Image formation device, method for controlling image formation device, and program

Abstract

To solve such the problem with an image formation device, such as a multifunctional machine, as not capable of displaying a home screen with a configuration in accordance with a use scene with existing technology despite such a request for displaying a menu of function that a user wants to use on a home screen.SOLUTION: An MFP100 includes the step of: presenting a question relating to at least one of the use side, use purpose, and sharing object of a device at the time of initial boot up of the device and receiving an answer from a user (S501); and controlling so as to determine a use scene of the device in accordance with the received answer and setting an operation screen with a configuration in accordance with the use scene as a home picture of an image formation device (S502-S510).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method for an image forming apparatus, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In image forming devices such as multifunction peripherals, there is a demand for a home screen that displays a menu of functions that users want to use. Patent Document 1 proposes a printing device that realizes a user-friendly user interface by allowing the user to select a home screen from multiple home screen options such as "photo / proof," "corporate," and "industrial." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-150982 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, the user needs to appropriately determine the usage scenario and further determine the home screen that is appropriate for the usage scenario from among multiple home screen candidates. Therefore, it can be difficult for inexperienced users, especially users who do not fully understand the functions of the device when starting up the device for the first time, to select an appropriate home screen.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a mechanism that enables a user to easily use an operation screen suited to the user's usage scenario from the first startup of an image forming apparatus, thereby significantly improving operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is characterized in that the image forming device has a receiving means for presenting questions regarding at least one of the location of use, purpose of use, and sharing target of the image forming device when the image forming device is started for the first time, and receiving answers from the user, and a control means for determining a usage scene of the image forming device based on the received answers, and for controlling the image forming device to set an operation screen configured according to the usage scene as the home screen of the image forming device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, an operation screen suited to a user's usage scenario can be easily used from the first startup of the image forming apparatus, and operability can be significantly improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1A] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the MFP of the present embodiment. [Figure 1B] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the software configuration of the MFP of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a standard home screen displayed on the operation panel. [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a custom home screen displayed on the operation panel. [Figure 3B] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a custom home screen displayed on the operation panel. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen for selecting a usage scene upon arrival. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed upon arrival of goods. [Figure 6A] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating examples of home screens that are displayed depending on the usage scene. [Figure 6B] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating examples of home screens that are displayed depending on the usage scene. [Figure 6C] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating examples of home screens that are displayed depending on the usage scene. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating settings for each usage scene. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention. Note that the same components will be described with the same reference numerals.

[0010] [First embodiment] <Block diagram> FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an MFP 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The MFP 100 is a type of information processing device. The MFP 100 is also a type of electronic device. The MFP 100 of this embodiment has information processing functions such as generating, storing, and transmitting device information including log information and status information. It also has an image forming function that forms an image on a recording medium using a recording control unit 113 and a recording unit 114, which will be described later.

[0011] The MFP 100 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, an image memory 104, a data conversion unit 105, a reading control unit 106, a reading unit 107, an operation display unit 108, an LCD 109, a communication control unit 110, and a resolution conversion unit 111. The MFP 100 further includes an encoding / decoding unit 112, a recording control unit 113, a recording unit 114, a USB function control unit 115, a USB host control unit 116, a bus 117, and a nonvolatile memory 118.

[0012] The CPU 101 is a system control unit that controls the entire MFP 100 . The ROM 102 is a non-volatile memory that stores fixed data such as control programs and data tables executed by the CPU 101, and an embedded operating system (OS). In this embodiment, each control program stored in the ROM 102 performs software execution control such as scheduling, task switching, and interrupt processing under the management of the embedded OS stored in the ROM 102. The ROM 102 also stores information indicating a permission status, which indicates whether device information is to be provided to an external device.

[0013] The RAM 103 is configured with SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or the like that requires a backup power source, and a primary battery (not shown) for data backup ensures power supply to the RAM 103. The RAM 103 stores program control variables and the like. The image memory 104 is configured by a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or the like, and is capable of storing image data. A portion of the image memory 104 is reserved as a working area for executing software processing. The data conversion unit 105 can convert image data, such as analyzing a page description language (PDL) and converting character data into computer graphics (CG).

[0014] The reading unit 107 optically reads an original document using a CIS image sensor and converts the read data into an electrical image signal. The reading control unit 106 performs various image processing such as binarization and halftoning on the image signal output from the reading unit 107, and outputs high-resolution image data. The method of optically reading the document may be either a sheet reading control method in which the document is read by a fixed CIS image sensor, or a book reading control method in which the document fixed on a document table is read by a moving CIS image sensor.

