JP2016045635A - Terminal device, electronic device, image forming system, and display control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a help screen relating to operations of an electronic device, on a terminal device, without requiring special communication means.SOLUTION: A display panel 21 of an image forming apparatus 2 displays an operation screen, a model name of an image forming apparatus 2, and an identification code for identifying the operation screen displayed. When a mobile terminal 1 images the identification code, an identification code analysis section of the mobile terminal 1 analyzes the model name of the image forming apparatus 2 and the type of the operation screen, on the basis of the identification code. On receipt of a result analyzed by the identification code analysis section, a display control section of the mobile terminal 1 selects help information of the model, and extracts an item to be set on the operation screen, from the help information. The display control section of the mobile terminal 1 causes a display section 131 to display the item to be set, which has been extracted by the control section. When a touch panel 132 receives the selected item, the display control section causes the display section 131 to display a help screen of item data on the selected item.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal device, an electronic device, an image forming system, and a display control program.

  When the user confirms the operation method of the image forming apparatus, the user operates the help button as a soft key displayed on the display panel of the image forming apparatus or the hard key provided on the main body, so that the user can In general, a so-called help screen for displaying an operation method is displayed, whereby the user confirms the operation method and setting items.

  However, the help screen displayed on the display panel is often displayed on a separate screen by switching to the original operation screen that guides the operations that have been performed so far. Cannot see the operation screen. For this reason, the user remembers the information on the help screen, closes the help screen, displays the original operation screen and watches it, and then performs an operation based on the information learned on the help screen. As a result, the user needs to learn the information on the help screen, and thus cannot perform an intuitive operation. In addition, when the operation procedure guided by the help screen is long, the user may have to switch the operation screen to the help screen many times and check the information, which increases the time and effort. .

  Here, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 describe a technique for displaying a help screen on a display unit of a mobile terminal device by the mobile terminal device acquiring panel data of the image forming apparatus from a server. In this way, the user can operate the screen of the image forming apparatus while looking at the screen of the mobile terminal device.

JP 2013-25638 A JP 2010-219879 A

  However, in the case of the techniques disclosed in the above patent documents, it is necessary for the mobile terminal device to connect to the network and acquire information on the help screen from the server. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a server and communication means for the server, and it cannot be used in an environment where it cannot be connected to a network.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem. A help screen regarding operation of an electronic device is displayed on a terminal device even in an environment where a communication means with a server is not required and a network connection is not possible. It is intended to be displayed.

An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a display unit,
A camera unit capable of shooting a shooting object;
A help information storage unit that stores information of an operation screen for performing an operation corresponding to an operation screen displayed on a display panel included in the electronic device for each operation screen;
An image indicating an identification code created for each operation screen is detected from the captured images captured by the camera unit, and is displayed on the display panel at this time from the identification code indicated by the detected image. An identification code analysis unit for determining an operation screen;
A display control unit that reads a help screen corresponding to the operation screen determined by the identification code analysis unit from the help information storage unit and displays the help screen on the display unit.

An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a display panel that displays an image,
A screen data storage unit for storing the screen data of the operation screen having the image of the identification code including the information for determining the content and indicating the content of the operation guidance;
An operation instruction input unit for inputting an operation instruction for an electronic device from a user;
A control unit that reads the screen data corresponding to the content of the operation instruction input to the operation instruction input unit from the screen data storage unit and displays the screen data on the display panel.

An image forming system according to an aspect of the present invention includes the terminal device,
An image forming apparatus as an electronic apparatus that has an operation screen and a display panel that simultaneously displays an identification code including information for determining the operation screen and prints an image on a sheet.

Further, the display control program according to one aspect of the present invention includes a photographing step of photographing an identification code including information for identifying contents of an operation screen displayed on a display panel included in the electronic device with a camera unit of the terminal device;
An identification code analyzing step for discriminating an operation screen displayed on the display panel from the identification code photographed in the photographing step in the terminal device;
In the identification code analysis step, from the help information storage unit that stores the information of the help screen indicating the operation procedure for executing the operation corresponding to the operation screen displayed on the display panel included in the electronic device for each operation screen. A help screen corresponding to the determined operation screen is read by the terminal device and displayed on the display unit of the terminal device.

