JP5080846B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile transmitter / receiver, and a multifunction machine having these functions, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a display screen for displaying information for a user.

  As a prior art related to this type of image forming apparatus, there is a display control apparatus for a printer including a plurality of components (see Patent Document 1). In this prior art, a plurality of display data for each type of component is stored in a plurality of storage areas of the storage device, and combination information of one type of component is stored in advance in the storage device. .

According to the above prior art, when there are ten or more types of paper feeding devices, print control devices, paper discharge devices, etc. as elements constituting one printer, display data is stored for each type of the constituent elements. These can be combined and displayed as appropriate based on the combination information of the actual printer device configuration. For this reason, in the prior art, it is not necessary to store all display data for each type of printer device configuration, and the capacity of the storage device can be reduced accordingly.
Japanese Patent No. 3484151

  As in the prior art, when display data is stored for each type of component such as a paper feed device, print control device, paper discharge device, etc., each time the configuration (combination) of the entire device changes, it is displayed each time. Therefore, there is a problem that the burden of data processing is large.

  In the case of the prior art, until the display data is actually displayed on the screen, the display data stored by being fragmented for each type is collected, and the collected display data is constructed (mapped), And the complicated process of transferring the constructed display data and outputting it to the screen is required. For this reason, the prior art method is not efficient in terms of processing speed.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of reducing the data processing load and improving the processing speed.

  A first invention is an image forming apparatus configured by connecting an attachment to a main body. Of these, the main body has a function of printing an image formed based on image data on a medium. The attachment portion is installed in connection with the main body portion, and for example, assists the function of the main body portion or adds another function. In this case, the image forming apparatus constitutes one system in which the main body portion and the attachment portion operate in association with each other.

An image display is installed in the main body part or the attachment part, and a morphological image imitating the form of the entire system including the main body part and the attachment part is displayed on the display screen. The morphological image is displayed based on one type of display data stored in the data storage means. On the display screen, the display area necessary for displaying the morphological image is divided into a plurality of divided areas. ing. In particular, in the first invention, it is possible to display a plurality of morphological images using one type of display data by determining whether or not the morphological image can be displayed for each of the divided areas divided into a plurality of regions.

Specifically, among the plurality of divided regions, but displays the form image based on the display data in the divided area where the display mode image is permitted, on the other hand, the display forms an image is not permitted divided region by rewriting the display data in the blank data for, it performs control Ru display the image of the space in place of the unauthorized divided area forms an image. That is, there is only one type of original display data, but the display data is in a non-display state in a divided area that is not allowed to be displayed on the screen. Therefore, a plurality of morphological images are displayed by switching between display / non-display. The As a result, even if the overall system configuration of the main unit and the accessory unit changes, the display / non-display of the divided areas is controlled according to the change, so that it can be adapted to various system configurations. Morphological images can be displayed.

  A second aspect of the invention is an image forming apparatus in which a main body is installed alone or in a state where a single or a plurality of attachments are connected to the main body. In this case, there are a plurality of configurations as the entire system according to the number of appendages (0 to the maximum number).

  Also in the second invention, a morphological image imitating the form of the entire system is displayed on the display screen, but the morphological image is one type corresponding to the case where the maximum number of attachments are connected to the main body. Are displayed based on the display data. In the second invention, it is possible to display a plurality of types of morphological images using one type of display data by determining whether or not display is possible for each of the divided areas divided into a plurality.

Specifically, among the plurality of divided regions, but displays the form image based on the display data in the divided area where the display mode image is permitted, on the other hand, the display forms an image is not permitted divided region by rewriting the display data in the blank data for, it performs control Ru display the image of the space in place of the unauthorized divided area forms an image. That is, the original display data is for displaying the morphological image of the entire system having the maximum number of attachments, but the display data is not displayed in the divided area where display is not permitted on the display screen. Therefore, it is possible to partially hide (not display) the morphological image corresponding to the attachment on the actual screen.

  For this reason, if display / non-display is switched for each divided area according to the presence or absence of an attachment in the actual system configuration, the system configuration in which the attachment is not connected at all on the screen (only the main unit alone) A morphological image can be displayed, or morphological images corresponding to a plurality of system configurations in which one to the maximum number of attachments are connected can be displayed.

