Electronic apparatus and image formation device

Abstract

To efficiently enable provision of an assisting function for a touch operation without complicating the configuration of a device.SOLUTION: An image formation device 10 comprises: a display unit 21; a NW communication unit 25; a touch panel 23; a sound generation unit 26; a vibration generation unit 27; and a control unit 32 that accesses via the NW communication unit 25 a server SV that previously stores individual audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations on an operation target to acquire the audible data corresponding to a touch operation detected by the touch panel 23 from the server SV, and makes the audible data acquired be reproduced by the sound generation unit 26 or the vibration generation unit 27.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to electronic devices and image forming apparatuses in which input is made by touch operations, and more particularly to a technique for assisting visually impaired users in making touch operations. [Background technology]

[0002] Some electronic devices are equipped with a display unit and a touch panel arranged on the screen of the display unit, and display a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like on the screen of the display unit. The touch panel detects touch operations on the GUI on the screen of the display unit by a user's finger or the like, and accepts input to the GUI.

[0003] In addition, a system and method for assisting a user with a disability described in Patent Document 1 includes a display configured to receive input from a user, tactile cues such as Braille provided on the periphery of the display, and an assistance map that stores and maps touch input to digital input based on the assistance map. Also, sound or vibration is generated in response to the touch input to assist the touch operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-504887 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the electronic device, the touch panel detects touch operations on the GUI displayed on the display unit, but visually impaired users cannot clearly see the GUI on the display screen and have difficulty performing touch operations. For this reason, it is desirable to provide appropriate support to users.

[0006] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to support a touch operation by generating a sound or vibration in response to the touch operation.

[0007] However, to realize such a touch operation assistance function using voice or vibration, it is necessary to store voice data or vibration data in the electronic device, and it is necessary to increase the capacity of the storage device of the electronic device, which leads to an increase in the cost of the electronic device. Also, since it is sufficient to execute the assistance function only when touch operation assistance is necessary, an efficient system is required.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to make it possible to provide a touch operation support function efficiently without complicating the configuration of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a display unit that displays an object to be operated, a communication unit that communicates with an external device via a network, an operation detection unit that detects a touch operation on the object to be operated displayed on the display unit, a playback unit that plays audible data, and a control unit that accesses an external device that pre-stores audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations on the object to be operated via the communication unit, obtains from the external device audible data corresponding to the touch operation on the object to be operated detected by the operation detection unit, and causes the obtained audible data to be played by the playback unit.

[0010] Moreover, an image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an image forming unit which forms an image on recording paper, a display unit which displays an operation target, a communication unit which communicates with an external device via a network, an operation detection unit which detects a touch operation on the operation target displayed on the display unit, a playback unit which plays audible data, and a control unit which accesses an external device which pre-stores audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations on the operation target via the communication unit, obtains from the external device audible data corresponding to the touch operation on the operation target detected by the operation detection unit, and causes the obtained audible data to be played back by the playback unit. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a touch operation support function efficiently without complicating the configuration of the device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus to which an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a main internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] A diagram conceptually illustrating a software platform provided in a control unit of an image forming device, a data table used to request voice data for assisting touch operations, and an assistance function application stored in an external USB memory, and a data table in which multiple voice data are registered. [Figure 4] FIG. 1A is a diagram conceptually showing a data table used to request voice data for assisting touch operations, and FIG. 1B is a diagram conceptually showing a data table in which multiple voice data are registered. [Diagram 5] 11 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for implementing a touch operation assistance function using voice, vibration, or the like. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation screen displayed on a display unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus to which an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment is an MFP (multi-function peripheral) having multiple functions such as a copy function and a scanner function. The image forming apparatus 10 includes an image reading unit 11 and an image forming unit 12.

[0014] The image reading unit 11 has an image pickup element (such as a CCD sensor) that optically reads an image of a document, and image data representing the image of the document is generated from the analog output of this image pickup element.

[0015] The image forming section 12 forms an image represented by the image data on a recording sheet, and includes an image forming unit 3M for magenta, an image forming unit 3C for cyan, an image forming unit 3Y for yellow, and an image forming unit 3Bk for black. In each of the image forming units 3M, 3C, 3Y, and 3Bk, the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is uniformly charged, the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is exposed to light, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4, the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is developed into a toner image, and the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5. As a result, a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 5. This color toner image is secondarily transferred to the recording sheet P conveyed from the paper feed section 14 through the conveying path 8 in the nip area N between the intermediate transfer belt 5 and the secondary transfer roller 6.

[0016] Thereafter, the recording paper P is heated and pressed in the fixing device 15 so that the toner image on the recording paper P is fixed by thermocompression, and the recording paper P is then discharged onto a discharge tray 17 via discharge rollers 16 .

