JPH07203094A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate erroneous setting by enabling other conditions to be confirmed even during the seting of a certain copying condition by dividing a display screen into the 1st-3rd display part blocks and rewriting respective copying conditions divided into three hierarchies, that are, the higher, the middle and the lower hierarchies for each display block. CONSTITUTION:A digital color copying machine is provided with an image reader part 100 for reading the original picture and a copying part 200 for reproducing the read picture. In the reader part 100, a scanner 10 is constituted of an exposure lamp 12 by which the original is irradiated, a rod lens array 13 collecting the reflection light, and a CCD color image sensor 14 converting the collected light into an electric signal. In a copying part 200, the gradation data to be inputted through a buffer 30 is corrected by a print head part 31 and a semiconductor laser is modulated by the corrected picture data. Then, the input screen of the liquid crystal display device can be recognized without parallax by using a control panel 56 consisting of a ten-key 54, print key 61, and display unit 52.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device for an operation panel provided in an image forming apparatus such as a digital color copying machine or a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT) has been used as an operation panel of an image forming apparatus such as a digital color copying machine or a facsimile to display various function items and execution conditions thereof. There is something. In recent years, a display device provided with a touch panel for displaying and inputting each function on the same screen and changing the contents of the display screen in accordance with a user's input has been disclosed in US Pat. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-233591. The display device has a plurality of layers until each image forming condition is set. When the user presses the display portion of a certain function item, the display device switches the display screen to a screen related to that function. The user sets the image forming conditions in accordance with the instruction on the switched screen.
In addition, after a certain period of time has passed since the user finished setting the image forming conditions, or when a certain period of time has passed without the user setting the image forming conditions, the image forming apparatus resets the image forming conditions, Returns the display screen to the initial screen.

[0003]

When selecting a certain function item and setting conditions, the display device does not display anything other than the detailed contents regarding the selected function item. Therefore, the user needs to return to the basic screen each time when setting and confirming the conditions of other functions.
For this reason, erroneous settings may be overlooked and the printing paper may be wasted. Further, the above apparatus resets the image forming condition after a lapse of a certain period even while the user is setting the image forming condition. In this case, the user has to reset the image forming condition again, which is inconvenient.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display device that sets image forming conditions more efficiently.

[0005]

A display device according to claim 1 stores data of a key input screen for setting image forming conditions classified into at least three layers of upper, middle and lower layers. Memory, display means for displaying a screen divided into first block, second block, and third block areas, a transparent touch switch arranged on the display means, and image forming conditions of upper layers. The data of the key input screen corresponding to the classification is read from the memory, the key input screen is displayed in the area of the first display block, and belongs to the classification selected based on the key input screen in the first display block. The data of the key input screen of the image forming condition of the middle layer is read from the memory, the key input screen is displayed in the area of the second display block, and the key input in the second display block is entered. Display control means for reading the data of the key input screen of the image forming condition of the lower hierarchy belonging to the classification selected based on the screen from the memory and displaying the key input screen in the area of the third display block; And a display unit for discriminating the type of the pressed key from the position of the touch switch pressed by the button and the display content of the display screen. If it is determined by the above-mentioned determination means that the key is the key of the second display block, the display contents of the second display block and the third display block are changed while the display contents of the first display block are held, and the pressed key is the second display block. When it is determined by the determining means that the key is the middle hierarchy key, the third display block is held while the display contents of the first display block and the second display block are held. And changes the display contents of the click.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device, a memory for storing a key input screen for setting image forming conditions classified into a plurality of layers, a display means, and the display means. A touch panel consisting of a touch switch,
On the touch panel, a key input screen corresponding to the item of the image forming condition of the upper hierarchy and a first display screen for displaying the set image forming condition, and a subordinate belonging to the item selected based on the first display screen Display control means for switching and displaying the second display screen corresponding to the item of the image forming condition of the hierarchy, and first for timing the first predetermined time in response to the switching of the second display screen from the first display screen. Timer and first
A second timer that counts a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time in response to switching from the display screen to the second display screen, and a second display in response to the end of the counting of the first timer. A display screen for switching the display from the screen to the first display screen and resetting the image forming conditions to the standard state in response to the end of the time measurement of the second timer to display the image forming conditions in the standard state on the first display screen. And a switching means.

