JP2003163776A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus having a voice output function by which operability for a vision-impaired person such as the person having weak eyesight is enhanced more. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is provided with a voice output means 72 for informing an operator of the respective modes and functions by using voice, an operation means 13 having mode setting keys 64 to 67 for setting the respective modes and functions, and a main control means 16 for controlling the respective modes so that they are guided by the voice output means 72 by input of the mode setting keys 64 to 67. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a voice output function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As conventional techniques related to an image forming apparatus having a voice output function, there are JP-A-2000-214732, JP-A-8-97954, and JP-A-10-30.
There is a 7512 publication.

[0003] The publication and the like disclose a technique of outputting a self-diagnosis result, an abnormal message, a description of a setting window and the like by a voice guide. Further, a device that informs a function such as key input by voice at the same time when the key input is confirmed is known as a calculator, an electronic toy, or the like.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the abnormal message, the voice guide for the setting window, and the voice message for the key input are output only after the action is started. However, there is a problem that it is not possible to determine which key corresponds to which function.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and for visually impaired persons such as amblyopia,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a voice output function with improved operability.

Further, by making the sound quality of the beep sound (input sound) different, a voice output function is provided for the visually impaired person to improve the operability even when the voice guidance cannot be heard or in the voice guidance prohibition mode. It is an object to provide an image forming apparatus having the above.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the invention according to claim 1, a voice output means for notifying an operator of each mode and function using voice,
An image forming apparatus having an operation means having a mode setting key for setting each mode and a function, and a main control means for controlling the voice output means to guide the mode by inputting the mode setting key are the most main features. To do.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the operation means has a voice guidance valid key, and the main feature of the image forming apparatus is to permit or prohibit the voice guidance by the key. And

According to a third aspect of the invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when the voice guidance is valid, the main control means performs the voice guidance by the first input of the mode setting key. The main feature is the image forming apparatus that controls the mode to be determined by the second input.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when the voice guidance is invalid, the main control means controls the mode to be fixed by one input of the mode setting key. The main feature of the image forming apparatus is that.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect, the audio output means is mainly an image forming apparatus having a function of outputting an input sound indicating a key input by confirming a mode. Characterize.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, the image forming apparatus according to the fifth aspect is characterized mainly in that the tone quality and scale of the input sound are variable.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a digital copying machine. First, the schematic configuration of the digital copying machine will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital copying machine includes a copying machine main body 1, an automatic document feeder [ADF] 2, a stapler and a finisher 3 with a shift tray capable of discharging a large amount of image-formed sheets. , A double-sided reversing unit 4, an extension paper feed tray 5, a large-capacity paper feed tray LCIT 6 and a 1-bin paper discharge tray 7 are included.
The copying machine main body 1 includes a scanner unit, a writing unit, a photoconductor unit, a developing unit, a paper feeding unit, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the entire system of the digital copying machine. In FIG. 2, the copying machine mechanical control unit has one MPU and one CPU configuration. The MPU 11 performs an image forming sequence, fixing control and system-related control, and the CPU 12 performs scanner-related control. The MPU 11 and the CPU 12 are connected by image data and a serial interface.

Further, in FIG. 2, 13 is an operating portion, and 14
Is an I / O control board, 15 is a scanner control board, 16 is a main control board, 17 is an LD control board, 18 is a paper feed control board, 19 is a reading control board on which a CCD is mounted, 20 is a motherboard, and 21 and 22 are , An application expansion unit for realizing a composite function, 21 is an FCU equipped with a FAX function, and 22 is a printer controller for controlling a composite function mode of the printer function and copy, FAX, and printer. As peripheral devices, 23 is a double-sided unit, 24 is a paper feeding bank, 25 is an LCT, and 26 is a finisher.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the connection between each control board of the digital copying machine and the power supply. The main control board 16 that controls the mechanical control of this device is the MPU 11, C
It is composed of a PU peripheral ASIC 31, an image processing ASIC 32, and an I / F 33 having an interface with the printer controller 22 and a compression / expansion function of image data.

The printer controller 22 that controls the system includes an MPU 34 for realizing a composite function,
Peripheral ASIC 3 having an interface with the main control board 16, a communication function with the operation unit 13, and a memory control function
5 is installed. Analysis of key data from the operation unit 13 and control of display are performed by the MPU 34 mounted on the printer controller 22, and the I / F is a peripheral ASIC 35.
Is in charge. The peripheral ASIC 35 and the operation unit 13 are
It is connected via the mother board 20 and the main control board 16.

Next, the form of power supply to each board will be described. The power source of the printer controller 22 is + 5V which is in the energized state even in the power saving mode. Further, the main control board 16 is supplied with + 5VE whose energization is turned off in the power saving mode. Also, the IO control board 14
Is also turned off in the power saving mode +5
VE and + 24V are supplied respectively.

The DC power supply 36 has a converter output 24
SW means 37 and 38 are mounted on V and 5V, respectively. A signal is output from the printer controller 22 in order to turn on / off the SW means 37, 38, and in the power saving mode, the SW means 37, 38 is output by this signal.
By turning off, the output is turned off to + 24V and + 5VE
It is configured to be.

A pressure plate opening / closing detection sensor 39 and a document set detection sensor 40 are connected to the printer controller 22. The pressure plate opening / closing detection sensor 39 can determine whether or not the pressure plate for pressing the book document is open, and when the optional document feeding device 2 is installed, it can detect the opening / closing of the document feeding device. .

The document set detection sensor 40 is a sensor for detecting whether or not a document is set on the document feeding device 2. It should be noted that the shaded portion in FIG. 3 is the portion that is in the energized state even in the sleep mode, and the other portions are the same as the above S.
It is cut by the W means 37 and 38.

FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of the operation unit. The operation unit 13 includes a 10 key 51 for inputting a numerical value such as the number of copies, a clear / stop key 52 for clearing the number of values and interrupting copying, and a copy start for starting copying in a set mode. A key 53, a trial key 54 for outputting only one copy as a trial finish,
An interrupt key 55 that can be copied in the middle of a job to lower the temperature of the fixing heater to lower the temperature of the fixing heater, but the power is a little higher than in the pause mode, but the power can be immediately returned to a low power mode in which resetting is possible and reset to clear the mode. / Preheat key 5
6. Program key 57 that can store and read frequently used copy modes in advance, initial setting / counter key 58 for confirming the copy counter and initializing various modes, user can freely set functions Selection keys 59-61, software SW and LCD display for displaying various information and touch panel 6 for key input
2. Voice guidance enable key 63 for permitting / prohibiting the output of voice synthesis guidance, software S on the LCD display
It is composed of tag selection keys 64 to 67 that can be used together with the W tag key and can sequentially specify the selection within the tag.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the original screen of the touch panel. The touch panel 62 shows the LCD display + touch panel 412 in FIG. It is composed of various software SW and status display. In this example, the keys corresponding to the function for opening the tag are cover / insert, edit, double-sided / combined / divided, and scaling keys. In FIG. 4, the tag selection key 64 corresponds to the cover / insert sheet key, the tag selection key 65 corresponds to the editing key, the tag selection key 66 corresponds to the double-sided / combination / division key, and the tag selection key 67 corresponds to the scaling key.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which the tag is opened by the cover / insert sheet key of the touch panel. In this case, under the tag, four keys, that is, a front cover, a back cover, a chapter break, and a slip sheet are set. The mode is selected by directly touching the four software SWs on the touch panel, but when the above-mentioned tag selection key 64 is pressed, the cover /
Open interleaf tag → Front cover → Back cover →
Chapter break → Insert paper → Cancel settings → Front cover
Each time you press the button, the setting is transferred.

When there is a selection window in each mode, the selection keys on the window are sequentially cycled to the next mode. Further, when the voice guidance is permitted by the voice guidance valid key 63, the tag selection key becomes valid only after being pressed twice. That is, when the button is pressed for the first time, the mode is explained by voice guidance, and the mode is confirmed by the operation for the second time.
That is, the mode selection by the tag selection key 64 described above can be switched to the next mode by pressing the button twice.

7 to 9 are flowcharts showing the control operation for carrying out the present invention. FIG. 7 shows a routine for emitting a beep sound when the tag selection keys 64-67 are pressed. Outputs sound quality corresponding to the tag function assigned to each key in advance. For example, tones such as piano, violin, and guitar.

More specifically, if it is a cover sheet / insert sheet, the sound quality for it is output, and if the magnification is variable, the sound quality for it is output.

FIG. 8 is a routine for producing a beep sound corresponding to each function prepared in the window of the selected tag. A preset scale of, for example, doremifa solacid is output corresponding to each function.

Specifically, if it is the front cover, the scale for it is output, and if it is the interleaf, the scale for it is output.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing what kind of function is selected by pressing the tag key. Each time the button is pressed, voice output or function selection corresponding to each function is performed. Each time, the functions are designed to be transferred in order. When calling this routine, it is premised that the press count is set to 1 when the tag window is not open or when another window is open.

In the present embodiment, if the voice output is valid with the pressing count of 1, the voice output for the cover / sheet is performed. The processing of each of the above-described flows is executed for the cover / sheet insert tag and other tags.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration for audio output. The main body 71 in this figure is a control board on the machine main body side such as the main control plate 16 and the printer controller 22. In this example, the main body 71 and the operation unit 13 on the right side are connected by a USB I / F. ing. Operation part 1
As for the control section on 3, the CPU, DSP and peripherals became one A
SIC is installed, and voice synthesis is executed by a DSP program. The LCDC is for controlling the LCD display on the operation unit 13.

The voice code generated by the DSP is converted into serial data by the audio COSEC I / F, and is output to the speaker 72 through the CODEC.

With the above-described structure, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus with improved operability even for a visually impaired person.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to improve operability for visually impaired persons.
Further, since the key function can be distinguished by the tone color and the scale, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness of the voice guidance depending on the installation location.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a digital copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the entire system of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a connection between each control board of the digital copying machine and a power supply.

FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of an operation unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an original screen of a touch panel.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a tag is opened by a cover / insert sheet key of the touch panel.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for emitting a beep sound when a tag selection key is pressed.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a beep sound corresponding to each function prepared in the window of the selected tag.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing what function is selected by pressing a tag key.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration for audio output.

[Explanation of symbols]

13 Operation part (operator) 16 Main control board (main control means) 63 Voice guidance enable key 64-67 Tag selection key (mode setting key) 72 speaker (audio output means)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A voice output means for notifying an operator of each mode and function by voice, an operating means having a mode setting key for setting each mode and function, and a voice output means for outputting the mode by inputting the mode setting key. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a main control unit that controls to provide more guidance. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit has a voice guidance valid key, and the voice guidance is permitted or prohibited by the key. 3. When the voice guidance is valid, the main control means controls the voice guidance by the first input of the mode setting key and controls the mode by the second input. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1 or 2. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the voice guidance is invalid, the main control means controls the mode to be determined by one input of the mode setting key. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the voice output unit has a function of outputting an input sound indicating a key input by confirming the mode. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sound quality and scale of the input sound are variable.