JP2007300289A - Multifunction machine and method of displaying operation screen thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate resetting by enabling a user to change the setting of parameters in a multifunction machine once and then to invoke a screen for changing the setting by a simple method. <P>SOLUTION: When an icon for an item, where the user changes the setting of parameters, is displayed on an operation panel, and an icon of an item that the user wishes to reset is selected, the screen for changing the setting of the item is displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multifunction peripheral and a method for displaying an operation screen thereof, and more particularly to changing parameters set by a user.

  Multifunction machines are multifunctional, and when a user makes fine changes to the default settings, it is often necessary to call up a desired parameter input screen through a plurality of hierarchical steps. For example, in order to perform detailed processing reflecting the user's preference on the multifunction peripheral, the parameter is set by searching for an item to be set from an application function or a favorite function instead of the basic menu of processing.

  If the operation steps are complicated as described above, it may be difficult to know which step should be taken even if the operation screen in which the parameters are set is called again. In addition, when parameters of many items are changed, it is difficult to remember the function name, and in addition, it may be forgotten which step is set and input, and which item parameter is changed. When it is desired to reset the parameter once set by the user and perform processing with a different parameter, the operation screen is displayed by performing the same operation as when setting the parameter until the desired operation screen is displayed. In order to change the parameter in this way, calling the operation screen used before by taking a plurality of steps each time is complicated and the user cannot easily change the parameter. If the user forgets the operation procedure, he / she has to press a plurality of buttons until a desired operation screen is displayed.

  An object of the present invention is to display a switch indicating an item whose parameter setting has been changed on the operation screen in the multifunction device and the operation screen display method thereof, so that the user can easily change the parameter setting again. (Claims 1 to 6).

  The present invention relates to a multi-function peripheral that sets parameters using a plurality of hierarchized operation screens, and accepting means for accepting parameters input by a user on a parameter input screen for each setting item in a lower hierarchy; Using the input parameters, parameter setting means for changing a setting value of a multifunction device, switch display means for displaying a switch indicating a setting item for which the parameter has been input, on the operation screen, and the display When the selected switch is selected by the user, a parameter input screen display means for accepting the selection and displaying the parameter input screen is provided.

Preferably, the switch is displayed on a standby screen for each function of the multifunction peripheral.
Preferably, each setting item on the parameter input screen has a display color, and the switch is displayed in the display color of the setting item set by the user.

  More preferably, a means for resetting the parameter set by the user is provided, the setting of the parameter is reset to the initial value by the user's reset instruction, and the switch is not displayed. Still more preferably, means for displaying the operation screen on a client terminal is provided.

  The present invention is also a method for displaying an operation screen of a multi-function peripheral that sets parameters using a plurality of hierarchized operation screens, and is input by a user on a parameter input screen for each setting item in a lower hierarchy. A step for accepting a parameter, a step for changing a setting value of the multi-function peripheral using the input parameter, and a step for displaying a switch indicating the setting item for which the parameter has been input on the operation screen And a step for accepting the selection and displaying the parameter input screen when the displayed switch is selected by the user.

In the present invention, the switch is displayed on the operation screen for the item for which the user has changed the parameter setting. Therefore, the user can understand the changed item at a glance, and may be confused even if many items are changed. Absent. Also, by selecting the switch for the item for which you want to change the parameter settings again, you can call up the operation screen to change the desired item by omitting multiple steps, simplifying the operation and improving operability. Can be improved. Even when an operation on the operation screen is not remembered, such as when a parameter of an item related to a function that is not frequently used is changed, a desired operation screen can be displayed by switch selection.
Furthermore, by displaying the switch of the item whose parameter has been changed, other users can know which item has been changed before using the multifunction device, and operate the multifunction device with the items set by others. This is prevented (claims 1-6).

In the invention of claim 2, since the switch is displayed on the standby screen of each processing mode of the multi-function peripheral, the operation screen for changing the setting can be called from the standby screen in one step.
In the invention of claim 3, the switch of the item for which the parameter setting has been input is displayed in color, so that the user can perform an intuitive operation.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the setting content input by the user pressing the reset button is reset and the switch for the item is also deleted. Therefore, the processing reflecting the user's preference can be performed until the reset is performed. . Even if the user leaves the MFP without resetting his / her settings, the next user knows in advance that other users have set parameters by displaying the switch. Can do.

  In the invention of claim 5, the same operation can be performed from the client terminal by displaying the operation screen on the client terminal.

  In the following, an optimum embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be shown.