[0007]

As described above, the display device of the present invention divides the display screen into areas of first to third display blocks. In the first display block, the data of the key input screen corresponding to the classification of the image forming condition of the upper layer is read from the memory and the key input screen is displayed. In the second display block, the data of the key input screen of the image forming condition of the middle layer belonging to the classification selected based on the key input screen in the first display block is read from the memory and the key input screen is displayed. . In the third display block, the data of the key input screen of the lower layer image forming conditions belonging to the classification selected based on the key input screen in the second display block is read from the memory and the key input screen is displayed. The discriminating means discriminates the type of the pressed key from the position of the touch switch and the display content of the display screen. When the key pressed by the user is a key in the upper hierarchy of the first display block, the display contents of the second display block and the third display block are changed while the display contents of the first display block are held, and the key is pressed. If the key is a key in the middle layer of the second display block, the display content of the third display block is changed while maintaining the display content of the first display block and the second display block.

As described above, the display device of the present invention has a touch panel including a display means and a touch switch arranged on the display means, and a key input screen corresponding to the item of the image forming condition of the upper hierarchy. And switching between the first display screen for displaying the set image forming condition and the second display screen corresponding to the item of the image forming condition of the lower hierarchy belonging to the item selected based on the first display screen. indicate. Here, in response to the switching from the first display screen to the second display screen, the first timer measures the first predetermined time and also measures the second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time. Then, the display screen switching means switches the display from the second display screen to the first display screen in response to the end of the time measurement of the first timer, and the image forming condition is set to the standard state in response to the end of the time measurement of the second timer. And the image forming conditions in the standard state are displayed on the first display screen.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The display device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. (1) Configuration of digital color copying machine (2) Operation panel section (3) Concrete example of key input screen (4) Display control processing

(1) Configuration of Digital Color Copying Machine FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the overall configuration of a digital color copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital color copying machine is roughly divided into an image reader unit 100 that reads an original image and a copying unit 200 that reproduces the image read by the image reader unit 100. Image reader unit 10
At 0, the scanner 10 includes an exposure lamp 12 that irradiates a document, a rod lens array 13 that collects reflected light from the document, and a contact-type CCD color image sensor 14 that converts the collected light into an electric signal. Is equipped with. The scanner 10 is driven by the motor 11 at the time of reading a document and moves in the direction of the arrow (sub-scanning direction) to move the platen 15
The document placed on the top is scanned. The image on the document surface illuminated by the exposure lamp 12 is photoelectrically converted by the image sensor 14. The R, G, and B multi-valued electric signals obtained by the image sensor 14 are processed by the read signal processing unit 20 to be yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (B).
k) is converted into any of 8-bit gradation data.
The 8-bit gradation data obtained by the signal processing unit 20 is stored in the synchronization buffer (FIFO memory) 30. An operation panel unit 50 according to the present invention is provided on the side of the platen 15. The operation panel unit 50 is connected to the print head unit 31 via a control line. The print head unit 31 controls each motor and the like in the copying machine according to the copy mode set by the user via the operation panel unit 50, and also controls the emission intensity of the semiconductor laser.