[0015] The operation display unit 108 is composed of the minimum necessary keys such as numeric input keys, mode setting keys, a decision key, and a cancel key, as well as LEDs (light-emitting diodes), a 7-segment display, and a touch panel. The operation display unit 108 and LCD 109 form a touch panel display, and the above-mentioned various keys are realized as so-called soft keys displayed on the LCD 109, allowing operations from the user to be accepted. If no operation is performed by the user for a certain period of time, the LCD 109 switches off the backlight of the LCD 109 to reduce power consumption.

[0016] The communication control unit 110 controls communication between the MFP 100 and the communication network 300, and performs connection to an Internet service provider and communication of various data with a service management server. The communication control unit 110 can also determine whether the MFP 100 is connected to the Internet or only to a LAN. The connection between the communication control unit 110 and the communication network 300 is established using a known method such as HTTP or XMPP.

[0017] The resolution conversion unit 111 performs resolution conversion processing such as mutual conversion between millimeter-based image data and inch-based image data, etc. The resolution conversion unit 111 can also perform enlargement / reduction processing of image data. The encoding / decoding unit 112 performs encoding / decoding processing and scaling processing on image data (uncompressed, MH, MR, MMR, JBIG, JPEG, etc.) handled by the MFP 100.

[0018] The recording control unit 113 performs various image processing such as smoothing, recording density correction, and color correction on the image data to be printed to convert it into high-definition image data and outputs it to the recording unit 114. The recording control unit 113 also plays a role in periodically acquiring status information data of the recording unit 114. The recording unit 114 is configured by a laser beam printer, an inkjet printer, or the like, and prints the image data generated by the recording control unit 113 onto a recording medium such as paper.

[0019] The USB function control unit 115 performs protocol control in accordance with the USB communication standard. The USB host control unit 116 is a control unit for performing communication using a protocol defined by the USB communication standard. This USB communication standard is a standard for bidirectional high-speed data communication, and this USB communication standard stipulates that multiple hubs or functions (slaves) can be connected to one host (master). In other words, the USB host control unit 116 provides the host function in USB communication.

[0020] The nonvolatile memory 118 is a nonvolatile memory that stores data acquired from the network, settings of the information processing device, and the like. The components other than the reading unit 107 and the LCD 109 are connected to one another via a bus 117 .

[0021] 1B is a block diagram showing an example of the software configuration executed by MFP 100. All software executed by MFP 100 is executed after CPU 101 loads programs stored in ROM 102 into RAM 103, and realizes functional units such as those indicated by 119 to 124 in FIG. 1B.

[0022] An operation control unit 119 issues a display request to the operation display unit 108, displays a screen image for the user on the LCD 109, detects a user operation, and executes processing associated with screen components such as buttons displayed on the screen. The data storage unit 120 stores and reads data in the nonvolatile memory 118 in response to requests from other control units, etc. For example, when a user wants to change some device setting, the operation display unit 108 detects the content input by the user to the operation control unit 119, and in response to a request from the operation control unit 119, the data storage unit 120 stores the content in the nonvolatile memory 118 as a setting value.

[0023] The job control unit 123 controls job execution in accordance with instructions from other control units. The image processing unit 124 processes the image data into a format suitable for each purpose in accordance with instructions from the job control unit 123. The print processing unit 121 prints and outputs an image on a paper medium via the recording unit 114 in accordance with instructions from the job control unit 123 . The reading control unit 122 reads the placed original document via the reading unit 107 in accordance with an instruction from the job control unit 123 .

[0024] <Operation panel diagram> In MFP 100 of this embodiment, operation control unit 119 controls operation display unit 108 and LCD 109 to realize a tab-style operation panel (hereinafter referred to as "operation panel 200"). Operation panel 200 is an operation unit that can switch between multiple operation screens, such as the standard home screen shown in FIG. 2 and the custom home screens shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, using tabs 201 to 204. Hereinafter, FIGS. 3A and 3B will be collectively referred to as "FIG. 3."

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a standard home screen displayed on operation panel 200. As shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a custom home screen displayed on operation panel 200. As shown in FIG. 2 and 3, tab 201 corresponds to the standard home screen. Tabs 202, 203, and 204 correspond to custom home screens. By selecting any of the tabs, the user can display the home screen corresponding to the selected tab on operation panel 200. By pressing and selecting any of these tabs, the user can switch the home screen to the home screen corresponding to the selected tab. The selected tab is displayed in a different display form from the other tabs (in this embodiment, a different color from the other tabs).

