JP2017062731A - Data generation device for image formation apparatus, image formation system and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the time and effort for setting change of a user of an image formation apparatus by providing a favorite screen consistent with a template.SOLUTION: An image formation system 1 includes: an image formation apparatus 11 which forms an image indicated by content data received from a host apparatus 3 on a sheet-like medium; and a control apparatus 13 which performs control of the image formation apparatus 11. A setting assist data generation device 136 of the control apparatus 13 generates setting content specified value data indicating a specified value of setting content according to each user and selection setting item data indicating the setting item displayed on the setting screen presented to the user on the basis of the history data indicating the setting content and the like employed in image formation processing executed previously by the image formation apparatus 11. The setting assist data generation device 136 generates the new selection setting item data so that the setting item that does not require frequent change by the user is not displayed on the setting screen when the newly generated setting content specified value data is used.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for improving the convenience of a user of an image forming apparatus.

  The user of the image forming apparatus needs to make various settings related to the image forming process in order to obtain a desired product.

  A technique for supporting a user's setting operation for an image forming apparatus has been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a mechanism for generating a template including a frequently set parameter based on the history of operations performed on the image forming apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 proposes a mechanism for switching a screen layout or the like for selecting a function in accordance with the preference and proficiency level of the user of the image forming apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 proposes a mechanism for reproducing transitions of setting screens based on a history of user operations performed on the image forming apparatus.

JP 2008-210383A JP 2009-145903 A JP 2007-208440 A

  Some image forming apparatuses have a function of displaying, on a favorite screen, setting items whose setting contents are frequently changed by the user in order to reduce time and labor when the user changes the setting contents. According to the prior art, the setting item displayed on the favorite screen is selected separately from the template that shows the frequently set content set by the user as a default value. For this reason, setting items that do not need to be frequently changed due to template update are displayed on the favorite screen, and there is a case in which a setting item that should originally be displayed on the favorite screen is not displayed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a favorite screen that is consistent with a template, thereby reducing the effort of a user of an image forming apparatus when changing settings.

  The present invention relates to history data acquisition means for acquiring history data indicating history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by an image forming apparatus according to a user instruction, and a plurality of setting items based on the history data. Based on the mode value specifying means for specifying the frequency of the mode value of the setting content, the frequency of the mode value, and the frequency at which the default value of the setting item and the setting content indicated by the history data are different. A data generation apparatus for an image forming apparatus including a setting item selection unit that selects a setting item presented to a user from setting items is proposed as a first aspect.

  In addition, the present invention provides history data acquisition means for acquiring history data indicating history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction, and a plurality of settings based on the history data. Setting item presented to the user from the plurality of setting items based on the frequency at which the mode value specifying means for specifying the mode value of the setting content with respect to the item and the frequency at which the mode value and the setting content indicated by the history data are different A data generation apparatus for an image forming apparatus that includes a setting item selection unit that selects the item is proposed as a second aspect.

  According to the present invention, the data generation device according to the first or second aspect includes a default value selection unit that selects a new default value for the plurality of setting items based on the mode value. A configuration is proposed as a third aspect.

  According to the present invention, in the data generation device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the history data indicates an attribute of image forming processing, and a specific content is determined from a history of setting contents indicated by the history data. A history extracting unit that extracts a history of setting contents according to the attribute, wherein the mode value specifying unit performs the specification based on a history of setting contents extracted by the history extracting unit, and the setting item selecting unit includes: A configuration in which the selection is performed based on the history of the setting contents extracted by the history extracting means is proposed as a fourth aspect.

  In the data generation device according to the third or fourth aspect, the present invention acquires incompatible setting content data indicating a combination of a plurality of setting contents that are incompatible with each other with respect to image forming processing by the image forming device. Proposed as a fifth aspect is a configuration in which the incompatible setting content data acquiring unit is provided, and the default value selecting unit selects the default value so that the combination indicated by the incompatible setting content data is not included. To do.

  In the data generating device according to the fifth aspect, the preset value selected by the default value selecting unit includes one setting content included in the combination indicated by the incompatible setting content data. The setting item selection means selects a setting item having one or more setting contents different from the one setting contents among the setting contents included in the combination as a setting item presented to the user. Is proposed as a sixth aspect.

  According to the present invention, in the data generation device according to any one of the third to sixth aspects, the substitutable setting contents indicating a combination of a plurality of setting contents that are to be substituted for the image forming process by the image forming apparatus. Substitutable setting content data acquisition means for acquiring data, adoption impossible setting content data acquisition means for acquiring adoption impossible setting content data indicating setting contents that cannot be adopted in image forming processing by the image forming apparatus, and the default value selection means When the setting value that cannot be adopted is included in the default value selected by the non-adoptable setting content data, the setting value that cannot be adopted is replaced with the setting content that cannot be adopted instead of the setting content that cannot be adopted. The default value selected by the default value selection means is changed so that the setting contents to be included are included in the default value. Propose and a default value change unit that, the configuration of the seventh aspect.

