JP2018018262A - Display device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce, as much as possible, a situation in which a user is required to perform a complex operation when a display area of a widget is expanded in a display device that displays a plurality of widgets.SOLUTION: A MFP displays a plurality of widgets (menu button 301, 302 etc.) on an LCD 10g being a portion of a touch panel. When a finger F of a user touches a menu button 301, the menu button 301 is expanded by adding a pulldown menu 301A. A direction in which the menu button 301 is expanded is the direction (upward) being different from the direction (downward) in which a menu button 302 having high correlation with the menu button 301 exists.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a display device and a program, and more particularly to a display device that displays a plurality of widgets and a program for controlling such a display device.

  Conventionally, a display device that displays a plurality of widgets such as software buttons has been proposed.

  For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-134120 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique for moving or enlarging each reaction area of a plurality of operation buttons in an MFP (Multi-Functional Peripheral).

  Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2009-151646 (Patent Document 2) discloses a technique for enlarging a display area of word candidates displayed near a position where a user's finger or the like is close in a character input device.

  Japanese Patent No. 5132028 (Patent Document 3) discloses a technique for expanding a display area of an operation item accessed by a user in a user interface device that displays a plurality of operation items.

JP 2011-134120 A JP 2009-151646 A Japanese Patent No. 5132028

  When the display device displays a plurality of widgets, the widget may cover other widgets by expanding the display area of a certain widget. In this case, the user may be required to perform a complicated operation such as moving a finger in order to confirm the display of the other widget.

  The present disclosure has been devised in view of such circumstances, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to require a complicated operation by a user when a display area of a certain widget is enlarged in a display device that displays a plurality of widgets. To reduce as much as possible.

  According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the touch panel is configured to display a first widget and a second widget on the touch panel, a detection unit configured to detect the proximity or contact of an object with the touch panel. Control means, the control means in the information indicating the relationship between the first widget and the second widget when the detection means detects that the object has approached or contacted the first widget A display device is provided that is configured to expand the first widget in a direction different from the direction in which the second widget exists, provided that the relevance is higher than a given criterion.

  Preferably, the control means cancels the expansion of the first widget in response to the release of the state where the object approaches or contacts the first widget or the released state continues for a certain period of time. It is configured.

  Preferably, when the object approaches or comes into contact with the second widget after the state where the object approaches or comes into contact with the first widget is released, the control means preferably controls the second widget and the first widget. The second widget is configured to expand in a direction different from the direction in which the first widget exists, on the condition that the relationship is higher than a given criterion in the information indicating the relationship between the two.

  Preferably, the control means displays the character in the first widget, expands the character in the first widget together with the expansion of the first widget, and moves the character in the direction in which the second widget exists. Move in different directions.

  Preferably, when the object approaches or contacts the first widget, the control means displays a plurality of areas by enlarging the first widget, and the area of the plurality of areas where the object approaches or contacts Is configured to expand.

  Preferably, the control means enlarges the first widget by displaying a pull-down menu of the first widget when the object approaches or comes into contact with the first widget, and the object approaches or falls within the pull-down menu. When contacted, the first widget is not further enlarged.

  Preferably, the first widget and the second widget are widgets for selecting a menu, and the relationship between the first widget and the second widget is higher than a given criterion, The menu that can be selected in the first widget is limited by the menu selected in the first widget.

  Preferably, the control means refers to information defining the relationship between the menus, and refers to the relationship between the menu selected in the first widget and the menu selected in the second widget in the information. By doing so, it is configured to refer to the relationship between the first widget and the second widget.

  Preferably, the control means associates the relationship between the first widget and the second widget when the attribute of the menu selected in the first widget and the attribute of the menu selected in the second widget are common. It is configured to determine that the sex is higher than a given criterion.

  Preferably, storage means for storing the attribute of the menu selected in the first widget and the attribute of the menu selected in the second widget is further provided.

