JP2017016386A - User interface device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the occurrence of a user's incorrect operation and false recognition through an intentional operation or unintentional operation to a touch panel.SOLUTION: A stimulus energy output part 23 outputs a stimulus energy that gives a tactile sense stimulation to a user who operates a touch panel 21. An operation detection part 22 detects a swipe operation in which an object moves in a predetermined movement condition while in contact with the touch panel 21. A stimulation control part 1 continuously outputs the stimulus energy to the stimulus energy output part 23 over a period during which the swipe operation is detected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a user interface device and an image forming apparatus including the same.

  In general, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a multifunction machine includes a touch panel unit. The touch panel unit includes a panel that doubles as an operation unit and a screen display unit.

  Further, it is known that the image forming apparatus has a function of outputting vibration to the touch panel in response to an operation on the touch panel (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Furthermore, it is also known to control the vibration pattern of the touch panel so that a sense of pressing a key switch on the keyboard is obtained in the operation of the touch panel (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2012-150794 A JP 2006-79135 A

  By the way, the user may perform a swipe operation on the touch panel unintentionally or intentionally. The swipe operation is an operation in which an object such as a finger moves under a predetermined movement condition while being in contact with the touch panel. The movement condition is a condition such as a movement amount and a movement acceleration.

  For example, the user may unintentionally perform the swipe operation when looking away from the touch panel. In this case, a process unintended by the user may be executed.

  Further, the user may intentionally perform the swipe operation in order to switch the display screen of the touch panel. In this case, the display state of the touch panel is updated to another display state corresponding to the direction of the swipe operation.

  However, it is also conceivable that the display state of the touch panel cannot be updated according to the swipe operation. For example, when the last page screen among a plurality of page screens is displayed, the swipe operation for updating to the next page screen is invalid.

  However, when the display state of the touch panel is not updated in response to the swipe operation, the user may misunderstand that the cause is the deficiency of the swipe operation. Then, the user repeats the swipe operation unnecessarily.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface device that can prevent a user's erroneous operation and erroneous recognition due to an intentional or unintentional operation on a touch panel, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

  A user interface device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a touch panel, a stimulation energy output unit, an operation detection unit, and a stimulation control unit. The touch panel is a device that doubles as an operation unit and a screen display unit. The stimulation energy output unit is an apparatus that outputs stimulation energy that gives tactile stimulation to a user who operates the touch panel. The operation detection unit detects an operation state on the touch panel. The stimulation control unit controls the stimulation energy output unit in accordance with a detection result of an operation state on the touch panel. The operation detection unit detects a swipe operation in which an object moves under a predetermined movement condition while being in contact with the touch panel. The stimulation control unit causes the stimulation energy output unit to output the stimulation energy continuously during a period in which the swipe operation is detected.

  An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes the user interface device.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide a user interface apparatus which can prevent that a user's misoperation and misrecognition arise by intentional or unintentional operation with respect to a touch panel, and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an external view of the touch panel unit and the operation unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a touch panel control procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the touch panel when a proper icon operation is performed. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the touch panel when the icon straddling operation is performed. FIG. 6 is a side view of the touch panel when the icon straddling operation is performed. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the touch panel when a swipe operation is performed as an effective page feed operation. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the touch panel when a swipe operation is performed as an invalid page turning operation.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the following embodiment is an example which actualized this invention, Comprising: It does not have the character which limits the technical scope of this invention.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 10]
First, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The image forming apparatus 10 is an apparatus that forms an image on a sheet material.

  An image forming apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a multifunction machine that has both a function of an image reading apparatus that reads an image from a document and a function of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet material. Note that the image forming apparatus 10 may be a facsimile apparatus having an image transmission function.

  The image forming apparatus 10 includes a main control unit 1, a touch panel unit 2, a hardware key 3, a scan unit 31, a scan control unit 30, a print unit 41, a print control unit 40, an image processing unit 50, a communication unit 60, and the like. In FIG. 1, the touch panel unit 2 is abbreviated as “TPU”.