Next, in the copying section 200, the print head section 31 performs predetermined gradation correction (γ correction) on the 8-bit gradation data input via the buffer 30 and then corrects it. The subsequent image data is D / A converted to generate a laser diode drive signal, and the semiconductor laser is modulated with the emission intensity based on this drive signal. Print head unit 31
The laser beam output from the
The photosensitive drum 41 that is rotationally driven is exposed. The photoconductor drum 41 is irradiated with an eraser lamp 42 before being exposed for each copy, and is uniformly charged by a charging charger 43. When exposed in this state, an electrostatic latent image of the original is formed on the photosensitive drum 41. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black toner developing devices 45a-4
Only one of 5d is selected to develop the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 41. The developed toner image is
The transfer charger 46 transfers the transfer paper onto the copy paper wound around the transfer drum 251. The above printing process is repeated for four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). At this time,
The scanner 10 repeats the scanning operation in synchronization with the operations of the photosensitive drum 41 and the transfer drum 251. Thereafter, the copy paper is separated from the transfer drum 251 by operating the separation claw 47, and is fixed through the fixing device 48.
The sheet is discharged to the stable sorter 49. The stable sorter 49 outputs the copy paper in the paper discharge format set via the operation panel unit 50. Here, as the paper ejection format, a format in which copy paper is continuously abolished in one paper ejection tray, a collation format in which each page is ejected to each paper ejection tray, and the same page is ejected in the same manner A stack format in which paper is discharged to a paper tray. As the copy paper, an appropriate size is fed from the paper cassette 250. The supplied copy paper is the transfer drum 25.
The chucking mechanism 252 above 1 chucks the tip of the chucking mechanism 252 to prevent misalignment during transfer.

(2) Operation Panel Section FIG. 2 shows a front view of the operation panel section 50. The operation panel unit 50 includes a ten key 54 for directly setting the number of copies and a copy rate as an operation panel, a print key 61 for instructing the start of a copy operation, and an LCD display unit 51. The LCD display unit 51 includes a liquid crystal display device 52.
And a transparent touch switch 53 provided on the touch panel. The user uses the liquid crystal display device 52.
The key input screen displayed on the screen can be recognized through the touch switch 53 without parallax.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the operation panel section 50. The CPU 55 controls the operation panel section 50, and at the same time, transmits the copy condition set by the user and the print start instruction to the print head section 31 shown in FIG. 2 through the control line. The ROM 59 stores a display processing program executed by the operation panel unit 50. Also,
The RAM 58 is backed up by a battery and stores the copy mode set by the user. The VRAM 57 stores data of various key input screens displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52. The MPX (multiplexer) 60 combines the data of the key input screen read from the VRAM 57 and the data of the copy condition (for example, the number of copies or the copy magnification) read from the RAM 8,
The combined data is input to the LCD controller 56. The LCD controller 56 outputs data to the liquid crystal display device 52 according to the data sent from the CPU 55. The liquid crystal display device 52 having a backlight which is turned on / off by the switch 62 displays a key input screen according to a control signal sent from the LCD controller. The user can use the liquid crystal display device 5 as shown in FIG.
By touching the display locations of the keys 505 to 512 displayed on the display 2 via the touch switch 53, the touch switch 53
Press. The touch switch 53 moves the display screen sideways.
It is composed of 0 switches and 15 switches vertically divided into a total of 300 switches, and sends the position data of the switches pressed by the user to the CPU 55. The CPU 55 recognizes the key pressed by the user based on the position data sent from the touch switch and the key input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52. The CPU 55 sends a control signal to the RAM 58, the VRAM 57 and the LCD controller 56 according to the content of the recognized key to switch the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 52. Further, as will be described later, when no key is input, the setting screen (see FIG. 6) is returned to the basic screen (see FIG. 5) after a certain period of time. Then, after a certain period of time has passed, the copying conditions set by the user are initialized (see FIG. 4).