  Preferably, the display device further includes an input unit, and the control unit stores in the storage unit the input of the menu attribute selected in the first widget and the menu attribute selected in the second widget to the input unit. Let

  Preferably, the control means includes a processor configured to display the first widget and the second widget on the touch panel by executing a program, and the association between the first widget and the second widget The information indicating the information constitutes the description of the program.

  According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a program for a processor to control display of a touch panel, the processor detecting a proximity or contact of an object to the touch panel, a first widget and a second on the touch panel A step of displaying the widget, and when the detection means detects that the object is in proximity to or in contact with the first widget, the relationship is indicated in the information indicating the relationship between the first widget and the second widget. A program is provided that executes the step of expanding the first widget in a direction different from the direction in which the second widget exists, provided that is higher than a given criterion.

  Preferably, the processor includes a description corresponding to information indicating an association between the first widget and the second widget.

  According to the present disclosure, the touch panel displays a first widget and a second widget. When an object approaches or touches a first widget, the first widget is present if the relationship between the first and second widgets is higher than a given criterion. Enlarged in a direction different from the direction of the image. Thereby, the first widget is enlarged without covering the second widget.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of an MFP that is an example of a display device. 6 is a diagram for explaining a part of the operation of the operation panel of the MFP. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a part of the operation of the operation panel of the MFP. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a part of the operation of the operation panel of the MFP. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an MFP. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of an MFP. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) data for displaying a setting screen. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing sequence in the MFP. It is a flowchart of an application screen reading process. It is a figure which shows the modification of the HTML data for displaying a setting screen. It is a flowchart of the processing content of the Web browser in approach detection. It is a figure for demonstrating the automatic discrimination | determination of the attribute of a widget. It is a figure which shows typically an example of the information for judging the relationship between widgets based on the attribute of each widget. It is a figure which shows typically an example of the information for judging the relationship between widgets. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of expansion of a widget. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of expansion of a widget. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of expansion of a widget. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of expansion of a widget. It is a figure for demonstrating the other modification of expansion of a widget. It is a figure which shows one of the comparative examples with respect to FIG.

  Embodiments of a display device will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, these descriptions will not be repeated.

[1. Appearance of display device]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of MFP 100 as an example of a display device. As shown in FIG. 1, MFP 100 includes an image reading unit 2 that optically reads a document to obtain image data, and an image forming unit 6 that prints an image on a sheet based on the image data. On the upper surface of the main body of the MFP 100, a feeder 4 for sending a document to the image reading unit 2 is disposed. Under the MFP 100, four paper feed cassettes 9 for storing printing paper supplied to the image forming unit 6 are arranged. In the central part of the MFP 100, a tray 5 on which the printing paper on which an image is formed by the image forming unit 6 is discharged is disposed.

  An operation panel 300 is mounted on the front side of the main body of the MFP 100. Operation panel 300 is rotatable with respect to the main body of MFP 100 by hinge 300A.

[2. Overview of operation]
2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining a part of the operation of operation panel 300 of MFP 100. The operation panel 300 is shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the operation panel 300 includes an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 10 g and operation keys 10 k. The LCD 10g constitutes a touch panel in the MFP 100. The operation key 10k includes a plurality of hardware buttons. The operation key 10k may include a single hardware button.

  In FIG. 2, the LCD 10 g displays a print operation setting screen in the MFP 100. The setting screen sets a menu button 301 for setting the paper size, a menu button 302 for setting double-sided printing, a menu button 303 for setting the presence / absence of stapling, and the presence / absence and position of punch holes. And a menu button 304 for performing the operation. Each of the menu buttons 301 to 304 displays an area for displaying a setting content (for example, “A4” in the menu button 301) and a symbol “▽” indicating that an option display is prepared. Area. The setting screen on the LCD 10g further includes an input field 305 for inputting the number of copies and an input field 306 for inputting the setting of the display pattern of the setting screen. Menu buttons 301 to 304 and input fields 305 and 306 are specific examples of widgets.