  In the first and second aspects of the invention, it is possible to detect the attached portion that is actually connected to the main body, and determine whether or not to display the individual divided areas based on the detection result. As a result, it is possible to reliably display a morphological image that accurately simulates the actual configuration of the entire system.

  Further, although there is one type of display data, the morphological image is configured by combining a plurality of individual images. That is, the morphological image is configured by combining an individual image that imitates the form of the main body part alone and an individual image that imitates the form of each attachment part alone. In this case, the divided areas can be divided on the display screen so as to correspond to the individual images. Specifically, the range in which the individual image of the main body is displayed in the display area can be divided as one divided area, and the range in which the individual appendages are displayed can be divided as divided areas.

  In this case, since each divided area on the display screen corresponds to an individual image of the main body or an individual image of each attachment, the display / display of the divided areas is performed according to the presence or absence of the attachment in the actual system configuration. Can be switched off.

  According to the present invention, even when morphological images adapted to various system configurations are displayed, only one type of display data is used, and a plurality of divided areas are individually displayed / hidden. Just switch. Therefore, the data processing load when displaying the morphological image can be reduced, and the processing speed can be improved and the efficiency can be improved.

  Needless to say, even when the system configuration pattern changes in multiple ways, it is not necessary to have duplicate data for each configuration pattern, and the amount of data to be held can be minimized.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view schematically showing an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. The front face in FIG. 1 corresponds to the front face of the image forming apparatus 1 facing the user. Further, the right side in FIG. 1 is the right side surface of the image forming apparatus 1, and the left side is the left side surface of the image forming apparatus 1. A solid arrow in FIG. 1 indicates a sheet conveyance path and its conveyance direction in the image forming apparatus 1.

The image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, a copying machine, a multifunction peripheral, a network multifunction peripheral (MFP), or the like. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a box-shaped main body 2 called an in-body discharge type.
Therefore, an in-body type paper discharge tray 15 is formed inside the main body 2. In the paper discharge tray 15, the paper printed by the image forming apparatus 1 is discharged from the left side to the right side of the main body 2. The user can take out the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray 15 from the front side (or right side) of the main body 2. The image forming apparatus 1 may be provided with a discharge tray that is not an in-body discharge type, and is connected to a post-processing device (not shown) that performs post-processing such as punching processing and stapling processing. Also good.

  A document feeder 8 is mounted on the upper side of the main body 2. When the image forming apparatus 1 is used as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a network scanner, a document can be set on the document feeder 8 and read. An optical image reading unit 9 is built in an upper position of the main body unit 2. The image reading unit 9 includes a contact glass (not shown), and an image surface of a document placed on the upper surface thereof or a document conveyed by the document feeder 8 is optically read by the image reading unit 9.

  The document feeder 8 is coupled to the main body 2 via a hinge mechanism (not shown). The hinge mechanism is located at the rear end portion of the main body 2, and the document feeder 8 operates so as to jump upward with the hinge mechanism as a fulcrum, so that the upper surface of the image reading unit 9 can be opened.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a sheet supply unit (attachment unit) 50 can be connected to the lower side of the main body unit 2 as a standard or option. For example, assuming that a configuration in which the one-stage sheet supply unit 50 is connected to the main body unit 2 is a standard configuration of the image forming apparatus 1, the example in FIG. It is an optional configuration that is connected in the state. Each of these paper supply units 50 is provided with a paper cassette 52, a paper feed unit 54, a paper path 56, and a transport roller 58. Among them, the sheet cassette 52 contains a stack of sheets P, and the sheets P are fed out from the uppermost layer to the upper left by the sheet feeding unit 54 and vertically upward through the sheet passage 56. Be transported. The sheet P transported upward is taken over by the transport roller 46 of the main body 2 and sent into the sheet transport path 42.

  Further, the sheet path 56 is in a state where the upper end and the lower end are connected to each other when viewed between the sheet supply units 50 that overlap in the vertical direction. For this reason, the sheet P fed out of the three-stage sheet supply section 50 located in the lower layer of the second and subsequent stages from the top moves vertically upward while being taken over by the conveying roller 58 in the upper sheet path 56. It will be transported.

