JP2005128064A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a situation that an image can not be visually recognized or hardly visually recognized because of user's erroneous designation though the color of the image and the color of a background on a display part can be varied. <P>SOLUTION: In a copying machine (1), the color designated by a user is set as the color of the image on the display part (15) and similarly the color designated by the user is set as the color of the background on the display part (15). Whether or not a difference between the colors designated as the colors of the image and the background is equal to or under a prescribed value is determined before setting, and a warning is displayed when it is equal to or under the prescribed value. When the colors designated as the colors of the image and the background are the same, the setting of the colors of the image and the background is not performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine that forms an image on a sheet, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus in which the color of a display unit that displays information is variable.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a printer is provided with a display unit for displaying information relating to image formation, operation guidance, and the like. A conventional display unit is monochrome, but in recent years, a color display unit is frequently used.

There has also been proposed an image forming apparatus in which the color of an image (characters, symbols, etc.) displayed on a display unit and the background color can be changed (see, for example, JP-A-11-203007). The user's favorite color differs depending on the user, and there are also users who have abnormal color vision. Thus, if the color of the image on the display unit or the background can be changed in this way, the user's favorite color and easy to see It is convenient to set the color.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-203007

  However, due to a user's mistake in specifying the color, the color of the image on the display unit and the color of the background may be exactly the same or slightly different. If the color of the image and the color of the background are the same, the image cannot be visually recognized. If the color of the image is different from the color of the background, it is difficult to visually recognize the image.

  In such a state, it is necessary to reset the color. However, in a device that immediately reflects the color setting on the display unit, the display itself that guides the color setting becomes invisible or difficult to see. Or In that case, it is necessary to restart the apparatus. However, there is a device that stores the color setting and sets the color of the display unit at the time of startup to the color just before the stop, and it is extremely difficult to reset the color in such a device.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the color of the image on the display unit and the color of the background are variable, but the image cannot be viewed or difficult due to a user's designation error. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, having a display unit for displaying an image representing a predetermined matter including information relating to image formation. According to the instruction given, the color of the image of the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit are changed, and the difference between the color of the image of the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit is determined by the instruction given by the user. A warning is issued when the value falls below a predetermined value.

  This image forming apparatus issues a warning when there is no significant difference between the color of the image on the display unit and the color of the background, and the user is informed that the setting may make it difficult or impossible to see the image. I can inform you. In response to this warning, the user can give an instruction to change the color of the image or the background to another color, so that the image can be set to be easily viewed.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention also provides an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, including a display unit for displaying an image representing a predetermined matter including information related to image formation, and a user. The color of the image of the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit are changed according to the instructions given by the user. When the value becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, the color of the image on the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit are kept at the colors before the instruction is given.

  In this image forming apparatus, when the color of the image on the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit are the same or almost the same, these colors can be prevented from being changed. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the image from being visually recognized.

  There are chromatic and achromatic colors, and achromatic white and black are generally different colors. In addition, gray, which is between white and black, is also different from white and black. The color in the present invention has such a general meaning, and has both chromaticity (hue) and lightness as elements. That is, even in monochrome display with a constant chromaticity, if there are parts with different brightness, these parts have different colors.

  As in the present invention, it is difficult to visually recognize an image when a warning is issued when the difference between the color of the image on the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit is a predetermined value or less according to an instruction given by the user. Can be avoided or impossible. The user can instruct to change the color without worrying about mistakes.

  Further, as in the present invention, when the difference between the color of the image on the display unit and the background color of the display unit is equal to or less than a predetermined value according to an instruction given by the user, the color of the image on the display unit and the display unit If the background color is kept the color before the instruction is given, it is possible to reliably prevent the image from being visually recognized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The appearance and a part of the inside of the copying machine 1 of the first embodiment are schematically shown in the top view of FIG. The copying machine 1 includes a contact glass 11 for placing a document, a document D on the contact glass 11, a document transport unit 12 for discharging the document after image reading, and an operation unit 14 operated by a user. And a display unit 15 for displaying the setting status of the copying machine, operation guidance, and the like.

  The document conveyance unit 12 is rotatable about one edge thereof, and can take a closed state that covers the contact glass 11 and an open state that exposes the contact glass 11. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the document conveying unit 12 is closed. The operation unit 14 includes a plurality of operation keys 14a and a touch panel 14b that detects a part touched by a finger. The display unit 15 is formed of a color liquid crystal panel and is disposed so as to overlap the touch panel 14b. The copying machine 1 also has a scanner-type image reading unit 13 that moves in the direction of arrow A while irradiating light toward the contact glass 11 and reads an image of the document by reflected light from the document on the contact glass 11. Provided inside.

