JP5157867B2 - Image forming apparatus, display control method, and display control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a display control method, and a display control program, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus, a display control method, and a display control program including an operation panel having hard keys for selecting display data to be displayed. .

Patent Document 1 describes an image forming apparatus to which an application (SDK application) developed using a dedicated software development kit (SDK) can be added at any time. The execution environment of the SDK application is described in detail in FIGS. 1 and 6 of the document.
JP 2007-89139 A

  The applicant differs from the image forming apparatus according to Patent Document 1 in the execution environment of such an SDK application (the environment including the CVM 555, CSGi framework 403, SDK platform 148, and JSDK application 147 in Patent Document 1). We are investigating the possibility of realizing an extended function in a model image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “other type device”). At this time, it is required that the standard functions of other types of devices can be used as usual. That is, when the execution environment of the SDK application is not available in the other type device, the standard function of the other type device can be used as usual, and when the execution environment of the SDK application is available, the standard function of the other type device And the SDK application can be used.

  Here, one problem is the consistency between the screen control related to the standard functions of other types and the screen control related to the SDK application. That is, the other seed device is not manufactured on the premise of the SDK application in terms of hardware and software. That is, it is not assumed that a screen other than the screen related to the standard function of the other type device is displayed on the operation panel. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to control the screen transition between the standard function of the other type device and the SDK application.

  In particular, since the screen displayed on the operation panel serves as an important interface with the user, the operability of the device may be significantly reduced unless an appropriate screen transition is realized.

  On the other hand, since the SDK application is not always used on the other type device, there is a desire to minimize the influence on the standard function of the other type device with respect to the control of the screen transition.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an image forming apparatus, a display control method, and a display control program capable of appropriately executing screen display control related to a program added as an extended function. For the purpose of provision.

  Accordingly, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an image forming apparatus including an operation panel having a hard key for selecting display data to be displayed, and executing a program recorded on a removable recording medium. Determining means for determining whether or not, and in response to pressing of the hard key, display data corresponding to the pressed hard key is obtained from the storage means, and display control means for displaying the display data on the operation panel; The display control means does not execute display of the display data when a hard key corresponding to display data related to the program is pressed when the determination means determines that the program cannot be used. And

  In such an image forming apparatus, screen display control relating to a program added as an extended function can be appropriately executed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the display control of the screen regarding the program added as an extended function can be performed appropriately.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 10 is a so-called scanner device, and includes hardware such as a controller 11, a scanner 12, a network interface 13, and an operation panel 14.

  The controller 11 includes a CPU 111, a RAM 112, a ROM 113, and the like. The ROM 113 stores various programs and data used by the programs. The RAM 112 is used as a storage area for loading a program, a work area for the loaded program, and the like. The CPU 111 realizes various functions by processing a program loaded in the RAM 112.

  The scanner 12 is hardware for reading image data from a document. The network interface 13 is hardware for connecting to a network (regardless of wired or wireless) such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The operation panel 14 is hardware including a button for accepting input from a user and notifying information to the user, a liquid crystal panel (display device), and the like.

  In addition, an SD card reader 15 is connected to the image forming apparatus 10 via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or the like. The SD card reader 15 is used for reading a program recorded on the SD card 80. That is, in the image forming apparatus 10, not only the program recorded in the ROM 113 but also the program recorded in the SD card 80 is loaded into the RAM 112 and executed. The SD card reader 15 may be built in the image forming apparatus 10. The SD card 80 is also used as a storage medium for storing scanned image data and the like. However, the image forming apparatus 10 may include an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). When the image forming apparatus 10 includes an HDD, the scanned image data and the like may be stored in the HDD.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a software configuration example used in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The vertical relationship of each program in the figure shows the relationship when the programs recorded in the ROM 113 and the SD card 80 are loaded into the RAM 112. The program stored in the SDK card 80 is positioned as an extended function for the image forming apparatus 10. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the software environment stored in the SDK card 80 is referred to as “extended environment”. On the other hand, the program recorded in the ROM 113 is basically positioned as a standard function of the image forming apparatus 10. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the software environment recorded in the ROM 113 is referred to as “standard environment”.

  The SD card 80 stores a JVM 81, an OSGi framework 82, an SDK platform 83, an SDK application 84, an SDK activation unit 85, and the like as programs for realizing an extended environment. Note that the recording medium for recording the extended environment may not be an SD card. The recording medium is not limited to a specific recording medium as long as it can be inserted into and removed from the image forming apparatus 10.