  Each of the main control unit 1, the touch panel unit 2, and the hardware key 3 forms a part of the user interface device 4. The user interface device 4 is a device that displays information to the user and further receives the user's operation.

  The main control unit 1, the scan control unit 30, the print control unit 40, the communication unit 60, and the image processing unit 50 are each connected to the bus 90, and can exchange data with each other through the bus 90.

  The scanning unit 31 includes an optical system (not shown) that scans the original with light, an image sensor (not shown) that detects the amount of reflected light from the original for each pixel, and outputs original image data.

  The scan control unit 30 controls the scan unit 31 to acquire the original image data. Further, the scan control unit 30 transfers the document image data to another device such as the image processing unit 50 through the bus 90.

  The printing unit 41 forms an image on the sheet material by a known electrophotographic image forming process. The print unit 41 includes an image carrier (not shown) and its peripheral devices, and transfers an image of a developer from the image carrier to the sheet material and fixes the image on the sheet material.

  It is also conceivable that the print unit 41 forms an image on the sheet material by image forming processing of another method such as an ink jet method.

  The print control unit 40 acquires the recording image data from the image processing unit 50 and causes the printing unit 41 to execute a process of forming an image based on the recording image data on the recording sheet.

  The communication unit 60 transmits / receives data to / from an external device through the network 100. The external device is another image forming apparatus 10 or a personal computer (not shown).

  Further, the communication unit 60 exchanges data with other devices through the bus 90. For example, the communication unit 60 receives image forming job data from the external device, and transfers the job data to the image processing unit 50 through the bus 90.

  The communication unit 60 also has a function of acquiring the document image data from the scan control unit 30 via the image processing unit 50 and transmitting data including the document image data to the external device.

  The image processing unit 50 executes various types of data processing on image data obtained from other devices via the bus 90. The target of data processing by the image processing unit 50 is, for example, the original image data obtained from the scan control unit 30 or the job data obtained from the external device through the communication unit 60.

  For example, the document image data obtained from the scan control unit 30 and the job data obtained from the communication unit 60 are converted into the recording image data and transferred to the print control unit 40.

[Configuration of User Interface Device 4]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the user interface device 4 includes a touch panel unit 2 having a touch panel 21. The touch panel 21 also serves as a screen display unit and an operation unit. In FIG. 1, the touch panel 21 is abbreviated as “TP”.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the user interface device 4 also includes a hardware key 3. The touch panel 21 includes a panel display unit such as a liquid crystal display panel and a touch panel sensor formed on the surface of the panel display unit.

  Furthermore, the touch panel unit 2 includes an operation detection unit 22 and a vibration output unit 23. The operation detection unit 22 is a processor or a circuit that executes an operation detection process. The operation detection process is a process for detecting an operation state on the touch panel 21. The operation detection unit 22 is configured by, for example, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

  The operation detection unit 22 inputs information on the presence or absence of contact of the operating tool 9 with respect to the touch panel 21 and the contact position of the operating tool 9 on the touch panel 21 from the touch sensor on the touch panel 21. The operating body 9 is an object such as a user's finger that operates the touch panel 21.

  Further, the operation detection unit 22 calculates the contact time of the operating tool 9 with respect to the touch panel 21, the moving direction and acceleration of the operating tool 9 in contact from the input information from the touch sensor. The operation detection unit 22 detects an operation pattern for the touch panel 21 based on the contact time of the operation body 9, the moving direction and acceleration of the operating body 9 in contact, and the content of the display screen of the touch panel 21.

  The vibration output unit 23 is a device that outputs vibration energy that vibrates the touch panel 21. The vibration output unit 23 gives a tactile stimulus to the user through the touch panel 21 by vibrating the touch panel 21.

  For example, the vibration output unit 23 may be a mechanism including a motor and an eccentric cam that converts the rotational motion of the motor into a reciprocating motion and transmits the reciprocating motion to the touch panel 21. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the vibration output unit 23 is provided at each of two corner portions on the back surface of the touch panel 21.

  The vibration energy is an example of stimulation energy that gives tactile stimulation to the user who operates the touch panel 21. The vibration output unit 23 is an example of a stimulation energy output unit.