[0017] Next, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes an image reading section 11, an image forming section 12, a display section 21, an operation section 22, a touch panel 23, a USB connection section 24, a network communication section 25, a sound generating section 26, a vibration generating section 27, a storage section 28, and a control unit 31. These components transmit and receive data or signals to and from each other via a bus. The touch panel 23 is an example of an operation detection section in the claims.

[0018] The display unit 21 is configured with a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display.

[0019] The operation unit 22 includes physical keys such as a numeric keypad, a decision key, and a start key.

[0020] A touch panel 23 is disposed on the screen of the display section 21. The touch panel 23 is a so-called resistive film type or capacitive type touch panel, which detects a contact (touch) of a user's finger or the like with the touch panel 23 together with the contact position, and outputs a detection signal indicating the coordinates of the contact position to a control section 32 (described later) of the control unit 31, etc.

[0021] The USB connection unit 24 has a USB connector based on the USB standard, and inputs and outputs data to and from a USB memory connected to the USB connector, for example, or inputs and outputs data to and from an external terminal device via a USB cable connected to the USB connector.

[0022] The network communication unit (NW communication unit) 25 is a communication interface equipped with a communication module such as a LAN chip (not shown), and is connected to an external terminal device via a wired or wireless LAN or even the Internet, and transmits and receives data to and from the other terminal device (hereinafter, referred to as an external device). The network communication unit 25 is an example of a communication unit in the claims.

[0023] The sound generating unit 26 includes an A / D conversion unit that converts digital sound data into an analog signal, and a speaker that generates sound based on the analog signal converted by the A / D conversion unit. Note that the A / D conversion may be performed by the control unit 32, and the sound generating unit 26 may be configured not to include an A / D conversion unit, but to include a speaker that generates sound based on the converted analog signal. The sound generating unit 26 is an example of a playback unit in the claims.

[0024] The vibration generating unit 27 is a vibrator, a piezoelectric element, or the like, and is provided, for example, on the rear surface side of the display unit 21, and generates vibrations on the screen of the display unit 21 and the touch panel 23 provided on the screen under control based on vibration data from the control unit 32. The vibration generating unit 27 is an example of a playback unit in the claims.

[0025] The user hears the sound generated by the sound generating unit 26. Furthermore, the vibration of the touch panel 23 generated by the vibration generating unit 27 is sensed by the user's finger or the like, and the vibration sound is heard by the user.

[0026] The storage unit 28 is a large-capacity storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD), and stores various application programs and various data.

[0027] The control unit 31 is composed of a processor, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc. The control unit 31 functions as a control unit 32 by the processor executing various programs including applications for realizing the software platform stored in the ROM or the storage unit 28.

[0028] The control unit 32 comprehensively controls the image forming apparatus 10. The control unit 31 is connected to the image reading unit 11, the image forming unit 12, the display unit 21, the operation unit 22, the touch panel 23, the USB connection unit 24, the network communication unit 25, the sound generation unit 26, the vibration generation unit 27, and the storage unit 28. The control unit 32 controls the operation of these components and transmits and receives signals or data between these components.

[0029] The control unit 32 serves as a processing unit that executes various processes necessary for image formation by the image forming apparatus 10. The control unit 32 also has a function of controlling the display operation of the display unit .

[0030] Furthermore, the control unit 32 accepts operation instructions input by the user based on a detection signal output from the touch panel 23 or an operation of a physical key of the operation unit 22. For example, the control unit 32 accepts a touch operation on a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like displayed on the screen of the display unit 21 through the touch panel 23. Thus, the touch panel 23 functions as an operation unit into which a user operation on the screen of the display unit 21 is input.

[0031] In the image forming apparatus 10 configured as above, for example, a user places an original on the image reading unit 11 and issues an instruction to execute a copy job by operating the GUI displayed on the screen of the display unit 21 via the touch panel 23. The control unit 32 accepts the copy job, causes the image reading unit 11 to read the image of the original, and causes the image forming unit 12 to print the image on recording paper.

[0032] Here, for visually impaired users, the GUI on the display screen cannot be clearly seen and touch operation is difficult, so it is desirable to provide appropriate support by voice, vibration, etc. However, when the image forming device 10 is provided with application software (hereinafter referred to as the support function application) that executes the touch operation support function by voice or vibration, voice data for generating voice, and vibration data for generating vibration, the hardware and software configuration of the image forming device 10 becomes complex, leading to an increase in costs. In addition, since it is sufficient to execute the support function only when touch operation support is required, an efficient system is required.

[0033] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to provide a touch operation support function efficiently only when necessary, without complicating the configuration of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0034] Here, a system configuration for transmitting and receiving audible data between the control unit 32 of the image forming device 1 and the server SV on the network will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a system configuration for transmitting and receiving audible data between the control unit 32 of the image forming device 1 and the server SV on the network. The server SV is an example of an external device in the claims.