  Further, the present invention provides the data generation apparatus according to any one of the third to seventh aspects, wherein the same kind indicating a combination of the same kind of setting contents among the setting contents related to the image forming processing by each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The same kind of setting content data obtaining means for obtaining setting content data is provided, the history data obtaining means obtains history data regarding image forming processing executed by each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, and the mode value specifying means comprises The same kind of setting contents indicated by the same kind of setting contents data are regarded as the same setting contents, and the identification is performed, and the setting item selection means sets the setting items of the same kind of setting contents indicated by the same kind of setting contents data as the same The default value selecting means regards the selected default value as the item using each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses using the same type setting content data. The setting item selection unit changes the selected setting item to a setting item corresponding to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses using the same type setting content data. Proposed as an eighth aspect.

  The present invention further includes a data generation device according to any one of the third to eighth aspects, an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet-like medium, and a control device, Display instruction means for instructing a display device to display a screen including the setting item selected by the setting item selecting means and the default value selected by the default value selecting means for the setting item, and the screen by the display device Setting content data acquisition means for acquiring setting content data indicating the setting content input by the user in response to the display of the content, and the setting content specified based on the default value selected by the default value selection means and the setting content data An image forming system having an image forming control means for controlling the image forming apparatus so that image forming according to the present invention is performed is proposed as a ninth aspect.

  In addition, the present invention provides a computer that acquires history data indicating history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction, and a plurality of settings based on the history data. The plurality of setting items based on the process of identifying the frequency of the mode value of the setting content for the item, the frequency of the mode value, and the frequency at which the default value of the setting item and the setting content indicated by the history data are different A program for executing a process of selecting a setting item presented to the user from the above is proposed as a tenth aspect.

  In addition, the present invention provides a computer that acquires history data indicating history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction, and a plurality of settings based on the history data. A process for specifying the mode value of the setting content for the item, and a process for selecting a setting item to be presented to the user from the plurality of setting items based on the frequency at which the mode value and the setting content indicated by the history data are different A program for executing is proposed as an eleventh aspect.

  According to claim 1, claim 2, claim 10, or claim 11, when selecting a setting item to be presented to the user of the image forming apparatus, at least a part of the newly selected default setting item is selected. This avoids the inconvenience that the setting items that are not frequently changed are presented to the user. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the trouble of the user when changing the setting.

  According to the third aspect, since the setting contents that the user frequently selects in the image formation are selected as the default values, the frequency with which the user changes the settings decreases.

  According to the fourth aspect, the setting item corresponding to each of the plurality of attributes relating to the image forming process is selected as the setting item presented to the user.

  According to the fifth aspect, a default value that does not indicate a plurality of setting contents that are mutually incompatible as a default value is selected.

  According to the sixth aspect, a setting item indicating a plurality of setting items having setting contents that are incompatible with each other is selected. If the selected setting item is presented to the user, the user can easily confirm or change the setting contents of each of the plurality of setting items that are not compatible with each other.

  According to the seventh aspect, when the selected default value cannot be adopted in the image forming apparatus, the default value is changed to the setting contents that can be adopted in the image forming apparatus, so that the user has to change the setting contents. Is reduced.

  According to the eighth aspect, the setting content and the default value having commonality regarding a plurality of image forming apparatuses having different setting items and setting content are selected.

  According to the ninth aspect, the user can obtain a desired product without feeling a burden by confirming or changing the setting contents of the setting items displayed on the screen of the image forming apparatus.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a setting screen displayed in the image forming system according to the embodiment. FIG. The figure which illustrated the composition of the history data concerning one embodiment. The figure which illustrated the composition of the improper setting contents data table concerning one embodiment. The figure which illustrated the composition of setting contents default value data concerning one embodiment. The figure which illustrated the composition of selection setting item data concerning one embodiment. The figure which illustrated the composition of the substitution possible setting contents data table concerning one embodiment. The figure which showed the structure of the setting assistance data generation apparatus concerning one Embodiment. The figure which showed the flow of the process which the setting assistance data generation apparatus concerning one Embodiment performs. The figure which showed the flow of the process which the setting assistance data generation apparatus concerning one modification performs. The figure which illustrated the composition of the same kind setting contents data concerning one modification. The figure which showed the flow of the process which the setting assistance data generation apparatus concerning one modification performs.

[Embodiment]
Hereinafter, an image forming system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of the image forming system 1. The image forming system 1 includes a storage device 2 that stores content data indicating contents such as text and graphics that are targets of image formation, and a host device 3 that is used by a user to instruct the image forming system 1 to form an image. It is connected. The content data stored in the storage device 2 may be delivered to the image forming system 1 via the host device 3 or read by the image forming system 1 without going through the host device 3.

  The image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 11 that forms an image on a sheet-like medium, a touch display 12 that serves as a user interface, and a control device 13 that performs various controls in the image forming system 1.

  The image forming method performed by the image forming apparatus 11 is, for example, an electrophotographic method, but may be another method such as an inkjet method. The touch display 12 includes a display 121 that displays various kinds of information to the user, and a touch panel 122 that receives an operation by the user.

  The control device 13 is employed by the content data acquisition unit 131 that acquires content data from the storage device 2 or the host device 3, the image formation control unit 132 that controls image formation performed by the image forming device 11, and the image forming device 11. An unacceptable setting content data obtaining unit 133 is provided for obtaining unusable setting content data.