  An openable manual feed tray 5 is provided on the right side surface of the main body 2. The manual feed tray 5 is used when paper of a size not accommodated in the paper cassette 52, an OHP sheet, or the like is fed one by one. When not in use, the manual feed tray 5 is folded and stored on the right side surface of the main body 2.

  The paper P sent out from the paper supply unit 50 is delivered to the registration roller 7 through the paper conveyance path 42. Further, the paper P sent out from the manual feed tray 5 is transported horizontally from the right side to the left in the main body 2, joins the paper transport path 42, and is delivered to the registration roller 7.

  An image is formed in the image forming apparatus 1 as follows. In the main body 2, the print engine 10 and the transfer unit 11 are provided at a downstream position when viewed in the paper conveyance direction from the paper conveyance path 42. Among these, the print engine 10 forms an electrostatic latent image based on image data obtained by processing a read image or image data transmitted from an external device, and further forms (develops) a toner image from the electrostatic latent image. The

  In order to form an electrostatic latent image by the print engine 10, a laser scanning unit 20 is disposed adjacent to the right side thereof. The laser scanning unit 20 irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum of the print engine 10 with a scanning beam, as indicated by a one-dot chain line arrow in FIG.

  The registration roller 7 corrects the oblique feeding of the paper P and sends the paper P toward the transfer unit 11 while synchronizing with the toner image formed by the print engine 10. In the transfer unit 11, the toner image is transferred to the paper P that is sent while being synchronized by the registration roller 7.

  The fixing device 12 is disposed on the downstream side of the transfer unit 11 when viewed in the sheet conveyance direction. The paper P on which the unfixed toner image is transferred by the transfer unit 11 is sent to the fixing device 12. The fixing device 12 includes a heat roller 12a and a pressure roller 12b. When the sheet P passes through the nip therebetween, the sheet P is heated and pressed here to fix the toner image.

  When double-sided printing is not performed (in the case of single-sided printing), the paper P discharged from the fixing device 12 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 15 by the discharge roller 13. When duplex printing is performed, the paper P is once sent halfway toward the paper discharge tray 15 by the discharge roller 13, and then the conveyance direction is switched and the paper P is drawn into the paper reverse path 32. The drawn paper P is conveyed downward in the paper reversing path 32 along the left side surface of the main body 2, and then reversed upward at a position above the paper supply unit 50 and sent to the registration roller 7.

  An operation / display unit 60 is provided on the exterior cover of the image forming apparatus 1, and various operation buttons, a liquid crystal display, and the like are installed in the operation / display unit 60. Among these, an operation input by the user is performed on the operation buttons. In addition to displaying various character information (status, operation menu, etc.) for the user on the display screen of the liquid crystal display, a morphological image imitating the form of the image forming apparatus 1 and its attached part is displayed. It has become. Such a morphological image is used for the purpose of visually transmitting, to the user, the position where a paper jam has occurred during the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 or the paper supply unit 50 that has run out of paper. Is done. The morphological image display control in the present embodiment will be described in detail below.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram relating to control of the liquid crystal display 100 installed in the operation / display unit 60. The liquid crystal display 100 is controlled by, for example, the display control unit 102. Here, examples of the configuration of the display control unit 102 include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 104, an LCD controller 106, a display data memory 108, a mask pattern memory 110, a RAM 112, and an interface 114.

  The display control unit 102 can be configured as a single circuit board built in the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, for example. The above-described components are mounted on the circuit board, and are connected to each other via a wiring pattern and a bus 116 (not shown). General-purpose ones can be used for the CPU 104, the LCD controller 106, and the RAM 112. Note that the CPU 104 may be a dedicated application (ASIC) or a packaged product including the memories 108 and 110 and the RAM 112. In addition, an operation signal using the operation buttons is input to the display control unit 102 through the interface 114.

  The display data memory 108 is a storage device such as a ROM or an EEPROM, for example, and a storage area (memory block) of the display data memory 108 stores display data to be a material of an image displayed on the liquid crystal display 100. Has been. Details of the display data will be described later.

  The mask pattern memory 110 is also a storage device such as a ROM or an EEPROM. The mask pattern memory 110 stores a mask pattern used when the CPU 104 transfers display data to the LCD controller 106. Details of the mask pattern will also be described later.

