JP2003076476A - Operation panel and image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation panel controlling device allowing both a visually handicapped user and an able-bodied person to operate an electronic device in the same way as in a conventional operating way. SOLUTION: When a touch panel 200 is pressed down (502), the operation panel controlling device measures X coordinates and Y coordinates (503, 504), adds one increment to the counted value of the number of press-down times (505), checks to see if the value has reached a preset time N (506), and repeats processings from a step 502 unless it has reached N. The device performs an equalizing processing and the like to establish an X coordinates value and a Y coordinates value (507) and goes to RETURN upon reaching a preset time. When the panel 200 is not pressed down on starting this processing, the device performs a non-press-down processing and goes to RETURN (508).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation panel of an electronic device having a touch panel, and more particularly to an operation panel which facilitates operation by a user having a visual impairment and an image forming apparatus provided with the operation panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Like the rehabilitation law (Article 508) established in the United States, there is an increasing demand for the development of equipment having a mechanism that enables non-healthy people with various disabilities to access electronic information equivalent to that of healthy people. ing. The electronic information mentioned here includes the operation of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer.

On the other hand, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine,
A so-called visually impaired person with a visual disability has the biggest obstacle in operating a device, which is a touch screen type operation panel including an LCD and a touch panel. Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-227341, it has been proposed to perform correction such as display enlargement or highlighted display for a user with weak eyesight.
The 0-20200 publication proposes changing the operation display content according to the characteristics of the user.

[0004]

However, in these conventional techniques, it is considered that a so-called totally blind user who has almost no visual acuity cannot perform the operation at all.

The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances of the prior art as described above, and an object thereof is to enable a visually impaired user including a blind user to operate an electronic device and to provide a healthy person. It is to provide an operation panel that can be operated by the same operation method as before.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus provided with an operation panel which enables a visually impaired user to operate an electronic device and a normal person to operate in the same manner as in the past. To do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first means has a display device and a touch panel arranged on the front surface of the display device and having a coordinate input function. When the coordinates on the touch panel corresponding to the soft key displayed on the touch panel are depressed, in the operation panel that receives the input of the soft key, when the touch panel is continuously depressed, the depression coordinate is detected in real time, and the depression coordinate is detected. Is provided with a control means for outputting the function of the soft key corresponding to the coordinates by voice when the values are substantially the same for a preset time.

The second means includes a display device and a touch panel arranged on the front surface of the display device and having a coordinate input function, and coordinates on the touch panel corresponding to the soft keys displayed on the display device. On the operation panel that accepts the soft key input when is pressed,
When the touch panel is continuously pressed, the pressing coordinates are detected in real time, and when the pressing coordinates cross the boundary of the corresponding soft key on the LCD screen,
It is characterized in that it is provided with a control means for outputting the changeover of the soft key by voice.

A third means is the same as the first or second means, wherein the control means outputs the voice and then puts the soft key corresponding to the depressed position into the selection hold state, and the same soft key or the enter key. Is selected again, the selection of the soft key is confirmed.

According to a fourth means, in the first to third means, the control device, when the depressed coordinate is substantially the same for a preset first time, a soft key corresponding to the coordinate. If the soft key position corresponding to the depressed coordinate is not depressed even after the preset second time has elapsed after performing voice output for the function of, the coordinate corresponding to another soft key is depressed. In this case, the selection hold of the soft key is released when the release key is pressed down.

A fifth means is an image forming apparatus for forming a visible image on a recording medium on the basis of inputted image information, and is provided with an operation panel according to the first to fourth means. .

As described above, according to the first means, even a user with visual impairment such as blindness can operate while tracing the touch panel, and the function can be confirmed by voice information when the pressing operation is stopped. It will be possible.

According to the second means, even a visually impaired user such as blindness can operate while tracing the touch panel, and the soft keys on the screen can be displayed by audio information indicating the soft key switching. It is possible to predict the position of.

According to the third means, even a user with a visual impairment such as blindness can operate while tracing the touch panel, and can confirm the function by voice information when the pressing operation is stopped. After confirming, the function selection operation can be easily performed by pressing down again or pressing the confirmation key.