[0035] As described above, the storage unit 28 of the image forming apparatus 10 stores an application that realizes the software platform. The processor of the control unit 31 operates according to the application that realizes the software platform, and the control unit 32 functions as the software platform SPF. The software platform SPF accesses an assistance application SA stored in the server SV that is linked to the software platform SPF through the NW communication unit 25, and acquires necessary audible data from the assistance application SA. The assistance application SA manages a plurality of touch operations by the user on the display unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 and each audible data corresponding to the operation target. The software platform SPF accesses the assistance application SA and acquires audible data corresponding to the touch operation detected by the touch panel 23 and the operation target from the assistance application SA.

[0036] The software platform SPF includes a data table DT1 used to request voice data for supporting a touch operation. Fig. 4(A) is a diagram conceptually illustrating an example of the data table DT1.

[0037] In the data table DT1 shown in Figure 4 (A), operation objects such as multiple icons C1, C2, ... displayed on the screen of the display unit 21 are associated with their respective identification information IDC1, IDC2, IDC3, ..., operation objects such as multiple keys K1, K2, ... are associated with their respective identification information IDK1, IDK2, IDK3, ..., and types of touch operations such as tap operation, flick operation, long press operation, etc. are associated with their respective identification information IDQ1, IDQ2, IDQ3, ....

[0038] The assistance application SA includes a data table DT2 in which audible data is stored. The data table DT2 stores audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations by a user on an operation target displayed on the display unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10. Fig. 4(B) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the data table DT2 in which each audible data is stored.

[0039] 4(B), the identification information IDC1, IDC2, IDC3, ... of each icon C1, C2, ... is associated with the respective sound data indicating each icon C1, C2, ..., the identification information IDK1, IDK2, IDK3, ... of each key K1, K2, ... is associated with the respective sound data indicating each key K1, K2, ..., and the identification information IDQ1, IDQ2, IDQ3, ... of a tap operation, a flick operation, a long press operation, etc. is associated with the respective sound data indicating a tap operation, a flick operation, a long press operation, etc. The data table DT2 stores, together with each sound data, vibration data corresponding to each of the above operations and operation targets as audible data.

[0040] For example, when an icon displayed on the screen of the display unit 21 is touched, the software platform SPF of the control unit 32 determines the type of touch operation and the icon that is the target of the touch operation through the touch panel 23. When the control unit 32 determines that the touch operation is a tap operation, it reads out the identification information IDQ1 of the tap operation in the data table DT1 and further the identification information IDC1 of the icon C1 determined as the target of the operation, and transmits the read identification information IDQ1 and identification information IDC1 to the assistance function application SA of the server SV through the NW communication unit 25. Furthermore, the software platform SPF receives either or both of the voice data and vibration data associated with the identification information IDQ1 and the identification information IDC1 in the data table DT2 from the assistance function application SA through the NW communication unit 25, and generates a voice indicating the tap operation (type) indicated by the voice data or the like and a voice indicating the operation target by the voice generation unit 26, and / or generates a vibration indicating the tap operation (type) indicated by the vibration data or the like and a vibration indicating the operation target by the vibration generation unit 27 according to the vibration data. The user recognizes the tap operation and the operation target on the touch panel 23 by listening to the voice and sensing the vibration of the touch panel 23 with the fingertip or listening to the vibration sound with the ear. In this embodiment, different voice data or vibration data is stored in the data table DT2 according to the operation type and the operation target, but this is not limited to this.

[0041] Next, a process for implementing the above-mentioned touch operation support function using voice and vibration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0042] The control unit 32 of the image forming apparatus 10 functions as a software platform SPF. The control unit 32 is assumed to be displaying an operation screen (GUI) G, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, on the display unit 21. On the operation screen G, two icons C1 and C2, three keys K1, K2, and KE, and text T1 are displayed.

[0043] When the control unit 32 detects via the touch panel 23 that any of the icons C1, C2, or the keys K1, K2, and KE has been touched, the control unit 32 determines the type of the detected touch operation based on the output from the touch panel 23 (S101).

[0044] Here, when the control unit 32 determines that the touch operation is a flick operation ("Flick" in S101), it scrolls and displays the operation screen G of the display unit 21 in the direction of the flick operation (S105). Then, the software platform SPF reads out identification information corresponding to the determined flick operation, for example, identification information IDQ2, from the data table DT1, and transmits the read identification information IDQ2 to the assistance application SA of the server SV through the communication unit 25 (S106). The assistance application SA of the server SV reads out voice data and / or vibration data corresponding to the received identification information IDQ2 from the data table DT2, and transmits the read voice data and / or vibration data to the image forming apparatus 10 (S107).

