JP6076488B2 - Character input device, character input program, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a character input device, a character input program, and an image forming apparatus.

  In an electronic device such as a portable terminal, with the widespread use of touch panel devices, an opportunity for an operator to input characters using the touch panel is increasing. Further, not only a portable terminal and the like, but also in an image forming apparatus, character input using a software keyboard is adopted in a display unit in scenes such as inputting a title of a stored document. In this software keyboard, operability such as (1) easy input and (2) low input errors are important factors. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151561 discloses a technique that enables easy deletion of a character by tracing the character input on the touch panel with a finger. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique that enables deletion for each word by dragging the word input on the touch panel.

JP-A-1-142970 JP 2012-141663 A

  According to the prior art disclosed in each of the above patent documents, an operation for deleting an input character can be supported, but further improvement is required for the operability of such character deletion. Nowadays, in order to facilitate operability when using a touch panel, for example, it is desired that an instruction can be input by an intuitive operation by a user.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to delete an input character with a simpler operation than before.

  A character input device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a display unit, a contact detection unit, an image storage unit, a first display control unit, a detection unit, a second display control unit, and an instruction receiving unit. .

  The display unit displays an image.

  The contact detection unit detects a contact by an operator and a contact position on the display screen of the display unit.

  The image storage unit stores a plurality of character images.

  The first display control unit arranges a plurality of characters designated by the operator among the character images stored in the image storage unit and displays the characters on the display unit.

  The detection unit is configured such that when the contact at two points in the display area of the plurality of character images displayed on the display unit by the first display control unit is detected by the contact detection unit at the same time, It is detected whether or not the movement of the contact position with the passage of time for the contact indicates pinch-in.

  When the detection unit detects pinch-in, the second display control unit does not display the character image displayed in the region sandwiched between the initial contact positions detected by the contact detection unit. The adjacent character image displayed adjacent to the area is moved to the area and displayed.

  The instruction receiving unit receives an input of a deletion instruction for deleting an input of a character indicated by the non-displayed character image.

  An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes the character input device and an image forming unit.

  The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium.

  A character input program according to an aspect of the present invention includes a computer, the contact detection unit, the image storage unit, the first display control unit, the detection unit, the second display control unit, and the instruction. It functions as a reception unit.

  According to the present invention, when an operator deletes an input character, if a pinch-in operation is performed in the display area of the character image to be deleted among the character images displayed on the display unit, the operator is sandwiched by the pinch-in. Since it is possible to input an instruction to delete the character indicated by the character image displayed in the area, the operation required when deleting the input character becomes easier than before.

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus including a character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of character input processing by the image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of the display screen of the display unit.

  Hereinafter, a character input device, a character input program, and an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus including a character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The image forming apparatus 1 is configured to include an operation unit 47, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a paper feeding unit 14, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, and the like in an apparatus main body 11A.

  The operation unit 47 receives instructions such as an image forming operation execution instruction and a document reading operation execution instruction from the operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 47 includes a display unit 473 that displays operation guidance to the operator. When the image forming apparatus 1 performs a document reading operation, the document reading unit 5 optically processes a document fed by the document feeding unit 6 or a document placed on a contact glass (document placing glass) 161. Read and generate image data. Image data generated by the document reading unit 5 is stored in a built-in HDD or a network-connected computer.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image forming operation, the image data generated by the document reading operation, the image data received from a user terminal device such as a computer or a smartphone connected to a network, or stored in a built-in HDD. The image forming unit 12 forms a toner image on a recording sheet P as a recording medium fed from the sheet feeding unit 14 based on the image data and the like. The image forming units 12M, 12C, 12Y, and 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 include a photosensitive drum, a developing device 122 that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum, a toner cartridge (not shown) that stores toner, and a charging device. 123, an exposure device 124, and a primary transfer roller 126, respectively.

  The paper feed unit 14 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes. The control unit (not shown) rotates the pickup roller 145 of the paper feed cassette in which the recording paper of the size specified by the instruction from the operator is rotated, so that the recording paper P stored in each paper feed cassette is loaded. It is conveyed toward the nip portion N.

  When performing color printing, the magenta image forming unit 12M, the cyan image forming unit 12C, the yellow image forming unit 12Y, and the black image forming unit 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 each receive image data. A toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 121 by charging, exposure, and development processes based on the image composed of each color component, and the toner image is driven by the primary transfer roller 126 by the driving roller 125a and the driven roller 125b. The image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 that is stretched around the belt.

