JP5049797B2 - Display control apparatus and image display program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a display control apparatus and an image display program, and more particularly, to an improvement in a display control apparatus and an image display program suitable for use in an image forming apparatus such as a multi function peripheral (MFP).

  As an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction machine, it is common to display and use display operation images with languages on the image display unit. Japanese, English and German are assumed for use in multiple countries. There are provided those having a function of storing a plurality of display language sets such as words, French, and Chinese in a storage unit, displaying a selected display language on a display operation image, and controlling display on the image display unit.

  However, in such an image forming apparatus in which the display language can be selected, even if the operator tries to change and set the display language, it is difficult to switch to the language selection screen unless the operator can understand the displayed language. Therefore, a technique for facilitating language selection has been proposed.

  For example, a display device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-305690 (Patent Document 1) is provided.

  This patent document 1 is a display device capable of switching a language used for display, and a touch panel that displays options in a set language on a screen and an option currently set among the options displayed on the touch panel. Regardless of the language being used, the option for transitioning to the language setting screen is displayed in a predetermined common language, and the option for transitioning to the language change screen is a common display for people in many countries. It is what I did.

  Further, an operation display unit of an image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-15623 (Patent Document 2) is also provided.

  This Patent Document 2 provides language selection means on a standby screen for each function such as a scanner function, a copy function, a printer function, a facsimile function, etc., and allows the display language to be selected independently for each function from the standby screen. By rotating multiple display languages on the operation screen and operating on the operation screen of the display language that you can understand, you can configure the display language so that you can change the display language with a simple operation. It is a thing.

  Furthermore, for example, an image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-86611 (Patent Document 3) is also provided.

In this patent document 3, a computer or mobile phone having a Web browser function is connected to an image forming apparatus having a Web (World Wide Web) server function, and the Web page of the image forming apparatus is accessed from these computers or mobile phones. The personal information is registered, and the image forming apparatus has a configuration in which the operation display unit is switched and displayed in a language used according to the registered personal information, and the language used is displayed on the display unit using the Web environment. Can be easily changed.
JP 2000-305690 A JP 2006-15623 A JP 2004-86611 A

  However, in Patent Document 1 described above, it may be difficult to find a language option screen that an operator can understand, or the display area of the touch panel is limited, and it is difficult to secure a display space for transition options. In other cases, it is necessary to investigate in advance what language is the common language, and the setting of the common language tends to be complicated, and there is room for improvement.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, even if a plurality of display languages are rotated on the operation screen, if the meaning of the display language cannot be understood, it may not be understood that the operation screen is rotated for language selection. Even if the screen is switched in various ways, it is difficult to eventually switch to a language selection screen that can be understood by the operator.

  Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, it is necessary to use a communication environment and other Web environments, and the configuration and procedure are complicated to implement. Similarly, it is difficult to easily solve a language selection.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. In an electronic device that can be switched between a plurality of display languages and used by an unspecified number of people, even if the display language is changed, it is easy for an operator to understand. An object of the present invention is to provide a display control device and an image display program that can be easily transferred to a language selection screen.

  In order to solve such a problem, a display control device according to the present invention includes an image display unit that displays an operation image, a language selection input that selects a display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit, and the device An input unit that receives the operation instruction input, a storage unit that stores a plurality of display languages to be displayed on the display operation image as a default display language, and an operation image that displays the display language. A display control unit that performs display control on the image display unit, and the input unit does not receive a language selection input within a predetermined period under a state in which the display language displayed on the image display unit is not the default language. And a display control unit that controls the image display unit to display a language selection screen for changing and selecting the display language at that time when a predetermined operation instruction is input.

The display control device of the present invention has a function in which the display control unit performs display control of the language selection screen when the input unit does not receive an image formation start instruction input of the device as the operation instruction input within a predetermined period. It is the structure which has.

  In the display control apparatus of the present invention, the display control unit may have a function of controlling the image display unit so as to display a display necessity screen of the language selection screen before displaying the language selection screen. is there.

  In the display control apparatus of the present invention, the display control unit may be configured to display control the language selection screen and / or the display necessity screen using the default language.

  In the display control apparatus of the present invention, the default language may be a default language of the apparatus or a standard language of the installation area of the apparatus.

