JP2012199799A - Image forming apparatus, setting method, and setting program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a setting value to be input easily.SOLUTION: An MFP comprises: a processing execution part 61 which executes processing; a setting screen display part 15 which includes an instruction reception area for receiving an instruction by a user and displays a setting screen for setting a setting value which defines processing conditions for the processing execution part 61 to execute processing; an input screen display part 33 which displays an input screen which is different from the setting screen and includes a plurality of input keys in superposition on the displayed setting screen; and a setting value reception part 35 which receives a value defined with the input key instructed by the user among the plurality of input keys included in the displayed input screen, as a setting value inputted to the setting screen. The input screen display part 33 includes a position determination part 49 which determines a position to display an input image in the displayed setting screen based on an arrangement state of the instruction reception area in the displayed setting screen.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a setting method, and a setting program, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that executes processing according to a set value, and a setting method and a setting program that are executed by the image forming apparatus.

  In recent years, a soft keyboard is used as a user interface in an image forming apparatus represented by a multifunction peripheral (MFP). By using this soft keyboard, the number of physical hard keys can be reduced, so that the device can be reduced in size, or the display screen can be displayed using the area conventionally used for providing hard keys. Can be bigger.

  On the other hand, there is a setting screen for setting processing conditions to operate the MFP. If a soft keyboard is displayed when entering values in the setting screen, a part of the setting screen is hidden by the soft keyboard and cannot be seen. End up. For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-79412 displays a pop-up image associated with the selected button when any of a plurality of buttons displayed on the setting screen is selected. A technique for displaying a plurality of buttons in a reduced size so that the display contents of the plurality of buttons can be confirmed is described.

However, since the display mode of the setting screen is changed, the user may have an illusion that the setting screen that has been displayed so far is switched to another screen. For this reason, it is preferable to display a pop-up screen so that the content of the setting screen can be confirmed without changing the display mode of the setting screen.
JP 2010-79412 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that facilitates input of set values.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a setting method that facilitates input of set values.

  Still another object of the present invention is to provide a setting program that facilitates input of setting values.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, according to an aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a process execution unit that executes a process and an instruction reception area for receiving an instruction from a user, and the process execution unit performs the process. A setting screen display means for displaying a setting screen for setting a setting value that defines a processing condition for execution, and an input screen that is different from the setting screen and includes a plurality of input keys are displayed. The input value displayed on the setting screen is a value determined by an input screen displaying means that is superimposed on the setting screen and the input key instructed by the user among a plurality of input keys included in the displayed input screen. Set value receiving means for receiving the input image, and the input screen display means is configured to display the input image in the displayed setting screen based on the arrangement state of the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen. Including a position determining means for determining a position to be displayed.

  According to this aspect, a setting screen for setting a setting value for determining a processing condition is displayed including an instruction receiving area for receiving a user instruction, and an input screen including a plurality of input keys is superimposed on the setting screen. When displaying the input image, the position for displaying the input image on the setting screen is determined based on the arrangement state of the instruction receiving area on the setting screen. Therefore, the input screen can be displayed so that the instruction receiving area can be confirmed. As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that facilitates input of set values.

  Preferably, the setting screen display means displays one selected from a plurality of setting screens, and the input screen is a screen common to at least two setting screens among the plurality of setting screens.

  Preferably, when the blank area other than the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen has an area where the input screen can be displayed, the position determining means determines a position where the input screen is displayed in the blank area.

  According to this aspect, since the input screen is displayed in a blank area other than the instruction reception area in the setting screen, the instruction reception area and the input screen can be displayed simultaneously.

  Preferably, the input screen display means further includes a form changing means for changing a display form of the input screen when a blank area other than the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen does not have an area capable of displaying the input screen. The position determining means determines a position for displaying the input screen after the display form is changed by the form changing means in the blank area.

  According to this aspect, when there is no area where the input screen can be displayed in the blank area, an input screen whose display form is changed is displayed. For this reason, the instruction receiving area and the input screen can be displayed simultaneously.

  Preferably, the form changing means includes a reducing means for reducing the input screen.

  Preferably, the form changing unit includes an arrangement changing unit that changes the arrangement of a plurality of input keys included in the input screen.

  Preferably, the setting screen includes a plurality of instruction reception areas, the input screen display means displays an input screen corresponding to a selection area selected by the user from the plurality of instruction reception areas, and the input screen display means includes If the blank area other than the plurality of instruction reception areas in the displayed setting screen does not have an area that can display the input screen, it is input to the input screen among the plurality of instruction reception areas in the displayed setting screen. Exclusive area arrangement availability determination means for determining whether or not the exclusive area additional blank area added with the exclusive area for setting the same set value as the set value has an area that can display the input screen, In addition, the form change means may not change the form of the input screen when the exclusive area addition availability determination means determines that the exclusive area additional blank area has an area that can display the input screen. .

  According to this aspect, when the blank area does not have an area that can display the input screen, an exclusive area is added by adding an exclusive area to the blank area to set the same setting value as the setting value input on the input screen. An input screen is displayed in the margin area. For this reason, the input screen can be displayed as large as possible.

  Preferably, the setting screen includes a plurality of instruction reception areas, the input screen display means displays an input screen corresponding to a selection area selected by the user from the plurality of instruction reception areas, and the input screen display means includes When the blank area other than the plurality of instruction reception areas in the displayed setting screen does not have an area capable of displaying the input screen, the instruction from the user among the plurality of instruction reception areas in the displayed setting screen is received. A non-operating area additional blank area added to the blank area, further including a non-operating area arrangement determination unit that determines whether or not the input screen can be displayed; Does not change the form of the input screen when it is determined by the non-operating area arrangement availability determination means that the non-operating area additional blank area has an area capable of displaying the input screen.

  According to this aspect, if the blank area does not have an area that can display the input screen, the input screen is displayed in the non-work area additional blank area in which the non-work area that does not accept an instruction from the user is added to the blank area. Is displayed. For this reason, the input screen can be displayed as large as possible.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a setting method is a setting method that is executed by an image forming apparatus including a process execution unit that executes a process, and includes an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction from a user, A step of displaying a setting screen for setting a setting value for defining a processing condition for the processing execution means to execute processing, and a screen different from the setting screen, including an input screen including a plurality of input keys, The setting value input to the setting screen is a value determined by the input key instructed by the user among a plurality of input keys included in the displayed input screen and the step displayed in a superimposed manner on the displayed setting screen The step of displaying the input screen includes the step of accepting as the input screen in the displayed setting screen based on the arrangement state of the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen. Comprising the step of determining a display position, setting method.

  If this aspect is followed, the setting method which made the input of a setting value easy can be provided.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, the setting program is a setting program that is executed by a computer that controls an image forming apparatus including a processing execution unit that executes processing, and receives an instruction for receiving an instruction from a user. A step for displaying a setting screen for setting a setting value that includes a region and the processing execution means sets processing conditions for executing the processing, and a screen different from the setting screen, including a plurality of input keys Input the value that is determined by the input key instructed by the user among the multiple input keys included in the displayed input screen and the step of displaying the input screen superimposed on the displayed setting screen. The step of accepting the received setting value as a set value and causing the computer to execute the step of displaying the input screen is an instruction reception area in the displayed setting screen. Based on the arrangement state, comprising the step of determining a position for displaying an input image while setting screen displayed.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a setting program that facilitates input of setting values.