  The main control unit 1 controls the vibration output unit 23 according to the detection result of the operation status on the touch panel 21, that is, the detection result of the operation detection unit 22. The main control unit 1 that controls the vibration output unit 23 is an example of a stimulus control unit.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the main control unit 1 includes an MPU (Micro Processor Unit) 11 and a storage unit 12.

  The MPU 11 is a processor that executes various operations and data processing. The storage unit 12 is a nonvolatile storage unit that stores various types of information referred to by the MPU 11. The storage unit 12 is also a storage unit that can read and write various information by the MPU 11.

  The storage unit 12 stores programs for causing the MPU 11 to execute various processes, information referred to by the MPU 11 that executes these programs, and information to be written.

  The main control unit 1 controls the touch panel unit 2 and other devices in an integrated manner. For example, the main control unit 1 causes the touch panel 21 to display a menu screen related to image processing. Further, the main control unit 1 outputs a control command to another control unit according to input information input through operation of the touch panel 21 and the hardware key 3 and detection results of various sensors.

  By the way, the user may perform a swipe operation on the touch panel 21 unintentionally or intentionally. The swipe operation is an operation in which the operating body 9 which is an object such as a finger moves under a predetermined moving condition while being in contact with the touch panel 21.

  The movement condition is a condition such as a movement amount of the operation position and a movement acceleration. For example, the movement condition may be a logical product of the following first condition and second condition. The first condition is a condition that the movement amount of the operation position exceeds a predetermined minimum movement amount. The second condition is a condition that the acceleration of movement from the first operation position exceeds a predetermined minimum acceleration.

  For example, when the user looks away from the touch panel 21, the swipe operation may be performed unintentionally. In this case, a process unintended by the user may be executed.

  The user may intentionally perform the swipe operation in order to switch the display screen of the touch panel 21. In this case, the display state of the touch panel 21 is updated to another display state corresponding to the direction of the swipe operation.

  However, it is also conceivable that the display state of the touch panel 21 cannot be updated according to the swipe operation. For example, when the last page screen among a plurality of page screens is displayed, the swipe operation for updating to the next page screen is invalid.

  However, when the display state of the touch panel 21 is not updated in response to the swipe operation, the user may misunderstand that the cause is the deficiency of the swipe operation. Then, the user repeats the swipe operation unnecessarily.

  The image forming apparatus 10 includes a user interface device 4 that can prevent an erroneous operation and erroneous recognition of the user due to an intentional or unintentional operation on the touch panel 21. In the user interface device 4, the main control unit 1 and the operation detection unit 22 perform touch panel control.

[Touch panel control]
Hereinafter, an example of the touch panel control procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the touch panel control procedure. In the following description, S1, S1,... Represent identification codes of respective steps executed by the main control unit 1 and the operation detection unit 22. The processing of the main control unit 1 in the touch panel control is realized by the MPU 11 executing the touch panel control program Pr1.

<Process S1>
In the touch panel control, the operation detection unit 22 constantly monitors whether or not the operation tool 9 is in contact with the touch panel 21.

<Process S2>
When the operation detection unit 22 detects the contact of the operating body 9 with respect to the touch panel 21, the operation detection unit 22 further executes an operation pattern detection process for the touch panel 21. The operation pattern detection process is a process of detecting an operation pattern for the touch panel 21 by the operating tool 9. The operation detection unit 22 detects the operation pattern by determining which of a plurality of predetermined candidate patterns the operation pattern corresponds to.

  In the present embodiment, the operation detection unit 22 distinguishes and detects a proper icon operation, an icon straddling operation, the swipe operation, and the like. The operation detection unit 22 determines an operation pattern based on the detection result of the touch sensor on the touch panel 21 and the display content of the screen on the touch panel 21.

  FIG. 4 shows the touch panel 21 when the appropriate icon operation is performed. The operation detection unit 22 determines whether or not the proper icon operation is performed when the main control unit 1 displays the first screen g1 including the operation icon g11 on the touch panel 21. The first screen g1 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a multi-icon screen in which a plurality of operation icons g11 are arranged.

