JP2019087836A - Image forming apparatus and display control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus and a display control method that perform operation display screen control with improved convenience for a user according to various user behavior patterns.SOLUTION: In an image forming apparatus comprising a reading unit that reads a document, detection means that detects that a document is set; and display control means that can set a plurality of function screens to a display unit, when a document is set while a second function screen on which a print function can be executed is displayed, the display control means controls to display, on the display unit, a button for allowing a transition to a first function screen on which a document reading operation can be set.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to screen display control of a UI operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

  Generally, an image forming apparatus is connected to a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network, and is shared by a plurality of users who use the plurality of information processing apparatuses. Here, the image forming apparatus may be, for example, a digital multi-functional peripheral (MFP) having at least two or more functions such as a printer, a facsimile, a copier, and a scanner. The information processing apparatus is, for example, a personal computer (PC). The image forming apparatus and the information processing apparatus are communicably connected to each other via a network such as a local area network (LAN) or the Internet (Internet) to configure an image forming system. The minimum configuration of the image forming system is one in which one image forming apparatus and one information processing apparatus are connected in a one-to-one manner. However, in recent years, a large-scale image forming system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of information processing apparatuses are mutually connected is often constructed.

  Among image forming apparatuses connected via a network and shared by a plurality of users, those equipped with a user authentication function have become widespread in recent years in order to ensure information security related to printed matter of a document output by the image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus utilizing user authentication, when the user causes the image processing apparatus to execute print output processing of the document, the user performs user authentication in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus, and after authentication, print output processing of the document Is done.

  Although the user authentication function is added to the image forming apparatus, it is possible to customize the screen display for each user, but in the conventional image forming apparatus, the screen displayed after authentication is the function that the user wants to use It did not necessarily match. According to Patent Document 1, image processing is performed to determine the presence or absence of a print job of the user after user authentication, display a print job list screen if there is a print job, and display a menu screen of default settings if there is no print job. An apparatus is disclosed.

JP, 2013-352282, A

In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when there is a print job, transition to a print screen can be made after user authentication, but the function that the user wants to use varies widely from time to time, such as the situation. For example, even a user having a print job may want to use the copy function after user authentication, or may want to use both printing and copying.
In the former case, after user authentication, the print job list screen is returned to the home screen once, and the user has to reach the desired screen by pressing the copy button. Thus, there are cases where the user has to perform complicated operations in order to reach the target screen.
An object of the present invention is to improve user convenience by handling various user behavior patterns.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a display unit, a detection unit that detects an original of a reading unit that reads an original, a first function screen that can execute one of the functions accompanied by the original reading operation, and an original reading operation. When the display control unit displays the second function screen on the display unit, and the display control unit displays the second function screen on which the function accompanied by In addition, when the detection unit detects that the document has been set in the reading unit, control is performed to display a button that can be transferred to the first function screen.

  According to the present invention, by performing display control of the operation screen based on the user's action pattern, it is possible to facilitate the transition to the screen intended by the user and to improve the convenience of the user.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a software module of the image forming apparatus. The authentication screen in a present Example. The home screen in a present Example. 8 is an operation screen for executing a print function in the present embodiment. 8 is an operation screen for executing a copy function in the present embodiment. Screen display control flow in which a function accompanied with a document reading operation is selected. Screen display control flow when the document is removed at the time of display to assist screen transition.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Hardware Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus>
An image forming apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. One or more PCs (client computers) are connected to the image forming apparatus 100 via a network (LAN). The print jobs are respectively generated by the PC and transmitted to the image forming apparatus 100 via the network. The hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The CPU 101 is connected to the ROM 102, the RAM 103, the MODEM 115, the NIC 117, and various controllers of the image forming apparatus 100 via the system bus 118, and collectively controls them. A boot program is stored in the ROM 102, and when the power of the image forming apparatus 100 is turned on, the CPU 101 reads and executes the boot program from the ROM 102. Thereafter, the CPU 101 loads the main program stored in the storage into the RAM 103 and executes it.
The RAM 103 functions as a work area as well as a place to deploy the main program.