(3) Key Input Screen FIGS. 4 to 9 show key input screens displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52. In the key input screen shown below, the shaded keys represent the keys that can be pressed, and the white outlined keys represent the keys selected by the user or the keys selected by the initialization of the copy mode. . Figure 4
The key input screen (hereinafter referred to as the initial screen) displayed when the power is turned on is shown. As shown, the key input screen is composed of a total of four blocks A to D.
The CPU 55 controls independent rewriting of the screen shown in each of the four blocks. The liquid crystal display device 52 displays the selection key of the key input screen of the copying condition roughly classified into five in the A block 501. The basic key 509 is a key for selecting a key input screen for setting a basic function. Here, the setting of the basic function means the setting of the copy density and the copy magnification, and the selection of the copy paper. A key input screen displayed by pressing the basic key 509 is referred to as a basic screen. Copy format key 5
Reference numeral 08 is a key for selecting a key input screen for setting a copy format such as one-sided copy to one-sided copy or one-sided to double-sided copy. Finishing key 507 is stable soter 4
9 is a key for selecting a key input screen for setting the discharge format of copy paper according to 9. The filing key 506 is a key for selecting a key input screen for setting processing such as binding margin creation and erasing. A create key 505 is a key for selecting a key input screen for setting a function of executing masking, trimming, etc. of a designated area. B block 50
The number 2 displays the status of the copying machine, such as "Ready to copy" or "Copying in progress", and the number of copies. The C block 503 is a key input screen selected by the user in the A block. Call keys 510 to 5 of the key input screen for setting more detailed copying conditions in the key input screen.
12 is displayed. Each of the call keys 510 to 512 displays detailed copy conditions currently set. This eliminates the need to call the key input screen for the copy condition in order to confirm the setting condition of the copy condition. On the density screen call key 510, "Auto density"
Is displayed. This indicates that the mode for automatically setting the copy density based on the density of the original image is set. The magnification screen call key 511 displays “× 1.
000 ”is displayed. This has a copy magnification of 1.0
It is set to 00 times. On the paper screen call key 512, “auto paper” is displayed. This indicates that a mode is set in which a copy paper of an appropriate size is automatically selected from the paper cassette 250 based on the copy magnification and the document size. The CPU 55 displays the corresponding key input screen on the D block in response to the pressing of the call keys 510 to 512 by the user. In the D block 504, in addition to the key input screens corresponding to the call keys 510 to 512, "Toner is running out."
Information that does not always need to be displayed, such as the state of the machine, etc., because it does not hinder the copying work in particular.

FIG. 5 shows the initial screen shown in FIG.
The number of copies is set to 5 by the user through the ten keys 54, and the copy magnification is set to “× 0.70” by a method described later.
It is a basic screen when it is set to "7". CPU55
When the user does not perform any key input for a certain period, the set copy mode is initialized and the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the initial screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a key input screen when the density screen call key 510 is pressed by the user on the basic screen of FIG. In the D block 504 (see FIG. 4), since the “auto density” mode is set, the “auto density” mode setting key 518 shown in white and a manual copy density copy mode setting are performed. Setting keys 516 and 517 and setting keys 513 to 415 for setting the type of document image are shown. In FIG. 6, the character / photo setting key 514 is shown in white, and it is understood that the mode for automatically discriminating the type of the original image is set. When any one of the setting keys 516 or 517 is pressed, the “auto density” mode is canceled, and “dark”, “slightly dark”, “normal”, “in accordance with the input of the setting keys 516 or 517. The copy density such as "slightly" or "light" is set. Along with this, the key 51
The position of 0 is displayed from "Density Auto" to "Dark",
Rewrite the display as "Slightly dark", "Normal", "Slightly thin", "Light". When the user presses the magnification screen call key 511 on this screen, the CPU 5
5 rewrites the screen displayed by the liquid crystal display device 52 into the key input screen of FIG. 7. When the paper screen call key 512 is pressed by the user, the CPU 55 rewrites the screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 to the key input screen of FIG. In this case, in the key input screen, only the display of the D block is rewritten, and the user can confirm the copy condition set from the display of the keys 510 to 512 of the C block. If the user does not input a key for a certain period, the screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the basic screen shown in FIG. Further, if no key is input for a certain period of time, the set copy mode is initialized and the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the initial screen shown in FIG. As described above, the display device according to the present embodiment does not directly rewrite the initial screen even if a certain period of time elapses while the user thinks about the copy mode to be set. , After rewriting to the basic screen, wait for a certain period of time to rewrite to the initial screen. This can prevent unnecessary initialization during the copy mode setting.