  The display control program according to the present invention displays a selected display language on a display operation image from among a plurality of display languages stored in the storage unit, controls display on the image display unit, and selects the display language. An image display process for displaying the operation image on the image display unit, a language selection input for selecting a display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit, and an operation instruction for the device When a predetermined operation instruction input is received without receiving the language selection input within a predetermined period under a state where the input process for receiving the input and the display language displayed on the image display unit is not the default language, And a display control process for controlling the display of the language selection screen for changing and selecting the display language at the time point on the image display unit.

When the display control program of the present invention does not receive an image formation start instruction input of the apparatus as the operation instruction input within a predetermined period, the display control process displays the language selection screen for the control process. There is a configuration to be executed by a computer.

  In the display control program of the present invention, the display control process may be configured to cause the control computer to execute display control of the language selection screen and / or the display necessity screen using the default language.

  In the display control program of the present invention, the default language may be a default language of the device or a standard language of the installation area of the device.

  In such a display control apparatus and image display program according to the present invention, the display control unit displays the display language stored in the storage unit on the operation image, performs display control on the image display unit, and is displayed on the image display unit. The language that the display control unit changes and selects the display language at the time when it receives an operation instruction input without receiving the language selection input within a predetermined period under the condition that the displayed language is not the default language Since the image display unit is controlled to display the selection screen, under a state where the language selection screen is searched under a state where the language selection screen is switched to a language other than the default language, if a predetermined period elapses, The language selection screen that is easy for the operator to understand is automatically switched and displayed, and can be easily transferred to the language selection screen.

In the present invention, when not subjected to the image formation start instruction input as the operation instruction input, since it is configured to display a language selection screen if you take the image formation start instruction input such as copy start, the language choice for the operator Since it is often unnecessary, the operator is not required to select an unnecessary language and the operability is improved.

  In the present invention, prior to displaying the language selection screen, in the configuration for controlling the image display unit to display the display necessity screen of the language selection screen, the language selection screen is displayed before the language selection screen is displayed. Therefore, the language selection screen is not suddenly displayed, and an unnecessary language selection for the operator is not required, thereby improving operability.

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the language selection screen and / or the display necessity screen are controlled using the default language, the language selection screen and the display necessity screen are easy for the operator to understand and the operability is improved.

  In the present invention, as the default language, in the configuration in which the default language of the device or the standard language of the installation area of the device is used, there is often no need for the operator to select a language. There is no need for selection and operability is improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The display control apparatus according to the present invention will be described in a state where it is mounted on a multifunction peripheral, and the image display program according to the present invention will be described in the course of describing the image forming apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a multi-function peripheral A equipped with a display control apparatus according to the present invention.

  The multi-function peripheral A includes an image reading unit 3, a storage unit 5, an image display unit 7, an operation unit 9, a printing unit 11, and a communication unit 13 connected to the control unit 1. Device. The multi-function machine A has other constituent elements, but is not a main part of the present invention, and thus description and illustration thereof are omitted. The function of the control unit 1 will be described later.

  The image reading unit 3 is a known scanner that optically reads an image from a document under the control of the control unit 1 and generates electronic image data subjected to filter processing or the like as a print job. Each page is sequentially stored in the storage unit 5.

  The storage unit 5 is under the control of the control unit 1, a print job from the image reading unit 3 or the communication unit 13, an operation application program of the control unit 1, an operation screen for operating the multifunction peripheral A, and a plurality of displays described later. It is a readable / writable hard disk (HDD) that stores language data, a language selection screen, a display necessity screen, and the like.

  The data of a plurality of display languages is, for example, a plurality of language sets composed of Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese and other languages, and includes font data of individual display languages. Among these display languages, a specific display language is set as a default display language.

  FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which the plurality of display languages are stored in the storage unit 5, and the other storage data areas described above are not shown.

  The default language is a preset initial language or a standard language of the installation area. The default language is, for example, a display language (for example, English) that is initially set when the multifunction device A is manufactured and shipped to the United States, and the standard language of the installation area is the region where the multifunction device A is installed, For example, it is a standard language (Japanese or French) when installed in Japan or France.

  For example, even if the country where the multifunction device A is installed is France, if the region (location) where the multifunction device A is installed is a Japanese company, the standard language of the installation region will be Japanese There is also.

  The language selection screen described above is a screen that is displayed on the image display unit 7 and selects the display language. The characters indicating the display language stored in the storage unit 5 are, for example, default as shown in FIG. The language is “Japanese”, and “Japanese”, “English”, “German”, “French”, “Spanish”, and “Chinese” are displayed and can be selected.

  The display necessity screen described above is a screen for receiving a selection necessity instruction as to whether or not display of the language selection screen is necessary. For example, if it is displayed in Japanese, it is as shown in FIG. In the display necessity screen of FIG. 4, if the “execute” key is selected, the language selection screen described above is displayed, and if the “cancel” key is selected, the language selection screen is not displayed and the process proceeds to another process. become.

  The language selection screen and the display necessity screen are preferably displayed in the default language described above, and the default language is set from the operation unit 9.

  The image display unit 7 is a known liquid crystal display or the like disposed in the multi-function device A, and displays the operation state and various data in the multi-function device A, as well as a language selection screen and a display screen as shown in FIGS. It has a function of switching and displaying a display necessity screen or the like. In FIG. 4, a display necessity screen is displayed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the operation unit 9 includes, for example, a touch panel switch arranged so as to overlap the image display unit 7 in the multi-function device A, and has an input having a selection key 9a, a numeric keypad 9b, a copy start key 9c, and the like. It functions as a department.

  The operation unit 9 receives a sign input of characters and the like to the multi-function peripheral A by touching or pressing these keys 9a to 9c, and further receives an operation instruction input of the apparatus such as copy start, copy stop / reset, etc. The language selection input for selecting the display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit 7 and the selection input of the language to be displayed on the language selection screen and the display necessity screen described above are possible. Information is output to the control unit 1.

  The printing unit 11 is a known print engine that creates and develops image image data from a print job and forms an image by performing monochrome or color printing on printing paper under the control of the control unit 1.

  The communication unit 13 is connected to an external electronic device such as a multi-function device (image forming apparatus) B via the network 15 under the control of the control unit 1, and is connected to the multi-function device B according to a predetermined data transmission protocol. An interface for sending and receiving e-mail and facsimile. As the data transfer protocol, for example, TCP / IP ((simple network management protocol)) and other uses are possible.

  The control unit 1 includes a CPU, a ROM that stores a startup program for the CPU, and the like. The image reading unit 3, the storage unit 5, the image display unit 7, the operation unit 9, and the printing are performed according to application programs stored in the storage unit 5. It consists of the control computer which controls the part 11 and the communication part 13, and has the following functions.

  The control unit 1 has a function of storing and controlling the print job from the image reading unit 3 and the communication unit 13 in the storage unit 5 based on the application program and setting information (not shown), and passes the print job to the printing unit 11 for printing. It has a function of controlling (image formation control) and a function of performing data communication with the multifunction device B.

  The control unit 1 reads the set display language from the storage unit 5 and functions as the display control unit 17 for switching and controlling the operation image, the language selection screen, and the display necessity screen that display the display language to the image display unit 7. Have.

  When the multifunction device A is activated, the display control unit 17 has a display language displayed on the image display unit 7 that is not a default language within a few minutes, for example, 1 to 3 minutes within a predetermined period. When the operation unit 9 does not receive a language selection instruction input or a copy start instruction input, but receives any operation instruction input, at this time, a display necessity screen for whether or not to display a language selection screen is displayed. The image display unit 7 has a function of controlling.

  That is, when the multifunction device A is activated in a state where the display language is not the default language, the display language 17 does not receive any selection change or copy start instruction input, and any operation instruction from the operation unit 9 When an input is received, it is determined that the language selection screen is being searched, and the language selection screen is controlled to display through the display necessity screen.

  When receiving the “execution” instruction on the display necessity screen in FIG. 4, the display control unit 17 has a function of switching and controlling the display from the display necessity screen to the language selection screen in FIG. 3. When received, it has a function of shifting to a predetermined process without switching to the language selection screen.

  When the language selection screen in Japanese as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed, for example, when “English” is selected, the display control unit 17 selects the “English” language as shown in FIG. A screen is created and switched to this, and thereafter an operation screen displaying English is created and displayed on the image display unit 7.

  In addition, on the language selection screen of FIG. 5, “English” can be changed to “Chinese” by selecting another display language, for example, “Chinese”.

  When the operation unit 9 receives a copy start instruction as an operation instruction input within a predetermined period, the display control unit 17 does not perform display control for switching between the display necessity screen and the language selection screen.

  Next, the operation of the display control apparatus according to the present invention will be briefly described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  As an example, a case will be described in which the multi-function peripheral A leaves from the state in which “Japanese” is set as the fault language, and the operator immediately before is set to something other than “Japanese”.

  When the multifunction device A is restarted and the program starts, in step S1, the display control unit 17 determines whether or not the display language of the multifunction device A is set to the fault language.

  If the MFP A has been returned to the default language and step S1 is YES, the process ends. If the setting language has not been returned to the default language, step S1 becomes NO and the process proceeds to step S2, and the process proceeds to step S2. Then, it is determined whether or not the display control unit 17 has performed any operation after the language change (after restart).

  If no operation is performed and step S2 is NO, the process returns to step S1 and steps S1 and S2 are repeated until step S2 becomes YES.

  If the operator performs some operation and step S2 is YES, the process proceeds to step S3. When the operation unit 9 receives some operation instruction input in step S3, the display control unit 17 has passed a predetermined period in step S4. It is determined whether or not.

  In this state, the multifunction device A is set to a display language other than the default language, and in order to change the display language, the operation unit 9 is displayed without understanding the meaning of the display language in order to display the display selection screen. It is assumed that the operator is frequently operating.

  If the predetermined period has not elapsed, step S4 becomes NO, and steps S3 and 4 are repeated until step S4 becomes YES. If the operation instruction input in step S3 has been input even once in the past, it is determined that there has been an input and the process proceeds to step S4.

  If the predetermined period has elapsed and step S4 becomes YES, it is determined in step S5 whether or not the display control unit 17 has received a copy start operation instruction input from the operation unit 9, and there is a copy start operation instruction input. If step S5 is NO, the process ends.

  In this case, the operator determines that the display operation image on the image display unit 7 is used as it is.

  If there is no copy start operation instruction input and step S5 is YES, the display control unit 17 displays a display necessity image on the image display unit 7 in step S6 (see FIG. 4), and the operation unit in step S7. 9 determines whether or not the display control unit 17 shifts to the language selection screen.

  If the transition selection to the language selection screen is not made and step S6 is NO, the process ends. If the transition selection to the language selection screen is made and step S6 is YES, the display control unit 17 continues in step S7. The language selection screen is displayed (see FIG. 3) and the process ends.

These processes are executed by the image display program of the present invention.
Therefore, when “English” is selected in the state where the language selection screen in Japanese as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed, the screen is switched to the English language selection screen as shown in FIG. 5, and then English is inserted. An operation screen or the like is created and displayed on the image display unit 7.

  As described above, the display control device according to the present invention includes the image display unit 7 that displays the operation image, the language selection input that selects the display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit 7, and the operation instruction of the device. An operation unit (input unit) 9 for receiving an input, a storage unit 5 for storing a specific display language as a default display language, which are a plurality of display languages displayed on the display operation image, and an operation for displaying the display language The display control unit 17 controls the display of the image on the image display unit 7, and the operation unit 9 selects the language within a predetermined period in a state where the display language displayed on the image display unit 7 is not the default language. A display control unit 17 that controls the image display unit 7 to display a language selection screen for changing and selecting the display language at the time when a predetermined operation instruction input is received without receiving an input.

  Therefore, in the multi-function device A, there is a method for switching to the language selection screen if there is an operation instruction input to search for the language selection screen in a state where the language is switched to a language other than the default language and a predetermined period elapses. It is possible to automatically shift to that screen without understanding, and a language selection screen that is easy for the operator to understand is displayed.

  Therefore, in the MFP A that is used by unspecified majority, the transition to the language selection screen is smooth even if the language is changed, and the transition selection key to the language selection screen, which is an important function that is not always used, is top. There is no need to place it on the screen, improving usability.

  In addition, when an image formation start instruction input such as copying start is input, it is often unnecessary for the operator to select a language. Therefore, when the image formation start instruction input is received, the operator selects an unnecessary language. Operability is improved.

  Prior to the display of the language selection screen, the display control unit 17 controls the image display unit 7 to display the display necessity screen of the language selection screen. Therefore, before the language selection screen is suddenly displayed. Whether or not to display the language selection screen can be confirmed, the operator is not worried, and when the language change is unnecessary, the language selection is not required and the operability is improved.

  In addition, since the language selection screen and the display necessity screen are controlled using a default language such as “Japanese”, the language selection screen and the display necessity screen are easy to understand for the operator, and operability is improved in this respect as well. To do.

  Furthermore, since the default language is the default language of the device or the standard language of the area where the device is installed, there is often no need for the operator to select a language. The operability is improved.

  The display control apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the multi-function device A, and can be implemented by being mounted on various electronic devices such as a copying machine, a computer, and a PDA (personal digital assistant).

  In the display control apparatus described above, the control unit 1 controls the image display unit 7 so that the display necessity screen of the language selection screen is displayed prior to the display of the language selection screen. In the present invention, the display control unit 17 can be configured so that the display of the display necessity screen is omitted and the language selection screen is directly displayed on the image display unit 7.

  The image display program according to the present invention displays the selected display language on the display operation image from among a plurality of display languages stored in the storage unit 5 and controls display on the image display unit 7. An image display process for displaying the operation image on the image display unit 7 and a language selection input for selecting a display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit 7 to a control computer that controls selection of a display language And an input process for receiving an operation instruction input of the device, and a predetermined operation without receiving the language selection input within a predetermined period under a state where the display language displayed on the image display unit 7 is not the default language. When the instruction input is received, the display control process for controlling the display of the language selection screen for changing and selecting the display language at the time is displayed on the image display unit. Device and it is possible to obtain an effect as well.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the outline of the multifunctional device carrying the display control apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the display language memory state of the memory | storage part in this invention. It is a figure explaining the display state of the image display part in this invention. It is a figure which shows the image display part and operation part (input part) in this invention. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the image display part in this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence by the display control apparatus which concerns on this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 3 Image reading part 5 Memory | storage part 7 Image display part 9 Operation part (input part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Printing part 13 Communication part 15 Network 17 Display control part A, B Image forming apparatus (multifunction machine, electronic device)

Claims (8)

An image display section for displaying operation images;
An input unit for receiving a language selection input for selecting a display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit and an operation instruction input for the device;
A plurality of display languages to be displayed on the display operation image, a storage unit storing a specific display language as a default display language;
A display control unit configured to display and control the operation image on which the display language is displayed on the image display unit, and the display language displayed on the image display unit is not the default language within a predetermined period In addition, when the input unit receives a predetermined operation instruction input without receiving the language selection input, a display for controlling the image display unit to display a language selection screen for changing and selecting the display language at the time A control unit;
Comprising
The display control unit has a function of controlling to display the language selection screen when the input unit does not receive an image formation start instruction input of the apparatus as the operation instruction input within the predetermined period. A display control device. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit has a function of controlling the image display unit to display a display necessity screen of the language selection screen prior to display of the language selection screen. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit performs display control of the language selection screen and / or the display necessity screen using the default language. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the default language is an initial setting language of the device or a standard language of an installation area of the device. Among the plurality of display languages stored in the storage unit, the selected display language is displayed on the display operation image and displayed on the image display unit, and for the control computer that controls the selection of the display language,
Image display processing for displaying the operation image on the image display unit;
An input process for receiving a language selection input for selecting a display language related to the display operation image on the image display unit and an operation instruction input for the device;
When a predetermined operation instruction input is received without receiving the language selection input within a predetermined period under a state where the display language displayed on the image display unit is not a default language, the display at the time point Display control processing for controlling display of a language selection screen for changing and selecting a language on the image display unit, and when the image formation start instruction input of the apparatus is not received as the operation instruction input within the predetermined period, Display control processing for causing the control computer to execute control processing for displaying a language selection screen;
A display control program for executing The display control program according to claim 5, wherein the display control processing causes the control computer to execute display control of the language selection screen and / or a display necessity screen using the default language. The display control program according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the input process causes the control computer to execute a process of receiving an image formation start instruction input of the apparatus as the operation instruction input. The display control program according to claim 5, wherein the default language is an initial setting language of the device or a standard language of an installation area of the device.

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