JP5198416B2 - Input device, image forming apparatus, input program, and input method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for preventing erroneous input in character / symbol input.

  Character symbol strings such as a telephone number input as a destination in a facsimile machine and a mail address input in a web service membership procedure must be input correctly. For this reason, various techniques for preventing erroneous input of the character symbol string have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  By the way, in order to prevent an erroneous input of the character symbol string, on the input screen for inputting the character symbol string, the user inputs the character symbol string such as the mail address a plurality of times and is input by the plurality of times of input. Conventionally, a technique for preventing the erroneous input by using the character symbol string such as the mail address for the next process only when the character symbol strings match each other has been used.

JP 2007-12469 A

  However, with this technique, if the same typing error is made subsequently, or if a character / symbol string erroneously input at the first input is copied and used for the second and subsequent inputs, the erroneous input cannot be prevented.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and in order to prevent erroneous input of a character symbol string, an input for allowing a user to input at least a part of the characters constituting the character symbol string multiple times. It is an object of the present invention to effectively prevent erroneous input in an apparatus, an image forming apparatus using the input apparatus, an input program, and an input method.

In the input device according to claim 1 of the present invention, when the character symbol input receiving unit receives a character symbol input receiving unit that receives a character symbol input, a display unit, and the character symbol input for inputting a character symbol string. A character symbol string obtained by converting a part of the character symbols in the character symbol string into a predetermined image indicating an input location, a message prompting the user to input a character symbol in the location of the image, When the character symbol input accepting unit accepts the input of the character symbol input to a part or all of the portion of the image, the display control unit for displaying the input request screen on which is displayed on the display unit. A match determination unit that compares the character symbol before conversion with the character symbol input to the location of the image and determines whether they match each other, and the display control unit inputs the input Request screen Display at least once on the display unit, and after the input request screen is displayed, after the match determination unit performs at least once the match determination, at least once in the match determination The character symbol string received by the character symbol input receiving unit when the match determination unit determines that the character symbol before being converted into the character symbol and the character symbol input at the location of the image all match each other Or a registration unit for registering a character symbol string generated by inputting a character symbol at all locations of the image as a character symbol string to be used for later processing, and the match determination unit includes: Each time the character / symbol input receiving unit receives one character / symbol in inputting a character / symbol to a location, the match determination is performed, and the display control unit converts the character / symbol into the image. Each time the match determination unit determines that two character symbols of the character symbol before the character symbol and the character symbol input to the image portion match each other, the image displayed at the location The input character symbol is changed to be displayed on the display unit. When the match determination unit determines that the two character symbols do not match, the image is continuously displayed on the display unit. The

An input program according to claim 8 of the present invention is a first step for accepting input of a character symbol string, and a part of the character symbols in the character symbol string accepted in the first step are input locations. A second step of causing the display unit to display an input request screen on which a character / symbol string converted into a predetermined image indicating the above and a message prompting the user to input a character / symbol at a location of the image are displayed; , A third step of accepting character symbol input to a part or all of the portion of the image, a character symbol before being converted to the image, and the image of which the character symbol input is accepted in the third step. The fourth step of comparing the character symbol input at the location and determining whether or not they match each other, and the steps from the second step to the fourth step are reduced. After performing at least once, in the coincidence determination in all the fourth steps, at least the character symbol before being converted into the image and each character symbol inputted at the location of the image all coincide with each other The character symbol string received in the first step or the character symbol string generated by inputting the character symbol in all the image portions in the third step is used for later processing. A fifth step of registering as a character symbol string to be performed, and in the fourth step, when one character symbol is received in the third step in inputting the character symbol to the location of the image. In the second step, the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image Each time it is determined in the fourth step that two character symbols match each other, the image displayed at the location is changed to the input character symbol and displayed on the display unit. If it is determined in the fourth step that the two character symbols do not match, the computer is caused to execute a process of continuously displaying the image on the display unit .

In the input method according to claim 9 of the present invention, the first step of accepting input of a character symbol string and a part of the character symbols in the character symbol string accepted in the first step are input locations. A second step of causing the display unit to display an input request screen on which a character / symbol string converted into a predetermined image indicating the above and a message prompting the user to input a character / symbol at a location of the image are displayed; , A third step of accepting character symbol input to a part or all of the portion of the image, a character symbol before being converted to the image, and the image of which the character symbol input is accepted in the third step. The number of steps from the second step to the fourth step is reduced by comparing the character symbol input at the location and determining whether or not they match each other. When After performing once, in the matching determination in all of the fourth step, when at least the character symbol before being converted into the image and each character symbol input to the location of the image all match each other In addition, the character symbol string received in the first step or the character symbol string generated by inputting the character symbol in all the portions of the image in the third step is used for subsequent processing. A fifth step of registering as a symbol string, and in the fourth step, the match determination is performed each time one of the character symbols is received in the third step in inputting a character symbol to the location of the image. And in the second step, the two character symbols of the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image are If it matches, every time it is determined in the fourth step, the image displayed at the location is changed to the input character symbol and displayed on the display unit, and the two character symbols are inconsistent. when it is determined in the fourth step that there is Ru is displayed on the display unit to continue the image.

According to the invention according to any one of claims 1, 8 , and 9, when the user inputs a character symbol to the portion of the image, the order relationship with the portion displayed as the character symbol In consideration of this, a character symbol is input to the portion of the image. That is, the user is forced to input the character symbols carefully as compared with the conventional technique that requires the user to input all the character symbols from one at a time multiple times. Therefore, even when the character symbol string such as an email address is erroneously input, the user is more likely to notice the erroneous input. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the erroneous input.

