JP3123322B2 - Operation control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of various devices having screen display means for operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A screen display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) is used in a multifunctional copying machine having a large number of operation setting items in order to simplify the key arrangement on an operation panel. That is, a plurality of operation screens having different setting target items are prepared, and each operation screen is switched and displayed according to the operation content, so that the number of keys on the operation panel can be reduced.

Normally, setting target items are classified hierarchically, and an operation screen is provided for each category, with items belonging to them as options. Then, in a standby state waiting for an operation, an initial screen (menu screen) corresponding to the highest classification is displayed.

When an operator selects one item on the initial screen and presses, for example, an enter key as a screen switching operation, a lower operation screen in which a small item belonging to the item is selected is displayed. In that state, the operator
When one of the sub-items is selected and the enter key is pressed, if there is a lower-level operation screen for that sub-item, that operation screen is displayed. If there is no lower-level operation screen, the display content is the upper-level operation screen (this If this is the case, the screen returns to the initial screen. When the higher-level operation screen is displayed again, the operator can perform a selection operation on an item different from the previous one. Depending on the selection in these series of operations,
The control unit of the copying machine performs predetermined operation settings.

As described above, in a copier having an operation mode in which a plurality of operation screens having a hierarchical relationship are appropriately switched to specify an operation content, as the setting target items are diversified and the hierarchical structure of the operation screen becomes complicated, the operation procedure becomes more complicated. It becomes complicated. For this reason, especially when the operator is unfamiliar with the operation, it often happens that the operator is confused in the middle of the operation, for example, that no operation is performed for several minutes or more.

Conventional copiers have been configured to return the screen display to the initial screen when a non-operation state occurs for a predetermined time or more, cancel the operation setting, and return to the standby state.

[0007]

If the screen display is automatically returned to the initial screen, even if the operator is unfamiliar with the operation procedure for returning to the initial screen from the lower operation screen, the operation can be restarted from the initial screen. .

However, in the prior art, the operation setting state is initialized at the same time as the automatic return from the operation screen in which the no-operation state has occurred to the initial screen, so that the operation performed by the operator up to that point is completely wasted. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and aims to speed up the operation without wasting operation labor and avoiding a prolonged non-operation state after the start of the operation. The purpose is. In particular, the invention of claim 2 aims at further improving operability.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for displaying a plurality of operation screens hierarchically in order from an uppermost initial screen in response to a screen switching operation. An operation control method for performing an operation setting in accordance with the operation performed, after the display of the operation screen except the initial screen at the top of the hierarchy, when the continuous time of the non-operation state reaches a certain set time, Instead of canceling the operation setting contents at the time point, the higher-level operation screen is displayed in place of the currently-displayed operation screen.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when at least one operation is performed during the display of the operation screen excluding the initial screen at the top of the hierarchy, the continuous time of the no-operation state is thereafter set. When a second set time that is shorter than the set time is reached, the operation setting contents at that time are not canceled and the higher-level operation screen is displayed instead of the currently displayed operation screen.

A method according to a third aspect of the present invention is a method of displaying the initial screen as the upper operation screen.

[0013]

When the operator performs a predetermined input operation while the initial screen is being displayed, a lower operation screen corresponding to the content of the operation is displayed. If you perform an input operation while the operation screen is displayed,
A lower operation screen is displayed. Here, the input operation is a combination of a selection operation for specifying one option or a selection operation and a subsequent screen switching operation. The selection operation may also serve as a screen switching operation.

If a non-operation state in which no operation is performed continues for a predetermined time or more after the display of each operation screen excluding the initial screen, the display content is changed to a previously displayed higher-level operation screen (initial screen or initial screen). It returns to another operation screen). However, the operation setting contents at that time are retained without being canceled.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the structure of a copying machine 1 to which an operation control method according to the present invention is applied. The copying machine 1 is a digital color copying machine capable of performing mono-color and full-color copying, and includes an image reader unit IR and a printer unit PR.

The image reader unit IR scans an original D placed on an original platen glass 31 by a scanner 32, and a three-dimensional (R, G, B) original image by a one-dimensional image sensor 38 composed of a CCD. And read it. In the image processing unit 120, the image sensor 38
Quantizes the photoelectric conversion signal of each color output from the printer, generates print data as an exposure control signal for forming a latent image, and sends the print data to the print head controller 130 of the printer unit PR. The scanner 32 is driven by a pulse motor 35.

The printer unit PR uses four color toners, which are a combination of three subtractive colors (Y, M, C) for synthesizing an arbitrary color and black (K) for improving the reproducibility of black. It comprises an image forming system for forming a copy image, a storage / transport mechanism for automatic paper feeding, and the like.

The image forming system includes a print head 21 using a semiconductor laser as a light source for exposure, a photosensitive drum 4 as a latent image carrier, a developing unit 6, and a transfer for transferring the developed toner image onto paper. It has a drum 10. The photosensitive drum 4 and the transfer drum 10 are connected to the drum drive motor 2.
2 and rotate synchronously.

The developing unit 6 of the copying machine 1 includes a magenta developing device 6M for developing with magenta toner, a cyan developing device 6C for developing with cyan toner, a yellow developing device 6Y for developing with yellow toner, and developing with black toner. 6K black developing unit
And a toner hopper (not shown) for supplying toner of each color (M, C, Y, K) is provided above each developing unit.

The developing device unit 6 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction in order to selectively arrange each developing device at the developing position. The movement of the developing unit 6 is performed by a developing unit motor 61.

The storage / transport mechanism comprises three paper cassettes 42, 43, 4 capable of storing papers of different sizes.
4 and a paper transport system 40 driven by a main motor 41.

Each of the paper cassettes 42 to 44 has a storage capacity of several hundred sheets. Further, the paper transport system 40 selectively selects one of the paper cassettes 42 to 44 and feeds the paper, and if necessary, re-feeds the paper after passing through the fixing device 48 to the transfer position.

For example, in full-color one-sided copying, a sheet drawn from any one of the sheet cassettes 42 to 44 is conveyed by a group of rollers including a pair of timing rollers 45 and wound around the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 10. In this state, the four color toner images are sequentially transferred one by one to the copy position on the sheet with reference to the leading end of the sheet. When the transfer is completed, the sheet is separated from the transfer drum 10 by the separation claw 18 and sent to the fixing device 48 by the transport belt 47. The sheet after fixing is discharged onto a discharge tray 49.

In full-color or mono-color double-sided copying, the sheet after fixing is temporarily stored in the intermediate storage table 50 by the claws 53 and 54, and the surface opposite to the surface having the copied image is the transfer surface (the image forming surface). So that the intermediate storage table 5
The paper is re-fed to the transfer drum 10 from 0. In the case where a plurality of originals are copied on one sheet, the fixed sheet is temporarily stored in the intermediate storage table 50 by switchback conveyance via the claws 53 and 54 and the sheet reversing device 51. The sheet is re-fed so that the surface having the copy image becomes the transfer surface.

In the vicinity of the transfer drum 10, the suction charger 11, the pressing roller 12, the transfer charger 1
4, a separation charger 16, 17 and a reference position sensor 13 for outputting a rotation position reference signal of the transfer drum 10. An actuator plate 13 a for operating the reference position sensor 13 is attached to the surface of the transfer drum 10.

The operation of the copying machine 1 is performed by an operation panel 70 arranged above the image reader unit IR. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel 70 includes a touch screen 74 for interactive operation, a start key 71 for instructing the start of copying, a numeric keypad 72 for inputting numerical values, and operation setting by panel operation. A clear key 73 for initializing is provided. The touch screen 74 includes, for example, a capacitive touch sensor and a liquid crystal display (LCD).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the operation control unit 200 of the copying machine 1. The operation control unit 200 includes a CPU 201 composed of a microprocessor unit, a ROM 202 storing programs and data for display, a RAM 203 serving as a work area for program execution, an input / output interface 204, and a bus 205 interconnecting these. Have been.

An operation input signal from a key input unit 211 including a touch sensor of the touch screen 74 is input to the CPU 201 via the input / output interface 204.
When an operation of designating a copy mode (including copy conditions such as density and paper size) is performed, the CPU 201 notifies the main body control unit 100 of the designated copy mode. In response to this notification, the main body control unit 100 performs setting (operation setting) for defining the operation of the document scanning system and the image forming system. For example,
When the multi-copy mode is designated, settings for repeating the designated number of electrophotographic processes are performed. When the manual density setting mode is designated, for example, the light amount of the exposure lamp 33 and the image processing unit 120 are set in accordance with the designated density. The control parameters related to the content of the density conversion processing are changed.

The CPU 201 is connected to the main body control unit 100.
The control of the display unit 212 is performed according to the state of the main body side notified from. The display unit 212 includes an LCD of the touch screen 74 and a status display L incorporated in the start key 71.
ED 71a (see FIG. 2).

Next, the screen display control by the CPU 201 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a hierarchical structure of an operation screen,
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an operation procedure, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a schematic operation of the CPU 201 for performing operation control.

In the copying machine 1, as an operation screen, an initial screen G0, a magnification specification screen G11, a density specification screen G12, a paper specification screen G13, a create menu screen G14, a document specification screen G121, and the like are provided. The initial screen G0 is the highest screen in the hierarchical structure, and the four screens G11 to G14 are second-layer screens. The document designation screen G121 is a screen lower than the density designation screen G12.

Note that the create menu screen G14 is
This is a screen for designating a mode related to creative copying such as full-color copying and image editing copying, and a lower-level screen thereof includes a color balance designation screen (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 5, the initial screen G0 includes a message M1 indicating a copy enabled state in which the start key 71 is turned on, a number M2 indicating the number of copies, and four options (screens G11 to G14). Buttons Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 corresponding to the respective buttons are provided.

While the initial screen G0 is being displayed, the operator can change the number of copies from the default value "1" to a desired value by operating the ten keys 72. When the operator touches any of the buttons Z1 to Z4, a lower screen is displayed instead of the initial screen G0.
That is, in the initial screen G0, touching the buttons Z1 to Z4 is a screen switching operation. In the example of FIG. 5, the button (density button) Z2 is touched, and the density designation screen G12 is displayed.

The density specification screen G12 includes buttons Z11 and Z12 for manually setting the density, an image Z13 indicating the density setting state, a button Z (auto button) 14 for specifying the automatic density setting, and an OK button Z10. It is composed of Each time the button Z11 is touched, an operation setting for gradually increasing the density of the copy image is performed, and conversely, each time the button Z11 is touched, an operation setting for gradually decreasing the density is performed.

When the operator touches the OK button Z10 on the density designation screen G12, the screen display returns to the initial screen G0. When button Z14 is touched, original designation screen G121 is displayed instead of density designation screen G12.

The original designation screen G121 includes a button Z21 corresponding to a text original mainly composed of a binary image, a button Z22 corresponding to a photo original mainly composed of a halftone image, and a binary image and a halftone image mixed to the same degree. Button Z23 corresponding to the text / photo document. The operator can obtain a copy image with the optimum density simply by touching the predetermined buttons Z21 to Z23 to specify the type of the document. When the operator touches the OK button Z10, the screen display returns to the density designation screen G12.

As described above, in the copying machine 1, the operation screen is switched in response to a predetermined button operation, and the operation is set in accordance with the operation content in each operation screen.
The operator performs a content designation operation on items necessary for obtaining a desired copy image while sequentially shifting the screen from the initial screen G0 to the lower screens, and returns the screen to an appropriate upper screen when the operation is completed. It is only necessary to perform a content designation operation for other items as necessary. If the start key 71 is turned on after the designation operation, copying of the contents designated by the operator is started. In addition, the clear key 73
When is turned on, the previous operation settings are canceled and the screen is returned to the initial screen.

By the way, when the operator is unfamiliar with the operation, for example, during the operation, the correspondence between the options and the copy contents and the operation procedure may not be understood, so that no operation may be performed. obtain.
Therefore, the copying machine 1 is provided with a screen return function for returning the display screen to the initial screen as an aid of the operator when a non-operation state occurs for a predetermined time or more.

In FIG. 6 , when the power is turned on and the program starts, the CPU 201 first initializes the RAM 203 for storing the operation contents, and displays the initial screen G0 (# 11, # 12).

If there is a screen switching operation (that is, touching the buttons Z1 to Z4) during the display of the initial screen G0, the operation screen corresponding to the setting item specified by the operator is displayed and the time T of the screen return timer is set. The first set time T1 is set to start time measurement (# 13 to # 15).

After the display is switched from the initial screen G0 to the lower operation screen, if there is a screen switching operation on the displayed operation screen, the CPU 201 replaces the displayed operation screen with the lower or upper operation screen. It is displayed, and the screen return timer is reset every time the screen is switched, and the clock is restarted (# 16, 14, 15).

If there is a mode designation operation including designation of copy conditions such as density and magnification on the operation screens other than the initial screen G0, a mode setting process for notifying the main body control unit 100 of the mode designated by the operator is executed. And the first set time T as the time T of the screen return timer.
The second set time T2 is set in place of 1, and time measurement from zero is started (# 17 to # 19). Here, the second set time T
2 is shorter than the above-mentioned first set time (T2 <T1).

When the counting of the screen return timer ends, that is, when the non-operation state continues for the first set time T1 or the second set time T2, the CPU 201 keeps the previous operation setting contents (settings). Without requesting the main body to cancel), and replace the displayed operation screen with the initial screen G
0 is displayed (# 20, 21, 12).

As a result, the operator can get out of a deadlock of the operation, can restart the mode specifying operation, or can turn on the start key 71 to start copying of the already specified contents.

According to the above-described embodiment, when no operation is performed on the new operation screen after the screen switching, and the operator is deemed to be confused about the setting contents, a relatively long first setting time is required. When the screen is restored after a lapse of time, at least one mode setting operation is performed, and when it is considered that the screen switching procedure is lost, a non-operation state shorter than the first set time occurs after the last operation. Since the screen is restored, the usability of the copying machine 1 can be further improved.

In the above embodiment, the first and second set times T1 and T2 of the screen return timer are, for example, 30
An appropriate value of about seconds to several minutes can be selected. Further, the values of the set times T1 and T2 may be changed according to the standard required operation time for each of the operation screens G11 to G14 and G121 to further enhance the practicability of the screen return function. It is also possible to provide a screen that does not perform screen return. Furthermore, it may be possible to select in advance whether or not to return to the screen according to the proficiency of the operation or the use of the copying machine 1.

In the above embodiment, the screen display is uniformly changed to the initial screen G0 in response to the end of the counting of the screen return timer.
However, it is also possible to return to an upper screen other than the initial screen G0 in consideration of the relevance of each screen. According to this, even when the number of hierarchies is large, the number of times of screen switching can be minimized at the time of re-operation after returning to the screen, and the speed of operation can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the touch panel type operation panel 70 has been exemplified. However, the form of the operation panel is not limited to this. For example, an operation unit having a plurality of function keys and each function key are provided. A device having a display unit for displaying options in association with each other may be employed.

The present invention can be applied to various devices other than a copying machine.

[0051]

According to the present invention, it is possible to speed up the operation without wasting the labor of the operation and avoiding prolonging the non-operation state after the operation is started.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the operability can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a copying machine to which an operation control method according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an operation panel.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an operation control unit of the copying machine.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a hierarchical structure of an operation screen.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an operation procedure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic operation of a CPU that performs operation control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 G0 Operation screen (initial screen) G11 to 14, G121 Operation screen T1 First set time (Set time) T2 Second set time

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Toru Okaya 2-3-3 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-51170 (JP, A) Kaihei 4-350713 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model 63-88856 (JP, U) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/00 376-380 G06F 3/14-3 / 153 340

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An operation control method for displaying a plurality of operation screens hierarchically in order from an uppermost initial screen in response to a screen switching operation, and performing an operation setting according to an operation corresponding to each of the operation screens. After displaying the operation screen excluding the initial screen at the top of the hierarchy, when the continuous time of the no-operation state reaches a certain set time, without canceling the operation setting contents at that time, the currently displayed operation screen is displayed. An operation control method, characterized by displaying the higher-level operation screen instead of the operation screen. 2. When at least one operation is performed during the display of the operation screen excluding the initial screen at the top of the hierarchy, a second setting in which a continuous time of a non-operation state is shorter than the set time thereafter 2. The operation control method according to claim 1, wherein when the time has elapsed, the higher-level operation screen is displayed in place of the displayed operation screen without canceling the operation setting content at that time. . 3. The operation control method according to claim 1, wherein the initial screen is displayed as the upper operation screen.