[0045] When the software platform SPF receives the voice data and / or vibration data corresponding to the transmitted identification information IDQ2 from the assistance application SA of the server SV through the communication unit 25, it causes the voice generation unit 26 to generate a voice indicating the flick operation indicated by the voice data and / or vibration data, or causes the vibration generation unit 27 to generate a vibration indicating the flick operation indicated by the vibration data (S108). The user hears the voice and senses the vibration of the touch panel 23 with his / her fingertip or hears the vibration sound with his / her ears, and recognizes the tap operation on the touch panel 23. After this, the process returns to S101.

[0046] Furthermore, in S101, when the control unit 32 determines that the touch operation is a touch operation other than a flick operation ("another operation" in S101), that is, when the control unit 32 determines that the touch operation is a tap operation, a long press operation, or another operation, the control unit 32 determines an operation target of the determined operation (S110). Then, the control unit 32 executes a process associated with the determined operation and operation target (S111).

[0047] Next, the software platform SPF reads out the identification information corresponding to the determined type of operation and the determined operation target from the data table DT1, and transmits the two read identification information to the assistance application SA of the server SV through the communication unit 25 (S112). The assistance application SA of the server SV reads out the voice data and / or vibration data corresponding to the two received identification information from the data table DT2, and transmits the read voice data and / or vibration data to the image forming apparatus 10.

[0048] When the software platform SPF receives voice data and vibration data corresponding to the two pieces of identification information transmitted by the server SV from the assistance application SA via the NW communication unit 25 (S113), it causes the voice generating unit 26 to generate voices indicating the tap operation and the operation target indicated by the voice data, and / or causes the vibration generating unit 27 to generate vibrations indicating the touch operation and the operation target indicated by the vibration data (S114).

[0049] After S108 and S114, the process returns to S101.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the software platform SPF generates sounds or vibrations indicating the touch operation and the operation target indicated by the sound data or vibration data using the sound generating unit 26 or the vibration generating unit 27, respectively. However, this is not limited to this, and the software platform SPF may acquire sound data or vibration data corresponding to the touch operation, and generate sounds or vibrations corresponding to the touch operation indicated by the sound data or vibration data using the sound generating unit 26 or the vibration generating unit 27.

[0051] The application for realizing the software platform SPF is stored in an external storage medium such as a USB memory. The user connects the USB memory storing the application to the USB connection unit 24, and based on an application reading instruction received by the operation unit 22 through the user's operation, the control unit 32 reads out the application from the USB memory and installs and stores it in the storage unit 28. The control unit 32 may also access an external device such as a server SV via the NW communication unit 25, obtain the application from the external device, and install and store the obtained application in the storage unit 28.

[0052] In addition, in the above embodiment, the control unit 32 acquires voice data and / or vibration data corresponding to the operation and the operation target from the server SV through the software platform SPF, but this is not limited to the above, and the control unit 32 may acquire voice data and / or vibration data corresponding to the operation and the operation target from the server SV by operating in accordance with the above control program.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. Also, the configuration and processing of the above embodiment described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 are merely one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the configuration and processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 10 Image forming device 11 Image reading unit 12 Image forming section 21 Display section 22 Control section 23 Touch Panel 24 USB connector 25 Network Communication Department 26 Sound generation section 27 Vibration generating unit 28 Memory section 31 Control Unit 32 Control section

Claims

1. A display unit that displays an operation target; a communication unit that communicates with an external device through a network; an operation detection unit that detects a touch operation on the operation target displayed on the display unit; a playback unit for playing back the audible data; and a control unit that accesses an external device that pre-stores audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations on the operation target through the communication unit, acquires audible data corresponding to the touch operations on the operation target detected by the operation detection unit from the external device, and plays the acquired audible data using the playback unit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control unit acquires audible data corresponding to a touch operation on the operation target detected by the operation detection unit from application software that is stored in the external device and that links to the software platform through a predetermined software platform, the application software managing each audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations on the operation target.

3. The reproduction unit includes a vibration generating unit that generates vibrations on a screen of the display unit, The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the vibration generating unit to generate vibrations indicated by vibration data acquired as the audible data.

4. The reproducing unit includes a sound generating unit that generates sound, The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the sound generating unit to generate a sound represented by the sound data acquired as the audible data.

5. an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet; A display unit that displays an operation target; a communication unit that communicates with an external device through a network; an operation detection unit that detects a touch operation on the operation target displayed on the display unit; a playback unit for playing back the audible data; and a control unit that accesses an external device that pre-stores audible data corresponding to a plurality of touch operations on the operation target via the communication unit, acquires audible data corresponding to the touch operations on the operation target detected by the operation detection unit from the external device, and plays the acquired audible data using the playback unit.

Images