  The JVM 81 is a so-called Java (registered trademark) virtual machine (Java (registered trademark) Virtual Machine), and converts the Java (registered trademark) byte code into native code operable on the OS 21 and executes it. The software shown in the layer above the JVM 81 is implemented by Java (registered trademark) bytecode.

  The OSGi framework 82 is a standardized technology by the OSGi (Open Services Gateway Initiative) alliance, and software that provides an execution environment for software components created based on open software componentization technology based on the Java (registered trademark) language. Platform. On the OSGi framework 82, Java (registered trademark) language software is implemented in the form of software components called "bundles". One bundle is constituted by one JAR (Java (registered trademark) ARchive) file, and can be installed dynamically independently (without restarting the apparatus).

  The OSGi framework 82 includes an HTTP server 821. The HTTP server 821 notifies the request (HTTP request) from the Web browser 40 to the SDK platform 83 and returns a response from the SDK platform 83 to the Web browser 30 as an HTTP response.

  The SDK application 84 is an application program implemented using an API (Application Program Interface) (SDK API) provided by a dedicated SDK (software development kit). In the figure, as the SDK application 84, an application A, an application B, an application C, and the like are illustrated.

  The SDK platform 83 is a software platform that provides an execution environment for the SDK application 84 via the SDK API. The SDK API is open to the public. Therefore, the SDK application 84 can also be implemented by a third vendor or the like.

  The SDK platform 83 includes a conversion unit 831. The conversion unit 831 converts the HTTP request received by the HTTP server 821 into a format that can be interpreted in the SDK platform 83 (instruction by Java (registered trademark)), and inputs the instruction in the format after conversion to the SDK platform 83. . For example, an execution command for the SDK application 84 is input to the SDK application 84. The conversion unit 831 also converts the execution result of the processing by the SDK platform 83 into a format (HTML data) that can be understood by the Web browser 30 in the standard environment, and outputs the converted HTML data to the HTTP server 821.

  The SDK activation unit 85 loads the program recorded on the SD card 80 into the RAM 112 and activates it.

  On the other hand, the ROM 113 of the image forming apparatus 10 includes an OS 21, a copy module 22, a scan module 23, a print module 24, a FAX module 25, an SDK load unit 26, a framework 27, and a Web browser as programs for realizing a standard environment. 30, an HTTP server 40, an API 50, a copy UI 61, an E-mail UI 62, a folder UI 63, a FAX UI 64, an SDK UI 65, and the like are stored.

  The OS 21 is a so-called OS (Operating System). The copy module 22 is a program module that controls copying of image data. The scan module 23 is a program module that controls scanning of image data. The print module 24 is a program module that controls printing of image data. The FAX module 25 is a program module that controls FAX transmission of image data.

  The SDK loading unit 26 is called in response to the activation of the image forming apparatus 10, and performs mounting of the SD card 80, loading of the SDK activation unit 85 into the RAM 112, execution of the SDK activation unit 85, and the like. The framework 27 provides a program execution environment in the image forming apparatus 10.

  The web browser 30 is a so-called web browser, and performs display control of the operation panel 14. That is, the operation panel 14 displays HTML (HyperText Markup Language) data (Web page) including script programs such as Java (registered trademark) Script as various operation screens. The HTTP server 40 controls processing in response to a request (HTTP request) from the Web browser 40 and returns a response (HTTP response) to the Web browser 30. Note that the port number used for communication is different between the HTTP server 40 in the standard environment and the HTTP server 821 in the extended environment.

  The API 50 is an API (Application Program Interface) for the standard environment.

  The copy UI 61, E-mail UI 62, folder UI 63, FAX UI 64, and SDK UI 65 are HTML data as display data for various operation screens. The copy UI 61 is HTML data for displaying an operation screen for copying scanned image data. The E-mail UI 62 is HTML data for displaying an operation screen for sending scanned image data by e-mail. The folder UI 63 is HTML data for displaying an operation screen for saving scanned image data in a folder on the file system. The FAX UI 64 is HTML data for displaying an operation screen for FAX transmission of scanned image data. The SDK 65 is HTML data for displaying an operation screen related to the extended environment.