  The intermediate transfer belt 125 is driven by a driving roller 125 a in a state where an image carrying surface on which a toner image is transferred is set on the outer peripheral surface thereof and in contact with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121. The intermediate transfer belt 125 travels endlessly between the driving roller 125a and the driven roller 125b while being synchronized with each photosensitive drum 121.

  The toner images of the respective colors transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 with the transfer timing adjusted to become a color toner image. The secondary transfer roller 210 receives a color toner image formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 125 from the paper supply unit 14 at a nip N between the intermediate transfer belt 125 and the driving roller 125a as an opposing roller. The conveyance path 190 is transferred to the recording paper P that has been conveyed. Thereafter, the fixing unit 13 fixes the toner image on the recording paper P to the recording paper P by thermocompression bonding. The recording paper P on which the color image has been formed after completion of the fixing process is discharged to a discharge tray 151.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10. The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The control unit 10 includes a document reading unit 5, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, a paper transport unit 411, an image forming unit 12, an operation unit 47, a facsimile communication unit 71, a network interface unit 91, an HDD (hard disk drive) 81, and the like. Connected with. The control unit 10 controls the operation of each of the connected mechanisms and transmits / receives a signal or data to / from each mechanism.

  The control unit 10 includes a control unit 100 that controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1 described above. The control unit 100 controls the operation of each function of the scanner function, printer function, copy function, and facsimile function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user (operator) through the operation unit 47 or a personal computer connected via a network. The driving and processing of each mechanism necessary for executing the above are controlled.

  The document reading unit 5 includes a scanner unit 51 including the reading mechanism 163 having an image irradiation lamp 511 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 512. The document reading unit 5 irradiates the document with the image irradiation lamp 511 and receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor 512 to read the image from the document.

  The image processing unit 31 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the document reading unit 5 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 31 performs predetermined image processing in order to improve the quality after the image read by the document reading unit 5 is formed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image memory 32 stores image data read by the document reading unit 5.

  The paper transport unit 411 includes the pickup roller 145 and the transport roller 192 shown in FIG. 1, and records the recording paper stored in the manual feed tray 141 and the paper feed cassettes 142 and 143 to the image forming unit 12 and the discharge tray 151. Transport.

  As described above, the image forming unit 12 includes the image forming units 12M, 12C, 12Y, and 12Bk, the intermediate transfer belt 125 stretched around the drive roller 125a, and the secondary transfer roller 210. Image data to be output by the image forming unit 12 is transmitted from image data read by the document reading unit 5, image data transmitted from a client computer or the like in the local area via the network interface unit 91, and the like. Image data.

  The operation unit 47 includes a touch panel unit 102 and operation key units that receive instructions from the user (operator) for various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The touch panel unit (contact detection unit) 102 is provided in a display portion of the display unit 473 provided in the operation unit 47, and detects contact by the operator on the display screen of the display unit 473 together with the contact position (coordinate position). When the touch panel unit 102 detects the contact by the operator, the touch panel unit 102 outputs a detection signal indicating the contact position to the detection unit 105 described later.

  The facsimile communication unit 71 includes an unillustrated encoding / decoding unit, modulation / demodulation unit, and NCU (Network Control Unit), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone network. For example, the facsimile communication unit 71 transmits image data of a document read by the document reading unit 5 to a facsimile device or the like via a telephone line, or receives image data transmitted from the facsimile device or the like.

  An HDD (image storage unit) 81 stores image data read by the document reading unit 5. The image data stored in the HDD 81 can be used for image formation by the image forming unit 12. The HDD 81 stores a character image to be displayed on the display unit 473.

  The network interface unit 91 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from a device (such as a personal computer) in the local area via the LAN connected to the network interface unit 91.

  The control unit 10 further includes a display control unit 103, a character input reception unit 104, a detection unit 105, and an instruction reception unit 106. The control unit 10 is operated by a CPU according to a character input program according to an embodiment of the present invention stored in a built-in memory, ROM, or HDD 81, so that a display control unit 103, a character input reception unit 104, and a detection unit 105. And functions as an instruction receiving unit 106. Alternatively, the display control unit 103, the character input reception unit 104, the detection unit 105, and the instruction reception unit 106 are provided with dedicated hardware circuits and the like, so that the display control unit 103, the character input reception unit 104, and the detection unit 105 are provided. Also, it may function as the instruction receiving unit 106.

  The display control unit 103 manages display control of the display unit 473. The display control unit 103 includes a first display control unit 1031 and a second display control unit 1032.