The display controller 104 controls display on the display unit 105. The display unit 105 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like capable of displaying character strings, ruled lines, scroll bars, and the like.
The operation controller 106 controls an input from the operation unit 107 provided in the image forming apparatus 100. The operation unit 107 includes, for example, a touch panel, a ten key, a cursor key, and a one touch key. Further, the display unit 105 may be a touch panel so that input can be performed.

The reading unit 111 reads an original. Further, the reading unit 111 may include an automatic document feeder capable of continuously reading a plurality of originals. The reading unit 111 is connected to the reading controller 110, and the CPU 101 exchanges information with the reading unit 111 via the reading controller 110.
The recording unit 113 forms an image on a recording sheet (sheet) by, for example, an electrophotographic method. The recording unit 113 is connected to the recording controller 112, and the CPU 101 exchanges information with the recording unit 113 via the recording controller 112.

The USB host controller 114 performs USB protocol control, and mediates access to USB devices such as the USB memory 130 connected to the image forming apparatus 100.
The MODEM 115 modulates and demodulates signals necessary for facsimile communication. The MODEM 115 is connected to a network control unit (NCU) 116, and the signal modulated and demodulated by the MODEM 115 is transmitted to and received from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via the NCU 116.
A network interface card (NIC) 117 exchanges data bidirectionally with a mail server or file server via a LAN. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment has the eMMC 109 as a storage. The CPU 101 accesses the eMMC 109 via the eMMC host controller 108.

<Configuration of software>
Next, the software configuration that operates on the image forming apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of software modules of the image forming apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. Each unit indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2 is a software module realized by the CPU 101 executing the main program loaded in the RAM 103. Here, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the embodiment has a user authentication function for authenticating a user, and a print function for executing a print job stored together with a user name in the apparatus according to an instruction input from the user. Is configured.

  An OS (Operating System) unit 201 manages and controls the execution of each module of the main program.

  A UI (User Interface) unit 202 provides various information to the user via the display unit 105 and the operation unit 107, and receives various instructions from the user. Here, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment has a user authentication function for authenticating a user, and the administrator can switch between valid / invalid of the user authentication function. ing. When the user authentication function is set to be valid, the UI unit 202 prompts the user to input a user name and a password, and only the authenticated user can use the image forming apparatus 100. FIG. 3 shows an example of the authentication request screen displayed on the display unit 105 so as to prompt the user to input the user name and the password. Here, the image forming apparatus 100 is configured such that the administrator can switch the method of authenticating the user, such as user selection by an icon and authentication by password input, authentication by holding a noncontact card over a card reader, and the like. May be

  A job controller unit 203 receives jobs such as copying, printing, and faxing, and controls execution of the received job. Also, when the user authentication function is set to be valid, the Login Manager unit 204 supplies information necessary for user authentication to the UI unit 202 or the like. Then, when the user name and password are input in the UI unit 202, the Login Manager unit 204 authenticates (logins) the user, and manages the user-specific context such as the user name and the mail address if the authentication is successful. Do.

  A PDL (page-description language) unit 205 receives page description language data of a print job transmitted from the client via the NIC 117. The print job (page description language data) accepted by the PDL unit 205 is stored in the Spooler unit 207. Here, the Spooler unit 207 that stores the print job is allocated, for example, on the RAM 103.

The Print unit 206 reads page description language data of a print job stored in the Spooler unit 207 based on an instruction from the Job Controller unit 203. Then, the Print unit 206 generates a print image from the read page description language data, and sends the print image to the recording unit 113 via the Device Driver unit 208, whereby printing related to the print job can be executed.
The device driver unit 208 mediates exchange of information with hardware devices such as the NIC 117 and the recording unit 113.

<User authentication screen>
Next, FIG. 3 shows an authentication screen for prompting the user to perform authentication displayed on the display unit 105 configured by a touch panel. In FIG. 3, the screen for keyboard authentication is selected, in which the user name and password input boxes are touched and each item is input using the soft keyboard.
Further, in the example of FIG. 3, it is possible to select an IC card authentication that is authenticated when holding the IC card. As another authentication method, biometric authentication such as vein or face authentication may be used.