According to the fourth means, even a visually impaired user such as blindness can operate while tracing the touch panel, and the function can be confirmed by voice information when the pressing operation is stopped. After confirming, the function previously input can be canceled by the time, the coordinate value, or the cancel key when the function is different from the desired function, thereby preventing an erroneous operation.

According to the fifth means, by applying the first to fourth means to the image forming apparatus, the effects of the inventions according to the first to fourth means can be obtained in the image forming apparatus. .

In the following embodiments, the display device is the LCD 100 and the touch panel is the touch panel 200.
Further, the control means corresponds to the CPU core 401, respectively.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of an operation panel of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1
In the operation panel PL, a power key 101, a copy start key 102, a clear stop key 103, a ten-key group 104, an interrupt copy key 105, a preheat mode key 106, a program key 107, an application (application) switching key 108, and an alert display. Part 109,
Display operation keys such as the LCD 100 and the touch panel 200 are provided. Of these, the LCD 100 and the touch panel 200 are arranged so that the touch panel 200 is overlaid on the LCD 100, and when the pressed coordinate of the touch panel 200 matches the coordinate range of the soft key displayed on the LCD 100, the key input is accepted. There is. FIG. 2 shows an example of the initial screen displayed on the LCD 100. In the screen, a document type setting key 1001, a density setting key 1002, a paper setting key 1003, both sides, scaling,
A mode setting key 1004 for editing or the like and a finish setting key 1005 for sorting or stacking are displayed, and the function can be selected by pressing.

Although the structure of the touch panel is well known, the structure is briefly shown in FIG. Figure 3
FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a structure of a touch panel, FIG. 1A is a plan view, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view. In FIG. 3 (a),
The touch panel 200 includes a glass substrate 200a, a film 200b, and an FFC (flexible flat cable) 200d for connecting to a control plate. Glass substrate 2
00a and the inner side (opposing surface) of the film 200b are coated with transparent ITO resistance films corresponding to the X electrode and the Y electrode, respectively, and as shown in FIG. 3B, both electrodes do not come into contact with each other in a normal state. As described above, they are separated by a dot spacer 200c having a minute size. With such a structure, when the surface of the touch panel 200 is pushed down, the X electrode and the Y electrode come into contact with each other. In addition, in FIG.
Reference numeral 203 is an operation area, 201 is a view area, 20
Reference numerals 2 respectively indicate wiring areas.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing an example of the control unit of the operation panel PL according to the embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, the control unit 400 includes CPU cores 401 and C.
ASH memory 402, LCDC 403, key input I / F
404 and an audio serial output I / F 405. CP
The U core 401 uses a RISC CPU capable of high-speed processing, and uses a CASH memory 402 of about 8k to 16k bytes to enable high-speed processing. This makes it possible to perform voice middleware processing, and voice data can be transmitted via the voice serial output I / F 405 to μ-Law and A-Law.
Etc. to the CODEC 406 in a standard format. In the CODEC 406, the input digital data is converted into analog data, amplified by the amplifier 407, and output as sound from the speaker 408.

The display data on the LCD 100 is SDRAM.
The data is read from the LCD 409, subjected to format conversion and gradation control by the LCDC 403, and then transferred to the LCD 100 for display. Further, the key input I / F 404 controls the scan matrix circuit 410 installed outside, and controls the LED and the key input. The key input includes the mode switch input.

FIG. 4B is an equivalent circuit diagram showing an equivalent circuit of the analog type touch panel which constitutes the scan matrix circuit. In order to measure the coordinate in the X direction, a bias voltage is applied between X1 and X2, and the value is read from the Y electrode side, the voltage value corresponding to the position in the X direction is read, and the X coordinate is calculated by the calculation process. The position is specified. Further, in order to measure the Y direction, a bias is applied between Y1 and Y2, and X
The coordinates can be similarly specified by reading the value from the electrode. Normally, as in the flow chart of the touch panel control subroutine shown in FIG. 5, the coordinates are read several times with one pressing detection, and the averaging process is performed to eliminate the influence of chattering and the like so that the correct pressing coordinates are read. ing.

