JP6013996B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for performing print settings such as post-processing settings such as punching and stapling.

  As an image forming apparatus such as a digital multi-function peripheral, a panel unit having a touch panel screen is provided as a display operation device, and input operations such as print instructions and settings and display of the input results are performed through the panel unit screen. It has been.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying a preview image on the screen of the panel unit and performing post-processing settings as print settings on the preview image. Specifically, staples or punch holes are displayed on the preview image in accordance with the selection of the stapling menu or the punching menu, and the staples or punch holes are moved on the preview image with a finger or the like.

  Thereby, with the technique of patent document 1, a staple or a punch hole can be set to a desired position while confirming on a preview image.

  However, according to the technique of Patent Document 1, staples and punch holes are moved after being displayed on a preview image by selection of a menu, so that post-processing setting operations are complicated.

  In addition, the panel unit requires multiple steps to display the post-processing setting menu due to screen limitations, and users who are unfamiliar with the operation took time to set the post-processing. .

JP 2004-282439 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the operation is complicated and time-consuming when performing different print settings through the preview image.

The present invention is an image forming apparatus including a panel unit for easily performing different print settings through a preview image. The panel unit includes a display operation screen and a panel control unit, and the panel control unit includes: , a preview display unit for displaying a preview image of a document for printing setting on the display operation screen, the operation type to choose from a part is selected in the preview image on the display operation screen is canceled And a setting operation reception unit that receives print settings having different contents according to the operation position, and a setting reflection unit that reflects the print settings received by the setting operation reception unit in the preview image, the preview image includes: The post-processing setting as the print setting of different contents is input and displayed, and the post-processing setting is at least a punch hole The preview display unit includes at least three guide icons for setting the punch holes, setting the staples, and setting the aggregate printing, including settings for staple, aggregate printing, duplex printing, and rotation. The three guide icons are displayed in a shape corresponding to the contents of the post-processing settings, and are arranged at positions corresponding to the attributes of the contents of the post-processing settings. 1) Accept the settings of the punch hole and the staple position and the consolidated print by a tap operation on the three guide icons on the preview image, and accept a setting change by a drag and drop operation of the received setting content, (2) Setting for double-sided printing in which a side traced by dragging one side of the preview image is a binding side Reception, (3) the receiving setting of the rotation at a rotational locus by the drag operation from the non-guide icon area of the preview image, the setting reflection unit (1) position of the punch holes and the staple, and the aggregate printing The three guide icons for the image are highlighted as a painted image. (2) In the case of the double-sided printing setting, one side of the preview image is highlighted by a painted image. (3) The rotation setting is set. In this case, the preview image itself is rotated or a rotation icon is displayed, and the setting operation accepting unit accepts cancellation of the setting content by a flick operation of the accepted setting content, and the setting reflecting unit is canceled the setting for the most main features of the operation display device that you removed from the preview image.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform post-processing settings for different contents by directly operating a preview image on one screen on which the preview image is displayed.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus having a panel unit (Example 1). FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display image of a preview image of a panel unit (Example 1). 6 is a flowchart illustrating display operation processing of the image forming apparatus (first embodiment). (Example 1) which is the schematic which shows the example of a screen for punch hole position setting. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a screen example for setting a staple position (first embodiment). FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen for aggregate print setting (Example 1); FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen for duplex printing setting (Example 1). FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen for image rotation setting (Example 1). FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen for canceling post-processing settings (Example 1). FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a preview image after post-processing settings are reflected (Example 1). FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a display screen example of a preview image including a copy number display area according to a modified example (Example 1).

  The purpose of making it possible to easily perform different print settings through the preview image is to accept print settings with different contents depending on the operation type and operation position from when a part of the preview image is selected until it is canceled. This is realized by a display operation device that reflects the setting in the preview image.

  This display operation apparatus is suitable for an information processing apparatus such as a touch panel personal computer and a panel unit of an image forming apparatus. However, it is possible to apply even if it is not a touch panel type.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus having a panel unit.

  An image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. 1 is, for example, a digital multi-function peripheral or the like, and includes various functions such as a print function for performing printing as image formation. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a panel unit 3 as a display operation device in addition to a configuration corresponding to these functions. In FIG. 1, configurations corresponding to various functions are omitted.