  The main control unit 1 is an example of a second screen control unit that causes the touch panel 21 to display the first screen g1 that is the multi-icon screen. Each time the main control unit 1 displays a new screen on the touch panel 21, the main control unit 1 outputs information on the display area of each operation icon g <b> 11 included in the display screen to the operation detection unit 22.

  The appropriate icon operation is an operation in which the operating tool 9 touches a region that overlaps only one of the operation icons g11 on the display screen of the touch panel 21. In the following description, the area of the touch panel 21 where the operating body 9 contacts is referred to as a contact area T0.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the appropriate icon operation, the contact area T0 overlaps only one operation icon g11 on the touch panel 21. 4 and 5, B1 indicates the boundary of each operation icon g11.

  5 and 6 show the touch panel 21 when the icon straddling operation is performed. The operation detection unit 22 determines whether or not the icon straddling operation has been performed when the main control unit 1 displays the first screen g1 in which a plurality of operation icons g11 are arranged on the touch panel 21.

  The icon straddling operation is an operation in which the operating body 9 comes into contact with a region extending over the boundary B1 between two adjacent operation icons g11 on the display screen of the touch panel 21.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when operating the touch panel 21 while viewing the touch panel 21 from an obliquely upper side on the near side, the user tends to touch the position on the near side rather than the intended position. Therefore, when a plurality of operation icons g11 are displayed relatively close to each other, the icon straddling operation is likely to occur.

  7 and 8 show the touch panel 21 when the swipe operation is performed. The second screen g2 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is a swipe update screen.

  The swipe update screen is a screen that is updated to another display state corresponding to the detected direction of the swipe operation when a predetermined screen update condition is satisfied each time the swipe operation is detected. is there. The screen update condition is a condition determined corresponding to the detected direction of the swipe operation.

  The second screen g2 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is the one page screen that is selected and displayed from a plurality of page screens in which the order is set in advance. The page screen is a screen that is updated to the display state of the next page each time the swipe operation in the left direction is detected.

  When the second screen g2 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is displayed, the screen update condition corresponding to the swipe operation in the left direction is a condition that the displayed page screen is not the screen of the last page. . That is, when the page screen of the last page is displayed on the touch panel 21, the swipe operation in the left direction is invalid.

  FIG. 7 shows a situation where the swipe operation in the left direction is effective because the page screen being displayed is the screen of the first page. FIG. 8 shows a situation where the swipe operation in the left direction is invalid because the page screen being displayed is the screen of the last page.

  The page screen is also a screen that is updated to the display state of the previous page every time the swipe operation in the right direction is detected. In this case, the screen update condition corresponding to the swipe operation in the right direction is a condition that the displayed page screen is not the first page screen. That is, when the page screen of the first page is displayed on the touch panel 21, the swipe operation in the right direction is invalid.

  Note that the second screen g2 may be a so-called scroll screen. The scroll screen is a screen that is displayed in a display frame that occupies a part or all of the touch panel 21, and is a partial screen in a part of the entire screen that exceeds the display frame. In this case, each time the swipe operation is detected, the main control unit 1 changes the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 to another detected direction of the swipe operation when the screen update condition is satisfied. Update to a state in which the partial screen is displayed.

  The screen update condition during display of the scroll screen is that the scroll screen being displayed is not the partial screen located at the end of the entire screen opposite to the direction of the swipe operation. That is, when the scroll screen being displayed is the partial screen positioned at the end opposite to the direction of the swipe operation, the swipe operation is invalid.

<Process S3>
When the appropriate icon operation on the touch panel 21 is detected, the main control unit 1 causes the vibration output unit 23 to output a predetermined standard pattern of vibration. For example, it is conceivable that the vibration of the standard pattern is a vibration with a constant intensity in a predetermined unit time. Note that oscillating at a constant intensity corresponds to a constant stimulation energy.

<Step S4>
Further, when the proper icon operation is detected, the main control unit 1 performs a process when it is detected that the contact position of the operating body 9 has left the touch panel 21 without completely deviating from the range of the operation icon g11. The process of S4 is executed. The process of step S4 is a process corresponding to the operation icon g11 that is the target of the appropriate icon operation.