1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an MFP in the present embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a hardware configuration of an MFP. FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel 160. FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of functions of a CPU included in an MFP. (A) is a 1st figure which shows an example of a setting screen, (B) is a 1st figure which shows an example which displayed the input screen superimposed on the setting screen. (A) is a 2nd figure which shows an example of a setting screen, (B) is a 2nd figure which shows an example which displayed the input screen superimposed on the setting screen. (A) is a 3rd figure which shows an example of a setting screen, (B) is the 3rd figure which shows an example which displayed the input screen superimposed on the setting screen. (A) is a 4th figure which shows an example of a setting screen, (B) is a 4th figure which shows an example which displayed the input screen superimposed on the setting screen, (C) is a setting It is a figure which shows an example which displayed the reduction input screen superimposed on the screen. It is a figure which shows an example which displayed the arrangement | positioning change input screen superimposed on the setting screen. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a setting process. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of an input screen display process. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a display position determination process.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the MFP according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the hardware configuration of the MFP. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, MFP 100 functioning as an image forming apparatus includes a main circuit 110, a document reading unit 130 for reading a document, and an automatic document transport device for transporting a document to document reading unit 130. 120, an image forming unit 140 for forming an image on a sheet or the like based on image data output by the document reading unit 130 reading the document, and a paper feeding unit 150 for supplying the image forming unit 140 with a sheet. And an operation panel 160 as a user interface.

  The main circuit 110 includes a CPU 111, a communication interface (I / F) unit 112, a ROM 113, a RAM 114, a hard disk drive (HDD) 115 as a mass storage device, a facsimile unit 116, an external storage device 117, including. CPU 111 is connected to automatic document feeder 120, document reading unit 130, image forming unit 140, sheet feeding unit 150, and operation panel 160, and controls the entire MFP 100.

  The automatic document feeder 120 automatically conveys a plurality of documents set on the document feeding tray one by one to a predetermined document reading position set on the platen glass of the document reading unit 130, and reads the document. The document whose document image is read by the unit 130 is discharged onto a document discharge tray. The document reading unit 130 includes a light source that irradiates light to the document conveyed to the document reading position and a photoelectric conversion element that receives light reflected from the document, and scans a document image corresponding to the size of the document. The photoelectric conversion element converts the received light into image data that is an electrical signal and outputs the image data to the image forming unit 140. The paper feed unit 150 conveys the paper stored in the paper feed tray to the image forming unit 140.

  The image forming unit 140 forms an image by a well-known electrophotographic method, and the image data after data processing is obtained by performing various data processing such as shading correction on the image data input from the document reading unit 130. Alternatively, an image is formed on a sheet conveyed by the sheet feeding unit 150 based on image data received from the outside.

  The facsimile unit 116 is connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and transmits facsimile data to the PSTN or receives facsimile data from the PSTN. The facsimile unit 116 stores the received facsimile data in the HDD 115, converts it into print data that can be printed by the image forming unit 140, and outputs the print data to the image forming unit 140. As a result, the image forming unit 140 forms an image on a sheet of facsimile data received by the facsimile unit 116. Further, the facsimile unit 116 converts the data stored in the HDD 115 into facsimile data, and transmits the facsimile data to a facsimile machine connected to the PSTN.

  Communication I / F unit 112 is an interface for connecting MFP 100 to a network. The communication I / F unit 112 communicates with other computers or image forming apparatuses connected to the network using a communication protocol such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Note that the network to which the communication I / F unit 112 is connected is a local area network (LAN), and the connection form may be wired or wireless. The network is not limited to a LAN, and may be a wide area network (WAN), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), the Internet, or the like.

  The ROM 113 stores a program executed by the CPU 111 or data necessary for executing the program. The RAM 114 is used as a work area when the CPU 111 executes a program. Further, the RAM 114 temporarily stores the read images continuously sent from the document reading unit 130.

  The operation panel 160 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) 165, a display control unit 161 that controls display on the LCD 165, a VRAM (Video RAM) 163, a touch panel 169, a hard key unit 170 including a start key 171, and a touch panel. 169 and an input control unit 167 that controls the hard key unit 170. LCD 165 and hard key unit 170 are provided on the upper surface of MFP 100.

  The display control unit 161 is connected to the CPU 111, the VRAM 163, and the LCD 165. The VRAM 163 is used as a work area for the display control unit 161 and temporarily stores an image to be displayed on the LCD 165. The display control unit 161 is controlled by the CPU 111 to control the LCD 165 and cause the LCD 165 to display an image stored in the VRAM 163. The display control unit 161 displays an operation screen and an input screen described later on the LCD 165.

  The hard key unit 170 includes a plurality of hard keys including at least a start key and a keyboard call key. The hard key is connected to the input control unit 167 and outputs an ON signal to the input control unit 167 while being pressed by the user, and outputs an OFF signal to the input control unit 167 while not being pressed by the user.

  The touch panel 169 is provided on the upper surface or the lower surface of the LCD 165, and outputs the coordinates of the position pressed by the user to the input control unit 167. Touch panel 169 detects the position indicated by the user with a finger or a stylus pen, and outputs the coordinates of the detected position to input control unit 167. Touch panel 169 is preferably the same size or larger than the display surface of LCD 165. Since the touch panel 169 is provided so as to overlap the LCD 165, the touch panel 169 outputs the coordinates of the position designated by the user on the display surface of the LCD 165 to the input control unit 167 when the user indicates the display surface of the LCD 165. As the touch panel, for example, a resistive film method, a surface acoustic wave method, an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, and a capacitance method can be used, and the method is not limited.

  When there is a hard key that outputs an ON signal in the hard key unit 170, the input control unit 167 outputs identification information of the hard key that outputs the ON signal to the CPU 111. Further, when the touch panel 169 detects the position designated by the user, the input control unit 167 outputs the coordinates output from the touch panel 169 to the CPU 111.

  The external storage device 117 is controlled by the CPU 111, and a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) 118 or a semiconductor memory is mounted. The CPU 111 can access the CD-ROM 118 via the external storage device 117. The CPU 111 loads the program recorded on the CD-ROM 118 mounted on the external storage device 117 to the RAM 114 and executes it. Note that the program executed by the CPU 111 is not limited to the program recorded on the CD-ROM 118, and the program stored in the HDD 115 may be loaded into the RAM 114 and executed. In this case, another computer connected to the network rewrites the program stored in HDD 116 of MFP 100 or adds a new program and writes it via the network connected to communication I / F unit 112. You may do it. Further, MFP 100 may download a program from another computer connected to the network and store the program in HDD 115. The program here includes not only a program directly executable by the CPU 111 but also a source program, a compressed program, an encrypted program, and the like.

  The medium for storing the program executed by the CPU 111 is not limited to the CD-ROM 118, but an optical disc (MO (Magnetic Optical Disc / MD (Mini Disc) / DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)), IC card, optical card, mask. It may be a semiconductor memory such as a ROM, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), or an EEPROM (Electrically EPROM).

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the operation panel 160. Referring to FIG. 3, operation panel 160 includes an LCD 165, a touch panel 169 provided to overlap LCD 165, and a hard key unit in which a plurality of hard keys including start key 171 are arranged on the right side and lower side of LCD 165. 170.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of functions of a CPU included in the MFP. The functions shown in FIG. 4 are functions realized by CPU 111 when CPU 111 provided in MFP 100 executes a program stored in ROM 113, HDD 115, or CD-ROM 118. Referring to FIG. 4, CPU 111 includes a setting unit 11, an input receiving unit 31, and a process execution unit 61. The process execution unit 61 controls the communication I / F unit 112, the facsimile unit 116, the HDD 115, the external storage device 117, the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the image forming unit 140, and the paper feeding unit 150, and a setting unit The processing is executed under the processing conditions set by 11.

