JP2021154740A - Image forming apparatus, control method for image processing device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To simultaneously display setting data registered automatically accompanied by execution of each application and setting data set on each application by a user, for allowing the user to select the setting data while confirming content of the setting data.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus comprising a plurality of applications associated with specific functions is characterized in configuration to display, on display means, a calling-setting screen comprising a first button group for calling first setting data registered automatically in memorizing means in association with any application and a second button group for calling second setting data registered in the memorizing means in association with any application according to an instruction for registration by a user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

The present invention relates to a printer, a printer control method, and a program.

Some image processing devices that execute a plurality of applications and perform various data processing have a function of saving setting data corresponding to the application executed by the user. The following Patent Document 1 describes a user interface for automatically setting a default value for each application and an application customization process.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-292864

The majority of users who use image processing devices have few patterns to set for the application to be executed. Especially when considering each application, it is necessary to reset the setting every time even though the setting pattern is further reduced.
In order to avoid this setting every time, a function that can register the setting (default setting value change / custom menu / mode memory, etc.) has been proposed, but the user does not bother to register the setting.

On the other hand, it has been proposed to eliminate the trouble of registering the settings for the application by the user and predict the intention of the user as in Patent Document 1, but the user may not know what settings are made in the image processing device. ..

In addition, the function (call, etc.) that the image processing device registers the settings without permission seems to be able to solve the above problem, but when the past settings are automatically recorded, the registration location changes dynamically or the registration itself. May be lost, and the operability and convenience of the image processing device are impaired.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is a first object for calling a first function and a second object for calling a second function. , A third object for calling the first type of setting data registered in the storage unit according to the execution of the first type of job, and a first object registered in the storage unit according to the execution of the second type of job. It is to provide a mechanism that can display a fourth object for calling the setting data of the type of on the same screen.

The printer of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configurations.
A printer having a plurality of functions including a scan function and a printer function, and displaying a first soft key for allowing a user to select one function from the plurality of functions on a display unit. The soft key of is pressed, a job is executed by using the one function, and a storage means for storing the set contents of the executed job and a second storage means for storing the set contents stored by the storage means are read. It is characterized in that it has a display control means for displaying the softkeys of the above, and an upper limit value is provided for the number of the second softkeys that can be displayed on the display unit by the display control means.

According to the present invention, the first object for calling the first function, the second object for calling the second function, and the first object registered in the storage unit according to the execution of the first type of job. The third object for calling the setting data of the first type and the fourth object for calling the setting data of the first type registered in the storage unit according to the execution of the job of the second type are displayed on the same screen. Can be displayed.

It is a block diagram explaining the structure of an image processing apparatus. It is a top view which shows the operation part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the UI screen displayed on the display part. It is a figure which shows the management table of registration data. It is a figure which shows an example of the user interface displayed on the display part. It is a figure explaining the structure of an application. It is a figure which shows the management data of the button which is displayed on the display part. It is a flowchart explaining the control method of an image processing apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining the control method of an image processing apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining the control method of an image processing apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining the control method of an image processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the table which manages the registered setting data. It is a figure which shows an example of the UI screen displayed on the display part.

Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<Explanation of system configuration>
[First Embodiment]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing device showing the present embodiment. In this example, a plurality of applications are provided as an image processing device that executes image processing by executing a plurality of applications associated with a specific function. The image processing device of the present embodiment is, for example, a compound image processing device (MFP) capable of executing a copy application, a FAX application, and an Email application. That is, the specific functions that the application can execute include a print function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and an email function.