  The configuration of the copying machine 1 is schematically shown in FIG. The copying machine 1 includes a storage unit 16, a communication unit 17, an image processing unit 18, an image storage unit 19, an image forming unit 20, a sheet conveying unit 21, and a control unit 22 in addition to the above-described units. The storage unit 16 stores programs and parameters used by the control unit 22 to control the copying machine 1. Although not shown, the communication unit 17 is connected to a personal computer via a LAN cable, and is also connected to an external facsimile machine via a public telephone line.

  The image processing unit 18 performs processing such as digitization and image quality improvement on the image read by the image reading unit 13. The image processing unit 18 also performs processing for converting the character data given from the control unit 22 into an image representing the content. The image storage unit 19 stores an image processed by the image processing unit 18 and an image converted from character data. The image forming unit 20 forms an image stored in the image storage unit 19 on a sheet, and the sheet conveying unit 21 conveys the image forming sheet to the image forming unit 20 and discharges the sheet after the image formation. To do. The control unit 22 controls the above-described units to control the entire operation of the copying machine 1.

  The copying machine 1 having such a configuration also functions as a printer that prints data provided from a personal computer, and also functions as a facsimile machine that transmits and receives data to and from other facsimile machines via a public telephone line.

  An example of the contents displayed on the display unit 15 is shown in FIG. Here, information indicating that copying is possible and a part of information relating to image formation such as the number of copies are displayed as characters. The display unit 15 displays not only characters but also symbols, figures and the like. Hereinafter, these images 31 displayed on the display unit 15 are also referred to as representative characters.

  Both the color of the image 31 on the display unit 15 and the color of the background 32 are variable, and are set according to a user instruction. FIG. 4 shows an operation guide displayed on the display unit 15 when setting these colors. The colors used for the image 31 and the background 32 are predetermined. Here, as shown in FIG. 4A, 10 names under the heading “Character” as the colors of the image 31 and the same 10 types as the colors of the background 32 are indicated by the respective names 33. The user can specify a color corresponding to the color name 33 by touching a part of the touch panel 14b where the color name 33 is displayed.

  At the start of the display of the operation guidance, a frame 34 is added to the color name 33 of the color set at that time. The frame 34 moves to the color name 33 when the user designates the color name 33.

  In addition to these color names 33, a button 35 indicating "END" is also displayed. By touching a part of the touch panel 14b where the button 35 is displayed, the execution of color setting is instructed. be able to. Until the execution is instructed, the designation of the colors used for the image 31 and the background 32 can be changed any number of times.

  By executing the setting, the colors of the image 31 and the background 32 change immediately. The set color is stored in the storage unit 16, and the colors of the image 31 and the background 32 are set to those stored in the storage unit 16 at the next activation.

  The copying machine 1 displays a warning on the display unit 15 when there is no large difference between the color of the designated image 31 and the color of the background 32 and there is a possibility that it is difficult to visually recognize the image 31 if it is set as it is. An example is shown in FIG. This warning 36 is displayed when the color of the image 31 or the color of the background 32 is designated, that is, before the color setting is executed. Therefore, the user can avoid the setting that makes the visual recognition difficult.

  The copying machine 1 also displays a warning on the display unit 15 and sets the color when the color of the designated image 31 and the color of the background 32 are the same and the image 31 cannot be viewed if set as it is. Even if execution is instructed, the color is not set. An example of this warning is shown in FIG. This warning 37 is also displayed when the color of the image 31 or the color of the background 32 is designated.

  The magnitude of the difference between the color of the image 31 and the color of the background 32 is expressed by the amounts of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) components. Each is determined by obtaining the difference between the image 31 and the background 32. For example, red is 100% for the R component, 0% for the G and B components, green is 100% for the G component, 0% for the R and B components, and white is 100% for the R, G, and B components. In black, the R component, the G component, and the B component are all 0%, and the difference in the amount expressed in percentage is obtained.

  The color of the image 31 and the background 32 when the difference between the R component amounts is equal to or less than the predetermined value R0, the difference between the G component amounts is equal to or less than the predetermined value G0, and the difference between the B component amounts is equal to or less than the predetermined value B0. It is determined that there is no significant difference in the colors of The predetermined values R0, G0, B0 are, for example, 10 respectively. Further, when the differences in the amounts of the R component, G component, and B component are all 0, it is determined that the color of the image 31 and the color of the background 32 are the same. Note that the component amount of each color is stored in the storage unit 16.

  FIG. 5 shows a flow of processing relating to setting of the color of the image 31 and the color of the background 32 of the display unit 15 in the copying machine 1. First, the value of a flag indicating whether or not to set a color is set to 1 (step # 105), and the R component, G component, and B component of the currently set color of the image 31 and the background 32 are set. The amount is obtained (# 110, # 115).

