JPH0816934A - Key display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a key display device which can prevent such a defective case where an operator is not award of the operation mode of a copying machine, a facsimile equipment, etc., other than a standard mode and gives an instruction by mistake for transmission of copies and the image data. CONSTITUTION:When the power supply of a facsimile equipment has just been turned on and the facsimile equipment is not completely warmed up yet, the start marks 12b and 12c are displayed in orange colors. The orange colors of both marks 12b and 12c are changed to green colors when the warm-up of the facsimile equipment is completed. If the operation of the facsimile equipment is set in a standard mode when its warm-up is completed, the marks 12b and 12c are kept in green colors. However the orange and green colors are alternately repeated or the green colors are blinked in an operation mode other than the standard mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key display device for displaying various information on a start key for instructing the start of a copying operation or a communication operation of a copying machine or a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional copying machine or facsimile machine, for example, a persimmon color light is applied to a key top of a start key for instructing the start of a copying operation or the like if the apparatus is not ready to start operation immediately after being turned on. When the light is turned on and the warm-up is completed and the apparatus is ready for operation, for example, green light is lit to indicate to the operator that the operation of the apparatus can be started.

Further, among these conventional copying machines and facsimile machines, those having an editing function such as a scaling function for image data operate the enlargement ratio and reduction ratio set for using such an editing function. It is designed to be displayed on a desktop display. When such an edit function mode is set, the setting is automatically canceled after a certain time (for example, 2 minutes) has passed without using the edit function, and the operation mode of the device is automatically set to the standard (default). It was supposed to return to mode.

[0004]

However, in the conventional copying machine or facsimile apparatus having the editing function, for example, the magnification and the like are set and the operation mode of the apparatus is set to a mode other than the standard mode. Even in this case, since the display on the key top only indicates whether or not the device is operable, the operator does not notice that the operation mode of the device is a mode other than the standard mode. There is a risk that the user may mistakenly instruct the start of the operation while intending to perform the copying operation in the standard mode.

For this reason, the operator notices that the magnification and the like are set only after the actual copy result is obtained, or when the apparatus is a facsimile apparatus, the copy is output on the communication partner side. Therefore, there is a drawback that it is difficult to even notice that the above setting has been performed.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an operator mistakenly makes a copy or an image without noticing that the operation mode of a copying machine or a facsimile machine is a mode other than the standard mode. An object of the present invention is to provide a key display device capable of preventing a data transmission instruction or the like.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the key display device of the present invention according to claim 1 has an operation start instruction input key for instructing the start of a predetermined operation. In a key display device provided with an operation start possibility display means for displaying whether or not the start is possible, the operation start possibility display means displays whether or not the predetermined operation can be started, A mode display control means for controlling to display the operation mode is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the key display device according to the first aspect, wherein the mode display control means can start the predetermined operation and the operation mode is other than the standard mode. In the mode, the operation start possibility display means controls to alternately display a display indicating that the operation can be started and a display indicating that the operation cannot be started. And

Further, in the key display device of the present invention according to claim 3, in the structure of claim 1, the mode display control means can start the predetermined operation and the operation mode is other than the standard mode. In the mode 1, the operation start possibility display means is controlled so as to blink to indicate that the operation can be started.

A key display device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the key display device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.
The operation start possibility display means is provided with at least two types of light emitting diodes that emit light of different colors.

The copying machine of the present invention according to claim 5 is
A key display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The predetermined operation for instructing the start by the operation start instruction input key is a copying operation.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus including the key display device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the predetermined operation instructed by the operation start instruction input key is image transmission. It is characterized by being an action.

[0013]

According to the key display device of the present invention, the operation start possibility display means indicates whether or not the predetermined operation can be started by the operation start instruction input key for instructing the start of the predetermined operation. Is displayed. At this time, the mode display control means displays whether or not the predetermined operation can be started, and
Control to display the operation mode.