  The panel unit 3 includes a display operation screen 5, a panel control unit 7, and the like.

  The display operation screen 5 is composed of a touch panel type liquid crystal display screen and the like, and is used to perform an input operation of print settings for the image forming apparatus 1 and display of the input result. The input operation can be performed with a user's finger or a dedicated pen. However, the following description is based on the assumption that the user's finger is used.

  The panel control unit 7 includes a processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the operation program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a work area, and the like. The panel control unit 7 controls the input operation on the display operation screen 5 and the display of the input result by executing the display operation program. In this embodiment, the panel control unit 7 functions as a preview display unit 71, a setting operation reception unit 72, a setting reflection unit 73, and a setting confirmation unit 74.

  The preview display unit 71 implements a preview display function, and displays, for example, a preview image of a document for print setting on the operation display screen 5.

  The preview image is displayed by inputting post-processing settings as print settings. The post-processing settings here are settings such as punch holes, staples, double-sided printing, aggregate printing, and rotation, for example.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display screen example of a preview image on the operation display screen of the panel unit.

  The preview image 20 in FIG. 2 shows a state in which post-processing settings are not made (unset state). Note that the preview image 20 is a blank sheet having no document information, but is actually a preview display of a document to be printed. However, the preview image 20 may be a blank sheet as shown in FIG. In this case, the preview image 20 can be used as an icon for inputting and displaying post-processing settings.

  Guide icons 30A, 30B and 30C are displayed on the preview image 20 of the present embodiment. The guide icons 30A, 30B, and 30C are provided to guide settings of punch holes, staples, and collective printing (drawing of the paper center line), which are post-processing settings different from each other. The guide icons 30A to 30B can be selected by touching the user with a finger.

  The guide icons 30A, 30B, and 30C have shapes corresponding to the setting details of the post-processing, and are arranged at positions corresponding to the attributes of the setting details of the post-processing.

  In the present embodiment, the guide icon 30A has a circular shape corresponding to the punch hole, and is arranged in the vicinity of the upper short side and the left and right long sides of the preview image 20 in accordance with the attribute of the punch hole.

  The guide icon 30B has a rectangular shape corresponding to the staple, and is arranged near the end of the left side near the upper left corner of the preview image 20 in accordance with the staple attribute.

  The guide icon 30C is a straight line corresponding to aggregate printing and indicating a state after a plurality of pages of documents are aggregated according to the attribute. In the example of FIG. 2, the guide icon 30C bisects the preview image 20 in the vertical direction.

  These guide icons 30A to 30C are displayed by broken lines in FIG. 2, but can also be displayed by, for example, colored solid lines.

  The setting operation reception unit 72 of FIG. 1 realizes a setting operation reception function, and displays the operation type and operation position from when a part of the preview image 20 is selected on the display operation screen 5 of the panel unit 3 until it is released. Different post-processing settings are accepted accordingly.

  As the operation type by selection and release thereof, selection by touching a part of the preview image 20 with a finger and tap operation through release immediately thereafter, drag operation to move the finger in the selected state, drop by release after drag operation There is an operation, a flick operation for releasing the finger after shifting it at a predetermined speed or more in the selected state.

  The operation position includes, in addition to the guide icons 30A to 30C, each side of the preview image 20, a region where the inner guide icons 30A to 30C do not exist from each side of the preview image 20 (non-guide icon region), and the like.

  Based on these operation types and operation positions, the setting operation accepting unit 72 of the present embodiment accepts punch hole and staple positions or aggregate printing settings by a tap operation on the guide icons 30A to 30C on the preview image 20 ( 4 to 6). In addition, a setting change is accepted by a drag-and-drop operation of the accepted setting content (see FIGS. 4 to 6).

  In addition, it accepts a double-sided print setting in which the side traced by the operation of tracing one side of the preview image 20 (drag operation) is a binding side (see FIG. 7), and the rotation locus by the drag operation from the non-guide icon area of the preview image 20 Accepts the rotation of the image (see FIG. 8), accepts the cancellation of the setting content by flicking the accepted setting content (see FIG. 9), and drags and drops from the guided icon area of the preview image 20 to the outside of the preview image 20 The number of copies is accepted by operation (see FIG. 11).

