JP6740774B2 - Image reading device and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image reading device and a program.

Patent Document 1 discloses a recording device including a confirmation button and a display unit that displays a setting state when the confirmation button is operated.

JP 2000-231308 A

For example, a plurality of selection items are displayed on a display unit such as a display installed in the image reading device, and the user selects the selection item from the plurality of selection items. Here, the number of selection items displayed may be large, and in this case, it is difficult for the user to find the selection item and the operability of the user is likely to deteriorate.
An object of the present invention is to improve the operability of the user when the user reads the document, as compared with the case where the display is not changed when the user reads the document.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a reading unit that reads an image on a document, a display unit that displays a plurality of selection items selected by a user, the document is placed at a predetermined position, and the reading of the document is started. When there is an instruction from the user to change the display on the display means, the number of selection items is smaller than the number of selection items displayed before the document is placed and is related to the reading of the document. An image reading apparatus including: a display control unit that displays a selection item on the display unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, before the document is placed at the predetermined place, a first number of selection items related to reading the document are displayed on the display unit, and the display control unit displays the selection items. after the display on the display means is changed, the said display means, the image reading according to claim 1 selected items related to the reading of the document, to be displayed smaller second number than the first number It is a device.
The invention according to claim 3 further comprises a type discriminating means for discriminating the type of the manuscript placed at the predetermined location, and the display control means sets the type of the manuscript discriminated by the type discriminating means. in response, an image reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that to change the number of the selection items after the display change.
The invention according to claim 4, wherein the display control unit, when the instruction to start reading of the document is performed operation for the user is determined Me pre after there and the instruction from the user, on the display unit change the display is an image reading apparatus according to claim 1 for displaying the small number of choices.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the display control means, when the user presses a predetermined button as the predetermined operation, or as the predetermined operation, the point where the user's line of sight faces The image reading device according to claim 4 , wherein when a predetermined movement is performed, the display on the display unit is changed to display the small number of selection items.
The invention according to claim 6 is a program executed by a computer provided in an image reading device, which comprises a reading means for reading an image on a document and a display means for displaying a plurality of selection items selected by a user. When a document is placed at a predetermined location of the image reading device and the user has instructed to start reading the document, the display on the display means is changed and displayed before the document is placed. The program is a program for causing the computer to realize a display control function of displaying on the display means the selection items which are smaller in number than the selection items and which are related to the reading of the document.

According to the invention of claim 1, the operability of the user when the user reads the document can be improved as compared with the case where the display is not changed when the user reads the document.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the user can select the selection item he/she desires as compared with the case where the number of selection items relating to the reading of the document does not differ before and after the display is changed. Makes it easier to find items.
According to the invention of claim 3 , the number of selection items to be displayed can be varied depending on the type of the original.
According to the invention of claim 4 , the display is changed after the user gives an instruction to start reading the original.
According to the invention of claim 5 , the display is changed when the user presses a predetermined button or when the destination of the user's line of sight moves in a predetermined manner.
According to the invention of claim 6 , the operability of the user when the user reads the document can be improved as compared with the case where the display is not changed when the user reads the document.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image forming apparatus. It is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control unit. It is a figure explaining the structure of an image reading part. It is a figure showing an example of a display screen displayed on a display part. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by a control unit regarding image reading of a document. It is the figure which showed the display screen after a change. It is a figure showing an example of another display screen. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of processing executed when reading a document.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, each functional unit forming the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is connected to a bus 101, and exchanges data via the bus 101.

The operation receiving unit 106 receives an operation from the user. The operation accepting unit 106 is provided with hard keys such as operation buttons and execution keys.
The display unit 107, which is an example of a display unit, is configured by a touch panel display and displays data regarding the image forming apparatus 10 under the control of the CPU 102. The display unit 107 also displays a menu screen that the user refers to when the user operates the image forming apparatus 10.