  An example of processing executed by the processing execution unit 61 is scan processing, copy processing, print processing, facsimile transmission / reception processing, and the like. The processing execution unit 61 controls the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the HDD 115, the external storage device 117, and the communication I / F unit 112 when the scan processing is set as one of the processing conditions. Then, the image of the document read by the document reading unit 130 is output to at least one of the HDD 115, the external storage device 117, and the communication I / F unit 112 according to the processing conditions. The process execution unit 61 stores an image in the HDD 115 when a process condition in which the output destination is the HDD 115 is set as one of the process conditions. The process execution unit 61 stores an image in a semiconductor memory attached to the external storage device 117 when a process condition in which the output destination is the external storage device 117 is set as one of the processing conditions. The process execution unit 61 transmits an image via the communication I / F unit 112 when a process condition in which the output destination is the communication I / F unit 112 is designated as one of the process conditions. The transmission method is e-mail transmission, FTP (File Transfer Protocol), SMB (Server Message Block), or the like, for example. When e-mail transmission is set as the transmission method, an e-mail attached with an image is generated, and the generated e-mail is transmitted.

  The process execution unit 61 controls the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the sheet feeding unit 150, and the image forming unit 140 when the copy processing is set as one of the processing conditions. The image of the original read by the original reading unit 130 is formed on the paper supplied from the paper supply unit 150 to the image forming unit 140 in accordance with the set processing conditions.

  Further, the processing execution unit 61 sets the communication I / F unit 112, the HDD 115, the external storage device 117, the image forming unit 140, and the paper feeding unit 150 when the print processing is set as one of the processing conditions. And control the image forming unit 140 to form an image on the sheet supplied from the sheet feeding unit 150 in accordance with the set processing conditions. The image formed by the image forming unit 140 is set according to one of the processing conditions, and is an image of print data received from a computer connected to the network via the communication I / F unit 112, the HDD 115 or the external storage device 117. Is an image of data stored in

  Further, the processing execution unit 61 controls the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the HDD 115, the external storage device 117, and the facsimile unit 116 when the facsimile transmission processing is set as one of the processing conditions. Then, the image of the facsimile data is transmitted to the facsimile unit 116. The facsimile data transmitted by the facsimile unit 116 is an image that is set according to one of the processing conditions, and is an image that the document reading unit 130 reads and outputs the document according to the processing condition, or an image stored in the HDD 115 or the external storage device 117. .

  The process execution unit 61 controls the facsimile unit 116, the HDD 115, the external storage device 117, the image forming unit 140, and the paper supply unit 150 when the facsimile reception process is set as one of the processing conditions. Output data image. The process execution unit 61 stores an image of facsimile data in the HDD 115 when a process condition in which the output destination is the HDD 115 is set as one of the process conditions. When a processing condition for setting the output destination as the external storage device 117 is set as one of the processing conditions, the processing execution unit 61 stores an image of facsimile data in a semiconductor memory attached to the external storage device 117. When a processing condition in which the output destination is the communication I / F unit 112 is set as one of the processing conditions, the process execution unit 61 generates an e-mail attached with an image of facsimile data, and the communication I / F unit An e-mail is transmitted via 112.

  The setting unit 11 includes a setting screen selection unit 13, a setting screen display unit 15, a setting item selection unit 17, and an item setting unit 19. The setting screen selection unit 13 selects one of a plurality of setting screens stored in advance in the HDD 115 and sets setting screen identification information for identifying the selected setting screen as the setting screen display unit 15 and the input reception unit 31. Output to.

  The plurality of setting screens respectively correspond to a plurality of processing conditions for the processing execution unit 61 to execute processing. For example, a setting screen for causing the process execution unit 61 to execute a scan process, a setting screen for causing the process execution unit 61 to execute a copy process, a setting screen for causing the process execution unit 61 to execute a print process, and facsimile transmission / reception It is a setting screen for making the process execution part 61 perform a process. The setting screen is a screen for setting setting values for a plurality of setting items that define processing conditions for the processing execution unit 61 to execute processing.

  The setting screen includes an area for displaying an image of an item name, an area for displaying a setting value, and an area for setting a setting value for each of a plurality of setting items. The area where the image of the item name is displayed on the setting screen and the area for setting the setting value are instruction receiving areas for receiving instructions from the user. The plurality of setting screens include a setting screen with a transition function. The setting screen with a transition function has a transition button for selecting one or more different setting screens. The area where the transition button is displayed is an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction to transition to another setting screen.

  For example, the setting screen selection unit 13 displays a menu screen including a plurality of setting screen identification information for identifying each of the plurality of setting screens on the LCD 165, and the user operates the touch panel 169 or the hard key unit 170 to select the menu. If one of the plurality of setting screen identification information displayed on the screen is selected, the setting screen of the selected setting screen identification information is selected. Further, when a setting screen with a transition function is displayed on the LCD 165, if the user operates the touch panel 169 or the hard key unit 170 to point to a transition button included in the setting screen with a transition function, the instructed transition Select the setting screen associated with the button. The setting screen selection unit 13 outputs the setting screen identification information of the selected setting screen to the setting screen display unit 15 and the item setting unit 19.

  The setting screen display unit 15 reads the setting screen specified by the setting screen identification information from the HDD 115 in response to the setting screen identification information input from the setting screen selection unit 13 and displays the read setting screen on the LCD 165. To do. Specifically, the setting screen is output to the display control unit 161, and the display control unit 161 displays an image of the setting screen on the LCD 165.

  The setting item selection unit 17 selects a setting item selected by the user from among a plurality of setting items included in the setting screen displayed by the setting screen display unit 15 as a processing target. When the user indicates one of the images of the plurality of item names displayed on the LCD 165 with a finger, the position designated by the user is detected by the touch panel 169. Based on the coordinates of the display surface of the LCD 165 detected by the touch panel 169, the setting item selection unit 17 identifies which of the plurality of item name images is designated by the user, and corresponds to the identified item name image. Select the setting item to be set. The setting item selection unit 17 outputs the set of the item name of the setting item selected from the plurality of setting items and the attribute of the setting value set in the setting item to the item setting unit 19 and the input receiving unit 31 To do. The attribute includes the number or character, the type and number of characters if it is a character, and the number of digits if it is a number.

  The input receiving unit 31 includes an input screen display unit 33 and a set value receiving unit 35. The input screen display unit 33 receives the setting screen identification information from the setting screen selection unit 13 and the set of the item name and attribute of the setting item from the setting item selection unit 17. In other words, the input screen display unit 33 responds to the input of the combination of the item name and attribute of the setting item from the setting item selection unit 17, in other words, the user includes a plurality of items included in the setting screen displayed on the LCD 165. When one of the setting items is selected, an input screen corresponding to the item name is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. Specifically, the input screen is output to the display control unit 161, the display control unit 161 is made to generate an image in which the input screen is prioritized over the setting screen, and the image generated by the display control unit 161 is displayed on the LCD 165. Display.

  Each of the plurality of input keys included in the input screen is assigned a value assigned to the input key as a key name. The input screen display unit 33 specifies an attribute of a setting value that is paired with the item name input from the setting item selection unit 17 and displays an input screen including an input key for inputting the value of the specified attribute. . For example, if the attribute of the setting item is a number, the input screen display unit 33 displays an input screen including 10 input keys to which numbers 0 to 9 are assigned. If the attribute of the setting item is a character, An input screen including 26 input keys each assigned with an alphabetic character is displayed. As for the input keys, assigned numbers or characters are used as key names, and images of numbers or characters are displayed superimposed on the setting screen. The input screen may include only an input key for inputting the value of the specified attribute, or may include another input key.

