JP2013127785A - Input device and control program for input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control technique for an input device which makes it easy for a visually handicapped person to perform operation input.SOLUTION: Generally, according to an embodiment, an input device comprises voice output means, display input means, and control means. The voice output means outputs voice. The display input means has a display region for displaying an image, and acquires the position of a user's input in the display region. The control means displays an input button in an end part of the display region, and outputs voice guidance with the voice output means.

Description

  The embodiment described in this specification relates to a GUI control technique in an input device.

  There is an input device that displays an input screen on a display and receives a user's operation input on the input screen (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2012-008954 A

  However, such a conventional input device has a problem that operation input is difficult for a visually impaired person.

  This specification aims to provide an input device control technique that facilitates operation input for visually impaired persons.

  In general, according to the embodiment, the input device includes an audio output unit, a display input unit, and a control unit. The sound output means outputs sound. The display input unit has a display area for displaying an image, and acquires an input position by the user in the display area. The control means displays an input button at the end of the display area and outputs voice guidance by the voice output means.

2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is an external view which shows a touch panel. It is sectional drawing of a touch panel. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the input control process by a control means. It is a figure which shows the main menu screen of a 1st mode. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the input control process of a 2nd mode. It is a figure which shows the main menu screen of a 2nd mode. It is a figure which shows the GUI screen of the modification of a 2nd mode. It is a figure which shows the GUI screen of the modification of a 2nd mode. It is a figure which shows the GUI screen of the modification of a 2nd mode.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1.
The image forming apparatus 1 is an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) capable of executing image forming processing, scanner processing, FAX processing, and the like. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an image reading unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, an image forming unit 14, an operation panel 15, a touch panel 2 (display input unit), an authentication unit 16, a speaker 17 (audio output unit), and a control. Means 18 are provided.

  Among these, the image reading unit 11, the storage unit 12, the communication unit 13, the image forming unit 14, and the control unit 18 constitute an image forming apparatus main body 100. The operation panel 15, the touch panel 2, the authentication unit 16, and the speaker 17 are attached to the image forming apparatus main body 100.

The image reading unit 11 acquires an image and outputs it to the control unit 18. The image reading unit 11 acquires an image of a document by reading an image on a document table with a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), for example.
The storage unit 12 includes a memory and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores an image acquired by the image reading unit 11 and an image received by the communication unit 13 described later.
The communication means 13 communicates with an external device on the network via wireless or wired.
The image forming unit 14 forms an image on a sheet using toner or ink.

  The operation panel 15 includes a touch panel and hard keys such as buttons and keys. The operation panel 15 receives an instruction from the user for the functional operation of the image forming apparatus 1 such as the start of image forming processing. In the present embodiment, operation input using hard keys is difficult for visually impaired people, so the touch panel 2 is provided for operation input of visually impaired people.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the touch panel 2.
The touch panel 2 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 100 via a support member 101. The touch panel 2 includes a panel body 21 and a panel housing 22.
The panel body 21 has a rectangular display area 211 for displaying an image, and acquires an input position by the user in the display area 211.

  The panel body 21 includes a display panel that displays an image and a touch sensor that acquires a user input position with respect to the screen of the panel body 21. The input position detection method in the touch sensor includes a resistive film method in which a voltage generated at a position where the user touches the screen is detected by a transparent metal thin film on the screen to acquire the input position, or a static between the fingertip and the conductive film. A capacitance method may be used in which an input position is detected by detecting a change in capacitance. In addition to the above, the input position detection method in the touch sensor emits infrared rays in a grid shape so as to cross the screen from the frame portion surrounding the screen, and obtains the coordinate position where the infrared rays are blocked as the input position It is also possible to use an ultrasonic method in which a vibration wave is applied to the glass plate from a plurality of ends of the glass plate, and the reflected wave reflected at the input position is detected at the end of the glass plate and the input position is obtained from the reflection time. Well, any method is acceptable.

  The panel housing 22 covers the edge part, side surface, and back surface of the panel body 21 (see FIG. 3). The panel housing 22 includes a display frame portion 221 that covers the edge of the panel body 21. The display frame 221 has a quadrangular outer shape in plan view. The display frame portion 221 surrounds the display area 211 and protrudes from the display area 211 to the direction side in which the display area 211 can be observed (the front side in FIG. 2 and the upper side in FIG. 3). In this embodiment, as will be described later, an input button is displayed at the end of the display area 211, but a step is formed along the display area 211 by the display frame 221, so that the visually impaired person The end can be easily recognized, and input by the input button is facilitated.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the authentication unit 16 authenticates the user and acquires user information when determining that the user authentication information is appropriate. The authentication unit 16 includes, for example, a card reader (authentication information acquisition unit), a storage unit 12, and a control unit 18. The card reader communicates with the user's ID card (Identification Card) and acquires a card ID (Card Identification: authentication information) stored in the ID card.

  The storage unit 12 stores user information associated with each user, a card ID, and a user authority for each function of each image forming apparatus 1. Here, in this embodiment, there are a first mode for a person who is not visually impaired and a second mode for a visually impaired person as input modes.

  The user information stored in the storage unit 12 includes information (substantially setting the input mode) that specifies whether the user is a visually impaired person or a visually impaired person, and the control unit 18 includes the user information. Set the input mode based on.

  That is, the control unit 18 performs authentication based on the card ID acquired by the card reader, and in the authentication, when the user corresponding to the card ID has a user authority by any function of the image forming apparatus 1, The user's use of the image forming apparatus 1 is approved. In this case, the control unit 18 acquires user information from the storage unit 12. When the user information indicates a person who is not visually impaired, the control means 18 sets the input mode to the first mode for a person who is not visually impaired, and when the user information indicates a visually impaired person, Set to the second mode for the visually impaired.

  It is assumed that user information for each user, card ID, and user authority for each function stored in the image forming apparatus 1 can be set using the operation panel 15 or the touch panel 2. User information can also be set by an external device connected to the image forming apparatus 1.

  Further, an external server connected to the image forming apparatus 1 may store user information associated with each user, a card ID, and a user authority for each function of each image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 18 may acquire the authentication information by the authentication information acquisition unit, and collate the authentication information with an external server based on the authentication information. And the control means 18 may acquire user information and the user authority for every function from an external server. In this case, the authentication unit includes an authentication information acquisition unit and a control unit 18. The authentication unit 16 may acquire biometric authentication information such as voice print information, fingerprint information, and face image information to perform authentication, and acquire user authority and user information for each function of the image forming apparatus 1.

The speaker 17 outputs sound. The speaker 17 may be provided on the touch panel 2.
The control unit 18 includes a processor and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and controls the entire image forming apparatus 1. The processor implements various functions by executing a program stored in the storage unit 12. The ASIC is a dedicated circuit for realizing a specific function, and may have an appropriate function realized by the processor.

Hereinafter, the input control processing by the control means 18 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The control unit 18 performs the input control process by reading a program stored in the storage unit 12.
The control means 18 first authenticates the user via the authentication means 16 and obtains user information (Act1 to Act4).

  The storage unit 12 in the image forming apparatus 1 stores in advance user information associated with each user, a card ID, and a user authority for each function. The user information includes information indicating that the user is not visually impaired or information indicating that the user is visually impaired. The control means 18 acquires the card ID in the ID card with a card reader, and refers to the storage means 12 based on the card ID.

  When the user has the user authority of any function of the image forming apparatus 1, the control unit 18 approves the user's use of the image forming apparatus 1 (Act 3). In this case, the control means 18 acquires user information from the storage means 12 (Act 4). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the user has at least a copy, scanner, and FAX user authority.

  When the user information indicates a person who is not visually impaired (Act 5: NO), the control unit 18 sets the input mode to the first mode (Act 6). The first mode is an input mode for a person who is not visually impaired, and is a mode that enables input using both the operation panel 15 and the touch panel 2. In the first mode, the control means 18 displays, for example, a main menu screen 3 of a default GUI (Graphical User Interface) on the operation panel 15 or the touch panel 2 as shown in FIG.

  The main menu screen 3 in the first mode includes input buttons 31 to 34 on which function names (copy, scanner, FAX, etc.) are displayed. The control means 18 accepts input of the input buttons 31 to 34 by, for example, an operation input by a user of a hard key of the operation panel 15 and displays a screen for executing a function corresponding to the input buttons 31 to 34. Perform guidance processing to execute the function.