FIG. 7 shows a key input screen when the user presses the magnification screen read key 511 on the basic screen of FIG. In the D block 504 (see FIG. 4), a “auto magnification” mode setting key 520 for automatically setting the copy magnification based on the size of the original image and the size of the selected copy paper, and the setting by the user "10 key / memory" mode setting key 5 for storing the copied copy ratio
21; magnification change keys 529 and 530 for manually increasing or decreasing the copy magnification; magnification setting keys 523 to 528 for setting a predetermined copy magnification; and a copy magnification of equal magnification (× 1.000). The same size key 522 is displayed. In FIG. 7, “× 0.7” is displayed at the position of the call key 511.
"07" is displayed and the key 525 is blank, so it is understood that the user previously pressed the key 525 to set the reduced copy from A3 to A4 (or B4 to B5). To be done. Here, if the user presses the same size key 522, the copy magnification becomes “× 1.0”.
"00" is set, and the display of the position of the key 511 is rewritten from "x0.707" to "x1.000". When the user presses the density screen call key 510 on this screen, the CPU 55 rewrites the screen displayed by the liquid crystal display device 52 to the screen of FIG. When the paper screen call key 512 is pressed by the user, the CPU 55 rewrites the screen displayed by the liquid crystal display device 52 to the screen shown in FIG. In this case, the key input screen is
Only the display of the D block is rewritten, and the user can confirm the copy condition set from the display of the keys 510 to 512 of the C block. Also, if the user does not enter a key for a certain period of time,
The screen displayed by the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the basic screen shown in FIG. Further, if no key is input for a certain period of time, the set copy mode is initialized and the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the initial screen shown in FIG.
As described above, the display device according to the present embodiment does not directly rewrite the initial screen even if a certain period of time elapses while the user thinks about the copy mode to be set. , After rewriting to the basic screen, wait for a certain period of time to rewrite to the initial screen. This can prevent unnecessary initialization during the copy mode setting.

FIG. 8 shows a key input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 when the paper screen call key 512 is pressed on the basic screen of FIG. In D block 504,
Copy paper selection keys 531 to 536 of respective sizes are shown. For example, when the setting key 531 is pressed by the user, A3 size copy paper is selected and the display of the position of the key 512 is rewritten from "auto paper" to "A3 size". If the user presses the density screen call key 510 on this screen, the CPU 5
5 rewrites the screen displayed by the liquid crystal display device 52 into the screen shown in FIG. Magnification screen call key 511 depending on the user
When is pressed, the CPU 55 rewrites the screen displayed by the liquid crystal display device 52 to the screen of FIG. 7. In this case, in the key input screen, only the display of the D block is rewritten, and the user can select the keys 510 to 512 of the C block.
The copy conditions set can be confirmed from the display of. If the user does not input a key for a certain period of time, the screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 is displayed as shown in FIG.
Rewrite to the basic screen of. Further, if no key is input for a certain period of time, the set copy mode is initialized and the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the initial screen shown in FIG. As described above, the display device according to the present embodiment does not directly rewrite the initial screen even if a certain period of time elapses while the user thinks about the copy mode to be set. , After rewriting to the basic screen, wait for a certain period of time to rewrite to the initial screen. This can prevent unnecessary initialization during the copy mode setting.

FIG. 9 shows a key input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 when the user presses the filing key 506 on the basic screen of FIG. In the filing mode, for example, a binding margin key 540 for creating a certain binding margin on copy paper and a cover key 54 for creating a cover sheet.
1, an erase key 542 for erasing, a weekly magazine binding key 523 for alternately setting the binding margin, and a book manuscript key 544 for copying a manuscript of a book. When the user presses the key 505, the finish key 507, the copy format key 508, and the basic key 509 by the user, the CPU 55 rewrites the screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 to the screen corresponding to each key input. . Also,
The CPU 55 rewrites the screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52 to the basic screen shown in FIG. 5 when the user does not input a key for a certain period. Further, if no key is input for a certain period of time, the set copy mode is initialized and the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 52 is rewritten to the initial screen shown in FIG. This can prevent unnecessary initialization during the copy mode setting.

