Electronic device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus which enables a user to easily refer to various time information.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus includes a memory that stores a change in a set value for each of a plurality of predetermined items and time information indicating a time at which the set value is changed in association with each other, and a controller. Wherein the control unit is configured to perform, among the plurality of items, a reception process of receiving a setting value of the item designated by a user operation, A determination process of determining whether or not the setting value received in the reception process has changed from the setting value associated with the time information indicating the latest time among the setting values stored in the memory, and a storage process of storing, when it is determined in the determination process that the setting value has changed, the change in the setting value of the item designated by the user operation and the time information indicating the current time in the memory in association with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of an electronic device according to the background art is an image forming apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,107,105 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In electronic devices, it is desirable to be able to easily refer to the change history of setting information.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a technology that allows a user to easily refer to the change history of setting information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a memory and a control unit. The memory stores changes in setting values ​​for a plurality of predetermined items in association with time information indicating the time at which the setting values ​​were changed. The control unit executes a reception process, a determination process, and a storage process. In the reception process, the control unit receives a setting value for an item specified by a user operation from among the plurality of items. In the determination process, the control unit determines whether the setting value received in the reception process for the item specified by the user operation has changed from the setting value stored in the memory and associated with the time information indicating the most recent time. In the storage process, if the determination process determines that the setting value has changed, the control unit stores the change in the setting value for the item specified by the user operation in association with time information indicating the current time in the memory.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming apparatus including the electronic device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] It is possible to provide a technology that allows users to easily refer to the change history of setting information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus 100 including an electronic device 5 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram showing change information D01 and time information D02 stored in memory 52 shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image P01. [Figure 4] 2 is a flowchart showing a first process of the electronic device 5 shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a second process of the electronic device 5 shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing a third process of the electronic device 5 shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters and description thereof will not be repeated. [Image forming apparatus 100 (hardware configuration)] 1, image forming apparatus 100 is a printer, a facsimile, a copier, or a multifunction peripheral having the functions of these. In detail, image forming apparatus 100 includes a supply unit 1, an image forming unit 2, a discharge unit 3, an operation display unit 4, and an electronic device 5.

[0011] The supply unit 1 supplies sheets to the image forming unit 2. The sheets are, for example, paper or transparencies. The supply unit 1 has a supply cassette 11, a conveying path 12, and conveying rollers 13. The supply cassette 11 can hold a plurality of sheets. The conveying path 12 leads from the supply cassette 11 to the image forming unit 2. The conveying rollers 13 nip the document being conveyed in the conveying path 12 and send it downstream along the conveying path 12.

[0012] The image forming unit 2 forms an image based on image data on a sheet conveyed by the supply unit 1 using an electrophotographic method to produce a printed matter. In the case of an electrophotographic method, the image forming unit 2 has, for example, photoconductor drums 21 for each of the colors YMCK. Y represents yellow, M represents magenta, C represents cyan, and K represents a key plate. The image forming unit 2 has a charging device 22, a developing device 23, and a primary transfer roller 24 on the circumferential surface of each photoconductor drum 21 and along the circumferential direction of the photoconductor drum 21. The image forming unit 2 further has an exposure device 25, an intermediate transfer belt 26, a secondary transfer roller 27, and a fixing device 28.

[0013] Each charging device 22 uniformly charges the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 21 for the same color. The exposure device 25 forms an electrostatic latent image on the circumferential surface of each photosensitive drum 21 based on image data. Each developing device 23 supplies toner of a predetermined color to the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 21 for the same color to form a toner image. Each primary transfer roller 24 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 21 for the same color to the intermediate transfer belt 26. As a result, a composite toner image composed of the YMCK toner images is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 26. The secondary transfer roller 27 transfers the composite toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 26 to a sheet introduced into the image forming unit 2. The fixing device 28 fixes the composite toner image transferred to the sheet. This completes the print. The image forming unit 2 may form an image on the sheet using another method (e.g., inkjet recording) instead of electrophotography.

[0014] The discharge unit 3 discharges the sheet to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100. The discharge unit 3 has a discharge tray 31, a conveying path 32, and conveying rollers 33. The printed material is discharged and placed on the discharge tray 31. The conveying path 32 leads from the fixing device 28 to the discharge tray 31. The conveying rollers 33 send the printed material conveyed in the conveying path 32 downstream of the conveying path 32 into a nip.

[0015] The operation display unit 4 displays various images under the control of the control unit 51 of the electronic device 5. The operation display unit 4 is, for example, a touch panel or a touch screen. The touch panel or the touch screen has, for example, a display 41 and a touch sensor 42. Note that the operation display unit 4 may include physical keys or buttons instead of the touch sensor 42.