[0026] In Fig. 2, tab 201 is displayed in a different color from the other tabs (202, 203, 204), making it easy to recognize that tab 201 has been selected and the standard home screen is being displayed. The copy menu button 205, scan menu button 206, print menu button 207, LAN button 208, wireless connect button 209, settings button 210, and hint button 211 displayed on the standard home screen in Fig. 2 are buttons corresponding to the respective menus. When the user presses these menu buttons, the screen transitions to each menu.

[0027] The custom home screens shown in Figures 3(a) to 3(c) are home screens that can be categorized according to specific uses or users. Custom menus 302, 303, 304, 306, 307, 310, 311, and 312 on the custom home screens are customizable by the user, and the user can specify the function to be displayed in each menu position.

[0028] For example, Figure 3(a) corresponds to a custom home screen categorized as work use (work scene), Figure 3(b) corresponds to a custom home screen categorized as study use (study scene), and Figure 3(c) corresponds to a custom home screen categorized as daily use (daily scene). These custom home screens have menus that are frequently used for the corresponding use (scene).

[0029] The custom home screen for work use shown in FIG. 3(a) corresponds to tab 1 (202). In FIG. 3(a), tab 1 (202) is displayed in a different color from the other tabs (201, 203, 204), making it easy to recognize that tab 1 is selected and the custom home screen for work use is displayed. The custom home screen for work use also displays "WORK," as in 301, indicating that it is a custom home screen intended for work use. The custom home screen for work use has menus that are frequently used in work use arranged on it. Custom menu 302 is a menu for using the standard copy function. Custom menu 303 is a menu for using the print from cloud function. Custom menu 304 is a menu for using the save original to PC function.

[0030] The custom home screen for study purposes shown in FIG. 3(b) corresponds to tab 2 (203). In FIG. 3(b), tab 2 (203) is displayed in a different color from the other tabs (201, 202, 204), making it easy to recognize that tab 2 is selected and the custom home screen for study purposes is displayed. The custom home screen for study purposes also displays "STUDY," as in 303, indicating that it is a custom home screen intended for study scenes. The custom home screen for study purposes has menus that are frequently used in study scenes. Custom menu 306 is a menu for using the enlarged copy function. Custom menu 307 is a menu for using the scan and submit function. Custom menu 308 is a menu for using the template form function.

[0031] The custom home screen for daily life shown in FIG. 3(c) corresponds to tab 3 (204). In FIG. 3(c), tab 3 (204) is displayed in a different color from the other tabs (201, 202, 203), making it easy to recognize that tab 3 has been selected and the custom home screen for daily life is being displayed. The custom home screen for daily life, as shown in 304, displays "HOME" to indicate that it is a custom home screen targeted for daily life scenes. The custom home screen for daily life has menus frequently used in daily life scenes arranged on it. Custom menu 310 is a menu for using the photo printing function. Custom menu 311 is a menu for using the pattern paper function. Custom menu 312 is a menu for using the print from cloud function.

[0032] In addition, the home screens corresponding to any of the scenes in Figures 3(a) to 3(c) have tab 1 corresponding to the standard home screen, making it easy to switch to the standard home screen. This makes it easy to use the device for purposes other than its usual use.

[0033] The MFP 100 of this embodiment has a function for locking the custom home screen (that is, a function related to security). 3(d) is a diagram showing an example of a custom home lock screen displayed on operation panel 200. Here, as an example, a state in which a custom home screen for work use corresponding to tab 1 is locked is shown.

[0034] When the user selects the tab for a locked custom home screen, the custom home screen is not displayed, and instead a lock screen like the one shown in Figure 3(d) is displayed. When the user presses the unlock button 313, a password entry screen (not shown) is displayed under the control of the operation control unit 119, and if the password entered on that screen matches, the custom home screen is displayed.