  Note that the operation for post-processing setting is not limited to the above, and any operation can be adopted. For example, in the preview image 20, the guide icons 30A to 30C can be omitted. In this case, it is only necessary to accept settings for punch holes, staples, or aggregate printing by a tap operation or the like in the area where guide icons 30A to 30C are to be displayed.

  Further, the guide icons 30A to 30C may not be selectable. In this case, the guide icons 30A to 30C indicate the operation positions on the preview image 20 for post-processing setting.

  The setting reflection unit 73 implements a setting reflection function and reflects the post-processing setting received by the setting operation reception unit 72 on the preview image 20. Specifically, when the punch hole or staple position or aggregate printing is set by selecting the guide icons 30A to 30C, the guide icons 30A to 30C are highlighted on the preview image 20 with a painted image or a solid line. . The highlighting may be performed on the guide icons 30A to 30C or may be performed instead of the icons 30A to 30C.

  When double-sided printing is set, the side traced with the user's finger is highlighted on the preview image 20 with a painted image or a solid line as the binding side. When double-sided printing is set, the preview image 20 is rotated, or a rotation icon such as an arc shape is displayed together with the preview image 20. When the print setting is canceled, the corresponding print setting is deleted from the preview image 20.

The setting confirmation unit 74 realizes a setting confirmation function, and confirms the content of the post-processing setting received by the setting operation reception unit 72 according to the setting confirmation operation on the display operation screen 5.
[Display operation processing]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing display operation processing of the image forming apparatus 1.

  As the display operation processing of this embodiment, post-processing setting is performed at the time of copying or box printing, for example. Note that box printing is a process of performing printing using image data (box document) stored in a document box in the image forming apparatus 1.

  In step S1, “display preview image” is performed. In this process, the preview display unit 71 displays the preview image 20 of the document to be printed on the display operation screen 5 as the preview display screen 50A as shown in FIG. The document to be printed is, for example, document image data read by a scanner (not shown), a box document in a document box, or the like.

  Thus, step S1 is completed, and the process proceeds to step S2.

  In step S <b> 2, a “post-processing setting operation?” Process is performed. In this process, the setting operation accepting unit 72 accepts a post-processing setting operation such as tap, dragging, and flicking with the user's finger on the preview image 20.

  If a post-processing setting operation is accepted, it is determined that “post-processing setting operation is present”, and the process proceeds to step S3 (YES). If no post-processing setting operation is accepted, it is determined that “no post-processing setting operation” is performed. The process of S2 is repeated (NO).

  4 to 9 are schematic diagrams showing examples of post-processing setting operations. FIG. 4 is a punch hole position setting, FIG. 5 is a staple position setting, FIG. 6 is an aggregate printing (2-in-1 printing) setting, and FIG. 7 shows duplex printing setting, FIG. 8 shows image rotation setting, and FIG. 9 shows post-processing setting cancellation.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, in this embodiment, when the guide icons 30 </ b> A to 30 </ b> C are tapped, it is determined that a post-processing setting operation has been performed, and the process proceeds to step S <b> 3.

  Also, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a drag operation (see FIG. 7) for tracing one side of the preview image 20, a rotation locus drawing (see FIG. 8) by a drag operation from the non-guide icon area of the preview image 20, and a preview image. Also when the flick operation 20 (see FIG. 9) is performed, it is determined that the post-processing setting operation has been performed, and the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S3, “reception of post-processing setting” is performed. In this process, the setting operation accepting unit 72 determines the post-processing setting operation (operation type and operation position) in step S2, and post-processing such as punching, stapling, collective printing, double-sided printing, or rotation corresponding thereto. Accept settings as above.

  When the post-processing setting is accepted in this way, the process proceeds to step S4.

  In step S4, “post-processing reflection” is performed. In this process, the setting reflection unit 73 reflects the post-processing setting received in step S3 on the preview image 20.

  As described above, this reflection is highlighted with the guide icons 30A to 30C being painted images in the case of punch holes and staple positions, or in the case of collective printing (FIGS. 4 to 6).

