JP2006039469A - Display device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device on which an operation object image is not hidden even in the case that an operation setting button overlaps the operation object image and to provide an image forming apparatus provided with the display device. <P>SOLUTION: The display device provided with a touch panel display device is provided with; a touch area analysis part 211 for causing a prescribed display object to function as a button using a touch panel function; a current display picture management part 212, an indication analysis part 215; and a display control part 213 which displays display objects in predetermined positions of the touch panel display device and displays the inside of the prescribed display object in a transparent color in the case that the prescribed display object overlaps another display object. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device having a touch panel display and an image forming apparatus including the display device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an operation unit of an electric device such as a copying machine has a touch panel display. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes a hierarchical pop-up button display on a touch panel display such as a copying machine. For example, in a copying machine, an operation target image, such as a copy image layout display, and an operation setting button for setting the operation target may be displayed on the touch panel display at the same time (FIG. 4A). )). Thus, displaying the operation target image and the operation setting button at the same time makes it possible to immediately recognize the setting result and improve operability. However, when a touch panel display having a sufficiently small screen is provided, an operation setting button may overlap the operation target image due to, for example, a button pop-up. In this case, the display of the operation setting button is prioritized, and the operation target image is hidden by the operation setting button (FIG. 4B).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-258562

  However, when a situation occurs in which the operation setting buttons overlap on the operation target image as described above, the current operation target image cannot be confirmed, and the operator feels troublesome.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a display device that does not hide an operation target image even when an operation setting button overlaps the operation target image, and an image forming apparatus including the display device. For the purpose.

  The display device according to claim 1 is a display device including a touch panel display, and includes an object display unit that displays a display object at a predetermined position of the touch panel display, and a display object displayed by the object display unit. Input means for causing a specific display object to function as a button using a touch panel function, and when the specific display object is displayed overlapping another display object, the inside of the specific display object is transparent. Control means for displaying on the touch panel display in color.

  According to this configuration, when a button (specific display object) displayed on the touch panel display overlaps with another display object, the button is displayed in a transparent color. It is possible to see both.

  A display device according to a second aspect is the display device according to the first aspect, wherein the specific display object displayed by the object display means is an input button pop-up displayed.

  According to this configuration, when a pop-up button that often overlaps with another display object overlaps with another display object, the button is displayed in a transparent color. Therefore, both the overlapped button and the other display object are displayed. It becomes possible to see.

  A display device according to a third aspect is the display device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the transparency of the specific display object when overlapped with the display object is stored according to the type of the display object. Further comprising a transparency storage means that, when the specific display object overlaps with another display object, the control means according to the type of the other display object stored in the transparency storage means. The inside of the specific display object is displayed with a transparent color having the same transparency.

  According to this configuration, since the transparency of the button changes according to the type of the display object that overlaps the button, the transparency can be changed according to the necessity of transparency of the display object.

  A display device according to a fourth aspect is the display device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein a user sets a transparency of a transparent color that causes the control means to display the inside of the specific display object. It further comprises setting means for doing so.

  According to this configuration, the transparency can be set to the transparency desired by the user.

  An image forming apparatus according to a fifth aspect includes an image forming unit that forms an image and the display device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.

  According to this configuration, the effects of claims 1 to 4 can be achieved in an image forming apparatus that is difficult to include a large touch panel display.

  An image forming apparatus according to a sixth aspect is the image forming apparatus according to the fifth aspect, wherein the other display object is a layout display of an image formed by the image forming means.

  According to this configuration, when the image is displayed on the touch panel display of the image forming apparatus and the setting for the image (for example, setting of the display layout of the image) is performed, the effect of claim 5 can be achieved.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a button (specific display object) displayed on the touch panel display overlaps with another display object, the button is displayed in a transparent color. It is possible to see both other display objects.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a pop-up button that often overlaps with another display object overlaps with another display object, the button is displayed in a transparent color. Both display objects can be viewed.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the transparency of the button changes according to the type of the display object that overlaps the button, the transparency can be changed according to the necessity of transparency of the display object.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transparency can be set to the transparency desired by the user.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the effects of the first to fourth aspects can be achieved in an image forming apparatus that is difficult to include a large touch panel display.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the image is displayed on the touch panel display of the image forming apparatus and the setting for the image is performed (for example, setting of the display layout of the image), the effect of the fifth aspect is achieved. Can do.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus including an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing an internal configuration of a copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus including a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The copying machine 1 includes a main body 1a, a stack tray 1b disposed on the left side of the main body 1a, a document reading unit 1c disposed on the top of the main body 1a, and a document reading unit 1c. And a document feeding unit 1d.