  The first display control unit 1031 causes the display unit 473 to display a plurality of characters specified by the operator using the character input receiving unit 104 among the character images stored in the HDD 81. The character designation operation by the operator is performed by a software keyboard displayed on the display unit 473 and contact by the operator using the touch panel unit 12 and detection of the contact position.

  The second display control unit 1032 switches between display and non-display of the character image displayed on the display unit 473 by the first display control unit 1031 based on the pinch-in and pinch-out operations detected by the detection unit 105.

  The character input receiving unit 104 receives an input of a character designated by the operator. The character input receiving unit 104 receives an instruction to input a character specified by the operation of the software keyboard by the operator and the detection by the touch panel unit 12.

  When the touch panel unit 102 detects contact at two points in the display area of the plurality of character images displayed on the display unit 473 by the first display control unit 1031, the detection unit 105 detects each contact. It is detected whether the movement of the contact position with the passage of time indicates pinch-in and pinch-out.

  When the operator slides the finger on the display screen while the finger is in contact with the display screen of the display unit 473, the touch panel unit 102 outputs a detection signal indicating each moving position to the detection unit 105. When the operator is in contact with a plurality of locations on the display screen, the touch panel unit 102 detects contact with each of the plurality of locations and outputs a detection signal indicating the contact position to the detection unit 105 or the like. . When a detection signal indicating the contact position is sent from the touch panel unit 102 for the plurality of contacts at the same time, the detection unit 105 determines a direction in which the plurality of contacts move on the display screen. The detection unit 105 detects, for example, (1) pinch-in when the movement direction of the contact position (coordinate position) indicating two contacts moves toward each other, and (2) the contact position (coordinates) indicating two contacts. If the movement direction of the (position) moves away from each other, it is detected as a pinch out. In addition, the detection method of pinch in and pinch out is not restricted to this. A known technique can be used to detect the pinch-in and pinch-out.

  When the detection unit 105 detects a pinch-in, the second display control unit 1032 hides the character image displayed in the area sandwiched between the two touch points detected by the touch panel unit 102, The adjacent character image displayed adjacent to the area is moved to the area and displayed. In addition, the second display control unit 1032 is not displayed when the detection unit 15 detects a pinch-out in the non-displayed area after the character image is not displayed based on the pinch-in. The character image and the adjacent character image are redisplayed in the state before the pinch-in detection.

  The instruction receiving unit 106 receives an input of a deletion instruction for deleting the input of the character indicated by the character image that has been hidden by the second display control unit 1032. The instruction receiving unit 106 deletes the character indicated by the deletion instruction when the touch of the two points is no longer detected by the detection unit 105. For example, the instruction receiving unit 106 outputs, to the character input receiving unit 104, an instruction to cancel the input of the character indicated by the deletion instruction when the contact of the two points is no longer detected, and the character input receiving unit 104 receives the character The above character deletion is performed by canceling the input.

  A character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes, for example, the display unit 473, the touch panel unit (contact detection unit) 102, a first display control unit 1031, a second display control unit 1032, a detection unit 105, and an instruction reception unit. 106, and an HDD (image storage unit) 81.

  Next, character input processing by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of character input processing by the image forming apparatus 1. 4 to 10 are diagrams illustrating examples of display screens of the display unit 473. FIG.

  For example, the first display control unit 1031 of the image forming apparatus 1 performs the data storage function of the image forming apparatus 1 when the operator inputs the title of the stored document, as shown in FIG. The character input screen D1 is displayed on the display unit 473. The operator inputs a desired character by operating the software keyboard displayed on the display screen or the numeric keypad of the operation unit 47. When the character input receiving unit 104 receives the input character, the first display control unit 1031 displays the input character in the input character display field d12 of the character input screen D1, as shown in FIG. Let It should be noted that the character input in the present invention is not intended to be limited to this example (hereinafter the same).

  In this state, the operator displays character images “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “f”, “g”, “h”, “i” on the display screen of the display unit 473. "J" "k" "l" "m" "n" In the display area of the character image indicating the character to be deleted, for example, as shown in FIG. When the touch panel unit 102 and the detection unit 105 detect the pinch-in in the display area indicating e, “f”, “g”, “h”, and “i” (YES in S1), the second display control unit 1032 For each of the two contact points indicating pinch-in, the initial position at which contact is first made is obtained from the detection unit 105 (S2), and the final position (movement final position) at which the movement is completed is obtained (S3). ).

