JP7615768B2 - Display input device and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a display/input device that displays icons on a display unit and inputs operations for the icons from an operation unit, and an image forming device equipped with the same, and in particular to a technique for moving and displaying an icon from one page to another.

The display input device has a display unit and an operation unit (e.g., a touch panel provided on the screen of the display unit) that is operated by the user. When an icon displayed on the screen of the display unit is designated by a touch operation, the position of this touch operation is detected by the touch panel, and the designated icon is determined based on the position of this touch operation.

In addition, in the electronic device described in Patent Document 1, an edit mode is executed in response to a first touch (long touch) on an icon displayed on one page of the home screen, and a second touch moves to another page of the home screen. If the first touch is continued during the movement to the other page, the icon continues to be displayed, and when the first touch on the icon is released, the icon is moved to another page, thereby enabling a convenient and intuitive icon moving operation.

JP 2017-188139 A

Here, in Patent Document 1, an icon can be moved from one page to another by simultaneously performing a first touch on the icon and a second touch to instruct the page to be moved. However, when moving multiple icons from one page to another, it is necessary to repeat the first and second touches for each icon, which makes the operation complicated.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to make it possible to move and display multiple icons from one page to another with a simple operation.

A display input device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a display unit that displays icons, an operation unit that is operated by a user to input operations for the icons displayed on the display unit, and a control unit that switches between and displays a plurality of pages on which the respective icons are arranged on the display unit, and when a page is displayed on the display unit and a plurality of icons on a page displayed on the display unit are selected by operation of the operation unit and an instruction is given to group the selected icons, a group is created by grouping the icons, and when an instruction is given to move the group from the page displayed on the display unit to another page by operation of the operation unit, the control unit moves the group to the other page.

An image forming device according to one aspect of the present invention includes the display input device of the present invention and an image forming section that forms an image on recording paper.

According to the present invention, multiple icons can be moved and displayed from one page to another with a simple operation.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus to which a display input device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a block diagram showing a main internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1A, 1B, and 1C are diagrams illustrating examples of pages displayed on a display unit of an image forming apparatus. 11 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for collectively moving a plurality of icons from one page to another page. 4B is a flowchart showing a control procedure subsequent to FIG. 4A. 13A, 13B, and 13C are diagrams showing the process of an operation for grouping a plurality of icons into one group icon on the screen of a display unit. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing the process of operations for moving a group icon from one page to the next page on the screen of the display unit. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing the process of operations for expanding a group icon to display a plurality of icons. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing another example of the process of an operation for expanding a group icon to display a plurality of icons.

The display input device and image forming device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming device to which a display input device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming device 10 of this embodiment is an MFP (multi-function peripheral) that combines multiple functions such as a copy function, a printer function, and a facsimile function. This image forming device 10 includes an image reading unit 11 and an image forming unit 12.

The image reading unit 11 has an image sensor that optically reads the image of the document, and the analog output of this image sensor is converted into a digital signal to generate image data representing the image of the document.

The image forming unit 12 forms an image of the document on a recording sheet, and includes an image forming unit 3M for magenta, an image forming unit 3C for cyan, an image forming unit 3Y for yellow, and an image forming unit 3Bk for black. In each of the image forming units 3M, 3C, 3Y, and 3Bk, the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is uniformly charged, the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is exposed to light, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4, the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is developed into a toner image, and the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5. As a result, a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 5. This color toner image is secondarily transferred to the recording sheet P transported from the paper feed unit 14 through the transport path 8 in the nip area N between the intermediate transfer belt 5 and the secondary transfer roller 6.

After this, the recording paper P is heated and pressurized in the fixing device 15, the toner image on the recording paper P is fixed by thermocompression, and the recording paper P is then discharged to the paper output tray 17 via the discharge rollers 16.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the image forming device 10 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the image forming device 10 includes an image reading unit 11, an image forming unit 12, a display unit 21, an operation unit 22, a touch panel 23, a storage unit 28, and a control unit 29. These components are capable of transmitting and receiving data or signals to and from each other via a bus.

The display unit 21 is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. The operation unit 22 has physical keys such as a numeric keypad, a decision key, and a start key.

A touch panel 23 is disposed on the screen of the display unit 21. The touch panel 23 is a so-called resistive film type or capacitive type touch panel, which detects contact (touch) of a user's finger or the like on the touch panel 23 together with the contact position, and outputs a detection signal indicating the coordinates of the contact position to a control unit 31 (described later) of the control unit 29. This touch panel 23 serves as an operation unit into which user operations on the screen of the display unit 21 are input.