  When the user information indicates a visually handicapped person (Act 5: YES), the control means 18 sets the input mode to the second mode for the visually handicapped person, displays a GUI dedicated to the visually handicapped person on the touch panel 2, Voice guidance is performed using the speaker 17 (Act 7). The second mode for the visually impaired is assumed to be input on the touch panel 2, and the control means 18 displays a GUI dedicated to the visually impaired on the touch panel 2.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the second mode input control processing by the control means 18. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the main menu screen 4 in the second mode.
In the second mode, the control means 18 displays, for example, the main menu screen 4 as a GUI dedicated to the visually impaired. The control means 18 displays the input buttons 41 to 44 at each of a plurality of ends in the display area 211 of the touch panel 2 on the main menu screen 4 and outputs voice guidance from the speaker 17 (Act 71).

  In the present embodiment, the plurality of ends in the display area 211 where the input buttons 41 to 44 are arranged mean the four corners of the rectangular display area 211. The control means 18 arrange | positions each input button 41-44 apart. The control means 18 sets the cross-shaped area formed between the input buttons 41 to 44 as the insensitive area 45 that does not accept input. In the present embodiment, the control means 18 is arranged with the input buttons 41 to 44 separated from each other, but the input buttons 41 to 44 may be arranged adjacent to each other, and the insensitive area 45 may not be provided. . The control means 18 puts on the input buttons 41 to 44 characters on the basis of the orientation from the ground, upper left, lower left, upper right, lower right letters, LU (Left-Up), LL (Left -Low), RU (Right-Up), and RL (Right-Low).

  The control means 18 has a function of accepting execution of guidance processing of functions for which the user has user authority, that is, copy guidance processing, scanner guidance processing, FAX guidance processing, and other guidance processing, for each of the input buttons 41 to 44. assign.

  The control means 18 displays the input buttons 41 to 44 at the four corners of the display area 211 of the touch panel 2 as described above, and outputs voice guidance indicating the functions and positions of the input buttons 41 to 44 through the speaker 17. The voice guidance is, for example, “Main menu. Select a function from the following. Touch the upper left for copy, lower left for scanner, upper right for FAX, and lower right for others.”

  Thereby, the visually handicapped person in front of the touch panel 2 can recognize the positions of the input buttons 41 to 44 using the edges and corners of the touch panel 2 according to the voice guidance. When the visually impaired person touches the desired input buttons 41 to 44, the control unit 18 executes copy, scanner, FAX, and other guidance processes assigned to the input buttons 41 to 44 (Act 72 to Act 76).

  In the guidance processing, the control means 18 displays the input buttons having the respective functions at the ends of the touch panel 2, for example, at the four corners, and also provides voice guidance for guiding the functions and positions of the respective input buttons as described above. 17 is output. Thereby, the control means 18 receives various settings for executing the function desired by the visually impaired person and an instruction to start executing the function desired by the visually impaired person.

  At this time, in this embodiment, a step is formed along the display area 211 by the display frame portion 221, so that a visually impaired person can easily recognize the end and four corners of the display area 211, and the input buttons 41 to 44. Can be input easily.

(Modification)
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a GUI screen 4A of a modified example of the second mode.
In FIG. 8, the control means 18 displays three fan-shaped input buttons 41A, 43A, and 44A, and displays an irregular input button 42A. The control means 18 arrange | positions each input button 41A-44A apart, and makes the area | region between each input button 41A-44A the dead area 45A.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a GUI screen 4B of a modified example of the second mode.
In FIG. 9, the control means 18 is not the four corners as the plurality of ends in the display area 211, but the linear portions of the input buttons 41 </ b> B to 44 </ b> B that are substantially semicircular at the center of each long side and short side of the display area 211. The semi-circular input buttons 41B to 44B are displayed so as to be in contact with each other. The input buttons 41B to 44B do not include the corner area of the display area 211. The control means 18 arrange | positions each input button 41B-44B apart, and makes the area | region between each input button 41B-44B the dead area 45B.
In this case, the control means 18 uses the speaker 17 to say, for example, “Main menu. Select a function from the following. Touch the left for copying, the bottom for the scanner, the right for FAX, and the other for top.” Output voice guidance.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a GUI screen 4C of a modified example of the second mode.
In FIG. 10, the control means 18 displays the input buttons 41 </ b> C and 42 </ b> C on the short sides of the display area 211 instead of the four corners as a plurality of ends in the display area 211. The input buttons 41 </ b> C and 42 </ b> C have a rectangular shape that extends from the end of each short side of the display area 211 to the center of the display area 211 in the long side direction. The control means 18 places the input buttons 41C and 42C apart from each other, and sets the area between the input buttons 41C and 42C as a dead area 45C. In this modification, it is assumed that the user has user authority for copying and scanning.
In this case, the control means 18 outputs a voice guidance such as “Main menu. Select a function from the following. Touch the left for copying and the right for the scanner.” By the speaker 17.

