Image forming device

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that can execute intensive operation assistance for an operator not familiar with operations.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 100 comprises an image forming unit 4, an operation unit 10, and a control unit 60. The image forming unit 4 forms an image on a recording medium S. The operation unit 10 has a touch panel 11. The control unit 60 controls the image forming unit 4 and the operation unit 10. The control unit 60 displays a screen presenting predetermined items on the touch panel 11, causes the operation unit to start operation guide to start display such that gradation changes in a predetermined guide direction, and controls to wait for an operator's swipe operation, while displaying in gray irrelevant icons of icons of the items to inhibit reception.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] The information processing device described in Patent Document 1 displays multiple items on a screen and prompts the operator to select a specific item by superimposing a spotlight-like image on the specific item that the operator is likely to select. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-126145 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The information processing device described in Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the possibility that the operator may not follow the operation guidance.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can provide powerful operational assistance to an operator who is unfamiliar with the operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming unit, an operation unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The operation unit has a touch panel. The control unit controls the image forming unit and the operation unit. The control unit displays a screen presenting predetermined items on the touch panel, initiates operation guidance by the operation unit, starts displaying a gradation in a predetermined guidance direction, and controls the apparatus to wait for a swipe operation by the operator while graying out unrelated icons among the icons for the items and prohibiting acceptance of the operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, an image forming apparatus is provided that can provide powerful operational assistance to operators who are unfamiliar with the operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described repeatedly.

[0010] An image forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the image forming apparatus 100. The image forming apparatus 100 is, for example, a copier, a printer, a facsimile, or a multifunction peripheral that combines the functions of these. In the following, an embodiment will be described in which the image forming apparatus 100 is a monochrome multifunction peripheral.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a reading unit 1, a feeding unit 2, a conveying unit 3, an image forming unit 4, a fixing unit 5, and a discharging unit 6.

[0012] The reading unit 1 reads an image of the original G. The reading unit 1 generates image data from the read image. The feeding unit 2 stores a plurality of sheets S and feeds the sheets S to the conveying unit 3. The sheets S are made of, for example, paper or synthetic resin. The conveying unit 3 includes a plurality of pairs of conveying rollers and conveys the sheets S to the image forming unit 4. The sheets S correspond to an example of a "recording medium."

[0013] The image forming unit 4 forms a toner image on the sheet S by electrophotography. The image forming unit 4 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, a replenishing device, a transfer device, a cleaning device, and a discharging device. The toner image represents, for example, an image of the original G. The fixing unit 5 heats and pressurizes the toner image to fix the toner image to the sheet S. The conveying unit 3 conveys the sheet S with the fixed toner image to the discharge unit 6. The discharge unit 6 discharges the sheet S outside the image forming apparatus 100.

[0014] 1 and 2, the circuit configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the image forming apparatus 100.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100 further includes an operation unit 10, a control unit 60, and a storage unit .

[0016] The operation unit 10 is an input device for various user operations. The operation unit 10 includes a touch panel 11. The operation unit 10 may further include operation buttons. Information indicating user operations is supplied to the control unit 60.

[0017] The storage unit 70 includes a storage device and stores data and computer programs, and includes a main storage device such as a semiconductor memory and an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive.

[0018] The control unit 60 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each component of the image forming apparatus 100 by executing a computer program stored in the storage unit 70 .

[0019] Next, the operation of the control unit 60 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control unit 60.

[0020] Step S101: As shown in Fig. 3, the control unit 60 displays a screen presenting a predetermined number of items on the touch panel 11. When the process of step S101 is completed, the process of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S103.

[0021] Step S103: The control unit 60 starts operation guidance by the operation unit 10. When the process of step S103 is completed, the process of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S105.

[0022] Step S105: The control unit 60 starts displaying the gradation so that it changes in a predetermined guidance direction (from left to right). For example, the control unit 60 displays the background color of the touch panel 11 in a gradation and repeats an animation display in which the color changes in sequence from light to dark. In this way, the control unit 60 guides the user to transition to another item displayed on the next page of the touch panel 11. When the processing of step S105 is completed, the processing of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S107.

[0023] Step S107: The control unit 60 grays out irrelevant icons among the icons of the items displayed on the touch panel 11 to prohibit their acceptance. In other words, the control unit 60 prevents operational errors by graying out icons that are not relevant to guiding the operator to the desired screen so that they cannot be pressed. When the processing of step S107 is completed, the processing of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S109.

[0024] Step S109: The control unit 60 waits for a swipe operation by the operator. When the process of step S109 is completed, the process of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S111.

[0025] Step S111: The control unit 60 determines whether the swipe operation indicates a request for cancellation. If the swipe operation indicates a request for cancellation (Yes in step S111), the process of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S115. If the swipe operation does not indicate a request for cancellation (No in step S111), the process of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S113.

[0026] Step S113: The control unit 60 follows the operation guidance and controls the screen of the touch panel 11 to be switched. When the process of step S113 is completed, the process of the control unit 60 ends.

[0027] Step S115: The control unit 60 recognizes that the operator has not followed the guidance, and displays the gradation for a certain period of time on the screen before the transition so that it changes in the opposite direction (from right to left) to the guidance direction of step S105. When the processing of step S115 is completed, the processing of the control unit 60 proceeds to step S117.

[0028] Step S117: The control unit 60 stops the operation guidance, and performs control to return the grayed-out icon to its original state so as to permit reception. When the process of step S117 is completed, the process of the control unit 60 returns to step S101.

[0029] According to the embodiment, an image forming apparatus 100 is provided that can provide powerful operational assistance to operators who are unfamiliar with the operation.

[0030] In particular, according to the image forming apparatus 100 of the embodiment, when an operator does not follow the guidance and wishes to cancel the operation, the acceptance of the cancellation process is clearly expressed, thereby providing powerful operational assistance to operators who are unfamiliar with the operation.

[0031] 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 embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope 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 omitted from all components shown in the embodiments. The drawings mainly show each component in a schematic manner for ease of understanding, and the number of each component shown may differ from the actual number due to the convenience of drawing. Furthermore, the components shown in the above embodiments are merely examples and are not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible without substantially departing from the effects of the present invention.

[0032] In the embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 is of an electrophotographic type. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image forming apparatus 100 may be of an inkjet type. [Industrial Applicability]

[0033] The present invention can be used in the field of image forming devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 4 Image forming unit 10 Control section 11 Touch panel 60 Control Unit 100 Image forming device S sheet (recording medium)

Claims

1. an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; an operation unit having a touch panel; a control unit that controls the image forming unit and the operation unit; Equipped with The control unit displaying on the touch panel a screen presenting a plurality of items including items not related to guiding to another screen and items related to guiding to the another screen; Start operation guidance by the operation unit, displaying the background color of the touch panel in a gradation, and displaying the color in an animation in which the color is changed from a light color to a dark color in sequence, thereby starting a display in which the gradation changes in a guide direction; by graying out the icons of the plurality of items that are not related to navigating to the different screen, prohibiting the operation unit from accepting a selection instruction of the items that are not related to navigating to the different screen; The image forming apparatus waits for reception of an instruction related to a swipe operation by the operator using the operation unit while the reception is prohibited.

2. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein when the swipe operation indicates a request for cancellation, the control unit displays the gradation changing in a direction opposite to the guidance direction, and allows the operation unit to accept a selection instruction for the item that is not relevant to guiding to the other screen by clearing the gray display of the icon for the item that is not relevant to guiding to the other screen.

Images