JP3971764B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

This invention related to the images forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus including an input operation unit.

Conventionally, digital devices having a character input function and an input prediction function have been widely used. For example, in a document creation device such as a word processor, a user performs a character input operation to create a desired document. Such an apparatus generally performs an input prediction process in order to improve the efficiency of the user's character input operation.
The input prediction process is a process for predicting a word or the like whose initial character is based on a character input by the user. For example, the input prediction process is provided in the apparatus and is based on dictionary data in which various words are registered. This is done by searching for a word or the like whose initial character is the input character and displaying the search result. As a result, the user only needs to input an initial letter such as a word to be input, and the word or the like is displayed, so that a complicated character input operation can be omitted. An apparatus having such a function is described in Patent Document 1.
JP 2000-29874 A

  By the way, it is conceivable to perform such input prediction processing in the image forming apparatus. Specifically, the image forming apparatus has various image forming functions. By using this image forming function, for example, various types of image formation such as “enlargement” and “reduction” can be performed. . The user must search and set a desired image forming function in order to perform such image formation, but the operation is complicated. Therefore, in the input operation unit for setting the image forming function, the user can input an initial of the desired image forming function, and then predict the image forming function based on the character and display it. Thus, the user can omit the operation of searching for the image forming function, and the workability can be improved.

  Here, the user may desire an image forming function related to a certain image forming function. However, in the input prediction process as described above, since the image forming function is only displayed based on the input initials, the related image forming function is not displayed. Further, since there are a wide variety of image forming functions in the image forming apparatus, the user may not know the correct name of the desired function. In such a case, since the initial letter to be input is not known, the input prediction process cannot be performed in the image forming apparatus. Here, the image forming apparatus has been described as an example, but such inconvenience may occur not only in the image forming apparatus but also in a processing apparatus such as a personal computer or a mobile phone.

The present invention has been made based on such a background, and its object is displayed accurately image forming function Yoo over The desires is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of setting.

The invention according to claim 1 is an image forming apparatus including an input operation unit for setting an image forming function, and is executable with a character input unit for inputting characters provided in the input operation unit The various types of image forming functions are based on the function registration means in which the image forming functions related to each other are registered in groups and the input of at least one character from the character input unit. A prediction unit that predicts one of the image forming functions registered in the function registration unit, and an image related to the image forming function predicted by the prediction unit. As the forming function, the function registration unit includes an extraction unit that extracts an image forming function registered in the same group as the predicted image forming function, and the input operation unit. The list of names of the image forming function extracted by the name list and the extracting means of the predicted image forming function by means, display means for displaying together on the same screen, in the image forming apparatus characterized by comprising is there.

  According to this configuration, the image forming function is predicted by the predicting unit based on the input of at least one character in the character input unit, and the image forming function related to the predicted image forming function is extracted by the extracting unit. Is done. Then, those image forming functions are displayed by the display means. Thereby, when the user desires an image forming function related to a certain image forming function, the desired image forming function is accurately displayed. For example, even if the user does not know the name of the desired image forming function, if the user enters the initial of the image forming function related to the desired image forming function, the input An image forming function is predicted and displayed based on the initial letter, and a desired image forming function is displayed as an image forming function related to the image forming function. Therefore, the image forming function desired by the user can be accurately displayed.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the input operation unit, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a setting hand stage for selectively setting the display image displayed forming function hand stage which is an image forming equipment.
According to this configuration, since the displayed image forming function can be selectively set, the user can make a desired setting from the image forming function predicted by the predicting unit and the image forming function extracted by the extracting unit. An image forming function can be set. For example, an initial of the image forming function in the input operation unit is input, and after confirming that the image forming function related to the image forming function is displayed, the related image forming function is desired. is there. In such a case, the image forming function can be set by the setting means.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by taking a copying machine as an example.
FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a configuration of a digital copying machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The digital copying machine 1 is provided with a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body 2 and a document feeder 3 provided on the main body 2. Further, in the main body 2, an image reading unit 21 that reads the contents of a document sent by the document feeder 3 as image data, and an image is formed (printed) on a sheet based on the image data read by the image reading unit 21. An image forming unit 22 and a sheet storage unit 23 that stores sheets of various sizes for forming an image are provided. Further, an operation display unit 24 for a user to perform a predetermined operation is provided on the upper front surface of the main body 2.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the operation display unit 24 in detail.
A liquid crystal display unit 241 is provided at the center of the operation display unit 24, a key input unit 242 is provided on the right side of the liquid crystal display unit 241, and an LED display unit is provided behind the liquid crystal display unit 241. 243 is provided. A setting unit 244 is provided on the left side of the liquid crystal display unit 241.