  For example, the detection unit 105 accompanies the passage of time from the contact position (initial position) at the first contact point when the operator touches the display screen of the display unit 473 based on information indicating the contact position acquired from the touch panel unit 102. Each contact position is stored up to the final movement position where movement with time has stopped. Hereinafter, the movement final position is simply referred to as the final position. The detection unit 105 outputs information indicating the initial position and the final position to the second display control unit 1032.

  Subsequently, the second display control unit 1032 determines the character image displayed in the area sandwiched between the initial position and the final position (S4). For example, the second display control unit 1032 determines a character image displayed in an area that reaches a straight line connecting the initial position and the final position. The second display control unit 1032 stops displaying the determined character image on the display unit 473 and hides it, and moves the adjacent character image displayed adjacent to the region to the region and displays it. (S5).

  Then, the instruction receiving unit 106 determines the character indicated by the determined character image (S6), and receives an instruction to delete each determined character (S7).

  As shown in FIG. 6, the characters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n are input by the operator in the above character input operation. 1 Display control unit 1031 displays character images “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “f”, “g”, “h”, “i”, “j”, “k”, and “l”. A case where “m” and “n” are displayed side by side on the display unit 473 will be described. At this time, when the characters that the operator wants to delete are the characters e, f, g, h, i, the operator holds the display area of the character image indicating the characters to be deleted with the thumb and the index finger. Contact.

  For example, in the display area of the character images “e”, “f”, “g”, “h”, “i” indicating each character to be deleted, the operator places the thumb and index finger in one end portion (character image “ e ”display area) and the other end (display area of the character image“ i ”) and the character images“ e ”,“ f ”,“ g ”,“ h ”, and“ i ”indicating the characters to be deleted. Insert the character image group with both fingers. From this state, when the operator moves the finger and the forefinger in the direction in which the fingers approach each other while keeping the thumb and index finger in contact with the display screen, the touch panel unit 102 and the detection unit 105 are used to change the contact position of each finger. Pinch-in is detected. As the pinch-in is detected, the second display control unit 1032 causes the character image displayed in the area sandwiched between the initial position where the thumb touches and the final position where the movement has ended, and further, the index finger touches The character image displayed in the area sandwiched between the initial position to be moved and the final position after the movement is determined, and the determined character images are not displayed as shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the second display control unit 1032 displays the adjacent character images “a”, “b”, “c”, “d” and the adjacent character images “j” displayed adjacent to the area. At least one of “k”, “l”, “m”, and “n” is moved to the non-displayed area and displayed. The display control of the adjacent character image is performed at the time of processing for not displaying the character image based on the pinch-in described below.

  And the instruction | indication reception part 106 receives the instruction | indication which deletes the character which each non-displayed character image shows.

  By performing display control in this manner, the operator has a common feeling of moving the fingers in a direction to bring them closer to each other by pinch-in and a feeling that the displayed character image sandwiched by pinch-in is not hidden. The operator can have the feeling of erasing the character image with his / her finger and deleting the input of the character indicated by the character image, leading to an improvement in operational feeling.

  After the pinch-in, the operator is in contact with the display screen (YES in S8), so that the contact position of the thumb and forefinger is away from the final position, for example, in the arrangement direction of the character images as shown in FIG. When the touch panel unit 102 and the detection unit 105 detect the pinch out by moving the pinch out operation (YES in S9), the second display control unit 1032 displays each of the two contact points indicating the pinch out. An initial position is acquired from the detection unit 105 (S10), and each final position is acquired (S11).

  Then, the second display control unit 1032 discriminates the character image displayed before the non-display in S5 in the area sandwiched between the initial position and the final position (S12). For example, the second display control unit 1032 determines the character image displayed in the area that approaches the straight line connecting the initial position and the final position. The second display control unit 1032 redisplays the determined character image on the display unit 473 as shown in FIG. 10 (S13). At this time, as shown in FIG. 10, the second display control unit 1032 displays at least one of the adjacent character images displayed adjacent to both sides of the region as much as the display region of the character image to be redisplayed. Move and display text images in the line-up direction. The display control of the adjacent character image is performed during the process of redisplaying the character image based on the pinch-out after the pinch-in shown below.

  Then, the instruction receiving unit 106 cancels the deletion instruction received in S7 for the character indicated by the redisplayed character image (S14).

