Since sufficient information on device control is obtained, it is easy to organize and analyze the evaluation results.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an input control system for an image device and a host computer.

FIG. 2 is a data configuration diagram of a series of key input operation information.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation panel, 2 ... Remote operation control part, 3 ... Display output switching part, 4 ... Key input switching part, 5 ... Key input storage part, 6 ... Display flow storage part, 7 ... Host interface, 8 ... Host computer, 9 ... device control unit, 10 ...
Image device, 11: key input unit, 12: display unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An input control system for an image device having an operation panel including a key and a display unit, wherein the device control unit controls operation of the image device in accordance with a key input from the operation panel. A key input storage unit that stores a series of key input operation information to be input together with identifier information, and a series of key input operation information stored in the key input storage unit based on the identifier information, An input control system for an image device, comprising: a key input switching unit that transfers the input to a unit. 2. The input control system for an image device according to claim 1, wherein when the identifier information is designated by a host computer via a network or a PC interface, the identifier information is transferred to an input switching unit. The key input switching unit, based on the transferred identifier information, calls a series of previously stored key input operation information and transfers it to the device control unit. Input control system for imaging equipment. 3. The input control system for an image device according to claim 2, wherein the remote operation control unit receives a request for acquiring identifier information and a series of key input operation information from a host computer via a network or a PC interface. An input control system for an image device, wherein relevant information is called from the key input storage unit and transferred to the host computer. 4. The input control system for an image device according to claim 1, wherein the key input storage unit receives a setting request for identifier information and a series of key input operation information from a host computer via a network or a PC interface. An input control system for an image device, comprising: a remote operation control unit for transferring information to be stored. 5. The input control system for an image device according to claim 1, wherein the device control unit displays display information related to a series of key input operation information specified by the identifier information. A display output switching unit that generates and transfers the information to a display unit, and the display output switching unit includes a display flow storage unit that stores the display information together with identifier information. An input control system for an imaging device. 6. The input control system for an image device according to claim 1, wherein the device control unit generates display information related to a series of key input operation information specified by identifier information. And a display output switching unit for transferring the display information to a remote operation control unit, wherein the display information can be obtained from a host using a network or a PC interface. Control system. 7. The input control system for an image device according to claim 6, wherein the display information related to the series of key input operation information specified by the identifier information executes the series of key input operation information. An input control system for an image device, wherein the input control system is a display status related to device control status, a processing result, and the operation information during the operation.