JP2019192066A - Image formation device, control method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus, a control method and a program for improving operability of the image forming apparatus. SOLUTION: A preset function is displayed in a first area of a display screen. In the second display area, in order to display a function different from the function displayed in the first display area in the history list that has been used by the user in the second display area of the display screen, It has step S1005 of deleting the history ID from the display list and step S1009 of displaying a menu based on the display list. [Selection diagram] Fig. 10

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method, and a program.

  Conventionally, an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a facsimile function, and a scanner function is known. In such an image forming apparatus, a menu screen in which buttons for selecting a function to be used are displayed as a list with icons or the like is displayed on the touch panel. When a new function is added to the image forming apparatus, it is displayed on the menu screen, and the user can select a desired function.

  Recently, the types of businesses and operations of customers who use the image forming apparatus are diversified, and there are many examples of adding functions by changing and customizing conventional functions according to customers. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for separately displaying an area for registering and displaying a frequently used business for each user and an area for displaying a business history started by a user.

JP 2006-185351 A

  In addition to the initial display function registered as the function to be displayed on the menu screen in the limited display area of the image forming apparatus, the functions in the user's usage history are displayed. May overlap with the functions in In this case, there is a problem that the screen cannot be effectively used, and as a result, the operability is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to improve the operability of the image forming apparatus.

  Therefore, the present invention is an image forming apparatus that displays preset functions in the first area of the display screen and displays them in the first display area among the functions that have been used by the user. The display control means controls to display a function different from the function displayed in the second display area of the display screen.

  According to the present invention, the operability of the image forming apparatus can be improved.

2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a menu screen. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of function information. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of main menu information. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of ID list during a display. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of a log | history ID list. It is a flowchart which shows a display process. It is a flowchart which shows display ID addition processing. It is a flowchart which shows a menu screen display process. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a menu screen.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 101. A CPU 111, RAM 112, ROM 113, input unit 114, display control unit 115, external memory interface (hereinafter referred to as I / F) 116, printer I / F 117, scanner I / F 118, and communication I / F controller 119 are connected to the system bus 110. Is done. A touch panel 120, a display 121, an external memory 122, a printer 123, and a scanner 124 are connected. Each unit connected to the system bus 110 is configured to be able to exchange data with each other via the system bus 110.

  The ROM 113 is a nonvolatile memory, and stores image data and other data, various programs for operating the CPU 111, and the like in predetermined areas. The RAM 112 is a volatile memory, and is used as a temporary storage area such as a main memory or work area of the CPU 111. The CPU 111 controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 101 using the RAM 112 as a work memory according to a program stored in the ROM 113, for example. Note that a program for operating the CPU 111 is not limited to being stored in the ROM 113, but may be stored in advance in an external memory (such as a hard disk) 122. Note that functions and processing of the image forming apparatus 101 described later are realized by the CPU 111 reading a program stored in the ROM 113 or the external memory 122 and executing the program.

  The input unit 114 receives a user operation, generates a control signal corresponding to the operation, and supplies the control signal to the CPU 111. For example, the input unit 114 includes the touch panel 120 as an input device that receives a user operation. The touch panel 120 is an input device that outputs coordinate information corresponding to a position touched with respect to, for example, a planar input unit. The CPU 111 controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 101 according to a program based on a control signal generated and supplied by the input unit 114 in response to a user operation performed on the input device. Thereby, it is possible to cause the image forming apparatus 101 to perform an operation according to the user operation.

  The display control unit 115 outputs a display signal for displaying an image on the display 121. For example, the display control signal generated by the CPU 111 according to the program is supplied to the display control unit 115. The display control unit 115 generates a display signal based on the display control signal and outputs the display signal to the display 121. For example, the display control unit 115 causes the display 121 to display a GUI screen configuring a GUI (Graphical User Interface) based on a display control signal generated by the CPU 111.

  The touch panel 120 is configured integrally with the display 121. For example, the touch panel 120 is configured such that the light transmittance does not hinder the display of the display 121, and is attached to the upper layer of the display surface of the display 121. Then, the input coordinates on the touch panel 120 are associated with the display coordinates on the display 121. Thereby, it is possible to configure a GUI as if the user can directly operate the screen displayed on the display 121.

  An external memory 122 such as a hard disk, a CD, a DVD, or a memory card can be attached to the external memory I / F 116, for example. Based on the control of the CPU 111, data is read from the attached external memory 122 and data is written to the external memory 122.

  A printer 123 is connected to the printer I / F 117. Based on the control of the CPU 111, image data to be printed by the printer 123 is transferred to the printer 123 via the printer I / F 117, and the printer 123 prints and outputs the image data on a recording medium. A scanner 124 is connected to the scanner I / F 118. Based on the control of the CPU 111, the scanner 124 reads an image on a document and generates image data. The generated image data is stored in the RAM 112, ROM 113, etc. via the scanner I / F 118. As described above, the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of functions such as a print function, a scan function, and a copy function.

  The communication I / F controller 119 communicates with various networks 102 such as a LAN, the Internet, wired, and wireless based on the control of the CPU 111. For example, image data generated by the scanner 124 can be transmitted to the outside via the network 102, and image data received from the outside via the network 102 can be printed by the printer 123.

Note that the CPU 111 can detect, for example, the following operations and states on the touch panel 120.
The touch panel 120 may be any of various types of touch panels such as a resistive film type, a capacitance type, a surface acoustic wave type, an infrared type, an electromagnetic induction type, an image recognition type, and an optical sensor type. Good.

  On touch panel 120, a menu screen or the like, which is a display screen for displaying function icons for executing each of a plurality of functions provided in image forming apparatus 101, is displayed. FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a display example of a menu screen. The menu screen 200 is provided with a main menu area 210 and a history menu area 220. In the main menu area 210 and the history menu area 220, function buttons 211 and 221 for selecting and using a function are displayed.

  A function button 211 displayed in the main menu area 210 is a function button of a function set in advance as a function displayed on the menu screen 200. The function buttons 221 displayed in the history menu area 220 are function buttons for functions used in the past by the user. In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the main menu area 210 displays function buttons 211 such as an estimate scan and a transportation cost production scan, and the history menu area 220 displays reservation printing, e-mail for customers, and the like. A function button 221 is displayed. Hereinafter, in order to distinguish a function set in advance as a function displayed on the menu screen from a function used in the past by the user, the former is called a menu function and the latter is called a history function. In this way, the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment simultaneously displays the function button 211 for the menu function and the function button 221 for the history function on the display 121.

  A page status button 212 shown in FIG. 2A indicates a page being displayed. A page status button 212 shown in FIG. 2A indicates that the first page of the four pages is being displayed. The page transition button 213 is a button for transitioning pages. The page can be changed by scrolling. The page transition button 222 is a button for transitioning pages. The page can be changed by scrolling.

  Furthermore, the menu function includes a custom function that is a function corresponding to a state set by the user, in addition to a standard function corresponding to a standard setting. Hereinafter, unless there is a particular need to distinguish, the standard function and the custom function are simply referred to as functions (menu functions). In the main menu area 210 of the menu screen 200 shown in FIG. 2B, function buttons 231 and 232 for custom functions are displayed. For example, the function button 231 corresponds to a copy function in which 2-in-1, monochrome, and duplex are set by the user.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment does not display the same function buttons as the function buttons displayed in the main menu area 210 in the history menu area 220. Control. Hereinafter, this control will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 101. The image forming apparatus 101 includes a display processing unit 301, a function management unit 302, a function information holding unit 303, a main menu information holding unit 304, a displayed ID list holding unit 305, a history ID list holding unit 306, have. The display processing unit 301 controls to display on the display 121. For example, the display processing unit 301 controls the display 121 to display a menu screen. The function management unit 302 manages information related to functions. For example, the function management unit 302 performs processing related to function buttons displayed on the menu screen.