  Next, it waits for any of the items (color name 33 and button 35) displayed in the operation guide of FIG. 4 to be selected (# 120). When any item is selected, it is determined whether or not it is the color name 33 of the image 31 (# 125). If it is the color name 33 of the image 31, the R component, G component, and B of that color are determined. The amount of the component is obtained (# 130).

  If it is determined in step # 125 that the selected item is not the color name 33 of the image 31, it is determined whether or not the selected item is the color name 33 of the background 32 (# 135). If the selected item is the color name 33 of the background 32, the amounts of the R component, G component, and B component of that color are obtained (# 140).

  After step # 130 and after step # 140, it is determined whether or not the absolute value of the difference between the R component amount of the image 31 and the R component amount of the background 32 is equal to or less than the predetermined value R0 (# 145). ). If the absolute value is less than or equal to the predetermined value R0, it is determined whether or not the absolute value of the difference between the G component amount of the image 31 and the G component amount of the background 32 is less than or equal to the predetermined value G0 (# 150). Further, when the absolute value is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value G0, it is determined whether or not the absolute value of the difference between the B component amount of the image 31 and the B component amount of the background 32 is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value B0 (# 155). ). If any of the absolute values exceeds the predetermined values R0, G0, and B0 in the determinations in steps # 145 to # 155, the value of the availability flag is set to 1 (# 160), and the process returns to step # 120.

  If it is determined in steps # 145 to # 155 that all absolute values are equal to or less than the predetermined values R0, G0, and B0, the amount of R component, the amount of G component, and the amount of B component are all in the image 31 and the background 32. It is determined whether or not they are equal, that is, whether or not the above absolute values are all 0 (# 165). When the R component amount, G component amount, and B component amount are all equal, the value of the enable / disable flag is set to 0 to disable color setting (# 170), and the warning 37 in FIG. 4C is displayed. Then, the process returns to step # 120. If any of the R component amount, the G component amount, and the B component amount is not equal, the value of the availability flag is set to 1 (# 180), and the warning 36 in FIG. # 185) Return to step # 120.

  If it is determined in step # 135 that the selected item is not the color name 33 of the background 32, that is, if the selected item is the button 35 for instructing execution of color setting, the value of the availability flag is 1. Is determined (# 190). When the value of the availability flag is not 1, the process returns to step # 120. When the value of the availability flag is 1, the colors of the image 31 and the background 32 are set (# 195).

  In the present embodiment, the color names of the colors used as the image 31 and the background 32 are displayed. However, a color palette in which a color is assigned to each of the plurality of sections is displayed, and the image 31 and the background are displayed from among them. You may make it select 32 colors. Instead of predetermining the colors used as the image 31 and the background 32, the colors may be specified by inputting numerical values of the R component, the G component, and the B component. In this case, it is convenient to use the operation key 14a for input.

  When the amounts of R component, G component, and B component are input numerically, even if the color of the input image 31 and the color of the background 32 are not exactly the same, they are almost the same, and if set as they are, the image 31 may not be visible. Therefore, in this case, it is preferable to determine whether or not the difference between the color of the input image 31 and the color of the background 32 is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and not to perform setting when the difference is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value. .

  This can be achieved, for example, by omitting step # 165 of FIG. 5 and proceeding directly from step # 155 to step # 170. Further, predetermined values R1, G1, and B1 smaller than the above-described predetermined values R0, G0, and B0 are determined for the amounts of R component, G component, and B component, and instead of step # 165, step # 145 is set. To # 155 (steps for using predetermined values R1, G1, and B1 instead of predetermined values R0, G0, and B0) are provided, and the absolute values of the differences between all the color components are less than or equal to these predetermined values. Sometimes, it can also be realized by proceeding to step # 170.

  The copier 2 of the second embodiment will be described. The copying machine 2 has substantially the same configuration as the copying machine 1 described above, and is different only in that the display unit 15 is monochrome. Also in the copying machine 2, the color of the image 31 and the background 32 of the display unit 15 is variable, and is set according to a user instruction. However, since the display unit 15 is monochrome, only lightness (density) of the color elements is variable.

  FIG. 6 shows an operation guide displayed on the display unit 15 when setting the color (density) of the image 31 and the background 32. The density of the image 31 and the background 32 is determined in advance in several stages. Here, as shown in FIG. 6A, the density of the image 31 is 10 levels from 0 to 9, and the density of the background 32 is the same 10 levels. These concentrations are equally spaced. The user can specify the density by touching a part of the touch panel 14b where the density value 33a is displayed. As described above, the display of the frame 34 is added to the designated density value 33a, and the button 35 for instructing the execution of the color (density) setting is displayed.

  The copying machine 2 displays a warning on the display unit 15 when there is no significant difference between the density of the designated image 31 and the density of the background 32 and there is a possibility that it is difficult to visually recognize the image 31 if set as it is. An example is shown in FIG. This warning 36a is displayed when the color of the image 31 or the density of the background 32 is designated, that is, before the density setting is executed. Therefore, the user can avoid the setting that makes the visual recognition difficult.