As described above, in the display device of the present invention, the liquid crystal display section 52 is divided into four blocks of the A block 501 to the D block 504, and the copy conditions classified into the upper, middle and lower layers are divided into blocks. Rewritable every time. Since the display content of another block is rewritten while the display content of a certain block is held, the user can always confirm a plurality of image forming conditions at the same time. Therefore, the user can confirm the other copy conditions even while setting a certain copy condition, and prevent erroneous setting. Even if the key input by the user is not performed for a certain period of time, the key input screen is temporarily changed to the basic screen instead of directly initializing the copy mode and rewriting the key input screen to the initial screen. When a certain period of time elapses after rewriting, the copy mode is initialized and the key input screen is rewritten to the initial screen. As a result, unnecessary initialization while setting the copy mode can be prevented.

(4) Display Control Process FIG. 10 is a main routine of the display control process executed by the CPU 55. First, after the power of the copying machine main body is turned on in step S100, initialization processing is executed (step S101). In this initialization processing, as will be described later, processing such as initialization of the CPU 55, initialization of the copy mode, and initial screen display is executed. When the panel input is made by the user (YES in step S102), the input process (step S103) is executed, and the screen display process (step S104) corresponding to the input is executed. Then, the information of the copy mode set by the user is sent to the print head unit 31. Print key 6 by user
When 1 is pressed (YES in step S106), a print start instruction is sent to the print head unit 31 (step S107). Then, the process waits until a signal indicating the end of printing is received from the print head unit 31 (step S108). When a print end signal is received from the print head unit 31 and when the print key 61 is not pressed by the user, the above step S10 is performed.
Return to 2. When no panel input is made by the user in step S102, the image transition process is executed (step S110).

FIG. 11 shows an initialization process (step S10).
It is a processing flowchart of 1). First, the CPU 55 is initialized (step S201). The next copy mode is initialized (step S202). For example, the interrupt from the print head unit 31 is permitted (step S2).
02). The value of the next rewrite flag K is set to 1 (step S204), and the value of the screen variable G is set to 0 corresponding to the basic screen. Then, a screen display process (step S206) described later is executed. Accordingly, the liquid crystal display device 5
2 displays the initial screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 shows the input process (step S103).
It is a figure which shows the processing flowchart of. First, it is determined whether the key input by the user is the print key 61 (step S301). When the key input by the user is other than the print key 61 (step S3)
If NO at 01), the following processing is executed. First, the key matrix corresponding to the value of the screen variable G is selected (step S
302), the type of key is determined from the pressed position of the touch switch 53 (step S303). When the type of the key pressed by the user is the copy mode setting key (YES in step S304), the copy mode setting process is executed (step S305). Here, the setting key is, for example, the setting key 51 when the density screen (see FIG. 6) is displayed in the D block on the basic screen.
3 to 518. When it is necessary to rewrite the character string displayed in the keys 510 to 512 by the copy mode setting process in step S305 (YE in step S306).
S), the value of the character flag M is set to 1 (step S30).
7). After rewriting the value of the character flag M in step S307, or when rewriting the character string is unnecessary in step S306, the screen transition timer is set to 3 seconds (step S308). When the time measured by the screen transition timer ends, the key input screen is rewritten to the basic screen (for example, as shown in FIG. 5) in the screen transition process (step S110) described later. On the other hand, the key pressed by the user is the paper screen call key 51.
If it is 2 (YES in step S310), the value of the screen variable G is set to 1 corresponding to the paper screen (see FIG. 8) (step S311). When the user presses the magnification screen call key 511 (step S312)
YES), the value of the screen variable G is set to 2 corresponding to the paper screen (see FIG. 7) (step S313). When the density screen call key 510 is pressed by the user (YES in step S314), the value of the screen variable G is set to 3 corresponding to the density screen (see FIG. 6) (step S31).
5). Then, steps S311, S313, and S315.
When the value of the screen variable G is changed by the above, the value of the rewrite flag K is set to 1 (step S316), and the screen transition timer is set to 15 seconds (step S317). When the key pressed by the user is a key other than the above keys, for example, the filing key 5
If it is 06, the value of the screen variable G is set to 4, the value of the rewrite flag K is set to 1, and the screen transition timer is set to 15
Set to seconds (step S318). When the time measurement of the screen transition timer is finished, the key input screen is rewritten to the basic screen shown in FIG. 5 in the screen transition process (step S110) described later. The auto clear timer is set to 60 seconds regardless of the type of key input by the user (step S319). When the timing of the auto clear timer is finished, the key input screen is rewritten to the initial screen shown in FIG. 4 in the image transition process (step S110) described later.