In FIG. 1, the control unit 1 controls the operation of each unit of the MFP 100. The control unit 1 includes a CPU 10, a LAN 11, a communication unit 12, a RAM 13, an HDD 14, and a ROM 15. The CPU 10 controls the entire control unit 1. The LAN 11 represents a network for exchanging data with an external device, and is connected to the Internet via the LAN 11.
The communication unit 12 transmits / receives data through the LAN 11. The RAM 13 provides a system work memory for the CPU 10 to operate. Reference numeral 14 denotes a hard disk drive (HDD), which may be a storage medium such as a magnetic disk, optical media, or flash memory.
The HDD 14 is configured to be able to store document data, setting data associated with each application, and the like in a table format described later. Further, the HDD 14 does not have to exist in the MFP 100. An external server, PC, or the like may be used as a storage device via the communication unit 12. The ROM 15 is a boot ROM and stores the boot program of the system. The CPU 10 expands the program installed in the HDD 14 into the RAM 13 by the boot ROM of the ROM 15, and performs various controls based on the program. Further, the HDD 14 secures a specific area for managing the button group (button group automatically registered) displayed in the specific area of the recall portal screen 300, which will be described later, and the specific area is first-in / first-out. It is used as a region (FIFO region).
The timer 16 performs time-lapse processing according to the instruction of the CPU 10, and when the instructed time elapses, notifies the CPU 10 by an interrupt or the like.

The operation unit 20 is controlled by the control unit 1 and includes a display unit 21 and an input unit 22. Here, the display unit 21 is a display for displaying the information of the multifunction device to the user. The input unit 22 receives input from the user through an interface such as a touch panel, a mouse, a camera, a voice input, or a keyboard.
In addition, the display unit 21 displays a user interface (UI) screen, which will be described later, and accepts settings from the user.

The image processing unit 30 is controlled by the control unit 1 and includes an image analysis unit 31, an image generation unit 32, and an image output unit. The image analysis unit 31 analyzes the structure of the original image and extracts necessary information from the analysis result. By reading the document (for example, scanning), the image generation unit 32 digitizes the image of the document, generates image data, and stores the image data in the HDD 14.
Further, the image generation unit 32 can also generate manuscript image data in another format by using the information analyzed by the image analysis unit 31. The image output unit 33 outputs image data stored in the HDD 14 or the like. As this output method, for example, image data of a manuscript is printed on paper, transmitted to an external device, a server, a facsimile machine, etc. connected to a network via a communication unit 12, or a storage connected to an MFP 100. For example, storing on a medium.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the operation unit 20 shown in FIG.
In FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the display unit 21 is composed of a liquid crystal display unit, and a touch panel sheet is attached on the liquid crystal panel to display an operation screen and soft keys, and the displayed keys are users. When pressed by the operation of, the position information is transmitted to the CPU 10. Therefore, the display unit 21 in this case also functions as the input unit 22.

Next, various keys and buttons operated by the user will be described.
The start key 201 is used when instructing the start of the document reading operation. At the center of the start key 201, there are two color LEDs 202, green and red, and the colors indicate whether or not the start key 201 is ready for use. The stop key 203 functions to stop the operation during operation. The numeric keypad 204 is composed of buttons of numbers and characters, and instructs the setting of the number of copies and the screen switching of the display unit 21. The user mode key 205 is pressed when setting the device.
Next, the recall portal screen according to this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit 21 shown in FIG. This example is an example of the recall portal screen. Further, in this UI screen, the display is controlled so that the button group described later is arranged in each area divided into each area.
In FIG. 3, the recall portal screen 300 includes a fixed setting area 301 registered by a clear instruction from the user and a recall setting area 302 registered by a recall function described later when a job is executed.
Further, in the present embodiment, by controlling the fixed setting to be displayed in the fixed setting area 301 and the recall setting to be displayed in the recall setting display area 302, each area can be easily identified by the user. ing. The buttons 303 to 307 are pressed when the user calls the setting data fixed in advance on the setting screen according to the user registration instruction shown in FIG. 7, which will be described later. Buttons 308 to 310 correspond to the setting data automatically set by the call portal 401 in the present embodiment. In particular, the button 308 is the setting data associated with the Email application 403, and is pressed when a specific e-mail address "yoshida @ ca ..." is to be automatically set as the destination. The button 309 is pressed when the setting data associated with the copy application 402, for example, the number of copies is "15" and it is desired to select double-sided, staple, or the like.
The button 310 is pressed when it is desired to select setting data associated with the copy application 402, for example, 2in1 in black and white. The processing (registration, deletion) for the automatically registered setting data will be described later. Further, in the present embodiment, the user who operates the UI screen is configured to be able to perform the button operation with good visibility by making the displayed area different and the shape of the displayed button different from each other. ..

