JP2005031154A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which enables a user to confirm the history of operation keys used in the past. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 includes: a history data storage control part 61 which, when operation keys such as functional keys or ten keys 403 displayed on a touch panel 401 are depressed, stores use history data including information about identification of the depressed operation keys, the dates and times of the use, etc., into a history data storage part 53; and a history data display control part 63 which causes the touch panel 401 to display the use history data stored in the history data storage part 53. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using electrophotography such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus that transmits information about an error content and setting content set by a user using an operation unit to an administrator computer when an error occurs and notifies the administrator of the error occurrence (for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-355493
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the conventional image forming apparatus does not have a means for reporting to the user the past operation history by the user when an error occurs, the user himself can investigate the cause of the error. There is a problem that it cannot be repaired and it is difficult to perform repair, and it causes repeated operations of the same contents.
[0005]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus capable of reporting a past operation history to a user.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 is an image forming apparatus provided with operation keys for setting various functions for image formation, and specifies storage means and setting contents set by the operation keys. History information storage control means for sequentially storing usage history information including at least key identification information for storage in the storage means, display means for displaying data, and display of usage history information stored in the storage means on the display means The display control means is provided.
[0007]
According to this configuration, since the usage history information is displayed on the display means, the user can confirm the cause of the error, for example, from the past setting contents, or confirm frequently used functions for customization registration. It is possible to improve convenience.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, the use history information stored in the storage unit includes job identification information for specifying a job for executing various functions. The display control means displays usage history information corresponding to each job on the display means.
[0009]
According to this configuration, since the use history information is displayed for each job on the display unit, the user can check past setting contents for each job.
[0010]
An image forming apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus having operation keys for setting various functions for image formation, and specifies the setting contents set by the storage means and the operation keys. History information storage control means for sequentially storing usage history information including at least key identification information for the storage means, output means for outputting print data, and usage history information stored in the storage means in the output means. Output control means for outputting.
[0011]
According to this configuration, since the use history information is output by the output unit, the user can check the cause of an error, for example, from past setting contents, or check a function that is frequently used for customization registration. It is possible to improve convenience, and it can be stored as data representing the usage status of the apparatus.
[0012]
An image forming apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the use history information stored in the storage means is for specifying a job for executing various functions. Job identification information is included, and reproduction control means for reproducing a job by use history information stored in the storage means is provided.
[0013]
According to this configuration, since the job performed in the past is reproduced by the reproduction control unit, the cause of the error can be solved by reproducing the job in which the error has occurred, or the setting process of the same content by the operation key is performed. This can be omitted and the operability can be improved.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a digital multi-function peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view mainly showing a configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0016]
The digital multi-function peripheral 1 includes a main unit 200, a paper post-processing unit 300 disposed on the paper carry-out side, for example, the left side of the main unit 200, an operation unit 400 for a user to input various operation commands, The document reading unit 500 is disposed at the upper part of the main body unit 200 and the document feeding unit 600 is disposed at the upper part of the document reading unit 500.
[0017]
The operation unit 400 includes a touch panel unit 401, a start key 402, a numeric keypad 403, and the like, and is used by a user to perform operations related to a scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like.
[0018]
The document feeding unit 600 includes a document placement unit 601, a paper feed roller 602, a document transport unit 603, and a document discharge unit 604, and the document reading unit 500 includes a scanner 501. The paper feed roller 602 feeds the required number of documents set on the document placement unit 601 one by one, and the document transport unit 603 sequentially transports the fed document to the reading position of the scanner 501. The scanner 501 sequentially reads images of the conveyed document, and the read document is discharged to the document discharge unit 604.
[0019]
The main body 200 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 201, a plurality of paper feed rollers 202, a transfer roller 203, a photosensitive drum 204, an exposure device 206, a developing device 207, a fixing roller 208, a discharge port 209, a discharge tray 210, and the like. Prepare.
[0020]
The photosensitive drum 204 is uniformly charged by a charging device (not shown) while rotating in the direction of the arrow. The exposure device 206 scans the photosensitive drum 204 with laser light modulated in accordance with the image data of the document read by the document reading unit 500, and forms an electrostatic latent image for each color on the drum surface. The developing device 207 supplies a black developer to the photosensitive drum 204 to form a toner image.
[0021]
On the other hand, the paper feed roller 202 draws the print paper from the paper feed cassette 201 in which the print paper is stored, and feeds the print paper to the transfer roller 203. The transfer roller 203 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 204 to the conveyed printing paper, and the fixing roller 208 heats and fixes the transferred toner image on the printing paper. Thereafter, the printing paper is carried into the paper post-processing unit 300 from the discharge port 209 of the main body unit 200. The printing paper is also discharged to the discharge tray 210 as necessary.