  According to the present invention, the camera unit captures the identification code displayed on the display panel of the electronic device, the identification code is determined, and the help screen for operating the electronic device is read from the help information storage unit according to the determination result. Since the help screen is displayed on the display unit of the terminal device, the original operation screen can be displayed on the electronic device and the help screen is simultaneously displayed on the terminal device. While viewing the help screen displayed on the terminal device, it is possible to perform the operation indicated by the guidance screen displayed on the display panel of the electronic device. In the present invention, it is not necessary to memorize the operation content displayed on the help screen as in the prior art, and it is possible to operate intuitively while looking at the help screen. This is particularly useful when operating an electronic device that cannot be provided with a large display panel with good visibility.

  In the present invention, since the terminal device stores the information on the help screen in the help information storage unit, it is not necessary to acquire the help information via a network or a server. That is, the help screen can be displayed on the terminal device even in an environment where there is no server, no communication means to the server, or no connection to the network.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the main internal structures of the mobile terminal which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows notionally an example of the data structure memorize | stored in a help information storage part. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the display control of the display part in a mobile terminal. It is a figure which shows the display panel of an image forming apparatus. It is the figure which showed the example of a screen of the display part of a mobile terminal. It is the figure which showed the example of a screen of the display part of a mobile terminal.

  Hereinafter, a terminal device, an electronic device, an image forming system, and a display control program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an image forming system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming system 10 includes a mobile terminal 1 (an example of a terminal device) and an image forming apparatus (an example of an electronic device) 2. The mobile terminal 1 is a smartphone with a camera, a tablet terminal, or the like.

  The image forming apparatus 2 is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using toner as a developer, an ink jet printer using ink, or the like, and includes a display panel 21 on the front surface of the main body. On the display panel 21, an identification code is displayed together with an operation screen of the image forming apparatus. The identification code is a code in which information for determining the screen content of the display panel 21 is incorporated, and is represented by a two-dimensional bar code or a matrix type two-dimensional code.

  The mobile terminal 1 photographs the identification code displayed on the display panel 21 using a camera function, and an identification code analysis unit 111 (described later) of the mobile terminal 1 uses the identification code to display the model name of the image forming apparatus 2 and the display panel. The operation screen currently displayed in 21 is discriminated. Then, the display control unit 112 (described later) of the mobile terminal 1 displays a help screen for supporting the user on the operation screen displayed on the display panel 21 on the display unit 131 of the mobile terminal 1.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the mobile terminal 1. The mobile terminal 1 includes a control unit 11, a camera unit 12, an operation unit 13, a storage unit 14, and the like.

  The camera unit 12 includes an imaging mechanism that shoots a subject (photographing target) and generates image data.

  The operation unit 13 is a mechanism that receives instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the mobile terminal 1, and includes a display unit 131 and a touch panel 132 (input reception unit). The display unit 131 includes an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like. The touch panel 132 has a function of outputting a position (coordinates) pressed by the user on the display screen of the display unit 131 to the control unit 11 in accordance with a pressing operation performed by the user with a finger or the like. The control unit 11 detects the pressed position based on the position information output from the touch panel 132. The display unit 131 and the touch panel 132 are integrally formed by overlapping.

  The storage unit 14 includes a memory and stores programs and data necessary for the operation of the mobile terminal 1. The storage unit 14 stores the display control program 141 in the present embodiment, and a part of the storage area functions as the help information storage unit 142. The control unit 11 operates according to the display control program 141 to determine an operation screen being displayed on the display panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 2 from the identification code photographed by the camera unit 12 as the identification code analysis unit 111. As the display control unit 112, items that can be operated on the operation screen are displayed on the display unit 131, and when selection of an item that the user wants to operate is received by the touch panel 132, a help screen corresponding to the received item is displayed on the display unit 131. Is displayed further. The said control part 11 is an example of the computer in a claim.