According to the key display device of claim 2,
When the predetermined operation can be started and the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode, the mode display control means displays an indication that the operation start possibility display means can start the operation. It is controlled so as to alternately repeat the display that the operation cannot be started.

According to the key display device of claim 3,
When the predetermined operation can be started and the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode, the mode display control means blinks a message that the operation start possibility display means can start the operation. Control to do.

According to the key display device of claim 4,
The operation start possibility display means causes one of the light emitting diodes to emit light of one color, for example, green when the predetermined operation can be started, and when the predetermined operation cannot be started, The other light emitting diode is caused to emit light of a color different from the above, for example, persimmon color.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a facsimile apparatus using a key display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment has an MPU (microprocessing unit).
1, a key input control unit 2, a display control unit 3, a scanner control unit 4, a printer control unit 5, a communication control unit 6, a ROM (read only memory) 7, and a RAM (random access memory) 8. The components are connected to each other via an internal bus 9. The scanner control unit 4 and the printer control unit 5 are connected by an image data bus 10.

The MPU 1 is based on the operation information input by various operation keys provided on the operation console described later.
The operation of the entire apparatus of this embodiment is controlled by the program stored in the ROM 7. Each of the control units 2 to 6 is composed of a one-chip microcomputer, and controls input of operation information, display control on the console, image data reading control by a scanner unit (not shown), print control by a printer unit (not shown), respectively. Performs communication control for transmitting and receiving image data.

The ROM 7 stores programs and the like for the control processing performed by the MPU 1. The RAM 8 temporarily stores the image data read by the scanner unit, the image data received from the partner device via the telephone line, the operation information, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the console of the facsimile apparatus. In the figure, 11 is a power switch, 12 is a start key for instructing the start of operations such as transmission of image data, 13 is a numeric keypad group for inputting the telephone number of the recipient, and 14 is the scaling of image data. A set key group for making various settings for executing editing functions such as functions, and a display 15 for displaying various messages.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the details of the start key 12 in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, 12a is a key top of the start key 12, and 12b and 12c are start mark portions made of a light transmitting member. Is.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the internal structure of the start key 12, in which the reference numerals 12d and 12d are persimmon color LEDs (light emitting diodes) for emitting persimmon color light, and 12e and 1.
2e is a green LED that emits green light. These two colors L
The start mark portions 12b and 12 in FIG.
c is colored and displayed in each color.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts showing the process performed by the MPU 1 based on the control program stored in the ROM 7.

First, when the power of the facsimile machine is turned on, the operation mode of the facsimile machine is set to the standard mode on the display 15 shown in FIG.
It is displayed that the operation mode is the standard mode (step S1).

Next, it is judged whether or not all parts of the facsimile apparatus have been warmed up and preparations for starting operation of the apparatus have been completed (step S2), and if not completed, the display 5 says "please wait". A message is displayed (step S3). At this time, in the key top 12a of the start key 12, the persimmon LED
12d, 12d emit light, and the start mark portion 12b,
12c is a persimmon colored display indicating that the operation cannot be started.

When the preparation for starting operation is completed in step S2, the message "please wait" on the display 15 is erased (step S4), and the apparatus is ready to start operation and the operation mode is the standard mode. In order to display, in the key top 12a of the start key 12, green LEDs 12e, 12e emit light in place of the persimmon LEDs 12d, 12d, and the start mark portions 12b, 12c are colored in green (step S5), The process ends.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the control processing of the MPU 1 when the key operation is performed on the operation console of FIG. 2 after the preparation for starting the operation of the facsimile apparatus is completed.

First, it is detected whether or not there is a key input on the operation console of FIG. 2 (step S10), and when any key is operated, the operation mode of the facsimile apparatus other than the standard mode is operated by the key operation. It is determined whether or not the mode has changed (step S11), and if it has not changed, the display in the start mark portions 12b and 12c remains green and the standard mode display is continued. If the change is made (step S12), that is, if the edit mode for executing the edit function is changed, for example, the persimmon-colored display and the green-colored display are alternately repeated in the start mark portions 12b and 12c, or Blinking the green colored display to indicate that the device is ready for operation and that the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode. (Step S13).