[0022]
The paper post-processing unit 300 includes a carry-in port 301, a print paper carrying unit 302, a carry-out port 303, a stack tray 304, and the like. The printing paper conveyance unit 302 sequentially conveys the printing paper carried into the carry-in port 301 from the discharge port 209 and finally discharges the printing paper from the carry-out port 303 to the stack tray 304. The stack tray 304 is configured to be movable up and down in the direction of the arrow in accordance with the number of print sheets stacked from the carry-out port 303.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the digital multifunction peripheral shown in FIG. The digital multi-function peripheral 1 includes a scanner unit 11, an image processing unit 21, a printer unit 31, an operation unit 400, a control unit 51, a network I / F (interface) unit 71, and an HDD (hard disk drive) 74.
[0024]
The scanner unit 11 includes an exposure lamp 12 and a CCD (charge coupled device) 13 that constitute the scanner 501 shown in FIG. The scanner unit 11 irradiates the document with the exposure lamp 12 and receives the reflected light with the CCD 13, thereby reading an image from the document and outputting image data corresponding to the read image to the image processing unit 21.
[0025]
The image processing unit 21 includes a correction unit 22, an image processing unit 23, and an image memory 24. The image processing unit 21 processes the read image data by the correction unit 22 and the image processing unit 23 as necessary, and stores the processed image data in the image memory 24 or outputs the processed image data to the printer unit 31. The correction unit 22 performs predetermined correction processing such as level correction and γ correction on the read image data. The image processing unit 23 performs various types of processing such as image data compression or expansion processing and enlargement or reduction processing.
[0026]
The printer unit 31 is an image composed of a paper transport unit 32 composed of the paper feed cassette 201 and paper feed roller 202 shown in FIG. 1, the photoconductive drum 204, the exposure device 206 and the development device 207 shown in FIG. The image forming apparatus includes a forming unit 33, a transfer unit 34 including the transfer roller 203 shown in FIG. 1, and a fixing unit 35 including the fixing roller 208 shown in FIG. The printer unit 31 prints an image on recording paper using the document data read by the scanner unit 11. Specifically, the paper transport unit 32 transports the recording paper to the image forming unit 33, the image forming unit 33 forms a toner image corresponding to the image data, and the transfer unit 34 transfers the toner image to the recording paper. The fixing unit 35 fixes the toner image on the recording paper to form an image.
[0027]
The network I / F unit 71 uses a network interface (10 / 100Base-TX) or the like to control transmission / reception of various data to / from an external device via the LAN. The HDD 74 stores image data read by the scanner unit 11, an output format set for the image data, and the like.
[0028]
The operation unit 400 includes a touch panel unit 401, a start key 402, and a numeric keypad 403 shown in FIG. The touch panel unit 401 includes a touch panel unit or the like that combines a touch panel and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The touch panel unit 401 displays various operation screens, and inputs execution commands for various functions when the user touches the part. Displays function keys for
[0029]
A start key 402 is used to input a print execution start command, and a numeric keypad 403 is used to input the number of copies to be printed. The operation unit 400 also displays a history output key 405 for outputting history data of operation keys used in the past, a history display key 404 for displaying usage history data on the touch panel unit 401, and a display on the touch panel unit 401. Scroll keys 406a and 406b for scrolling the usage history data to be used. Although the history display key 404, the history output key 405, and the scroll keys 406a and 406b are provided separately from the touch panel unit 401 here, they may be displayed on the touch panel unit 401 as function keys.
[0030]
The CPU 52 includes a history data storage control unit 61, a history data output control unit 62, a history data display control unit 63, a history data reproduction control unit 64, a history data search unit 65, and a history data prohibition unit 66.
[0031]
When a function key displayed on the touch panel unit 401 or an operation key such as a numeric keypad 403 is pressed, the history data storage control unit 61 receives an operation instruction signal from the operation unit 400 and performs various operations corresponding to the pressed operation key. The history data storage unit 53 stores identification information for specifying the setting contents of the function and usage history data including operation key usage date and time obtained by a clock unit (not shown) for detecting the current time. The history data prohibition unit 66 determines whether the data input by the operation key is storage prohibition data such as a password. If the data is storage prohibition data, the history data storage control unit 61 performs the operation. Prohibit in advance. The history data prohibition unit determines that data to be input thereafter is storage prohibition data when a preset key such as a key for switching to a password input screen is pressed.