When the recall portal screen 300 is activated, it first reads the fixed registration data management table 1201 shown in FIG. 4A for displaying the fixed setting area 301. Subsequently, the recall portal screen 300) calls from entry 1202 to entry 1210 in order. Each time it is called, the CPU 10 refers to the application ID, and if it is "0", controls not to display the corresponding button on the display unit 21. If the application ID is other than "0", the CPU 10 controls to display the display TXT on the corresponding button.
Next, the CPU 10 searches the application icon table 1211 shown in FIG. 4B for an entry having the same application ID, and controls the display of the icon displayed on the display unit 21 at a predetermined position. ..
On the recall portal screen 300, the CPU 10 processes all the fixed registration data management tables 1201 shown in FIG. 4A. Next, the CPU 10 reads the recall data management table 1101 shown in FIG. 5A in order to display the recall setting display area 302.
The recall portal screen 300 is sequentially read from entry 1102. Each time it is called, the application ID is referred to, and if it is "0", the corresponding button is not displayed. Further, if the application ID is other than "0", the CPU 10 controls to display the display TXT on the corresponding button.
Next, the CPU 10 controls to search for an entry having the same application ID stored in the application icon table 1211 shown in FIG. 4B and display it at a predetermined position of the icon.
As a result, the CPU 10 displays the UI screen shown in FIG. 3 on the display unit 21 by using the recall data management table 1101 shown in FIG. 5 (A) and the fixed registration data management table shown in FIG. 4 (A). can do.

Hereinafter, for the sake of brevity of the description, when the entire fixed setting is referred to, the fixed setting area 301 is used and expressed as the fixed setting 301S. Similarly, when referring to the entire recall setting, the recall setting display area 302 is used and expressed as the recall setting 302S.
In the present embodiment, the button shape of the fixed setting 301S and the button shape of the recall setting 302S are different from each other so that the user can visually identify each area by the button shape.

The button of the fixed setting 301S displays the icon of the application started by pressing the button, and the name input by the user on the button specified by the user on the user setting registration screen described later. Also, unregistered buttons are not displayed.

On the other hand, the CPU 10 displays the icon of the application started by pressing the button of the recall setting 302S and the wording expressing the summary of the setting generated by the display TXT generation (S606) described later. Take control. The button of the recall setting 302S is generated / deleted by the recall data registration process described later executed by the CPU 10.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an application in an image processing device showing the present embodiment. Note that this example corresponds to the application registration sequence. Each application is executed by the CPU 10 to perform the corresponding data processing.
In FIG. 6, the recall portal 401 is a kind of application, and operates in conjunction with other applications such as a copy application 402, an Email application 403, and a Fax application 404.

Each application can be identified by the application ID, and holds the data shown in the recall data registration configuration diagram and the setting data management table, which will be described later.
When the button displayed on the operation unit 20 is pressed, the recall portal 401 calls the recall data corresponding to the button and transmits the action ID to the application ID (406). The application specified by the application ID reads the setting data corresponding to the received action ID and sets it. Of course, this application may be any application as long as the above data can be exchanged.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a user interface displayed on the display unit 21 shown in FIG. This example is an example of the user setting registration screen.
In FIG. 7, the fixed setting registration screen 501 has a fixed setting area 301 having the same configuration as the recall portal screen 300. The difference from the recall portal screen 300 is that the unregistered buttons 502, 503, 504, and 505 are also displayed, and that any button in the fixed setting area 301 is only selected by pressing.
The registration is canceled by pressing the Cancel button 506, and the next fixed setting registration screen 508 is displayed by pressing the Next button 507.
On the fixed setting registration screen 508 shown in FIG. 7B, the wording to be displayed on the button is input.
The fixed setting registration screen 508 includes an area 509 for confirming input contents and a keyboard (soft keyboard) 510 for inputting. Then, by pressing the Back button 511, the fixed setting registration screen 501 shown in FIG. 7A is displayed, and the registration work is completed by pressing the OK button 512.
In the following, using the case where the following new job is executed by the copy application 402 shown in FIG. 6 from the state where the UI screen shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display unit 21, FIGS. 6 to 12 are used. Will be explained in detail.
[Example of new job]
Job setting = {3 copies, color copy, single-sided printing, 4in1}
The image output unit 33 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with an engine for printing a color image on one side or both sides of a sheet. Further, the image output unit 33 has a Nin1 function of allocating and printing a plurality of pages to one page by the image generation unit 32. Here, N is 2, 4, 6, 9 and the like.