The storage unit 28 is a large-capacity storage device such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores various application programs and various data.

The control unit 29 is composed of a processor, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The control unit 29 functions as a control unit 31 by the processor executing a control program stored in the ROM or the memory unit 28.

The control unit 31 controls the image forming device 10. The control unit 29 is connected to the image reading unit 11, the image forming unit 12, the display unit 21, the operation unit 22, the touch panel 23, and the memory unit 28. The control unit 31 controls the operation of these components and transmits and receives signals and data between these components.

The control unit 31 serves as a processing unit that executes various processes necessary for image formation by the image forming device 10. The control unit 31 also accepts operation instructions input by the user based on detection signals output from the touch panel 23 or operation of the physical keys of the operation unit 22. The control unit 31 also has a function of controlling the display operation of the display unit 21.

In the image forming device 10 configured as described above, the user selects the copy function by operating the operation unit 22 or the touch panel 23. This causes an instruction to execute a copy to be input to the operation unit 22 or the touch panel 23. In response to the instruction to execute a copy, the control unit 31 causes the image reading unit 11 to read the image of the document, and causes the image forming unit 12 to record the image of the document on recording paper.

In addition, as the image forming device 10 becomes more multifunctional, the image forming device 10 selectively executes multiple functions. The control unit 31 switches between and displays multiple pages (such as pages of a home menu screen) on the display unit 21, on which icons associated with the respective functions are arranged to activate the respective functions. When the control unit 31 detects a touch operation on any of the icons through the touch panel 23, it executes the function associated with the icon. For example, the control unit 31 switches between and displays multiple pages P1, P2, P3, ... as shown in Figures 3 (A), (B), and (C) on the display unit 21. On these pages P1, P2, P3, ..., the respective icons IC1, IC2, ... are arranged and displayed, and when the user touches an icon, the touch operation on the icon is detected through the touch panel 23, and the control unit 31 executes the function associated with the icon.

Here, the user may wish to change the icons displayed on each page. In this case, when the user performs a drag operation on the icon to move the icon from the page on which it is displayed to another page, the control unit 31 detects the drag operation on the icon through the touch panel 23, and performs control corresponding to this drag operation to move the icon from the page being displayed on the screen of the display unit 21 to another page and display it. However, it is cumbersome to perform the drag operation for each icon in order to move multiple icons from one page to another.

In this embodiment, the touch panel 23 accepts input of an instruction to select multiple icons displayed on a page in response to a user's operation on the screen of the display unit 21. Subsequently, when a grouping instruction to group the multiple icons selected by the user is detected through the touch panel 23, the control unit 31 creates a group icon (approximately a folder in which multiple icons are stored) that brings together the multiple selected icons in accordance with the grouping instruction.

When the user performs a drag operation on the group icon to move it from the page on which the group icon is displayed to another page, the control unit 31 detects the drag operation on the icon through the touch panel 23 as an instruction to move the group icon from the page on which the group icon is displayed to another page and display it, and performs control corresponding to this instruction to move the group icon from the page on which the group icon is displayed to another page and display it. Furthermore, when the user performs an operation on the screen of the display unit 21 to instruct the group icon to be expanded, the control unit 31 detects this operation through the touch panel 23 as an instruction to expand the group icon, expands the group icon in accordance with the instruction, and displays each icon grouped as the group icon individually on another page in a state where it is not grouped as an icon. This simplifies the user's operation when moving multiple icons to another page all at once.

Next, the control procedure for moving and displaying multiple icons from one page to another page at once will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in Figures 4A and 4B.

First, the control unit 31 is assumed to be displaying page P1 shown in Fig. 5(A) on the screen of the display unit 21 (S101). When the user performs a drag-and-drop operation, for example, on icon IC6 to another icon IC5, the control unit 31 detects the drag-and-drop operation via the touch panel 23 (S102 "Yes"), and in response to the drag-and-drop operation, moves and displays icon IC6 until it overlaps with the other icon IC5, and further generates a group icon G by grouping icons IC6 and IC5 as shown in the example of Fig. 5(B), and displays this group icon G on page P1 (S103).

When a drag-and-drop operation is performed on an icon to an empty space on a page and the operation is detected by the control unit 31 via the touch panel 23, the control unit 31 simply moves the icon to the empty space and displays it, but does not generate a group icon. In addition, when the control unit 31 detects a touch operation on an icon via the touch panel 23, it executes a function associated with that icon.

