JPH04257160A - Guidance system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability by providing a guidance corresponding to the technical level of a user. CONSTITUTION:Plural kind of guidance sentences for the same operation are prepared on a memory 6 while classified by-beginners, intermediate users, and advanced users. A user specifies one of the guidance sentences by a setting means 21 prior to operation and then a selecting means 20 reads the specified guidance sentence out of the memory 6 and displays it. Thus, the guidance corresponding to the techinical level of the user is displayed according to the user's specification, so the need to read the manual is eliminated, the operation speeds of the advanced users become slow, and the operability is improved. Further, the character size of the guidance display for the beginners is increased to give the beginners a feeling of easiness and the beginner's operation is facilitated.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a guidance system for displaying operational guidance for a device.

[0002] With the spread of facsimiles in recent years, an unspecified number of people have come to use facsimiles. Along with this, improvements in operation guidance (hereinafter referred to as "guidance") are required, and large display panels (liquid crystals) are being provided, but there is a need for guidance that matches the technical level of the user.

0003

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional guidance display circuit showing the guidance display circuit portion of a facsimile machine, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the conventional guidance.

In FIG. 7, a display section 1 has a display area of about 2 rows and 20 columns, and the user operates according to guidance displayed on the display section 1. Guidance sentences are stored for each function in the memory 6, and the CPU 5 sends guidance prompting the next input based on the press input of the operation button 2 (consisting of a numeric keypad, function keys, etc.) input via the interface 7. The sentence (code data) is passed to the display circuit 4, and the display circuit 4 converts the received code into a character pattern and displays it on the display unit 1 while referring to the character generator CG3.

[0005] FIG. 8 shows an example of guidance in the case of immediate document transmission, and the guidance (■) is displayed while the device is on standby. Set the original, and press "1" to indicate that the original has been set.
If you enter "" using the numeric keypad, the guidance (■) will be displayed. If you follow this guidance and enter the other party's phone number using the operation buttons, confirmation and correction guidance will be displayed along with the entered phone number. If it is OK, input "1" using the numeric keypad and press the send key, and the set original is read and sent.

[0006] Since the device is configured to accept the corresponding input after displaying the guidance, inputting according to the guidance for each operation slows down the operation speed. Guidance for basic operations, such as "" and "Press the send key," is often omitted. Therefore, especially in the case of complicated operations, beginners must refer to the manual.

[0007]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Operation guidance in a facsimile is one type of guidance that is attached to the device and is intended for the majority of people. Moreover, as facsimile machines have become more sophisticated in recent years, operations have become more complex.

[0008] Therefore, as shown in the conventional example, when the guidance is omitted, beginners often do not know or feel anxious about what operation to perform next even after looking at the guidance of the device, and they often do not read the manual. It will take time to see it. Additionally, for experienced users (advanced users), there is a problem in that it takes time to operate if inputting according to precise guidance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a guidance method that provides guidance appropriate to the technical level of the user.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] In FIG. 1, a diagram showing the principle of the present invention, numeral 1 represents a display unit that displays guidance for the operation of the apparatus. 6 is a memory that stores a plurality of types of guidance sentences. Reference numeral 21 denotes a specifying means for specifying one of a plurality of types of guidance sentences. Reference numeral 20 denotes a selection means for selecting and displaying the guidance sentence specified by the specifying means 21.

[0011]

[Operation] Multiple types of guidance sentences are prepared in the memory 6 for the same operation, such as for beginners, intermediate users, and advanced users. When the user specifies one of them using the setting means 21 prior to the operation, the selection means 20 extracts the specified guidance sentence from the memory 6 and displays it.

[0012] As described above, guidance according to the user's technical level is displayed according to the user's specifications.
There is no need to read the manual, and there is no slowdown in operation speed for advanced users, improving operability.

[0013] Increasing the font size of the guidance display for beginners gives the beginner a sense of security and has the advantage of making the operation easier for beginners.

[0014]

[Example] Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of guidance for beginners, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of guidance for intermediate users, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of guidance for advanced users. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a character size setting circuit according to difficulty level. In this example, the difficulty level of the guidance (hereinafter, detailed guidance for beginners will be referred to as "easy", guidance for intermediate users with abbreviated parts will be referred to as "medium", and guidance for advanced users with extensive omissions will be referred to as "difficult"). An example divided into three stages is shown below.