In the present embodiment, the copy application 402 will be described as an example, but of course, any application may be used as long as the email application 403, the fax application (404), and FIG. 4 can be exchanged.

8 to 11 are flowcharts illustrating a data processing method of the image processing apparatus showing the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is an example of the job completion process of the application, and FIGS. 9 to 11 correspond to the detailed procedures of S603, S605, and S607 of FIG.
More specifically, FIG. 9 corresponds to the registered ID list acquisition process by the recall portal 401. Further, FIG. 10 corresponds to the setting data storage process of the application. Further, FIG. 11 corresponds to the recall data registration process of the recall portal 401. Each step shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 is realized by the CPU 10 loading and executing the control program stored in the HDD 14 or the like.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the setting data management table of the application managed by the HDD 14 shown in FIG.

In the copy application 402, the recall portal starts the job completion process when the job execution is completed (S601). When the recall portal 401 starts the job completion process, the recall portal 401 first acquires the application ID (S602). Here, the recall portal 401 starts the process corresponding to S701 in FIG. 9 to acquire the application ID of the copy application 402.
Specifically, the copy application 402 sends the application ID to the registered ID list acquisition routine of the recall portal 401 (S703) (407 in FIG. 4). As a result, the copy application 402 acquires the action ID already registered by itself (S603).
Specifically, when the process is started in S701 shown in FIG. 9, the recall portal 401 reads the setting for the copy application 402 already registered by the recall portal 401 (S702). Then, the already registered ID list (details will be described later) is sent to the requesting copy application 402 (S703), and this process is terminated (S704). As a result, the requesting copy application 402 acquires the already registered ID list (S603).
Next, the recall portal 401 reads out the setting data corresponding to the action ID acquired from the copy application 402, and determines whether or not it is the same as the currently executed setting data by searching the setting data registered in the HDD 14 (S604). ). Here, if the recall portal 401 determines that the setting data is the same as the currently executed setting data, the job completion process is terminated without performing the registration process (S608).
In the present embodiment, when it is determined that the same setting data does not exist, the setting data storage processing routine (FIG. 10) of the copy application 402, which will be described later, is called. Then, the recall portal 401 stores the setting data 1018 shown in FIG. 12 (details are stored in S802 to S805), and obtains action ID = 0005 (S605). Subsequently, the display wording (display TXT) based on the setting data currently executed by the recall portal 401 is generated (S606). This action ID and the generated display TXT are transmitted to the recall data registration process (S901 to 904 shown in FIG. 11) of the recall portal 401 described later (S607), and this process is terminated.

When the recall portal 401 receives the registered ID list acquisition request 407 from the copy application 402 as shown in FIG. 6, the recall portal 401 activates the registered ID list acquisition routines (S701 to S704).
In the acquisition of the registered ID list in S701 of FIG. 9, the action IDs of the data having the application ID of the request source are collected from the recall data management table 1101 shown in FIG. 5 and the fixed registration data management table 1201 shown in FIG. 4 ( S702), the request is returned to the copy application 402 of the request source (S703), and the present process is terminated (S704).
In the present embodiment, the registered ID list is the registered ID list = {0001, 0002, 0003, 0004}.