  In the case of duplex printing, one side of the preview image 20 is highlighted by a painted image as shown in FIG. 7, and in the case of rotation, the preview image 20 itself is rotated or a rotation icon such as a solid line in FIG. indicate.

  Further, in the case of deleting the post-processing setting, the existing post-processing setting is deleted from the preview image 20.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a preview image after the setting of post-processing is reflected. In the example of FIG. 10, punch P, staple S, and double-sided B are set and reflected on the preview image 20.

  In addition, a message prompting confirmation of the setting such as “Is the designation correct?” Is displayed at the top of the preview image 20, and a confirmation key 55 and a cancel key 57 are displayed at the bottom of the preview image 20.

  The confirmation key 55 is a key for instructing confirmation of post-processing settings on the preview image 20, and the cancel key 57 is a key for instructing cancellation of post-processing settings on the preview image 20.

  When the reflection of the post-processing setting is thus completed, the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S5, a “setting confirmed?” Process is performed. In this process, the setting confirmation unit 74 determines whether or not the post-processing setting is confirmed according to whether or not the confirmation key 55 on the preview display screen 50A is selected.

  If the post-processing setting has not been confirmed, the process of step S5 is repeated. If the post-processing setting has been confirmed, the series of display operation processes are ended. When the cancel key 57 is selected, the display operation process is terminated without setting the post-processing.

  According to such a display operation process, as a post-process by direct operations (see FIGS. 4 to 9) such as tapping on the guide icons 30A, 30B, and 30C in the preview image 20, tracing the sides, rotation drawing, and flicking. It is possible to set punch holes and staple formation positions, collective (2-in-1) printing, duplex printing, image rotation, etc., and delete post-processing.

As for the operations on the guide icons 30A and 30B, after performing the tap operation to set the positions of punch holes and staples (see FIGS. 4 and 5), the punch holes and staples reflected on the preview image 20 are dragged. It is also possible to change the position by an and drop operation.
[Modification]
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a preview display screen according to a modification of the present embodiment.

  In this modification, the preview display unit 71 displays a preview display screen 50 </ b> B including the copy number display area 51. That is, the copy display area 51 is displayed on the preview display screen 50 </ b> B adjacent to the preview image 20 outside the preview image 20. In the copy number display area 51, a number 52 corresponding to the number of copies to be printed and a copy number icon 53 of an image obtained by superimposing documents corresponding to the number of copies are displayed as a preview image for the number of copies. On the preview display screen 50 </ b> B, the number of copies can be set by dragging and dropping the preview image 20 into the copy number display area 51.

  Therefore, the setting operation receiving unit 72 sets the number of print copies of the document corresponding to the preview image 20 by adding 1 in accordance with the drag and drop operation.

  Then, the setting reflection unit 73 reflects the set number of prints on the number 52 in the number display area 51 and the number of copies of the number icon 53. In the example of FIG. 11, an example of a screen when the number of copies “4” is set by dragging and dropping the preview image 20 to the copy number display area 51 four times is shown.

As described above, in this embodiment, the number of copies to be printed can be set according to the number of drag-and-drop operations to the copy number display area 51 for the preview image 20.
[Effect of Example]
In the present embodiment, a preview display unit 71 that displays a preview image 20 of a document for print setting on the operation display screen 5 and a part of the preview image 20 selected on the operation display screen 5 until it is released. A setting operation receiving unit 72 that receives post-processing settings that differ depending on the operation type and operation position, and a setting reflecting unit 73 that reflects the post-processing settings received by the setting operation receiving unit 72 in the preview image 20. .

  Accordingly, in this embodiment, post-processing settings for different contents can be easily performed by directly operating the preview image 20 on one screen on which the preview image 20 is displayed.

  In addition, in this embodiment, post-processing settings with different contents are reflected in the preview image 20, so that the entire post-processing image can be visually recognized. For this reason, even when different post-processing settings coexist, it is possible to make an appropriate combination of post-processing settings. For example, in the case of a combination of stapling position and double-sided printing, it is preferable that the stapling position and the binding side of double-sided printing are located along the same side on the preview image 20, but such setting is easily performed. be able to.