The display unit 107 also displays a plurality of selection items (selection buttons) that the user selects when the user operates the image forming apparatus 10. Furthermore, the display unit 107 of the present embodiment is configured by a touch panel type display as described above, and receives an operation performed by the user. More specifically, the display unit 107 detects which of the selection items displayed on the display unit 107 has been selected (pressed) by the user, and accepts an operation performed by the user.

The image reading unit 108, which is an example of an image reading unit, is configured by a so-called scanner device, reads an image on a set document, and generates a read image (image data) of the document.
The image reading unit 108 is controlled by the control unit 60. Further, in the present embodiment, the user's setting regarding image reading is performed via the operation reception unit 106 and the display unit 107. Here, the control unit 60, the image reading unit 108, the operation receiving unit 106, and the display unit 107 are functional units related to image reading, and these are functional units configuring an image reading apparatus that reads an image on a document. Can be regarded as

The image forming unit 109 uses, for example, an electrophotographic method to form a toner image according to image data on a sheet which is an example of a recording material. The image forming unit 109 may form an image using another method such as an inkjet head method.
The communication unit 110 is connected to a communication line (not shown) and functions as a communication interface for communicating with other devices connected to the communication line.

The image processing unit 111 performs image processing such as color correction and gradation correction on the image represented by the image data.
The line-of-sight detection sensor 112 detects the line of sight of a user who operates the image forming apparatus 10.
The storage unit 105 is configured by a storage device such as a hard disk device, and stores, for example, the data received by the communication unit 110 and the read image (image data) generated by the image reading unit 108.

The control unit 60 controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 10. The control unit 60 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 103, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 104.
The ROM 103 stores the program executed by the CPU 102. The CPU 102 reads the program stored in the ROM 103, uses the RAM 104 as a work area, and executes the program.

When the program is executed by the CPU 102, each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 is controlled by the CPU 102, and the image forming apparatus 10 forms an image on, for example, a sheet of paper or reads a document to generate a read image of the document.
Further, in the present embodiment, the program is executed by the CPU 102, so that the control unit 60 causes the display as an example of the display control unit as shown in FIG. 2 (a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit 60). It functions as the control unit 61. The display control unit 61 controls the display of the display unit 107 (see FIG. 1).
Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 60 functions as the type determination unit 62 as an example of the type determination means by the CPU 102 executing the program. The type discriminating unit 62 discriminates the type of the document set in the image reading unit 108.

Here, the program executed by the CPU 102 is stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium (magnetic tape, magnetic disk, etc.), optical recording medium (optical disk, etc.), magneto-optical recording medium, semiconductor memory, or the like. The image forming apparatus 10 can be provided in the state.
Further, the program executed by the CPU 102 may be downloaded to the image forming apparatus 10 using a communication means such as the Internet.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the image reading unit 108.
The image reading unit 108 includes a scanner device 80 that reads an image by scanning a document, and a document feeding device 20 that sequentially conveys the sheets forming the document.

The document feeding device 20 detects a document stacking unit 21 on which a document is placed, a first document sensor S1 that detects that a document is placed on the document stacking unit 21, and a size of a document placed on the document stacking unit 21. A first size detection sensor C1 is provided.
Further, the document feeding device 20 is provided with a paper discharge stacking unit 22 which is located below the document stacking unit 21 and stacks the documents that have been read. Further, a delivery roll 23 for delivering the originals of the original stacking section 21 and a separating mechanism 24 for separating the sheets one by one are provided.

Further, the originals are fed to the feeding path 25 through which the originals are fed while carrying out registration adjustment with respect to the feeding roller 26 and the scanner device 80 for feeding the originals, which are separated one by one, toward the roller on the downstream side. A cash register roll 27 is provided.
Further, a guide member 28 for assisting the conveyance of the document being read by the scanner device 80 and an out roll 29 for conveying the read document further downstream are provided. Further, a discharge roll 30 that discharges the original document to the discharge stacking unit 22 is provided.

