JP2005099632A - Image forming apparatus and method for controlling sounding of alarm sound for informing of abnormal state - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of informing of the release of an abnormal state while preventing a user from feeling troublesomeness. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, the alarm sound for informing of the abnormal state is changed to the one that does not give an unpleasant feeling to the user but can be confirmed by the user when the user performs operation in the case of detecting the abnormal state. The alarm sound produced when the user performs the operation is set to such sound volume that is lower than usual but can be confirmed or a sounding pattern where the integrated value of the sound volume and sounding time is made smaller than usual and which can be confirmed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing apparatus, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine of these.

In a conventional image forming apparatus, when a paper malfunction or out of paper occurs during printing, or when a device abnormality is detected, such as when the cover of the device is opened, the display device of the operation unit, buzzer, etc. The notification device notifies the user of the abnormal state.
Conventionally, the abnormality notification is canceled when the abnormality notification stop processing is performed by a predetermined operation by the user or when the abnormal state is canceled.

In Patent Document 1, when an abnormality occurs, notification of the abnormality to the user is stopped while the user performs an operation unrelated to the abnormality.
In Patent Document 2, the volume of the warning sound is changed during the copying sequence and other times.
JP 11-119605 A JP-A-56-151949

In the conventional technology, when an abnormality occurs while a visually impaired person is operating, if the abnormality notification stop processing is performed, when the abnormality is released to the visually impaired person There is a problem that it is not understood and the abnormality notification is continuously performed unless the abnormality notification stop process is performed.
Further, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when the user eventually performs an operation related to the abnormality, notification of abnormality is made as in the past, and in the technique described in Patent Document 2, the difference in operation on the device side is also made. This only changes the volume of the warning sound, which can be bothersome for users, especially those who are blind.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving the above points and notifying a user of annoyance while not causing annoyance. And

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, when an abnormal state is detected, when the user is operating, a notification sound for notifying the user of the abnormal state is provided without causing discomfort to the user. It is characterized by changing it into something that can be recognized.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the notification sound when the user is operating is smaller than usual and has a volume that can be recognized. .

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the notification sound when the user is operating has an integrated value of the volume and sound emission time smaller than usual. It is characterized by a sound emission pattern that can be recognized.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling sound emission of a notification sound for notifying an abnormal state in an image forming apparatus, the step of detecting the abnormal state, and a user performing an operation when the abnormal state is detected. The notification sound for notifying the abnormal state is changed to a sound that does not give the user discomfort and can recognize it.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 4, the notification sound when the user is operating is lower than usual and has a volume that can be recognized. .

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fourth or fifth aspect of the present invention, the notification sound when the user is operating has an integrated value of a volume and a sound emission time smaller than usual. It is characterized by a sound emission pattern that can be recognized.

  According to the present invention, when the abnormal state is detected, when the user is operating, the notification sound for notifying the abnormal state is changed to a sound that does not give the user discomfort and can recognize it. When a visually impaired person is operating, it is possible to recognize when the abnormality has been canceled after the occurrence of an abnormality, and the notification sound during operation is no longer annoying, reducing the interruption of the user's operation it can.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The basic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is the same as that of a conventional image forming apparatus, and includes an image forming unit 10, an operation unit 20, a display unit 30, a control unit 40, a sensor 50, and a notification unit 60. It is roughly composed.

The image forming unit 10 includes a sheet feeding unit that feeds the sheet material, a transfer unit that performs a transfer process of the toner image to the sheet material, a fixing unit that performs a fixing process of the toner image transferred to the sheet material, and a post-fixing A sheet discharge unit (none of which is shown) for discharging the sheet material is provided, and a series of processes related to the image forming process is performed.
The operation unit 20 includes various keys, a touch panel, and the like for the user to input operation commands and settings to the image forming apparatus 1.
The display unit 30 displays a processing status in the image forming apparatus 1 and setting information input from the operation unit 30.
The control unit 40 controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 1.

The sensor 50 is provided inside the image forming unit 40, detects a state of a part related to each processing in the paper feeding unit, the transfer unit, the fixing unit, and the paper discharge unit, and the detection result is a control unit. 10 is notified.
The notification unit 60 emits a notification sound (buzzer sound, melody, etc.) for an abnormality notification or the like.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 configured as described above, the control unit 40 detects an abnormality in the state or operation of each part of the image forming apparatus 1 based on the detection result of the sensor 50 as a part of the function. And an operation that determines that the user is not operating when a certain period of time elapses after the user stops operating after a certain period of time after any key operation by the user is performed. It has a situation determination function and a function of controlling the notification unit according to the detected abnormality and the operation state by the user to emit a notification sound.