  The copying machine 2 also displays a warning on the display unit 15 and sets the density when the density of the designated image 31 and the density of the background 32 are the same and the image 31 cannot be viewed if set as it is. Even if execution of is instructed, the density is not set. An example of this warning is shown in FIG. This warning 37a is also displayed when the density of the image 31 or the density of the background 32 is designated.

  The magnitude of the difference between the density of the image 31 and the density of the background 32 is determined directly from 10 levels of 0 to 9. For example, when the difference is 2 or less, it is assumed that there is no significant difference between the density of the image 31 and the density of the background 32. Further, it is assumed that when the difference is 0, the density of the image 31 and the density of the background 32 are the same.

  FIG. 7 shows the flow of processing relating to the setting of the color of the image 31 on the display unit 15 and the color of the background 32 in the copying machine 2. First, the value of the availability flag indicating whether or not to set a color is set to 1 (step # 205), and the currently set densities of the image 31 and the background 32 are obtained (# 210 and # 215).

  Next, it waits for any of the items (density value 33a and button 35) displayed in the operation guide of FIG. 6 to be selected (# 220). When any item is selected, it is determined whether or not it is the density value 33a of the image 31 (# 225). If it is not the density value of the image 31, it is determined whether or not it is the density value 33a of the background 32. Is determined (# 230).

  If it is determined in step # 225 or # 230 that the density value is the image 31 or the background 32, it is determined whether or not the absolute value of the difference between the density value of the image 31 and the density value of the background 32 is 2 or less. (# 235). When the absolute value exceeds 2, the value of the availability flag is set to 1 (# 240), and the process returns to step # 220.

  When the absolute value of the difference between the density values is 2 or less, it is determined whether or not the density value of the image 31 and the density value of the background 32 are equal (# 245). When the density values are equal, the value of the enable / disable flag is set to 0 to disable color setting (# 250), the warning 37a in FIG. 6C is displayed (# 255), and the process returns to step # 220. If the density values are not equal, the value of the availability flag is set to 1 (# 260), the warning 36a in FIG. 6B is displayed (# 265), and the process returns to step # 220.

  If it is determined in step # 230 that the selected item is not the density value 33a of the background 32, that is, if the selected item is the button 35 instructing execution of color setting, the value of the propriety flag is 1. Is determined (# 270). If the value of the availability flag is not 1, the process returns to step # 220. If the value of the availability flag is 1, the color (density) of the image 31 and the background 32 is set (# 275).

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of density values of the image 31 and the background 32 are displayed and selected from them, but the density may be input numerically. In this case, it is convenient to use the operation key 14a for input. In this case, even if the density of the input image 31 and the density of the background 32 are not exactly the same, they are almost the same, and if set as they are, the image 31 may not be visible. Therefore, it is desirable to determine whether or not the difference between the density of the input image 31 and the density of the background 32 is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and to prevent setting when the difference is equal to or less than the predetermined value.

  In each of the copying machines 1 and 2, a warning is given by display. However, other methods, for example, a voice may be issued.

FIG. 3 is a top view schematically showing an appearance and a part of the inside of the copying machine according to the first and second embodiments. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a copying machine according to first and second embodiments. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of contents displayed on a display unit of a copying machine according to the first and second embodiments. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation guide displayed when setting a color of a display unit in the copier according to the first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing relating to setting of a color of a display unit in the copier according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an operation guide displayed when setting a color of a display unit in the copying machine according to the second embodiment. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing relating to setting of a color of a display unit in a copying machine according to a second embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Copy machine 11 Contact glass 12 Document conveyance part 13 Image reading part 14 Operation part 14a Operation key 14b Touch panel 15 Display part 16 Storage part 17 Communication part 18 Image processing part 19 Image storage part 20 Image formation part 21 Sheet conveyance part 22 Control unit 31 Image 32 Background 33 Color name 33a Density value 34 Frame 35 Button 36, 36a, 37, 37a Warning

Claims (2)

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus having a display unit for displaying an image representing a predetermined matter including information relating to image formation, and in accordance with an instruction given by a user, In the thing which changes the color of the color and the background of the display part,
An image forming apparatus that issues a warning when a difference between an image color of a display unit and a background color of a display unit becomes a predetermined value or less according to an instruction given by a user. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus having a display unit that displays an image representing a predetermined matter including information related to image formation, and in accordance with an instruction given by a user, In the thing which changes the color of the color and the background of the display part,
When the difference between the image color of the display unit and the background color of the display unit is less than a predetermined value according to the instruction given by the user, the instruction gives the color of the image of the display unit and the color of the background of the display unit. An image forming apparatus that maintains a color before being formed.

Images