  The unacceptable setting content data is data indicating setting content that cannot be employed in the image forming apparatus 11. For example, in the image forming apparatus 11 including the first discharge tray and the second discharge tray, if the second discharge tray cannot be used because it is temporarily removed or the like, the setting item “discharge tray” Even if “2 discharge tray” is designated, the image forming apparatus 11 cannot adopt it in the image forming process. In this case, the adoption disabling setting content data is indicated as a setting content in which the setting content “second discharge tray” in the setting item “discharge tray” cannot be adopted.

  The control device 13 further includes a display instruction unit 134 that instructs the display 121 to display a setting screen and the like, and an operation data acquisition unit 135 that acquires operation data indicating an operation performed by the user on the touch panel 122. The operation data acquired by the operation data acquisition unit 135 includes setting content data indicating the setting content specified by the user on the setting screen displayed on the display 121. Therefore, the operation data acquisition unit 135 serves as a setting content data acquisition unit that acquires setting content data.

  The control device 13 is further generated by a setting assist data generating device 136 that generates setting assist data that is data for reducing the burden of the user's setting work on the setting screen, and a setting assist data generating device 136 that generates and stores the setting assist data. A setting assist data selection unit 137 that selects appropriate setting assist data from the plurality of setting assist data stored in 138 is provided.

  The setting assist data is generated by the setting assist data generation device 136 according to each of a plurality of users. The setting assist data includes setting content default value data that is data indicating a default value of setting content for each of a plurality of setting items, and selection setting items that indicate one or more setting items presented to the user on a specific setting screen. Contains data.

  The setting content default value data is data that is generally called by name such as template data, and many of the mode values of the setting content adopted in the image forming process that the user has instructed to the image forming system 1 in the past are used as default values. Show. Therefore, when the user performs settings relating to the image forming process, if the default value of the setting content indicated by the setting content default value data is set in the control device 13 in advance, the user operates the host device 3 or the touch panel 122 or the like. The frequency of changing the setting contents is reduced, and the burden on the user's setting work is reduced.

  The selection setting item data is data indicating setting items displayed on a setting screen generally called by a name such as a favorite screen, and the setting items indicated by the selection setting item data include a plurality of setting items that allow the user to change setting contents. Among these, the setting items are selected in descending order of the frequency with which the user changed the setting contents in the past. Therefore, when the user performs the setting related to the image forming process, if the setting item indicated by the selection setting item data is presented, the user needs to perform an operation for displaying the setting item whose setting contents are to be changed, and the user The burden of setting work is reduced.

  The setting content default value data and selection setting item data used in the image forming system 1 are generated so as to be consistent with the template data and the data used for generating the favorite screen in the prior art. . That is, the template data and the favorite screen according to the prior art are generated individually and their consistency is not taken.

  For example, it is assumed that a setting item (hereinafter referred to as “setting item A”) that has been frequently changed by the user is registered to be displayed on the favorite screen. Thereafter, regarding the setting item A, it is assumed that the setting content frequently set (hereinafter referred to as “setting content X”) is registered in the template data as the default value of the setting item A. In this case, since the setting content X frequently set by the user is set as a default value in the setting item A displayed on the favorite screen, the user thereafter changes the setting content of the setting item A displayed on the favorite screen frequently. Will not change. However, the setting item A continues to be displayed on the favorite screen.

  In the image forming system 1, setting content default value data and selection setting item data are generated so as not to cause the above-described inconvenience. A method of generating setting content default value data and selection setting item data in the image forming system 1 will be described later.

  The setting assist data generation device 136, in addition to the generation of the setting content default value data and the selection setting item data, has already generated the setting content default so that the setting content that cannot be adopted as indicated by the unacceptable setting content data is not indicated as a default value. Process to change value data.

  The setting assist data selection unit 137 selects setting assist data according to the current user of the image forming system 1 from the setting assist data generated according to each of the plurality of users, and the setting assist data generation device Hand over to 136. The setting assist data generation device 136 performs the above-described change on the setting content default value data included in the setting assist data delivered from the setting assist data selection unit 137. The setting content default value data after the change is delivered to the display instruction unit 134 together with the selection setting item data.

  The display instruction unit 134 generates an image showing a setting screen using the setting content default value data and selection setting item data delivered from the setting assist data generation device 136 and instructs the display 121 to display the generated image. As a result, a setting screen (so-called favorite screen) corresponding to the user is displayed on the display 121. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a setting screen displayed on the display 121.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the description of the configuration of the control device 13 is continued. The control device 13 further includes a storage unit 138 that stores various data. The storage unit 138 includes a user data table which is a collection of user data for user authentication, a font data group indicating various fonts used in the image forming process, and a color profile data group indicating various color profiles. An incompatible setting content data table that is a collection of incompatible setting content data indicating a combination of a plurality of setting contents that are incompatible with each other, and an alternative setting content that indicates a combination of a plurality of setting contents that are mutually replaced A substitutable setting content data table that is a collection of data is stored. These data are data whose update frequency is not so high.

  The storage unit 138 further stores a setting assist data group that is a collection of setting assist data generated by the setting assist data generation device 136 for each of a plurality of users. Each of the setting assist data included in the setting assist data group includes setting content specified value data and selection setting item data as described above. The setting assist data included in the setting assist data group is updated every time the image forming process is executed a predetermined number of times.