In addition , each time a character symbol is input to one of the image locations, the user can check whether the input character symbol is correct, thereby preventing erroneous input of the character symbol string more reliably. can do. In addition, when an error is made in inputting a character symbol to the location of the image, the user only has to re-input only the character symbol with the incorrect input, so the burden on the user can be reduced. Therefore, the above invention is suitable for application to an input device that is inferior in the ease of inputting characters and symbols as compared to a mechanical keyboard, such as a touch panel provided as an input device in an image forming apparatus.

The input device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the input device according to the first aspect , wherein the display control unit responds to an increase in the number of character symbols in the character symbol string received by the character symbol input receiving unit. The ratio of the character symbols to be converted into the image in the character symbol string is reduced.

According to the invention of claim 2 , the display control unit converts the image into the image in the character symbol string in accordance with an increase in the number of character symbols in the character symbol string received by the character symbol input receiving unit. Since the ratio of the character symbols to be reduced is reduced, it is possible to reduce the burden on the user in inputting the character symbols to the portions of the image. For this reason, the invention according to claim 2 is suitable for application to an input device that is inferior in the ease of inputting characters and symbols as compared to a mechanical keyboard, for example, a touch panel provided as an input device in an image forming apparatus.

The input device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the input device according to the first aspect , wherein the display control unit includes a character symbol before being converted into the image and a location of the image in the first match determination. When the match determination unit determines that all the character symbols input to the character string match each other, the character symbol string obtained by converting the character symbol that has not been converted to the image in the first display of the input request screen into the image And a message prompting the user to input a character / symbol at the location of the image, and causing the display unit to display the input request screen for the second time to display the input request screen. When the character / symbol input accepting unit accepts the character / symbol input to part or all of the portion of the image in the character / symbol string displayed in the second display of the input request screen, In the second match determination, when the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image all match each other, the registration unit performs the match determination for the second time. When the coincidence determination unit determines, the character symbol string generated by inputting the character symbol into all the portions of the character symbol string or the image received by the character symbol input receiving unit is used for later processing. Register as a character symbol string.

According to the invention of claim 3 , in the character symbol input after the first input request screen display and the character symbol input after the second input request screen display, the user inputs the character symbol string Since the character symbols constituting the character string are all input in two steps, erroneous input of the character symbol string can be prevented more reliably.

The input device according to claim 4 of the present invention is the input device according to claim 1 or 2 , each time the character symbol input receiving unit receives the character symbol input to the location of the image. Counts the number of character symbols received by the unit, and counts the number of mismatches for each character symbol and for each position in the character symbol string each time the match determination unit determines the mismatch. The number of erroneous inputs, which is the ratio of the number of mismatches counted by the counting unit to the number of character symbols counted by the counting unit, for each character symbol and in the character symbol string. An erroneous input degree calculation unit that calculates at least one of each, and the display control unit calculates the erroneous input degree after the erroneous input degree calculation unit calculates In the display of the input request screen, a place to be converted into the image in the character symbol string is selected in at least one of the order of the character symbols having the high degree of erroneous input and the order of the positions having the high degree of erroneous input. To do.

According to the invention according to claim 4 , the display control unit converts the portion to be converted into the image into at least one of the order of the character symbol having the high degree of erroneous input and the order of the position having the high degree of erroneous input. Therefore, the user preferentially re-inputs at least one of a character symbol and a portion that are likely to be erroneously input in the input of the character symbol string. Therefore, the erroneous input in the input of the character symbol string can be prevented more reliably.

An input device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the input device according to the fourth aspect , further comprising an authentication unit that individually authenticates a user based on identification information unique to the user, wherein the counting unit includes the authentication unit The number of character symbols and the number of times are counted for each authenticated user, and the erroneous input degree calculation unit calculates the erroneous input degree for each user authenticated by the authentication unit.

According to the invention according to claim 5 , the counting unit counts the number of character symbols and the number of times for each user authenticated by the authentication unit, and the erroneous input degree calculation unit is authenticated by the authentication unit. Since the erroneous input degree is calculated for each user, the erroneous input degree can be calculated more accurately.

An input device according to claim 6 of the present invention is predetermined when the input of the character symbol string is received by the character symbol input receiving unit in the input device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An importance level determining unit that determines the level of importance of the character / symbol string according to the rule, and the display control unit displays the input request screen on the display unit according to the importance level determined by the importance level determining unit. The number of times of display is increased, and the match determination unit increases the number of times of performing the match determination after displaying the input request screen.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the number of times the input request screen is displayed and the number of times of the match determination after the input request screen is displayed are increased according to the importance. The possibility of erroneous input can be reduced according to the high necessity of preventing the occurrence of the error.

An image forming apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes the input device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects. According to the invention of claim 7 , the effects of the inventions of claims 1 to 6 can be obtained in an image forming apparatus including an input device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent erroneous input in character symbol input, as compared with the conventional technology that requires a user to input all character symbols from a single input multiple times.

