JP2004212589A - Character display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a document easy to read while maintaining the speediness of a scroll display. <P>SOLUTION: A character display device is equipped with a display part (display panel 47) capable of making a scroll display of a character string exceeding the number of characters which can be displayed at a time in a display area of a display part, a break decision part 103 which decides a specified break of a character string, and a speed decrease part 104 which decreases a scroll speed under a specified condition. When the break decision part 103 detects a break of a character string reaching a specified position in the display area as it is sequentially moved by scrolling, the speed decrease part 104 decreases the scroll speed from a 1st scroll speed faster than a specified level to a 2nd scroll speed at which the character string is readable for a specified time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a character display device adapted to, for example, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer and displaying a character string exceeding the number of characters that can be displayed collectively on a display.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when text is displayed on a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display display of an operation unit) of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, the number of characters (the number of display characters) that can be displayed collectively in a display area of the display unit As a method of displaying a sentence composed of characters exceeding the number of characters, there is a method of causing the user to read the entire sentence by displaying the entire sentence by scrolling the sentence or the like. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique in which a sentence displayed on a display unit is larger than the number of characters displayed in a display area, divided into a plurality of sentence units, and scrolled and displayed for each sentence unit. Further, in Patent Document 2, when a character string in a sentence displayed on the display unit matches a specific keyword registered by a user or the like or a character string related to the keyword, the scroll speed is reduced. A technology for scrolling display so that keywords are not overlooked is disclosed.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-75220 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-184152 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when scrolling a character string at a constant speed, the switching speed (reaction speed) of the character display on the display unit is often slower than the scroll speed, and the text cannot be read unless the scroll speed is reduced. is there. On the other hand, in order to reduce the time required to read the entire text displayed on the display unit, there has been a problem that scrolling at a predetermined speed or higher is required. In the case of Patent Document 1, although a sentence is displayed for each sentence unit on the display unit, a required display time for each sentence unit, that is, a time enough to read all sentences of each sentence unit displayed on the display unit is considered. It is necessary to scroll and display, and as a result, it may take longer than necessary to read the entire text. Further, even in the method of reducing the scroll speed when a specific keyword is matched as in Patent Document 2, at least the scroll speed at which the text can be read in a portion of the text other than the specific keyword. Had to be reduced to
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a character display device capable of maintaining a speed at which all character strings of a text are scroll-displayed and performing a scroll display in which the text is easy to read. And
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is a character display device including a display unit capable of displaying predetermined characters, wherein a character string exceeding the number of characters that can be displayed collectively is scrolled and displayed in a display area of the display unit, A delimiter determining means for determining a predetermined delimiter of the character string, and speed reduction means for lowering a scroll speed under predetermined conditions, wherein the delimiter moved by the scroll and reaching a predetermined position of the display area is determined. When determined by the delimiter determining means, the speed reducing means is capable of reading at least the character string from the first scroll speed having a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined level for a predetermined time. A character display device characterized in that the speed is reduced to a speed.
[0007]
According to the above configuration, when a break that has been moved along with the scrolling of the character string and has reached a predetermined position in the display area of the display unit is determined (detected) by the break determination unit, the speed reduction unit determines the predetermined level. From the first scroll speed having the above speed, the speed is reduced to a second scroll speed at which at least a character string can be read for a predetermined time. As a result, the scroll speed is reduced at the character string separation position, and when the scroll speed is not reduced, the scroll display is performed at a scroll speed having a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined level. The character string can be easily read while maintaining the displayed speed.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the character display device according to the first aspect, the predetermined position of the display area is an end of the display area in the scrolling direction. According to this configuration, even if the user does not look at the entire character string displayed on the display unit at once, if the user is gazing at the end of the display area, that is, the character is scrolled and sequentially moved to the position of the end. If the user is gazing at the leading end (the first word) of the incoming character string, the entire character string (the contents of all sentences) is read.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the character display device according to the first or second aspect, the determining means determines a space position of the character string as the break. According to this configuration, since the space is used as a delimiter, the delimitation of the character string is easily set.