  The storage unit 138 further stores original setting content default value data. The original setting content default value data is data indicating a specified value of the setting content set when the image forming system 1 is shipped from the factory. There is no conflict between the plurality of setting contents indicated in the original setting contents default value data. Original setting content default value data is normally not updated.

  The storage unit 138 further stores unacceptable setting content data. The unacceptable setting content data is updated when, for example, an event such as the removal of the second discharge tray occurs in the image forming apparatus 11 and the setting content that cannot be employed in the image forming process by the image forming apparatus 11 is changed. The

  The storage unit 138 further stores content data used for image forming processing. The content data is acquired by the content data acquisition unit 131 and stored in the storage unit 138 when an instruction for image formation processing is given by the user, and is deleted from the storage unit 138 when the image formation processing using the content data is completed.

  The storage unit 138 further stores history data indicating a history of setting contents and the like adopted in the image forming process executed in the past. The history data is updated as the image forming process is executed.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of history data. The history data is a collection of data records (hereinafter referred to as “history records”) relating to each of the setting content changing operations performed by the user in the image forming process executed in the past. That is, each of the history records indicates setting contents changed from the default values indicated by the setting contents default value data corresponding to the user when the image forming process is performed. The history data includes a “date and time” column for storing the date and time when the setting content was changed from the default value, a “processing ID” column for storing the identification information of the image forming process, and identification information of the content data to be imaged “Content data” field for storing the image, “user” field for storing the identification information of the user who has instructed the image forming process, and “instruction mode” for storing the identification information of the instruction mode employed in the image forming process instruction Column, a “change setting item” column for storing identification information of the setting item for which the setting content has been changed, and a “change setting content” column for storing the setting content after the change. The instruction mode refers to the type of driver or application program used in the host device 3 in the image formation processing instruction, and the communication protocol used when the image forming device 11 acquires content data from the storage device 2 or the host device 3. And the like. Note that common information is stored in the “content data” column, the “user” column, and the “instruction mode” column of history data having a common process ID.

  A history record extracted from the history data for each processing ID indicates a history of setting contents adopted in the image forming process performed in the past identified by the processing ID. That is, the default value of the setting content indicated by the setting content default value data corresponding to the user identified by the identification information stored in the “user” column, the “change setting item” column and “change setting” of each history record The setting content actually adopted in the image forming process identified by the processing ID is specified by the setting content changed from the default value stored in the “content” column.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the incompatible setting content data table. Incompatible setting content data table includes a "specified setting item" field for storing identification information of a setting item for a specified setting content, a "specified setting content" field for storing a specified setting content, a specified setting content, It has a “conflict setting item” column for storing identification information of setting items having incompatible setting contents, and a “conflicting setting content” column for storing setting contents incompatible with designated setting contents.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of setting content default value data. The setting content default value data has a “setting item” column for storing identification information of the setting item and a “setting content” column for storing a default value of the setting content in the setting item. The configuration of the original setting content default value data is the same as the configuration of the setting content default value data.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of selection setting item data. The selection setting item data has a “setting item” column for storing identification information of the setting item displayed on the favorite screen (FIG. 2).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the substitutable setting content data table. The substitutable setting content data table includes a “specified setting item” field for storing identification information of a setting item for a specified setting content, a “specified setting content” field for storing a specified setting content, Instead, it has an “alternative setting content” column for storing setting content that can be adopted. The above is the description of various data stored in the storage unit 138.

  Next, generation of setting assist data, that is, setting content default value data and selection setting item data by the setting assist data generation device 136 will be described. The setting assist data generation device 136 is realized, for example, when a computer performs processing according to a program. Alternatively, the setting assist data generation device 136 may be realized by a dedicated logic integrated circuit or the like.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the setting assist data generation device 136. The configuration of the setting assist data generation device 136 will be described below.

  The history data acquisition unit 201 reads and acquires a predetermined number of history records in order from the newest date and time stored in the “date and time” column from the history data. The history data extraction unit 202 extracts a history record in which the identification information of the user specified in the “user” column is stored from the history record acquired by the history data acquisition unit 201.

  The mode value specifying unit 203 specifies the mode value of the setting contents indicated by the history record extracted by the history data extraction unit 202 and the mode value frequency that is the frequency of the mode value for each of the plurality of setting items. To do. For example, in the setting item “discharge tray”, there are “tray 1”, “tray 2”, and “tray 3” as setting content options. Based on the history record, the number of times “tray 1” is adopted is 10 times. When the number of times “tray 2” is adopted is 15 times and the number of times “tray 3” is adopted is 8 times, the mode value specifying unit 203 specifies “tray 2” as the mode value. In addition, the number of times “15” in which “tray 2” is adopted is specified as the mode value frequency.

  For each of the plurality of setting items, the default value selection unit 204 selects the mode value specified by the mode value specifying unit 203 as the default value of the setting content, and new setting content default value data indicating the default value Is generated.

  The incompatible setting content data acquisition unit 205 reads out and acquires the incompatible setting content data from the storage unit 138.

  The default value selection unit 204 corrects the newly generated setting content default value data so as not to include mutually conflicting setting content indicated by the incompatibility setting content data acquisition unit 205. .