  When an object approaches or touches the widget on the LCD 10g, the MFP 100 enlarges the display of each widget. FIG. 3 shows a display example when the user's finger F, which is an example of an object, touches the menu button 301.

  When the user's finger touches the menu button 301 on the setting screen shown in FIG. 2, the display content of the setting screen is updated as shown in FIG. In the display of FIG. 3, a pull-down menu 301 </ b> A that displays a list of paper sizes is shown as an extended display area of the menu button 301. That is, when the user's finger touches the menu button 301, the display area of the menu button 301 is expanded. The display area after expansion is the display area of the menu button 301 before expansion and the display area of the pull-down menu 301A.

  In the present disclosure, the direction in which the display area of the menu button is expanded is determined in consideration of the relationship between the menu buttons, for example. In one example, the relevance between menu buttons is based on the setting item to which each menu button corresponds.

  In the example of FIG. 3, the relationship between the setting items in the MFP 100 is set so that the setting item “paper size” corresponding to the menu button 301 is related to the setting item “double-sided printing” corresponding to the menu button 302. ing. The relationship is set so that the setting item “paper size” corresponding to the menu button 301 and the setting item “number of copies” corresponding to the input field 305 are not related. Based on these facts, the display area of the menu button 301 is expanded upward in the example of FIG. That is, the direction in which the menu button 301 is expanded avoids the direction in which the menu button 302 exists (lower side), but does not avoid the direction in which the input field 305 exists (upper side). Thereby, when the display area of the menu button 301 is expanded, it is avoided as much as possible that the expanded menu button 301 covers the menu button 302.

  In one example, even if the user's finger F touches the enlarged widget (in the pull-down menu 301A), the widget is not further enlarged. The expansion of the widget is canceled when, for example, the state in which the user's finger F does not touch the expanded widget continues for a certain period of time.

  FIG. 4 shows the expansion of the display area of the menu button 304. When the user's finger F touches the menu button 304 on the setting screen shown in FIG. 2, the display content of the setting screen is updated as shown in FIG. In the display of FIG. 4, a pull-down menu 304 </ b> A that displays a list of settings regarding punch holes is shown as an expanded display area of the menu button 304. That is, when the user's finger F touches the menu button 304, the display area of the menu button 304 is expanded. The display area after expansion is the display area of the menu button 304 before expansion and the display area of the pull-down menu 304A.

  In the example of FIG. 4, the relationship between the setting items in the MFP 100 is set so that the setting item “punch hole” corresponding to the menu button 304 is related to the setting item “staple” corresponding to the menu button 303. Yes. The relationship is set so that the setting item “punch hole” corresponding to the menu button 304 and the setting item “display pattern” corresponding to the input field 306 are not related. Based on these facts, in the example of FIG. 4, the display area of the menu button 304 is expanded downward. That is, the direction in which the menu button 304 is expanded avoids the direction in which the menu button 303 exists (upper side), but does not avoid the direction in which the input field 306 exists (lower side). Thereby, when the display area of the menu button 304 is expanded, it is avoided as much as possible that the menu button 304 after the expansion is covered with the menu button 303.

  A plurality of setting items that are determined to be related (the degree of relevance is higher than a given criterion) are in such a relationship that, for example, one setting item restricts the other setting item. More specifically, the items displayed as candidates for the setting content of “punch hole” are limited by the setting content of “staple”. That is, the portion facing the portion set by “staple” is excluded from candidates for the setting content of punch holes. For example, in a state where a right-corner is specified as the setting content of “staple”, a candidate including a portion facing the right, that is, a candidate including “left” (for example, “left”) is “punch”. Excluded from the candidate settings for “Hole”. This is because a situation in which a sheet is stapled at the right corner and a punch hole is left on the left side (for filing) is not normally assumed.

  In the present embodiment, the display area of the widget displayed at the close or touched position is expanded on condition that the object is close to or touched the touch panel (LCD 10g). The distance at which the object is determined to be “close” can be set according to the sensitivity of the touch panel, for example. The expansion of the display area of the widget may be canceled in response to the proximity or contact state of the object being released. In this specification, expansion of the display area of the widget is also simply referred to as “widget expansion”.