Next, in the job completion process started in S601, the setting data storage routines (S801 to S806 shown in FIG. 10) are called (S605).
Specifically, when the setting data storage process is started (S801), it is determined whether the recall portal 401 has reached the setting upper limit value, for example, whether or not the setting upper limit has been reached, is there a vacant entry? Judgment is made (S802).
Here, the recall portal 401 determines whether or not the entry is vacant based on whether or not the first item of the entry is "0". If it is determined that there are no empty entries, the process ends without doing anything (S806).
For example, in the case of (A) of FIG. 12, the recall portal 401 determines that the upper limit has not been reached because the entry 1007 is vacant, and generates the number of the entry as the action ID (S803). Then, the recall portal 401 updates the entry (S804), stores the setting data 1018 as shown in (D) of FIG. 12 (S805), and ends this process (S806).

Further, when the job completion processing routine of the copy application 402 makes the call registration request (S607) shown in FIG. 6, the recall portal 401 starts the recall data registration processing routine shown in FIG. 11 (S901).
In the recall data registration process, the recall portal 401 reads the registration data from the recall data management table 1101 shown in FIG. 5 (S902). Specifically, the application ID = 403 and the action ID = 0003 of the oldest registration entry 1102 registered in the recall data management table 1101 shown in FIG. 5 are read out. Then, the recall portal 401 notifies the Email application 403 having the application ID = 403 that the registration of the action ID = 0003 has been deleted (405).
Upon receiving this notification, the Email application 403 deletes the entry 1012 shown in FIG. 12 (B) corresponding to the action ID = 0003 of the setting data management table 1008.
In the recall data registration process shown in FIG. 11, as shown in FIG. 5, entries are sequentially moved from the last deleted entry 1102. Further, the requested application ID = 402, action ID = 0005, and display TXT are registered in the vacant entry 1107 (S903), and this process is terminated (S904).

[Second Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, the application start button is arranged on the recall portal screen instead of the user setting button.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit 21 shown in FIG. This example corresponds to the recall portal screen 1300.
In FIG. 13, a button 1303 for starting the copy application 402, a button 1304 for starting the Email application 403, and a button 1305 for starting the Fax application 404 are arranged in the application button area 1304. The buttons 1306 to 1308 are equivalent to the buttons 308 to 310 shown in FIG.
According to the present embodiment, on the recall portal screen 1300, the user can freely select and instruct whether to use the automatically registered setting data or to execute one of the applications selected by the user. It will be possible.

Each step of the present invention can also be realized by executing software (program) acquired via a network or various storage media on a processing device (CPU, processor) such as a personal computer (computer).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications (including organic combinations of each embodiment) are possible based on the gist of the present invention, and these are excluded from the scope of the present invention. is not it.

300 Recall portal screen 301 Fixed setting area 302 Recall setting display area

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method and a program of an image processing apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for calling past settings and functions without impairing user operability.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configurations.
An image processing device capable of executing a plurality of functions including a first function and a second function, the execution means for executing one of the plurality of functions based on a set value, and the execution. It has a display control means for displaying a first soft key for calling a function executed by the means and a set value on an operation screen, and the second function is also executed when the first function is executed. Even when the function is executed, the display control means displays the corresponding first soft key on the operation screen, and the first soft key is information indicating a setting value called by the first soft key. And an icon indicating the function to be called by the first soft key are displayed.

According to the present invention, past setting contents and functions can be called without impairing the operability of the user.

Claims (1)

A printer having a plurality of functions including a printer function, in which a first soft key for allowing a user to select one function from the plurality of functions is displayed on a display unit.
A storage means for storing the setting contents of the job executed by selecting the first soft key and using the one function, and
It has a display control means for displaying a second soft key for reading the setting contents stored by the storage means.
The display control means
A printer characterized in that the first softkey selected to execute a job can display a plurality of the second softkeys that are different from each other.

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