1 is a configuration diagram of a network to which a multifunction peripheral according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected. FIG. It is sectional drawing which mainly shows the mechanical structure of the multifunctional machine shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the operation panel part of the multifunctional machine shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the multifunction peripheral illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows an example of the various display screens which a display control part displays on a display part at the time of transmission of a reading image. (A) shows a basic transmission screen, (B) shows an address input screen, and (C) shows a software keyboard screen. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the display control part at the time of E-mail transmission, a coincidence determination part, and a registration part. (A) is a figure which shows the software keyboard screen during mail address input, (B) is a figure which respectively shows the address input screen displayed as an input request screen. (A) is a software keyboard screen that displays a character / symbol string obtained by converting a part of the character / symbol in the input e-mail address into an image, and the user can input the character / symbol in the image part. It is a figure which respectively shows the state in which the character symbol different from the character symbol in the mail address input by the address input was input in the software keyboard screen shown to (A). (A) shows an address input screen (destination end screen) for confirming to the user whether to continue or end the destination input, and (B) shows the destination input screen on the destination end screen shown in (A). It is a figure which respectively shows the transmission basic screen displayed when an end is selected. 10 is a flowchart for explaining operations of a display control unit, a coincidence determination unit, and a registration unit during E-mail transmission in the multifunction peripheral according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a display mode of an address input screen that is displayed on the display unit by the display control unit during E-mail transmission in the multifunction peripheral according to the second embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the multifunctional device which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the multifunctional device which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a login screen displayed on the display unit by the display control unit when the MFP illustrated in FIG. 13 is started up and when the MFP is returned from the power saving mode. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an address input screen displayed on the display unit by the display control unit as an input request screen in the multifunction peripheral illustrated in FIG. 13.

<Embodiment 1>
Hereinafter, an input device, an image forming apparatus, an input program, and an input method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In Embodiment 1 described below, a multifunction peripheral 1A having a network scanner function is employed as an image forming apparatus including the input device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-function device 1A is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network). Further, a PC (Personal Computer) 2, a mail server SV1, and a file server SV2 are connected to the LAN. The multifunction device 1A, the PC 300, the mail server SV1, and the file server SV2 transmit and receive various data via the LAN.

  The PC 300 includes e-mail client software for sending and receiving e-mails, a printer driver for creating print data to be printed by the multifunction machine 1A, and utility software for checking the status of the multifunction machine 1A and a print job. Etc. are installed. The PC 300 generates print data to be printed based on an operation command from the user, and transmits the print data to the multifunction peripheral 1A via the LAN.

  The mail server SV1 includes a POP3 server compliant with POP (Post Office Protocol) 3 and an IMAP server compliant with IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). The mail server SV1 receives an electronic mail transmitted from the Internet, transmits it to the PC 300 as necessary, receives an electronic mail transmitted from the PC 300 or the multifunction peripheral 1A, and transmits the electronic mail or other PC 300 as necessary. Send to.

  For example, the file server SV2 stores document files created by the PC 300, images read by the multifunction peripheral 1A, and the like so as to be sharable via the LAN.

  In FIG. 1, only one multifunction device 1A and one PC 300 are shown, but a plurality of PCs 300 are usually connected to the LAN, and a plurality of multifunction devices 1A may be connected to the LAN.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view mainly showing a mechanical configuration of the multifunction machine 1A. The multifunction machine 1A has a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, a facsimile function, a network scanner function, and an E-mail transmission function for transmitting an image read by the scanner function as an E-mail attachment file. ing. The multi-function device 1 </ b> A is disposed above the main body unit 2, the stack tray 3 disposed on the left side of the main body unit 2, the document reading unit 4 disposed above the main body unit 2, and the document reading unit 4. A document feeder 5 is provided. Further, an operation unit 40 is provided at the front part of the multifunction machine 1A.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 40 includes a start key 401, a numeric keypad 402, a transmission key 403, a display unit 410, and the like. The operation unit 40 functions as an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention by functioning under the control of the control unit 110 described later.

  A start key 401 is used for a user to input a print execution command or the like. A numeric keypad 402 is used to input numerical values such as the number of copies to be printed. That is, the numeric keypad 402 functions as a character symbol input accepting unit that accepts character symbol input relating to a numerical value. A transmission key 403 is a key for calling the network scanner function or the E-mail transmission function after an image is read by the document reading unit 4 described later.

  The display unit 410 is, for example, a liquid crystal display that displays operation guide information and the like related to the above-described functions of the multifunction device 1A, and allows a user to input various settings necessary when using various functions of the multifunction device 1A. Therefore, it has a touch panel function. Further, the display unit 410 has a software keyboard screen 413 (see FIG. 5C) for inputting character symbols such as an email address by touch input when inputting character symbols when using the E-mail transmission function. It is displayed and functions as a character / symbol input receiving unit that receives character / symbol input from the software keyboard.

  Referring to FIG. 2 again, the document reading unit 4 includes a scanner unit 13 including an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and an exposure lamp, a document table 14 including a transparent member such as glass, and a document reading slit. 15. The scanner unit 13 is configured to be movable by a drive unit (not shown). When reading a document placed on the document table 14, the scanner unit 13 is moved along the document surface at a position facing the document table 14, and the document image is displayed. The image data acquired while scanning is output to the storage unit 130 (see FIG. 4). When reading the document fed by the document feeding unit 5, the document is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 15 and synchronized with the document feeding operation by the document feeding unit 5 via the document reading slit 15. The image of the original is acquired, and the image data is output to the storage unit 130.

  The document feeder 5 includes a document placement unit 16 for placing a document, a document discharge unit 17 for discharging a document whose image has been read, and one document placed on the document placement unit 16. A document transport mechanism 18 including a paper feed roller, a transport roller (not shown), and the like for feeding the paper one by one to a position facing the document reading slit 15 and discharging it to the document discharge section 17 is provided.