  In the present embodiment, the setting operation receiving unit 72 performs post-processing settings that differ depending on the operation type and the operation position from when a part of the preview image 20 is selected on the operation display screen 5 until it is canceled. Since it is received, for example, post-processing setting can be performed by an intuitive operation such as tap, drag, and flick performed by the user on the preview image.

  In this embodiment, the preview display unit 71 displays guide icons 30A to 30C indicating at least operation positions for post-processing settings of different contents in the preview image 20, so that an appropriate operation corresponding to the guide icons 30A to 30C is displayed. It is possible to easily and reliably perform post-processing settings that differ depending on the position.

  In particular, in this embodiment, the positions of punch holes and staples and the operation position for collective printing cannot be accurately recognized only by the preview image 20, but these operation positions are accurately represented by the guide icons 30A to 30C. Can prompt the user.

  In addition, the guide icons 30A to 30C of the present embodiment can be selected, the setting operation reception unit 72 receives corresponding post-processing settings by selecting and releasing the guide icons 30A to 30C, and the setting reflection unit 73 The accepted post-processing settings are displayed on the preview image 20 on the guide icons 30A to 30C or instead of the guide icons 30A to 30C.

Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the post-processing settings made through the guide icons 30A to 30C can be reflected on the preview image 20 easily and reliably.
[Others]
As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described, this invention is not restricted to this, A various change is possible. For example, the present invention can be applied to a display operation device that is not a touch panel type. In that case, an operation device such as a mouse and a display device such as a display may be combined. Operations such as tapping, dragging, and flacking on the preview image 20 can be realized with a mouse or the like.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the post-processing setting is performed as the print setting has been described. However, any print setting that can be reflected on the preview image 20 can be performed without being limited to the post-processing setting.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 3 Panel unit 5 Display operation screen 50A, 50B Preview display screen 20 Preview image 30A, 30B, 30C Guide icon 7 Panel control part 71 Preview display part 72 Setting operation reception part 73 Setting reflection part 74 Setting confirmation part

Claims (2)

An image forming apparatus including a panel unit,
The panel unit has a display operation screen and a panel control unit,
The panel control unit
A preview display unit for displaying a preview image of a document for print setting on the display operation screen;
A setting operation reception unit that receives print settings having different contents depending on an operation type and an operation position from when a part of the preview image is selected on the display operation screen until the selection is canceled;
A setting reflecting unit that reflects the print setting received by the setting operation receiving unit on the preview image;
With
The preview image is displayed by inputting post-processing settings as the print settings having different contents, and the post-processing settings include at least punch hole, staple, aggregate printing, duplex printing, and rotation settings. ,
The preview display unit displays at least three guide icons for the punch hole setting, the staple setting, and the aggregate print setting in the preview image, and the three guide icons are the post-processing. In a shape corresponding to the content of the setting, it is arranged at a position according to the attribute of the content of the post-processing setting,
The setting operation reception unit
(1) By accepting the settings of the punch hole and the staple position and the aggregate print by a tap operation on the three guide icons on the preview image, and accepting the setting change by a drag and drop operation of the accepted setting content. ,
(2) accepting the double-sided printing setting with the side traced by dragging one side of the preview image as the binding side;
(3) accepting the rotation setting by a rotation locus by a drag operation from the non-guide icon area of the preview image ;
The setting reflection unit
(1) Highlight the three punched and stapling positions and the three guide icons for collective printing as a painted image,
(2) In the case of the double-sided printing setting, one side of the preview image is highlighted by a painted image,
(3) In the case of the rotation setting, the preview image itself is rotated or a rotation icon is displayed,
Further, the setting operation accepting unit accepts the cancellation settings by flick operation settings accepted, the setting reflection section image forming apparatus characterized that you remove the settings that have been canceled from the preview image . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The preview display unit displays a preview image and a copy number display area on the display operation screen,
In the copy number display area, a number corresponding to the number of copies to be printed and a copy number icon of an image in which a document corresponding to the number of copies is superimposed are displayed,
The setting operation accepting unit accepts the setting of the number of print copies by performing a drag-and-drop operation for the number of times corresponding to the number of print copies into the copy number display area of the preview image .
The image forming apparatus , wherein the setting reflection unit reflects the number of print copies for which the setting has been received in the number of copies in the number display area and the number of copies of the copy icon .