  Further, a display device 2 as an operation unit of an input device provided in the image forming apparatus 1 is provided at the front portion of the copying machine 1. The display device 2 includes a touch panel display 20. The document reading unit 1c includes a scanner unit 51 including a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor and an exposure lamp, and a document table 52 and a document reading slit 53 made of a transparent member such as glass. The scanner unit 51 is configured to be movable by a drive unit (not shown). When reading a document placed on the document table 52, the scanner unit 51 is moved along the document surface at a position facing the document table 52, and the document image is scanned. Image data acquired while scanning is output to an image formation control unit (not shown). Further, when reading a document fed by the document feeding unit 1d, the document is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 53 and synchronized with the document feeding operation by the document feeding unit 1d via the document reading slit 53. The image of the original is acquired, and the image data is output to the image formation control unit.

  The document feeding unit 1d includes a document placement unit 61 for placing a document, a document discharge unit 62 for discharging a document whose image has been read, and a document placed on the document placement unit 61. A document transport mechanism 63 including a paper feed roller (not shown), a transport roller (not shown) and the like for feeding the paper one by one to a position facing the document reading slit 53 and discharging it to the document discharge section 62 is provided. The document conveyance mechanism 63 further includes a sheet reversing mechanism (not shown) that reverses the document and reversely conveys the document to a position facing the document reading slit 53, and scans both sides of the document through the document reading slit 53. 51 can be read.

  The document feeding unit 1d is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body unit 1a so that the front side thereof can move upward. By moving the front side of the document feeder 1d upward to open the upper surface of the document table 52, the operator can place a read document, for example, a book in a spread state, on the upper surface of the document table 52. It has become.

  The main body 1a includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 461 that store recording papers having different paper types (plain paper that can be printed on both sides, reusable paper that can be printed on only one side) and different sizes, and paper feed cassettes. A sheet feeding roller 462 for feeding recording sheets one by one from the sheet 461 to the recording unit 40 and a recording unit 40 for forming an image on the recording sheet conveyed from the sheet feeding cassette 461 are provided. Note that the paper type and paper size stored in each paper feed cassette 461 are stored in the image forming control unit, and when the operator sets the paper type used for printing, the paper feed in which the paper type is stored. Recording paper is fed from the cassette 461.

  The recording unit 40 outputs an optical beam or the like based on the image data acquired by the scanner unit 51 to expose the photosensitive drum 43, and a developing 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 fixing the toner image to the recording paper by heating the recording paper to which the toner image has been transferred, Conveying rollers 463, 464, etc. that are provided in the sheet conveying path and convey the recording sheet to the stack tray 1 b or the discharge tray 48.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the copying machine 1 in the present embodiment. The copier 1 includes a display device 2 as an operation unit and a copier body unit 3. Here, the copying machine main body 3 is the entire portion other than the display device 2 of the copying machine shown in FIG. The copying machine main body 3 includes a recording unit 40. The display device 2 includes a touch panel display 20 and a control unit 21. The control unit 21 controls the display device 2 and includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. The touch panel display 20 is a display having a touch panel function provided in the display device. FIG. 4 is an example of a display screen of the touch panel display 20. On the touch panel display 20, for example, a pop-up button 201, a general button (button that does not pop up) 202, and other display objects (for example, output image layout display) 203 are displayed at predetermined positions. When the touch sensor group provided at a plurality of predetermined positions throughout the entire touch panel display detects that the touch is made by the operator, the touch sensor group transmits a signal to that effect to the control unit 21. The touch panel display 20 displays a display screen of screen data received from the control unit on the touch panel display 20.