[3. Hardware configuration]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the MFP 100. As shown in FIG. 5, the MFP 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 10b, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10c, a mass storage device 10d, a NIC (Network Interface Card) 10e, a touch sensor. 10f, LCD 10g, print unit 10h, scan unit 10i, modem 10j, and operation keys 10k.

  The CPU 10a is an example of a processor. The CPU 10a implements the functions of the MFP 100 described in the present specification by executing programs stored in the ROM 10c and / or the mass storage device 10d. The program executed by CPU 10a may be stored in a storage device external to MFP 100, or may be stored in a recording medium that is detachable from MFP 100 and accessible by CPU 10a.

  The MFP 100 may include two or more processors. The processing shown in the present disclosure may be executed by a single processor, or may be shared and executed by a plurality of processors.

  The NIC 10e communicates with other devices using a protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).

  The touch sensor 10f has, for example, a thin film shape that covers part or all of the display surface of the LCD 10g. In MFP 100, a touch panel is configured by touch sensor 10f and LCD 10g. The touch sensor 10f detects the proximity or contact of an object with the touch panel. Detection methods include resistive film method (analog resistive film method), surface capacitive method, projected capacitive method, ultrasonic surface acoustic wave method, acoustic pulse recognition method, vibration detection method, infrared light shielding method, electromagnetic Any known method such as a guidance method and an image recognition method may be employed.

  The LED 10g is an example of a display for display. The display may be of another type such as a plasma display.

  The print unit 10h is a unit for forming an image on a recording medium such as printing paper. Image formation may be realized by any method such as an electrophotographic method or an electrostatic recording method.

  The scan unit 10i generates image data by scanning an image formed on a print sheet or the like.

The modem 10j transmits and receives data as an analog signal.
The operation key 10k includes a numeric keypad, a start key, a stop key, a function key, and the like.

[4. Function block]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing functional blocks of MFP 100. Referring to FIG. 6, hardware resources (hereinafter also referred to as “H / W resources”) 10x and 10y store programs and the like, and are realized by ROM 10c and / or mass storage device 10d.

  The hardware resource 10x stores a software program that executes overall management or basic processing of the MFP 100 and processing for providing a user interface. For example, the CPU 10a executes the software program, whereby the operating system (OS) 130 and the MFP system 120 of the MFP 100 are realized.

  The hardware resource 10y stores a software program for IWS (Internal Web Server). In the MFP 100, the CPU 10a executes the software program and / or a browser application program of an open API (Application Programming Interface) of the external server 900, thereby realizing the Web browser 110. The web browser 110 implements control (“enlargement control 110x” in FIG. 6) for enlarging the display area of the widget as described in the present disclosure. The hardware resource 10y stores a program for realizing the control.

[5. Example of display data]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) data for displaying a setting screen. A file 500 in FIG. 7 is an example of a file for displaying the setting screen in FIG. The file 500 includes, for example, data that specifies the size and coordinates (display position) of each widget in the setting screen.

  In the file 500, the description 551 corresponds to the menu button 303. In the description 551, a tag 502 indicates an ID (staple) of the menu button 303. A tag 504 indicates an attribute (finisher) of the menu button 303. The ID is, for example, the value of the HTML tag “id”. The attribute is the value of the HTML tag “statetype”.

  In the file 500, the description 552 corresponds to the menu button 304. In the description 552, a tag 506 indicates the ID (punch) of the menu button 304. A tag 508 indicates an attribute (finisher) of the menu button 304.

[6. Processing sequence]
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a processing sequence for displaying a setting screen and further expanding the display of the widget in MFP 100. FIG. 8 shows the user U, the web browser 110, and the hardware resource 10y.

  As shown in FIG. 8, described as “SA1: Initial load” and “SA2: Approach detection”, the processing sequence includes two stages.