  For example, the process corresponding to the operation icon g11 includes a process for updating a screen displayed on the touch panel 21 to a preset screen, a process for setting parameters relating to image formation, an image formation job, and the like.

  In FIG. 4, the vibration wave Pt0 having the standard pattern is schematically shown. When the processes of steps S3 and S4 are completed, the processes from step S1 are repeated. If the contact position of the operating tool 9 completely deviates from the range of the operation icon g11 after the appropriate icon operation is detected, the process of step S4 is skipped.

<Step S5>
On the other hand, when the icon straddling operation on the touch panel 21 is detected, the main control unit 1 causes the vibration output unit 23 to output a vibration of a warning pattern different from the standard pattern. For example, it is conceivable that the vibration of the warning pattern is a vibration that is stronger than the vibration of the standard pattern and is generated a plurality of times with a time interval.

  5 and 6, the vibration wave Pt1 of the warning pattern is schematically shown. When the process of step S5 ends, the process from step S1 is repeated.

  When the icon straddling operation is detected, a vibration stimulus of the warning pattern stronger than the vibration of the standard pattern is given to the user through the touch panel 21. As a result, the user can perceive by tactile sense that the user has unintentionally performed the icon straddling operation.

<Step S6>
When the swipe operation on the touch panel 21 is detected, the main control unit 1 determines whether the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 satisfies the update condition corresponding to the detected swipe operation. As described above, the update condition is a condition that allows the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 to be updated in accordance with the swipe operation.

<Steps S7 and S8>
When the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 satisfies the update condition, the main control unit 1 executes the processes of steps S7 and S8. The process of step S7 is a process of causing the vibration output unit 23 to output vibration continuously while the swipe operation is detected. For example, the main control unit 1 causes the vibration output unit 23 to output the vibration of the standard continuous pattern in which the vibration of the standard pattern is continuous. In FIG. 7, the vibration wave Pt01 having the standard continuous pattern is schematically shown.

  The process of step S8 is a process of updating the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 to another display state corresponding to the detected direction of the swipe operation. For example, when the screen being displayed on the touch panel 21 is the page screen, the process of step S8 is a process of updating the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 to a state of displaying the page screen of the next page or the previous page. is there.

  The main control unit 1 displays the second screen g2 on the touch panel 21. Further, each time the swipe operation is detected, the main control unit 1 changes the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 in the direction of the detected swipe operation when the display state of the touch panel 21 satisfies the screen update condition. The corresponding display state is updated (S6, S8). The main control unit 1 that executes these processes is an example of a first screen control unit.

  When the processes of steps S7 and S8 are completed, the processes from step S1 are repeated.

<Step S9>
When the swipe operation is detected and the display state of the screen of the touch panel 21 does not satisfy the update condition, the main control unit 1 continues to the vibration output unit 23 during the period in which the swipe operation is detected. Output vibration. When the process of step S9 ends, the process from step S1 is repeated.

  For example, the main control unit 1 causes the vibration output unit 23 to output a predetermined invalid notification pattern vibration in step S9. The vibration of the invalid notification pattern is different from the vibration output by the vibration output unit 23 in other cases.

  For example, it is conceivable that the vibration of the invalid notification pattern is a vibration of a pattern that changes from a weak vibration to a strong vibration. In FIG. 8, the vibration wave Pt2 of the invalid notification pattern is schematically shown. The output of vibration of the invalid notification pattern is an example of the output of stimulation energy of a specific pattern.

  The invalid notification pattern vibration that changes from weak vibration to strong vibration gives the user a feeling that resistance against movement of the operating body 9 in the direction of the swipe operation increases. In this case, the user can easily recognize intuitively that the screen cannot be updated corresponding to the swipe operation currently being performed.

<Step S10>
When the determined operation pattern is not any of the proper icon operation, the icon straddling operation, and the swipe operation, the main control unit 1 executes other processing. The other process is a process determined in advance according to the determined operation pattern. When the process of step S10 is completed, the process from step S1 is repeated.