  The control unit 11 operates according to the display control program 141 so that the storage unit 14 also functions as the help information storage unit 142. The help information storage unit 142 stores information on each operation screen in association with items operable on each operation screen for each image forming apparatus to be handled, and further stores the item contents for each item. Information on the help screen indicating the operation procedure for execution is stored in association with each other.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a data configuration stored in the help information storage unit 142. The help information storage unit 142 stores, for example, help information 51 for storing help information of the image forming apparatus with the model name “device 200”, and help information for storing help information of the image forming apparatus with the “device 300”. 52 and help information 53 for storing help information of the image forming apparatus to which “device 500” is attached.

  For example, the help information 51 of “apparatus 200” includes copy screen data 511, FAX screen data 512, and scan screen data 513. As the help information 51, information indicating each item that can be operated in the “device 200” is stored for each of the copy screen data 511, FAX screen data 512, and scan screen data 513. The copy screen data 511 is image data of a display screen showing operation guidance regarding the copy operation. The FAX screen data 512 is image data of a display screen showing operation guidance for facsimile operation. The scan screen data 513 is image data of a display screen indicating operation guidance regarding the scan operation. Each of the copy screen data 511, FAX screen data 512, and scan screen data 513 has a help screen (screen for displaying operation guidance) for each operable item. For example, in the copy operation of the model name “device 200”, when it is possible to set the aggregation setting, duplex printing setting, change in the number of copies, and change in color balance, the copy screen data 511 includes the aggregation setting, duplex printing. Item data is stored in the help information storage unit 142 for each item of print setting, change of the number of copies, and color balance. In the present embodiment, item data 5 a to 5 d are stored in the help information storage unit 142.

  For example, the item data 5a stores help screen data 61 indicating the position of the operation button to be pressed to execute the aggregation setting. Similarly, the other item data 5b to 5d store help screen data for executing the corresponding item.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the mobile terminal 1. The control unit 11 includes an identification code analysis unit 111 and a display control unit 112.

  The identification code analysis unit 111 detects an image indicating an identification code from the captured images captured by the camera unit 12, and the identification code indicated by the detected image is displayed on the display panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 2 at this time. It is determined which operation screen is the displayed operation screen.

  The display control unit 112 performs control to read items operable on the operation screen determined by the identification code analysis unit 111 from the help information storage unit 142 and display them on the display unit 131. Then, when any one of the displayed input items is received by the touch panel 132, the display control unit 112 stores the help screen image for executing the selected item as help information. The data is read from the unit 142 and displayed on the display unit 131. The user performs an operation indicated by the guidance screen displayed on the display panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 2 while viewing the help screen displayed on the display unit 131 of the mobile terminal 1.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 2 will be described. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 2. The image forming apparatus 2 includes a control unit 100, an operation unit 47, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, an image forming unit 120, an image memory 32, a fixing unit 130, a facsimile communication unit 71, a network interface unit 91, and a drive motor. 70, HDD 92, and the like.

  An operation unit (an example of an operation instruction input unit) 47 receives an operation instruction for the image forming apparatus 2 from a user. The operation unit 47 includes the display panel 21. The display panel 21 has an LCD (liquid crystal display) or the like and displays various images.

  The document reading unit 5 reads an image from the document by irradiating the document with the light irradiating unit and receiving the reflected light with a CCD sensor.

  The image memory 32 is an area for temporarily storing document image data obtained by reading by the document reading unit 5 or temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 120.

  The facsimile communication unit 71 includes an unillustrated encoding / decoding unit, modulation / demodulation unit, and NCU (Network Control Unit), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone network.

  The network interface unit 91 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits and receives various data to and from the local area or the computer 20 on the Internet via a LAN connected to the network interface unit 91.

  An HDD (an example of a screen data storage unit) 92 is a large-capacity storage device that stores a document image read by the document reading unit 5. The HDD 92 stores screen data of each operation screen indicating the content of operation guidance for each operation of the image forming apparatus 2. The operation screen indicated by each screen data includes an image of an identification code including information for determining the content of the operation guidance indicated by the operation screen.

  The driving motor 70 is a driving source that applies a rotational driving force to each rotating member, the conveyance roller, and the like of the image forming unit 120.

  The control unit 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 2. The control unit 100 includes an operation unit 47, document feeding unit 6, document reading unit 5, image memory 32, image forming unit 120, fixing unit 130, drive motor 70, facsimile communication unit 71, network interface unit 91, HDD 92, and the like. And control each of these parts.