  The function information holding unit 303 holds function information related to functions that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 101. The main menu information holding unit 304 holds main menu information related to function buttons displayed in the main menu area 210. The displayed ID list holding unit 305 holds a displayed ID list. The displayed ID list is information indicating a function ID of a function actually displayed on the display 121 among the menu functions. The history ID list holding unit 306 holds a history ID list. The history ID list is information indicating the function ID of the function used by the user.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the function information 300 held in the function information holding unit 303. The function information 400 includes information on a function ID, a function name, a system application, and a display flag. The function ID is information on an identifier for identifying a function button. The function name is a name displayed when the function button is displayed. As shown in FIG. 2, a function name is displayed on the button.

  The system application is information indicating whether the function is normally installed in the image forming apparatus 101 or an added function. “Y” means that the function is a standard function. “N” means that the function is not initially installed but is added later. The display flag is information indicating whether or not the display is being performed in the main area of the name menu screen. “Y” means being displayed, and “N” means not being displayed.

  All functions registered in the function information 400 are to be displayed in the main menu area 210. A function whose system application is “N” is a display target of the main menu area 210 and a display target of the history menu area 220. For example, “Copy” is registered in the function name of the function ID 1 “APPS002” related to the function buttons 231 and 232 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the main menu information 500 held in the main menu information holding unit 304. The main menu information 500 includes function ID, button information, display page, display order, and display flag information. The function ID is an identifier for identifying a function button. A character string “C0” added after the character string of the identifier means a standard function, and other than “CO” means a custom function. The button information is information for displaying a button. The display page is information indicating a page of the main menu area 210. The display order is information indicating the layout position on the display page. In this embodiment, it is assumed that four buttons are arranged on one page, and correspondingly, the display order of 1 to 4 is assigned to the buttons of the respective functions. The number of display buttons and display position per page can be changed.

  The display flag is information indicating whether the display 121 is displaying. “Y” means being displayed, and “N” means not being displayed. FIG. 5A shows an example in which “Y” is held corresponding to the case where the first page is being displayed. All the information registered in the main menu information 500 is information related to function buttons displayed in the main menu area 210.

  FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the custom function information 510 held in the main menu information holding unit 304. The custom function information 510 includes a function ID and setting information. The setting information is setting information necessary for operating the function of the custom function button. Note that the button information of the main menu information 500 and the setting information of the custom function information 510 are used when determining the function button of the custom function.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the displayed ID list 600 held in the displayed ID list holding unit 305. The displayed ID list 600 is information indicating a displayed ID that is a function ID of a function being displayed. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the history ID list 700 held in the history ID list holding unit 306. The history ID list 700 is information indicating a history ID that is a function ID of a function used by the user. When the function is used by the user, the CPU 111 records the function ID of the used function in the history ID list 700 as a history ID. The function buttons corresponding to the history ID held in the history ID list holding unit 306 are displayed in the history menu area 220.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing display processing by the image forming apparatus 101. The display process is a process for displaying a menu screen. When it is detected that a dedicated button (not shown) for calling the menu screen is pressed, or input to the input unit 114 is not detected for a certain period of time. Sometimes executed. In step S <b> 801, the function management unit 302 acquires a history ID from the history ID list holding unit 306. In step S802, the function management unit 302 adds the displayed ID to the displayed ID list. This process will be described later with reference to FIG. In step S <b> 803, the function management unit 302 controls to display a menu screen. This process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing detailed processing in the displayed ID addition processing (S802). In step S901, the function management unit 302 determines whether the function ID of the function being displayed is the main menu. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the display flag of the function information 400 matches “Y”. If it is the main menu (YES in S901), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S902. If it is not the main menu (NO in S901), the function management unit 302 ends the process.