<Home screen>
Next, a home screen displayed on the display unit 105 is shown in FIG.
The home screen in FIG. 4A has a function for reading an image such as “copy”, “scan”, “fax”, a function for not reading an image such as “print”, an image read such as “setting” or “help” There are displayed buttons (icons) such as functions that neither perform nor image formation. By selecting these buttons, transition can be made to these function screens of the image forming apparatus 100.

When a read document is placed on the reading unit 111 in the state of FIG. 4A, the function that the user is trying to select is predicted to use the reading unit 111, and the screen shown in FIG. 4B is displayed. Is displayed. On the screen of FIG. 4B, together with a character string notifying that the document has been set in the reading unit 111, in order to emphasize a button that can be transited to the function screen for image reading, only the button that can be transited to the function Are displayed side by side.
However, unlike FIG. 5 described later, it is not necessary to shift from the home screen (FIG. 4A) to the screen of FIG. 4B depending on the presence or absence of the document.

<Print screen>
FIG. 5 shows a print screen which is transitioned when the print button is selected or when the user having a print job logs in in FIG. 4A. In FIG. 5A, a list of jobs transmitted by the authenticated user is displayed on the print screen. The user can select a print job by checking the top check box of the job to be printed from the job list, and then touch the "Print" button to execute the print job and receive the printed sheet. .

  Conventionally, when the user who has shifted to the print screen uses the copy function, it is necessary to press the home button once to return to the home screen. After that, it is necessary to select the copy button from among a number of arranged buttons and shift to the copy screen, which causes a troublesome operation for the user. Therefore, in the present embodiment, for example, when the user places an original to be read on the reading unit 111 on the print screen (FIG. 5A), a button capable of transitioning to the function of performing image reading as shown in FIG. Is displayed.

<Copy screen>
Next, a copy screen as an example of the function of performing image reading will be described.
FIG. 6 is a copy screen for executing the copy function. Various settings such as color / black and white, paper size, paper type, and density can be made on the copy screen, and other settings that are not displayed can be displayed and set by touching the inverted triangle mark. It becomes. Then, all settings can be returned to the default state by touching the "initial setting" button, and copying can be executed by touching the "start" button.

When a button capable of transitioning to a copy screen is touched on the home screen (FIG. 4A), the screen of FIG. 6A is displayed.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, a screen for executing a function that does not perform image reading, for example, a screen shown in FIG. 6B is displayed when a button capable of transitioning from a print screen to a copy screen is pressed. In FIG. 6B, a button for returning to the previous position and a home button, and a button for returning to the print screen before transition to this screen are displayed. Thus, it is easy to return from the copy screen to the print screen again, and the operability is improved.

  Next, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, after the user is authenticated, the reading unit 111 detects a read document, and the process flow of the operation screen in the case of transition to the operation screen of the function accompanied by the document reading operation. This will be described with reference to FIG.

<Operation screen processing flow>
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating display control processing of the operation screen in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The processing described below is realized by the CPU 101 reading out a control program stored in advance in the ROM 102 to the RAM 103 and executing it.

  First, an authentication screen (FIG. 3) is displayed to authenticate the user (S701). Next, it is determined whether the print job of the authenticated user exists in the spooler 207 of the image forming apparatus 100 (S702). If the user has a print job, the print screen (FIG. 5 (a)) is displayed (S703), and if the user has no print job, the home screen (FIG. 4 (a)) is displayed (S704).

  Next, the operation waits on the displayed screen or until it is detected that the reading original is placed on the reading unit 111 (S705). When a document is detected, it is determined whether the current screen is a screen capable of executing a function accompanied by a document reading operation (S706). If the home screen is displayed in step S704 before placing the original to be read, the user may select copy or fax, and the screen may be capable of executing a function with a read operation of the original such as a copy screen or a fax screen. Screen transition is not performed. On the other hand, if it is not a screen such as a print screen that can execute the function with the document reading operation, a display that assists the screen transition to the function with the document reading operation (in the case of the home screen, FIG. If it is a screen, FIG. 5 (b) is performed (S707).