  Further, the document feeding unit 5 is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body unit 2 so that the front side thereof can move upward. By moving the front side of the document feeder 5 upward to open the upper surface of the document table 14, the user can place a read document, for example, a book in a spread state, on the upper surface of the document table 14. ing.

  The main body unit 2 includes a paper storage unit 20, an image forming unit 21, and a fixing unit 28. The paper storage unit 20 includes a paper feed cassette 201 and a paper feed roller 202. The paper feed cassette 201 stores recording paper. The paper feed roller 202 pulls out the recording paper from the paper feed cassette 201 and feeds the recording paper to the image forming unit 21.

  The image forming unit 21 forms an image on the sheet conveyed from the sheet feeding cassette 201. The image forming unit 21 outputs a laser beam or the like based on the image data acquired by the scanner unit 13 to expose the photosensitive drum 22, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 22. A developing unit 24 that forms a toner image by attaching toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum 22 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, a transfer unit 25 that transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 22 to a sheet, and a toner image A fixing unit 28 having a heating roller 26 and a pressure roller 27 for melting and fixing the toner image on the sheet by heating the transferred sheet, and a sheet conveyance path in the image forming unit 21. Alternatively, a pair of conveyance rollers 30 and 31 that convey to the discharge tray 29 are provided.

  When images are formed on both sides of a sheet, the image forming unit 21 forms an image on one side of the sheet, and then the sheet is nipped between the pair of conveying rollers 30 on the discharge tray 29 side. In this state, the conveyance roller pair 30 is reversed to switch back the sheet, and the conveyance roller pairs 38 and 39 convey the sheet to the sheet conveyance path 32 and convey it again to the upstream area of the image forming unit 21. After the image is formed on the other side, the paper is discharged to the stack tray 3 or the discharge tray 29.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the multifunction peripheral 1A. The multifunction machine 1A includes a control unit 110, a network I / F unit 120, and a storage unit 130 in addition to the configuration shown in FIG.

  The network I / F unit 120 includes a LAN board or the like, and performs communication control of various data transmitted and received between the multifunction peripheral 1A and the PC 300, the mail server SV1, and the file server SV2.

  The storage unit 130 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like. The ROM stores a control program for the multifunction peripheral 1A, an input program according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the like. The RAM is used as a work area for temporarily storing image data of a document read by the document reading unit 4. The HDD reads the image data written in the RAM and stores it as file data subject to document management, and uses the IP address input when using the network scanner function and the use of the E-mail transmission function. It also functions as a storage area for storing an address book file in which a destination such as an e-mail address inputted sometimes is stored.

  The control unit 110 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and performs overall control of the multifunction peripheral 1A. Further, the CPU executes the control program and the input program stored in the storage unit 130 so that the display control unit 111, the coincidence determination unit 112, and the registration unit 113 are provided as software. Function. Note that the display control unit 111, the coincidence determination unit 112, and the registration unit 113 may be provided in the control unit 110 as hardware.

  When the user presses various keys included in the operation unit 40, the display control unit 111 causes the display unit 410 to display a display screen corresponding to various functions called by these keys. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of various display screens displayed on the display unit 410 by the display control unit 111 during an operation when transmitting a document read by the document reading unit 4.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram showing a basic transmission screen 412 that the display control unit 111 displays on the display unit 410 when the transmission key 403 is pressed. The transmission basic screen 412 is a screen for allowing the user to select a method for transmitting an image read by the document reading unit 4. The basic transmission screen 412 includes a “new mail” button 4121 for calling the E-mail transmission function, a “new folder” button 4124 for calling the network scanner function, and a “new fax” button for calling the facsimile function. 4125, various submenu buttons such as an “address book” button 4123 for calling an arbitrary destination from the address book stored in the storage unit 130, and a destination for displaying an IP address or a mail address inputted as the destination A display area 4122 and the like are provided.

  FIG. 5B shows an address input screen that the display control unit 111 displays on the display unit 410 when the “new mail” button 4121 on the transmission basic screen 412 is pressed to call the E-mail transmission function. FIG. The address input screen 411 has a “mail address” button 4111 for calling a software keyboard screen 413 (see FIG. 5C) for inputting a mail address by touch input. An “OK” button 4113 received by the display unit 410, a “next destination” button 4114 for further adding a mail address as a destination, a “cancel” button 4115 for canceling the input operation of the mail address, and the input mail address “Register in address book” button 4116 for registering in the address book, an address display area 4112 in which the mail address input on the software keyboard screen 413 is displayed, and a guidance for displaying guidance regarding the input operation of the mail address table Provided with a region 4117.

  FIG. 5C is a diagram showing a software keyboard screen 413 that the display control unit 111 displays on the display unit 410 when the “mail address” button 4111 is pressed. The software keyboard screen 413 is a screen for inputting characters and symbols such as an email address by touch input. The software keyboard screen 413 includes a keyboard area 4131 configured by character symbol key buttons for selecting a character symbol when inputting a character symbol, and a character symbol (or character symbol string) such as an e-mail address input by the character symbol key button. Character symbol display area 4132, “OK” button 4133 that the display unit 410 accepts by pressing the input character symbol, “Cancel” button 4134 for canceling character symbol input, and designation of character symbol input position And an “backspace button” 4136 for erasing input character symbols one by one.