  The default value selection unit 204 corrects the newly generated setting content default value data according to the following procedure. First, the default value selection unit 204 selects setting contents indicated by newly generated setting contents default value data one by one in descending order of mode value frequency. Subsequently, the default value selection unit 204 refers to the incompatible setting content data and searches for the content of the conflict setting when the selected setting item is the designated setting content. When the content of the conflict setting is searched, the default value selection unit 204 has the setting content with the mode value frequency smaller than the selected setting content among the setting content indicated by the newly generated setting content default value data. Search the content of the conflict setting that was found. When the conflict setting content is retrieved, the default value selection unit 204 refers to the original setting content default value data and replaces the retrieved setting content with the factory default value. The default value selection unit 204 repeats the above process for all the setting contents indicated by the newly generated setting contents default value data. As a result, setting content default value data indicating a combination of default values that do not include setting content that conflict with each other is generated as corrected setting content default value data.

  The setting content default value data that has been stored in the storage unit 138 until then is overwritten with the setting content default value data newly generated by the default value selection unit 204 and the conflict is resolved.

  The discrepancy frequency specifying unit 206 is employed in the image forming process indicated by the default value of the setting contents when the image forming process is performed and the history record extracted by the history data extracting unit 202 for each of the plurality of setting items. The mismatch frequency, which is the frequency at which the set content does not match, is specified. In the present embodiment, each history record indicates the setting content changed from the default value. Therefore, when history records extracted by the history data extraction unit 202 for a certain user are grouped by the setting item identification information stored in the “change setting item” field, the number of history records belonging to each of those groups Is the mismatch frequency of setting items according to the group. In addition, since the setting item for which no group has been generated is a setting item whose setting content has never been changed from the default value, the mismatch frequency is “0”.

  The setting item selection unit 207 displays a new setting displayed on the setting screen (FIG. 2) based on the mismatch frequency specified by the mismatch frequency specification unit 206 and the mode frequency specified by the mode value specification unit 203. An item is selected, and selection setting item data indicating the selected setting item is generated. Specifically, the setting item selection unit 207 selects a predetermined number of setting items in the descending order of mismatch frequency while excluding setting items whose mode frequency is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, New selection setting item data indicating the selected setting item is generated.

  Setting items whose mode value frequency is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value are likely to be changed to the mode value by the setting content default value data newly generated by the default value selection unit 204. This is a setting item that is not frequently changed by the user. Accordingly, the setting item selection unit 207 excludes setting items with a high mode value frequency from setting items indicated by the new selection setting item data even if the mismatch frequency is high, thereby indicating new setting content default value data. When the default value is used, setting items that are less frequently changed by the user on the setting screen (FIG. 2) are not displayed.

  The setting item selection unit 207 corrects the selection setting item data generated based on the mismatch frequency and the mode value frequency as described above based on the incompatible setting content data acquired by the incompatible setting content data acquisition unit 205. Specifically, the setting item selection unit 207 refers to the incompatible setting content data, and for each of the setting items indicated by the newly generated selection setting item data, the conflict setting when the setting item is the designated setting item Search for an item. When the conflict setting item is searched, the setting item selection unit 207 corrects the selection setting item data so that the searched conflict setting item is indicated next to the designated setting item in the selection setting item data.

  On the setting screen displayed according to the selection setting item data modified as described above, a setting that may conflict with the setting content of the setting item near the setting item that the user frequently changes the setting content The setting items for the contents will be displayed.

  The selection setting item data stored in the storage unit 138 until then is overwritten with the selection setting item data newly generated by the setting item selection unit 207 and added with the conflict setting item.

  The setting content default value data acquisition unit 208 is set according to the user selected by the setting assist data selection unit 137 when the user performs an operation to open a setting screen in order to instruct a new image forming process. Get the default data for the setting contents included in the assist data.

  The unacceptable setting content data acquisition unit 209 reads out and acquires unacceptable setting content data from the storage unit 138 when the user performs an operation to open a setting screen to instruct a new image forming process. The substitutable setting content data acquisition unit 210 reads out and acquires substitutable setting content data from the storage unit 138 when the user performs an operation to open a setting screen in order to instruct a new image forming process.

  The default value change unit 211 indicates the setting content default value data acquired by the setting content default value data acquisition unit 208 when the user performs an operation to open a setting screen to instruct a new image forming process. The setting content default value data is changed so that the setting items that cannot be adopted are not included in the default values of the setting items that are not indicated by the adoption impossible setting content data acquired by the adoption impossible setting content data acquisition unit 209. Specifically, the default value changing unit 211 refers to the substitutable setting content data, and specifies the alternative setting content when the setting item that cannot be adopted indicated by the unacceptable setting content data is set as the designated setting content. Subsequently, the default value changing unit 211 changes the setting content default value data so as to indicate the specified alternative setting content as the default value.

  The setting content default value data changed by the default value changing unit 211 is delivered to the setting assist data selecting unit 137 (see FIG. 1). The setting assist data selection unit 137 passes selection setting item data corresponding to the user who has instructed the image forming process and setting content default value data changed by the setting assist data generation device 136 to the display instruction unit 134. The display instruction unit 134 generates a setting screen using the selection setting item data and setting content default value data received from the setting assist data selection unit 137 and instructs the display 121 to display the setting screen. As a result, setting items for which the user frequently changes the setting contents are displayed on the setting screen. At that time, even if the setting item has been frequently changed by the user in the past, the setting item that has been frequently set by the user in the past is already set as the default value. The contents do not need to be changed frequently and are not displayed on the setting screen.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing performed by the setting assist data generation device 136 to generate new setting content default value data and selection setting item data. The flow shown in FIG. 9 is executed when a history record newly added to the history data exceeds a predetermined threshold after the processing according to this flow is finally performed.