  According to the present embodiment, the vibration of the touch panel 21 that is a tactile stimulus to the user continuously occurs during the period in which the swipe operation is detected. Thereby, for example, even when the user has unintentionally performed the swipe operation, the unintended operation can be perceived by stimulation by vibration.

  Furthermore, when the display state of the touch panel 21 does not satisfy the screen update condition, the user can recognize the cause of the screen not being updated by the swipe operation by a stimulus by vibration. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from misidentifying that the reason why the screen is not updated is the lack of the swipe operation.

  Furthermore, when the user intends to perform the appropriate icon operation but unintentionally performs the icon straddling operation, the user can recognize this by a stimulus by vibration.

  Therefore, if the user interface device 4 is employed, it is possible to prevent the user's erroneous operation and erroneous recognition due to an intentional or unintentional operation on the touch panel 21.

[Application example]
In the embodiment described above, the vibration output unit 23 may be replaced with a device that outputs tactile stimulation energy different from vibration. For example, it is conceivable that the vibration output unit 23 is an apparatus that outputs an electrical signal or an ultrasonic signal that gives electrical stimulation to the user's finger.

  It is also conceivable that the user interface device 4 is applied to an electronic device other than the image forming apparatus 10. For example, the user interface device 4 may be applied to an electronic device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer.

  It should be noted that the user interface device and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can be freely combined within the scope of the invention described in each claim, or the embodiments and application examples described above. It is also possible to configure by appropriately modifying or omitting a part.

1: Main control unit (stimulation control unit, first screen control unit, second screen control unit)
2: Touch panel unit 3: Hardware key 4: User interface device 9: Operating body (object)
10: Image forming apparatus 11: MPU
12: Storage unit 21: Touch panel 22: Operation detection unit 23: Vibration output unit (stimulus energy output unit)
30: Scan control unit 31: Scan unit 40: Print control unit 41: Print unit 50: Image processing unit 60: Communication unit 90: Bus 100: Network Pr1: Touch panel control program Pt0, Pt01, Pt1, Pt2: Vibration wave T0: Contact area g1: First screen g11: Operation icon g2: Second screen

Claims (5)

A touch panel that doubles as an operation unit and a display unit of the screen;
A stimulation energy output unit that outputs stimulation energy that gives tactile stimulation to a user who operates the touch panel;
An operation detection unit for detecting an operation state on the touch panel;
A stimulus control unit that controls the stimulus energy output unit according to a detection result of an operation status on the touch panel,
The operation detection unit detects a swipe operation in which an object moves under a predetermined movement condition while being in contact with the touch panel,
The stimulation control unit is a user interface device that causes the stimulation energy output unit to output the stimulation energy continuously during a period in which the swipe operation is detected. Each time the screen is displayed on the touch panel and the swipe operation is detected, the display state of the touch panel screen is detected when the display state of the touch panel satisfies a screen update condition corresponding to the swipe operation. A first screen control unit for updating to another display state corresponding to the direction of the swipe operation;
When the display state of the touch panel does not satisfy the screen update condition when the swipe operation is detected, the stimulation control unit outputs the stimulation energy of a specific pattern different from other cases to the stimulation energy output unit. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface device is made to output.   The user interface device according to claim 2, wherein the stimulation energy of the specific pattern is the stimulation energy of a pattern that changes from the weak stimulation energy to the strong stimulation energy. A second screen control unit that displays on the touch panel a screen in which a plurality of operation icons are arranged;
The operation detection unit includes an appropriate icon operation in which the object touches a region that overlaps only one of the operation icons on the display screen of the touch panel, and two adjacent operation icons on the display screen of the touch panel. Detect and distinguish between icon straddling operations that touch areas across each boundary,
The said stimulation control part produces | generates the said stimulation energy of a respectively different pattern in the said stimulation energy output part, when the said appropriate icon operation and the said icon crossing operation are detected, The any one of Claims 1-3 A user interface device as described in the paragraph.   An image forming apparatus comprising the user interface device according to claim 1.

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