[0032]
The history data output control unit 62 controls the printer unit 31 to cause the printer unit 31 to output usage history data stored in the history data storage unit 53 in order of history. The history data display control unit 63 displays the usage history data stored in the history data storage unit 53 on the touch panel unit 401. The history data search unit 65 searches the use history data of jobs performed in the past from the use history data stored in the history data storage unit 53. The job here includes a series of operations performed by each unit of the apparatus when executing various functions such as copying and scanning set using the operation unit 400. The history data reproduction control unit 64 reproduces a job by controlling each unit of the apparatus for realizing a function corresponding to each job, based on the job usage history data searched by the history data search unit 65. Specifically, the history data reproduction control unit 64 outputs an operation command signal to the scanner unit 11 and the network I / F unit 71 when reproducing a job using the scanner function and the facsimile function, and the copy function, printer When reproducing a job using the function, an operation command signal is output to the scanner unit 11, the image processing unit 21, the printer unit 31, and the like.
[0033]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing by the control unit 51 when an operation key included in the operation unit 400 is pressed by the user.
[0034]
In step S1, it is determined whether or not an operation key such as a function key displayed on the touch panel unit 401 or the numeric keypad 403 is pressed. If the operation key is pressed (Yes in step S1), the pressed operation is performed. If it is determined that the key type has been determined and the history display key 404 has been pressed (Yes in step S3), the process proceeds to step S31, and if it is determined that the history output key 405 has been pressed (Yes in step S5). Advances to step S21.
[0035]
If the start key 402 is pressed (Yes in step S7), it is determined that a job start instruction signal has been input, the job is executed in step S9, and at the same time, 1 is added to the job number in step S11. The job number is updated. If a function key or the like displayed on the touch panel unit 401 is pressed (No in step S7), whether or not the data input by the history data prohibition unit 66 is storage prohibition data such as a password in step S12. If the input data is a storage prohibition key, the history data prohibition unit 66 prohibits the operation of the history data storage control unit 61. If the input data is storage prohibition data, in step S13 The history data storage control unit 61 stores use history data such as identification information for specifying the type of the pressed operation key, use date and time, and job number in the history data storage unit 53.
[0036]
When the history display key 404 is pressed, the operation data list screen including the use history data stored in the history data storage unit 53 is displayed on the touch panel unit 401 by the history data display control unit 63 in step S31.
[0037]
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the operation unit 400 shown in FIG. 1, and an example of an operation history list screen is displayed on the touch panel unit 401.
[0038]
On the operation history list screen displayed on the touch panel unit 401, the types and operation dates of operation keys used in the past are displayed in time series together with corresponding history numbers and job numbers, and the scroll keys 406a and 406b are pressed. It is possible to display usage history data that changes in time. In addition, a job search key K1 and an end key K2 for searching usage history data for each job are displayed on the operation history list screen. The display method of the operation history data on the touch panel unit 401 is not limited to this. For example, when the history display key 404 is pressed, the latest job usage history data and the screen switching key are displayed on the touch panel unit 401. Various changes can be made, such as the use history data of the job displayed on the touch panel unit 401 being switched in order of history when the switch key is pressed.
[0039]
In step S33, it is determined whether or not the job search key on the operation history list screen is pressed. When the job search key K1 is pressed, a job number input screen is displayed on the touch panel unit 401 in step S37. In S35, it is determined whether or not the end key K2 is pressed. When the end key K2 is pressed, the process ends.
[0040]
FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a job number input screen displayed on the touch panel unit 401. In the upper part of the job number input screen, for example, a message “Please enter the job number you want to search.” Is displayed and a job number input field R1 for entering the job number is provided. In the job number input field R1, an arbitrary job number can be input using the numeric keypad 403, and the history data search unit 65 executes a search for use history data of the job number input by pressing the enter key K11.
[0041]
In step S39, it is determined whether or not the confirmation key K11 on the job number input screen has been pressed. If the confirmation key K11 is pressed, the use corresponding to the job number input by the history data search unit 65 in step S42. The history data is retrieved from the usage history data stored in the history data storage unit 53. In step S43, the job history screen including the usage history data retrieved by the history data search unit 65 by the history data display control unit 63 is displayed on the touch panel unit. 401 is displayed. In step S41, it is determined whether or not the end key K12 on the job number input screen is pressed. When the end key is pressed, the process ends.
[0042]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job history screen displayed on the touch panel unit 401.