[0010]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the character display device of the first or second aspect, the determining means determines a position of a predetermined delimiter control code inserted in the character string as the delimiter. I do. According to this configuration, since a predetermined delimiter control code is inserted into the character string and used as a delimiter, the delimiter is set even if the character string has no space, and the delimiter is set at an arbitrary position in the character string. Is done.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing an internal configuration of a copying machine 1 which is an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012]
The copying machine 1 includes a main body 2, a stack tray 3 disposed on the left side of the main body 2, a document reading section 5 disposed on the top of the main body 2, and a copy reading section 5 disposed above the document reading section 5. And a document feeding unit 6 provided. Also, on the front portion of the copying machine 1, a start key 471 for the user to input a print execution instruction, a numeric keypad 472 for inputting the number of copies to be printed, and an operation for inputting settings for various copying operations and the like. An operation panel 47 including a display 473 (display) including a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like for displaying guide information and the like and displaying various operation buttons and the like for inputting various operation commands. Is provided.
[0013]
The document reading unit 5 includes a scanner 51 including a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor and an exposure lamp, a document table 52 (platen glass) formed of a transparent member such as glass, and a document reading slit 53. The scanner 51 is configured to be movable by a drive unit (not shown). When reading a document placed on the document table 52, the scanner 51 is moved to a position facing the document table 52 and scans image data obtained while scanning a document image. It outputs to the control part 10 mentioned later. When reading a document fed by the document feeding unit 6, the document is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 53, and is synchronized with the document feeding operation by the document feeding unit 6 via the document reading slit 53. And outputs the image data to the control unit 10.
[0014]
The document feeding unit 6 includes a document placement unit 61 for placing a document, a document discharge unit 62 for discharging a document after reading an image, and a document placement unit 61 for placing a document placed on the document placement unit 61. An original transport mechanism 63 including a paper feed roller (not shown), a transport roller (not shown), and the like for feeding out the originals one by one, transporting the originals to a position facing the original reading slit 53, and discharging the originals to the original discharge section 62 is provided. The document transport mechanism 63 further includes a paper reversing mechanism (not shown) that reverses the document and transports the document to a position facing the document reading slit 53, and reads images on both sides of the document from the scanner 51 via the document reading slit 53. Making it possible.
[0015]
The document feeder 6 is configured to be foldable, and is lifted upward so as to open the upper surface of the document table 52, so that a read document, for example, a book opened in a double-page state is placed on the upper surface of the document table 52. And the like can be placed.
[0016]
The main body 2 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 461 for storing recording papers of different sizes, a paper feed roller 462 for feeding out the recording paper one by one from the paper feed cassette 461 and conveying the paper to the recording unit 40, and a paper feed cassette. And a recording unit 40 that forms an image on the recording paper conveyed from 461.
[0017]
The recording unit 40 includes an optical unit 42 that outputs a laser beam based on the image data acquired by the scanner 51 to expose the photosensitive drum 43, and an image forming unit 44 that forms a toner image on the photosensitive drum 43. A transfer unit 41 for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum 43 to the recording paper; a fixing unit 45 for heating the recording paper to which the toner image has been transferred and fixing the toner image to the recording paper; A paper transport device 46 transports the recording paper by a transport roller or the like provided in a paper transport path and discharges the recording paper to the stack tray 3 or the discharge tray 48.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the copying machine 1 shown in FIG. The image memory 7 is a memory for temporarily storing data of a document image read by the document reading unit 5 (scanner 51). The HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 8 is a storage device that stores image data read by the document reading unit 5 and an output format set in the image data. The image data and the like stored in the HDD 8 are not only used by the copying machine 1 but also checked by an information processing device such as a client PC via a network I / F unit or the like as necessary. Is transferred to a predetermined folder of the information processing apparatus.
[0019]
The control unit 10 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program of the copying machine 1, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores data, a microcomputer that reads out and executes a control program and the like from the ROM. And executes processing for controlling the entire apparatus in accordance with instruction information received on the operation panel 47 and the like and detection signals from sensors provided at various parts of the apparatus. Further, the control unit 10 includes a character information storage unit 101, a scroll display unit 102, a break determination unit 103, a speed reduction unit 104, and a timer 105.
[0020]
The character information storage unit 101 stores a sentence displayed on the display 473, that is, information of a character string including a plurality of characters (hereinafter, referred to as character string information).
[0021]
The character string information includes information serving as a character string delimiter (hereinafter, referred to as delimiter information). This character string information is, for example, a unit of a sentence composed of so-called graphic characters such as an alphabet such as “Service_will_visit_soon._Please_wait.” Are inserted between the words constituting the character string. Here, the space is indicated as an underbar (_), but the sentence unit is actually displayed on the display screen (display 437). , The underscore is not displayed, and the sentence unit is displayed in a state where there is a space between words.This space is treated as the above-described sentence unit delimiter information. The graphic characters are, for example, alphabets, hiragana, kanji, katakana, numbers, symbols, etc. Is is a letter with a form, is that of the so-called character code.