  The control unit 21 includes a touch area analysis unit 211, a current display screen management unit 212, a display control unit 213, a button transparency storage unit 214, an instruction analysis unit 215, a display screen storage unit 216, and a display screen determination unit 217. When the touch area analysis unit 211 receives a signal indicating that a touch has been made from each touch sensor of the touch panel display 20, the touch area analysis unit 211 acquires the touched position from the position in the touch panel display provided with the touch sensor, The position information is transmitted to the current display screen management unit 212. The current display screen management unit 212 compares the screen information currently displayed on the touch panel display with the touched area received from the touch area analysis unit 211, and identifies the touched display object (for example, a button). If the display object is a display object having a button function, the display object identification information is transmitted to the instruction analysis unit 215 and the display screen determination unit 217. The current display screen management unit 212 acquires information on the screen currently displayed on the touch panel display from the display control unit 213 described later every time the display screen is updated.

  When the identification information of the touched button (display object) is received from the current display screen management unit 212, the instruction analysis unit 215 sends an execution instruction to the button to be executed when the button is touched. In response, the data is transmitted to the copying machine main body 3 or the button transparency storage unit 214. Specifically, if the touched display object relates to setting or execution of the copying machine main body 3, the execution instruction related to the button is transmitted to the copying machine main body 3. If the touched display object relates to the button transparency setting, the execution instruction related to the button is transmitted to the button transparency storage unit 214 described later.

  The display screen storage unit 216 stores screen data (screen data) displayed on the touch panel display 20 (in all transition screens). Here, the screen data is data representing the shape or position of a display object (button or the like) displayed on the screen (touch panel display 20). This data also includes the type of display object (pop-up button, general button, output image layout display, other objects, etc.).

  When the display screen determination unit 217 receives the identification information of the touched button from the current display screen management unit 212 and receives a signal to change the screen from the copier body unit 3, the display screen determination unit 217 displays the display object. Is selected when the next display screen (touch panel display) or the next display screen corresponding to the signal received from the copying machine main unit 3 is selected, and the screen data is read from the display screen storage unit 216. To the display control unit 213. For this purpose, the display screen determination unit 217 holds screen transition information (for example, a table representing the relationship between transition conditions and display screens) in advance.

  The button transparency storage unit 214 indicates the transparency of the button according to the type of the overlapped display object when the button displayed on the touch panel display overlaps with another display object and the button is displayed in a transparent color. This is for storing button transparency information. This transparency can be changed by the operator using the touch panel display 20.

  When the display control unit 213 receives screen data from the display screen determination unit 217, a display object whose display contents are determined in real time (for example, layout display of an output image or message data from the copier body unit 3) is displayed. In some cases, the data of the display object (for example, image data of the original) is acquired from the copying machine main unit 3 and the data is combined with the screen data. In addition, the display control unit 213 checks the type of the display object of the screen data, and when there is a button that overlaps with another display object (the button 201a popped up in FIG. 4C), The button transparency corresponding to the type of the overlapping display object is read from the button transparency storage unit 214 to determine the button transparency color. In a portion where a pop-up button and a general button overlap, the pop-up button is handled as a button (provides a button function).

  When the display control unit 213 receives screen data from the display screen determination unit 217, the display control unit 213 updates the display screen of the touch panel display 20 using final screen data for which determination of composition, transmission color, and the like has been completed. In addition, the display control unit 213 transmits the updated screen data of the display screen to the current display screen management unit 212.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of display control of the touch panel display in the copying machine 1. In step S <b> 1, the touch area analysis unit 211 analyzes the area touched by the operator on the touch panel display 20, and transmits the position information to the current display screen management unit 212. The current display screen management unit 212 compares the received position information with the current display screen of the touch panel display 20 received from the display control unit 213, and increases or decreases the set value of the touched display object (for example, button transparency). If the display object is a display object having a button function (YES in step S1), the process proceeds to step S2. If the acquired display object is not a display object having a button function (NO in step S1), the process returns to step S1.

