JP2003125132A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a facsimile machine by which an operator can easily recognize functions of keys on an operation panel with a simple operation. SOLUTION: The method according to an operating flowchart of the image processing apparatus includes a step ST2 of indicating a message of 'Please depress a key help menu of which you want to see' when the operator depresses a help key on an operation pad (ST1), a step ST6 of displaying an item (function) of the key when the operator depresses the key the function of which the operator desires to know (ST4), a step ST12 of reading an image file corresponding to the item from an image memory when the operator selects the items (ST8), and steps ST16, ST17 of displaying a bit image, that is, an image for explaining the item and printing out the image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine having a multi-function such as a copying function and a fax function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, facsimile machines, copying machines, etc.
The functions are complicated and it is difficult for the user to understand how to operate. In order to solve this problem, a help key is provided, and help information for displaying the send operation method, receive operation method, copy operation method, one-touch dial setting operation method, speed dial setting method, etc. When the help information is stored in the information memory and each help information item is displayed on the display unit, and one of the display items on this display unit is selected with the selection operation key, this selected item is selected. There has been proposed a facsimile machine which prints out help information of an item (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-48801).

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional facsimile apparatus, when the help key is pressed, the item information of the help information, that is, the function is selected. There is a problem that you cannot know what you have. In particular, in today's world where functions are complicated and diversified, under a situation where the number of keys is also increasing, it is a more serious problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus in which the functions of the keys on the operation panel can be easily understood by a simple operation.

[0005]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a keypad including a help key, an image data acquisition unit for acquiring image data including a description of the function of each key on the keypad, and the image. A visualization unit that visualizes data,
After the help key is operated, image data of the operated key is read from the image data acquisition unit and visualized by the visualization unit.

In this image processing apparatus, when the help key is operated and then a (some) key is operated,
Image data including a functional description of the key is acquired and visualized. Therefore, the user can immediately know what function a certain key has by visually observing the visualized image data.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments.

A block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 (part) and FIG. 2 (remaining part). Here, as an image processing apparatus, a composite apparatus having both a copy function and a facsimile function is taken as an example.

In FIG. 1, an MPU (central processing unit) 1 as a control unit functions as an overall control unit of the composite device,
The MPU 1 has an NCU (Network Co
control unit) 2 and MODEM 3 are connected. Further, the MPU 1 has a function of displaying the content data read from the key / item comparison table 9a and the item / image file comparison table 9b of the RAM 9 described later on the display unit 11 when the help key 12a described later is operated.

The NCU2 is controlled by the MPU1,
It has a function of controlling the connection between the public telephone line network (hereinafter referred to as line) L and this composite device, and a function of transmitting a dial pulse according to the telephone number of the communication partner and a function of detecting an incoming call. The MODEM 3 modulates / demodulates transmission / reception data, specifically, modulates transmission data, which is originally a digital signal, into an analog voice band signal and sends the analog voice band signal to the line L via the NCU 2 and vice versa. The received analog voice band signal is demodulated into a digital signal.

Further, the MPU 1 includes a scanner 4 and a COD.
EC (encoder / decoder: Coder and Decoder) 5, printer 6, LAN I / F (local area network: Local Area Net)
work) 7, ROM 8, RAM 9, image memory 10, display unit 11, and keypad 12 are connected.

The scanner 4 reads a document image with a CCD image sensor or the like, for example. CODEC 5
Encodes image data to be transmitted and decodes the received image data. The printer 6 prints the received image data or the image data read by the scanner 4 on a sheet to record the image data for hard copy output.

The LAN I / F 7 is an L composed of a server 31 and a client (personal computer) 32.
It is for connecting to the AN 30. Further, in this embodiment, the LAN 30 is connected to the Internet N via the router 35, and the Internet N and the line L reach the service center 36.

The ROM 8 stores in advance a program and the like for controlling the operation of the entire composite apparatus. RAM
Reference numeral 9 stores data required for control by the MPU 1 and data that needs to be temporarily stored during control operation. Also, RA
M9 is image data of the image of the original read by the scanner 4, or the line L or LAN 30 or the Internet N.
It has a key / item comparison table 9a and an item / image file comparison table 9b in addition to the storage area for storing the image data of the startup screen received through. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the key / item comparison table 9a stores, for example, one-touch keys, one-touch dial functions, one-touch dial registration functions, and kana input functions. Further, for example, each function of speed dial, speed dial registration, and phone book dial is stored correspondingly to the speed / phone book key. In the item / image file comparison table 9b, image files are registered corresponding to each selected function item. For example, for one-touch dialing, it is an image file of onlinetouch / pdf. Note that, in this example, the image file is a pdf, but it may be appropriately changed to tif, rtf, or the like. When the image file is stored in the image memory in the main body of the apparatus, the image file may be designated by the start address and the data amount instead of the file name. Image memory 10
Stores the image data read by the scanner 4 and also stores the image data received from the outside via the line L and the MODEM 3.

The display unit 11 includes a key / item comparison table 9a of the RAM 9, an item / image file comparison table 9b,
The image data read from the image memory 10 is displayed. The keypad 12 has a help key 12a and other keys 12i. Other keys 12i are keys such as a numeric keypad for inputting numbers such as a telephone number and a FAX number, a one-touch key, a shortening key, and operation keys for instructing various operations.

