JP2013117864A - Image forming apparatus and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems that UI picture linked with authentication information of a user can be displayed, however, a specific error picture cannot be linked with an application, and there are kinds of UI pictures depending on the authentication information, however, the UI pictures are fixed, and the display content cannot be dynamically changed.SOLUTION: In an image forming apparatus, when an error occurs during execution of a job being input from an application, a UI picture for recovering from the error is displayed on a display unit, and the UI pictures for recovering from the error are switched according to switching information stored in storage means for storing the switching information of the UI picture being associated with kinds of applications and errors to be displayed on the display unit.

Description

  The present invention relates to UI screen display control in an image forming apparatus, for example, error screen display control when an error occurs in a job input to the image forming apparatus.

  There are image forming apparatuses represented by MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) and LBP (Laser Beam Printer). Such an image forming apparatus executes copying, scanning, printing, and the like in accordance with a job input from an external device such as a host computer or a user operation.

  As an error display method in the image forming apparatus, for example, when an error occurs during execution of a print job submitted by an application, an error screen is displayed in the foreground at the timing of displaying the application that entered the job. This error screen includes information corresponding to the content of the error and the type of job. The display content of the error screen does not depend on the type of application. In the case of the same error content or the same job type, an error screen having the same content is displayed.

  In such a display method, since the display contents of the error are the same, there is an advantage that it is easy for the user to understand the error recovery method. In this display method, consideration is given to conveying the contents of the error to the user so that the recovery method can be easily understood.

  However, when a common error screen is displayed regardless of the type of application, there are the following problems. In other words, even if the types of applications, errors, and jobs are the same, it is not possible to respond to the user's desire to display a special error screen depending on the location and usage of the image forming apparatus. For such a problem, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes to change the content of a UI to be displayed in accordance with user authentication information in a user interface (UI) system related to maintenance such as adjustment. Yes.

JP 2005-165723 A

  However, although the UI screen associated with the user authentication information can be displayed in the conventional technology, a specific error screen is not associated with the application. Although there are types of UI screens corresponding to authentication information, the UI screen is fixed and the display content cannot be dynamically changed. In these respects, it was not sufficient to solve the above problems.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

  A feature of the present invention is that a special UI screen can be displayed for a specific application by associating a job by an application with a UI screen of an error, providing more appropriate information to the user, and convenience Is to improve.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
Execution means for executing jobs submitted from the application;
If an error occurs during execution of the job by the execution means, an error UI control means for displaying a UI screen for recovering from the error on the display unit;
Storage means for storing UI screen switching information in association with the application and the type of error,
The error UI control unit switches a UI screen for recovering from the error according to the switching information stored in the storage unit and displays the UI screen on the display unit.

  According to the present invention, even if the error type and the job type are the same, it is possible to easily display a specific UI screen for a job error of a specific application.

1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the information managed with an information table (A), and the figure which shows an example of the information managed with an extended information table (B). FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of transition of a screen displayed when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment when the information table is 400 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of transition of a screen displayed when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment when the information table is 401 in FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining information addition processing to an extended information table in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. 6 is a flowchart for explaining processing until a recovery screen is displayed and the screen is closed when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solution means of the present invention. .

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The printing system according to the present embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 101 such as an MFP and an application 102, for example. A user 100 can use the application 102 by operating the image forming apparatus 101. The application 102 can instruct the image forming apparatus 101 to execute a job (scan or print) in accordance with a user operation. The image forming apparatus 101 only needs to be able to display an application and execute a job, and is not limited to the above-described MFP, LBP, or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment.

  A user interface (UI) unit 201, a storage unit 202, a network interface unit 203, a scanner unit 204, a printer unit 205, and a finisher unit 206 are connected to the core 200 including the CPU 200a and the bus. The user interface unit 201 includes a display unit (including a touch panel) that displays information to the user 100 and a key operation unit that can accept an operation from the user 100. The storage unit 202 stores a software group and a data group that the image forming apparatus 101 has. The network interface unit 203 provides a communication function for connecting the image forming apparatus 101 and the network 210. The scanner unit 204, the printer unit 205, and the finisher unit 206 can execute jobs such as copying, printing, and scanning by being linked and controlled by the software group of the image forming apparatus 101. 2 are merely examples of hardware elements, and the present invention is not limited to this description.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment.