[0035] In the MFP 100 of this embodiment, during initial setup after power-on for the first time (hereinafter also referred to as "delivery"), a simple questionnaire (questions) is presented to the user regarding the location and purpose of use of the image forming apparatus, the sharing target (sharing status, such as whether it will be shared by multiple users), etc., and responses are accepted from the user. The MFP 100 then automatically determines the user's usage scenario based on the responses and controls the system to automatically set a menu screen (home screen) appropriate for the usage scenario. This allows the system to display a home screen appropriate for the usage scenario without the user having to switch it each time. Furthermore, complex user decisions based on the device's functions are not required, and even users who are not skilled in operation or do not understand the device's functions can easily use the device with a home screen appropriate for the usage scenario. Furthermore, a home screen appropriate for the usage scenario can be used from the first power-on.

[0036] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing examples of a screen for selecting a usage scenario for an image forming device when the device arrives. Fig. 4A shows a screen for selecting a usage location and purpose for the image forming device when the device arrives (usage location and purpose selection screen). Fig. 4B shows a screen for selecting a sharing target for the image forming device when the device arrives (sharing target selection screen). In this embodiment, the user's usage scenario is determined using a usage location / purpose selection screen as shown in Fig. 4(a) and a sharing target selection screen as shown in Fig. 4(b). In this embodiment, the selection of the usage location / purpose and the selection of the sharing target are collectively referred to as "selection of usage scenario."

[0037] 4(a), the use location / purpose selection screen displays a screen title 401 and use location / purpose selection items 402 to 404. The operation control unit 119 displays the use location / purpose selection screen as shown in FIG. 4(a) on the operation panel 200, and accepts a selection operation of the use location / purpose from the user. 4(b), the sharing target selection screen displays a screen title 406 and sharing target selection items 407 to 408. The operation control unit 119 displays the sharing target selection screen as shown in FIG. 4(b) on the operation panel 200, and accepts a sharing target selection operation from the user.

[0038] During initial setup (delivery) after the MFP 100 is powered on for the first time, the operation control unit 119 displays a use location / purpose selection screen such as that shown in FIG. 4(a) and a sharing target selection screen such as that shown in FIG. 4(b) on the operation panel 200 in a predetermined order, and accepts the user's selection of the use location / purpose and the sharing target. Upon detecting an operation to select a use scenario, the operation control unit 119 determines whether to select a use scenario and controls the setting of the home screen according to the selection result. The display order of the use location / purpose selection screen and the sharing target selection screen may be arbitrary, or both selection items may be displayed on a single screen. The above-described control will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 5 and FIGS. 6A to 6C. Hereinafter, FIGS. 6A to 6C will be collectively referred to as "FIG. 6."

[0039] <Flowchart> 5 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed during initial setup (at the time of delivery) after powering on MFP 100 for the first time. The processing of this flowchart is performed by a function realized by CPU 101 loading a program stored in ROM 102 into RAM 103 and executing it. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a home screen that is displayed according to a usage scene after the usage scene at the time of arrival has been set.

[0040] First, in S501, the operation control unit 119 executes a process for selecting a usage scene at the time of arrival. In detail, the operation control unit 119 displays a usage location / purpose selection screen as shown in Fig. 4(a) and a sharing target selection screen as shown in Fig. 4(b) on the operation panel 200 in a predetermined order, and accepts a user's selection operation of selection items 402 to 404 for the usage location / purpose and selection items 407 to 410 for the sharing target. Then, in response to detecting a selection operation for determining the usage scene by the user, the operation control unit 119 executes the processes of S502 to S510.

[0041] In the processes of S502 to S510, the operation control unit 119 controls the processes according to the result of the determination of the usage scene in S501. If "1. Home / personal use" is selected in the selection item 402 for the location of use / purpose of implementation, and "1. Personal use only" is selected in the selection item 407 for the sharing target (Yes in S502), the operation control unit 119 determines that the usage scene is a "daily life scene" and proceeds to S503. In S503, the operation control unit 119 sets the "standard / Home screen" as shown in Fig. 6(a) as the screen to be displayed on the home screen. Here, the "standard / Home screen" will be described.

[0042] 6(a) is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the standard / Home screen. The standard / Home screen has a standard tab 601 and a HOME tab 602, and by operating the standard tab 601 and the HOME tab 602, the user can switch between a custom home screen (HOME) suited to a particular lifestyle scene and a standard home screen that is highly versatile and not dependent on the usage scene. This standard / Home screen is initially displayed with the HOME tab 602 selected.