Next, the display processing operation for explaining the function of each key in this composite facsimile apparatus will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. When the operation starts, it is determined in step ST1 whether the help key 12a is on. When the help key 12a is turned on, the process proceeds to step ST2. The help key 12a is a key operated when it is desired to know what function each of the other keys 12i has. For example, a one-touch key.

In step ST2, "Please press the key to see the help menu." Is displayed on the display unit 11. Of course, in this case, various keys are arranged on the keypad. Then, the process proceeds to step ST3. In step ST3, the timer T1 is started. Then, the process proceeds to step ST4. In step ST4, it is determined whether any key has been pressed. If any key is pressed by the operator, the process proceeds to step ST6. On the other hand, if any key is not pressed, the process proceeds to step ST5. In step ST5, it is determined whether or not the timer T1 has timed out. If the timer T1 has not timed out, the process returns to step ST4. On the other hand, if the timer T1 times out, the process proceeds to step ST10. Here, in steps ST4 and ST5, the timer T1
Waiting for any key to be pressed until the time expires. After the help key 12a is pressed, if the next key is not pressed even if the timer T1 times out, that is, in step ST10, the display unit 11 returns to the normal display. Then, the process ends.

In step ST6, the item (one item or a plurality of items corresponding to the function) relating to the key is displayed on the display unit 11. For example, for one-touch keys, one-touch dial, one-touch dial registration, and kana input. Then, the process proceeds to step ST7. In step ST7, the timer T2 is started. Then, the process proceeds to step ST8. Step ST8
In, it is determined whether or not the item is selected. Whether the item is one or a plurality, when the item key is pressed, that is, selected, the process proceeds to step ST11. On the other hand, if no item is selected, the process proceeds to step ST9. In step ST9, it is determined whether the timer T2 has timed out. If the timer T2 has not timed out, the process returns to step ST8. On the other hand, if the timer T2 times out, the process proceeds to step ST10. Here again, the timer T is set in steps ST8 and ST9.
Waiting for item selection to be made until item 2 times up. In step ST10, T2
Since no item was selected for the period of, the display unit 11 is returned to the normal display. Then, the process ends.

In step ST11, it is determined where the setting is, that is, from which the image file corresponding to the item is acquired. If the setting is the device body, the process proceeds to step ST12. On the other hand, if the setting is LAN, the process proceeds to step ST13. If the setting is Internet, the process proceeds to step ST14.

In step ST12, the item / image file comparison table 9b is referred to, the image file corresponding to the item is read from the image memory 10, and the process proceeds to step ST16. For example, in response to an item selection of the one-touch dial, an image file of onlinetouch / pdf is read. In step ST16, the image file is developed into a bit image (description image). Then, the process proceeds to step ST17. In step ST17, the printer 6 prints out the bit image. Then, it transfers to step ST18. In step ST18, the display unit 11 displays a normal standby screen. Then, the process ends.

In step ST13, the server of the service center 36 corresponding to the item is browsed by referring to the item / image file comparison table 9b. Then, the process proceeds to step ST15. In step ST15, the image file corresponding to the item is downloaded via the Internet N and the router 35. And
The process proceeds to step ST16. Subsequent processing is the same as when the above-described settings are “device main body” and “LAN”.

As the image data, for example, the instruction manual is pdf.
It is a file or tiff.

[0023]

According to the present invention, a keypad including a help key, an image data acquisition unit for acquiring image data including a description of the function of each key on the keypad, and a visualization unit for visualizing the image data. After the help key is operated, the image data of the operated key is read from the image data acquisition unit and visualized by the visualization unit, so that the explanation of the function of the key on the operation panel is displayed or printed. Therefore, since the function of the key can be directly grasped, the function of the key can be immediately understood, which is convenient. Further, not only the image data is stored in the main body of the apparatus, but also the image data can be acquired from an external server or the like, so that the version upgrade of the description is reflected and the apparatus becomes easier to use.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram (partially) showing a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram (remaining portion) showing a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation after a help key is operated in the image processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation after the help key operation in the image processing apparatus, together with FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of stored contents of a key / item comparison table of the image processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of stored contents of an item / image file comparison table of the image processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 MPU 2 NCU 3 MODEM 4 scanner 5 CODEC 6 printer 7 LAN I / F 8 ROM 9 RAM 9a key / item comparison table 9b Item / image file comparison table 10 image memory 11 Display 12 keypad 12a Help key 12i Other keys 13 servers N Internet L public telephone network 35 router 36 Service Center

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A keypad including a help key, an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data including a description of the function of each key on the keypad, a visualization unit that visualizes the image data, and the help key. An image processing apparatus which, after being operated, reads out image data of an operated key from an image data acquisition unit and visualizes it by the visualization unit. 2. A display section, and a memory for storing the function items of each key and image data in association with each other, wherein the control section functions after the help key is operated. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the item is displayed on the display unit, and control is performed so that image data of the selected item is acquired. 3. The image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image data acquisition unit is a communication unit that requests image data required outside the apparatus and receives the requested image data. Processing equipment.