  The window display control module 300 controls a plurality of windows displayed on the user interface unit 201 of the image forming apparatus 101. Examples of windows to be controlled include an application window 301 and an error UI window 303. Display control is performed by switching these windows as necessary. Each window is also controlled by the corresponding application control module 302 and error UI control module 304. The application control module 302 and the error UI control module 304 perform display control of the application 102 and the error UI 305, respectively. In addition, these can mutually grasp the state of the window and perform display control via the window display control module 300.

  The application 102 can submit a job to the image forming apparatus 101 via the application control module 302 and the job control module 308. In addition, it is possible to request the error UI control module 304 to perform an error recovery operation on the submitted job. The error UI control module 304 updates the contents of the job information table 306 and the extended information table 307 according to the contents of the recovery request from the application control module 302. The error UI control module 304 can acquire job information of the image forming apparatus 101 in cooperation with the job control module 308. Further, data control such as updating information in the job information table 306 using the acquired job information can be performed. Further, the error UI control module 304 appropriately controls the life cycle of the error UI 305 based on the information in the job information table 306 and the extended information table 307. Then, the application displayed in the foreground is identified through the window display control module 300, and display control of the error UI window 303 is performed as necessary.

  4A is a diagram illustrating an example of information managed by the job information table 306, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of information managed by the extended information table 307.

  The job information table 306 includes the ID of the application that submitted the job (application ID) and information on the submitted job (job information). Further, it includes error screen type information (error screen information) displayed when the job is suspended due to an error, and condition information (close condition) when the error screen is closed.

  The error UI control module 304 performs operations such as addition, deletion, and editing of these components in accordance with the recovery request from the application control module 302 and the content of job information acquired from the job control module 308.

  Reference numeral 400 denotes an example of components of the job information table 306. In this example, “AppA” is set as the application ID, and “JobInfo A” is set as the input job information. Further, “jam recovery UI A1” is set in the error screen information when an error has occurred in the job, and “job A ends” is set as the closing condition. The error UI control module 304 can link an application, job information, an error UI to be displayed, and an error UI close condition to each other based on the components of the job information table 306.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of components of the extended information table 307.

  The extended information table 307 includes an application ID (application ID), a job type (job type), an error type (error type), information on an error screen to be displayed (display screen), and a condition for closing the error screen (close condition) ) Is included. The error UI control module 304 reflects the information in the extended information table 307 in the job information table 306 in response to a request from the application 102.

  Reference numeral 401 in FIG. 4A indicates a case where the components of the job information table 306 are changed in this way.

  In 401, the error screen information is changed from “jam recovery UI A1” to “jam recovery UI A2” corresponding to FIG. 4B, and the closing condition is changed from “job A ends” to “job A ends” The printer status has been changed to Ready.

  By changing the error screen information and the closing condition in this way, even if the application ID and job information are the same, the error screen to be displayed can be changed or the closing condition of the error screen can be freely changed. It becomes possible.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a transition example of screens displayed when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 101 according to the embodiment when the job information table 306 is 400 in FIG.

  In FIG. 5, reference numeral 502 denotes a UI screen (copy initial screen) displayed by the application 102. If the contents of the job information table 306 are as indicated by 400 in FIG. 4A, if a paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 101 while copying is being performed by the application 102, the paper jam screen 500 causes a paper jam. A standard error screen is displayed. On the paper jam screen 500, a message indicating that a paper jam has occurred, and opening the cover of the original feeder and instructing to remove the paper remaining in the original tray is displayed.

  When the user 100 cancels the paper jam, a standard recovery screen 501 is displayed. After recovery by resetting the original and pressing the start key, the screen returns to the initial screen 502 by the application 102.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a transition example of screens displayed when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 101 according to the embodiment when the job information table 306 is 401 in FIG.

  When the content of the job information table 306 is as indicated by 401 in FIG. 4A, the error UI screen is different from that in FIG. In other words, when a paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 101 during copying by the application 102, a recovery screen 600 corresponding to the changed “jam recovery UI A2” is displayed. In this recovery screen 600, not the above-mentioned paper jam screen 500, but only the message “Document is jammed. Please wait until the person in charge comes” is displayed. In this case, when the person in charge cancels the paper jam and the image forming apparatus 101 becomes ready, the screen returns to the initial screen 502 by the application 102.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for describing information addition processing to the extended information table 307 in the image forming apparatus 101 according to the embodiment. This process is realized by the CPU 200a of the core 200 executing a program stored in the storage unit 202.

  This process is started when the application control module 302 issues a recovery request to the error UI control module 304 when an error occurs. The application includes an error type, display screen switching, closing conditions, and the like as extension information in the recovery request.

  First, in step S <b> 1, the error UI control module 304 checks the content of the recovery request received from the application control module 302 and determines whether extended information is designated. If the extended information is designated here, the process proceeds to S2, and if it is not designated, this process is terminated. In S <b> 2, the error UI control module 304 determines whether or not the extended information includes information on an error type (for example, jam) that is a target for switching the error screen. If error type information is included, the process proceeds to S3. If not included, the process proceeds to S7 and error processing is performed, and then the process ends.

  In S3, the error UI control module 304 determines whether or not error screen information (display screen) is included in the extended information. When the error screen information is included, the process proceeds to S4. When the error screen information is not included, the process proceeds to S7. After the error process is performed, the process ends.

  In S4, the error UI control module 304 adds the error screen information obtained in S3 to the extended information table 307, and proceeds to S5. Accordingly, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the display screen “jam recovery UI A2” is registered for the error type (jam). In step S5, the error UI control module 304 determines whether or not the extended information includes condition information (close condition) for closing the error screen. If the close condition is included, the process proceeds to S6, and if it is not included, the process is terminated. In S <b> 6, the error UI control module 304 adds information on a close condition for closing the error screen to the extended information table 307 and ends this processing. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the closing condition “Job A end and printer status is ready” is registered for the error type (jam).

  In this way, the information in the extended information table 307 is updated by the application, and the transition of the UI screen when an error actually occurs is changed.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining processing (error UI control module) until the recovery screen is displayed and the screen is closed when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 101 according to the embodiment. This process is realized by the CPU 200a of the core 200 executing a program stored in the storage unit 202.

  This process is started when the application control module 302 is notified of an event (for example, jam occurrence) from the job control module 308.

  First, in step S11, the error UI control module 304 determines whether the job information of the event is a job to be recovered. If it is a recovery target job, the process proceeds to S12. If it is not a recovery target job, the flow ends. In step S12, the error UI control module 304 determines whether the application is a recovery target based on the application ID of the job information. The application to be recovered (for example, in the example of FIG. 4, if the application ID is “App A”, the process proceeds to S13, and if the application is not the object to be recovered, the flow ends.

  In step S <b> 13, the error UI control module 304 determines whether the application displayed in the foreground on the user interface unit of the image forming apparatus 101 is a target application to be displayed by switching the error screen. If the application is an object to be displayed by switching the error screen, the process proceeds to S14. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S15. In S14, the error UI control module 304 displays the switched jam recovery screen (jam recovery UI A2), and proceeds to S16. On the other hand, in S15, the error UI control module 304 displays a standard jam recovery screen and proceeds to S16. In S16, the error UI control module 304 updates the job information table 306 based on the current state, and proceeds to S17. As a result, the job information table 306 is updated, for example, as indicated by 401 in FIG.

  In step S <b> 17, the error UI control module 304 again enters a job information event waiting state. When an event is received, the process proceeds to S18, and the error UI control module 304 determines whether or not the job information included in the event includes a jam recovery screen closing condition. If the close condition is included, the process returns to S19, and if not, the process returns to S17. In step S19, the error UI control module 304 closes the jam recovery screen and proceeds to step S20. In step S20, the error UI control module 304 deletes related information from the job information table 306, and ends this process.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the error type and the job type are the same, a special error screen is displayed for a specific application depending on the location and usage of the MFP by the user. Can do. Also, the display content of the error screen and the conditions for closing the error screen can be dynamically changed.

  Thereby, more appropriate information can be provided to the user, and improvement in convenience can be expected.

(Other examples)
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

Claims (4)

Execution means for executing jobs submitted from the application;
If an error occurs during execution of the job by the execution means, an error UI control means for displaying a UI screen for recovering from the error on the display unit;
Storage means for storing UI screen switching information in association with the application and the type of error,
The error UI control unit switches an UI screen for recovering from the error and displays the UI on the display unit according to the switching information stored in the storage unit.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an updating unit configured to update information in the storage unit in response to a recovery request from the application to the error UI control unit. The information in the storage means further includes condition information for closing the UI screen,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the error UI control unit closes the UI screen according to an event corresponding to the condition information. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus including a display unit that displays a UI screen,
An execution process for executing a job submitted from an application;
When an error occurs during the execution of the job by the execution step, an error UI control step of displaying a UI screen for recovering from the error on the display unit;
Storing the UI screen switching information in association with the application and the type of error,
In the error UI control step, a UI screen for recovering from the error is switched and displayed on the display unit in accordance with the switching information stored in the storage step.