[0043] Returning to the description of the flowchart in FIG. In addition, if "1. Home / Personal Use" is selected in the selection item 402 for the location of use / purpose of implementation, and "2. Share with family" is selected in the selection item 408 for the sharing target (No in S501 and Yes in S504), the operation control unit 119 determines that the usage scene is a "study scene" and a "daily life scene," and proceeds to S505. In S505, the operation control unit 119 sets the "Standard / Learning / Home screen" as shown in Fig. 6(b) as the screen to be displayed on the home screen. Here, the "Standard / Learning / Home screen" will be described.

[0044] 6(b) is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the Standard / Study / Home screen. The Standard / Study / Home screen has a Standard tab 603, a STUDY tab 604, and a HOME tab 605. By operating the Standard tab 603, the STUDY tab 604, and the HOME tab 605, the user can switch between a custom home screen (STUDY) suited to a study scene, a custom home screen (HOME) suited to a daily life scene, and a standard home screen that is highly versatile and not dependent on the usage scene. This Standard / Study / Home screen is initially displayed with the STUDY tab 604 selected.

[0045] Returning to the description of the flowchart in FIG. Furthermore, if "1. Home / Work" is selected in the selection item 403 for the location of use / purpose of implementation, and "1. Personal use only" is selected in the selection item 407 for the sharing target (No in S501 and S504 and Yes in S506), the operation control unit 119 determines that the usage scene is a "work scene" and proceeds to S507. In S507, the operation control unit 119 sets the "standard / at-home screen" as shown in Fig. 6(c) as the screen to be displayed on the home screen. Here, the "standard / at-home screen" will be described.

[0046] 6(c) is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the standard / at-home screen. The standard / at-home screen has a standard tab 606 and a WORK tab 607, and by operating the standard tab 606 and the WORK tab 607, the user can switch between a custom home screen (WORK) suited to work situations and a standard home screen that is highly versatile and not dependent on the usage situation. This standard / at-home screen is initially displayed with the WORK tab 607 selected.

[0047] Returning to the description of the flowchart in FIG. Furthermore, if "1. Home / Work" is selected in the selection item 403 for the location of use / purpose of implementation, and "2. Share with family" is selected in the selection item 408 for the sharing target (No in S501, S504, and S506 and Yes in S508), the operation control unit 119 determines that the usage scenarios are "Work scenario" and "Study scenario," and proceeds to S509. In S509, the operation control unit 119 sets the "standard / home / learning screen" as shown in Fig. 6(d) as the screen to be displayed on the home screen. Here, the "standard / home / learning screen" will be described.

[0048] 6(d) is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the Standard / Home / Study screen. The Standard / Home / Study screen has a Standard tab 608, a Work tab 609, and a Study tab 610. By operating the Standard tab 608, the Work tab 609, and the Study tab 610, the user can switch between a custom home screen (WORK) suited to work situations, a custom home screen (STUDY) suited to study situations, and a standard home screen that is highly versatile and not dependent on the usage situation. This Standard / Home / Study screen is initially displayed with the Work tab 607 selected.

[0049] Returning to the description of the flowchart in FIG. Furthermore, if the selection result of the usage scene does not correspond to any of the above, i.e., if "3. Office" is selected in the selection item 404 for the location of use / purpose of implementation or "4. Do not use" is selected in the selection item 405, or if "3. Shared in the office (less than 10 people)" or "4. Shared in the office (less than 10 people)" is selected in the selection item 408 for the sharing target (No in S501, S504, S506 and S510), the operation control unit 119 proceeds to S510. In S510, the operation control unit 119 sets the "Standard / Home / Study / HOME screen" as shown in Fig. 6(e) as the screen to be displayed on the home screen. Here, the "Standard / Home / Study / HOME screen" will be described.

[0050] FIG. 6(e) is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the Standard / Home / Study / HOME screen. The Standard / Home / Study / HOME screen has a Standard tab 611, a WORK tab 612, a STUDY tab 613, and a HOME tab 614. In other words, it is a screen that has all of the tabs described above. By operating the Standard tab 611, the WORK tab 612, the STUDY tab 613, and the HOME tab 614, the user can switch between a custom home screen (WORK) suited to work situations, a custom home screen (STUDY) suited to study situations, a custom home screen (HOME) suited to daily life situations, and a standard home screen that is highly versatile and can be used in any situation. This Standard / Home / Study / HOME screen is initially displayed with the Standard tab 611 selected. As a result, a menu screen suited to the user's usage scenario can be easily displayed from the first startup of the MFP 100, thereby improving operability.