  The input screen display unit 33 includes a blank area arrangement availability determination unit 41, an exclusive area arrangement availability determination unit 43, a non-working area arrangement availability determination unit 45, a form change unit 47, and a position determination unit 49. The margin area arrangement availability determination unit 41 identifies the setting screen based on the setting screen identification information input from the setting screen selection unit 13, extracts the margin area from the setting screen, and the margin area is an area where the input screen can be displayed. It is determined whether or not it has. The margin area is an area other than a plurality of instruction reception areas on the setting screen. When determining that the margin area has an area where the input screen can be displayed, the margin area arrangement availability determination unit 41 outputs a margin area and a margin area position determination instruction to the position determination unit 49. When the blank area arrangement determination unit 41 determines that the blank area does not have an area where the input screen can be displayed, the blank area and arrangement impossible signal are displayed as the exclusive area arrangement determination unit 43 and the non-operation area arrangement availability. It outputs to the judgment part 45 and the form change part 47, respectively.

  When the blank area and the placement impossible signal are input from the blank area placement availability judgment unit 41, the exclusive area placement availability judgment unit 43 extracts an exclusion area addition blank area obtained by adding the exclusion area to the blank area, and adds the exclusion area. It is determined whether the blank area has an area where the input screen can be displayed. The selection area is an area in which item names input from the setting item selection unit 17 are displayed. The exclusive area is an instruction reception area for setting a setting value in a setting item corresponding to the selection area among a plurality of instruction reception areas in the setting screen. For example, the setting screen displays an instruction reception area for the item name “magnification ratio” for setting the magnification as a setting value, an instruction reception area for receiving an instruction to increase the magnification that is the setting value, and an enlargement ratio. In the case of including an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction to decrease, when an instruction receiving area for the item name “enlargement magnification” is instructed, an input screen for setting the enlargement magnification is displayed. On the other hand, the instruction reception area for receiving an instruction to increase the enlargement ratio and the instruction reception area for receiving an instruction to decrease the enlargement ratio are instruction receptions for setting the same enlargement magnification as the setting value set on the input screen. This is an exclusive area for setting the same set value as the set value input on the input screen.

  The exclusive area arrangement determination unit 43 extracts an area obtained by adding the exclusive area to the blank area as an exclusive area additional blank area. When determining that the exclusive area additional blank area has an area that can display the input screen, the exclusive area arrangement availability determination unit 43 displays the exclusive area additional blank area and the exclusive area position determination instruction as the form changing unit 47 and the position. The data is output to the determination unit 49. When determining that the exclusive area additional blank area does not have an area where the input screen can be displayed, the exclusive area arrangement availability determination unit 43 outputs the exclusive area additional blank area and the arrangement impossible signal to the form changing unit 47. .

  The non-working area arrangement availability determination unit 45 adds a non-working area to the blank area among a plurality of instruction reception areas in the setting screen when the blank area and arrangement impossible signal are input from the blank area arrangement availability determination unit 41. The non-working area additional blank area is extracted, and it is determined whether or not the non-working area additional blank area has an area where the input screen can be displayed. The non-operating area is an instruction receiving area that does not receive an instruction from the user among a plurality of instruction receiving areas on the setting screen. In other words, the non-operating area is an instruction receiving area in which item names of setting items that are not selected by the user are displayed in a state where the setting item specified by the item name of the selection area is selected. For example, the setting screen includes an item name for increasing the enlargement ratio and an item name for decreasing the enlargement ratio in order to set the enlargement ratio, and the density is set in order to set the density for printing the image. If the area of the item name that increases the enlargement ratio is the selection area when the item name that increases and the item name that decreases the density are included, the instruction reception area that displays the item name that increases the density and the density decrease The instruction reception area for displaying the name of the item to be displayed is an inactive area. In addition, the instruction receiving area for instructing the setting of the setting value stored in the memory or the instruction receiving area for instructing the storage of the setting value in the memory is not instructed in the instruction receiving area for instructing the memory. This is a non-operational area that is not instructed.

  The non-working area arrangement availability determination unit 45 extracts an area obtained by adding the non-working area to the blank area in the setting screen as a non-working area additional blank area. The non-working area arrangement availability determining unit 45 changes the form of the non-working area additional blank area and the non-working area position determination instruction when determining that the non-working area additional blank area has an area that can display the input screen. To the unit 47 and the position determination unit 49. When determining that the non-operating area additional blank area does not have an area where the input screen can be displayed, the non-operating area arrangement availability determining unit 45 displays the non-operating area additional blank area and the arrangement impossible signal as the form changing unit 47. Output to.

  The form changing unit 47 changes the display form of the input screen when a blank area and an arrangement impossible signal are input from the blank area arrangement availability determination unit 41. In other words, the form changing unit 47 changes the form of the input screen when the blank area does not have an area that can display the input screen. However, even when the margin area and the arrangement impossible signal are input from the margin area arrangement availability determination unit 41, the form change unit 47 does not include the exclusive area additional margin area and the exclusion area position from the exclusion area arrangement availability determination unit 43. When a determination instruction is input, or when a non-operating area additional blank area and a non-operating area position determination instruction are input from the non-operating area arrangement determination unit 45, the display form of the input screen is not changed. This is because the input screen can be arranged in the exclusive area additional blank area or the inactive area additional blank area without changing the display form of the input screen.

  The form changing unit 47 includes a reducing unit 51 and an arrangement changing unit 53. The reduction unit 51 reduces the input screen. The reduction rate is determined by the margin area and the size of the input screen. The reduction unit 51 extracts a rectangular area having the maximum vertical and horizontal directions in the blank area, and determines a reduction ratio so that the input screen fits in the extracted rectangular area. The vertical reduction ratio obtained by dividing the vertical length of the extracted rectangular area by the vertical length of the input screen, and the horizontal length of the extracted rectangular area is the horizontal length of the input screen. The reduction ratio is determined from the horizontal reduction ratio divided by the size and a small value. If the determined reduction rate is greater than a predetermined threshold T, the reduction unit 51 generates a reduced input screen by reducing the input screen at the determined reduction rate, and the reduced input screen and position determination instruction And the margin area are output to the position determination unit 49. The reduction unit 51 outputs an arrangement change instruction to the arrangement change unit 53 without reducing the input screen when the determined reduction rate is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value T.

  The arrangement changing unit 53 changes the arrangement of a plurality of input keys included in the input screen. The arrangement changing unit 53 changes the arrangement of the plurality of input keys so that the plurality of input keys are arranged in the blank area. Thereby, the shape of the input screen is changed. Here, the input screen is rectangular, but by changing the arrangement of a plurality of input keys, the input screen can be shaped to have a changed aspect ratio. Further, the input screen may have a shape different from the rectangle. For example, when a plurality of input keys are arranged in rows and columns, rows having different numbers of columns are provided without making the number of columns the same in all rows. Moreover, you may make it provide the column from which the number of rows differs, without making the number of rows the same in all the columns. The arrangement changing unit 53 changes the shape of the input screen by arranging a plurality of input keys in the blank area. The arrangement changing unit 53 outputs a set of the arrangement change input screen after changing the arrangement of the plurality of input keys, the position determination instruction, and the blank area to the position determining unit 49.

  Here, the form changing unit 47 changes the form of the input screen so that the input screen is arranged in the blank area, but the exclusive area additional blank area, the inactive area additional blank area, or The form of the input screen may be changed so that the input screen is arranged in an area that is a logical sum of the exclusive area additional blank area and the inactive area additional blank area.