  After the non-display (S5) or re-display (S13), when the operator releases the contact from the display screen and the touch panel unit 102 detects the non-contact (NO in S8, NO in S15), the instruction The receiving unit 106 receives the information indicating the non-contact from the touch panel unit 102, and deletes the input of the character for which the deletion instruction is received (S16). Note that the instruction receiving unit 106 does not delete the character input for the characters for which the character deletion instruction has been canceled by the redisplay (S13, S14). That is, as shown in the example of FIG. 11, the character image that is the target of the non-display (S5) or the re-display (S13), and each character image displayed on the display unit 473 at this time is shown. The character input or deletion is confirmed (NO in S15, S16). FIG. 11 shows a state in which deletion of the characters g, h, and i is confirmed and input of the characters e and f is confirmed by the pinch-in and pinch-out.

  According to the processing from S9 onward, the operator feels that the operation feeling of moving the fingers away from each other by pinching out and the feeling that the non-displayed character image is displayed again, that is, the displayed character image is displayed. You will get a sense of being restored according to your finger movements. As a result, the operator can perform the character input operation with the feeling that the display of the character image can be restored with his / her finger and the input and deletion of the character indicated by the character image can be changed. It leads to improvement.

  However, if the operator performs the pinch-in operation again after the pinch-out and before releasing the contact (YES in S15, S1), the process returns to S1 and is pinched by pinch-in as shown in FIG. Each character image displayed in the area is hidden, and a character deletion instruction is accepted (S1 to S7).

  Note that after the input or deletion of characters in S16 is confirmed, the display control unit 103 does not change the display even if the operator pinches out in the display area of each character image (see FIG. 13). However, when the operator pinches in the display area of the character image, the process from S1 is started.

  The character input process will be further described. In the present embodiment, as described above, when the operator performs pinch-in and pinch-out on the display screen of the display unit 473, the second display control unit 1032 displays the two contact points constituting the pinch-in and pinch-out. The display and non-display of the character image are switched in the area sandwiched between the initial position and the final position. After the character image is not displayed by the pinch-in, the operator performs the pinch-out without releasing the contact from the display screen, and accordingly, the character image that has been hidden by the second display control unit 1032 is displayed again. 14 (see FIG. 10), as shown in the example of FIG. 14, when the operator further moves the index finger on the right side in FIG. The character image “h” displayed between the initial position of the contact position at the start of further pinch-out, for example, from the initial position of contact with the index finger shown in FIG. 10 to the final position of movement with the index finger shown in FIG. Is further redisplayed by the second display control unit 1032.

  Further, when the contact position of the index finger is moved again from the state shown in FIG. 14 to the left side in FIG. 14, that is, the contact position side of the thumb, the final position of the movement by the index finger from the initial contact position of the index finger shown in FIG. The character image “h” displayed until then is not displayed again by the second display control unit 1032 (see FIG. 15).

Furthermore, the right-side contact position of the thumb in the left side in FIG. 15, i.e. is moved to the index finger side, from the initial position of the contact by the thumb shown in Figure 15, it is displayed between the final position of the contact by the thumb The displayed character image “e” is not displayed by the second display control unit 1032 (see FIG. 16).

Further, displayed between the contact position of the thumb as a left side in FIG. 16 left side, that is moved away from the index finger, the initial position of the contact by the thumb shown in Figure 16, to the final position of the contact by the thumb The character image “e” that has been displayed is displayed again by the second display control unit 1032 (see FIG. 17).

  Note that, as described above, the instruction accepting unit 106 displays the character indicated by the non-displayed character image in accordance with the non-display of the character image by the second display control unit 1032 shown in FIGS. A deletion instruction is accepted, and an input instruction is accepted for the character indicated by the re-displayed character image as the character image is re-displayed by the second display control unit 1032.

  In this way, even when the operator moves one of the fingers used for pinching in and pinching out on the display screen of the display unit 473, it is possible to delete characters and switch input depending on the movement of the fingers. Therefore, the operability can be further improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiment, when pinch-in and pinch-out are detected, the display and non-display of the character image displayed in the area sandwiched between the initial position and the final position of the two contact points constituting the second touch point are displayed. The display control unit 1032 switches, and the instruction receiving unit 106 receives a character deletion instruction and an input instruction indicated by the character image in accordance with switching between display and non-display of the character image. Sometimes, the second display control unit 1032 may perform display control so as not to display the character image displayed in the region sandwiched between the initial positions of the two contact points constituting these. When the pinch-out is detected, the second display control unit 1032 may perform display control to display again the character image that is originally displayed on the display unit 473 and is not displayed based on the pinch-in.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above, and may be a copier, a facsimile apparatus, a scanner apparatus, or the like. The character input device according to the present invention can be widely applied not only to image forming apparatuses but also to other electronic devices, medical devices, mobile communication terminals, and the like.