  In step S <b> 2, the current display screen management unit 212 transmits identification information of a display object having a button function to the instruction analysis unit 215 and the display screen determination unit 217. The instruction analysis unit 215 confirms the identification information of the display object received from the current display screen management unit 212 and checks whether the display object is an arrow button for changing the setting of the button transparency. If it is an arrow button (YES in step S2), the process proceeds to step S3. However, in this case, it is assumed that the type of display object (general button, output image layout display, etc.) to be changed is already selected. In step S <b> 3, the instruction analysis unit 215 transmits the received arrow button information (for example, the up arrow or the down arrow) to the button transparency storage unit 214. The button transparency storage unit 214 adjusts the transparency of the button with respect to the display object of the specified type in accordance with the direction of the arrow button (for example, up and down). Decrement and change.

  In the branch of step S2, when the touched button is not an arrow button for changing the transparency of the button (NO in step S2) and when the process of step S3 is completed, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the display screen determination unit 217 selects a screen to be displayed next with reference to the screen transition information held by the display screen according to the identification information received from the current display screen management unit 212, and displays the screen of the screen. Data is read from the display screen storage unit 216 and transmitted to the display control unit 213. In step S5, the display control unit 213 checks whether or not the received screen data includes a button that overlaps with another display object (YES in step S5), and proceeds to step S6. In step S <b> 6, the display control unit 213 acquires the transparency of the button from the button transparency storage unit 214 based on the type of the display object that overlaps the button. However, if the popup button and a general button overlap, only the popup button has a button function.

  In step S7, the display control unit 213 checks whether there is a layout display object of the output image in the display object (YES in step S7), and proceeds to step S8. In step S8, the display control unit 213 acquires document image data from the copier body unit 3 and synthesizes it with screen data. If there is no button overlapping with other display objects in the branch of step S5 (NO in step S5), if there is no display object for layout display of the output image in the branch of step S7 (NO in step S7), and step S8 When the process is completed, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the display control unit 213 updates the screen of the touch panel display 20 with the completed screen data such as composition.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a display object having a button function is overlapped with another display object on the touch panel display, the inside of the button is displayed in a transparent color, so that the operator overlaps. Both display objects and buttons can be viewed simultaneously.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the thing of the said embodiment, The aspect described below can be employ | adopted. In this embodiment, the touch panel display provided as an operation unit of the copying machine has been described as an example. However, the device including the touch panel display according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a facsimile machine other than the copying machine. There may be other electrical equipments such as home appliances.

  In this embodiment, the transparency of the button is changed according to the type of the display object that overlaps the button, but it may not be completely transparent depending on the type of the display object. In the present embodiment, when the display object of the layout display of the output image overlaps the button, the button is made transparent. However, this is not necessarily the layout display object of the output image, and any display object ( For example, another button) may be used.

1 is a schematic side view showing a mechanical configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a display process of the touchscreen display in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the touchscreen display in one Embodiment of this invention, (a) The state where the pop-up button is not popped up, (b) The state where the pop-up button was popped up conventionally, (c) This embodiment It is a figure which shows the state by which the pop-up button was popped up in.

Explanation of symbols

1 MFP (image forming device)
2 Display device 20 Touch panel display (setting means)
211 Touch area analysis unit (input means)
213 Display control unit (object display means, control means)
214 Button transparency storage unit (transparency storage means)
40 Recording unit (image forming means)
201-203 Display object 201, 201a, 202 button

Claims (6)

A display device comprising a touch panel display,
Object display means for displaying a display object at a predetermined position of the touch panel display;
An input means for causing a specific display object of the display objects displayed by the object display means to function as a button using a touch panel function;
A display device comprising: control means for displaying the inside of the specific display object in a transparent color on the touch panel display when the specific display object is displayed overlapping another display object.   The display device according to claim 1, wherein the specific display object displayed by the object display means is a pop-up input button. Transparency storage means for storing the transparency of the specific display object when overlapped with the display object according to the type of the display object,
When the specific display object overlaps with another display object, the control means stores the specific color with a transparent color having a transparency according to the type of the other display object stored in the transparency storage means. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the display object is displayed.   The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit for the user to set a transparency of a transparent color that causes the control unit to display the inside of the specific display object. An image forming means for forming an image;
An image forming apparatus comprising the display device according to claim 1.   6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the other display object is a layout display of an image formed by the image forming unit.

Images