  When the blank area and the blank area position determination instruction are input from the blank area arrangement determination unit 41, the position determination unit 49 determines a position where the input screen is arranged in the blank area. For example, the upper left coordinates of the input screen are scanned from the upper left of the blank area, and the position where the entire input screen is included in the blank area is determined. When there are a plurality of positions where the entire input screen is included in the blank area, the position is determined as an arbitrary position. For example, it is preferable to determine the position close to the selected region. Alternatively, it may be determined at the center of the margin area. The position determination unit 49 converts the position determined in the blank area into a position on the setting screen, displays the input screen superimposed on the setting screen, and sets a pair of the input screen and the position on the setting screen. The setting value is received by the setting value receiving unit 35.

  When the blank area and the blank area position determination instruction are not input from the blank area arrangement availability determination unit 41, the position determination unit 49 sets the exclusive area additional blank area and the arrangement impossible signal from the exclusive area arrangement availability determination unit 43, or In some cases, a set of the non-operating area additional blank area and the non-operating area position determination instruction is input from the non-operating area arrangement determination unit 45.

  The position determination unit 49 determines the position where the input screen is to be arranged in the exclusive area additional blank area when a set of the exclusive area additional blank area and the arrangement impossible signal is input from the exclusive area arrangement availability determination unit 43. For example, the upper left coordinates of the input screen are scanned from the upper left of the exclusive area additional blank area, and the position where the entire input screen is included in the exclusive area additional blank area is determined. When there are a plurality of positions where the entire input screen is included in the exclusive area additional blank area, the position is determined as an arbitrary position. For example, it is preferable to determine the position close to the selected region. Alternatively, it may be determined at the center of the exclusive area additional blank area. The position determination unit 49 converts the position determined in the exclusive area additional blank area into a position on the setting screen, displays the input screen superimposed on the setting screen, and displays the input screen and the position on the setting screen. Are output to the set value receiving unit 35.

  The position determining unit 49 determines the position where the input screen is to be arranged in the non-operating area additional blank area when a set of the non-operating area additional blank area and the arrangement impossible signal is input from the non-operating area arrangement availability determining unit 45. To do. For example, the upper left coordinates of the input screen are scanned from the upper left of the inactive area additional blank area, and the position where the entire input screen is included in the inactive area additional blank area is determined. When there are a plurality of positions where the entire input screen is included in the inactive area additional blank area, the position is determined as an arbitrary position. For example, it is preferable to determine the position close to the selected region. Alternatively, it may be determined at the center of the inactive area additional blank area. The position determination unit 49 converts the position determined in the inactive additional blank area into a position on the setting screen, displays the input screen superimposed on the setting screen, and displays the input screen and the position on the setting screen. Are output to the set value receiving unit 35.

  Further, the position determining unit 49 instructs the margin area / margin area position determination instruction from the margin area arrangement determination unit 41, sets of the exclusive area additional blank region and the arrangement impossible signal from the exclusive region arrangement determination unit 43, and inactivity. If none of the combination of the non-operating area additional blank area and the non-operating area position determination instruction is input from the area arrangement availability determination unit 45, the combination of the reduced input screen, the position determination instruction and the blank area from the form changing unit 47, or Then, a set of the input screen after the layout change, the position determination instruction, and the blank area is input.

  When the combination of the reduced input screen, the position determination instruction, and the blank area is input from the form changing unit 47, the position determining unit 49 determines a position where the reduced input screen is arranged in the blank area. For example, the upper left coordinates of the reduced input screen are scanned from the upper left of the blank area, and the position where the entire reduced input screen is included in the blank area is determined. When there are a plurality of positions where the entire reduced input screen is included in the blank area, it is determined as an arbitrary position. For example, it is preferable to determine the position close to the selected region. Alternatively, it may be determined at the center of the margin area. The position determination unit 49 converts the position determined in the blank area into a position on the setting screen, displays the reduced input screen superimposed on the setting screen, and displays the reduced input screen and the position on the setting screen. The set is output to the set value receiving unit 35.

  When the combination of the input screen after layout change, the position determination instruction, and the blank area is input from the form changing unit 47, the position determining unit 49 determines the position where the post-placement input screen is to be placed in the blank area. For example, the upper left coordinates of the input screen after the layout change are scanned from the upper left of the blank area, and the position where the entire input screen after the layout change is included in the blank area is determined. If there are a plurality of positions where the entire input screen after the layout change is included in the blank area, it is determined as an arbitrary position. For example, it is preferable to determine the position close to the selected region. Alternatively, it may be determined at the center of the margin area. The position determination unit 49 converts the position determined in the blank area into a position on the setting screen, displays the input screen after the layout change superimposed on the setting screen, and displays the input screen after the layout change and the setting screen. The set with the position is output to the set value receiving unit 35.

  The set value receiving unit 35 receives an input screen, a reduced input screen, an input screen after changing the layout, and a position in the setting screen from the input screen display unit 33. When the input screen is input, the set value receiving unit 35 receives a set value based on an input key instructed by the user among a plurality of input keys included in the input screen. When a reduced input screen is input, the set value receiving unit 35 receives a set value based on an input key instructed by the user among a plurality of input keys included in the reduced input screen. When the input screen after the layout change is input, the set value receiving unit 35 receives the set value based on the input key instructed by the user among the plurality of input keys included in the input screen after the layout change.

  When the user indicates one of the plurality of key name images displayed on the LCD 165 with a finger, the position instructed by the user by the touch panel 169 is detected. Based on the coordinates of the display surface of the LCD 165 detected by the touch panel 169, the setting value receiving unit 35 identifies which of the plurality of key name images is designated by the user, and corresponds to the identified key name image. Select the input key to be used. The set value receiving unit 35 outputs the value assigned to the selected input key to the item setting unit 19 as a set value. When selecting a plurality of input keys in sequence, the set value receiving unit 35 outputs a plurality of values respectively assigned to the plurality of input keys to the item setting unit 19 as values set in the selected order. For example, numbers “0” to “9” are assigned to 10 input keys, the input key to which the number “1” is assigned first is selected, and the number “2” is second. When the input key to which “2” is assigned is selected, “12” in which the second “2” is arranged to the right of the first “1” is determined as the setting value, and the setting value “12” is determined. Is output to the item setting unit 19. If the alphabets are assigned to the 26 input keys, a plurality of character strings arranged in the input order are output to the item setting unit 19 as set values.

  The item setting unit 19 receives the setting screen identification information from the setting screen selection unit 13, the item name of the setting item from the setting item selection unit 17, and the setting value from the setting value reception unit 35. When the setting value is input from the setting value receiving unit 35, the item setting unit 19 specifies a setting item from the setting screen identification information and the item name, and sets the setting value in the specified setting item. The item setting unit 19 specifies a setting item each time a setting value is input from the setting value receiving unit 35 until an execution instruction is input by the user, and sets a setting value in the specified setting item. In addition, when setting a setting value, the item setting unit 19 outputs a set of the item name of the setting item and the setting value to the setting screen display unit 15.

  The execution instruction by the user is input by, for example, pressing a start key provided on the operation panel 160. When the item setting unit 19 detects that the start key 171 has been pressed, the execution instruction by the user is input. Judge that it was done. When the item setting unit 19 determines that an execution instruction from the user has been input, the item setting unit 19 outputs the execution instruction to the process execution unit 61. The execution instruction includes a set item and a set value set as a processing condition.