(SA1: Initial load)
“SA1: Initial load” is a process for displaying a setting screen on the LCD 10g as described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in “SA1: initial load”, first, in step S1, the user U performs an application screen (hereinafter also referred to as “application screen”) (setting) on the Web browser 110 by a given operation. Instruct to call screen). In response to this, the web browser 110 reads the application screen (setting screen) from the hardware resource 10y or the external server 900. Here, the flow of processing for reading the application screen by the Web browser 110 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the application screen reading process. The process of FIG. 9 is executed by the CPU 10a as one of the functions of the Web browser 110, for example.

  Referring to FIG. 9, in step SA10, CPU 10a reads the parameters of each widget displayed on the setting screen and stores them in RAM 10b. Thereafter, control proceeds to step SA20.

  In step SA20, the CPU 10a determines whether there is a widget whose attribute is not specified among the widgets whose parameters are read in step SA10. “The attribute is not specified” means that it does not have the value of the tag “statetype” as shown as the tags 504 and 508 in FIG. When determining that there is a widget whose attribute is not specified, the CPU 10a advances the control to step SA30, and when determining that there is no such widget, ends the processing of FIG.

  In step SA30, the CPU 10a executes an automatic determination process for each widget for which no attribute is specified. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modification of HTML data for displaying a setting screen. The file 510 in FIG. 10 is, for example, HTML data. In the file 510, the description 561 corresponds to the menu button 303 (FIG. 2), and the description 562 corresponds to the menu button (FIG. 2).

  When the description 561 is compared with the description 551 in FIG. 7, the description 551 includes the HTML tag “statetype” and its value as the tag 504, whereas the description 561 includes the HTML tag “statetype” and its value. Not included. Comparing the description 562 with the description 552 of FIG. 7, the description 552 includes an HTML tag “statetype” and its value as a tag 508, whereas the description 562 includes a description including the HTML tag “statetype” and its value. Not included.

  Returning to FIG. 7, the automatic determination process is a process of assigning an attribute corresponding to the ID of the widget to each widget. For example, as data related to the expansion control 110x, the hardware resource 10y stores information (for example, a table) that associates the value of the HTML tag “id” with the attribute. For example, the CPU 10a assigns an attribute to each of the widgets for which no attribute is specified based on the value of the HTML tag “id”. In the example of FIG. 7, for example, the attribute “finisher” is associated with the value of the HTML tag “id”.

  In step SA30, the CPU 10a assigns an attribute to each widget, and then proceeds to step SA40.

  In step SA40, the CPU 10a stores the attribute acquired by the automatic determination in step SA30 in the hardware resource 10y. At step SA40, for example, the file 510 of FIG. 10 is stored in the hardware resource 10y after the attributes of the menu buttons 303 and 304 (HTML tag “statetype” and its value) are added. A file 500 in FIG. 7 is an example of a state in which the file 510 has the attributes of the menu buttons 303 and 304 added thereto.

  In FIG. 8, the attribute storage in step SA80 in FIG. 10 is included in the widget information storage in step S2. When the reading of the application screen is completed, the web browser 110 displays the application screen on the LCD 10g (S3). Thereby, a setting screen as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the LCD 10g.

(SA2: Approach detection)
In “SA2: approach detection”, the user first brings a finger close to the touch panel (S4).

  In response to this, the web browser 110 reads the widget information displayed on the LCD 10g from the hardware resource 10y (S5). Thereby, the Web browser 110 acquires the size, coordinates (display position), attributes, and the like of each widget on the LCD 10g (S6).

  Next, the Web browser 110 determines the direction in which the widget with the finger approaching is enlarged (S7). More specifically, the Web browser 110 selects a widget having the same attribute as the widget that is the target of the finger approach, from among the widgets displayed on the setting screen. Next, the direction in which the selected widget is located with respect to the widget that is the target of the finger approach on the setting screen is specified. Then, the Web browser 110 determines a direction other than the specified direction as the expansion direction of the widget that is the target of the finger approach.