  In the present embodiment, when an abnormal state is detected, when the user is operating, control for changing the notification sound for notifying the abnormal state to one that can be recognized without causing discomfort or annoyance to the user It is characterized by performing. Specifically, when the user is operating, the notification sound is changed to a volume that is lower than normal and can be recognized, or the integrated value of the volume of the notification sound and the sound emission time is set lower than normal. And change to sound emission pattern that can recognize it. As a result, it is possible for a user, particularly a blind user, to recognize an abnormality notification without feeling uncomfortable or bothersome, and to recognize cancellation of an abnormal state by stopping the alarm notification sound. it can.

  In addition, the integrated value of the sound volume and the sound emission time is set to be smaller than usual, for example, from the sound of “Bee” or the sound of “Bibi Bibi…” or “Bee Bibi…” or “Bee, B, B This is because the notification sound in which the period during which sound is not emitted is long, such as “...”, Is less uncomfortable even at the same volume. In addition to the buzzer sound as described above, a melody such as music may be used as the sound emission pattern.

  The control unit 40 includes a memory, a CPU (central processing unit), and the like, and the functions are realized by loading a program for realizing each function of the control unit 40 into the memory and executing the program. To do. Further, a nonvolatile memory for storing the program is provided (none of which is shown).

  Next, a characteristic operation of the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to an operation flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a processing example from the stage when the control unit 40 detects an abnormality.
As described above, the abnormality detection in the image forming apparatus 1 is performed by the control unit 40 based on the detection result notified from the sensor 50.
Here, it is assumed that the control unit 40 detects an abnormal state of the image forming apparatus 1 (step S01).

  When the abnormal state is detected, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the user is operating (step S02). Here, the control unit 40 measures the elapsed time after any key operation of the operation unit 20 by the user is performed, and determines that the operation is in progress if it is within a predetermined period. On the other hand, when a certain time has elapsed since the user stopped operating any key, it is determined that the user has not operated.

If it is determined in step S02 that the user is not operating (NO in step S02), the control unit 40 performs an abnormality notification A (step S03).
Here, the abnormality notification A is a normal abnormality notification issued so as to be understood by a person at a distant place, and is notified by a notification sound of a predetermined sound volume (usually a high sound volume) and / or a predetermined sound emission pattern. Say.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S02 that the user is operating (YES in step S02), the control unit 40 performs abnormality notification B (step S04).
Here, the abnormality notification B is a predetermined volume (low volume) that does not give discomfort or annoyance to the user who is operating near the image forming apparatus 1 and can recognize the continuation / release of the abnormal state. This is a notification by a notification sound of a predetermined sound emission pattern (a sound emission pattern that does not give the user unpleasant feeling).

Thereafter, the abnormality notification A or the abnormality notification B is continued, and it is determined whether or not the abnormal state has been canceled in step S05.
Here, the cancellation of the abnormal state refers to a state in which the abnormal state is actually canceled (the abnormality has disappeared), and includes a case where the abnormality notification is canceled by operating a predetermined key of the operation unit 20.

If it is determined in step S05 that the abnormal state has not been released (NO in step S05), the process returns to step S02.
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S05 that the abnormal state has been canceled (YES in step S05), the notification of the abnormality notification A or abnormality notification B is stopped.
And when abnormality is detected again, the process from step S01 is restarted.
The operation flow described above is an example and is not limited to the above processing flow.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes a configuration that does not depart from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, the notification sound of the abnormal state notification is switched depending on whether or not the user is operating, but when more information is to be notified, the type of information (for example, whether a job remains) The type of the notification sound is changed depending on whether (reprint instruction is necessary).

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of the flowchart explaining the operation | movement of the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus 10 ... Image forming part 20 ... Operation part 30 ... Display part 40 ... Control part 50 ... Sensor 60 ... Notification part

Claims (6)

In the image forming apparatus,
An image forming apparatus, wherein, when an abnormal state is detected, when the user is operating, the notification sound for notifying the abnormal state is changed to a sound that does not cause discomfort to the user and that can be recognized. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification sound when the user is operating is lower than normal and has a volume that can be recognized. The sound notification pattern when the user is operating is a sound emission pattern in which the integrated value of the sound volume and sound emission time is smaller than normal and can be recognized. The image forming apparatus described. A method for controlling sound emission of a notification sound for notifying an abnormal state in an image forming apparatus,
Detecting an abnormal condition;
And, when an abnormal state is detected, when the user is operating, the notification sound for notifying the abnormal state is changed to one that can be recognized without causing discomfort to the user. The sound emission control method of the notification sound which notifies the abnormal state to do. 5. The method for controlling the sound emission of a notification sound for notifying an abnormal state according to claim 4, wherein the notification sound when the user is operating is lower than normal and has a volume enough to recognize the notification sound. . The notification sound when the user is operating is a sound emission pattern in which the integrated value of the sound volume and the sound emission time is smaller than usual and the sound emission pattern can be recognized. A sound emission control method for a notification sound for notifying the described abnormal state.

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