  The setting screen display unit 15 updates the setting screen displayed on the LCD 165 every time a set of the item name and setting value of the setting item is input from the item setting unit 19. Specifically, a setting screen in which an image of the setting value input from the item setting unit 19 is combined is generated in the area for displaying the setting value corresponding to the setting item on the setting screen, and is displayed again on the LCD 165. As a result, the setting value input by the user as the setting value is displayed on the setting screen, so that the user can check the setting value by looking at the setting screen. Since the input screen is displayed, the display controller 161 causes the LCD 165 to display an image obtained by superimposing the input screen image on the setting screen image.

  FIG. 5A is a first diagram illustrating an example of a setting screen. Referring to FIG. 5A, a setting screen 201 includes an instruction receiving area 203 for a setting item with an item name “numerical value”, an area 204 for displaying a setting value of a setting item with an item name “numerical value” A plurality of instruction receiving areas 203 </ b> A to 203 </ b> H and a margin area 205 are included.

  FIG. 5B is a first diagram illustrating an example in which an input screen is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. FIG. 5A shows a state where an input screen 301 corresponding to the item name “numerical value” is displayed in the margin area 205 of the setting screen 201 shown in FIG. Here, the input screen 301 corresponding to the item name “numerical value” has an attribute of the item name “numerical value”, which is a number. It includes an input key, two input keys to which symbols “*” and “#” are assigned, and a clear key in which a character “c” is represented. The clear key is assigned a command for canceling the set value input by the user instructing the input key. Note that an OK key assigned by a command for confirming the input set value may be displayed. Since the input screen 301 is displayed in the margin area 205, it is possible to instruct other instruction receiving areas 203A to 203H.

  FIG. 6A is a second diagram illustrating an example of the setting screen. Referring to FIG. 6A, a setting screen 211 is a setting screen for setting an enlargement magnification of an image to be formed, and is used for setting an area 212 for displaying the enlargement magnification and a setting value for the enlargement magnification. Instruction receiving areas 213 and 214, a plurality of instruction receiving areas 215 </ b> A to 215 </ b> D, and a margin area 217. The area 212 for displaying the enlargement magnification also serves as an instruction reception area corresponding to the setting item of the item name “enlargement magnification”. When the instruction receiving area 212 is instructed, an input screen for setting an enlargement magnification is displayed. Here, it is assumed that the blank area 217 does not have a space for displaying the input screen.

  The instruction receiving area 214 receives an instruction to increase the setting value set in the setting item of the item name “enlargement magnification”, and the instruction receiving area 213 is a setting set in the setting item of the item name “enlargement magnification”. Accepts an instruction to decrease the value. Accordingly, the setting value set by the input screen when the instruction receiving area 212 is instructed and the setting value set by the instruction receiving areas 213 and 214 are the same, and the instruction receiving areas 213 and 214 are exclusive. It is an area.

  FIG. 6B is a second diagram illustrating an example in which the input screen is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. Although the exclusive areas 213 and 214 are included in the blank area 217 of the setting screen 211 shown in FIG. 6A, the input screen 301 is superimposed on the exclusive area 214 in the setting screen shown in FIG. Is displayed, and the exclusive area 214 is not displayed. At the stage where the input screen 301 is displayed, even if the instruction receiving area 214 is hidden by the input screen, the enlargement magnification can be set as a setting value from the input screen 301.

  FIG. 7A is a third diagram illustrating an example of the setting screen. Referring to FIG. 7A, a setting screen 221 is a setting screen for setting the size of an image to be formed, and includes a setting item of item name “X” for setting a horizontal length. Instruction receiving area 222, area 222A for displaying the setting value of the setting item of item name “X”, instruction receiving area 223 of the setting item of item name “Y” for setting the length in the vertical direction, and item It includes an area 223A for displaying the setting value of the setting item of the name “Y”, a plurality of instruction receiving areas 224, 225, 226, 226A to 226G, and a margin area 227.

  The instruction receiving areas 226 and 226A to 226E are instruction receiving areas for designating memory numbers for storing setting values of the item name “X” and the item name “Y”. The instruction receiving areas 224 and 225 are valid when any of the instruction receiving areas 226 and 226A to 226E is instructed. The instruction reception area 224 includes values stored in the memory numbers corresponding to the designated instruction reception areas among the instruction reception areas 226 and 226A to 226E, and the setting values of the item name “X” and the item name “Y”. This is an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction to be displayed. The instruction reception area 225 receives an instruction to store the setting values of the item name “X” and the item name “Y” in the memory number corresponding to the designated instruction reception area among the instruction reception areas 226 and 226A to 226E. It is an instruction receiving area for

  When the instruction reception area 222 is a selection area, the instruction reception area 223 is a related area related to the selection area. When none of the instruction receiving areas 226 and 226A to 226E is instructed, the instruction receiving areas 224 and 225 are non-operating areas that are not instructed by the user.

  FIG. 7B is a third diagram illustrating an example in which the input screen is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. The input screen 301 is displayed in a non-operating area additional blank area obtained by adding instruction receiving areas 224 and 225 which are non-operating areas to the blank area 227.

  FIG. 8A is a fourth diagram illustrating an example of the setting screen. Referring to FIG. 8A, setting screen 231 is a setting screen for setting date and time, and instruction receiving areas 232 and 232A to 232D for setting year, month, day, hour and minute, respectively. And a blank area 237.

  FIG. 8B is a fourth diagram illustrating an example in which the input screen is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. The instruction receiving area 232B arranged in the blank area 237 of the setting screen 231 shown in FIG. 8A is hidden by the input screen 301.

  FIG. 8C is a diagram showing an example in which a reduced input screen is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. The reduced input screen 301A is displayed below the instruction receiving area 232B arranged in the blank area 237 of the setting screen 231 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which an arrangement change input screen is displayed superimposed on the setting screen. FIG. 9 shows a setting screen 221 displayed when the instruction receiving area 226 is specified on the setting screen shown in FIG. 7 and the instruction receiving area 222 is specified when the memory number “1” is specified. , An input screen 301B. Since the instruction reception area 226 is instructed, the instruction reception areas 224 and 225 are not inactive areas. For this reason, in the setting screen 221 shown in FIG. 9, an area for displaying the input screen 301 cannot be secured in the margin area 227. For this reason, the layout change input screen 301 </ b> B in which the layout of the plurality of input keys included in the input screen is changed is displayed in the blank area 227.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of setting processing. The setting process is a process executed by CPU 111 when CPU 111 provided in MFP 100 executes a program stored in ROM 113, HDD 115, or CD-ROM 118.

  Referring to FIG. 10, CPU 111 determines whether a setting screen has been selected (step S01). When the menu screen is displayed on the LCD 165 and the user selects any of a plurality of setting screen identification information included in the menu screen, or when the setting screen with a transition function is displayed on the LCD 165 When the button is selected by the user, it is determined that the setting screen has been selected. CPU 111 is in a standby state until a setting screen is selected (NO in step S01). When the setting screen is selected (YES in step S01), the process proceeds to step S02.

  In step S02, the selected setting screen is displayed on LCD 165. When any of the plurality of setting screen identification information is selected by the user in a state where the menu screen is displayed on the LCD 165, the setting screen specified by the selected setting screen identification information is displayed on the LCD 165, and the transition function is displayed. When the transition button is selected by the user while the attached setting screen is displayed on the LCD 165, the setting screen specified by the setting screen identification information assigned to the transition button is displayed on the LCD 165. The setting screen has an area for displaying item names of a plurality of setting items respectively corresponding to a plurality of setting values defining processing conditions and setting values set in the plurality of setting items.