  Display switching (selection) of these UI (HTML data) is performed by a hard key (function key) associated with each UI (User Interface) on the operation panel 14.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the operation panel in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the operation panel 14 includes a liquid crystal panel 141, a start key 142, a copy key 143, an E-mail key 144, a folder key 145, a FAX key 146, and the like.

  The liquid crystal panel 141 is a touch-type panel that displays a screen or the like based on each UI. The start key 146 is a key for accepting a job start instruction. A copy key 143, an E-mail key 144, a folder key 145, and a FAX key 146 are keys (buttons) for selecting a function (UI) to be used.

  For example, when the copy key 143 is pressed, the event is notified to the Web browser 30. The Web browser 30 transmits an HTTP request including a URL corresponding to the copy key 143 to the HTTP server 40. The HTTP server 40 acquires the copy UI 61 corresponding to the URL and sends it back to the Web browser 30. The Web browser 30 displays the returned copy UI 61 on the liquid crystal panel 141. When the E-mail key 144, the folder key 145, and the FAX key 146 are pressed, the same processing is executed, and the UI (E-mail UI 62, folder UI 63, or FAX UI 64) corresponding to each function key is displayed. The

  The UI transition is realized by controlling a script program described in a UI (HTML data) displayed on the Web browser 30. That is, each UI includes a script program that defines a process corresponding to a press event of each function key. The process definition is to cause the Web browser 30 to execute transmission of an HTTP request including the URL corresponding to the pressed function key to the HTTP server 40.

  By the way, the operation panel 14 is not provided with function keys corresponding to the SDK 65. This is because the image forming apparatus 10 is not manufactured on the assumption that the SDK application 84 is executed.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the SDK 65 is assigned to the FAX key 146. Specifically, when the FAX key 146 is pressed while the FAX UI 64 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141, the Web browser 30 causes the extended environment operation screen (for example, the operation screen of the SDK application 84) based on the SDK 65. Is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141. On the other hand, when the FAX key 146 is pressed while the operation screen for the extended environment is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141, the Web browser 30 displays the FAX UI 64 on the liquid crystal panel 141. That is, the FAX key 146 functions as a toggle button for switching between the FAX UI 64 and the extended environment operation screen when the display target is displayed. As a result, the operation screen for the SDK 65 and the extended environment can be displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141.

  Of the standard environments, the SDK load unit 26 and the SDK UI 65 are parts newly added to the standard environment in order to realize an extended environment.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is a scanner apparatus, and includes a program module or UI related to functions that cannot be realized only by the scanner apparatus, such as copying, printing, and FAX transmission. This is in consideration of a case where these functions can be realized in hardware by connecting the image forming apparatus 10 to a printer or a facsimile or the like with a USB cable or the like.

  Hereinafter, a processing procedure of operation screen display processing by the image forming apparatus 10 will be described. In the first embodiment, an operation screen display process when a UI other than the SDK UI 65 (standard environment UI) is set as a default UI will be described. Here, the default UI refers to a UI that is first displayed after the image forming apparatus 10 is activated. The default UI is set via the operation panel 14, and the setting information (default UI identification information) is stored in the SD card 80, for example.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a processing procedure of an operation screen display process by the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  The OS 21 is activated in response to power-on of the image forming apparatus 10. The OS 21 activates a program related to the standard environment in response to activation. As one of them, the Web browser 30 is activated by the OS 21 (S101). When activated, the Web browser 30 acquires a UI set as a default UI based on the default UI identification information via the HTTP server 40 and causes the liquid crystal panel 141 to display an operation screen based on the UI. (S102). Here, it is assumed that the default UI is the copy UI 61. Accordingly, a copy screen is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141 based on the copy UI 61.

  Subsequently, the OS 21 requests the SDK load unit 26 to start the extended environment (S103). In response to the request, the SDK loading unit 26 mounts the SD card 80 (S104). Subsequently, the SDK loading unit 26 loads the SDK activation unit 85 from the SD card 80 into the RAM 113 (S105) and activates it (S106).

  When activated, the SDK activation unit 85 loads the extended environment program into the RAM 113 and activates it (S107). Specifically, the JVM 81, the OSGi framework 82, the SDK platform 83, and the like are activated. In addition, some or all of the SDK applications 84 are also activated as necessary. When the initial startup of the extended environment is completed (S108), the SDK startup unit 85 notifies the SDK load unit 26 of the completion of startup of the extended environment (S109). With this notification, the SDK load unit 26 recognizes that the extended environment has been activated.