  The configurations and processes shown in the above embodiments using FIGS. 1 to 17 are only one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations and processes.

Claims (6)

A display for displaying an image;
A contact detection unit for detecting contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof;
An image storage unit for storing a plurality of character images;
A first display control unit configured to display a plurality of characters designated by an operator among the character images stored in the image storage unit and arranged on the display unit;
When contact at two points in the display area of the plurality of character images displayed on the display unit by the first display control unit is detected by the contact detection unit at the same time, time elapses for each contact A detection unit for detecting whether or not the movement of the contact position associated with indicates pinch-in,
When pinch-in is detected by the detection unit, a movement final position is acquired from the initial position in the movement from the detection unit for one of the two points of contact, and from the initial position to the movement final position. The character image displayed in the area is discriminated, and the movement end position is acquired from the initial position in the movement from the detection unit and moved from the initial position for the other contact of the two points. The character image displayed in the area up to the final position is determined, and the character image displayed in the area from the initial position to the final movement position for each of the two points of contact is adjacent to the area. A second display control unit which is hidden by moving the adjacent character image displayed in this area to the area and displaying it,
A character input device comprising: an instruction receiving unit that receives an input of a delete instruction for deleting an input of a character indicated by the non-displayed character image. The detection unit further detects a pinch out based on the movement of the contact position,
When the second display control unit makes the character image non-displayed based on the detected pinch-in and then either of the two points of contact moves and the detection unit detects a pinch-out The character image and the adjacent character image that were not displayed in the region from the initial position of the moved contact to the final movement position are displayed again in the state before the pinch-in detection,
The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the instruction receiving unit cancels the deletion instruction for the character indicated by the redisplayed character image.   When the detection unit detects the pinch out and the second display control unit re-displays the character image and the adjacent character image, at least one of the two points of contact further moves from this state. When a further pinch-out is detected by the detection unit, the character image and the adjacent character image that are not displayed in the region from the initial position of the moved contact to the final movement position are detected before the pinch-in detection. The character input device according to claim 2, wherein the instruction receiving unit cancels the deletion instruction for the character indicated by the redisplayed character image.   The character according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the detection unit no longer detects the contact of the two points, the instruction receiving unit deletes the character indicated by the deletion instruction received at this time. Input device. A display for displaying an image;
A contact detection unit for detecting contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof;
An image storage unit for storing a plurality of character images;
A first display control unit configured to display a plurality of characters designated by an operator among the character images stored in the image storage unit and arranged on the display unit;
When contact at two points in the display area of the plurality of character images displayed on the display unit by the first display control unit is detected by the contact detection unit at the same time, time elapses for each contact A detection unit for detecting whether or not the movement of the contact position associated with indicates pinch-in,
When pinch-in is detected by the detection unit, a movement final position is acquired from the initial position in the movement from the detection unit for one of the two points of contact, and from the initial position to the movement final position. The character image displayed in the area is discriminated, and the movement end position is acquired from the initial position in the movement from the detection unit and moved from the initial position for the other contact of the two points. The character image displayed in the area up to the final position is determined, and the character image displayed in the area from the initial position to the final movement position for each of the two points of contact is adjacent to the area. A second display control unit which is hidden by moving the adjacent character image displayed in this area to the area and displaying it,
An instruction receiving unit that receives an input of a deletion instruction for deleting an input of a character indicated by the non-displayed character image;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium. Computer
A contact detection unit for detecting contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof;
An image storage unit for storing a plurality of character images;
A first display control unit configured to display a plurality of characters designated by an operator among the character images stored in the image storage unit and arranged on the display unit;
When contact at two points in the display area of the plurality of character images displayed on the display unit by the first display control unit is detected by the contact detection unit at the same time, time elapses for each contact A detection unit for detecting whether or not the movement of the contact position associated with indicates pinch-in,
When pinch-in is detected by the detection unit, a movement final position is acquired from the initial position in the movement from the detection unit for one of the two points of contact, and from the initial position to the movement final position. The character image displayed in the area is discriminated, and the movement end position is acquired from the initial position in the movement from the detection unit and moved from the initial position for the other contact of the two points. The character image displayed in the area up to the final position is determined, and the character image displayed in the area from the initial position to the final movement position for each of the two points of contact is adjacent to the area. A second display control unit which is hidden by moving the adjacent character image displayed in this area to the area and displaying it,
A character input program that functions as an instruction receiving unit that receives an input of a delete instruction for deleting an input of a character indicated by the non-displayed character image.

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