That is, in this processing, the touch panel 2
When the touch panel 200 is pressed down (step 502) while the pressing down of 00 is not performed even once (step 501), the X coordinate and the Y coordinate are measured as described above (steps 503 and 504). The count value of the number of push-downs is incremented by 1 (step 505),
It is checked whether the preset number of times N has been reached (step 506), and if not, step 5
The processing from 02 is repeated. Then, when the preset number of times is reached, the averaging process is performed as described above to determine the X coordinate value and the Y coordinate value (step 50).
7) Return. If the touch panel 200 is not pressed down at the start of this process, a non-pressing down process is performed (step 508) and the process returns.

In the normal operation of the touch panel 200 as described above, when the soft key range is pressed down, the function selection of the soft key is confirmed, and when the deeper operation is required, the next hierarchical screen is displayed. Is processed,
A user who is blind or the like cannot visually confirm the display and cannot expect such an operation. for that reason,
In this embodiment, the following control is performed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing this processing procedure. In this process, a user who is blind or the like often estimates the size and position of the operation area 203 by tactile sense based on the edge of the screen.
0 is pushed down and it is checked whether or not there is a soft key at that position (step 601). Even if there is a soft key at that position (step 601-Y), the function selection is not finalized on the spot, and after a specified time due to an interrupt of the interval timer or the like, the push-down detection of the touch panel 200 and the measurement of the coordinate data are performed again. (Step 60
2). If the depressed position is outside the soft key (step 601-N), no special processing is performed (step 607).

If the pressed position is within a certain soft key area, the previously measured pressed position is compared with the currently measured pressed position (step 603), and both values are within the same key area. If there is almost no coordinate change (step 603-N), it is determined that the same key is continuously pressed, and the count value is incremented (step 604). Whether the soft key pressed is different between the previous coordinate and the current coordinate (step 602-N),
If the change in coordinate values is large (step 603-Y)
It is determined that the vehicle is moving and the count is cleared (step 6).
07). Then, when the count value of the continuous depression becomes equal to or more than the prescribed time (step 605), the soft key is temporarily selected and the function of the key is notified to the user by voice information or the like (step 606).

By doing so, even a blind user can move the finger while pressing down the touch panel 200, estimate the position of the soft key by tactile sense, and hold it for a specified time as it is. Since voice information can be obtained for the function of, the setting operation can be performed. An example of this operation is shown in FIG. In FIG. 7, a thick arrow is an example of an operation, and the bottom portion of the touch panel 200 is pressed down and moved in the horizontal direction as it is, and the edit key 1 is pressed.
This means that the finger is stopped on 004a. Here, if the button is held down for a prescribed time, voice guidance such as "This key is an edit key" is played. Thus, even if there is a visual impairment, the operation position and the function of the soft key at the operation position can be understood.

In the control as shown in FIG. 6, when the touch panel 200 is moved by touching it and stopped for a predetermined time, the function of the touched area can be understood, but the touched position is moved. You can't understand where you're touching when you're doing. Therefore, when the finger is moved while the touch panel 200 is being pressed down, the soft key enters the area of the soft key, or when the soft key is lined up, it is detected when the soft key moves to the adjacent soft key and a buzzer sounds. It is also possible to perform control so that the user can see the area being touched (pressed down). This control procedure is shown in FIG. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 8, when it is determined in step 602 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 that the key is not the same as the previous key, before the count value is reset and the processing is finished,
A buzzer or the like is sounded to perform key switching processing (steps 608 and 609).

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when the finger is moved to the right after pressing the keyless portion at the lower left of the screen, the detected coordinates are "double-sided", "magnification" and "edit" key areas. Make the buzzer sound each time you enter. With this, it is possible to easily determine to what position the finger is moved to obtain the desired operation key.

As described above, the function corresponding to the position of the pressed key is selected by the coordinate detection. At this point, the function is selected.
It is also possible to confirm the selected function, but in some cases the selection is wrong, and if the operation is incorrect, the entered function will be executed and the operation will be restarted from the beginning. It is a waste of resources and time. Therefore, the selected function may be initially put in the hold state, and the function selected from the hold state may be checked to select whether to execute the function. Therefore, at the first selection, the soft key function selection is put on hold, and when it is put on hold, along with an explanation of the function by voice guidance,
Guidance will be given on the method of confirmation. For example, a message such as "Press the key again to confirm this function" is issued. Then, the pressing of the touch panel is released once, and the function selection is confirmed when the same soft key is pressed again. As another method, as shown in FIG. 7, a function confirmation key 110 may be provided near the LCD screen and the function may be confirmed by pressing this key down.