  In addition, when mounting of the SD card 80 fails in step S104 (for example, when the SD card 80 is not set (inserted) in the SD card reader 15), loading of the SDK activation unit 85 fails in step S105. Alternatively, when the SDK activation unit 85 notifies that the activation of the extended environment has failed in step S109, the SDK load unit 26 determines that the extended environment does not exist.

  By the way, when the copy screen is displayed, the image forming apparatus 10 can be used when viewed from the user. In this state, when the user presses the FAX key 146, the OS 21 notifies the Web browser 30 of a pressing event of the FAX key 146 (S111). The press event is notified to the script program in the copy UI 61 that is the display target in the Web browser 30. Under the control of the script program, the Web browser 30 acquires the FAX UI 64 via the HTTP server 40 and displays the FAX screen based on the FAX UI 64 regardless of whether or not the extended environment has been activated (S112). . That is, the script program included in the UI other than the FAX UI 64 and the SDK UI 65 performs a process for displaying a UI corresponding to the press event without confirming completion of activation of the extended environment according to the function key press event. Let it run.

  On the other hand, when the FAX key 146 is pressed while the FAX screen is displayed, the pressing event is notified to the Web browser 30 (S113). The press event is notified to a script program in the FAX UI 64 (hereinafter referred to as “FAX UI script”) that is a display target in the Web browser 30. For example, the FAX UI script inquires of the SDK load unit 26 whether or not the extended environment has been activated by inter-process communication (S114). At the timing of step S113, the startup of the extended environment is not completed. Therefore, the SDK load unit 26 responds to the FAX UI script that the extended environment is not activated (S115). In addition, even when the SDK load unit 26 determines that the extended environment does not exist, the SDK load unit 26 responds to the FAX UI script that the extended environment is not activated. The FAX UI script ignores the pressing event of the FAX key 146 when the extended environment is not activated. Accordingly, when the extended environment does not exist (for example, when the SD card 80 is not set), or when the activation is not completed even when the extended environment exists, the transition from the FAX screen is not performed.

  Subsequently, when the FAX screen is displayed, the FAX key 146 is pressed after the extended environment is activated, and the Web browser 30 is notified of the pressing event (S116). The FAX UI script makes an inquiry similar to step S113 to the SDK load unit 26 (S117). Here, the SDK load unit 26 responds to the FAX UI script that the activation of the extended environment has been completed (S118).

  When the activation of the extended environment is completed, the FAX UI script acquires the SDK UI 65 via the HTTP server 40, and displays the SDK logo screen on the liquid crystal panel 141 based on the SDK UI 65 (S119). The SDK logo screen is a screen including an image indicating the logo of the SDK application 84, and is a screen for notifying the user that the SDK application 84 is being called.

  In accordance with the display of the SDKUI 65, a processing procedure at the time of display in a script program included in the SDKUI 65 (hereinafter referred to as “SDKUI script”) is executed. First, the SDK UI script causes the Web browser 30 to execute transmission of an HTTP request including the URL for the initial screen of the SDK application 84 to the HTTP server 821 (S120). In response to receiving the HTTP request, the HTTP server 821 notifies the conversion unit 831 of the URL included in the HTTP request. The conversion unit 831 causes the SDK platform 83 to generate an initial screen corresponding to the URL. The SDK platform 83 generates a list screen of the SDK applications 84 when there are a plurality of SDK applications 84, and generates an operation screen of the SDK application 84 when there is only one SDK application 84. The conversion unit 831 generates HTML data for displaying the generated initial screen, and outputs the HTML data to the HTTP server 821. The HTTP server 821 returns the HTML data to the Web browser 30 (S121).

  Subsequently, the web browser 30 displays an initial screen (a list screen of the SDK application 84 or an operation screen of the SDK application 84) on the liquid crystal panel 141 based on the received HTML data (S122).

  Subsequently, when the SDK application 84 is selected or an execution instruction is input via the initial screen (S123), the Web browser 30 transmits an HTTP request corresponding to the instruction to the HTTP server 821 (S124). In the extended environment, the HTTP request is converted by the conversion unit 831, and the SDK platform 83 or the SDK application 84 executes processing according to the HTTP request (S125). The processing result is converted into HTML data by the conversion unit 831. The HTML data is returned to the Web server 30 by the HTTP server 821 (S126). In response to the reception of the HTML data, the Web browser 30 displays the HTML data on the liquid crystal panel 141 (S127).