  For example, in the example of FIG. 2, when the menu button 304 is a display target, the menu button 303 is selected as a widget having the same attribute as the menu button 304. The direction in which the menu button 303 is positioned with respect to the menu button 304 is “upward”. Accordingly, directions other than “upward” are determined as directions in which the menu button 304 is enlarged. For example, the direction to be enlarged may be determined in combination with other predetermined conditions. An example of “other conditions” is “either“ upper ”or“ lower ””. Another example is “the direction in which the distance between the menu button and the end of the LCD 10g is the longest”.

  The same attribute (of the setting item to which the widget corresponds) is an example of “the relevance is higher than a given criterion”. Instead of the attributes being the same, the expansion direction of the widget may be determined based on the attributes having a given relationship.

  The “relevance” is not limited to the relevance regarding the setting item to which the widget corresponds. It may be a relevance about the widget itself. For example, the widget that is the target of the finger approach may be enlarged and displayed so as not to cover other widgets that are displayed in the same color or similar colors as the widget. In this case, the fact that the display color is the same color or a similar color corresponds to “the relevance is higher than a given criterion”.

  After determining the enlargement direction, as described with reference to FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the Web browser 110 enlarges the widget that is the target of the finger approach (S8).

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart of processing contents of the Web browser 110 in “2: detection of approach”. The process of FIG. 11 is executed by the CPU 10 a as a function of the Web browser 110.

  As illustrated in FIG. 11, in step SB10, the CPU 10a acquires parameters of each widget arranged on the setting screen from the hardware resource 10y. Step SB10 corresponds to step S5 and step S6 in FIG.

  In step SB20, the CPU 10a determines the enlargement direction of the widget that the finger has approached based on the position of the widget having the same attribute as the widget that is highly related to the widget that the finger has approached. Step SB20 corresponds to step S7 in FIG.

  In the present disclosure, “contact” may be replaced with “approach”. Also, the touching or approaching widget on the touch panel is not limited to the user's finger.

  In the present disclosure described above, the MFP 100 displays a plurality of widgets (menu buttons 301, 302, etc.) on the LCD 10g that is a part of the touch panel. When the user's finger F touches the menu button 301, the menu button 301 is enlarged by adding a pull-down menu 301A. The direction in which the menu button 301 is enlarged is a direction (upper side) different from the direction (lower side) in which the menu button 302 having high relevance with the menu button 301 exists.

[7. Modification (1)]
Widget attributes may be added manually. That is, for example, the web browser 110 may display a screen that prompts the user to input widget attributes after reading the setting screen in accordance with the instruction in step S1 of FIG. In response, the user enters the attributes of the widget. In response to the input, the Web browser 110 updates the file (for example, the file 510 in FIG. 10) so as to add an attribute tag, and registers the updated file in the hardware resource 10y. The user can freely define the tag of the attribute in the program that executes the enlargement control 110x.

[8. Modification (2)]
By executing the enlargement control 110x, the CPU 10a may automatically determine the attribute from the description for displaying each widget. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining automatic determination of widget attributes. FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of information for determining the relevance between widgets based on the attribute of each widget.

  The enlargement control 110x of FIG. 6 specifies the attribute of the widget from the description for displaying the widget by applying one or more logics. Hereinafter, specific examples of the one or more logics will be described.

  In the file 520, a description 563 is for displaying an input field for the number of copies. The input field is an example of a widget displayed on the touch panel. In the description 563, the value “number” of the tag “type” corresponds to the input method in the input field being a numerical value, and the value “Copies” of the tag “label” is the character string “displayed” in the vicinity of the input field. Corresponds to "Copies". Since the input method is a numerical value and the displayed character string is related to “copy”, the CPU 10a specifies the attribute of the input field as “number of copies”.

  In the file 520, a description 564 is for displaying a print color input field. The input field is an example of a widget displayed on the touch panel. In the description 564, the value “Color” of the tag “label” corresponds to the character string “Color” displayed near the input field. Since the displayed character string is “Color”, the CPU 10a specifies the attribute of the input field as “printing color”.