  System configuration information is input to the display control unit 102 from the main body control unit 120. This system configuration information is used to identify the configuration of the entire system when the paper supply unit 50 is connected to the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 as a standard or an option. Specifically, whether the system of the image forming apparatus 1 has a configuration of the main body unit 2 alone, a configuration in which one paper supply unit 50 is connected to the main body unit 2, or a configuration in which two paper supply units 50 are connected. Information for identifying whether or not three or four or more paper supply units 50 are connected.

  The main body control unit 120 is built in the main body unit 2 as a unit having a function of controlling the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1, and the system configuration information is generated by the main body control unit 120. Although not shown, the main body control unit 120 is also configured in the form of a circuit board having an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU, a storage device, an interface, and the like. For example, a drawer type optional connector 122 is installed in each paper supply unit 50, and when the paper supply unit 50 is coupled to the main body unit 2, the option connector 122 is simultaneously connected. When the sheet supply units 50 are connected in a plurality of stages, the option connectors 122 are connected to the main body unit 2 in cascade. Each option connector 122 is grounded to a common ground level with the main body control unit 120, and the main body control unit 120 detects the number of stages of the paper supply unit 50 based on a connection signal (ON or OFF) of each option connector 122. be able to. When the paper supply unit 50 has a plurality of types, the connection signal further includes information (about 4 bits) for identifying the type.

〔Indicated Area〕
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the display screen 100 a of the liquid crystal display 100. In the present embodiment, a display area A indicated by a one-dot chain line is defined on the display screen 100a, and the entire bitmap image (morphological image) B0 is displayed in the display area A. Yes. This bitmap image B0 simulates the form of the entire system when the maximum number (three in this case) of paper supply units 50 is connected to the main unit 2.

[Division area]
Further, the display area A is divided into a plurality of divided areas R1 to R5 in the display screen 100a. The individual rectangular areas defined by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 3 correspond to the divided areas R1 to R5, respectively. These divided areas R1 to R5 are arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction on the display screen 100a. In this example, the divided areas R1 to R5 are arranged in five stages in the vertical direction. Note that the outline of the display area A and the one-dot chain lines that divide the divided areas R1 to R5 are not displayed on the actual display screen 100a.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the bitmap image B0 and the mask pattern. 4A is an overall view of the bitmap image B0, and FIG. 4B is an example of a visualized mask pattern.

[Form image]
In FIG. 4, (A): The bitmap image B0 is stored in the display data memory 108 as one display data as a whole. The display data is constructed by monochrome binary data in bitmap format, 16-gradation 4-bit data, or the like.

[Individual image]
The bitmap image B0 includes five individual images B1 to B5 corresponding to the divided areas R1 to R5. Of these, the individual image B1 corresponds to an image simulating the form of the document feeder 8 shown in FIG. The individual image B2 corresponds to an image imitating the form of the main body 2. Similarly, the individual images B3, B4, and B5 correspond to images imitating the form of the paper supply unit 50 in each stage. Then, in the state where these five individual images B1 to B5 are combined, one bitmap image B0 simulating the form of the entire system of the image forming apparatus 1 is configured. The distinction between the individual images B1 to B5 here is only when viewed as a visible image, and the display data in the bitmap format is not divided into five.

  In FIG. 4, (B): Although shown here, the mask pattern is stored in the mask pattern memory 110 as data to the last. This mask pattern is control data for determining whether or not display is possible for each of the divided areas R1 to R5 defined in the display area A. A mask (non-display) area that is not permitted to be displayed by the mask pattern is shown in a shaded state in FIG. In this example, display is permitted for the four display areas A1 to A4 from the top, and display is not permitted for the lowermost display area A5. Here, only an example is shown, and the mask pattern memory 110 stores a plurality of mask patterns.

[Display control example]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a display control sequence executed by the display control unit 102 (CPU 104). When the image forming apparatus 1 is powered on, the main body control unit 120 performs a predetermined initialization process, and then generates system configuration information with reference to a connection signal of the option connector 122. Further, the display control unit 102 shifts to this sequence after performing a predetermined initialization process. Hereinafter, the order of steps will be described.