  In the next step S03, it is determined whether or not an item name has been designated. If any of the item names of the plurality of setting items included in the setting screen displayed on LCD 165 is instructed, the process proceeds to step S04. If not, the process proceeds to step S08. In step S04, the setting item of the instructed item name is set as a processing target, and the process proceeds to step S05.

  In step S05, an input screen display process is executed. Although details of the input screen display process will be described later, in step S04, the input screen corresponding to the setting item set as the processing target is displayed.

  In the next step S06, it is determined whether or not a set value has been accepted. If any of a plurality of input keys included in the input screen is instructed, it is determined that the set value has been accepted. If the set value is accepted, the process proceeds to step S07; otherwise, step S07 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S08. In step S08, the setting value accepted in step S06 is set in the setting item set as the processing target in step S03, and the process proceeds to step S08.

  In step S08, it is determined whether start key 171 has been pressed. If start key 171 is pressed, the process proceeds to step S09. If not, the process returns to step S03. In step S09, the process is executed and the process ends. In step S07, the process is executed according to the setting value set in the setting item. For the setting items for which no setting value is set in step S07, processing is executed according to a predetermined default setting value.

  The process executed in step S09 is determined by the setting screen selected by the user in step S01 and displayed on the LCD 165 in step S02. If the setting screen is a copy condition setting screen for setting processing conditions for copy processing, copy processing is executed. If the setting screen is a scan condition setting screen for setting processing conditions for scanning processing, scan processing is executed, and print processing is performed. If it is a print condition setting screen for setting the processing conditions, print processing is executed. If it is a facsimile transmission condition setting screen for setting processing conditions for facsimile transmission processing, facsimile transmission processing is executed.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of input screen display processing. The input screen display process is a process executed in step S05 of FIG. In FIG. 10, in step S04 before the process of step S05 is executed, the setting item is set as a processing target. The input screen display process is a process for displaying an input screen corresponding to a setting item set as a processing target.

  Referring to FIG. 11, CPU 111 identifies an input screen corresponding to a setting item selected as a processing target. One of a plurality of predetermined input screens is specified based on the attribute of the setting value of the setting item set as the processing target. An input screen including an input key to which an attribute value defined for each setting item is assigned is specified. For example, if the attribute is a number, an input screen including 10 input keys to which 10 numbers from 0 to 9 are assigned is specified. If the attribute is a character, 26 alphabet letters from A to Z are assigned. The input screen including the input keys is specified. Note that an input screen including an input key to which an attribute value determined for each setting item is assigned may be generated, and the generated input screen may be specified.

  In the next step S22, display position determination processing is executed. Although details of the display position determination process will be described later, this is a process of determining the position at which the input screen is displayed in the setting screen. And it is judged whether the display position was determined (step S23). If the display position is determined, the process proceeds to step S24; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S25.

  In step S24, the input screen is superimposed on the setting screen and displayed at the display position determined in step S22. Since the input screen includes a plurality of input keys, setting values can be input. The input screen functions as a soft keyboard.

  On the other hand, in step S25, the input screen is reduced. The setting screen has an area for displaying an item name and a setting value for each of a plurality of setting items. An area where the item name is displayed is an instruction receiving area. In step S25, an area excluding the instruction reception area in the setting screen is extracted as a blank area, and the input screen is reduced to a size that can be arranged in the blank area. For example, a rectangular area in which the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the margin area are maximized is extracted, and the input screen is reduced so that the input screen fits within the extracted rectangular area.

  In the next step S26, it is determined whether or not the reduction ratio of the input screen is equal to or less than a threshold value T. If the reduction ratio of the input screen is equal to or smaller than threshold value T, the process proceeds to step S27; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S29. This is because if the reduction rate is equal to or less than the threshold value T, the size of the input screen becomes too small, and it may not be possible to designate an input key included in the input screen. In step S29, the reduced input screen after reducing the input screen is displayed in the margin area of the setting screen, and the process returns to the setting process.

  In step S27, the arrangement of a plurality of input keys included in the input screen is changed. The arrangement of the plurality of input keys is changed so that the plurality of input keys are arranged in the blank area. Thereby, an arrangement change input screen in which the shape of the input screen is changed is generated. Here, the default input screen is rectangular, but by changing the arrangement of a plurality of input keys, a layout change input screen having a shape in which the aspect ratio of the default input screen is changed is generated. Further, the arrangement change input screen may have a shape different from the rectangle. In step S28, the arrangement change input screen after changing the arrangement of the plurality of input keys is displayed in the blank area of the setting screen, and the process returns to the setting process.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of the display position determination process. The display position determination process is a process executed in step S22 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 12, in step S31, it is determined whether or not the input screen specified in step S21 of FIG. 11 can be displayed in the blank area of the setting screen. If it is determined that the input screen can be displayed in the blank area, the process proceeds to step S32. If not, the process proceeds to step S33. In step S32, the display position for displaying the input screen in the blank area is determined, and the process returns to the input screen display process. The upper left coordinates of the input screen are scanned from the upper left of the blank area, and the position where the entire input screen is included in the blank area is determined as the display position. When there are a plurality of positions where the entire input screen is included in the blank area, the position is determined as an arbitrary position. For example, it is preferable to determine the position close to the selected region. Alternatively, it may be determined at the center of the margin area.

In step S33, it is determined whether or not there is an exclusive area among a plurality of instruction receiving areas included in the setting screen. If an exclusive area exists among the plurality of instruction reception areas included in the setting screen, the process proceeds to step S34. If not, the process proceeds to step S37. The exclusive area is an instruction receiving area for setting the same setting value as the setting value input on the input screen among the plurality of instruction receiving areas included in the setting screen.
For example, the setting screen displays an instruction reception area for the item name “magnification ratio” for setting the magnification as a setting value, an instruction reception area for receiving an instruction to increase the magnification that is the setting value, and an enlargement ratio. An instruction reception area for receiving an instruction to decrease, and an instruction reception area for the item name “magnification factor” is indicated, an instruction reception area for receiving an instruction to increase the enlargement ratio, and an enlargement ratio The instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction to decrease the value is an exclusive area for setting the same magnification as the setting value set on the input screen.

  In step S34, an exclusive area additional blank area obtained by adding an exclusive area to the blank area is determined. Then, it is determined whether or not the input screen can be displayed in the exclusive area additional blank area (step S35). If the input screen can be displayed in the exclusive area additional blank area, the process proceeds to step S36; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S37. In step S36, a display position for displaying the input screen in the exclusive area additional blank area is determined, and the process returns to the input screen display process.

  In step S37, it is determined whether or not there is a non-working area among the plurality of instruction receiving areas included in the setting screen. If there is a non-working area among the plurality of instruction receiving areas included in the setting screen, the process proceeds to step S38. If not, the process is changed to the input screen display process without determining the display position. return. The non-operating area is an instruction receiving area that does not receive an instruction from the user among a plurality of instruction receiving areas included in the setting screen. In other words, the non-operating area is an instruction receiving area in which item names of setting items that are not selected by the user are displayed in a state where the setting item specified by the item name of the selection area is selected. For example, the instruction receiving area for instructing setting of the setting value stored in the memory or the instruction receiving area for instructing saving of the setting value in the memory is not instructed to indicate the memory. This is a non-operational area that is not instructed.

  In step S38, an inactive area additional blank area is determined by adding an inactive area to the blank area. Then, it is determined whether or not the input screen can be displayed in the inactive area additional blank area (step S39). If the input screen can be displayed in the inactive area additional blank area, the process proceeds to step S40. If not, the process returns to the input screen display process without determining the display position. In step S40, the display position for displaying the input screen in the non-work area additional blank area is determined, and the process returns to the input screen display process.