[0051] Although not shown, after the processes of S503, S505, S507, S509, and S510, operation control unit 119 displays the screen selected as the home screen on operation panel 200. Furthermore, operation control unit 119 stores the selection result of the usage scene at the time of arrival in nonvolatile memory 118, and thereafter, upon startup of MFP 100, reads the selection result of the usage scene at the time of arrival from nonvolatile memory 118 and executes the processes of S502 to S510 based on the selection result of the usage scene at the time of arrival. As a result, upon startup of MFP 100 thereafter, a menu screen suited to the user's usage scene can be displayed, eliminating the need to switch each time, thereby improving operability. Note that a configuration may also be adopted in which the screen selected as the home screen is stored in nonvolatile memory 118 instead of the selection result of the usage scene at the time of arrival, and is used thereafter for screen display control upon startup.

[0052] <Settings table> FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of settings for each use scene of the MFP 100. The MFP 100 allows the user to configure each setting item (operation setting) for each usage scenario. In the example of Figure 7, the double-sided printing setting is enabled only in the work scene, which meets the user's needs when wanting to reduce paper consumption for work-related printing. The quiet setting, which reduces the MFP's operating noise, is enabled in the work scene and study scene to allow users to concentrate on their work. The automatic power-off setting is disabled in the work scene and study scene to allow the MFP to be operated immediately for scanning, etc. In addition, confidential company information may be accessed through cloud apps in the work scene, and therefore, due to the need for increased security, the lock timer (security setting) is set to 5 minutes, which is shorter than the setting for the study scene and daily life scene (10 minutes). As shown in these examples, the MFP can be configured according to the user's needs for each usage scene. The settings for each usage scene are not limited to the example shown in Figure 7, and may include other setting items and setting values.

[0053] In the processes of S503, S505, S507, and S509 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5, the operation control unit 119 may also perform settings for each of the above-mentioned usage scenes.

[0054] Specifically, in S503, the operation control unit 119 sets the screen on which the standard tab and the home tab are displayed as the home screen, and further sets the setting values ​​corresponding to the life scenes shown in FIG.

[0055] In addition, in S505, the operation control unit 119 sets the screen on which the standard tab, study tab, and home tab are displayed as the home screen, and further sets the setting values ​​common to the study scene and the daily life scene shown in Fig. 7 to the MFP 100. In detail, the double-sided printing setting is disabled, and the lock timer setting is set to 10 minutes.

[0056] In S507, the operation control unit 119 sets the screen on which the standard tab and the at-home tab are displayed as the home screen, and further sets the setting values ​​corresponding to the work scene shown in FIG. In addition, in S509, the operation control unit 119 sets the screen displaying the standard tab, the at-home tab, and the study tab as the home screen, and further sets the setting values ​​common to the work scene and the study scene shown in Fig. 7 to the MFP 100. In detail, the quiet setting is enabled and the automatic power-off setting is disabled.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, by setting tabs to be displayed on the home screen based on the usage scenario selected upon arrival, it is possible to display a home screen that is suited to the usage scenario in advance. After a custom home screen selected based on the usage scenario selected upon arrival is displayed as the default home screen, if the number of times a standard tab is selected (or a tab other than the one selected in the initial display) reaches a predetermined number, the operation control unit 119 may be configured to display the questionnaire screen shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) again. The questionnaire screen shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) may also be displayed again when the user instructs selection of a usage scenario on a setting screen (not shown). The questionnaire screen shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) is also displayed again when the device is restored to its factory default state. In these cases, the operation control unit 119 performs the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 again. This allows the tabs to be reconfigured on the home screen.

[0058] The custom menu on the home screen, which is set according to the user's selection of the usage scenario during the initial setup (when the device is delivered) after the device is first turned on, can be changed by the user, and the user can specify the functions to be displayed in each menu position. Even for the same work scenario, frequently used menus may differ for each user, but customizing as described above can further improve operability.

[0059] According to each embodiment described above, by simply answering simple questions presented at initial startup, the image forming apparatus automatically switches to a menu screen suited to the user's usage scenario from the first startup, improving operability. This allows the user to display the desired menu on the home screen without having to unintentionally switch each time, thereby reducing the effort required for settings. Furthermore, by automatically switching other settings (double-sided printing settings, quiet mode settings, power settings, security settings, etc.) according to the usage scenario, further improvements in operability can be expected.