[0022]
The character string information may be, for example, a sentence unit composed of graphic characters such as kanji and hiragana, such as "a person in charge of this apparatus will come soon, so please wait for a while." In this case, a delimiter control code such as a control character is used as the delimiter information, and the delimiter control code is inserted at a predetermined position in the text unit. Here, the control characters are, for example, a character group assigned to a code range of 0x00 to 0x1F and 0x7F in a character code table such as an ASCII (ASCII) code, for example, an escape code, a tab code, and the like. This is a so-called control code (control code). Normally, a space (code value is SPC) can be regarded as a control character or a graphic character, but is treated here as a graphic character.
[0023]
Regarding the insertion of the delimiter control code described above, specifically, among the character groups assigned to the code ranges of 0x00 to 0x1F and 0x7F, for example, the code value is PU1 (or PU2) or other privately available control. The code is inserted at a suitable position in the sentence unit. For the sake of explanation, the control code PU1 is represented by, for example, #, and an example in which the control code is inserted into the text unit is shown as follows. The control code PU1 is inserted, for example, "Please wait # for a while." (However, this "#" is not displayed in an actual display.)
[0024]
The scroll display unit 102 scrolls the character string generated from the character string information stored in the character information storage unit 101 on the display 473. The scroll display unit 102 displays a character generator (not shown) that generates a character pattern of a display character based on the character string information stored in the character information storage unit 101, and displays the character pattern generated by the character generator on the display 473. A drive unit (not shown) for dynamic display is provided. Note that, when the total number of characters constituting the text unit is larger than the number of characters that can be collectively displayed in the display area of the display 473, the scroll display unit 102 scrolls the character string of the text unit on the display 473. .
[0025]
The delimiter discriminating unit 103 discriminates a delimiter of a sentence displayed on the display 473 based on delimiter information such as the space and the delimiter control code. The delimiter determination unit 103 scrolls the character string having the delimiter information in the display area of the display 473 in a predetermined direction. When a predetermined position is reached, a break (separation information) at the predetermined position is determined (detected).
[0026]
The speed reduction unit 104 reduces the scroll speed for a predetermined time when the break reaching the predetermined position in the display area is determined by the break determination unit 103. For example, when the break is determined by the break determination unit 103, the speed reduction unit 104 receives a signal indicating that the break has been determined from the break determination unit 103, and based on the signal, determines whether the signal has a predetermined level or more. A scroll speed having a high speed (hereinafter, referred to as a first scroll speed) is reduced to at least a scroll speed at which a character string can be read (hereinafter, referred to as a second scroll speed). Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, about 1 second) from the point in time when the break is determined, the second scroll is performed based on a signal having information indicating the lapse of the predetermined time received from a timer 105 described later. The speed is returned from the speed to the first scroll speed. However, the elapsed time may be counted starting from the time when the scroll speed reaches the second scroll speed.
[0027]
The first scroll speed having a speed equal to or higher than the above-mentioned predetermined level is a scroll speed having such a speed that the time required for reading all the text can be reduced. At the first scroll speed, it is desirable that text can be read, but it is not particularly necessary to consider whether the text can be read.
[0028]
The timer 105 measures the elapsed time from the point in time when the delimiter of the character string is determined by the delimiter determination unit 103. The timer 105 receives a signal indicating that a break has been determined from the break determination unit 103, starts counting elapsed time from the point of time when the signal is received, and sets a predetermined time (for example, about 1 second as described above). ), A signal indicating that this time has elapsed is sent to the speed reduction unit 104.
[0029]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of scroll display of a character string on the display 473 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Here, for example, a case will be described in which the above-described text “Service_will_visit_soon._Please_wait.” Is displayed on the display 473. The display area 300 of the display 473 can display, for example, a maximum of 16 characters at a time. In this case, since the number of characters in the text of the text unit is 16 characters or more, scroll display is required. The direction in which the character string is scrolled (the scroll direction) is the direction of the arrow indicated by the symbol α shown in FIG. First, in the display area 300, the character "S", which is a character in the text, is arranged at the end 301 of the display area 300 (the left end of the display area 300). A character string is displayed so as to be “Service_will_vis” as shown in the display state of ▼. Then, from the display state of (1), scrolling of the character string is started, and scrolling is performed at the second scroll speed. Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, about one second described above), the speed is increased from the second scroll speed to the first scroll speed.