Next, the user performs a drag-and-drop operation on another icon to the group icon G, or performs a drag operation on the group icon G. For example, when the control unit 31 detects a drag-and-drop operation on another icon IC7 performed by the user to the group icon G via the touch panel 23 (S104 "Yes"), the control unit 31 further adds the other icon IC7 to the group consisting of the icons IC5 and IC6, updates the group icon G, and displays the updated group icon G on the page P1 (S105). Similarly, thereafter, each time the control unit 31 detects a drag-and-drop operation on another icon (e.g., icon IC4) to the group icon G, it adds the other icon to the group of the group icon G and updates the group icon G. For example, as shown in FIG. 5(C), the control unit 31 generates a group consisting of icons IC4, IC5, IC6, and IC7, and displays the group icon G representing this group. Furthermore, when the control unit 31 detects a drag-and-drop operation in which different icons are overlapped, it generates and displays a group icon G consisting of a group of these different icons.

Then, when the user performs a drag operation on the group icon G (touching the group icon G to move the position of the touch operation) and the control unit 31 detects the drag operation on the group icon G through the touch panel 23 (S104 "No", S106 "Yes"), the control unit 31 moves and displays the group icon G within page P1 following the drag operation as shown in FIG. 6(A) (S107). At this time, when the control unit 31 detects through the touch panel 23 that the user's drag operation on the group icon G has been performed to the right edge of the screen of the display unit 21 (a position spanning between pages) (S108 (Yes)), the control unit 31 displays the next page P2 on the screen of the display unit 21 and moves and displays the group icon G on the next page P2 as shown in FIG. 6(B) (S109).

Furthermore, when the control unit 31 detects through the touch panel 23 that the user's drag operation on the group icon G has been performed to the left edge of the screen of the display unit 21 (the position spanning between pages) (S108 (Yes)), it displays the previous page on the screen of the display unit 21 and moves the group icon G to the previous page P and displays it (S109). Note that if the answer is No in S108, the control unit 31 moves and displays the group icon G to the position on the screen of the display unit 21 where the user's drag operation on the group icon G ended, and then the process proceeds to S110.

Similarly thereafter, when the control unit 31 detects via the touch panel 23 that the user's drag operation on the group icon G has been performed to the right or left edge of the screen of the display unit 21, it causes the next or previous page to be displayed on the screen of the display unit 21, and moves and displays the group icon G to the next or previous page P that has been displayed.

This allows the user to move and place the group icon G on a desired page across pages by performing a drag and drop operation (drag-and-drop operation) on the group icon G.

After the user moves the group icon G to the desired page by dragging it, or when the group icon G is displayed on the original page, the user performs a touch operation on the group icon G, and the control unit 31 detects the touch operation on the group icon G through the touch panel 23 (S110 "Yes"), the control unit 31 displays a pop-up screen PU on the screen of the display unit 21 (S112), as shown in FIG. 7(A) as an example. On this pop-up screen PU, a message M prompting the user to expand the group icon G, a "Yes" key K1, and a "No" key K2 are displayed. If S110 is No, the process returns to S107.

For example, when the user sees message M and touches the "No" key K2, the control unit 31 detects the touch operation on the "No" key K2 through the touch panel 23 (S113 "No"), maintains the display and position of the group icon G on page P2 as shown in FIG. 6(B), and ends the control of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B.

In addition, when the user touches the "Yes" key K1 and the control unit 31 detects the touch operation on the "Yes" key K1 through the touch panel 23 (S113 "Yes"), the control unit 31 determines whether or not there is enough free space on the page displayed on the display unit 21 to expand each icon of the group icon G and display each icon individually in an aligned manner (S114).

When the control unit 31 determines that the required free space is on the page displayed on the display unit 21 (S114 "Yes"), as shown in the example of FIG. 7(B), it expands the group icon G, displays each icon of the group icon G individually aligned on page P2 (S115), and erases the group icon G from the screen of the display unit 21 (S116). Then, the control of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B ends.

When the control unit 31 determines that there is not enough free space (S114 "No"), it determines the number of icons that can be aligned and displayed in the free space on the page displayed on the display unit 21 (S117), selects icons that satisfy the preset conditions from among the icons in the group icon G, a number equal to or less than the determined number, and displays the selected icons aligned individually in the free space (S118), as shown in the example of FIG. 8(B), and updates the group icon G, the example of which is shown in FIG. 8(A), to include only the icons that were not selected (S119). Then, the control of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B ends.

