Terminal device and electronic manual display method

Abstract

To provide a terminal device that can display an electronic manual more conveniently for users than conventional devices when the electronic manual for an apparatus with an operation panel is displayed on the terminal device.SOLUTION: A terminal device includes: a communication unit that transmits and receives various data to and from an external apparatus with an operation panel; a display unit that displays various information to a user; an operation unit that accepts a user's operation; a storage unit that holds a program for an electronic manual application that displays an electronic manual for the apparatus on the display unit; and a control unit that controls the communication unit, the display unit, the operation unit, and the storage unit. When the electronic manual application is running, the control unit causes the communication unit to receive data on display contents of the operation panel of the apparatus, and causes the display unit to display contents of the electronic manual predetermined corresponding to the display contents of the operation panel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal device and an electronic manual display method, and more particularly to a terminal device that communicates with an external device and displays an electronic manual of the device, and an electronic manual display method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral), there is known one having a function of displaying an electronic manual on an operation panel.

[0003] However, in an MFP having such a function of displaying an electronic manual, since there is a limit to the display area of the operation panel, when an electronic manual is displayed, most of the screen of the operation panel is occupied.

[0004] Since the user cannot operate the MFP while viewing the electronic manual on the operation panel, it is necessary to close the electronic manual and then operate the MFP, or display the electronic manual of the MFP on an external terminal device such as a smartphone.

[0005] Here, as an invention for displaying an electronic manual on an external terminal device, there is disclosed an invention in which manual data for displaying a manual adapted to an application of identification information received from a terminal device used by a user is transmitted to the terminal device, so that the user can more easily find a target location in the manual than before (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] However, conventional inventions that display electronic manuals on external terminal devices generally display them completely separately from the operation screen currently displayed on the MFP's control panel. Therefore, users had to search for items that matched the operation screen displayed on the MFP's control panel within the electronic manual displayed on an external terminal device, which meant it was not very user-friendly.

[0008] This invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a terminal device and an electronic manual display method that enable the display of electronic manuals for devices having an operation panel on a terminal device, with greater user convenience than conventional methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The terminal device according to this invention comprises a communication unit that transmits and receives various data with an external device equipped with an operation panel, a display unit that displays various information to the user, an operation unit that accepts user operations, a storage unit that holds a program for an electronic manual application that displays the electronic manual of the device on the display unit, and a control unit that controls the communication unit, the display unit, the operation unit, and the storage unit, wherein, when the electronic manual application is running, the control unit causes the communication unit to receive data of the display content of the operation panel of the device, and displays the predetermined content of the electronic manual on the display unit corresponding to the display content of the operation panel.

[0010] Furthermore, the electronic manual display method according to this invention comprises a communication step for sending and receiving various data with an external device equipped with an operation panel, a display step for displaying various information to the user, an operation step for accepting user operations, and a storage step for holding a program for an electronic manual application that displays the electronic manual of the device in the display step, wherein in the communication step, if the electronic manual application is running, data of the display content of the operation panel of the device is received, and in the display step, the content of the electronic manual, which is predetermined to correspond to the display content of the operation panel, is displayed.

[0011] In this invention, "terminal device" refers to a terminal device equipped with communication functions, such as a smartphone or tablet device. "External devices equipped with an operation panel" include, for example, photocopiers, multifunction printers, MFPs (Multifunctional Peripherals) that also have functions other than photocopying, televisions, DVD recorders, personal computers (PCs), electronic whiteboards, and other devices equipped with an operation panel and communication functions. The "display unit" and the "operation unit" may be configured separately, or they may be integrated into a single unit, such as a touch panel superimposed on a display panel. The "storage unit that holds the program for the electronic manual application" holds the program for the electronic manual application installed on the terminal device, but it may also store the program on an external server. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to this invention, when displaying an electronic manual for a device having an operation panel on a terminal device, the terminal device displays the corresponding page of the electronic manual in conjunction with the display content of the device's operation panel, thereby realizing a terminal device and an electronic manual display method that enable the display of electronic manuals with greater user convenience than conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image forming system according to Embodiment 1 of this invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a digital multifunction printer. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a mobile device. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the server. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a sequence diagram showing the display process flow of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal, which is linked to the display content on the operation panel of the digital multifunction printer in the image forming system. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the relationship between the screen of the digital multifunction printer's control panel and the screen of the electronic manual application on a mobile device. Figures 6(A) to 6(D) show the screen of the digital multifunction printer's control panel, and Figures 6(E) to 6(H) show the screens of the electronic manual application on a mobile device that correspond to the screens in Figures 6(A) to 6(D). [Figure 7] This is a sequence diagram showing the display processing flow of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal linked to the display content of the operation panel of a digital multifunction printer, in an image forming system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel of a digital multifunction printer according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention and the screen of the electronic manual application on a mobile terminal. Figures 8(A) to 8(C) show the screen of the operation panel of the digital multifunction printer, and Figures 8(E) to 8(H) show the screen of the electronic manual application on a mobile terminal. [Figure 9] This is a sequence diagram showing the process when "Read Instruction Manual" is touched in the display processing of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal linked to the display content of the operation panel of a digital multifunction printer, in an image forming system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 10]It is an explanatory diagram showing the processing when "Read the instruction manual" is touched in the relationship between the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention and the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B) show the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral, and FIGS. 10(C) and 10(D) show the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. [Figure 11] In the image forming system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, it is a sequence diagram showing the processing when "Setting 2-1" is long-pressed in the display processing of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal linked to the display content of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram showing the processing when "Setting 2-1" is long-pressed in the relationship between the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention and the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. FIGS. 12(A) and 12(B) show the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral, and FIGS. 12(C) and 12(D) show the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention and the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. FIGS. 13(A) to 13(D) show the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral, and FIGS. 13(E) to 13(G) show the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. [Figure 14] In the image forming system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, it is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the display processing of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal linked to the display content of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral. [Figure 15] It is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention and the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal. FIGS. 15(A) and 15(B) show the screen of the operation panel of the digital multi-function peripheral, and FIGS. 15(C) to 15(E) show the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Furthermore, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0015] In the terminal device according to the present invention, the communication unit receives the display command of the electronic manual received by the operation panel of the device, and when the communication unit receives the display command of the electronic manual, the control unit causes the communication unit to receive the data of the display content of the operation panel of the device, and may cause the display unit to display the predetermined electronic manual corresponding to the display content of the operation panel.

[0016] In this way, when the user performs a display operation of the electronic manual, such as touching the display button of the electronic manual, on the operation panel of the device, the corresponding page of the electronic manual can be displayed on the display unit of the terminal device in conjunction with the display content of the operation panel. Therefore, a terminal device capable of displaying an electronic manual with higher user convenience than before can be realized.

[0017] In the terminal device according to the present invention, when the display unit includes a selection button for receiving a user's selection in the display content of the operation panel, the display unit displays a corresponding selection button corresponding to the content of the predetermined electronic manual corresponding to the display content of the operation panel, and when the operation unit receives the selection of the corresponding selection button while the display unit is displaying the electronic manual, the control unit may cause the communication unit to transmit a command for reflecting the selection result of the corresponding selection button to the device.

[0018] In this way, when displaying the electronic manual of the device having an operation panel on the terminal device, the corresponding page of the electronic manual is displayed in conjunction with the display content of the operation panel of the device. On the other hand, when the user selects the corresponding selection button displayed on the screen of the electronic manual application of the terminal device, the selection result of the corresponding selection button is also reflected on the screen of the operation panel, so that a terminal device capable of displaying an electronic manual with higher user convenience than before can be realized.

[0019] In the terminal device according to this invention, the display unit may display an interlock setting button that accepts a setting of whether or not to enable interlocking between the operation panel of the device and the electronic manual application, and the control unit may, only when the interlocking is set to be enabled, cause the content of the electronic manual, which is predetermined to correspond to the content of the operation panel, to be displayed on the display unit.

[0020] In this way, when displaying an electronic manual for a device with an operation panel on a terminal device, the terminal device will display the corresponding page of the electronic manual in conjunction with the content displayed on the device's operation panel, only when the linkage setting with the operation panel is enabled. This makes it possible to realize a terminal device that can display electronic manuals with greater user convenience than before.

[0021] Furthermore, if a user selects a corresponding selection button displayed on the screen of the terminal device's electronic manual application, the selection result of the corresponding selection button may be reflected on the control panel screen only if the linkage setting with the control panel is enabled.

[0022] The invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description is illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0023] [Embodiment 1] Based on Figures 1 to 3, an image forming system 100 consisting of a mobile terminal 2, which is one embodiment of the terminal device of this invention, will be described.

[0024] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image forming system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the image forming system 100 consists of a digital multifunction printer 1, a mobile terminal 2, and a server 3 that are connected to each other via a wired or wireless network 4.

[0026] The digital multifunction device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this invention is a device such as a multifunction device or MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) that digitally processes image data and has copy, printer, scanner, and facsimile functions.

[0027] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the digital multifunction printer 1 shown in Figure 1.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the digital multifunction printer 1 comprises a control unit 10, an image data acquisition unit 11, an image forming unit 12, a storage unit 13, an image processing unit 14, a communication unit 15, and an operation panel 16.

[0029] <Outline configuration of digital multifunction printer 1> The following describes each component of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0030] The control unit 10 comprehensively controls the digital multifunction printer 1 and consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), various interface circuits, and the like. The control unit 10 monitors and controls all loads, including detection by each sensor, motor, clutch, and operation panel 16, in order to control the operation of the entire digital multifunction printer 1.

[0031] The image data acquisition unit 11 is the part that detects and reads documents placed on the document glass or documents transported from the document tray, and generates image data. Furthermore, the image data acquisition unit 11 may acquire image data recorded on a USB drive or the like, or image data from an external terminal via the communication unit 15.

[0032] The image forming unit 12 is the part that prints the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit 11 and processed by the image processing unit 14 onto paper.

[0033] The memory unit 13 is an element or storage medium that stores information and control programs necessary to realize the various functions of the digital multifunction printer 1. For example, semiconductor elements such as RAM and ROM, storage media such as hard disks, flash memory units, and SSDs are used.

[0034] The memory unit 13 stores data necessary for job execution, such as information related to printing jobs and image data. Furthermore, the memory unit 13 stores the executed job data as history information. Furthermore, the memory unit 13 stores information such as the user's login name and password, which are stored for user authentication.

[0035] Furthermore, the data may be stored in different devices, such as a hard disk drive for the data storage area and a flash memory unit for the program storage area.

[0036] The image processing unit 14 is the part that, based on the analysis results of job commands such as printing acquired through the operation unit 162, converts the image data input from the image data acquisition unit 11 into appropriate electrical signals and processes them to make them suitable for output such as enlargement and reduction.

[0037] The communication unit 15 is the part that communicates with mobile terminals 2 and the like via a network and sends and receives various information.

[0038] The operation panel 16 consists of a display panel made of a liquid crystal panel or the like, and a touch panel, such as a capacitive type, which is placed on top of the display panel and detects the position where a finger is touched, and includes a display unit 161 and an operation unit 162.

[0039] The display unit 161 is the part that displays various types of information. The display unit 161 is composed of, for example, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, or an EL display, and is a display device such as a monitor or line display for displaying electronic data such as processing status by the operating system or application software.

[0040] The control unit 10 displays the operation and status of the digital multifunction printer 1 through the display unit 161.

[0041] The control unit 162 is an interface for operating the digital multifunction printer 1 and is the part that receives commands from the user.

[0042] <Outline configuration of mobile device 2> Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the mobile terminal 2 in Figure 1.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the mobile terminal 2 comprises a control unit 20, a storage unit 21, an image processing unit 22, a communication unit 23, and an operation panel 24.

[0044] The following describes each component of the mobile device 2.

[0045] The control unit 20 comprehensively controls the mobile terminal 2 and consists of a CPU, RAM, ROM, various interface circuits, and the like.

[0046] The memory unit 21 is an element or storage medium that stores information and control programs necessary to realize various functions of the mobile terminal 2. For example, semiconductor elements such as RAM and ROM, storage media such as hard disks, flash memory units, and SSDs are used.

[0047] The memory unit 21 stores data for the electronic manual application of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0048] The image processing unit 22 is the part that processes the image displayed on the display unit 241 in a way that is suitable for output such as enlargement or reduction, based on commands from the operation unit 242.

[0049] The communication unit 23 is the part that communicates with the digital multifunction printer 1 and the server 3, etc., via the network, and sends and receives various information such as screen information and electronic manuals.

[0050] The operation panel 24 consists of a display panel made of a liquid crystal panel or the like, and a touch panel, such as a capacitive type, which is placed on top of the display panel and detects the position where a finger is touched, and includes a display unit 241 and an operation unit 242.

[0051] The display unit 241 is the part that displays various types of information. The display unit 241 is composed of, for example, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, or an EL display, and is a display device such as a monitor or line display for displaying electronic data such as processing status by the operating system or application software.

[0052] The control unit 20 displays the operation and status of the mobile terminal 2 through the display unit 241.

[0053] The control unit 242 is an interface for operating the mobile terminal 2 and is the part that receives commands from the user.

[0054] <Outline configuration of Server 3> Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of server 3 in Figure 1.

[0055] As shown in Figure 4, the server 3 comprises a control unit 30, a storage unit 31, an image processing unit 32, a communication unit 33, a display unit 34, and an operation unit 35.

[0056] The following describes each component of Server 3.

[0057] The control unit 30 provides integrated control for the server 3 and consists of a CPU, RAM, ROM, various interface circuits, and the like.

[0058] The memory unit 31 is an element or storage medium that stores information and control programs necessary to realize the various functions of the server 3. For example, semiconductor elements such as RAM and ROM, storage media such as hard disks, flash memory units, and SSDs are used.

[0059] The memory unit 31 stores the data of the electronic manual for the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0060] The image processing unit 32 is the part that processes the image displayed on the display unit 34 in a way that is suitable for output such as enlargement and reduction, based on commands from the operation unit 35.

[0061] The communication unit 33 is the part that communicates with the digital multifunction printer 1 and the mobile terminal 2, etc., via the network and sends and receives various information such as screen information.

[0062] The display unit 34 has a display panel made of a liquid crystal panel or the like, and is the part that displays various kinds of information. The display unit 34 is composed of, for example, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, or an EL display, and is a display device such as a monitor or line display for displaying electronic data such as processing status by the operating system or application software.

[0063] The control unit 30 displays the operation and status of the mobile terminal 2 through the display unit 34.

[0064] The control unit 35 is an interface for operating the server 3 and is the part that receives commands from the management user.

[0065] <An example of display processing of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal 2, linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 1 of this invention.> Next, with reference to Figures 5 and 6, an example of the display processing of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal 2, linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, will be described in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 1 of this invention.

[0066] Figure 5 is a sequence diagram showing the display process of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, which is linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, in the image forming system 100 of Figure 1.

[0067] In step S1 of Figure 5, we assume that screen 1 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S1).

[0068] Here, in step S2, the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1 (step S2), and in the subsequent step S3, the user launches the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S3).

[0069] In the following step S4, when the user touches the "Read Instruction Manual" button on screen 1 (step S4), the digital multifunction printer 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information shown in image 1.

[0070] The electronic manual application requests content for screen 1 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 1, in step S5, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 1 on the display unit 241 (step S5).

[0071] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 and the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2. Figures 6(A) to (D) show the screens of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and Figures 6(E) to (H) show the screens of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 that correspond to the screens in Figures 6(A) to (D).

[0072] As shown in Figure 6(A), the basic screen for copy mode is displayed as screen 1 on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1. The basic screen displays buttons for "Read Instructions," "Number of Copies" and "Size," "Special Features," and "Start."

[0073] Here, after the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1, the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 is launched, and when the user touches the "Read Instruction Manual" button, the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 displays an explanation of the copy mode, "Copying can be performed on this screen," as shown in Figure 6(E).

[0074] Next, in step S6 of Figure 5, when the user touches the "Open Screen 1-1" button displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S6), the digital multifunction device 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of image 1-1.

[0075] The electronic manual application requests content for screen 1-1 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 1-1, in step S7, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 1-1 on the display unit 241 (step S7).

[0076] In the basic copy mode screen shown in Figure 6(A), when the user touches the "Special Functions" button, a list of special functions for copy mode is displayed on the control panel 16, as shown in Figure 6(B).

[0077] The special features include buttons for "N-up," "Staple," "Invert Black and White," "Zoom In / Out," "Skip Blank Pages," and "Poster." Additionally, a "Close" button is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen.

[0078] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6(F), the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 also displays details of each function, such as "N-up" and "staple," along with the message, "The following settings are available on this screen," as an explanation of the special functions of copy mode.

[0079] Furthermore, when the user touches the "N-up" button on the screen shown in Figure 6(B), a list of N-ups in copy mode is displayed on the control panel 16, as shown in Figure 6(C).

[0080] The N-up function displays options for "1-up," "2-up," "4-up," and "8-up," and also shows grayed-out setting buttons for "Sort Order" and "Border," as well as a "Close" button.

[0081] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(G), the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 displays a screen with illustrations and other explanations of what N-up, a special function of copy mode, is.

[0082] Furthermore, when the user selects the "4-up" button on the screen shown in Figure 6(C), the "sorting order" and "border" settings for the 4-up function are displayed as shown in Figure 6(D).

[0083] At this time, as shown in Figure 6(H), the message "The following related settings are available: Sort order, Border" is displayed in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2.

[0084] In this way, the electronic manual for the digital multifunction printer 1 is displayed on the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2, and the corresponding page of the electronic manual is displayed in conjunction with the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, thereby realizing an image forming system 100 that is more convenient for the user than conventional systems.

[0085] Generally, the control panel 16 of a digital multifunction printer 1 has a limited display area. Therefore, by displaying an electronic manual linked to the content displayed on the control panel 16 in an electronic manual application on a mobile device 2 such as a smartphone, users can refer to the corresponding page of the electronic manual while operating the control panel 16.

[0086] Although the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 1 includes a server 3, it may also be configured to not include a server 3 and instead request and display data from an electronic manual stored in the storage unit 15 of the digital multifunction printer 1. Alternatively, the electronic manual data may be downloaded directly to the mobile device 2 and displayed there.

[0087] [Embodiment 2] Next, with reference to Figures 7 and 8, an example of the display processing of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal 2, linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, will be described in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 2 of this invention.

[0088] The schematic configurations of the image forming system 100, digital multifunction printer 1, mobile terminal 2, and server 3 according to Embodiment 2 are the same as those in Figures 1 to 4 (Embodiment 1), so their explanation will be omitted.

[0089] Figure 7 is a sequence diagram showing the display process flow of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 in the image forming system 100 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0090] In the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 1, the corresponding page of the electronic manual on the mobile terminal 2 was displayed in conjunction with the display content on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1. On the other hand, in the image forming system 100 of the second embodiment, it is possible to enable or disable the linkage between the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 and the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2.

[0091] In step S11 of Figure 7, we assume that screen 1 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S11).

[0092] Here, in step S12, the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1 (step S12), and then in step S13, launches the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S13).

[0093] Next, in step S14, when the user enables the operation panel linkage in the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S14), the electronic manual application requests the current screen information from the digital multifunction device 1.

[0094] Next, when the digital multifunction printer 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of image 1, the electronic manual application requests content for screen 1 from the server 3.

[0095] When server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 1, in step S15, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 1 on the display unit 241 (step S15).

[0096] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 and the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2. Figures 8(A) to 8(C) show the screen of the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and Figures 8(E) to 8(H) show the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0097] As shown in Figure 8(A), screen 1 and the "Open screen 1-1" button are displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0098] Here, after the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1, when the user launches the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, the screen of the electronic manual application is displayed on the display unit 241 of the mobile terminal 2, as shown in Figure 8(E).

[0099] On the screen of the electronic manual application, the "Control Panel Linkage" setting is checked and enabled, and the explanation for Screen 1 and the "View Explanation for Screen 1-1" button are displayed.

[0100] Next, in step S16 of Figure 7, when the user touches the "Open Screen 1-1" button displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S16), the digital multifunction device 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of image 1-1.

[0101] The electronic manual application requests content for screen 1-1 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 1-1, in step S17, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 1-1 on the display unit 241 (step S17).

[0102] In the screen 1 shown in Figure 8(A), when the user touches the "Open Screen 1-1" button, screen 1-1 is displayed on the control panel 16, as shown in Figure 8(B).

[0103] Screen 1-1 displays the buttons "Open Screen 1-1-1", "Open Screen 1-1-2", and "Return to Screen 1".

[0104] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8(F), the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 also displays an explanation of screen 1-1, as well as buttons for "Open screen 1-1-1," "Open screen 1-1-2," and "Return to screen 1."

[0105] Next, in step S18 of Figure 7, the user disables the "operation panel linkage" in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 (step S18), and then in step S19, the user touches the link for the explanation for screen 1-1-1 (step S19).

[0106] At this time, the electronic manual application requests content for screen 1-1-1 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 1-1-1, in step S20, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 1-1-1 on the display unit 241 (step S20).

[0107] In Figure 8(F), assume that the user unchecked the "Operation Panel Linkage" setting on the screen of the electronic manual application on mobile terminal 2 to disable it, and then touched the "View Explanation for Screen 1-1-1" button.

[0108] At this time, as shown in Figure 8(G), the electronic manual application screen displays an explanation of screen 1-1-1 and a "Return to screen 1-1" button, but the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 remains displaying screen 1-1, as shown in Figure 8(B).

[0109] Next, in step S21 of Figure 7, when the user touches the "Open Screen 1-1-2" button displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S21), screen 1-1-2 is displayed. However, if the operation panel linkage is disabled, the screen of screen 1-1-2 will not be reflected in the electronic manual application.

[0110] In screen 1-1 of Figure 8(B), when the user touches the "Open screen 1-1-2" button, screen 1-1-2 is displayed on the control panel 16, as shown in Figure 8(C).

[0111] Screen 1-1-2 displays a "Return to Screen 1-1" button.

[0112] On the other hand, if the control panel linkage is disabled, the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 will not reflect the changes made to the screen on the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0113] Next, in step S22 of Figure 7, when the user enables "operation panel linkage" in the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S22), the electronic manual application requests the current screen information from the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0114] Next, when the digital multifunction printer 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of image 1-1-2, the electronic manual application requests content for screen 1-1-2 from the server 3.

[0115] When server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 1-1-2, in step S23, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 1-1-2 on the display unit 241 (step S23).

[0116] In Figure 8(G), when the user checks and enables the "Operation Panel Linkage" setting on the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, the explanation of screen 1-1-2 and the "Return to Screen 1-1" button will also be displayed on the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, as shown in Figure 8(H).

[0117] In this way, the electronic manual for the digital multifunction printer 1 is displayed on the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2, and only when the linkage setting with the operation panel 16 is enabled, the corresponding page of the electronic manual is displayed in conjunction with the content displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, thereby realizing an image forming system 100 that is more convenient for the user than conventional systems.

[0118] In Embodiment 2, the link setting button was displayed on the mobile terminal 2, but the link setting button may also be displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0119] Furthermore, the linkage between the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 and the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 may be configured to change whether or not the linkage should occur depending on how the button is pressed, for example, by linking only when the button is touched normally and not when it is pressed and held down.

[0120] [Embodiment 3] Next, based on Figures 9 to 13, an example of the display processing of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal 2, linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, will be described in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 3 of this invention.

[0121] The schematic configurations of the image forming system 100, digital multifunction printer 1, mobile terminal 2, and server 3 according to Embodiment 3 are the same as those in Figures 1 to 4 (Embodiment 1), so their explanation will be omitted.

[0122] In the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 1, the page of the electronic manual on the mobile terminal 2 corresponding to the screen was displayed solely by touch operation on the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0123] On the other hand, in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 2, pressing and holding any setting button on the screen of the digital multifunction printer 1 will also display the page of the electronic manual on the mobile terminal 2 corresponding to that setting button.

[0124] Figure 9 is a sequence diagram showing the display process flow of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal 2, which is linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, in an image forming system 100 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0125] In step S31 of Figure 9, we assume that screen 2 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S31).

[0126] Here, in step S32, the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1 (step S32), and in the following step S33, the user launches the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S33).

[0127] In the following step S34, when the user touches the "Read Instruction Manual" button on screen 2 (step S34), the digital multifunction printer 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information shown in image 2.

[0128] The electronic manual application requests content for screen 2 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 2, in step S35, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 2 on the display unit 241 (step S35).

[0129] Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the process when "Read Instruction Manual" is touched, in relation to the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 according to Embodiment 3 of this invention and the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2. Figures 10(A) and 10(B) show the screen of the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and Figures 10(C) and 10(D) show the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0130] As shown in Figure 10(A), screen 2 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1. Screen 2 displays the buttons "Read Instruction Manual," "Setting 2-1," "Setting 2-2," and "Setting 2-3."

[0131] Here, after the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1, the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 is launched, and when the user touches the "Read Instruction Manual" button, the explanation of screen 2 is displayed on the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, as shown in Figure 10(C).

[0132] In the example shown in Figure 10(C), the control panel linkage setting is enabled, and the buttons "Open Setting 2-1," "Open Setting 2-2," and "Open Setting 2-3" are displayed along with an explanation of Screen 2.

[0133] When the user clicks the "Open Settings 2-1" button, the Settings 2-1 screen is displayed on the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, as shown in Figure 10(B).

[0134] In the example in Figure 10(B), three options are displayed: "Option 1," "Option 2," and "Option 3," with "Cancel" and "OK" buttons below them.

[0135] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(D), the screen from setting 2-1 is also reflected in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2.

[0136] In the example shown in Figure 10(D), the control panel linkage setting is enabled, and three options, "Option 1," "Option 2," and "Option 3," are displayed, with "Cancel" and "OK" buttons below them.

[0137] Figure 11 is a sequence diagram showing the process when "Setting 2-1" is pressed and held in the display processing of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, which is linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, in the image forming system 100 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0138] In step S41 of Figure 11, we assume that screen 2 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S41).

[0139] Here, in step S42, the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1 (step S42), and in the following step S43, the user launches the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S43).

[0140] In the following step S44, when the user long-presses the "Setting 2-1" button on screen 2 (step S44), the digital multifunction printer 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the setting information for Setting 2-1.

[0141] The electronic manual application requests content for setting 2-1 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for setting 2-1, in step S45, the electronic manual application displays the explanatory content for setting 2-1 on the display unit 241 (step S45).

[0142] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the process when "Settings 2-1" is pressed and held, in relation to the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 according to Embodiment 3 of this invention and the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2. Figures 12(A) and 12(B) show the screen of the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and Figures 12(C) and 12(D) show the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0143] As shown in Figure 12(A), screen 2 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1. Screen 2 displays the buttons "Read Instruction Manual," "Setting 2-1," "Setting 2-2," and "Setting 2-3."

[0144] Here, after the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1, the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 is launched, and when the user long-presses the "Setting 2-1" button, the explanation of Setting 2-1 is displayed in the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, as shown in Figure 12(C).

[0145] In the example shown in Figure 12(C), the control panel linkage setting is enabled, and the "Open Setting 2-1" button is displayed along with an explanation of Setting 2-1.

[0146] When the user touches the "Open Settings 2-1" button, the Settings 2-1 screen is displayed on the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, as shown in Figure 12(B).

[0147] In the example in Figure 12(B), three options are displayed: "Option 1," "Option 2," and "Option 3," with "Cancel" and "OK" buttons below them.

[0148] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12(D), the screen from setting 2-1 is also reflected in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2.

[0149] In the example shown in Figure 12(D), the control panel linkage setting is enabled, and three options, "Option 1," "Option 2," and "Option 3," are displayed, with "Cancel" and "OK" buttons below them.

[0150] Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 according to Embodiment 3 of this invention and the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2. Figures 13(A) to (D) show the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and Figures 13(E) to (G) show the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0151] As shown in Figure 13(A), the basic screen for copy mode is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1. The basic screen displays buttons for "Read Instructions," "Number of Copies" and "Size," "Special Features," and "Start."

[0152] Here, we assume that after the user has paired mobile device 2 with digital multifunction printer 1, the electronic manual application on mobile device 2 has been launched.

[0153] Next, when the user long-presses the "Special Functions" button on the basic copy mode screen displayed on the control panel 16, a screen explaining the special functions is displayed in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2, as shown in Figure 13(E).

[0154] In the example in Figure 13(E), the "Open Special Functions" button is displayed, and a list of buttons for special functions such as "N-up" and "Staple" is shown under the heading "The following settings are available on this screen."

[0155] If the user touches the "Special Functions" button on the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1, a list of special functions for copy mode will be displayed on the control panel 16, as shown in Figure 13(B).

[0156] Furthermore, if the "Open Special Functions" button is touched in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 shown in Figure 13(E), the list of special functions shown in Figure 13(B) will be displayed on the operation panel 16.

[0157] On the screen listing the special features, the buttons "N-up," "Staple," "Invert Black and White," "Scale," "Skip Blank Pages," and "Poster" are displayed. Additionally, a "close" button is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen.

[0158] Next, when the user touches the "N-up" button on the screen shown in Figure 13(B), a list of N-ups in copy mode is displayed on the control panel 16, as shown in Figure 13(C).

[0159] Furthermore, when the "N-up" button is touched in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 shown in Figure 13(E), the list of special functions shown in Figure 13(C) is displayed on the control panel 16.

[0160] On the N-up function screen, one of the following options will be displayed: "1-up," "2-up," "4-up," and "8-up." The grayed-out settings buttons for "Sort Order" and "Border," as well as the "Close" button, will also be displayed.

[0161] At this time, as shown in Figure 13(F), the corresponding screen is displayed in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 along with an explanation of N-up.