  Thereafter, the screen transition in the extended environment is realized by repeating steps S122 to S126. When the function key is pressed, a UI in the standard environment is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 14, and screen transition in the standard environment is realized by the Web browser 30, the HTTP server 40, and the like.

  Note that the confirmation of completion of the extended environment activation by the FAX UI script does not necessarily have to be performed by directly inquiring the SDK load unit 26. For example, the SDK load unit 26 may write flag information to the RAM 112 when the startup of the extended environment is completed, and the FAX UI script may check the completion of startup by referring to the flag information.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the FAX key 146 is used when the extended environment cannot be used, such as when the SD card 80 is not set or when the extended environment is not activated. Even if is pressed, the SDKUI 65 is not displayed. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 10 can be operated as a standard machine that conforms to the standard environment, and unnatural operation, deterioration of operability, and the like due to an unusable extended environment can be avoided.

  The screen transition is controlled based on a script program in each UI. Therefore, the change of the screen transition due to the addition of the extended environment can be relatively easily performed by changing the script program in the text format.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, an operation screen display process when the SDK UI 65 is set as a default UI will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a processing procedure of operation screen display processing by the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  The OS 21 is activated in response to power-on of the image forming apparatus 10. The OS 21 activates a program related to the standard environment in response to activation. As one of them, the web browser 30 is activated by the OS 21 (S201). When activated, the Web browser 30 acquires the SDK UI 65 set as the default UI based on the default UI identification information via the HTTP server 40, and displays the SDK logo screen on the liquid crystal panel 141 based on the SDK UI 65. Is displayed (S202). When the default UI is SDKUI 65, the Web browser 30 checks whether the SD card 80 is set in the SD card reader 15 before acquiring the SDKUI 65. If the SD card 80 is set, the SDK UI 65 is acquired. If the SD card 80 is not set, one of the other UIs is acquired (in this case, the same processing as in FIG. 4 is executed). . Which other UI is to be acquired may be set in advance.

  In accordance with the display of the SDKUI 65, a processing procedure at the time of display in the SDKUI script included in the SDKUI 65, which is a processing procedure when the SDKUI 65 is set as a default UI, is executed. First, the SDK UI script inquires of the SDK platform 83 about the completion of activation, for example, by inter-process communication (S203). If there is no response to the inquiry, the SDK UI script determines that the startup of the extended environment has not been completed, and continues the startup completion inquiry to the SDK platform 83 periodically.

  Subsequently, the OS 21 requests the SDK load unit 26 to start the extended environment (S204). Subsequently, in steps S205 to S210, processing similar to that in steps S104 to S109 in FIG. 4 is executed, and the extended environment is activated.

  Subsequently, when any of the function keys is pressed by the user while the logo screen is displayed, the OS 21 notifies the Web browser 30 of a function key pressing event (S211). The press event is notified to the SDK script in the SDK 65 that is the display target in the Web browser 30. If the completion of the startup of the extended environment is not confirmed as a result of the startup completion inquiry to the SDK platform 83 on a regular basis, the SDK UI script ignores all function key pressing events. Accordingly, screen transition to another UI is not performed.

  Thereafter, when a response from the SDK platform 83 is returned in response to the activation completion inquiry (S221, S222), the SDK UI script determines that the activation of the extended environment has been completed, and issues an inquiry (polling) to the SDK platform 83. Stop (S223). If there is no response from the SDK platform 83 even after repeating the inquiry for a certain period, the SDK UI script causes the Web browser 30 to acquire one of the other UIs via the HTTP server 40. As a result, an operation screen based on another UI is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141.

  Subsequently, the SDK UI script causes the Web browser 30 to transmit an HTTP request including the URL for the initial screen of the SDK application 84 to the HTTP server 821 (S224).

  From step S224 to step S226, processing similar to that from step S120 to step S122 is executed. As a result, the initial screen of the SDK application 84 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 141.

  Further, in steps S227 to S231, the same processing as in steps S123 to S127 of FIG. 4 is executed. As a result, screen transition in the extended environment is realized.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, when the SDK UI 65 is set as the default UI, even if the function key is pressed until the start of the extended environment is completed, the transition to another UI is prevented. can do. That is, since the extended environment is activated after the standard environment is activated and is loaded from an external recording medium (SD card 80), the standard environment UI is the default UI for the display of the initial screen (for the expanded environment). There is a high possibility that it will take time compared to the case of. As a result, there is a possibility that an operation by the user is performed before the display is completed. However, in the second embodiment, since the input of the function key is ignored until the startup of the extended environment is completed, inconsistencies in screen transition such as another UI being displayed before the default UI is displayed are prevented. can do.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration used in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an operation panel in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the process sequence of the operation screen display process by the image forming apparatus in 1st embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a processing procedure of an operation screen display process by the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Controller 12 Scanner 13 Network interface 14 Operation panel 15 SD card reader 21 OS
22 Copy module 23 Scan module 24 Printing module 25 FAX module 26 SDK load unit 27 Framework 30 Web browser 31 Event detection unit 32 Network communication unit 33 HTML decoding unit 34 Screen drawing unit 40 HTTP server 41 Network communication unit 42 Request processing unit 43 Hard key event occurrence part 50 API
61 Copy UI
62 E-mail UI
63 Folder UI
64 FAXUI
65 SDKUI
81 JVM
82 OSGi framework 83 SDK platform 84 SDK application 85 SDK activation unit 111 CPU
112 RAM
113 ROM
141 LCD panel 142 Start key 143 Copy key 144 E-mail key 145 Folder key 146 FAX key 821 HTTP server 831 Conversion unit

Claims (12)

An image forming apparatus including an operation panel having a hard key for selecting display data to be displayed.
Determination means for determining whether or not to execute the program recorded in the removable recording medium;
In response to pressing of the hard key, display data corresponding to the pressed hard key is obtained from the storage means, and display control means for displaying the display data on the operation panel,
The display control means does not execute display of the display data when a hard key corresponding to display data related to the program is pressed when it is determined by the determination means that the program cannot be used. . A management unit that manages identification information of display data to be displayed first after the image forming apparatus is activated;
2. The display control unit ignores pressing of the hard key until completion of activation of the program is confirmed when identification information of display data related to the program is managed by the management unit. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit acquires display data corresponding to the pressed hard key based on a program included in display data to be displayed.   The display control means, based on a program included in the display data to be displayed, if the management information is managing identification information of the display data related to the program, the start of the program is completed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein pressing of the hard key is ignored until confirmation. A display control method executed by an image forming apparatus including an operation panel having a hard key for selecting display data to be displayed.
A determination procedure for determining whether or not to execute the program recorded in the removable recording medium;
A display control procedure for acquiring display data corresponding to the pressed hard key from the storage means in response to pressing of the hard key and displaying the display data on the operation panel;
In the display control procedure, when it is determined that the program cannot be used in the determination procedure, when the hard key corresponding to the display data related to the program is pressed, the display control method does not execute the display of the display data. .   In the display control procedure, when the identification information of the display data related to the program is managed by the management means that manages the identification information of the display data to be displayed first after the activation, the completion of the activation of the program is confirmed. The display control method according to claim 5, wherein pressing of the hard key is ignored until   The display control method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the display control procedure acquires display data corresponding to a pressed hard key based on a program included in display data to be displayed.   The display control procedure is based on a program included in display data to be displayed, and when the display data identification information related to the program is managed by the management procedure, the start of the program is completed. The display control method according to claim 6, wherein pressing of the hard key is ignored until confirmation. In an image forming apparatus provided with an operation panel having hard keys for selecting display data to be displayed,
A determination procedure for determining whether or not to execute the program recorded in the removable recording medium;
In response to pressing of the hard key, display data corresponding to the pressed hard key is acquired from the storage means, and a display control procedure for displaying the display data on the operation panel is executed.
The display control procedure is a display control program that does not execute display of display data when a hard key corresponding to display data related to the program is pressed when it is determined that the program cannot be used in the determination procedure. .   In the display control procedure, when the identification information of the display data related to the program is managed by the management means that manages the identification information of the display data to be displayed first after the activation, the completion of the activation of the program is confirmed. The display control program according to claim 9, wherein pressing of the hard key is ignored until   The display control program according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the display control procedure acquires display data corresponding to a pressed hard key based on a program included in display data to be displayed.   The display control procedure is based on a program included in display data to be displayed, and when the display data identification information related to the program is managed by the management procedure, the start of the program is completed. The display control program according to claim 10, wherein pressing of the hard key is ignored until confirmation.

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