JP4872556B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that switches display contents of an operation display panel corresponding to a selected display mode.

  Many image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers employ an operation display panel having both an input function and a display function, and an operation display means called a so-called touch panel.

  Such a touch panel is embedded in a corner of the upper surface of the image forming apparatus or is fixed in a standing state with an appropriate angle at the end of the upper surface.

  The user or a maintenance service person touches a predetermined button display in the image displayed on the touch panel or a predetermined button provided outside the touch panel, thereby allowing the user to perform a number of display modes provided in the image forming apparatus. A desired display mode is selected from among them, and a display image in the desired mode is displayed.

  For example, the user performs various settings necessary for his / her image forming work while looking at the display image in the operation display mode for performing a normal image forming work. The mode is switched to a maintenance mode indicating the state of each part of the apparatus, and a response is made with reference to the displayed content.

  The selection of the display mode described above is assumed to be performed by the user or service personnel, but the operation may be troublesome for the user.

  For example, when the image forming apparatus maintains a standby state without being used for a certain period of time, it often enters a power saving mode called a low power mode or a sleep mode as one means of energy saving.

  When the user uses the image forming apparatus in the sleep mode, it is necessary to switch to an operation mode for performing a normal image forming operation by performing some input operation.

  In order to reduce the troublesomeness of the mode switching, there is a proposal that a sensor for detecting the approach of the user is provided in the image forming apparatus, and the mode is automatically switched when the approach of the user is detected (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

  However, image forming apparatuses that have been widely used in offices have come to be widely used in the printing field as their functions and speed increase.

  In particular, it is an indispensable device in a POD (Publish On Demand) system that performs a part of processing from manuscript input to bookbinding corresponding to a small amount of publications.

  Under such circumstances, there has been an increase in usage patterns that are significantly different from the usage patterns in offices where a large number of people use one image forming apparatus as in the prior art.

  That is, this is a usage mode in which a system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of information processing devices such as personal computers are connected via a network is constructed, and this system is utilized by as few people as possible.

  In this new usage pattern, it is common for the user to monitor the operating status of the image forming apparatus from a position away from the user. It is often difficult to monitor the operating status of the forming device.

In particular, when one worker monitors the operation statuses of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, this difficulty is increased.
JP-A-11-202690

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus including an operation display unit that can monitor an operating state of the image forming apparatus from a position away from a user.

The above-mentioned subject is achieved by realizing the invention described below.
1. An image forming apparatus having an operation unit with an operation display panel,
Has multiple display modes including monitoring mode,
An image forming apparatus comprising control means for switching display contents of the operation display panel according to a selected display mode.
2. Providing proximity detection means for detecting that the user is close to the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit switches a display mode of the operation display panel based on detection information of the proximity detection unit.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit is rotatably held.
4). Comprising direction detecting means for detecting the direction in which the user is located;
The control means includes
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the direction of the operation unit is controlled based on direction information from the direction detection unit.
5. The control means includes
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein display items to be displayed in a monitoring mode are set based on instruction information input by the user from the operation unit.

  According to the present invention, an image forming apparatus having an operation display unit that allows a user to easily monitor the operation status of the image forming apparatus from a position away from the image forming apparatus is realized.

  As a result, it is possible to monitor the operation status of a plurality of image forming apparatuses alone.

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

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus G, a large capacity sheet feeding apparatus S, a post-processing apparatus F1, and a post-processing apparatus F2.

  The image forming apparatus G is an electrophotographic high-speed image forming apparatus, and includes an automatic document feeder A and an operation unit P in the upper part.

  The large-capacity sheet feeding device S is a device that can load a large amount of sheets and supplies these sheets to the image forming apparatus G.

  The post-processing F1 is a device that performs punching, center folding, and binding processing on the sheet sent from the image forming apparatus G.

  The post-processing device F2 is a device that performs a bookbinding process on the paper processed by the post-processing device F1 or the paper sent via the post-processing device F1.

  Except for the operation unit P of the image forming apparatus G, any of the above apparatuses is a commonly used apparatus made of a known technique.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control relationship of the image forming system.

  The control unit C1 of the image forming apparatus G is a computer system including a CPU, a memory M, an input / output I / O, a communication interface, a drive circuit, and the like. Control of each unit to be controlled is stored in the memory M. It is done by running the program that is running.

  The large-capacity paper feeding device S, the post-processing device F1, and the post-processing device F2 have the same control means C2 to C4 although they are small in scale, and exchange information with the control means C through communication means. Yes.

  Further, the control means C1 of the image forming apparatus G can also exchange information with information processing equipment such as a personal computer or other image forming apparatuses via the communication means.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a plurality of sets of the image forming system in FIG. 1 are arranged.

  In this example, three sets of image forming systems are arranged, but the number of sets varies depending on the use situation of the user.

  As can be easily imagined from the figure, the user who monitors the operation status of these systems always outputs output displayed on the operation display panels PN1 to PN3 of the plurality of operation units P1 to P3 from a position away from each system. It is necessary to visually check the image.

  In conventional image forming apparatuses, the operation display panel PN, which is the main part of the operation unit P, is often attached so as to be flush with the upper surface of the image forming apparatus. Moreover, even if it is attached to the upper surface as in this example, the display surface is small, and the image displayed therein is also small.

  Accordingly, a user standing away from each image forming apparatus monitors the operation status of the image forming system in which a plurality of sets are arranged in this manner by viewing the display image on the operation display panel PN of the image forming apparatus G. It is difficult.

  Further, even in a case of a set of image forming systems, a similar problem occurs when this is monitored from a remote position.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the operation unit P having the operation display panel PN according to the present invention.

  The operation unit P is supported by a rotatable support member 11 and has an operation display panel PN composed of a known technical means called a touch panel in which a sheet having a transparent electrode is attached to a liquid crystal display surface. ing.

  A push button, a display lamp, and the like are provided in a region indicated by a dotted line below the operation display panel PN.

  The figure on the operation display panel PN conceptually shows an example of a display image when the operation mode is selected as the display mode. The user stands on the front surface of the image forming apparatus G and starts the image forming operation. It shows the general image layout required to set the previous conditions.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the operation display panel PN in the monitoring mode.

  When the monitoring mode is selected, the number of display items displayed on the operation display panel PN is smaller than the number of display items in the operation mode illustrated in FIG.

  Therefore, the image showing each item can be made larger than the image in the operation mode, so that the visibility from a further distance is improved.

  Since the increase in the number of display items and the improvement in visibility are contradictory requirements, the display contents or display items displayed by the user in the monitoring mode from the operation unit P so as to be suitable for the user's monitoring work. Instruction information for indicating the number is input in advance.

  The input instruction information is set in the display item setting table of the memory M of the control means C, and is referred to when the monitoring mode is selected as the display mode, and the set display item is displayed.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the operation unit rotating means 10 that rotates the operation unit P.

  A support member 11 is attached to the lower part of the operation unit P, and the support member 11 is rotatably supported by bearings 12 and 13 fixed to the main body of the image forming apparatus G.

  A belt wheel 14 is attached to the support member 11 and is rotated through a belt 17 by a belt wheel 16 attached to a drive shaft 15.

  The drive shaft 15 is connected to a stepping motor MT via a clutch CL, and is rotated by the stepping motor MT when the clutch CL is in an on state.

  That is, the operation portion P can be manually rotated when the clutch CL is off, so that the support member 11 can freely rotate, and the operation display surface PN can be manually directed in a predetermined direction.

  On the other hand, when on, the operation display surface PN of the operation unit P can be directed in a predetermined direction by controlling the rotation of the stepping motor.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for changing the display content of the operation display panel PN by selecting a display mode.

  First, the instruction information input from the operation unit P by the user who instructs whether or not to automatically select the display mode is confirmed (step S1).

  If a manual instruction is given (step S1: N), an image corresponding to the display mode input by the user from the operation unit P is output to the operation display panel PN (step S2), and the processing routine is started. Get out.

  If an automatic instruction has been given (step S1: Y), detection information indicating whether or not the user is close to the image forming apparatus is acquired from the proximity detection means 20 (step S3).

  When the proximity of the user to the image forming apparatus G is detected (step S3: Y), the operation mode in the display mode is selected, and an image corresponding to the operation mode is output to the operation display panel PN. (Step S4), the processing routine is exited.

  When the proximity of the user to the image forming apparatus G is not detected (step S3: N), the monitoring mode in the display mode is selected, and an image corresponding to the monitoring mode is output to the operation display panel PN. (Step S5).

  At this time, if the setting is made to activate the direction detection means 30 for detecting the direction in which the user is located (step S6: Y), the control means C rotates the operation unit based on the detection information of the direction detection means 30. By controlling the means 10, the surface of the operation display panel PN is directed toward the user (step S8).

  If the setting for operating the direction detection means 30 for detecting the direction in which the user is located has not been made (step S6: N), the process routine is exited.

  The proximity detecting means is a known means such as a detecting means for detecting the approach of the human body due to the reflection of infrared rays or the reflection of ultrasonic waves, or a detecting means for detecting a radio wave transmitted from a micro-power radio wave transmitter owned by the user. It is appropriately selected from the means.

  In addition, the direction detection means is appropriately selected from known means such as person detection by a monitoring camera or detection means for detecting a transmission source direction by receiving a radio wave transmitted from a micro-power radio wave transmitter owned by the user. The

  As described above, according to the present invention, the user can easily monitor the operation status of the image forming apparatus from a position away from the image forming apparatus. It is also possible to monitor the operating status of a plurality of image forming apparatuses alone.

1 is a conceptual diagram of an image forming system. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control relationship of the image forming system. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a plurality of image forming systems are arranged. It is a conceptual diagram of the operation part which has an operation display panel. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the operation display panel in monitoring mode. 3 is a conceptual diagram of an operation unit rotating means 10. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which changes the display content of an operation display panel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Operation part rotation means 11 Support member G Image forming apparatus C1 Control means (image forming apparatus)
P Operation section PN operation display panel

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus having an operation unit with an operation display panel,
Proximity detection means for detecting that the user is close to the image forming apparatus;
A plurality of display modes including the operation mode number and less monitoring mode from the operation mode of the display items displayed on the operation display panel,
Control means for switching the display content of the operation display panel according to the selected display mode,
The control means switches the display mode of the operation display panel based on the detection information of the proximity detection means, and displays an image corresponding to the operation mode when the proximity detection means detects proximity. An image forming apparatus that displays an image corresponding to a monitoring mode when the proximity detecting means does not detect proximity. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit is rotatably held. Comprising direction detecting means for detecting the direction in which the user is located;
The control means includes
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the operation unit is controlled based on direction information from the direction detection unit. The control means includes
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein display items to be displayed in a monitoring mode are set based on instruction information input by the user from the operation unit.

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