  The CPU 10a adds the attribute of each widget specified as described above to the file 520, and then registers the file 520 in the hardware resource 10y.

  The table shown in FIG. 13 associates the attribute of the contacted widget with the attribute highly related to the attribute of the contacted widget. For example, the attribute “print color” is associated with the attribute “number of copies”.

  When the widget is touched by the user's finger, the CPU 10a extracts an attribute highly relevant to the attribute of the touched widget in the table of FIG. 13 from the respective attributes of the widget displayed on the touch panel. Thereafter, the CPU 10a specifies the display position of the widget corresponding to the extracted attribute among the widgets displayed on the touch panel. Then, the CPU 10a specifies in which direction the specified display position is with respect to the contacted widget, and determines a direction other than the direction as a direction in which the contacted widget is enlarged.

  The association of attributes may be defined in a format (program format etc.) other than the table format shown in FIG.

[9. Modification (3)]
The condition for determining the relevance between widgets is not limited to “whether or not the attributes are the same”. Information for determining relevance (degree) may be set. FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of information for determining relevance between widgets.

  The table of FIG. 14 associates the value of the tag “id” of the contacted widget with the tag “id” of the highly relevant widget. In this modification, the CPU 10a identifies a widget highly relevant to the widget touched by the user's finger based on the table of FIG. 14, and in which direction the identified widget is positioned with respect to the touched widget. Determines the direction in which the touched widget is magnified based on how it will do.

  The MFP 100 may be provided with data defining the table of FIG. 14 from the external server 900 or may be generated based on information input in the MFP 100.

  The format of information for determining the relevance between widgets is not limited to the table format as shown in FIG. The format of the information may be any format such as a program format.

[10. Modification (4)]
The form of widget expansion may be other than that shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 15 to 18 are diagrams for explaining modifications of the widget enlargement format. FIG. 15 shows an enlarged display of the menu button 304. In FIG. 15, the menu button 304 is shown as three radio buttons 304X, 304Y, and 304Z by being enlarged. The three radio buttons 304X, 304Y, and 304Z are examples of a plurality of areas.

  The CPU 10a may enlarge each of the three radio buttons 304X, 304Y, and 304Z by being touched. FIG. 16 shows a radio button 304Z that is enlarged by the user's finger F touching the radio button 304Z. FIG. 17 shows a radio button 304Y that is enlarged by the user's finger F touching the radio button 304Y. FIG. 18 shows the radio button 304X enlarged by the user's finger F touching the radio button 304X.

  The enlargement of each of the radio buttons 304X, 304Y, and 304Z as shown in FIGS. 16 to 18 ends, for example, when the user's finger F moves away from the enlarged radio button. The expansion of the menu button 304 as shown in FIG. 15 ends when, for example, a state in which the user's finger does not touch any of the radio buttons 304X, 304Y, and 304Z continues for a certain period of time.

[11. Modification (5)]
The widget enlargement format may enlarge the widget as a whole. FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining a modification example of the enlargement of the widget.

  FIG. 19 shows another example in which the menu button 301 is enlarged on the setting screen shown in FIG. A menu button 301X in FIG. 19 is an enlarged menu button 301.

  The menu button 301X is enlarged with respect to the original menu button 301 without changing the lower left coordinate. That is, the direction of expansion of the menu button 301X is upward and rightward. Thus, the menu button 301X does not cover the menu button 302 positioned below the menu button 301.

  The menu button 301 in FIG. 2 includes the character “A4”. In the menu button 301X, the character “A4” is also enlarged. In accordance with the enlargement of the menu button 301, the character “A4” is also enlarged in the menu button 301X. Further, as the menu button 301 expands upward and rightward, the center position of the character “A4” is shifted upward and rightward.