[0030]
Next, the character string is scrolled at the first scroll speed, and the character string sequentially moves in the display area toward the end portion 301, and the leading space of “will”, which is the next word of “Service,” is When reaching the portion 301, the scroll speed decreases from the first scroll speed to the second scroll speed. Then, after scrolling at the second scroll speed and passing through the display state of (2), a predetermined time (for example, about 1 second) elapses from the time when the leading space of "will" reaches the end portion 301, the first time The scroll speed returns to. By repeating these operations, the scroll display of the sentence is performed from the display state of (3) to the display state of (6). When the sentence unit is repeatedly displayed, the display unit returns to the display state of <1> as necessary, and the same scroll display is performed thereafter. In this manner, scrolling is so-called slow in the vicinity of each of the display states (1) to (6), and the transition between the display states of (1) to (6) (arrows A to F in FIG. 3). In this case, by scrolling so-called fast, the character string can be easily read while maintaining the scroll display speed of all character strings.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the scroll operation according to the present invention. First, a predetermined character string is displayed on the display 473, and thereafter, the scroll display unit 102 scrolls and displays the character string at a second scroll speed, that is, a slow scroll speed (step S401). The elapsed time is counted by the timer 105 starting from the time when the predetermined character string is displayed on the display 473, and the predetermined time (for example, about one second described above) elapses from this timer 105 when the predetermined time elapses. Is output. The speed reduction unit 104 returns the scroll speed of the character string from the second scroll speed to the first scroll speed based on the output signal from the timer 105 (step S402). Each character of the character string is sequentially moved to the end portion 301 of the display area 300 by the scrolling (roll-up display), and the character (character code) displayed in the roll-up is divided into character strings (the space or the break control). Sign or the like) is determined by the delimiter determination unit 103 (step S403). When it is determined that the time is a delimiter, the speed reduction unit 104 changes the scroll speed from the first scroll speed to the second scroll speed. The scroll speed is reduced to be lower (step S404). If the displayed character is not a break, the first scroll speed in step S402 is maintained. It is determined based on the elapsed time measurement information by the timer 105 whether or not the scroll display is performed at the second scroll speed and a predetermined time has elapsed (step S405). Then, the scroll speed is returned from the second scroll speed to the first scroll speed (step S406). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the second scroll speed is maintained. As the scrolling of the character string progresses, it is determined whether or not the character that is displayed at the end 301 of the display area 300 at the end is the end of the character string (step S407). If the displayed character is the end of the character string, the process proceeds to the next step, and the character string scrolled to the end is scrolled again from the first character of the character string (whether the character is loop-displayed). ) Is determined (step S408), and if scroll display is to be performed from the first character of the character string, the process returns to step S401 to start scroll display. If the scroll display is not repeated, the scroll display ends.
[0032]
As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when the segment that has reached and reached the end portion 301 of the display area 300 is determined (detected) by the segment determination unit 103, the scroll speed of the character string is reduced. The speed reduction unit 104 reduces the first scroll speed having a predetermined speed to a second scroll speed at which a character string can be read. Then, after a predetermined time, the scroll speed is returned to the first scroll speed. As a result, the speed at which all character strings are scroll-displayed is maintained, and the reading time of all sentences can be reduced. In addition, since the scroll speed is reduced at an appropriate position in the character string, the contents of the text (character string) can be easily read.
[0033]
Further, when the character string break reaches the end portion 301 of the display area 300, the scroll speed is reduced, so that the character string displayed on the display 473 is scrolled and sequentially repeated without having to look at the entire character string at once. If the user is gazing at the beginning (the first word or the like) of the character string that rises and moves, the entire text can be read. Further, since the space is used as a delimiter, a delimiter can be easily set without inserting special delimiter information into a character string. Furthermore, since a delimiter control code such as a control character can be inserted into a character string and used, in this case, a delimiter can be set even for a character string (sentence unit) having no space. In addition, the delimiter can be set at an arbitrary position in the character string.
[0034]
The present invention can take the following aspects.
(A) In the present embodiment, a space (blank) is used as delimiter information. However, the present invention is not limited to a space. For example, graphic characters such as a period, a comma, and a colon may be used as delimiter information.