  As described above, MFP 100 according to the present embodiment is a setting for setting setting values for a plurality of setting items that define processing conditions for executing copy processing, scanning processing, printing processing, or facsimile transmission processing. When a setting screen including an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction by a user is displayed and an input screen including a plurality of input keys is displayed superimposed on the setting screen, the instruction is accepted in the setting screen. Based on the arrangement state of the regions, the position for displaying the input image on the setting screen is determined. Therefore, the input screen can be displayed so that the instruction receiving area can be confirmed. As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that facilitates input of set values.

  In addition, when the blank area other than the instruction reception area in the setting screen has an area where the input screen can be displayed, the position where the input screen is displayed in the blank area is determined. Can be displayed.

  Also, if the blank area in the setting screen does not have an area that can display the input screen, the display screen of the input screen is changed so that the instruction reception area is not hidden, so the instruction reception area, the input screen, Can be displayed simultaneously.

  For example, the input screen is reduced and displayed. When the reduction rate is equal to or less than the threshold value T, the arrangement of the plurality of input keys included in the input screen is changed. Thereby, the blank area can be used effectively.

  Also, if the margin area in the setting screen does not have an area that can display the input screen, an exclusive area is added by adding an exclusive area to the margin area to set the same setting value as the setting value input on the input screen The input screen is displayed in the blank area without changing the form of the input screen. Therefore, the input screen can be displayed without reducing the input screen and without changing the arrangement of the input keys.

  In addition, when the blank area does not have an area that can display the input screen, the input screen is not reduced to the non-work area added blank area in which the non-work area that does not accept an instruction from the user is added to the blank area. The input screen is displayed. Therefore, the input screen can be displayed without reducing the input screen and without changing the arrangement of the input keys.

  Further, the position designated by the user on the display surface of the LCD 165 is detected by the touch panel 169, the setting item is selected based on the detected position, and the setting value is received. Therefore, a hard key provided separately from the LCD 165 is used. In some cases, the number can be reduced. In this case, the area of the operation panel 160 can be reduced and the display area of the LCD 165 can be increased.

  In addition, the input screen displays only the input key for inputting the attribute value of the setting item corresponding to the item information selected by the user in order to input the setting value among the plurality of setting items included therein. You may make it do. In this case, the number of input keys included in the input screen can be reduced, and the size of the input screen can be reduced.

  In the embodiment described above, MFP 100 has been described as an example of an image forming apparatus. However, a setting method for causing MFP 100 to execute the setting process illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12 or CPU 111 that controls MFP 100 for the setting method is illustrated. It goes without saying that the invention can be specified as a setting program to be executed.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 MFP, 11 setting part, 13 setting screen selection part, 15 setting screen display part, 17 setting item selection part, 19 item setting part, 31 input reception part, 33 input screen display part, 35 setting value reception part, 41 margin area Arrangement determination unit, 43 Exclusive area arrangement determination unit, 45 Inactive area arrangement determination unit, 47 Form change unit, 49 Position determination unit, 51 Reduction unit, 53 Arrangement change unit, 61 Process execution unit, 110 Main circuit, 111 CPU, 112 Communication I / F unit, 113 ROM, 114 RAM, 115 HDD, 116 Facsimile unit, 117 External storage device, 120 Automatic document feeder, 130 Document reading unit, 140 Image forming unit, 150 Paper feeding unit, 160 Operation panel, 161 display control unit, 163 VRAM, 165 LCD, 167 input control unit, 169 touch panel, 170 han Key portion, 171 start key.

Claims (10)

Processing execution means for executing processing;
A setting screen display means for displaying a setting screen for setting a setting value for defining a processing condition for the processing execution means to execute a process, including an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction by a user;
An input screen display means for displaying an input screen that is different from the setting screen and includes a plurality of input keys superimposed on the displayed setting screen;
Setting value receiving means for receiving a value determined by an input key designated by a user among the plurality of input keys included in the displayed input screen as a setting value input to the setting screen;
The input screen display means includes position determining means for determining a position for displaying the input image in the displayed setting screen based on an arrangement state of the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen. Image forming apparatus. The setting screen display means displays one selected from a plurality of setting screens,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input screen is a screen common to at least two setting screens among the plurality of setting screens.   The position determination means determines a position for displaying the input screen in the blank area when a blank area other than the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen has an area capable of displaying the input screen. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The input screen display means changes the display form of the input screen when a blank area other than the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen does not have an area capable of displaying the input screen. Further including
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the position determining unit determines a position for displaying an input screen after the display form is changed by the form changing unit in the margin area.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the form changing unit includes a reduction unit that reduces the input screen.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the form changing unit includes an arrangement changing unit that changes an arrangement of a plurality of input keys included in the input screen. The setting screen includes a plurality of instruction receiving areas,
The input screen display means displays an input screen corresponding to a selection area selected by the user from the plurality of instruction reception areas,
When the margin area other than the plurality of instruction receiving areas in the displayed setting screen does not have an area capable of displaying the input screen, the input screen display means is configured to display the plurality of input areas in the displayed setting screen. An exclusive area additional blank area in which an exclusive area for setting the same set value as the set value input on the input screen is added to the blank area in the instruction receiving area of the display area has an area where the input screen can be displayed. Further includes an exclusive area arrangement availability determination means for determining whether or not
The said form change means does not change the form of the said input screen, when it judges that the said exclusive area additional blank area has the area | region which can display the said input screen by the said exclusive area arrangement | positioning availability determination means. The image forming apparatus according to any one of the above. The setting screen includes a plurality of instruction receiving areas,
The input screen display means displays an input screen corresponding to a selection area selected by the user from the plurality of instruction reception areas,
When the margin area other than the plurality of instruction receiving areas in the displayed setting screen does not have an area capable of displaying the input screen, the input screen display means is configured to display the plurality of input areas in the displayed setting screen. Non-operating area in which the non-operating area additional blank area in which the non-operating area that does not receive the instruction from the user is added to the blank area has an area that can display the input screen. It further includes a region arrangement availability determination means,
The said form change means does not change the form of the said input screen, when the said non-operating area arrangement | positioning availability judgment means judges that the said non-operating area additional blank area has an area | region which can display the said input screen. 8. The image forming apparatus according to any one of. A setting method executed by an image forming apparatus provided with a processing execution means for executing processing,
Including an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction by a user, and displaying a setting screen for setting a setting value for defining a processing condition for the process executing means to execute the process;
A screen that is different from the setting screen and includes an input screen including a plurality of input keys superimposed on the displayed setting screen;
Receiving a value determined by an input key instructed by a user among the plurality of input keys included in the displayed input screen as a setting value input to the setting screen,
The step of displaying the input screen includes a step of determining a position for displaying the input image in the displayed setting screen based on an arrangement state of the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen. Setting method. A setting program that is executed by a computer that controls an image forming apparatus including a processing execution unit that executes processing,
Including an instruction receiving area for receiving an instruction by a user, and displaying a setting screen for setting a setting value for defining a processing condition for the process executing means to execute the process;
A screen that is different from the setting screen and includes an input screen including a plurality of input keys superimposed on the displayed setting screen;
Receiving the value determined by the input key instructed by the user among the plurality of input keys included in the displayed input screen as the setting value input to the setting screen; ,
The step of displaying the input screen includes a step of determining a position for displaying the input image in the displayed setting screen based on an arrangement state of the instruction receiving area in the displayed setting screen. Configuration program.

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