  The setting assist data generation device 136 first creates a list of users (hereinafter referred to as “user list”) shown in the “user” column of the newly added history record to be processed (step S101). Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 selects one user from the user list (step S102), and extracts a history record corresponding to the selected user from the history records (step S103).

  Subsequently, based on the extracted history record, the setting assist data generation device 136 specifies the mode value and mode value frequency of the setting content adopted in the image forming process for each of the plurality of setting items (step S104). . Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 generates setting content default value data indicating the specified mode value as a default value (step S105). Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 refers to the incompatible setting content data and the original setting content default value data, and corrects the setting content default value data generated in step S105 so as not to indicate conflicting setting items. (Step S106).

  Subsequently, based on the extracted history record, the setting assist data generation device 136 specifies a mismatch frequency that is the number of times the setting content has been changed for each of the plurality of setting items (step S107). Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 selects a predetermined number of setting items whose mode value frequency is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value in descending order of the identified mismatch frequency, and indicates the selected setting item. Selection setting item data is generated (step S108). Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 corrects the selection setting item data so as to indicate the setting items that may conflict with the setting items indicated in the selection setting item data generated in step S108 (step S109). .

  Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 determines whether the processes in steps S102 to S109 have been performed for all the users included in the user list (step S110). If the processing in steps S102 to S109 has not yet been performed for any user included in the user list (step S110; No), the setting assist data generation device 136 returns the processing to step S102, and the processing has not yet been performed. A non-existing user is selected (step S102), and the processing after step S103 is repeated. When the processes in steps S102 to S109 have been performed for all users included in the user list (step S110; Yes), the setting assist data generation device 136 ends the series of processes.

  According to the image forming system 1 described above, the user can change setting contents on a setting screen called a favorite screen for setting items whose setting contents frequently change but the setting contents change frequently. On the other hand, for setting items that have been frequently changed in the past but frequently changed to the same setting contents, the setting contents after the frequent change are registered as a default value in a so-called template. The setting item is not displayed on the favorite screen. Therefore, the burden of setting work performed by the user is reduced.

[Modification]
The above-described embodiment is a specific example and can be variously modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Examples of these modifications are shown below. Note that two or more of the embodiments described above and the modifications exemplified below may be combined.

(1) In the embodiment described above, in generating new selection setting item data, the setting assist data generation device 136 sets the setting contents by the user in the image forming process performed in the past for each of the plurality of setting items. A setting item is selected based on the mismatch frequency, which is the number of times the change has been made, and the mode value frequency of the setting contents employed in the image forming process performed in the past. Instead, the setting assist data generation device 136 uses the default value indicated by the setting content default value data newly generated based on the mode frequency of the setting content employed in the image forming process performed in the past, and the past A configuration may be employed in which a mismatch frequency, which is a number that does not match the setting content employed in the image forming process performed in step S1, is specified, and new selection setting item data is generated based on the mismatch frequency.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of processing performed by the setting assist data generation device 136 in the present modification. In the flow of FIG. 10, the reference numerals used in FIG. 9 are used for steps in which the same processing as the processing shown in the flow of FIG. 9 is performed.

  First, the setting assist data generation device 136 performs the processes of steps S101 to S106. Subsequently, for each of the plurality of setting items, the setting assist data generation device 136 performs a default value of the setting content indicated by the new setting content default value data generated in step S105 and a past image forming process indicated by the history record. A mismatch frequency, which is a number that does not match the adopted setting content, is specified (step S201).

  The discrepancy frequency specified in the process of step S201 is different from the discrepancy frequency specified in step S107 in the above-described embodiment (the number of times the user has actually changed the setting contents), and is newly generated in step S105. This is the number of times that the setting content is estimated to have been changed by the user, assuming that the default value of the setting content indicated by the setting content default value data has been used in the past. In other words, the discrepancy frequency specified in step S201 is the same as the setting content adopted in the image forming process performed in the past in the future in which the setting content default value data generated in step S105 is used. This is the number of times that the user is assumed to change the setting contents when it is assumed to be adopted.

  Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 generates new selection setting item data based on the mismatch frequency for each setting item specified in step S201 (step S202).

  The processing in step S202 is different from the processing in step S108 in the above-described embodiment in that the mode value frequency for each setting item is not used in selection of the setting item. Since the mismatch frequency specified in step S201 is the mismatch frequency when new setting content default value data is used, in this modification, the mismatch frequency of the setting item having the highest mode frequency is small. Therefore, in this modification, there is no need to exclude setting items with a high mode frequency from setting items indicated by new selection setting item data.

  Accordingly, in step S202, the setting assist data generation device 136 selects a predetermined number of setting items in descending order of the mismatch frequency identified in step S201, and generates new selection setting item data indicating the selected setting item. To do.

  Following the process of step S202, the setting assist data generation device 136 performs step S109, and then repeats the processes after step S102 regarding the unprocessed user or ends a series of processes according to the determination result of step S110. .