(B) In the present embodiment, the same delimiter control code (for example, the above-mentioned code value is a control code for private use of PU1) is used for each delimiter, but a different delimiter is used for each delimiter. A control code may be used.
(C) In the present embodiment, the length of time for scrolling at the second scroll speed is the same time (here, for example, about 1 second) for each segment of the character string. Alternatively, different times may be used. Also, the length of time for decreasing the speed is not limited to the above-mentioned one second, but may be any suitable length for the characteristics of the displayed text, and may be shorter or longer than one second. .
(D) In the present embodiment, in the sentence composed of the alphabet and the space described above, a space (space code) is inserted only between words, but this space is inserted at the beginning of the sentence (here, for example, “ "Service" may be inserted at the start position. In this case, when the display is first displayed on the display 473 (corresponding to step S401 in FIG. 4), the second scroll speed is set based on the space at the start position. Further, in the text unit, a predetermined delimiter control code may be inserted at an arbitrary position (for example, a head position of each space) of the text without using a space as delimiter information. A delimiter control code may be used as delimiter information instead of a space.
(E) In the present embodiment, for example, a code having a code value of PU1 is selected from the existing control codes and used as the delimiter control code. In this manner, the existing shift JIS code or Unicode is used. Instead, a unique code may be created and used.
(F) As the character code used in the present embodiment, any code such as ASCII (ASCII) code, shift JIS code, or Unicode may be used. Further, the sentence does not have to be written in Japanese or English, and may be written in another foreign language or the like.
(G) In the present embodiment, the first scroll speed is set to a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined level, but a conventional general scroll speed (however, a scroll speed higher than the second scroll speed is used). ).
(H) In the present embodiment, the scroll speed is reduced based on the delimiter information such as a space or a delimiter control code. When the character located in the order of reaches the end portion 301 of the display area 300, the scroll speed may be reduced. The present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which predetermined processing for determining a break is performed on a sentence in advance, and the scroll speed is reduced based on processing information for determining the break.
(I) In the present embodiment, the position at which the break is determined by the break determination unit 103 is the end portion 301 of the display area 300, but any position (for example, display (Near the center of the region 300). Further, the position at which the break is determined may not be within the display area 300. For example, the leading space of “will” in the character string “Service_will_visit. Alternatively, a position that comes out (or reaches) outside the end portion 301 of the display area 300 may be set as a position where a break is determined.
(J) The scroll direction of the text unit with respect to the display area 300 may not be from right to left (the end 301 side) as in the present embodiment, but may be from left to right, from top to bottom, from bottom to top, or an oblique direction. There may be.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the scroll speed is reduced at the break position of the character string, and when the scroll speed is not reduced, scroll display is performed at a scroll speed having a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined level. Therefore, the character string can be easily read while maintaining the speed at which all the character strings are scroll-displayed.
[0036]
According to the invention described in claim 2, even if the user does not look at the entire character string displayed on the display unit at once, he / she is watching the end of the display area, that is, the position of this end is scrolled. If one looks closely at the leading end of a character string that is sequentially moved to, the contents of the entire sentence can be read.
[0037]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, a space is used as a delimiter, so that a delimiter of a character string can be easily set.
[0038]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since a predetermined delimiter control code is inserted into a character string and used as a delimiter, a delimiter can be set even for a character string having no space, and the delimiter can be set to a character. Can be set at any position in the column.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an internal configuration of a copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a copying machine.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of scroll display of a character string on a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a scroll operation according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Copier (character display device)
5 Document reading unit 7 Image memory 8 HDD
Reference Signs List 10 control unit 101 character information storage unit 102 scroll display unit 103 break determination unit (break determination means)
104 Speed reduction part (speed reduction means)
105 Timer 40 Recording unit 47 Operation panel 473 Display (display unit, display area)

Claims (4)

A character display device comprising a display unit capable of displaying predetermined characters, wherein a character string exceeding the number of characters that can be displayed collectively is scrolled and displayed in a display area of the display unit. And a speed reduction means for reducing a scroll speed under a predetermined condition, wherein the break moved by the scroll and reaching a predetermined position of the display area is determined by the break determination means. In this case, the speed reduction means reduces the first scroll speed having a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined level for at least a predetermined time to a second scroll speed at which the character string can be read. Character display device. The character display device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined position of the display area is an end of the display area in the scrolling direction. 3. The character display device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines a space position of the character string as the break. 3. The character indicating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines a position of a predetermined delimiter control code inserted in the character string data as the delimiter.

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