  1 to 5 show an embodiment. In the figure, 2 is a multifunction peripheral, 4 is a CPU as a main control, 6 is a network control unit (NCU) for establishing a call to the public telephone network, and 8 is a G3 facsimile via a public telephone line. A modem for transmitting and receiving data and the like. The MFP 2 is connected to the administrator's personal computer 14 and the user's personal computer 15 via the LAN 12 via the LAN interface 10.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a copy function processing unit, and reference numeral 18 denotes a scanner function processing unit which performs processing such as reading an image with a scanner and transmitting image data to a personal computer or the like. A printer function processing unit 20 gives the printer a network printer function, and performs printing as a network printer in response to a request from the personal computers 14 and 15 in the LAN 12. A G3 facsimile function processing unit 22 transmits / receives image data and the like using a public telephone line. A network communication unit 24 transmits and receives e-mails and the like. Reference numeral 26 denotes an Internet network.

  Reference numeral 28 denotes a display panel such as an LCD, and 30 denotes an operation unit, which uses a touch panel or a keyboard of the LCD display panel, selects a processing mode, specifies a job such as printout or G3 facsimile, selects a document to be processed, Then, setting conditions such as a destination facsimile number and a mail address at the time of transmission processing are input, and parameters for performing desired processing for each user are set and changed. In the embodiment, the user's instruction is received from the display panel 28 provided in the multifunction device 2, but the parameter setting may be received by displaying a screen for setting or changing parameters on the display of the personal computer 14, 15 or the like. good. The following description of the embodiment also applies to setting parameters from the personal computers 14 and 15 or the like.

  Reference numeral 32 denotes a parameter change processing unit, a parameter receiving unit 34 for receiving a parameter input by the user, a parameter setting unit 36 for changing the setting of the selected item with the input parameter, and a parameter setting change. An icon generation unit 38 for displaying an icon indicating the selected item on the LCD 28. Reference numeral 40 denotes a timer for resetting the parameter of the item changed after a predetermined time has elapsed when the multifunction device 2 is left unused for a long time. Reference numeral 42 denotes a ROM for storing programs and the like. Reference numeral 44 denotes a RAM for storing parameters and items changed by the user for each processing mode, and other various data. 45 accepts the input of the parameter, changes the set value with the input parameter, displays an icon for displaying the item with the changed set value on the operation screen, and when the icon is selected, the corresponding parameter setting change screen Is stored in the storage device by a parameter setting change screen display program.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the parameter setting change screen display program 45 of the embodiment. In the program 45 of the embodiment, when the parameter of the item selected by the user is changed, the parameter reception command 46 for receiving the parameter input from the setting change screen and the value of the item are changed by the parameter input by the user. A parameter setting command 47 for performing the operation, an icon display command 48 for displaying an icon indicating the item whose parameter has been changed, and the user selects or touches the displayed icon. And an icon selection acceptance command 49 for calling a parameter setting change screen corresponding to the icon.

  FIG. 3 shows a display screen for setting parameters and a copy processing standby screen (basic screen) when performing copy processing in the MFP of the embodiment. 3A to 3C are setting screens 50, 52, and 54 for “number of sheets to be allocated”, “black and white reversal”, and “copying method”, and FIG. In the embodiment, an operation button for entering a special mode or a special screen is provided as an “applied function”, and in the copy process, the “applied function” is selected and, for example, “number of sheets to be assigned”, “black / white reversal”, “copy method” It is assumed that each parameter can be set by calling a setting screen such as “”. In other words, fine settings other than the main settings such as “image quality” can be performed by selecting an item such as “number of sheets to be assigned” from the application function and allowing the user to perform desired processing.

  In FIG. 3, the user selects the copy application function button 62 on the standby screen 60 when setting the “number of sheets to be assigned” and the like, and further selects an item to be set from an application function setting screen (not shown). Call. In this way, on the copy processing standby screen 60, main setting items such as “image quality” and “density” are always displayed, but “assigned number” or the like having a low setting frequency is selected from the application function to display a desired display screen. It is layered to call. In the “assigned number” setting screen 50 in FIG. 3, “2” is selected, “ON” is selected in the “black / white reversed” setting screen 52, and “duplex copy” is selected and set in the “copying method” setting screen 54. . The parameters of these items are changed by the user's selection, and the copy method setting screen call icon 64, the black / white inversion setting screen call icon 66, and the assigned number setting screen call icon are displayed as icons of the items for which parameters are set on the standby screen 60. 68 are displayed.