FIG. 13 shows a screen display process (step S10).
It is a figure which shows the processing flowchart of 4). When the value of the rewrite flag K is 1 (YE in step S401)
S), it is necessary to rewrite the key input screen, and in the next step S402, the screen data corresponding to the value of the screen variable G is read from the VRAM 57, and this is read by the liquid crystal display device 52.
Output to. Specifically, when the value of the screen variable G is 0,
The basic screen data is read from the VRAM 57 and output to the liquid crystal display device 52. When the value of the screen variable is 1, the paper screen data is read from the VRAM 57,
This is output to the liquid crystal display device 52. When the value of the screen variable G is 2, the magnification screen data is read from the VRAM 57 and output to the liquid crystal display device 52. When the value of the screen variable is 3, the data of the density screen is stored in the VRAM 57.
It is read out and output to the liquid crystal display device 52. When the value of the screen variable is 4, the screen data in the filing setting mode is read from the VRAM 57 and output to the liquid crystal display device 52. Further, the character string data corresponding to the read screen is read from the VRAM 57 or the RAM 58 and output to the liquid crystal display device 52 (step S403). For example, if the user changes the copy magnification from 1.000 to 0.707 on the magnification screen, the character string at the location of the key 511 is changed to "0.707". On the other hand, when the value of the rewrite flag K is 0 but the value of the character flag M is 1, (Y in step S404).
ES), the corresponding character string data is read from the VRAM 57 or the RAM 58 and is output to the liquid crystal display device 52 (step S405). Specifically, this corresponds to the case where the basic screen is rewritten to the initial screen by the screen transition process (step S110) described below. After the above display processing, in step S406, the rewrite flag K
Is set to 0 and the value of the character flag M is set to 0, and the process returns.

FIG. 14 shows a screen transition process (step S11).
The processing flowchart of 0) is shown. In step S501, it is determined whether or not the timekeeping of the auto-clear timer set in step S318 of FIG. 12 has ended.
The auto-clear timer ends timing when no key is input by the user for 60 seconds. When the time measurement of the auto clear timer has ended (YES in step S501), the copy mode is set to the initial state when the power is turned on (step S505). Then, the value of the screen variable G is set to 0 corresponding to the basic screen (step S506), and the value of the rewrite flag K is set to 1. By executing the screen display process (step S104), the initial screen of FIG. 4 is displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52. Further, when the time measurement of the auto clear timer is not completed (NO in step S501), in the next step S502,
It is determined whether or not the clocking of the screen transition timer set in step S308 or S317 of 2 is finished. The screen transition timer is 3 seconds or 1 depending on the user.
If no key is input for 5 seconds, the time is up. When the screen transition timer has finished counting (YES in step S502), the copy mode set by the user is not changed, and the value of the screen variable G is set to 0 corresponding to the basic screen (step S503). The value of the rewrite flag K is set to 1 (step S504). By executing the screen display process (step S104),
On the liquid crystal display device 52, the copy density setting screen shown in FIG. 6 is rewritten to the basic screen shown in FIG.