  On the GUI screen 41 in the second mode of the embodiment and the GUI screens 4A to 4C in the second mode of the modification, input buttons (41 to 44, 41A to 44A, 41A to 44A, which are arranged at a plurality of ends in the display area 211 are provided. 41B to 44B, 41C to 42C) were in contact with the edge of the display area 211 in contact with the display frame portion 221. However, the input buttons arranged at a plurality of ends in the display area 211 do not necessarily mean that part of the input buttons touch the edge, and the input buttons are separated from the edge of the display area 211, and the display area What is necessary is just the state which exists in the end edge side (4 corner side, short side, long side) of 211. This is because if the input buttons are arranged in this way, the visually impaired person can grasp the position of the input button when the voice guidance guides the positions such as upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right.

The control means 18 may display three or five or more input buttons in the display area 211.
In the embodiment, the control unit 18 automatically sets the input mode to the first mode or the second mode by acquiring the authentication information. However, the control unit 18 sets the input mode to either the first mode or the second mode. A selection screen for switching may be displayed, and the input mode may be switched to any of the first and second modes selected on the selection screen.

  In the embodiment, since the touch panel 2 is supported by the image forming apparatus main body 100, the vertical and horizontal orientations do not change with respect to the user. Such an input device in which the vertical and horizontal orientations are fixed can be applied to a touch panel of an apparatus such as an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) in addition to a touch panel of an image forming apparatus. In addition, the input device can be applied to a touch panel whose vertical and horizontal directions change, and can also be applied to a touch panel of a mobile phone or a tablet PC (Personal Computer). In this case, for example, an acceleration sensor that measures the acceleration of gravity in three axial directions may be provided in the input device. That is, an acceleration sensor that detects whether the orientation of the touch panel is a landscape in which the long side is up and down as in the above-described embodiment or a portrait in which the short side is up and down may be provided in the input device (the touch panel is square). It is sufficient if the direction of the touch panel can be detected).

When the input device is arranged at each of the four corners of the touch panel as in the embodiment, the direction of the touch panel changes from the landscape of the embodiment to the portrait with the short side up and down. Alternatively, functions for accepting execution of copy, scanner, FAX, and other guidance processes, etc. may be assigned to the upper left (upper left with respect to the ground, hereinafter the same), lower left, upper right, and lower right in the display area of the touch panel. Good.
The user information may include a direct input mode, i.e., the first mode for a person who is not visually impaired or the second mode for a visually impaired person may be included as a setting of the input mode.

The order of the processes in the embodiment may be different from the order exemplified in the embodiment.
The present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely an example in all respects and should not be interpreted in a limited manner. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of claims, and is not restricted by the text of the specification. Further, all modifications, various improvements, alternatives and modifications belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input device, 2 ... Touch panel (display input means), 8 ... Control means, 17 ... Speaker (audio | voice output means), 221 ... Display frame part.

Claims (4)

Audio output means for outputting audio;
A display input unit having a display area for displaying an image and acquiring an input position by a user in the display area;
Control means for displaying an input button at an end of the display area and outputting voice guidance by the voice output means;
An input device comprising: The apparatus of claim 1.
The input device includes a display frame section that surrounds the display area and protrudes from the display area toward a direction in which the display area can be observed. An input device comprising: audio output means for outputting sound; and display input means for displaying a screen in a display area and acquiring an input position in the display area by a user.
An input device control program for causing a computer to display an input button at an end of the display area and to output a voice guidance by the voice output means. In the control program of the input device according to claim 3,
The display area is a quadrangle, and the input device control program causes the computer to cause the input device to display the input buttons at the four corners of the display area.

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