(2) When a plurality of image forming systems 1 are used by the same user group, the setting assist data generation device 136 of a certain image forming system 1 sets setting content default value data for the plurality of image forming systems 1 and A configuration for generating selection setting item data may be employed.

  In the storage unit 138 of the image forming system 1 according to this modification, the same type setting that indicates a combination of the same type of setting contents among the setting contents related to the image forming process performed in each of the image forming apparatuses 11 of the plurality of image forming systems 1. Content data is stored.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the same type setting content data. The same type of setting content data includes a “standard setting item” field that stores the standard expression of the setting item, a “same type setting item” field that stores the expression of the same type of setting item according to the standard setting item, and a standard expression of the setting content. "Standard setting content" column for storing "same type setting content" column for storing the expression of the same type of setting content corresponding to the standard setting content. The setting assist data generation device 136 of this modification includes a similar setting content data acquisition unit that reads and acquires similar setting content data.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a flow of processing performed by the setting assist data generation device 136 in this modification. The setting assist data generation device 136 receives a history record from each of the image forming systems 1 different from the image forming system 1 to which the own device belongs (step S301).

  Subsequently, for each of the history record of the device itself and the history record received in step S301, the setting assist data generation device 136 sets the setting item and the expression of the setting content according to the same type setting content data as the standard setting item and the standard setting content. (Step S302). Accordingly, various expressions used for the same type of setting contents in different image forming systems 1 are unified.

  Subsequently, the setting assist data generation device 136 generates setting content default value data and selection setting item data by using the history record changed in step S302 (step S303).

  Subsequently, the default value selection unit 204 of the setting assist data generation device 136 displays the setting item and the setting content represented by the setting content default value data generated in step S303 for each transmission source of the history record received in step S301. Then, the setting item and setting content used in the transmission source are changed (step S304).

  In addition, the setting item selection unit 207 of the setting assist data generation device 136 displays, for each transmission source of the history record received in step S301, the representation of the setting item indicated by the selection setting item data generated in step S303. It changes to the expression of the setting item used (step S305).

  Subsequently, for each of the transmission sources of the history record received in step S301, the setting assist data generation device 136 sets the setting content default value data changed according to the transmission source in step S304, and the transmission source in S305. The selection setting item data that has been changed according to is transmitted (step S306).

  According to this modification, even when the image forming apparatuses 11 included in the plurality of image forming systems 1 used by the same user group have different specifications, the setting screen having commonality in the plurality of image forming systems 1 Is displayed.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the setting assist data generation device 136 generates setting assist data for each of a plurality of users. Instead of this, the setting assist data generation device 136 may generate setting assist data common to all users. In addition, the setting assist data generating device 136 generates setting assist data for each of a plurality of attributes in the attribute type regarding the attribute type other than the user among the attribute types of the image forming process indicated in the history data. May be adopted.

  For example, in the generation of setting content default value data and selection setting item data, the history data extraction unit 202 performs extraction based on the contents of the “instruction mode” field of the history record, and the default value selection unit 204 and the setting item selection unit 207. However, a configuration may be employed in which setting content default value data and selection setting item data are generated for each of a plurality of instruction modes. Further, the history data extraction unit 202 performs extraction based on the contents of a specific setting item column (for example, “discharge tray” column) of the history record, and the default value selection unit 204 and the setting item selection unit 207 perform the specification. For each of a plurality of setting contents in the setting items, a configuration for generating setting contents default value data and selection setting item data may be employed. Furthermore, setting content default value data and selection setting item data may be generated for each combination of a plurality of different types of attributes.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the setting items indicated by the selection setting item data are setting items selected by a predetermined number in descending order of mismatch frequency. Instead of this, for example, a setting item whose mismatch frequency is greater than a predetermined threshold value may be selected as a setting item indicated by the selection setting item data.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, the process of generating new setting assist data is performed by the number of history records newly added to the history data after the last generation of setting assist data, that is, setting assist data at the end. This is executed when the number of image forming processes executed after the data is generated exceeds a predetermined threshold. The trigger for executing the process of generating new setting assist data is not limited to this. For example, other events such as an event that a predetermined time has elapsed or an event that a specific operation is performed by the user are performed. Occurrence may be used as a trigger.

(6) In the embodiment described above, the default value selection unit 204 generates one setting content default value data that does not include conflicting setting content. Instead of this, the default value selection unit 204 includes setting content default value data including one of the conflicting setting contents, setting content default value data including the other, and the setting content default value not including the conflicting setting contents. A configuration for generating a plurality of data may be employed. In this case, the user selects and uses one of a plurality of setting content default value data presented in the image forming system 1.

(7) In the above-described embodiment, the unacceptable setting content data clearly indicates the setting content that cannot be employed in the image forming apparatus 11. However, the unacceptable setting content data clearly indicates the setting content that can be employed in the image forming apparatus 11. Accordingly, a configuration that indicates setting contents that cannot be employed in the image forming apparatus 11 may be employed.