  FIG. 20 is a diagram showing one comparative example with respect to FIG. In FIG. 20, the menu button 301 of FIG. 2 is shown as the menu button 301Y. The menu button 301Y is enlarged to the right and below the menu button 301. Thus, the menu button 301Y covers the menu button 302. Therefore, the user cannot visually recognize the setting contents (setting contents corresponding to the menu button 302) displayed in the menu button 302 by the menu button 301Y (by enlarging the menu button 301).

  Each embodiment disclosed this time must be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims. In addition, the invention described in the embodiment and each modification is intended to be carried out independently or in combination as much as possible.

  10a CPU, 10b RAM, 10c ROM, 10d Mass storage device, 10f Touch sensor, 10h Print unit, 10i Scan unit, 10j Modem, 10k Operation key, 10x, 10y Hardware resource, 110 Web browser, 100 MFP, 110x Enlargement control , 120 system, 300 operation panel, 300A hinge, 301, 301X, 301Y, 302, 303, 304 menu button, 301A, 304A pull-down menu, 304X, 304Y, 304Z radio button.

Claims (14)

A touch panel;
Detection means configured to detect proximity or contact of an object to the touch panel;
Control means configured to display a first widget and a second widget on the touch panel;
The control means, when the detection means detects that an object has approached or contacted the first widget, in the information indicating the relation between the first widget and the second widget, A display device configured to expand the first widget in a direction different from the direction in which the second widget exists, provided that the property is higher than a given criterion.   The control means cancels the expansion of the first widget when the state where the object approaches or contacts the first widget is released or when the released state continues for a certain period of time. The display device according to claim 1, which is configured.   When the object approaches or comes into contact with the second widget after the state where the object approaches or comes into contact with the first widget is released, the control means is configured to release the second widget and the first widget. It is configured to expand the second widget in a direction different from the direction in which the first widget exists, provided that the information indicating the relation between the widgets is higher than a given criterion. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is provided. The control means includes
Displaying characters in the first widget;
Along with the enlargement of the first widget, the character in the first widget is enlarged and the character is moved in a direction different from the direction in which the second widget exists. The display device according to any one of the above. The control means includes
Displaying a plurality of regions by enlarging the first widget when an object approaches or contacts the first widget;
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the display device is configured to enlarge a region where the object is close to or in contact with the plurality of regions. The control means includes
When an object approaches or touches the first widget, the first widget is expanded by displaying a pull-down menu of the first widget;
6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first widget is not further enlarged when an object approaches or comes into contact with the pull-down menu. 7. The first widget and the second widget are widgets for selecting a menu;
The association between the first widget and the second widget is higher than the given criterion that the menu that can be selected in the second widget is limited by the menu selected in the first widget The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: The control means includes
Refer to the information that defines the relationship between menus,
In the information, by referring to the relationship between the menu selected in the first widget and the menu selected in the second widget, the first widget and the second widget The display device according to claim 7, wherein the display device is configured to refer to a relationship between them.   When the attribute of the menu selected in the first widget and the attribute of the menu selected in the second widget are the same, the control means is arranged between the first widget and the second widget. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the display device is configured to determine that the relevance of is higher than the given criterion.   10. The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing an attribute of a menu selected in the first widget and an attribute of a menu selected in the second widget. Display device. An input means;
The control means is configured to cause the storage means to store the input of the menu attribute selected in the first widget and the menu attribute selected in the second widget to the input means. The display device according to claim 10. The control means includes a processor configured to display the first widget and the second widget on the touch panel by executing a program;
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein information indicating a relationship between the first widget and the second widget constitutes a description of the program. A program for the processor to control the display on the touch panel,
In the processor,
Detecting proximity or contact of an object to the touch panel;
Displaying a first widget and a second widget on the touch panel;
When the detection means detects that an object has approached or contacted the first widget, the relationship is given in the information indicating the relationship between the first widget and the second widget. A program for executing the step of expanding the first widget in a direction different from the direction in which the second widget exists, provided that the second widget is higher than a reference.   The program according to claim 13, comprising a description corresponding to information indicating an association between the first widget and the second widget.

Images