The above-mentioned pre-set condition is, for example, the priority of each icon, and a table in which the priorities are registered is generated in advance and stored in the memory unit 28. The control unit 31 refers to this table and sequentially selects icons from among the icons of the group icon G according to their priority.

The above-mentioned preset condition is, for example, a specific function of each icon, and a table in which the specific functions are registered is generated in advance and stored in the storage unit 28. The control unit 31 refers to this table and selects an icon associated with the specific function from among the icons of the group icon G. Alternatively, the control unit 31 may select, from among the icons of the group icon G, (i) an icon other than the icon associated with the specific function, or (ii) select the icon associated with the specific function or the other icons, whichever has the greater or lesser number, with the further condition that the number is equal to or less than the number determined above.

Alternatively, the above-mentioned preset condition may be the manufacturer of the function (application program) of each icon, and a table in which the manufacturers are registered may be generated in advance and stored in the storage unit 28, and the control unit 31 may refer to this table and select an icon associated with the manufacturer from among the icons of the group icon G. Note that, instead of this, the control unit 31 may (iii) select an icon other than the icon associated with the specific manufacturer from among the icons of the group icon G, or (iV) select the icon associated with the specific manufacturer or the other icons, whichever has the greater number or the smaller number, with the further condition that the number is equal to or less than the determined number.

When the number of icons that can be aligned and displayed in the available space is 0, the control unit 31 does not expand or update the group icon G, but maintains the display and position of the group icon G on page P2 as shown in FIG. 6(B), and ends the control of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B.

In this manner, in this embodiment, a group icon is generated that indicates a group of multiple icons, the group icon is moved from one page to another and displayed, and each icon in the group icon is expanded and displayed individually, simplifying the user's operation when moving multiple icons from one page to another.

In the above embodiment, when an icon is moved from one page to another and displayed, the control unit 31 expands the group icon G when a user operation is performed. Alternatively, when a group icon G is moved from one page to another and displayed, the control unit 31 may immediately expand the group icon G and display each icon individually on another page, regardless of whether a user operation is performed.

The control unit 31 may also move and display the group icon G from one page to another page in response to an operation other than a drag-and-drop operation.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an image forming device to which a display input device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied is exemplified, but the display input device according to the present invention can also be applied to other electronic devices such as personal computers, mobile phones, and mobile telephones.

Furthermore, the configuration and processing of the above embodiment described using Figures 1 to 7 is merely one embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention to such configuration and processing.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Image reading section 12 Image forming section 21 Display section 22 Operation section 23 Touch panel 28 Storage section 29 Control unit 31 Control section

Claims (3)

A display unit for displaying icons;
an operation unit that is operated by a user to input an operation for an icon displayed on the display unit;
a control unit which switches between and displays a plurality of pages, each having an icon arranged thereon, on the display unit, and when a plurality of icons on a page displayed on the display unit are selected by operation of the operation unit while any one of the pages is displayed on the display unit and an instruction is given to group the selected icons, creates a group of the icons, and when an instruction is given to move the group from the page displayed on the display unit to another page by operation of the operation unit, moves the group to the other page and displays it,
The control unit is
if there is enough free space on the other page to expand and individually align and display all of the icons of the group, then all of the icons of the group are individually aligned and displayed on the other page;
if the required free space is not available on the other page, determining the number of icons that can be aligned and displayed in the free space on the other page;
if the number of icons that can be aligned and displayed is not 0, selecting icons from the icons of the group in descending order of priority in accordance with a predetermined priority of each icon, up to a number equal to or less than the determined number, and individually aligning and displaying the selected icons in the empty space;
A display input device which does not expand the group when the number of icons which can be aligned and displayed is 0 . A display unit for displaying icons;
an operation unit that is operated by a user to input an operation for an icon displayed on the display unit;
a control unit which switches between and displays a plurality of pages, each having an icon arranged thereon, on the display unit, and when a plurality of icons on a page displayed on the display unit are selected by operation of the operation unit while any one of the pages is displayed on the display unit and an instruction is given to group the selected icons, creates a group of the icons, and when an instruction is given to move the group from the page displayed on the display unit to another page by operation of the operation unit, moves the group to the other page and displays it,
the control unit selects each icon of the group based on a preset condition, expands the group on the other page, and displays only the selected icons on the other page;
A display input device in which, when displaying only the selected icons on the other page, the control unit causes the display unit to create a group that includes only the unselected icons instead of the group and display the group on the other page. A display input device according to claim 1 or 2 ;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet.