JP2019144750A - Image forming apparatus, web page display method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce an error in operation of a web page or a hesitation in judgment in an environment in which a user uses both a screen dedicated to a native application and a web page. SOLUTION: One of one or a plurality of first objects arranged on a web page 62 is arranged on an application screen in an image forming apparatus 1 for executing an application prepared in advance. Alternatively, the replacement target selection unit 104 that selects one of the plurality of second objects as the replacement target object and the selected replacement target object are matched with the corresponding second object. In this state, a web page display processing unit 106 for displaying the web page 62 on the display is provided. [Selection diagram] FIG. 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for displaying a web page in an image forming apparatus in which a so-called embedded application is prepared.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses that provide various services such as copying, scanning, or faxing have become widespread. Such an image forming apparatus may be referred to as “MFP (Multi Function Peripherals)” or “multifunction machine”.

  In order to use these services, the manufacturer creates an application and installs it in the image forming apparatus in advance. In this way, an application that is fixedly installed in advance may be referred to as a “native application”.

  Further, a web browser has been provided in the image forming apparatus. According to a web browser, a web page can be downloaded from a web server and displayed. As a result, it has become possible to provide more services to the user than before.

  Further, the screen for the above-described service provided in the image forming apparatus can be provided not only by a screen dedicated to the native application but also by a web page.

  In addition, the following technologies have been proposed as user interface technologies in image forming apparatuses.

  In the content display area at the center of the display screen, the content is displayed with a size smaller than the size of the display screen, and a plurality of icons are arranged in a circle around the content display area. In conjunction with the selection operation, each of the plurality of icons is displayed so as to sequentially move to a specific position while rotating around the content display area without overlapping the content display area (Patent Document 1). .

JP 2012-230658 A

  As described above, the image forming apparatus can provide a screen of a certain service as a screen dedicated to a native application or as a web page.

  However, conventionally, when both the native application and the web are used, the user sometimes makes a mistake in the operation on the web page or gets lost.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the above-described problem cannot be solved in an environment where a user uses both a screen dedicated to a native application and a web page.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of such problems, the present invention has an object to reduce a web page operation error or a determination error more than ever in an environment where a user uses both a screen dedicated to a native application and a web page. And

  An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that executes an application prepared in advance, and the application is selected from one or more first objects arranged on a web page. Selection means for selecting, as a replacement target object, one corresponding to one or more of the second objects arranged on the screen, and the one or more second objects as the replacement target object Display processing means for displaying the web page on a display in a state in which the attribute is matched with the object corresponding to the replacement target object.

  Preferably, the selection means selects, as the replacement target object, one having the same function as any of the one or more second objects from the one or more first objects. To do.

  Alternatively, the display processing means arranges the replacement target object at the same position as that corresponding to the replacement target object among the one or more second objects, so that the attribute The web page is displayed on the display in a state in which

  According to the present invention, in an environment where a user uses both a screen dedicated to a native application and a web page, it is possible to reduce an error in the operation of the web page or an unclear judgment.

It is a figure which shows the example of the whole structure of an image processing system. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a job list screen. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a copy job screen. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of object data. It is a figure which shows the example of the state before the change of a menu page. It is a figure which shows the example of the state after the change of a menu page. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the overall processing flow in the image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows the modification of object data. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a copy job page. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a copy job page.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of the image processing system 4. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the job list screen 61A. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the copy job screen 61B.

  An image processing system 4 shown in FIG. 1 is a system that prints an image on paper or handles an image as electronic data, and includes an image forming apparatus 1, a web server 21, a terminal device 23, a communication line 3, and the like. Is done.

  The image forming apparatus 1, the web server 21, and the terminal device 23 can communicate via the communication line 3. As the communication line 3, a LAN (Local Area Network) line, the Internet, a public line, a dedicated line, or the like is used.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus in which functions such as copying, PC printing, fax, scanner, and box are integrated. Generally, it is sometimes called “multifunction machine” or “MFP (Multi Function Peripherals)”.

  The PC print function is a function for printing an image on paper based on image data received from the terminal device 23. It may also be called “network printing” or “network printing”.

  The box function is a function for giving a storage area called “box” or “personal box” for each user, and for each user to store and manage image data and the like in his / her storage area. A box corresponds to a “folder” or “directory” in a personal computer.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10b, an S-RAM (Static Random Access Memory) 10c, and an NV-RAM (Non Volatile Random Access Memory). 10d, clock IC (integrated circuit) 10e, auxiliary storage device 10f, touch panel display 10g, operation key panel 10h, network adapter 10i, modem 10j, scan unit 10k, print unit 10m, finisher 10n, and the like.

  The S-RAM 10c is a working storage device, and is used to temporarily store the result of processing by the CPU 10a or data transmitted from another device.

  The NV-RAM 10d is used to back up data relating to various settings of the image forming apparatus 1 itself (for example, IP (Internet Protocol) address, fax number, address book, screen character size or language, etc.). The clock IC 10e is a circuit for measuring time.

  The ROM 10b or the auxiliary storage device 10f stores programs such as an operating system and applications for realizing the above-described functions. In the ROM 10b or the auxiliary storage device 10f, a specific application is stored in advance in a fixed manner when the image forming apparatus 1 is shipped. Hereinafter, such an application is referred to as a “native application”. A native application is sometimes called an “embedded application”.

  Various screens 61 are prepared in advance for each native application. For example, a job list screen 61A as shown in FIG. 3 and a copy job screen 61B as shown in FIG. These screens 61 have the same size. These screens 61 are displayed on the entire touch panel display 10g.

  Furthermore, since these screens 61 are created based on the standard of so-called embedded UI (User Interface), the design is unified.

  For example, a start button 6E1 and a start button 6E2 are arranged on the job list screen 61A and the copy job screen 61B, respectively, as the start button 6E that is an object for the user to instruct the image forming apparatus 1 to start a job or the like. Has been. All the start buttons 6E such as the start button 6E1 and the start button 6E2 have the same appearance. That is, the same size, the same shape, the same background color, and a common mark are drawn. In the present embodiment, green (green) is used as the background color of the start button 6E. It should be noted that a button for the user to instruct like the start button 6E may be called a “key”.

  All the start buttons 6E have the same coordinates. That is, the coordinates of the start button 6E1 on the job list screen 61A and the coordinates of the start button 6E2 on the copy job screen 61B are the same.

  Further, as a stop button 6F that is an object for the user to instruct the image forming apparatus 1 to stop the job being executed, the stop button 6F1 and the stop button are respectively displayed on the job list screen 61A and the copy job screen 61B. 6F2 is arranged. All the stop buttons 6F such as the stop button 6F1 and the stop button 6F2 have the same appearance. That is, the same size, the same shape, the same background color, and a common mark are drawn. In the present embodiment, red (red) is used as the background color of the stop button 6F.

  Further, the coordinates of all the stop buttons 6F are the same. That is, the coordinates of the stop button 6F1 on the job list screen 61A and the coordinates of the stop button 6F2 on the copy job screen 61B are the same.

  Further, as a reset button 6G that is an object for the user to instruct the image forming apparatus 1 to reset an input value or the like, a reset button 6G1 and a reset button are respectively displayed on the job list screen 61A and the copy job screen 61B. 6G2 is arranged. All the reset buttons 6G such as the reset button 6G1 and the reset button 6G2 have the same appearance. That is, the same size, the same shape, the same background color, and a common mark are drawn. In the present embodiment, yellow (yellow) is used as the background color of the reset button 6G.

  Further, the coordinates of all the reset buttons 6G are the same. That is, the coordinates of the reset button 6G1 on the job list screen 61A and the coordinates of the reset button 6G2 on the copy job screen 61B are the same.

  Further, a logout button 6H1 and a logout button 6H2 are arranged on the job list screen 61A and the copy job screen 61B, respectively, as the logout button 6H that is an object for the user to instruct the image forming apparatus 1 to logout the user. ing. All the logout buttons 6H such as the logout button 6H1 and the logout button 6H2 have the same appearance. That is, the same size, the same shape, the same background color, and a common mark are drawn. In the present embodiment, brown is used as the background color of the logout button 6H.

  Further, the coordinates of all the reset buttons 6G are the same. That is, the coordinates of the logout button 6H1 on the job list screen 61A and the coordinates of the logout button 6H2 on the copy job screen 61B are the same.

  Further, the home button 6J1 and the home button 6J2 are arranged on the job list screen 61A and the copy job screen 61B, respectively, as the home button 6J that is an object for the user to instruct the image forming apparatus 1 to return to the so-called home screen. Has been. All the home buttons 6J such as the home button 6J1 and the home button 6J2 have the same appearance. That is, the same size, the same shape, the same background color, and a common mark are drawn. In the present embodiment, brown is used as the background color of the home button 6J.

  Further, the coordinates of all the home buttons 6J are the same. That is, the coordinates of the home button 6J1 on the job list screen 61A and the coordinates of the home button 6J2 on the copy job screen 61B are the same.

  Hereinafter, objects commonly used in the plurality of screens 61 such as the start button 6E and the home button 6J are referred to as “common objects”.

  A web browser 10P (see FIG. 6) is further stored in the ROM 10b or the auxiliary storage device 10f.

  Programs stored in the ROM 10b or the auxiliary storage device 10f such as the native application and the web browser 10P are appropriately loaded into the S-RAM 10c and executed by the CPU 10a. A hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive) is used as the auxiliary storage device 10f.

  The touch panel display 10g displays a screen showing a message for the user, a screen for the user to input a command or information, a screen showing a result of processing executed by the CPU 10a, and the like. The touch panel display 10g sends a signal indicating the touched position to the CPU 10a.

  The operation key panel 10h is a so-called hardware keyboard, and includes a numeric keypad, a start key, a stop key, a function key, and the like.

  The network adapter 10i communicates with the web server 21 and the terminal device 23 using a protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). A network interface card (NIC) or a wireless LAN adapter is used as the network adapter 10i.

  The modem 10j exchanges image data with a fax terminal using a protocol such as G3.

  The scan unit 10k reads an image written on a sheet and generates image data. The scan unit 10k includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder), and can continuously read images from each of a plurality of sheets.

  In addition to the image read by the scan unit 10k, the print unit 10m prints on the paper an image indicated by the image data received or read from another device by the network adapter 10i or the modem 10j.

  The finisher 10n performs post-processing as necessary on the printed matter obtained by the print unit 10m. The post-processing includes a staple binding process, a punch hole forming process, a folding process, and the like.

  The web server 21 provides web pages to the image forming apparatus 1 and the terminal device 23.

  The terminal device 23 is a client for receiving the service of the image forming apparatus 1 or the web server 21. As the terminal device 23, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet computer, or the like is used.

  By the way, according to the web browser 10P, similarly to the conventional web browser, the web page data is downloaded from the web server 21, and the web page is rendered and displayed on the touch panel display 10g. According to the web browser 10P, the web page can be further displayed in accordance with the screen design of the native application. Hereinafter, this mechanism will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the object data 51. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state before the menu page 62A is changed. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state after the menu page 62A is changed.

  According to the web browser 10P, the common object storage unit 101, the web page acquisition unit 102, the format determination unit 103, the replacement target selection unit 104, the object change unit 105, the web page display processing unit 106, and the like illustrated in FIG. 1 is realized.

  The common object storage unit 101 stores object data 51 for each common object as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the object data 51 of the start button 6E, stop button 6F,..., Home button 6J will be referred to as “object data 51E”, “object data 51F”,.

  The object data 51 shows an object name, a mark, and coordinates. “Object name” is the name of the object of the object data 51. “Mark” is a mark drawn on the object. “Coordinates” are the coordinates of the position of the object on the screen 61.

  Further, the object data 51 includes an image file for reproducing the object. This image file is given a unique file name for distinguishing from the image file included in the other object data 51.

  For example, the object data 51E indicates the name of the start button 6E and the coordinates of the position on the screen 61, and includes an image file for reproducing the start button 6E.

  The web page acquisition unit 102 acquires the web page file 52 for displaying the web page 62 by downloading it from the web server 21. The web page file 52 is a text file described in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or the like.

  The web page 62 is a web page for using the above-described functions such as copying of the image forming apparatus 1 and is designed to be displayed on the entire touch panel display 10g. Therefore, the size of the web page 62 is equal to the size of the screen 61. Further, the object arranged on the web page 62 may be designed to imitate the object arranged on the screen 61.

  When a part of the web page 62 is reproduced by the image file 53, the path of the image file 53 is shown in the web page file 52. Therefore, when the web page file 52 indicates a path, the web page acquisition unit 102 further acquires the image file 53 based on the path.

  When the web page file 52 is acquired by the web page acquisition unit 102, the format determination unit 103 determines whether the web page file 52 is a web page format file. For example, if a tag including a character string “! DOCTYPE html” is described in the web page file 52, it is determined that the file is a web page format file.

  If it is determined that the web page file 52 is a web page format file, the replacement target selection unit 104 selects a replacement target object from the web page 62 as follows.

  The replacement target selection unit 104 is an object in which the same mark as the mark shown in any object data 51 stored in the common object storage unit 101 is drawn from among the objects arranged on the web page 62. Search for. Then, the found object is selected as a replacement target object.

  According to the processing by the replacement target selection unit 104, for example, when the web page 62 is the menu page 62A as shown in FIG. 7, the logout button 6K1 is selected as the replacement target object.

  The object changing unit 105 replaces the replacement target object selected by the replacement target selection unit 104 in the web page 62 with a common object, and further executes a process of changing the position as follows.

  The object changing unit 105 selects object data 51 (see FIG. 6) indicating a mark drawn on the replacement target object from the common object storage unit 101. The web page file 52 is rewritten so that the image file included in the selected object data 51 is used instead of the image file 53 of the replacement target object.

  For example, when the web page 62 is the menu page 62A, the object changing unit 105 rewrites the path of the image file 53 of the logout button 6K1 in the web page file 52 to the path of the image file included in the object data 51J. .

  Further, the object changing unit 105 rewrites the web page file 52 so that the replacement target object is arranged at the coordinate position indicated by the selected object data 51.

  For example, when the web page 62 is the menu page 62A, the object changing unit 105 sets the coordinates indicating the position of the logout button 6K1 in the web page file 52 as coordinates indicated by the object data 51J, that is, (X5, Y5). Rewrite to

  The web page display processing unit 106 renders the web page 62 based on the web page file 52 rewritten by the object changing unit 105 and displays the web page 62 on the touch panel display 10g. When the image file 53 is downloaded, a part of the web page 62 is rendered based on the image file 53. However, when the path of the image file 53 is rewritten by the object changing unit 105, rendering is performed based on the image file shown in the rewritten path instead of the image file 53.

  According to the processing of the object changing unit 105 and the web page display processing unit 106, for example, when the web page 62 is the menu page 62A, the logout button 6K1 is replaced with the logout button 6L1 as shown in FIG. The button 6L1 is displayed at a position different from the position of the logout button 6K1. Therefore, the user feels that the logout button 6K1 has been changed in shape and position. It should be noted that the code representing the processing to be executed when the logout button 6K1 is operated in the web page file 52 is not rewritten. Therefore, when the logout button 6L1 is operated, the same processing as when the logout button 6K1 is operated is executed.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the overall processing flow in the image forming apparatus 1.

  Next, an overall processing flow when the web page 62 is displayed in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to a flowchart.

  According to the web browser 10P, the image forming apparatus 1 executes processing in the procedure shown in FIG.

  When a predetermined event occurs such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) specified by the user, the image forming apparatus 1 downloads the web page file 52 of the web page 62 corresponding to the event (# 701 in FIG. 9). . When the path of the image file 53 is indicated in the web page file 52, the image file 53 is also downloaded based on the path.

  The image forming apparatus 1 checks whether the format of the web page file 52 is a web page format (# 702). If the format is for the web page (Yes in # 703), a replacement target object is selected from the web page 62 (# 704).

  When the replacement target object can be selected (Yes in # 705), the image forming apparatus 1 rewrites the web page file 52 as follows.

  The image forming apparatus 1 rewrites the web page file 52 so that the image file included in the object data 51 indicating the same mark as the replacement target object is used instead of the replacement target object image file 53 (# 706). ).

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 rewrites the web page file 52 so that the replacement target object is arranged at the coordinate position indicated by the object data 51 (# 707).

  The image forming apparatus 1 renders and displays the web page 62 based on the web page file 52 rewritten in steps # 706 and # 707 and the image file whose path is indicated in the web page file 52 (# 708). .

  According to the present embodiment, in an environment in which the user uses both the screen dedicated to the native application, that is, the screen 61 and the web page 62, it is possible to reduce errors in the operation of the web page 62 or in doubts as compared with the conventional case.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the object data 51. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the copy job page 62B. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the copy job page 62C.

  In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 changes the replacement target object in the web page 62 by using an image file included in the object data 51 instead of the image file 53 of the replacement target object. However, the image file 53 may be changed by rewriting.

  In this case, instead of including an image file in the object data 51, attributes such as the background color, size, and shape of the common object may be indicated in the object data 51 as shown in FIG.

  Then, the object changing unit 105 may rewrite the image file 53 so that the replacement target object has these attributes.

  For example, when the web page 62 is the menu page 62A (see FIG. 7), the logout button 6K1 is selected as the replacement target object. The object data 51 of the replacement target object is object data 51J.

  Therefore, the object changing unit 105 rewrites the image file 53 of the logout button 6K1 so that the background color, size, and shape of the logout button 6K1 are changed to brown, W5 × H5, and a rectangle, respectively. Further, the coordinates of the position of the logout button 6K1 are rewritten to (X5, Y5).

  At this time, the object changing unit 105 may change only a part of the background color, size, shape, and position instead of changing all of them. For example, if the web page 62 is a copy job page 62B as shown in FIG. 11A, the start button 6K2 is changed as shown in FIG. It may be. Alternatively, if the web page 62 is a copy job page 62C as shown in FIG. 12A, the start button 6K3 is changed in size but the background color, position, and shape are changed as shown in FIG. You can leave it as it is.

  In the present embodiment, the replacement target selection unit 104 selects an object on which the same mark as the common object mark is drawn from the web page 62 as a replacement target object, but may select it using another method. . For example, an object associated with the same function as that associated with the common object may be selected as the replacement target object. If the function name or procedure name associated with each is the same, it can be determined that the functions are the same.

  In addition, the configuration of the whole or each part of the image processing system 4 and the image forming apparatus 1, the content of processing, the order of processing, the configuration of data, the configuration of screens, the configuration of web pages, etc. are appropriately changed in accordance with the spirit of the present invention. can do.

1 Image forming apparatus 104 Replacement target selection unit (selection means)
105 Object change unit (display processing means)
106 Web page display processing unit (display processing means)
10g Touch panel display (display)
62 Web page 6E Start button (second object)
6F Stop button (second object)
6G reset button (second object)
6H Logout button (second object)
6J Home button (second object)
6K1 logout button (first object, replacement target object)
6K2 start button (first object, replacement object)
6K3 start button (first object, replacement object)

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus that executes an application prepared in advance.
Replacing one or more first objects arranged on the web page corresponding to one of the one or more second objects arranged on the screen of the application A selection means for selecting the target object;
Display processing means for displaying the web page on a display in a state in which the attribute of the replacement target object is matched with the one corresponding to the replacement target object among the one or more second objects;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The selecting means selects, as the replacement target object, one having a function common to any one of the one or more second objects from the one or more first objects.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The selection means includes the one or the plurality of first objects on which the same mark as the mark drawn on any of the one or more second objects is drawn. Select as replacement object,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The display processing unit adjusts the attribute by arranging the replacement target object at the same position as that corresponding to the replacement target object of the one or more second objects. The web page is displayed on the display in a state where
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The display processing unit matches the attributes by changing the replacement target object to the same background color or shape as that corresponding to the replacement target object of the one or more second objects. Displaying the web page on the display in a state;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. A web page display method for displaying a web page in an image forming apparatus that executes an application prepared in advance,
Among one or more first objects arranged on the web page, one corresponding to one of one or more second objects arranged on the screen of the application, Selected as a replacement object,
Displaying the web page on a display in a state where attributes are matched to the one corresponding to the replacement target object among the one or more second objects.
A web page display method characterized by the above. A computer program used for an image forming apparatus that executes an application prepared in advance,
In the image forming apparatus,
Replacing one or more first objects arranged on the web page corresponding to one of the one or more second objects arranged on the screen of the application Execute the process of selecting as the target object,
Causing the replacement target object to execute a display process for displaying the web page on a display in a state in which an attribute is matched with the one corresponding to the replacement target object among the one or more second objects.
A computer program characterized by the above.

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