  In step S902, the function management unit 302 determines whether there is a function being displayed on the page being displayed on the menu screen at the time of processing. The function management unit 302 determines whether or not there is a function in which the displayed page of the main menu information 500 is “1” and the displayed flag is “Y”. If there is a function that satisfies the condition (YES in S902), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S903. If there is no function that satisfies the condition (NO in S902), the function management unit 302 ends the process.

  In step S903, the function management unit 302 acquires a function with the smallest display order of the main menu information 500 among the displayed functions detected in step S902. In step S904, the function management unit 302 adds the function acquired in step S903 to the displayed ID list holding unit 305 illustrated in FIG. In step S905, the function management unit 302 determines whether there is a function in the next display order. If there is a function in the next display order (YES in S905), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S906. If there is no function in the next display order (NO in S905), the function management unit 302 ends the process. In step S906, the function management unit 302 acquires the next display order function, and then proceeds to step S904.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing detailed processing in the menu screen display processing (S803). In step S <b> 1001, the function management unit 302 determines whether a displayed ID exists in the displayed ID list 600. If the currently displayed ID exists (YES in S1001), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S1002. If the displayed ID does not exist (NO in S1001), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S1008. In step S1002, the function management unit 302 copies the history ID list as a display list. Next, in S1003, the function management unit 302 selects one history ID from the display list.

  In step S <b> 1004, the function management unit 302 determines whether the same displayed ID as the selected history ID exists in the displayed ID list 600. If the same displayed ID exists (YES in S1004), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S1005. If the same displayed ID does not exist (NO in S1004), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S1006. In S1005, the function management unit 302 deletes the history ID selected in S1003 from the display list.

  In step S1006, the function management unit 302 determines whether an unprocessed history ID exists in the display list. If there is an unprocessed history ID (YES in S1006), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S1003. If there is no unprocessed history ID (NO in S1006), the function management unit 302 advances the process to S1007.

  In S1007, the function management unit 302 determines a function (history menu) to be displayed in the history menu area 220 based on the display list, and then advances the process to S1009. In the display list, the function ID of the function being displayed in the main menu area 210 is deleted. That is, this process is an example of a process for controlling the same function as that displayed in the main menu area not to be displayed in the history menu area. On the other hand, in S1008, the function management unit 302 determines a function to be displayed in the history menu area 220 based on the history ID list, and then advances the process to S1009. In step S <b> 1009, the display processing unit 301 controls the function management unit 302 to display on the display 121 a menu screen in which function buttons for history functions are arranged in the history menu area and function buttons for menu functions are arranged in the main menu area. To do. This process is an example of a display control process.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment performs control so that the same function buttons as the function buttons displayed in the main menu area 210 are not displayed in the history menu area 220. Thereby, the operability of the image forming apparatus can be improved. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 11A, the function button 1101 in the main menu area 210 and the function button 1102 in the history menu area 220 are the same button. In the example shown in FIG. 11B, the function buttons 1111 and 1112 in the main menu area 210 and the function buttons 1113 and 1114 in the history menu area 220 are the same buttons. Thus, when the same button is displayed, the display area is limited and the screen cannot be used effectively. On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment can be controlled so as not to display overlapping function buttons, so that the screen can be used effectively.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

(Other examples)
The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program This process can be realized. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

101 Image forming apparatus 121 Display 301 Display processing unit 302 Function management unit

Claims (5)

  A preset function is displayed in the first area of the display screen, and a function different from the function displayed in the first display area among the functions that have been used by the user is displayed in the second area of the display screen. An image forming apparatus comprising display control means for controlling to display in the display area. A determination means for determining whether or not the function used by the user is the same as the function displayed in the first area;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the same function as the function displayed in the first area not to be displayed in the second display area.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recording unit that records a function used by a user. An image forming apparatus control method comprising:
A function set in advance is displayed in the first area of the display screen, and a function different from the function displayed in the first display area among the functions that have been used by the user is displayed in the second area of the display screen. And a display control step for controlling the display to be displayed in the display area.   A program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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