(8) When the setting assist data generating device 136 is realized by a computer, a program for operating the computer as the setting assist data generating device 136 is a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, a semiconductor memory, or the like. It may be provided in a state where it is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided in a form downloaded via a network such as the Internet.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming system, 2 ... Memory | storage device, 3 ... Host apparatus, 11 ... Image forming apparatus, 12 ... Touch display, 13 ... Control apparatus, 121 ... Display, 122 ... Touch panel, 131 ... Content data acquisition part, 132 ... Image Formation control unit, 133 ... Unacceptable setting content data acquisition unit, 134 ... Display instruction unit, 135 ... Operation data acquisition unit, 136 ... Setting assist data generation device, 137 ... Setting assist data selection unit, 138 ... Storage unit, 201 ... History data acquisition unit 202 ... History data extraction unit 203 ... Mode value identification unit 204 ... Default value selection unit 205 ... Incompatible setting content data acquisition unit 206 ... Mismatch frequency identification unit 207 ... Setting item selection unit 208 ... Setting content default value data acquisition unit, 209 ... Recruitment impossible setting content data acquisition unit, 210 ... Substitutable setting content Over data acquisition unit, 211 ... default value changing unit

Claims (11)

History data acquisition means for acquiring history data indicating history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction;
Based on the history data, a mode value specifying means for specifying the frequency of the mode value of the setting content for a plurality of setting items;
A setting item selection means for selecting a setting item to be presented to the user from the plurality of setting items based on the frequency of the mode and the frequency at which the default value of the setting item differs from the setting content indicated by the history data; A data generation apparatus for an image forming apparatus. History data acquisition means for acquiring history data indicating history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction;
Based on the history data, a mode value specifying means for specifying the mode value of the setting content for a plurality of setting items,
Data generation for an image forming apparatus comprising: setting item selection means for selecting a setting item presented to a user from the plurality of setting items based on a frequency at which the mode value and the setting content indicated by the history data are different apparatus. The data generation apparatus for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a default value selection unit that selects a new default value for the plurality of setting items based on the mode value. The history data indicates attributes of image formation processing,
A history extracting means for extracting a history of setting contents corresponding to a specific attribute from a history of setting contents indicated by the history data,
The mode value specifying means performs the specification based on a history of setting contents extracted by the history extracting means,
The data generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the setting item selection unit performs the selection based on a history of setting contents extracted by the history extraction unit. A compatible incompatible setting content data acquisition means for acquiring incompatible setting content data indicating a combination of a plurality of setting contents incompatible with each other with respect to image forming processing by the image forming apparatus;
The data generation device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the default value selection unit selects the default value so that a combination indicated by the incompatible setting content data is not included. If the default value selected by the default value selection unit includes one setting content included in the combination indicated by the incompatible setting content data, the setting item selection unit includes the setting content included in the combination. The data generation device according to claim 5, wherein a setting item having one or more setting contents different from the one setting contents is selected as a setting item presented to the user. Substitutable setting content data acquisition means for acquiring substitutable setting content data indicating a combination of a plurality of setting contents that are to be replaced with each other regarding image forming processing by the image forming apparatus;
An unacceptable setting content data acquisition means for acquiring unacceptable setting content data indicating a setting content that cannot be employed in the image forming process by the image forming apparatus;
When the default value selected by the default value selection means includes setting contents that cannot be adopted as indicated by the adoption impossible setting contents data, the adoption that is indicated by the substitutable setting contents data instead of the setting contents that cannot be adopted. The default value changing means for changing the default value selected by the default value selecting means so that the setting contents that cannot be replaced with the setting contents that can be replaced are included in the default value. The data generator described. The same kind of setting contents data acquisition means for acquiring the same kind of setting contents data indicating a combination of the same kinds of setting contents among the setting contents relating to the image forming processing by each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses,
The history data acquisition unit acquires history data related to an image forming process executed by each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses,
The mode value specifying means regards the same type of setting content indicated by the same type of setting content data as the same setting content, and performs the specification.
The setting item selection means performs the selection by regarding the setting item of the same type of setting content indicated by the same type of setting content data as the same setting item,
The default value selection unit changes the selected default value to a default value corresponding to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses using the same type setting content data,
The said setting item selection means changes the selected setting item into the setting item according to each of these image forming apparatuses using the same kind setting content data. Data generator. A data generation device according to any one of claims 3 to 8,
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet-like medium;
A control device, and
The controller is
Display instruction means for instructing a display device to display a screen including the setting item selected by the setting item selection means and the default value selected by the default value selection means for the setting item;
Setting content data acquisition means for acquiring setting content data indicating setting content input by a user in accordance with display of the screen by the display device;
An image forming system that controls the image forming apparatus so that image formation is performed in accordance with the default value selected by the default value selection unit and the setting content specified based on the setting content data. . On the computer,
A process of acquiring history data indicating a history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction;
Based on the history data, a process for specifying the frequency of the mode value of the setting content for a plurality of setting items;
Based on the frequency of the mode value and the frequency at which the default value of the setting item differs from the setting content indicated by the history data, a process of selecting a setting item to be presented to the user from the plurality of setting items is executed. Program for. On the computer,
A process of acquiring history data indicating a history of setting contents of a plurality of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus according to a user instruction;
Based on the history data, a process for specifying the mode value of the setting content for a plurality of setting items;
A program for executing a process of selecting a setting item presented to a user from the plurality of setting items based on a frequency at which the mode value and the setting content indicated by the history data are different.

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