  The icons 64 to 68 indicate items set as parameters by the user, and the display screens 50 to 54 can be called by selecting these icons 64 to 68, respectively. The arrows in the figure indicate that the corresponding setting screen is called by icon selection.

  The user can know the items he / she has set from the icons 64 to 68 displayed on the standby screen 60. Prior to instructing the start of copying on the standby screen 60, the user sets these items again. Sometimes the appropriate icon is selected to call up the desired setting screen. The parameter can be input again for the selected item. In FIG. 3, the icons 64 to 68 are displayed on the standby screen 60. However, the icons 64 to 68 may be always displayed on the display screens 50 to 54 and the like until the copy process ends and the user presses the reset button.

  A reset button 70 for resetting user settings is provided on each of the setting screens 50 to 54, and a reset button 72 for clearing user settings all at once is provided on the standby screen 60. That is, the value of the item set by the user is reset to the default value with the button 70, and the icon corresponding to the item is hidden on the standby screen. For example, when the button 70 on the “number of assigned sheets” setting screen 50 is pressed, the number of sheets is set to the default OFF, and the “assigned number” icon 68 on the standby screen 60 is deleted. A reset button 72 provided on the standby screen 60 clears all settings of the user's application functions and hides all three icons.

  In the embodiment, the icons 64 to 68 are icons by character display. However, the display colors of the display screens 50 to 54 at the time of setting each parameter are determined in advance, and the icons 64 to 68 corresponding to the display screens 50 to 54 are set accordingly. If displayed in the same color, the user can intuitively select an icon and call a desired setting screen. For example, if the “black / white reversal” setting screen 52 is displayed in blue and the icon 66 on the standby screen 60 is also displayed in blue, the user can intuitively call the “black / white reversal” setting screen in blue. I can remember. In addition, the icon display only in color may be used, and character display such as “black and white inversion” and color display may be displayed together.

  FIG. 4 shows a standby screen 74 for facsimile transmission processing of the MFP 2 of the embodiment. In the facsimile transmission of the embodiment, “reading designation” for determining the document size reading magnification and “time designation” for setting the communication start time are set from the application functions, and the “reading designation” icon 76 is set. A “time designation” icon 78 is displayed on the standby screen 74. The user can know the items set by the user and can return to each setting screen in one step by selecting the icon 76 or 78.

  Further, the icons 64, 66, and 68 are displayed on the copy standby screen 60 of FIG. 3 and the icons 76 and 78 are displayed on the standby screen 74 of the facsimile transmission process of FIG. You can know that you are. That is, even if the user who changed the parameter from the default value leaves the MFP 2 as it is, other users can know which parameter has been changed from the display of these icons. Failure to start the operation can be avoided.

  FIG. 5 shows processing when parameter setting is performed in the multifunction machine 2 of the embodiment. In the embodiment, copy processing is performed by the multifunction peripheral, and parameters are set for the “assigned number of sheets”, “black and white inversion”, and “copying method” of the application functions. In the “assignment number” setting, the user selects “assignment setting” from the displayed copy standby screen (steps 1 and 2), and the number of copies is set (step 3). The number setting is accepted, the number setting status 80 of the setting status 80 provided in an arbitrary memory is turned on (step 4), and the “assigned number” icon is displayed on the copy processing standby screen (step 5). The “assigned number” icon indicates an item for which the user has performed a setting process, which is displayed when the number setting status is ON.

  The same applies to the case where the user sets “black and white reversal” and “copy method”, and icons are displayed on the standby screen for the set items (steps 6 to 9 and steps 10 to 13). In the embodiment, the process for setting three types of parameters is described. Of course, there are cases where more items are set, for example, only one item is set.

  Next, when the user instructs the start of copy processing from the copy standby screen, copy processing is performed with the set parameters (steps 14, 15, and 16). On the other hand, when it is desired to reset or confirm the set value for an item for which a parameter has been set, the user can call the corresponding screen by selecting the icon for that item (steps 17, 18, and 19). . For example, when resetting the “number of sheets to be allocated”, the icon is selected (step 17), so that an allocation number setting screen is displayed and the user is requested to input the number of sheets (step 3). Similarly, the “black / white reversal” operation screen is displayed with the “black / white reversal” icon (step 7), and the “copy method” icon is displayed with the “copy method” operation screen (step 11). The user can call a desired setting screen by selecting an icon, and can perform a copy process after setting again.

  In FIG. 5, the canceling of the setting is accepted by a reset button provided on the standby screen. The user can select a reset button provided on the standby screen and perform batch reset of the parameters set by the user. That is, when the reset button is pressed on the copy standby screen (step 20), the status set to ON is turned off (step 21), and the icon is deleted. Each item can be reset by the user pressing a reset button provided on each setting screen.