The scanner device 80 is provided with a housing 13 and an upper cover 14.
The upper cover 14 is provided with a first platen glass 11A on which a document is placed in a stationary state and a second platen glass 11B which transmits light for reading a document conveyed by the document feeding device 20. Further, a second document sensor S2 that detects that a document is placed on the first platen glass 11A and a second size detection sensor C2 that detects the size of the document placed on the first platen glass 11A are provided. ..

Further, inside the housing case 13, there is provided a reading unit 12 for reading a document placed on the first platen glass 11A and a document conveyed by the document feeding device 20.
Further, inside the housing case 13, a moving mechanism (not shown) for moving the reading unit 12 in the left-right direction in the drawing is provided.

When reading the image of the document placed on the first platen glass 11A, the reading unit 12 moves below the first platen glass 11A, for example, from left to right in the figure. Further, when the document conveyed by the document feeding device 20 is read, the reading unit 12 is arranged in a stationary state below the second platen glass 11B.
Inside the reading unit 12, a light source including an LED, a rod lens array that collects the reflected light from the document, and an image sensor that receives the light collected by the rod lens array and generates image data are provided. Has been.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 107.
The image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment has functions such as an image reading function and an image output function (print function).
On the display screen of this embodiment, a plurality of selection items 200 (selection buttons) related to these functions are displayed. Specifically, in this embodiment, 12 selection items 200 are displayed.

Here, in the present embodiment, six selection items 200 related to image reading (when selected, the selection item 200 for which the image reading unit 108 executes the image reading process) are displayed.
Specifically, there are six selection items: "copy", "scanner (save in box)", "fax/Internet fax", "easy fax", "scanner (email transmission)", and "scanner (save PC)". 200 is displayed.

When any of the six selection items 200 is selected, the image reading unit 108 reads the image on the document, and then the process corresponding to each selection item 200 is further executed.
For example, when the selection item 200 of “copy” is selected, the image on the original is read by the image reading unit 108, and then the read image is formed on the sheet by the image forming unit 109 (FIG. 1). To be done.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by the control unit 60 for reading an image of a document.
In the present embodiment, first, the control unit 60 determines whether the user has selected the selection item 200 on the display screen based on the output from the display unit 107 (step 101). Specifically, it is determined whether or not any one of the twelve selection items 200 shown in FIG. 4 is selected.

Then, when it is determined in step 101 that the selection item 200 is selected, the control unit 60 executes a process corresponding to the selection item 200 (step 106).
On the other hand, when it is determined in step 101 that the selection item 200 has not been selected, the control unit 60 determines whether a document is placed on the document stacking unit 21 (see FIG. 3) (step S101). Step 102). The determination as to whether or not a document is placed is made based on the output from the first document sensor S1 (see FIG. 3).

When the control unit 60 determines in step 102 that no document is placed on the document stacking unit 21, the process returns to step 101 and whether the selection item 200 on the display screen is selected by the user. Determine again or not.
On the other hand, when the control unit 60 determines in step 102 that a document is placed on the document stacking unit 21, the user operates the execution key provided on the operation receiving unit 106 (see FIG. 1) ( It is determined whether or not it has been pressed (step 103). In other words, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the user has instructed to start reading the document.

When it is determined in step 103 that the execution key is not pressed by the user, the control unit 60 returns to the process of step 101, and again determines whether or not the selection item 200 on the display screen is selected by the user. to decide.
On the other hand, when it is determined in step 103 that the execution key is pressed by the user, the display control unit 61 (see FIG. 2) changes the display screen of the display unit 107 (step 104).

Specifically, the display control unit 61 changes the display screen of the display unit 107 to the display screen shown in FIG. 6 (a diagram showing the changed display screen) and reduces the number of selection items 200.
In addition, in the present embodiment, the display screen is changed when the execution key is operated while the selection item 200 is not selected by the user (when there is an instruction to start reading the document). , Reduce the number of selection items 200 to be displayed.