[0060] It goes without saying that the configurations and contents of the various data described above are not limited to those described above, and that the data may be configured in various configurations and contents depending on the application and purpose. Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention can be embodied as, for example, a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, a storage medium, etc. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system made up of multiple devices, or may be applied to an apparatus made up of a single device. Furthermore, the present invention also includes any combination of the above embodiments.

[0061] Other Embodiments The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program.The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions. Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to a system made up of multiple devices, or to an apparatus made up of a single device. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications (including organic combinations of the embodiments) are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention. In other words, all configurations that combine the above-described embodiments and their modifications are included in the present invention.

[0062] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration, method, and program. (Configuration 1) An image forming apparatus, a receiving means for presenting a question regarding at least one of a place where the image forming apparatus is used, a purpose of use, and a sharing target when the image forming apparatus is first started up, and receiving an answer from the user; a control means for determining a usage scene of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the received response, and for controlling the image forming apparatus to set an operation screen having a configuration corresponding to the usage scene as a home screen; An image forming apparatus comprising: (Configuration 2) 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the question about the place of use includes a question about whether the place of use is a home or an office. (Configuration 3) 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the question about the intended use includes a question about whether the intended use is for business or personal use. (Configuration 4) 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the question about the shared object includes a question about whether the shared object is for personal use only or is to be shared by a plurality of users. (Configuration 5) The image forming device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the control means determines one or more usage scenes in accordance with the answer, and controls the image forming device to set a screen in a form that allows switching between one or more operation screens corresponding to the one or more usage scenes as a home screen. (Configuration 6) The home screen is configured so that operation screens can be switched using tabs, The image forming apparatus according to configuration 5, wherein the control means sets tabs corresponding to one or more operation screens according to the one or more usage scenes to be displayed on a home screen. (Configuration 7) The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the control means controls to set, as a home screen, a screen that can switch between one or more operation screens corresponding to the one or more usage scenes and an operation screen that is not dependent on the usage scene. (Configuration 8) the operation screen is a screen in a form in which a plurality of operation screens can be switched using tabs, The image forming apparatus according to configuration 7, wherein the accepting means accepts the operation and the control means controls the operation when the number of times the operation screen is switched to the operation screen that is not dependent on the usage scene reaches a predetermined number. (Configuration 9) 9. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the control means further performs security settings on the home screen according to the usage scene. (Method 1) A control method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a receiving step of presenting a question regarding at least one of a location where the image forming apparatus is used, a purpose of use, and a sharing target when the image forming apparatus is first started up, and receiving a response from the user; determining a usage scene of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the received response, and controlling the image forming apparatus so that an operation screen configured in accordance with the usage scene is set as a home screen of the image forming apparatus; 1. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: (Program 1) A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means described in any one of configurations 1 to 4.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, a receiving means for presenting a question regarding at least one of a place where the image forming apparatus is to be used, a purpose of use, and a sharing target when the image forming apparatus is first started up, and receiving an answer from the user; a control means for determining a usage scene of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the received response, and for controlling the image forming apparatus to set an operation screen having a configuration corresponding to the usage scene as a home screen; An image forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the question regarding the place of use includes a question as to whether the place of use is a home or an office.

3. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the questions regarding the purpose of use include a question as to whether the use is for business or personal purposes.

4. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the question regarding the shared object includes a question regarding whether the shared object is for personal use only or is to be shared by a plurality of users.

5. The image forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control means determines one or more usage scenes according to the answer, and controls the device to set a screen in a form that allows switching between one or more operation screens corresponding to the one or more usage scenes as the home screen.

6. The home screen is configured so that operation screens can be switched using tabs, 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit sets tabs corresponding to one or more operation screens according to the one or more usage scenes to be displayed on the home screen.

7. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control means controls to set as a home screen a screen that can switch between one or more operation screens corresponding to the one or more usage scenes and an operation screen that is not dependent on the usage scene.

8. the operation screen is a screen in a form in which a plurality of operation screens can be switched using tabs, 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the accepting unit accepts the operation and the control unit controls the operation when the number of times the operation screen is switched to the operation screen that is not dependent on the usage scene reaches a predetermined number.

9. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further performs security settings on the home screen according to the usage scene.

10. A control method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a receiving step of presenting a question regarding at least one of a location where the image forming apparatus is used, a purpose of use, and a sharing target when the image forming apparatus is first started up, and receiving a response from the user; determining a usage scene of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the received response, and controlling the image forming apparatus so that an operation screen configured in accordance with the usage scene is set as a home screen of the image forming apparatus; 1. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:

11. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images