As described above, in the flowchart of FIG. 7, in the case where the authentication is performed after setting the read document in the reading unit 111 and in the case where the document is set in the reading unit 111 after performing the authentication, S707 is performed in any case. It becomes the same screen (FIG. 4 (b), FIG. 5 (b)).
Subsequently, the process waits until a touch of a translatable button to a function accompanied by a document reading operation is detected (S 708). The button capable of transitioning to the function accompanied by the document reading operation is, for example, a button of the "copy" function. When the button capable of transition is touched, it is determined whether the transition from the screen capable of executing the function not accompanied with the document reading operation is made (S709).

That is, it is determined whether the transition from the print screen as shown in FIG. 5 (b) or the transition from the home screen as shown in FIG. 4 (a). If it is the former, a button capable of returning to the function not accompanied by the document reading operation and a screen of the function accompanied by the document reading operation are displayed (S710).
For example, when the copy function button is pressed from the print screen (FIG. 5B), a button capable of returning to the print screen and a screen of the copy function (FIG. 6B) are displayed. On the other hand, if it is the latter, the screen of the function accompanied by the document reading operation is displayed (S711). For example, when the copy function button is pressed from the home screen (FIG. 4A), only the screen of the copy function (FIG. 6A) is displayed.

If the document is removed in S707, the display for assisting the screen transition to the function accompanied by the document reading operation is erased. The interrupt display control process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a screen display control flow when the document is removed at the time of display for assisting the screen transition to the function accompanied by the document reading operation.
When the display for assisting the screen transition to the function accompanied by the document reading operation is performed (S 707), for example, the screen is shifted to the screen of FIG. 5B by setting the document from the print screen of FIG. When the document has been removed, it is detected that the document has been removed (S801). At this time, since there is a low possibility that the display assisting the screen transition to the function accompanied by the document reading operation will be assisted by the user, it is deleted (S802). If it is the print screen, the process returns from FIG. 5 (b) to FIG. 5 (a). If it is a home screen, it will return to Drawing 4 (a) from Drawing 4 (b).

  As described above, according to the present invention, the operation screen can be changed flexibly according to the screen display and the presence or absence of the document, and the convenience of the user is improved. Specifically, when the operation screen after authentication changes according to the presence or absence of a print job, a button for transitioning to the function of performing image reading to the user according to the presence or absence of a read original is displayed on the front Can support the operation. Also, by presenting a button for returning to the original screen even after screen transition, it is possible to easily return to the original state.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention supplies a program that implements one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program. Can also be realized. It can also be implemented by a circuit (eg, an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

100 image processing device
105 display unit
111 reader
113 recording unit

Claims (10)

A display unit,
A detection unit that detects a document of a reading unit that reads the document;
A display control means for displaying on the display unit a first function screen capable of executing one of functions accompanied by a document reading operation, and a second function screen not capable of executing a function accompanied by a document reading operation; Have
The display control means
While the second function screen is displayed on the display unit, when the detection unit detects that the document is set in the reading unit, a button capable of transiting to the first function screen is displayed. To control,
An image forming apparatus characterized by The display control means
When transitioning from the second function screen to the first function screen,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a button capable of transitioning to the second function screen is displayed on the first function screen. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second function screen is a print screen or a home screen capable of executing a print function. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second function screen is a print screen capable of executing a print function. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first function screen is a screen on which any one of copying, scanning, and faxing can be performed. Has an authentication means to authenticate the user,
The display control means
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a print screen is displayed when the print job of the user authenticated by the authentication unit is present in the image forming apparatus. The display control means
In the state in which the button capable of transitioning to the first function screen is displayed, the detection means returns the display to the second function screen when detecting that the document has been removed. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 6. The display control means
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a button capable of transitioning to the first function screen is displayed on the front of the second function screen. A display control method of an image forming apparatus having a display unit, comprising:
A first function screen capable of executing one of functions accompanied by a document reading operation and a detection step of detecting a document in a reading unit reading a document, and a second function screen not capable of executing a function accompanied by a document reading operation And a display control step of displaying on the display unit,
In the display control process,
When the second function screen is displayed on the display unit, when it is detected in the detection step that the document is set in the reading unit, a button capable of transitioning to the first function screen is used. Control to display,
An image forming apparatus characterized by  The program for functioning a computer as each means described in any one of Claims 1-8.

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