More specifically, when the execution key is operated while the user has not selected the selection item 200, the display control unit 61 causes the selection item 200 displayed before the document is set. The number of selection items 200 is smaller than the number of the selection items, and the selection items 200 related to the reading of the document are displayed.
More specifically, the display control unit 61 displays three selection items 200 of “copy”, “scan”, and “FAX” as the selection items 200 related to the reading of the document, as shown in FIG. ..

This allows the user to more easily select the selection item 200.
Here, it is assumed that a user who is unfamiliar with the operation may perform an operation on the display unit 107. In this case, if the number of selection items 200 is large, it becomes difficult for the user to know which selection item 200 to select. .. In this case, the operability for the user is reduced.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the display screen is changed and the number of displayed selection items 200 is reduced by using the operation on the execution key in a state where the selection item 200 is not selected as a trigger.
More specifically, the number of selection items 200 was 12 before the display screen was changed, but after the display screen was changed, the number of selection items 200 was three. Become.
Further, in the present embodiment, before the display screen was changed, the number of selection items 200 related to the reading of the original document was six as described above. The number of selection items 200 related to reading is three, which is less than the six.
As a result, in the present embodiment, the user can more clearly understand which operation should be performed next, as compared with the case where the number of choices of the user is reduced and the number of selection items 200 is not reduced.

Then, in this embodiment, as shown in step 105 of FIG. 5, the user selects any of the selection items 200 on the display screen. Then, in the present embodiment, the control unit 60 executes the process corresponding to this selection item 200 (step 106).

In the above description, when the execute key is operated, the display screen is changed to reduce the number of selection items 200. However, regardless of whether the execute key is operated, the document is placed on the document stacking unit 21. Then, the display screen may be changed to reduce the number of selection items 200.
In the above description, the process when the document is placed on the document stacking section 21 has been described as an example. However, when the document is placed on the first platen glass 11A (see FIG. 3), the same process (selection item) as above is performed. The process of reducing the number of 200) may be performed.

Further, although the case where three selection items 200 are displayed has been described with reference to FIG. 6, as shown in FIG. 7 (a diagram showing an example of another display screen), depending on the type of document, the number of selection items exceeds three. The selection item 200 may be displayed. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 7, four selection items 200 including “license copy” are displayed on the changed display screen.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, for example, when a document is placed on the first platen glass 11A (see FIG. 3), the type determination unit 62 (see FIG. 2) causes the size of this document (type of document One example) is detected. More specifically, the size of the document is detected based on the detection result of the second size detection sensor C2 (see FIG. 3).

Then, when the size detected by the type determination unit 62 is the license size, the display control unit 61 changes the number of the selection items 200 to be displayed and does not display three selection items 200, but selects the selection items 200. Display four items 200. In other words, the four selection items 200 including "license copy" are displayed.

Here, when the manuscript is a license, copying may be performed in a form specific to the license. Specifically, first, the image of the first side of the license is read, then the user reverses the front and back of the license, then the image of the second side of the license is read, and finally, one of the sheets The image of the first surface and the image of the second surface may be formed on the surface of.

Here, if the fourth selection item 200 is displayed as described above, the operation when the user makes a copy of the license becomes simpler (the operation required when making a copy of the license). The number of times is reduced), and the convenience for the user is further enhanced.
Here, when the selection item "license copy" is not displayed, for example, after the user selects the selection item 200 of "copy" displayed in FIG. 6, the operation for copying the license ( Further selection) of the selection item 200 will be made, and the number of operations by the user will increase as compared with the case where the selection item 200 of “license copy” is displayed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of processing executed at the time of reading a document.
In this process, first, similarly to the above, it is determined whether or not the selection item 200 is selected by the user (step 201), and then it is determined whether or not a document is placed on the document stacking section 21. (Step 202). Further, similarly to the above, it is determined whether the execution key has been operated (step 203).