  Step S0: The CPU 104 of the display control unit 102 determines whether or not to display a morphological image on the display screen 100a. For example, when an event such as paper jam (clogging), out of paper, or paper size specification difference occurs during image formation, the image forming apparatus 1 displays the form image of the entire system on the display screen 100a, thereby causing the paper jam. An operation of visually transmitting a location where an event such as the above has occurred to the user is performed. In this case, for example, a display command for displaying a morphological image is transmitted from the main body control unit 120 to the display control unit 102.

  When the display command is received, the CPU 104 of the display control unit 102 determines that it is necessary to display a morphological image (Yes), and proceeds to the next step S1. If no display command has been received, the CPU 104 determines that it is not necessary to display a morphological image (No), and ends this sequence for the time being.

  Step S1: When it is determined that the morphological image needs to be displayed in the previous step S0, the CPU 104 of the display control unit 102 acquires the current system configuration information. The system configuration information may be cached from the main body control unit 120 received before the execution of this sequence, or may be received from the main body control unit 120 again.

  Step S2: The CPU 104 accesses the mask pattern memory 110 and selects a mask pattern corresponding to the current system configuration information.

  Step S3: Next, the CPU 104 reads display data from the display data memory 108 and performs filtering based on the selected mask pattern. Specifically, a process of rewriting the address areas corresponding to the divided areas R1 to R5 that are not permitted to be displayed by the mask pattern to “NULL (blank data)” in the two-dimensional address of the display data is performed. The filtered display data is written into the RAM 112, for example.

Step S4: The CPU 104 transfers the display data after filtering to the LCD controller 106.
Step S5: The LCD controller 106 of the display control unit 102 drives the liquid crystal display 100 based on the transferred display data.

[Display operation example]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display operation of the liquid crystal display 100 in accordance with the execution of the display control sequence. This display operation example corresponds to a system configuration in which a single-stage paper supply unit 50 is optionally connected in addition to the standard configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 (main body 2 + sheet supply unit 50 × 1 stage). is there. In this case, unlike the configuration example shown in FIG. 1, the sheet supply unit 50 included in the image forming apparatus 1 has a total of two stages (standard + 1 stage).

  In the above system configuration, since the mask pattern shown in FIG. 4B is selected in the previous step S2, the range corresponding to the divided region R5 in the display data is rewritten with “NULL” in step S3. As a result, although the individual images B1 to B4 in the bitmap image B0 are displayed in the divided areas R1 to R4 on the display screen 100a, the display content in the divided area R5 is blank, and the bitmap image B0 as a whole is displayed. Displayed in a partially masked state. The bitmap image B0 partially masked in this way is a morphological image that correctly mimics the form of the entire actual system configuration (main body 2 + 2-stage paper supply unit 50).

[Other display operation examples]
Although not particularly shown, by storing a plurality of mask patterns in the mask pattern memory 110, for example, a display operation in accordance with the actual system configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 can be realized as follows. .

(1) For example, in the case where the system of the image forming apparatus 1 has a standard configuration having only the main body 2 and one paper supply unit 50, a mask pattern with blank areas in the divided regions R4 and R5 is selected. On the display screen 100a, the individual images B4 and B5 are not displayed, and a morphological image obtained by combining the individual images B1, B2, and B3 is displayed.

(2) Alternatively, if the document feeder 8 is not installed as an option, and the two-stage sheet supply unit 50 is connected to the main body unit 2, a mask pattern that makes the divided regions R1 and R5 blank is selected. The The individual images B1 and B5 are not displayed on the display screen 100a, and a morphological image obtained by combining the individual images B2, B3, and B4 is displayed.

(3) When the document feeder 8 is not installed as an option and only the one-stage sheet supply unit 50 is connected to the main body unit 2, a mask pattern that makes the divided regions R1, R5, and R5 blank is selected. Is done. On the display screen 100a, the individual images B1, B4, and B5 are not displayed, and a morphological image combining the individual images B2 and B3 is displayed.

  The mask pattern may be prepared according to all the system configuration patterns assumed in advance, or it is prepared by dividing it into a plurality of groups and used in combination with those selected from each group. May be.