On the other hand, when the key in the function selection hold state is not the desired function, it is necessary to cancel the selection hold and select the desired key again. Therefore, in the present embodiment, after issuing the function selection suspension guidance and the selection method guidance, if the selection is not performed even after the elapse of the third specified time, the suspension is released. Further, even when the coordinates other than the hold key are pressed, it is determined that there is no intention to select the held key, the hold is released, and a new pressing control is started. Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
A release key 111 may be provided and the selection may be released by depressing this key.

Further, the normal operation and the change of the touch panel control according to the present embodiment may be automatically transferred depending on the pressed state of the touch panel 200, or a control switching key 112 is separately provided as shown in FIG. You may make it switch by a toggle by pushing down the key 112.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the touch panel is continuously depressed, the depression coordinate is detected in real time, and when the depression coordinate is substantially the same for a preset time, Since a control means for outputting the function of the soft key corresponding to the coordinates by voice is provided, even a visually impaired user can operate the electronic device, and a healthy person can perform the operation by the same operation method as before. It is possible to provide an operation panel capable of performing the operation.

Further, according to the present invention, when the touch panel is continuously depressed, the depression coordinate is detected in real time, and when the depression coordinate exceeds the boundary of the corresponding soft key on the LCD screen, the software is pressed. Since it is equipped with a control means for outputting a key switch sound, even a visually impaired user can operate the electronic device,
In addition, it is possible to provide an operation panel that can be operated by a normal person by the same operation method as the conventional method.

Further, according to the present invention, the key input control is performed by applying the operation panel control device which outputs the operation state by voice to the image forming device which forms the visible image on the recording medium based on the input image information. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus in which even a visually impaired user can operate an electronic device, and a healthy person can perform an operation by the same operation method as in the related art.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an operation panel of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an initial screen displayed on the LCD of the operation panel of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of a touch panel of the operation panel of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a control circuit of an operation panel of the digital copying machine according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a block diagram;
(B) is an equivalent circuit diagram showing an equivalent circuit of the touch panel.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a touch panel control subroutine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for determining a function of a soft key.

7 is a front view of the operation panel showing an example of the display of the operation panel to which the control procedure of FIG. 6 is applied.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a key position switching process when a soft key is pressed down.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 LCD 200 touch panel 400 control unit 401 CPU core 402 CASH memory 403 LCDC 406 CODEC 408 speaker 409 SDRAM 410 scan matrix PL operation panel

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A display device and a touch panel arranged on the front surface of the display device and having a coordinate input function, wherein the coordinates on the touch panel corresponding to the soft keys displayed on the display device are depressed. Occasionally, in the operation panel that receives the input of the soft key, when the touch panel is continuously pressed, the pressing coordinates are detected in real time, and when the pressing coordinates are substantially the same for a preset time, the coordinates are pressed. An operation panel comprising control means for outputting the function of a soft key corresponding to the voice output. 2. A display device, and a touch panel arranged on the front surface of the display device and having a coordinate input function, wherein the coordinates on the touch panel corresponding to the soft key displayed on the display device are depressed. Occasionally, in the operation panel that receives the input of the soft key, when the touch panel is continuously pressed, the pressed coordinate is detected in real time, and when the pressed coordinate exceeds the boundary of the corresponding soft key on the LCD screen, ,
An operation panel comprising a control means for outputting a voice output of the switching of the soft keys. 3. The control means puts a soft key corresponding to a depressed position into a selection hold state after performing the voice output, and selects the soft key when the same soft key or the enter key is depressed again. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein the operation panel is defined. 4. The control device, when the pressed-down coordinates are substantially the same for a preset first time, outputs a voice about the function of the soft key corresponding to the preset coordinates, and then sets the preset. The soft key position corresponding to the depressed coordinate is not depressed even after the second time has elapsed, the coordinate corresponding to another soft key is depressed, or the release key is depressed. If
The operation panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the selection hold of the soft key is released. 5. An image forming apparatus for forming a visible image on a recording medium on the basis of input image information, comprising the operation panel control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Image forming apparatus.