In the present embodiment, when it is determined in step 203 that the execution key has been operated (when the user has instructed to start reading the document), the control unit 60 causes the user to perform the next operation. It is determined whether or not is lost (step 204).
More specifically, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the user is pressing a predetermined operation button (the operation button installed in the operation receiving unit 106 (see FIG. 1)) or whether the user's line of sight is It is determined whether or not the point to which the user is pointing is performing a predetermined movement, and it is determined whether or not the user is confused about the operation to be performed next.

Then, in the present embodiment, when it is determined in step 204 that the user is confused, the display control unit 61 changes the display on the display unit 107 in the same manner as described above (step 205), and the display is performed. Reduce the number of selected selection items 200.
In other words, in the present embodiment, the user performs a predetermined operation (an operation of operating the execution key and an operation indicating that he/she is lost) while the selection item 200 is not selected by the user. In this case, the display on the display unit 107 is changed to reduce the number of displayed selection items 200.

In the same manner as described above, when the user performs an operation indicating that the document is placed on the document stacking unit 21 and is confused regardless of whether or not the execution key is operated, the display on the display unit 107 is changed, The number of selection items 200 to be displayed may be reduced.

Here, in the present embodiment, the control unit 60 is confused by the user when the user presses a predetermined operation button or when the user's line of sight moves in a predetermined manner. Determine that
If the user gets confused in the process of operation, the user repeatedly presses, for example, an operation button corresponding to escape, for example, among the operation buttons provided in the operation reception unit 106. Also, press the Enter key many times. In addition, the line of sight is not fixed, and the point to which the line of sight moves greatly moves.

In the present embodiment, when these movements of the user are detected, it is determined that the user is confused. Then, in this case, the display is changed and the number of the selection items 200 is reduced as described above.
It should be noted that the detection of the point to which the user's line of sight is directed is performed based on the output of the line-of-sight detection sensor 112 (see FIG. 1). Here, the line-of-sight detection sensor 112 detects the line of sight of the user by a known line-of-sight detection technique. In this gaze detection technology, for example, the position of the pupil, the iris, or the like is captured, and the point to which the user's gaze is directed is captured.

Then, in the present embodiment, the user selects any one of the selection items 200 on the display screen in step 206 as in the above. Then, in the present embodiment, the control unit 60 executes the process corresponding to this selection item 200 (step 207).

60... Control unit, 61... Display control unit, 62... Type determination unit, 106... Operation receiving unit, 107... Display unit, 108... Image reading unit

Claims (6)

Reading means for reading the image on the original,
Display means for displaying a plurality of selection items selected by the user,
When an original is placed at a predetermined location and the user has instructed to start reading the original, the display on the display means is changed and the number of selection items displayed before the original is placed. A display control means for displaying on the display means a selection item having a smaller number of selection items and related to the reading of the original;
An image reading apparatus including. Before the document is placed at the predetermined location, the display unit displays a first number of selection items related to the reading of the document,
After the display on the display means is changed by the display control means, said the display unit, selecting items related to the reading of the document, according to claim 1 displayed a small second number than the first number image reading device according to. Further comprising a type discriminating means for discriminating the type of the manuscript placed at the predetermined location,
3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit changes the number of the selection items after the display is changed according to the type of the document discriminated by the type discriminating unit. Wherein the display control unit, when the instruction to start reading of the document is performed operation by the user after there and the instruction from the user is determined Me pre changes the display on the display unit, a small number of The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selected item is displayed. The display control means performs a predetermined movement when the user presses a predetermined button as the predetermined operation, or as the predetermined operation, the point to which the user's line of sight is directed. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the display on the display unit is changed to display the small number of selection items. A program executed by a computer provided in an image reading apparatus including a reading unit that reads an image on a document and a display unit that displays a plurality of selection items selected by a user,
When a document is placed at a predetermined location of the image reading device and the user has instructed to start reading the document, the display on the display means is changed so that it is displayed before the document is placed. A program for causing the computer to implement a display control function of displaying on the display means a selection item which is smaller in number than the selected selection item and which is related to reading a document.

Images