  The control unit 100 performs display control in which screen data corresponding to the content of the operation instruction input to the operation unit 47 is read from the HDD 92 and displayed on the display panel 21.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing display control of the display unit 131 in the mobile terminal 1. FIG. 6 is a view showing the display panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 2. 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating screen examples of the display unit 131 of the mobile terminal 1.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6, the control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 2 reads out screen data of an operation screen corresponding to the operation being performed at this time from the HDD 92 and displays the screen data on the display panel 21. At this time, the identification code 3 associated with the operation screen is displayed together with the operation screen. The identification code 3 is used to determine the model name of the image forming apparatus 2 and the contents of the displayed operation screen.

  When the camera unit 12 of the mobile terminal 1 captures the displayed identification code 3 (step S11; YES, imaging step), the identification code analysis unit 111 identifies the identification code from the captured images captured by the camera unit 12. 3 is detected, and from the identification code 3 indicated by the detected image, the model name of the image forming apparatus 2 and the type of the operation screen currently displayed on the display panel 21 are determined (step S12, identification). Code analysis step).

  The display control unit 112 selects help information of the corresponding model from the help information storage unit 142 according to the determination result of the identification code analysis unit 111, and can be set on the operation screen displayed at this time from the help information An item is extracted, item data corresponding to the item is read from the help information storage unit 142 and displayed on the display unit 131 (step S13, first display step).

  An example of the screen of the display unit 131 at this time is shown in FIG. For example, when the identification code analysis unit 111 determines from the identification code 3 that the model name is “device 100” and the displayed screen is a copy screen, the display control unit 112 displays “device 100” in the help information storage unit 142. The copy screen data 511 is selected from the help information 51, and only the item name is extracted for each item data stored in the copy screen data 511. For example, in the present embodiment, the display control unit 112 selects, from the item data 5b to 5d as the copy screen data 511, “(1) I want to set aggregation”, “(2) I want to set duplex printing”, “(3 The item names “I want to change the number of copies” and “(4) I want to change the color balance” are extracted and displayed on the display unit 131.

  When the touch panel 132 receives an input for selecting a desired item from the settable items displayed on the display unit 131 from the user (step S14; YES, input receiving step), the display control unit 112 is selected. The help screen included in the item data corresponding to the selected item is displayed on the display unit 131 (step S15, second display step).

  An example of the screen of the display unit 131 at this time is shown in FIG. For example, when the settable item selected by the user is “(1) I want to perform aggregation setting”, the display control unit 112 displays the help stored in the item data 5 a of the copy screen data 511 of the help information storage unit 142. The screen data 61 is read out and displayed on the display unit 131 as a help screen for the aggregation setting. The user operates the image forming apparatus 2 while looking at the help screen displayed on the display unit 131 and operates a desired setting item (in this case, aggregate setting).

  When item data 5a stores a plurality of pieces of help screen data (that is, when it is necessary to perform a plurality of operations to perform aggregation setting and each help screen data corresponding to each operation is stored) The display control unit 112 sequentially reads out the help screens from the item data 5a and displays them on the display unit 131 (step S16; NO, S15). When the display control unit 112 displays the last help screen (step S16; YES), the control unit 11 ends the process.

  Conventionally, since the operation screen and the help screen are selectively switched and displayed alternately on one display panel of the image forming apparatus, the user remembers the help screen information, closes the help screen, and then closes the operation screen. It was troublesome because it was necessary to execute the operation learned after switching the display. Furthermore, even if one operation is completed, if the next operation is not known, the user needs to see the operation screen and the help screen alternately, which is troublesome.

  However, in the above embodiment, the mobile terminal 1 captures the identification code displayed on the display panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 2, the identification code analysis unit 111 analyzes the identification code, and the display control unit according to the analysis result. 112 reads the help screen from the help information storage unit 142 and displays it on the display unit 131, so that the user can view the help screen displayed on the display unit 131 of the mobile terminal 1 on the display panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 2. The operation indicated by the displayed guidance screen can be performed. For this reason, according to the present embodiment, the user does not need to learn the operation content, can operate intuitively, and the convenience during operation is enhanced. This is particularly useful when operating, for example, an inexpensive image forming apparatus in which it is impossible to provide a large display panel with good visibility.