  Even if the user does not instruct resetting, the resetting may be performed when the processing mode is changed from copy processing to facsimile transmission processing or the operation is stopped when a predetermined time has elapsed. It is also good.

  According to the embodiment, when the user changes the parameter of the MFP, the icon for calling the parameter setting screen is displayed on the operation screen. The user selects the corresponding icon and sets the parameter. A screen can be displayed. Therefore, even if you forget which step you entered and changed the parameter for that item, you can set the parameters for many items and the names of functions are difficult to remember. Can be called. In particular, when setting a special function that is not frequently used, the setting screen can be easily displayed, which is convenient.

  In this way, by placing an icon corresponding to the changed item on the operation screen and selecting it, it is possible to return directly to the setting change step. Since icons are displayed for items that have been changed once, when a plurality of parameters are changed, the number of displayed icons increases, and the user can easily remember which item has been changed with the displayed icons. Further, even if the user forgets to reset the parameter set, the next user can know that the parameter has been changed from the default value by icon display before starting the process.

Furthermore, the parameters can be changed before starting the processing from the standby screen (start screen) of each processing mode of the multifunction peripheral, and the steps of changing the parameters and starting the processing are simple. The icon may be displayed in a character display, or may be displayed in a color display predetermined for each item setting screen, or may be performed in a combination of a character display and a color display. If the icon is displayed in color, the user can perform an intuitive operation. Since the user's setting can be maintained until the reset button is pressed, there is no need to make a setting each time a plurality of processes are performed in the same processing mode, which is convenient.

Block diagram showing the configuration of the MFP of the embodiment The block diagram which shows the structure of the program for changing a parameter in an Example (A) is a diagram showing an assigned number setting screen in the embodiment, (B) is a diagram showing a black and white inversion setting screen in the embodiment, and (C) is a diagram showing a copy method setting screen in the embodiment. (D) is a figure which shows the display screen for selecting an icon and moving to a parameter input screen in an Example. The figure which shows the display screen at the time of facsimile transmission in an Example The flowchart which shows the process algorithm for changing the parameter input at the time of copy function selection in an Example

Explanation of symbols

2 MFP 4 CPU
6 NCU (Network Control Unit)
8 Modem 10 LAN interface 12 LAN
14, 15 Personal computer 16 Copy function processing 18 Scanner function processing 20 Printer function processing 22 G3 facsimile function processing 24 Network communication unit 26 Network network
28 LCD
30 Operation unit 32 Parameter change processing unit 34 Parameter reception unit 36 Parameter setting unit 38 Icon generation unit 40 Timer 42 ROM
44 RAM
45 Parameter setting change screen display program 50 Assignment number setting screen 52 Black / white inversion setting screen 54 Copy method setting screen 60 Copy processing standby screen 62 Application function button 64 Copy method setting screen call icon 66 Black / white inversion setting screen call icon 68 Assignment number setting screen Call icon 70, 72 Reset button 74 Facsimile transmission processing standby screen 76 Reading designation setting screen calling icon 78 Time designation setting screen calling icon

Claims (6)

In a multi-function machine that sets parameters using multiple hierarchical operation screens,
On the parameter input screen for each setting item in the lower hierarchy, a reception means for receiving parameters input by the user,
Using the input parameters, parameter setting means for changing the setting value of the multifunction device,
Switch display means for displaying on the operation screen a switch indicating the setting item for which the parameter has been input;
And a parameter input screen display means for accepting the selection and displaying the parameter input screen when the displayed switch is selected by a user. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the switch is displayed on a standby screen for each function of the multifunction device. 3. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein each setting item on the parameter input screen has a display color, and the switch is displayed in the display color of the setting item set by the user. A means for resetting the parameter set by the user is provided, and the setting of the corresponding parameter is reset to an initial value by the user's reset instruction, and the switch is not displayed. Multifunction machine. The multifunction device according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying the operation screen on a client terminal. A method for displaying an operation screen of a multifunction device in which parameters are set using a plurality of operation screens that are hierarchized.
On the parameter input screen for each setting item in the lower hierarchy, a step for accepting parameters input by the user,
Using the input parameters to change the setting value of the multifunction device;
A step for displaying on the operation screen a switch indicating a setting item for which the parameter has been input;
A method for displaying an operation screen of a multifunction device, comprising: a step of accepting the selection when the displayed switch is selected by a user and displaying the parameter input screen.