[0043]
For example, when “5” is input as a job number on the job number input screen, it is used in a job corresponding to the input job number from use history data stored in the history data storage unit 53 by the history data search unit 65. The usage history data of the searched operation key is searched, and a job history screen including the searched usage history data is displayed on the touch panel unit 401. On the job history screen, a reproduction key K21 and an end key K22 for reproducing the job are displayed.
[0044]
In step S45, it is determined whether or not the reproduction key K21 on the job history screen is pressed. When the reproduction key K21 is pressed, each unit of the apparatus is controlled and searched by the history data reproduction control unit 64 in step S49. Jobs such as a copy function and a fax function are reproduced based on job usage history data. In step S47, it is determined whether or not the end key K22 is pressed. When the end key K22 is pressed, the process ends.
[0045]
When the history output key 405 is pressed, the use history data is read from the history data storage unit 53 by the history data output control unit 62 and transmitted to the printer unit 31 and a data output start instruction is issued in step S21. Usage history data is output by the printer unit 31. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a recording sheet on which usage history data is printed. As shown in the figure, all past usage history data stored in the history data storage unit 53 is printed on a recording sheet. Therefore, when the user is performing operation settings using the operation unit 400, when the user wants to confirm the content of the operation performed immediately before, the user presses the history display key 404 to display the usage history data on the touch panel unit 401, If the user wants to know frequently used operation contents from past operation contents or confirm old usage history data, the user presses the history output key 405 to output the usage history data according to the purpose. Can be used properly.
[0046]
Note that the usage history data output method is not limited to this, and pressing the history output key 404 shifts to a selection screen that allows selection of output of all usage history data or output of usage history data in units of jobs. When data output in units of jobs is selected, the screen shifts to an input screen in which a job number desired to be output by the user can be input, and the usage history data in whole or in units of jobs is displayed in the printer unit 31 according to the output format selected by the user. May be output as described above. Further, when the usage history data is displayed as a list or displayed in units of jobs on the touch panel unit 401, the history output key 405 is pressed to output all or job unit usage history data displayed on the touch panel unit 401. The data output format can be variously changed.
[0047]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the history display key 404 is pressed, the usage history data output control unit 62 outputs the usage history data of the operation keys used in the past, and the history output key 405 is pressed. Then, since the history data display control unit 63 displays the usage history data on the touch panel unit 401, the user can check the past operation content. For example, when an error occurs, the operation content at the time of the error can be confirmed, and repair according to the cause of the error can be performed. In addition, when performing customization registration, it is possible to accurately grasp and register frequently used functions and operation settings from history data.
[0048]
Further, since the history data search unit 65 searches for the use history data of the job desired by the user and displays it on the touch panel unit 401, the user can check the operation content for each job. Furthermore, since the history data reproduction control unit 64 reads the use history data of jobs performed in the past and reproduces the job, the cause of the error can be clarified by reproducing the job in which the error has occurred, or the operation unit 400. The setting process of the same content by can be omitted, and the operability can be improved.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the usage history data of the operation keys used in the past is displayed on the display means, or the usage history data is output by the output means, so the user can clarify the cause of the error occurrence from the past operation contents Or the usage status of the apparatus can be confirmed, and convenience can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view mainly showing a configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the digital multi-function peripheral shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing by the control unit when an operation key included in the operation unit is pressed by a user.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the operation unit shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a job number input screen displayed on the touch panel.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job history screen displayed on the touch panel.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a recording sheet on which usage history data is printed.
[Explanation of symbols]
51 Control unit 52 CPU
53 History data storage unit 61 History data storage control unit 62 History data output control unit 63 History data display control unit 64 History data reproduction control unit 65 History data search unit 66 History data prohibition unit 400 Operation unit 404 History display key 405 History output key 406 Scroll key

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus having operation keys for setting various functions for image formation,
Storage means;
History information storage control means for sequentially storing use history information including at least key identification information for specifying setting contents set by the operation keys in the storage means;
Display means for displaying data;
An image forming apparatus comprising: display control means for displaying usage history information stored in the storage means on the display means. The use history information stored in the storage means includes job identification information for specifying a job for executing various functions,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays usage history information corresponding to each job on the display unit. An image forming apparatus having operation keys for setting various functions for image formation,
Storage means;
History information storage control means for sequentially storing use history information including at least key identification information for specifying setting contents set by the operation keys in the storage means;
An output means for outputting print data;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an output control unit that outputs use history information stored in the storage unit to the output unit. The use history information stored in the storage means includes job identification information for specifying a job for executing various functions,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reproduction control unit that reproduces a job based on usage history information stored in the storage unit.

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