In FIG. 2, 6-a, 6-b, 6-
C is a nonvolatile memory that stores guidance sentences for beginners, intermediate users, and advanced users, respectively. 8 is a selection button, which corresponds to the difficulty level; here, there are buttons for "easy", "medium", and "difficult". Reference numeral 9 denotes a selection circuit which selects a corresponding memory from among the memories 6-a, 6-b, and 6-c in response to pressing of the selection button 8. The same reference numerals represent the same objects throughout all other figures. Note that the selection means 20 corresponds to the selection circuit 9 and the processor unit CPU 5, and the designation means 21 corresponds to the selection button 8.

[0016] As guidance sentences for different difficulty levels, cases of immediate document transmission are shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3 is an example of a guidance text for beginners, which provides guidance on all the operating procedures, from setting the original to pressing the send key, so that even beginners can operate the system if they follow the guidance.

FIG. 4 shows a medium-level guidance text shown in the conventional example, and FIG. 5 shows a version with the guidance largely omitted for advanced users. In FIG. 5, when the guidance for specifying the destination is displayed, the user inputs the telephone number without waiting for the next guidance, and after confirmation presses the send key.

In the above configuration, the following operations are performed. Prior to operation, the user first presses the selection button 8. If a beginner were to use this, when they press the "Easy" button, the guidance will be displayed as shown in Figure 3.
It changes from ■ to ■. Users who have viewed this guidance■
Set the original and enter "1" using the numeric keypad. As a result, the guidance moves to ■, and the user inputs the telephone number of the other party using the numeric keys. The entered phone number will then be displayed, and a confirmation prompt will appear on the same screen (1: OK).
2: NG) ■ will be performed, so if it is OK, enter "1".

As a result, the guidance moves to (2), the user presses the send key, and transmission begins (2). When the transmission is complete, a message to that effect will be displayed.
, take the manuscript and follow ■, the guidance returns to ■.

When "medium" and "difficult" are selected from the selection buttons 8, intermediate guidance is omitted, so two or three steps are performed in succession. As described above, since guidance can be selected according to the user's proficiency, the operation becomes easier for beginners and faster for advanced users.

FIG. 6 shows an example of changing the character size depending on the difficulty level, and a character size setting circuit 11 is added to FIG. Here, for example, the number of constituent dots is 16×16
Two sets of CG3a with a small character size and CG3b with a large character size of 24×24 are provided, and only when "easy" is selected, the character size selection circuit 10 switches to CG3b.

In this case, the display section 1 does not have a fixed font size, but one that can display characters of any size. As described above, by providing detailed guidance that gives beginners a sense of security, and as they become more proficient, we simplify the guidance with an emphasis on operating speed. Improves sex.

[0023]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, beginners can select careful guidance that gives them a sense of security, and as they become more proficient, they can select guidance that emphasizes operation speed. This improves the operability of the equipment used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

[Figure 1] Principle diagram of the present invention

[Figure 2] Configuration diagram of one embodiment

[Figure 3] Diagram showing an example of guidance for beginners

[Figure 4]
Diagram showing an example of guidance for intermediate users

[Figure 5] Diagram showing an example of guidance for advanced users

[Figure 6] Diagram showing an example of a character size setting circuit according to difficulty level

[Figure 7] Conventional guidance display circuit configuration diagram

[Figure 8] Diagram showing an example of conventional guidance

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Display section 2 Operation buttons 3, 3a, 3b Character generator CG 4 Display circuit 5 Processor unit CPU 6, 6-a, 6-b, 6-c Memory 7 Interface 8 Selection button 9 Selection circuit 10 Character size selection circuit 11 Character size setting circuit 20 Selection means 21 Designation means

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A display unit (1) that displays guidance for an operation, and a memory (6) that stores a plurality of types of guidance sentences for the same operation.
, a specifying means (21) for specifying one guidance sentence from among the plurality of types of guidance sentences, and a selecting means (20) for selecting the guidance sentence specified by the specifying means.
), wherein a plurality of types of guidance sentences are provided for the same operation, and the guidance sentence specified by the specifying means is selected and displayed. 2. The guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the display font size of a predetermined guidance sentence among the plurality of types of guidance sentences is increased.