The key input unit 242 includes a numeric key 242a, a start key 242b, and the like. The setting unit 244 includes various setting keys, and includes an input prediction setting key 244a.
The user can perform a predetermined operation on the liquid crystal display unit 241, the key input unit 242, and the setting unit 244, and a signal corresponding to the operation is given to the control unit 20 described later. In addition, by controlling the display mode of the liquid crystal display unit 241 and the light emission mode of the LED display unit 243 based on the signal from the control unit 20, the driving status, the setting status, and the like are displayed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital copying machine 1.
The digital copying machine 1 includes the above-described image reading unit 21, image forming unit 22, and operation display unit 24, and further includes a control unit 20 that controls these and an HDD 40 that stores image data. Yes.
The image reading unit 21 has a well-known configuration, and includes a scanner 211 that emits light toward the original. The image data of the original is reflected from the light emitted from the scanner 211 toward the original as a CCD image. It is obtained by detecting with the sensor 212 and converting it into an electrical signal.

The control unit 20 includes, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, and an image processing unit 304 for performing predetermined processing on image data.
The control unit 20 includes an image reading unit 21, an image forming unit 22, an operation display unit 24, and an HDD 40, each of which receives signals and data from the control unit 20 via an I / F (interface) 305. Output is possible.

  Then, the document set on the document feeder 3 is sent to the image reading unit 21, and the image reading unit 21 reads the image data of the document. The image data is sent from the CCD image sensor 212 to the image processing unit 304 of the control unit 20. The image data that has been subjected to the predetermined processing in the image processing unit 304 is sent to the HDD 40 and stored in the HDD 40.

When an image is formed (printed) on a sheet, the image data stored in the HDD 40 is read out and sent to the image processing unit 304, subjected to signal processing for printing, and performed in the image forming unit 22. It is sent to an LSU (laser operation unit) 221.
Here, as will be described later, the digital copying machine 1 has various image forming functions. By operating the operation display unit 24 and selecting and setting a desired image forming function, image processing is performed. Part 304 performs predetermined processing on the image data. Specifically, the ROM 302 stores programs for various image forming functions. When the image forming function is set in the operation display unit 24, the CPU 301 reads out the programs from the ROM 302, thereby converting the image data into image data. Predetermined processing is performed.

  The image forming unit 22 has a well-known configuration, and forms an image on a sheet by a so-called electrophotographic method. By applying light based on the image data, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum. Then, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image, the toner image is transferred to the paper sent from the paper storage unit 23, and the transferred toner image is fixed, thereby forming an image on the paper. The digital copying machine 1 is, for example, a composite copying machine, and can transmit image data processed by the image processing unit 304 to an external device (not shown).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a list of names of image forming functions stored in the ROM 302.
As shown in FIG. 4, there are a wide variety of image forming functions stored as programs in the ROM 302. Specifically, the ROM 302 stores 217 types of image forming functions (in FIG. 4, 217 types of image forming functions are stored). Some of the image forming functions are omitted). Although not shown in FIG. 4, the image forming functions stored in the ROM 302 are stored in association with related image forming functions. For example, the image forming functions related to each other are grouped. Yes. As will be described later, when a certain image forming function is selected, an image forming function belonging to the same group as that image forming function can be extracted.

As described above, in the digital copying machine 1, since there are many types of image forming functions that can be used, when the user sets a desired image forming function, one of the image forming functions is displayed from a table that lists the image forming functions. The operation of searching for an image forming function is complicated. Therefore, this embodiment is devised as follows.
5 and 6 are diagrams showing specific display modes of the liquid crystal display unit 241. FIG. A specific operation procedure for setting the image forming function in the digital copying machine 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The user sets a document on the document feeder 3 and then operates the operation display unit 24 to set a desired image forming function and form an image on a sheet. At this time, the user can quickly search and set a desired image forming function with a simple operation.
Specifically, when the user presses the input prediction setting key 244a of the setting unit 244, the liquid crystal display unit 241 has a character input key 245, an alphabet / number switching key 246, and a delete key 247 as shown in FIG. Is displayed.

The character input key 245 is composed of a plurality of characters, and by pressing these, the characters can be input. The character input key 245 is initially composed of a plurality of hiragana characters.
The alphabet / number switching key 246 is a key for switching characters displayed as the character input key 245 from hiragana characters to alphabets and numbers. When the alphabet / number switching key 246 is pressed, the character input key 245 Alphabets and numbers are displayed. When alphabets and numbers are displayed as the character input key 245, a hiragana switching key (not shown) is also displayed. When the hiragana switching key is pressed, the hiragana character is again displayed as the character input key 245. Is displayed.

The delete key 247 is a key for deleting an input character. For example, when the user inputs an incorrect character, the character can be corrected by pressing the delete key 247 and thereafter New correct characters can be entered.
Then, when the initial character of the desired image forming function is input by the user using the character input key 245, a new input character field 248, candidate list 249, A related function list 250, a selection key 251 and a setting key 252 are displayed.

The input character column 248 is a column for displaying characters input by the user.
The candidate list 249 is a column for displaying a list of names of image forming functions predicted to be an image forming function desired by the user.
The related function list 250 is a column for displaying a list of names of image forming functions related to the image forming functions displayed in the candidate list 249.

The selection key 251 can select up, down, left, and right. When the selection key 251 is operated, a cursor 253 described later moves up, down, left, and right.
The setting key 252 is a key for setting a desired image forming function from among the image forming functions displayed in the candidate list 249 and the related function list 250.
For example, when the user presses and inputs “shi” of the character input key 245 while the screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241, as shown in FIG. “Shi” is displayed. In the candidate list 249, the name of the image forming function whose initial character is “shi” is searched from the names of the image forming functions stored in the ROM 302, that is, the name of the image forming function shown in FIG. The name of the corresponding image forming function is displayed in a list. Initially, the cursor 253 is set to one of the image forming functions displayed in a list. In this embodiment, the cursor 253 is set to “aggregate”.

In the related function list 250, the names of the image forming functions related to the image forming function on which the cursor 253 is positioned in the candidate list 249 are searched from the names of the image forming functions stored in the ROM 302, as described above. Then, the names of the corresponding image forming functions are displayed in a list.
When the user operates the selection key 251, the cursor 253 is adjusted in various ways to the image forming functions displayed in the candidate list 249 and the related function list 250. When the setting key 252 is pressed, the image forming function with the cursor 253 is set. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the cursor 253 is placed on “aggregate” displayed in the candidate list 249 and the setting key 252 is pressed, a screen for detailed setting of aggregated copy is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241. (Not shown). Similarly, for example, when the cursor 253 is placed on “staple” displayed in the related function list 250 and the setting key 252 is pressed, a detailed setting screen for stapling processing is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241 (FIG. Not shown).

Thereafter, when the image forming function is set and the start key 242b of the operation display unit 24 is pressed, an image based on the set content is formed on the sheet.
In the above description, it is also possible to input the second and subsequent characters after the character input key 245 is pressed and input. In this case, an image forming function using a plurality of inputted characters as initials is displayed in the candidate list 249. For example, if “shi” is entered as the first character and “shu” is entered as the second character, the candidate list 249 displays a list of image forming functions having “shu” as an initial character. Thereby, the image forming function desired by the user is displayed more accurately.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the image forming function is predicted based on the press of the character input key 245, and further, the image forming function related to the image forming function is extracted. These image forming functions are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241. Thereby, when the user desires an image forming function related to a certain image forming function, the desired image forming function is accurately displayed. For example, even when the user does not know the name of the desired image forming function, if the user presses and inputs the initial letter of the image forming function related to the desired image forming function, An image forming function is predicted based on the input initials and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241, and a desired image forming function is displayed as an image forming function related to the image forming function. Therefore, the image forming function desired by the user can be accurately displayed.

  In addition, since the image forming function displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241 can be selectively set using the selection key 251 and the setting key 252, the user can use the image forming function displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 241. The desired image forming function can be set. For example, an initial letter of an image forming function may be input, and after confirming that an image forming function related to the image forming function is displayed, the related image forming function may be desired. In such a case, the image forming function can be set with the selection key 251 and the setting key 252.

This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

1 is a front view schematically showing a configuration of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of an operation display part in detail. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a digital copying machine. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a list of names of image forming functions stored in a ROM. It is a figure which shows the specific display mode of the liquid crystal display part before a character input key is operated. It is a figure which shows the specific display mode of the liquid crystal display part after the character input key was operated.

Explanation of symbols

1 Digital Copier 24 Operation Display Unit 241 Liquid Crystal Display Unit 251 Selection Key 252 Setting Key 301 CPU
302 ROM

Claims (2)

An image forming apparatus including an input operation unit for setting an image forming function,
A character input unit for inputting characters provided in the input operation unit;
A function registration unit in which various types of image forming functions that can be executed are registered in groups of mutually related image forming functions;
Based on the input of at least one character from the character input unit, it is predicted which of the image forming functions registered in the function registration unit is the image forming function that uses the input character as an initial character. Prediction means to
As an image forming function related to the image forming function predicted by the prediction means, an extraction means for extracting an image forming function registered in the same group as the predicted image forming function in the function registration means;
A display unit provided in the input operation unit and displaying the image formation function name list predicted by the prediction unit and the image formation function name list extracted by the extraction unit together on the same screen; An image forming apparatus including the image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input operation unit includes a setting unit for selectively setting an image forming function displayed on the display unit.

Images