  In the present embodiment, since the mobile terminal 1 holds the help information related to the operation of each image forming apparatus in the storage unit 14 in advance (for example, it can be stored in the form of firmware), the network There is no need to obtain help information via a server or server. As a result, in the present embodiment, a help screen regarding the operation of the image forming apparatus can be displayed on the display panel of the mobile terminal 1 even in an environment in which communication means with the server is not required and the network cannot be connected.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the help information storage unit 142 includes items that can be operated on each operation screen displayed on the display panel of the image forming apparatus, and operations for executing the item contents for each item. The display control unit 112 reads the items that can be operated on the operation screen determined by the identification code analysis unit 111 from the help information storage unit 142 and stores the information on the help screen indicating the procedure. The help screen corresponding to the item that the touch panel 132 receives from the user is read from the help information storage unit 142 and further displayed on the display unit 131. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. I can't. For example, the help information storage unit 142 stores help screen information for each operation screen displayed on the display panel of the image forming apparatus, and the display control unit 112 operates the operation screen determined by the identification code analysis unit 111. May be read from the help information storage unit 142 and displayed on the display unit 13.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although demonstrated using an image forming apparatus as one Embodiment of the electronic device which concerns on this invention, this is only an example and other electronic devices, for example, a microwave oven, a rice cooker, A washing machine, a medical device, etc. may be sufficient.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the structure and process which were shown by the said embodiment using FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 8 are only one Embodiment of this invention, and are not the meaning which limits this invention to the said structure and process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 11 Control part 111 Identification code analysis part 112 Display control part 12 Camera part 13 Operation part 131 Display part 132 Touch panel 14 Storage part 141 Display control program 142 Help information storage part 2 Image forming apparatus 21 Display panel 47 Operation part 92 HDD
100 Control Unit 10 Image Forming System

Claims (5)

A display unit;
A camera unit capable of shooting a shooting object;
A help information storage unit that stores information of an operation screen for performing an operation corresponding to an operation screen displayed on a display panel included in the electronic device for each operation screen;
An image indicating an identification code created for each operation screen is detected from the captured images captured by the camera unit, and is displayed on the display panel at this time from the identification code indicated by the detected image. An identification code analysis unit for determining an operation screen;
A terminal device comprising: a display control unit that reads a help screen corresponding to the operation screen determined by the identification code analysis unit from the help information storage unit and displays the help screen on the display unit. The help information storage unit is a help screen showing items that can be operated on each operation screen displayed on the display panel of the electronic device, and an operation procedure for executing the item content for each item. Is stored in association with
The display control unit reads out items that can be operated on the operation screen determined by the identification code analysis unit from the help information storage unit, and causes the display unit to display the items.
Furthermore, an input receiving unit that receives selection input of operable items displayed on the display unit,
The said display control part reads the help screen which shows the operation procedure for performing the content of the item which the said input reception part received from the said help information storage part, and further displays it on the said display part. Terminal equipment. A display panel for displaying images,
A screen data storage unit for storing the screen data of the operation screen having the image of the identification code including the information for determining the content and indicating the content of the operation guidance;
An operation instruction input unit for inputting an operation instruction for an electronic device from a user;
An electronic device comprising: a control unit that reads the screen data corresponding to the content of the operation instruction input to the operation instruction input unit from the screen data storage unit and displays the screen data on the display panel. A terminal device according to claim 1;
An image forming system comprising: an operation screen and an image forming apparatus as an electronic device having a display panel for simultaneously displaying an identification code including information for identifying the operation screen and printing an image on a sheet. A shooting step of shooting an identification code including information for determining the content of the operation screen displayed on the display panel of the electronic device with the camera unit of the terminal device;
An identification code analyzing step for discriminating an operation screen displayed on the display panel from the identification code photographed in the photographing step in the terminal device;
In the identification code analysis step, from the help information storage unit that stores the information of the help screen indicating the operation procedure for executing the operation corresponding to the operation screen displayed on the display panel included in the electronic device for each operation screen. A display control program for causing a computer to execute a display step of reading a help screen corresponding to the determined operation screen on the terminal device and displaying the help screen on the display unit of the terminal device.