[0026]

As described above, in the display measure of the present invention, the display screen is divided into the first to third display section locks, and the copy conditions classified into the upper, middle, and lower layers for each block are set. Rewritable for each display block. Since the display content of another display block can be rewritten while the display content of a certain display block is held, the user can always confirm a plurality of image forming conditions at the same time. Therefore,
The user can confirm other copying conditions even while setting a certain copying condition, and can prevent erroneous setting. Even if the key input by the user is not performed for a certain period, the copy mode is initialized after the key input screen is once rewritten to the basic screen and a certain period has elapsed. And rewrite the key input screen to the initial screen. As a result, unnecessary initialization while setting the copy mode can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a cross section of a configuration of a digital color copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an operation panel section 50.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an operation panel unit 50.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an initial screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 52.

FIG. 5: Number of copies by user, copy magnification 0.7
It is a basic screen when 07 times is set.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a key input screen when a density screen is called.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a key input screen when a magnification screen is called.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a key input screen when a paper screen is called.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a key input screen when a filing mode is selected.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a main routine of display control processing.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flowchart of initialization (step S101).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a processing flowchart of input processing (step S103).

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a processing flowchart of screen display processing (step S104).

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a processing flowchart of screen transition processing (step S110).

[Explanation of symbols]

 50 ... Operation panel part 52 ... Liquid crystal display device 53 ... Touch switch 54 ... Numeric keypad 55 ... CPU 56 ... LCD controller 57 ... VRAM 58 ... RAM 59 ... ROM 60 ... MPX 61 ... Print key 501 ... A block 502 ... B block 503 ... C block 504 ... D block 505 ... Create key 506 ... Filing key 507 ... Finishing key 508 ... Copy format key 509 ... Basic key 510 ... Density screen call key 511 ... Magnification screen call key 512 ... Paper screen call key

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Yoko Matsumoto 2-3-13 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. 2-13-3 Machi Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A memory for storing data of a key input screen for setting image forming conditions classified into at least three layers of upper, middle and lower layers, and a first block, a second block and a third block. Display means for displaying a screen divided into areas, a transparent touch switch arranged on the display means, and key input screen data corresponding to the classification of the image forming conditions of the upper layer, read from the memory, The key input screen is displayed in the area of the first display block, and the data of the key input screen of the image forming condition of the middle layer belonging to the classification selected based on the key input screen in the first display block is displayed. A lower layer that is read from the memory, displays the key input screen in the area of the second display block, and belongs to a classification selected based on the key input screen in the second display block. Display control means for reading the data of the key input screen of the image forming condition from the memory and displaying the key input screen in the area of the third display block, the position of the touch switch pressed by the user, and the display screen. And a discriminating means for discriminating the type of the pressed key from the display content of the display control means. The display control means discriminates that the pressed key is a key in the upper hierarchy of the first display block. In this case, the display contents of the second display block and the third display block are changed while holding the display contents of the first display block, and the pressed key is a key of the middle hierarchy of the second display block. If determined by
A display device, wherein display contents of a third display block are changed while holding display contents of a display block and a second display block. 2. A touch panel comprising a memory for storing a key input screen for setting image forming conditions classified into a plurality of layers, a touch panel including a display means and a touch switch arranged on the display means, and the touch panel. A first display screen for displaying the key input screen corresponding to the item of the image forming condition of the upper layer and the set image forming condition, and the lower layer of the lower layer belonging to the item selected based on the first display screen. Display control means for switching and displaying a second display screen corresponding to the item of the image forming condition, and a first timer for measuring a first predetermined time in response to switching of the first display screen to the second display screen. , In response to switching from the first display screen to the second display screen,
A second timer that measures a second predetermined time that is longer than the first predetermined time, and a display that switches from the second display screen to the first display screen in response to the end of the time measurement of the first timer, and the second timer A display device, comprising: a display screen switching unit that resets the image forming condition to a standard state and displays the image forming condition in the standard state on the first display screen in response to the end of the timer.