[0016] A user of image forming apparatus 100 can set a plurality of items A by operating operation display unit 4. In this embodiment, the plurality of items A are items that can be set by user operation before image data is printed by image forming apparatus 100. Examples of such items include color / monochrome printing, number of copies to be printed, aggregate printing, double-sided / single-sided printing, paper size, and paper type.

[0017] The electronic device 5 is, for example, a web server incorporated into the image forming apparatus 100. Since the electronic device 5 is incorporated into the image forming apparatus 100, it is easy to use. The electronic device 5 includes a control unit 51, a memory 52, and a communication interface (hereinafter also referred to as "communication IF") 53.

[0018] The control unit 51 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter also referred to as "CPU"). The control unit 51 may include an application specific integrated circuit (hereinafter also referred to as "ASIC") instead of the CPU. Alternatively, the control unit 51 may be configured by combining a CPU and an ASIC.

[0019] The memory 52 stores various data and computer programs. The memory 52 includes a main storage device such as a semiconductor memory and an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive. The CPU controls each component of the image forming apparatus 100 and the electronic device 5 by executing the computer programs stored in the storage unit.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the memory 52 stores change information D01, which is information indicating a change B in the setting value for each of a plurality of predetermined items A, in association with time information D02 indicating the time C at which the setting value was changed.

[0021] The communication IF 53 performs two-way data communication with the information processing device 200 via the network 300. In detail, the communication IF 53 transmits various data received from the control unit 51 to the network 300 in accordance with a communication protocol. The communication IF 53 receives various data from the network 300 in accordance with the communication protocol and transfers it to the control unit 51.

[0022] The network 300 includes, for example, the Internet and a local area network (hereinafter also referred to as "LAN"). The image forming apparatus 100 and the information processing apparatus 200 can communicate data with each other via the network 300. The network 300 may also include a wireless LAN.

[0023] The information processing device 200 is, for example, a personal computer or a tablet terminal, and is located remotely from the image forming device 100. [Control unit 51 (functional block configuration)] The control unit 51 executes a computer program to perform a reception process 511, a determination process 512, a storage process 513, a generation process 514, a display process 515, and a transmission process 516.

[0024] The reception process 511 is a process for receiving a setting value for an item A designated by a user operation from among a plurality of items A. The determination process 512 is a process for determining whether or not the setting value received in the reception process 511 for the item A designated by the user operation has changed from the setting value associated with time information indicating the most recent time among the setting values ​​stored in the memory 52. ​​The storage process 513 is a process for storing, in the memory 52, change information D01 indicating a change B in the setting value of the item designated by the user operation and time information D02 indicating the current time (i.e., the time C when the setting value was changed), in association with each other, when the determination process 512 determines that the setting value has changed.

[0025] In response to a change in a setting value due to a user operation, reception processing 511, determination processing 512, and storage processing 513 associates change information D01 indicating a change B in the setting value for item A designated by the user operation with time information D02 indicating the time at which the setting value was changed, and stores these in memory 52. ​​Therefore, a technology is provided that enables a user to easily refer to the change history of the setting value of item A using known means.

[0026] Generation process 514 is a process for generating image data showing image P01 (see FIG. 3) in which change information D01 indicating change B in a setting value and time information D02, which are associated with each other in memory 52, are arranged in chronological order when predetermined conditions are met. This image makes it easier for the user to understand the history of change in the setting value.

[0027] 3, control unit 51 executes display process 515, causing display 41 to display image P01 indicated by the image data generated in generation process 514. This makes it easy for a user of image forming apparatus 100 to understand the history of changes in setting values.

[0028] In image P01, the setting value received in reception process 511 (hereinafter also referred to as "current setting value V01") and the setting value stored in memory 52 (hereinafter "pre-change setting value V02") may be aligned in a specific direction D11. In the example of FIG. 3, the print density has been changed from "0," which is the pre-change setting value V02, to "1," which is the current setting value V01. This makes it easy for the user of image forming apparatus 100 to understand how the setting value has changed.

[0029] When the control unit 51 executes the transmission process 516, the communication IF 53 sends the image data generated in the generation process 514 to the network 300. This makes it easier for a remote user to understand the history of changes in the setting values. [Detailed processing of electronic devices 5] Next, the processing of the electronic device 5 and the image forming apparatus 100 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

[0030] When copying an original, the user can set a plurality of items A by operating the operation display unit 4. In response to the user's operation, as shown in Fig. 4, in step S101, the control unit 51 of the electronic device 5 executes the reception process 511 (see Fig. 1) and receives the setting value of the item A specified by the user's operation.