  When the E-mail transmission function, the network scanner function, the facsimile function, or the like is called from the transmission basic screen 412 and the display control unit 111 transmits an image read by the document reading unit 4 to a new destination, In order to prevent erroneous input of an e-mail address, IP address, telephone number, etc. as a destination, at least one of the numeric keypad 402 and the software keyboard screen 413 (display unit 410) serving as a character symbol input receiving unit receives a destination (character symbol string) from the user. ) Is displayed on the display unit 410 as an input request screen (FIG. 7B is an example thereof). When displaying the input request screen on the display unit 410, the display control unit 111 displays a character symbol string obtained by converting a part of the character symbols in the destination into a predetermined image indicating the input location. A message prompting the user to input a character / symbol at the location of the image is displayed on the display unit 410.

  Each time the user inputs a character symbol to the location of the image from the numeric keypad 402 or the software keyboard screen 413, the coincidence determination unit 112 performs the character symbol before being converted to the image and the location of the image. It is determined whether or not the two character symbols input to the character symbol coincide with each other.

  When the match determination unit 112 determines that the two character symbols match each other, the registration unit 113 registers the destination input by the user from the numeric keypad 402 or the software keyboard screen 413 as a transmission destination. The control unit 110 transmits the image to the destination registered as the transmission destination.

  The operations of the display control unit 111, the match determination unit 112, and the registration unit 113 will be described based on FIGS. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operations of the display control unit 111, the coincidence determination unit 112, and the registration unit 113 during the E-mail transmission. 7 to 9 are diagrams illustrating display modes of a transmission basic screen 412, an address input screen 411, and a software keyboard screen 413 that the display control unit 111 appropriately displays on the display unit 410 during E-mail transmission.

  When the user presses the transmission key 403, the display control unit 111 displays the transmission basic screen 412 on the display unit 410 (step S1). At this time, since the destination is not input, the destination display area 4122 is blank (see FIG. 5A). When the user presses the “new mail” button 4121 on the transmission basic screen 412 in order to transmit the image read by the document reading unit 4 to a new destination using the E-mail transmission function (step S2). The display control unit 111 displays the address input screen 411 (see FIG. 5B) on the display unit 410 (step S3).

  When the user presses the “mail address” button 4111 on the address input screen 411, the display control unit 111 displays the software keyboard screen 413 (see FIG. 5C) on the display unit 410 (step S4). When the user inputs an e-mail address using the software keyboard screen 413 (FIG. 7A) and the user presses the “OK” button 4133, the display unit 410 as the character / symbol input receiving unit is input. The mail address is accepted (YES in step S5).

  Subsequently, the display control unit 111 randomly selects some character symbols in the e-mail address received by the display unit 410 and converts them into a predetermined image “*” indicating an input location. Display the symbol string in the address display area 4112 and press “Mail address”, which is a message prompting the user to enter the location converted to the image “*”, and enter the * part on the keyboard screen. Is displayed in the guidance display area 4117, the address input screen 411 (FIG. 7B) as the input request screen is displayed on the display unit 410 (step S6). On the other hand, when the user presses the “Cancel” button 4134 on the software keyboard screen 413 and re-enters the mail address (NO in step S5), the process returns to step S3.

  When the user presses the “email address” button 4111 on the address input screen 411, the display control unit 111 displays the character symbol string displayed in the address display area 4112 of the input request screen in the character symbol display area 4132. The displayed software keyboard screen 413 is displayed on the display unit 410 (step S7). The display control unit 111 highlights one place closest to the beginning of the character symbol string in the image “*” as a place that can be input by the user (FIG. 8A) and displays it in the keyboard area 4131. When the user inputs one character symbol using the character symbol key, the display unit 410 accepts the character symbol input as a character symbol input to the reverse display portion (step S8). When the user presses the arrow button 4135, the display control unit 111 moves the highlighted display part back and forth in the direction of the arrow, and the display unit 410 is displayed by the user using the character / symbol key. The character symbol input is accepted as a character symbol input to the reverse display portion after movement.

  Each time the display unit 410 receives a character symbol input to the highlighted display location, the match determination unit 112 includes the character symbol input to the highlighted display location and the mail address received by the display unit 410 in step S5. It is determined whether or not the corresponding character symbol and the two character symbols coincide with each other (step S9). The display control unit 111 changes the image “*” to the input character symbol to change the character symbol display area every time the match determination unit 112 determines that the two character symbols match each other (YES in step S9). 4132 is displayed (step S10).

  On the other hand, when the match determination unit 112 determines that the character / symbol input at the highlighted display location does not match the corresponding character / symbol in the mail address received by the display unit 410 in step S5 ( In step S <b> 9, NO), the display control unit 111 continues to display the image “*” of the reverse display portion as it is in the character symbol display area 4132. In the present embodiment, the display control unit 111 displays a dialog message “does not match the character in the previously input address” and displays the corresponding part as a character so that the user can easily recognize the mismatch. A warning display that blinks in the symbol display area 4132 is displayed on the display unit 410 (step S11, FIG. 8B).

  When the user completes input to the image “*” portion and the user presses the “OK” button 4133 on the software keyboard screen 413 (FIG. 8A), the display unit 410 displays the image “ When the mail address generated by inputting all “*” portions is accepted (YES in step S12), or when the user presses the “address book” button 4121 on the basic transmission screen 412, the storage unit When the display unit 410 receives an arbitrary e-mail address called from the address book stored in 130 (NO in step S2), the display control unit 111 displays the e-mail address received by the display unit 410 in an address display area. 4112 and “To continue to enter the destination, press [Next Destination]. Please press OK]. Guidance that "was displayed in the guidance display area 4117, the address input screen 411 is displayed (FIG. 9 (A). The destination end screen) display unit 410 (step S13).

  If the user presses the “next destination” button 4114 to add a destination (NO in step S14), the process returns to step S2. When the user presses the “OK” button 4113 to end the destination input (YES in step S14), the display control unit 111 confirms that the e-mail address received by the display unit 410 is registered as a transmission destination. In order to make it confirmed, the transmission basic screen 412 (FIG. 9B) in which the mail address is displayed in the destination display area 4122 is displayed on the display unit 410 (step S15), and the registration unit 113 The mail address input in the input is registered as a transmission destination (step S16). When the user presses the start key 401 in this state, the control unit 110 transmits the image to the mail address registered as the transmission destination (step S17).

  According to the first embodiment, the user selects the character to the location of the image (the location indicated by the image “*” in FIGS. 7B, 8A, and 8B). When inputting a symbol, the character symbol is input to the portion of the image in consideration of the order relationship with the portion displayed as the character symbol. That is, compared with the conventional technique which requires the user to re-input all character symbols from scratch, the user is forced to input the character symbols carefully. Therefore, even when the character symbol string such as an email address is erroneously input, the user is more likely to notice the erroneous input. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the erroneous input.

  Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the user can confirm whether or not the input character symbol is correct every time one character symbol is input to one of the image portions. It is possible to prevent erroneous input of the character symbol string. In addition, when an error is made in inputting a character symbol to the location of the image, the user only has to re-input only the character symbol with the incorrect input, so the burden on the user can be reduced. In particular, when a touch panel that is inferior in input of character symbols as compared to a mechanical keyboard is employed as the character symbol input unit, the burden can be greatly reduced.

<Embodiment 2>
The multifunction device 1B according to the second embodiment has the same mechanical configuration as the multifunction device 1A according to the first embodiment, but the display unit 410, such as a mail address generated by inputting all the image portions, When the destination is accepted (YES in step S12 in FIG. 6), the image portion of the character symbol string in which the character symbol that has not been changed to the image (corresponding to the time in step S6 in FIG. 6) is changed to the image is displayed. Further, it is different from the multi function device 1A in that the user inputs it.

  Based on FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the operation at the time of the E-mail transmission will be described with respect to the above difference as an example of the destination input. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining operations of the display control unit 111, the coincidence determination unit 112, and the registration unit 113 during the E-mail transmission in the MFP 1B. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a display mode of the address input screen 411 displayed on the display unit 410 by the display control unit 111 during the E-mail transmission.

  In addition to the operation shown in FIG. 6 performed by the multi-function device 1A at the time of E-mail transmission, the multi-function device 1B, that is, between YES and step S13 in step S12 (location indicated by the circled number 1 in FIG. 6). Further, operations from step S101 to step S105 are performed.

  When the user completes the input to the image “*” portion and the user presses the “OK” button 4133 on the software keyboard screen 413 (FIG. 8A), the display unit 410 displays the image “*”. An e-mail address generated by inputting all “*” portions is accepted (YES in step S12). Subsequently, the display control unit 111 displays in the address display area 4112 a character symbol string obtained by converting the character symbol that has not been converted to the image “*” in step S6 into the image “*”, and the image symbol “*”. A message prompting the user to input a location, such as “Press [Mail Address] and enter * part of the character on the keyboard screen” is displayed in the guidance display area 4117 and displayed for the second time. As the input request screen, an address input screen 411 (compare with FIG. 11 and FIG. 7B) is displayed on the display unit 410 (step S101).

  Steps S102 to S105 are the same as steps S9 to S12 in FIG. If YES in step S105, the process returns to the position indicated by the circled number 1 in FIG. 6 and proceeds to step S13 and subsequent steps in FIG.

  According to the second embodiment, the character symbol input after the first input request screen display in step S6 (step S9 to step S12) and the character symbol input after the second input request screen display in step S101 (step In step S102 to step S105), the user inputs all the character symbols constituting the destination inputted at the time of step S5 in two steps, so that erroneous input of the destination can be prevented more reliably.

<Embodiment 3>
As shown in FIG. 12, the multifunction machine 1C according to the third embodiment further includes an importance level determination unit 114 in the control unit 110 of the multifunction machines 1A and 1B according to the first and second embodiments (see FIG. 4). It has been configured. When at least one of the numeric keypad 402 and the software keyboard screen 413 (display unit 410) as the character / symbol input receiving unit receives the input of the destination from the user, the importance level determination unit 114 receives the destination according to a predetermined rule. The importance of the destination input in the input is determined.

  The display control unit 111 increases the number of times that the input request screen is displayed on the display unit 410 according to the importance determined by the importance level determination unit 114, and the match determination unit 112 displays the input request screen after the input request screen is displayed. Increase the number of times matching is performed.

  For example, when inputting an e-mail address as a destination in the E-mail transmission function, for example, the in-house domain name has the lowest importance level 1 and other stored domain names have the higher importance level. The domain name (character symbol string after @) is stored in the storage unit 130 in advance with a ranking of importance 2. Furthermore, the domain name that is not stored in the storage unit 130 is determined by the importance level 3 and the importance level determination unit having the highest importance level. That is, the importance is ranked according to the level of confidentiality. When the mail address received by the display unit 410 corresponds to the importance level 1, the display control unit 111 sets the number of times to display the input request screen on the display unit 410 once, and the match determination unit 112 The number of coincidence determinations to be made after the input request screen is displayed is one. When the degree of importance is 2, the number of times is 2, and when the degree 3 is importance, the number is 3 times. It is possible to take the form.

  According to the third embodiment, by increasing the number of destination inputs performed by the user according to the importance, according to the degree of necessity to prevent erroneous input of the destination, such as high confidentiality, The possibility of the erroneous input can be reduced.

<Embodiment 4>
As shown in FIG. 13, the MFP 1D according to the fourth embodiment includes an authentication unit 115, a counting unit 116, and an erroneous input degree calculation in the control unit 110 of the MFP 1A according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 4). The unit 117 is further added.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a login screen 414 that is displayed on the display unit 410 by the display control unit 111 when the MFP 1D is started up and returned from the power saving mode. The login screen 414 is a screen for a user to perform a login operation to the network to which the multifunction peripheral 1D is connected when the E-mail transmission function or the network scanner function is used. The login screen 414 includes a “login user name” button 4141 for calling a software keyboard screen 413 (FIG. 5C) for inputting a user name by touch input, and a software for inputting a password by touch input. A “login password” button 4142 for calling the keyboard screen 413 (FIG. 5C), a “login” button 4143 for receiving the input user name and password by the display unit 410 when pressed, and the like are provided.

  Referring to FIG. 13 again, authentication unit 115 collates whether or not the user name and password received by display unit 410 match the user name and password stored in storage unit 130, If both the user name and password match, the user who performed the login operation is permitted to log in to the network.

  The counting unit 116 counts the number of character symbols received by the display unit 410 every time the display unit 410 accepts input of character symbols to the location of the image for each user that the authentication unit 115 has permitted to log in to the network. In addition, each time the coincidence determination unit 112 determines that the two character symbols of the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image do not match each other. The number of mismatches is counted for at least one of each character symbol and each position in the character symbol string.

  The erroneous input degree determination unit 117 calculates an erroneous input degree, which is a ratio of the number of times of mismatches counted by the counting unit 116 to the number of character symbols counted by the counting unit 116 for each character symbol and the character symbol. The authentication unit 115 calculates at least one of each position in the queue for each user who is permitted to log in to the network. Then, the display control unit 111 selects at least one of a character symbol and a place to be converted into the image on the input request screen in descending order of the erroneous input degree calculated by the erroneous input degree calculating unit 117.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an address input screen 411 that the display control unit 111 displays on the display unit 410 as the input request screen in the multifunction machine 1D. As shown in FIG. 15, for example, character symbols such as “,” and “.”, “M” and “n”, which are likely to cause erroneous inputs due to their similar shapes, are preferentially displayed on the input request screen. And displayed as the image (symbol “*” in FIG. 15) (compare FIG. 7B showing the input request screen in the first embodiment). Further, for example, in the case of a user who tends to erroneously input the second character symbol when inputting the destination, the second character symbol is preferentially displayed as the image on the input request screen.

  According to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to cause the user to re-input preferentially at least one of a character symbol and a portion that are likely to be erroneously input in the input of the destination. Therefore, the erroneous input in the input of the destination can be prevented more reliably. Further, according to the fourth embodiment, the counting unit 116 counts the number of character symbols and the number of times for each user authenticated by the authentication unit 115, and the erroneous input degree calculation unit 117 performs the authentication performed by the authentication unit 115. Since the erroneous input degree is calculated for each user, the erroneous input degree can be calculated more accurately.

  The multifunction devices 1A to 1D according to the first to fourth embodiments have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the MFP 1A according to the first embodiment, the display control unit 111 is, for example, a table stored in advance in the storage unit 130, and is converted into the number of all character symbols and the image and displayed on the display unit 410. With reference to a table that associates numbers, at least one of the numeric keypad 402 and the display unit 410 serving as a character symbol input receiving unit displays the number on the display unit 410 according to an increase in the number of character symbols in the destination received from the user. In the input request screen, the ratio of the character symbols to be converted into the image and displayed can be reduced. In this way, it is possible to reduce the burden on the user in inputting character symbols to the image portion. In particular, when a touch panel that is inferior in input of character symbols as compared to a mechanical keyboard is employed as the character symbol input unit, the burden can be greatly reduced.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral. For example, at least a part of the character symbol string of a character symbol string such as a mail address input on an input screen such as user registration in a web service is used. By allowing the user to input a plurality of times, the present invention can be applied to any scene for the purpose of preventing erroneous input of the character symbol string.

1A to 1D MFP (image forming device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Control unit 111 Display control part 112 Match determination part 113 Registration part 114 Importance determination part 115 Authentication part 116 Counting part 117 Error input degree calculation part 40 Operation part (input device)
402 Numeric keypad (Character symbol input accepting part)
410 Display unit (Character / symbol input accepting unit)
411 Address input screen (input request screen)

Claims (9)

A character symbol input receiving unit for receiving character symbol input;
A display unit;
When the character symbol input accepting unit accepts the character symbol input for inputting the character symbol string, a part of the character symbols in the character symbol string is converted into a predetermined image indicating the input location. A display control unit that causes the display unit to display an input request screen on which the character symbol string, a message prompting the user to input a character symbol to the location of the image,
When the character / symbol input accepting unit accepts the character / symbol input to a part or all of the part of the image, the character / symbol before being converted into the image and the character / symbol inputted to the part of the image And a match determination unit that performs a match determination as to whether or not both match each other,
After the display control unit displays the input request screen on the display unit at least once, and after the display of the input request screen, the match determination for all portions of the image is performed at least once by the match determination unit. When the match determination unit determines that at least the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image all match each other in the match determination all times, A registration unit for registering a character symbol string generated by inputting a character symbol in all of the character symbol string or the image received by a symbol input receiving unit as a character symbol string to be used for later processing; Prepared ,
The match determination unit performs the match determination each time the character symbol input receiving unit receives one of the character symbols in the character symbol input to the location of the image,
Each time the match determination unit determines that the two character symbols of the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image match each other, the display control unit If the image displayed at a location is changed to the input character symbol and displayed on the display unit, and the match determination unit determines that the two character symbols do not match, input device continues to perform the image Ru is displayed on the display unit. The display control unit reduces a ratio of the character symbols to be converted into the image in the character symbol string in accordance with an increase in the number of character symbols in the character symbol string received by the character symbol input receiving unit. Item 2. The input device according to Item 1 . The display control unit performs the match when the character symbol before being converted to the image and the character symbol input to the image portion all match each other in the match determination for all the image portions for the first time. When the determination unit determines, the character symbol string obtained by converting the character symbol that has not been converted to the image in the first display of the input request screen into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image to the user Prompting the display unit to display the input request screen for the second time to display the input request screen on which is displayed,
The match determination unit has received the character symbol input to part or all of the portion of the image in the character symbol string displayed in the second display of the input request screen. In this case, the matching determination is performed for all the portions of the image for the second time,
In the second match determination, the match determination unit determines that the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image all match each other. In addition, the character symbol string received by the character symbol input receiving unit or the character symbol string generated by inputting the character symbol in all the portions of the image is registered as a character symbol string used for later processing. Item 2. The input device according to Item 1 . Each time the character symbol input accepting unit accepts the input of the character symbol to the location of the image, the character symbol input accepting unit counts the number of character symbols accepted, and the coincidence determining unit determines the mismatch. A counting unit that counts the number of times of the mismatch for each character symbol and at least one of each position in the character symbol string;
The degree of erroneous input, which is the ratio of the number of mismatches counted by the counting unit to the number of character symbols counted by the counting unit, is determined for at least one of each character symbol and each position in the character symbol string. An erroneous input degree calculation unit for calculating,
In the display of the input request screen after the erroneous input degree calculation unit has calculated the erroneous input degree, the display control unit is arranged in the order of the character symbols having the higher erroneous input degree and the position having the higher erroneous input degree. order on at least one of the forward, the input device according to claim 1 or 2 to select the portion to be converted to the image in the character symbol string. An authentication unit for individually authenticating the user based on the user-specific identification information;
The counting unit counts the number of character symbols and the number of times for each user authenticated by the authentication unit, and the erroneous input degree calculation unit calculates the erroneous input degree for each user authenticated by the authentication unit. The input device according to claim 4 to calculate. When the input of the character symbol string is received by the character symbol input receiving unit, further comprising an importance level determination unit that determines the importance level of the character symbol string according to a predetermined rule,
In accordance with the importance determined by the importance determination unit, the display control unit increases the number of times the input request screen is displayed, and the match determination unit performs the match determination performed after the input request screen is displayed. input device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for increasing the number of times. An image forming apparatus including an input device according to any one of claims 1-6. A first step of accepting input of a character symbol string;
A character symbol string obtained by converting a part of the character symbols in the character symbol string received in the first step into a predetermined image indicating an input location, and a character symbol input to the location of the image A second step of causing the display unit to display an input request screen on which is displayed;
A third step of accepting character symbol input to a part or all of the portion of the image;
The character symbol before being converted into the image is compared with the character symbol input at the location of the image that has received the character symbol input in the third step, and whether or not they match each other A fourth step of performing a match determination of
After performing the steps from the second step to the fourth step at least once, in the matching determination in all the fourth steps, at least the character symbol and the image before being converted into the image When all the character symbols inputted in the part of the character string coincide with each other, the character symbols are inputted in the character symbol string received in the first step or in all the parts of the image in the third step. The computer executes the fifth step of registering the character symbol string generated by the above as a character symbol string used for later processing ,
In the fourth step, the match determination is performed each time one character symbol is received in the third step in the character symbol input to the location of the image,
In the second step, every time it is determined in the fourth step that the two character symbols of the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image match each other. When the image displayed at the location is changed to the input character symbol and displayed on the display unit, and the two steps are determined to be inconsistent in the fourth step Is an input program for causing a computer to execute processing for continuously displaying the image on the display unit . A first step of accepting input of a character symbol string;
A character symbol string obtained by converting a part of the character symbols in the character symbol string received in the first step into a predetermined image indicating an input location, and a character symbol input to the location of the image A second step of causing the display unit to display an input request screen on which is displayed;
A third step of accepting character symbol input to a part or all of the portion of the image;
The character symbol before being converted into the image is compared with the character symbol input at the location of the image that has received the character symbol input in the third step, and whether or not they match each other A fourth step of performing a match determination of
After performing the steps from the second step to the fourth step at least once, in the matching determination in all the fourth steps, at least the character symbol and the image before being converted into the image When all the character symbols inputted in the part of the character string coincide with each other, the character symbols are inputted in the character symbol string received in the first step or in all the parts of the image in the third step. A fifth step of registering the character symbol string generated by this as a character symbol string to be used for later processing ,
In the fourth step, the match determination is performed each time one character symbol is received in the third step in the character symbol input to the location of the image,
In the second step, every time it is determined in the fourth step that the two character symbols of the character symbol before being converted into the image and the character symbol input to the location of the image match each other. When the image displayed at the location is changed to the input character symbol and displayed on the display unit, and the two steps are determined to be inconsistent in the fourth step input method includes Ru is displayed on the display unit to continue the image.