In this way, when the process of step S12 or step S13 is completed, it is judged whether or not the start key is pressed (step S14). If it is pressed, the process is ended, and if not pressed. Step S1
Return to 0.

As described in detail above, according to the key display device of this embodiment, the persimmon color and the green color are alternately repeated in the start mark portions 12b and 12c, or the green color is displayed. By blinking, it is displayed on the key top 12a of the start key 12 that the device can start operating and the operation mode of the device is a mode other than the standard mode. Therefore, the operation mode of the device is a mode other than the standard mode. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from erroneously giving an instruction to send image data without noticing that.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the key display device of the present invention is applied to a facsimile device has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is of course possible to apply the present invention to a copying machine. In this case, it is possible to prevent erroneous execution of the copy operation in the intention of the standard mode, so that it is possible to prevent waste of recording paper and time.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the key for instructing the start of the operation is described as the start key, but the key is not limited to this name and may be any key for executing the start of a predetermined operation.

Further, the start mark portions 12b and 12c are provided as means for displaying the possibility of starting a predetermined operation and the operation mode.
Instead of the display in, or the start mark part 1
Of course, in addition to the display on 2b and 12c, it may be configured as a display means such as an LED provided near the key top.

[0036]

As has been described in detail above, according to the key display device of the first aspect, the mode display control means causes the operation start instruction input key for instructing the start of a predetermined operation to perform the predetermined operation. Since the operation start possibility display means for displaying whether or not the operation can be started displays whether or not the predetermined operation can be started and controls the operation mode to be displayed, the operator can operate the copying machine. It is possible to prevent the user from erroneously giving a command to send a copy or image data without noticing that the operation mode of the facsimile machine or the like is a mode other than the standard mode. Therefore, it is possible to prevent waste of resources such as recording paper and loss of time due to erroneous operation.

According to the key display device of claim 2,
When the predetermined operation can be started and the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode, the mode display control means displays an indication that the operation start possibility display means can start the operation. Since it is controlled so as to alternately repeat the display indicating that the operation cannot be started, it is necessary to reliably inform the operator that the operation mode of the copying machine, the facsimile machine, or the like is a mode other than the standard mode. You can

According to the key display device of claim 3,
When the predetermined operation can be started and the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode, the mode display control means blinks a message that the operation start possibility display means can start the operation. Therefore, the operator can be surely informed that the operation mode of the copying machine, the facsimile machine or the like is a mode other than the standard mode, like the key display device according to the second aspect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile device using a keytop display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a console of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a start key provided on the operation console.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the start key.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control process performed by MPU1 of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control process performed by MPU1 of the facsimile apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 MPU 12 Start key 12a Key top 12b, 12c Start mark 12d, 12d Persimmon LED 12e, 12e Green LED

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A key display device comprising an operation start possibility display means for displaying whether or not the predetermined operation can be started on an operation start instruction input key for instructing the start of a predetermined operation, A key display device, wherein the operation start possibility display means is provided with a mode display control means for displaying whether or not the predetermined operation can be started and for controlling the operation mode to be displayed. 2. The mode display control means is capable of starting the operation when the predetermined operation can be started and the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode. 2. The key display device according to claim 1, wherein the key display device is controlled so that a display indicating that the operation is performed and a display indicating that the operation cannot be started are alternately repeated. 3. The mode display control means is capable of starting the operation when the predetermined operation can be started and the operation mode is a mode other than the standard mode. The key display device according to claim 1, wherein the key display device is controlled so as to display a blinking display. 4. The key display device according to claim 1, wherein the operation start possibility display unit includes at least two types of light emitting diodes that emit light of different colors. 5. A copying machine comprising the key display device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined operation for instructing the start by the operation start instruction input key is a copying operation. 6. A facsimile apparatus comprising the key display device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined operation for instructing the start by the operation start instruction input key is an image transmission operation.