For example, the following combinations can be used for the display operation example (2).
First group: Mask pattern with blank area R1 Second group: Mask pattern with blank area R5

Alternatively, the following combinations can be used for the display operation example (3).
1st group: Mask pattern in which divided region R1 is blank Second group: Mask pattern in which divided regions R4 and R5 are blank

  In addition, three mask patterns may be prepared in which each of the divided regions R1, R4, and R5 is blank one by one, and these may be used alone or in appropriate combination.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the mask pattern is selected according to the actual system configuration, and the display data is filtered and displayed on the display screen 100a. You just need to store.

  In addition, even if the system configuration changes, it is always necessary to use only one type of display data, so multiple display data can be read according to the system configuration, or these can be arranged in memory space and transferred. There is no need to build data. Therefore, the display control unit 102 can reduce the burden of data processing and transfer data efficiently.

  The present invention can be implemented with various modifications without being limited to the above-described embodiments. In the system configuration of the embodiment, an example is given in which the main body 2 and the standard paper supply unit 50 are separated. However, the main body 2 may include the paper supply unit 50 integrally.

  The display area A, the divided areas R1 to R5, the bitmap image B0, and the like given in the embodiment are only preferable examples, and these can be appropriately modified and implemented. In addition, if the system configuration pattern changes, different bitmap images are used accordingly, so that the contents of the display data and the mask pattern will be different.

  In the embodiment, the document feeder 8 and the paper supply unit 50 are cited as optional attachments. However, a finisher (post-processing device) may be connected to the main body 2 as other attachments.

  In the embodiment, the liquid crystal display 100 is installed in the main body 2. However, the liquid crystal display 100 and the like may be installed in an attachment unit such as the document feeder 8 or the finisher.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration in which an attachment is connected to a main body of an image forming apparatus. It is a block diagram regarding control of a liquid crystal display. It is the schematic which shows an example of a display screen. It is a figure which shows a bitmap image and its mask pattern. It is a flowchart of the display control sequence performed by a display control part. It is a figure which shows the example of a display operation of a liquid crystal display accompanying execution of a display control sequence.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Main-body part 8 Document feeder (accessory part)
50 Paper supply section (attachment section)
100 Liquid crystal display 102 Display control unit (display control means, display availability determination means)
104 CPU
106 LCD controller 108 Display data memory (data storage means)
110 Mask pattern memory 120 Main body control unit 122 Optional connector (configuration detection means)

Claims (4)

A main body for printing an image formed based on the image data on a medium;
An attached portion connected to the main body, and
An image display provided in the main body part or the attachment part;
Data storage means for storing, as display data, a morphological image simulating the overall form of the main body and the attachment;
Display enable / disable determining means for dividing a display area required for displaying the morphological image on the display screen of the image display into a plurality of divided areas and determining whether or not the morphological image can be displayed in each divided area; ,
Among the plurality of divided areas, the morphological image is displayed based on the display data in the divided area in which the display of the morphological image is permitted by the display permission determination unit, but the display of the morphological image is not permitted. for the divided area by rewriting the display data in the blank data, the image forming apparatus characterized by comprising a display control means for Ru display the image of the space in place of the form image in the divided region that is not allowed . A main body that prints an image formed based on image data on a medium, and an attachment that can be connected to the main body, the main body being installed alone, or In the image forming apparatus installed in a state where the attachment part is connected to one or more,
An image display provided in the main body part or the attachment part;
Data storage means for storing, as display data, a morphological image simulating the whole form when the maximum number of the attachments is connected to the main body;
Display enable / disable determining means for dividing a display area required for displaying the morphological image on the display screen of the image display into a plurality of divided areas and determining whether or not the morphological image can be displayed in each divided area; ,
Among the plurality of divided areas, the morphological image is displayed based on the display data in the divided area in which the display of the morphological image is permitted by the display permission determination unit, but the display of the morphological image is not permitted. for the divided area by rewriting the display data in the blank data, the image forming apparatus characterized by comprising a display control means for Ru display the image of the space in place of the form image in the divided region that is not allowed . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
It further comprises a configuration detection means for detecting the appendage part actually connected to the main body part,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display permission / non-permission determining unit determines whether each of the divided areas can be displayed based on a detection result by the configuration detection unit. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The data storage means stores the morphological image as one display data in a state in which a plurality of individual images each imitating the respective shapes of the main body and the attachment are combined.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display availability determining unit divides the divided area in accordance with the individual images displayed in the display area.

Images