[0031] Next, in step S102, the control unit 51 executes the judgment process 512 and obtains the setting value associated with the time information D02 indicating the most recent time (i.e., the setting value before the change) from among the setting values ​​stored in the memory 52 for the item A specified by the user operation.

[0032] Next, in step S103, the control unit 51 determines in judgment process 512 whether the setting value (i.e., the current setting value) received in reception process 511 for item A specified by the user operation has changed from the setting value before the change.

[0033] If it is determined that the current setting value has not changed from the setting value before the change (No in step S103), the control unit 51 ends the processing in Fig. 4. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current setting value has changed from the setting value before the change (Yes in step S103), the control unit 51 executes step S104.

[0034] In step S104, the control unit 51 combines the reference setting value and the current setting value to generate change information D01 indicating a change B in the setting value of the item specified by a user operation.

[0035] Next, in step S105, control unit 51 associates change information D01 generated in step S104 with time information D02 indicating the current time and stores them in memory 52 (see FIG. 2). After step S105 ends, control unit 51 waits for the user's operation.

[0036] The above description deals with the case where a user copies an original document. However, this is not limiting. The user can also print an image based on image data by operating the information processing device 200 remotely from the image forming device 100. In this case, it is possible to set a plurality of items A by operating the information processing device 200. After this, step S101 is executed.

[0037] When a user wishes to check the history of changes to setting values ​​using image forming apparatus 100, the user operates operation display unit 4 in accordance with a predetermined procedure (hereinafter also referred to as "first specified procedure"). In response to this user operation, control unit 51 executes generation process 514 in step S201, as shown in FIG. 5, to generate image data representing image P01 (see FIG. 3). Note that operating in accordance with the first specified procedure is an example of "satisfying a predetermined condition" in the present disclosure.

[0038] In step S202, the control unit 51 executes the display process 515 (see FIG. 1) to cause the display 41 to display the image P01 (see FIG. 3) indicated by the image data generated in step S201.

[0039] When a user wants to check the change history of a setting value using a remote information processing device 200, the user operates the information processing device 200 according to a predetermined procedure (hereinafter also referred to as a "second specified procedure"). In response to this user operation, the control unit 51 executes a generation process 514 in step S301, as shown in FIG. 6. Note that operating according to the second specified procedure is another example of "satisfying a predetermined condition" in the present disclosure.

[0040] In step S302, the control unit 51 executes the transmission process 516, thereby transmitting the image data generated in step S301 from the communication IF 53 to the network 300.

[0041] The information processing device 200 displays an image P01 (see FIG. 3) based on the image data received via the network 300 on a display (not shown) of the information processing device 200.

[0042] 4 to 6, when a setting value is changed, the change information D01 and time information D02 are immediately updated, thereby allowing the user to accurately access the change information D01 and time information D02.

[0043] According to the processing of Figures 4 to 6, the change information D01 and time information D02 are updated but not erased, so that the user can access the change information D01 and time information D02 from the start of use of the image forming device 100 to the present.

[0044] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, the components shown in the above embodiments are merely examples and are not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible within a range that does not substantially deviate from the configuration of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] The electronic device and image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure have industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 100 Image forming device 41 Display 5 Electronic equipment 51 Control section 511 Reception Processing 512 Judgment Process 513 Amnestics 514 Generation Process 515 Display Processing 516 Sending process 52 Memory 53 Communication Interface

Claims

1. a memory that stores changes in setting values ​​for each of a plurality of predetermined items in association with time information indicating the time when the setting values ​​were changed; Control unit and Equipped with The control unit a receiving process for receiving a setting value of one of the plurality of items designated by a user operation; a determination process for determining whether or not the setting value accepted in the acceptance process for the item designated by the user operation has changed from the setting value associated with the time information indicating the most recent time among the setting values ​​stored in the memory; a storage process for storing in the memory, when it is determined by the determination process that a change has occurred, the change in the setting value of the item designated by the user operation and time information indicating the current time in association with each other; Electronic equipment that runs

2. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further executes a generation process to generate image data showing an image in which the changes in the setting values ​​and the time information associated with each other in the memory are arranged in chronological order when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit executes a display process of the image represented by the image data generated in the generation process.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein in the image, the setting value accepted in the accepting process and the setting value stored in the memory are aligned in a specific direction.

5. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication interface that transmits the image data generated in the generation process to a network.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising the electronic device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images