[0162] Furthermore, in the screen shown in Figure 13(C), when the user selects the "4-up" button, As shown in Figure 13(G), the "4-up" button is also selected in the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0163] In this way, by displaying the electronic manual for the digital multifunction printer 1 on the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2, and by displaying the corresponding explanation page on the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 when each button on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 is pressed and held, an image forming system 100 with greater user convenience than conventional systems can be realized.

[0164] [Embodiment 4] Next, with reference to Figures 14 and 15, an example of the display processing of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 linked to the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 will be described in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0165] The schematic configurations of the image forming system 100, digital multifunction printer 1, mobile terminal 2, and server 3 according to Embodiment 4 are the same as those in Figures 1 to 4 (Embodiment 1), so their explanation will be omitted.

[0166] In the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 1, the selection made on the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 was reflected on the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 corresponding to that screen.

[0167] On the other hand, in the image forming system 100 of Embodiment 4, even when an option is selected from the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2, the selection result is reflected on the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0168] Figure 14 is a sequence diagram showing the display process flow of an electronic manual application on a mobile terminal 2, which is linked to the display content of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, in an image forming system 100 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0169] In step S51 of Figure 14, we assume that screen 2 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S51).

[0170] Here, in step S52, the user pairs the mobile terminal 2 with the digital multifunction printer 1 (step S52), and then in step S53, launches the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S53).

[0171] Next, in step S54, when the user enables the operation panel linkage in the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S54), the electronic manual application requests the current screen information from the digital multifunction printer 1.

[0172] Next, when the digital multifunction printer 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of image 1, the electronic manual application requests content for screen 2 from the server 3.

[0173] When server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 2, in step S55, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 2 on the display unit 241 (step S55).

[0174] Next, in step S56, when the user touches the "Screen 2-1" button displayed on the control panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 (step S56), in step S57, the digital multifunction device 1 displays Screen 2-1 on the control panel 16 (step S57) and notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of Screen 2-1.

[0175] The electronic manual application requests content for screen 2-1 from server 3, and when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 2-1, in step S58, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 2-1 on the display unit 241 (step S58).

[0176] Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 according to Embodiment 4 of this invention and the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2. Figures 15(A) and 15(B) show the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and Figures 15(C) to 15(E) show the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0177] In the example in Figure 15(A), three options are displayed: "Option 1," "Option 2," and "Option 3," with "Cancel" and "OK" buttons below them.

[0178] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15(C), the screen from setting 2-1 is also reflected in the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2.

[0179] In the example shown in Figure 15(C), the control panel linkage setting is enabled, and three options, "Option 1," "Option 2," and "Option 3," are displayed, with "Cancel" and "OK" buttons below them.

[0180] Next, in step S59 of Figure 14, the user selects "Option 3" on the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2 (step S59), and in the following step S60, the user touches the "OK" button (step S60).

[0181] At this point, in step S61, the user's selection result in the electronic manual application is reflected on the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 (step S61).

[0182] In the following step S62, the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction device 1 returns to screen 2 (step S62), and when the digital multifunction device 1 notifies the electronic manual application of the screen information of screen 2, the electronic manual application requests content for screen 2 from the server 3.

[0183] Then, when server 3 notifies the electronic manual application of the content for screen 2, in step S63, the electronic manual application displays the content for screen 2 on the display unit 241 (step S63).

[0184] In Figure 15(D), assume that the user selected "Option 3" on the screen of the electronic manual application on mobile terminal 2 and then touched the "OK" button.

[0185] At this time, as shown in Figure 15(B), screen 2 is displayed on the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1, and as shown in Figure 15(E), it is reflected on the screen of the electronic manual application on the mobile terminal 2.

[0186] In this way, by displaying the electronic manual for the digital multifunction printer 1 on the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2, and by ensuring that the selection result is reflected on the screen of the operation panel 16 of the digital multifunction printer 1 when an option displayed on the screen of the electronic manual application of the mobile terminal 2 is selected, an image forming system 100 with higher user convenience than conventional systems can be realized.

[0187] Preferred embodiments of this invention include combinations of any of the embodiments described above.

[0188] In addition to the embodiments described above, various modifications of this invention are possible. These modifications should not be considered outside the scope of this invention. This invention should include the meaning of equivalence to the claims and all variations within that scope. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0189] 1: Digital multifunction printer, 2: Mobile terminal, 3: Server, 4: Network, 10, 20, 30: Control unit, 11: Image data acquisition unit, 12: Image forming unit, 13, 21, 31: Storage unit, 14, 22, 32: Image processing unit, 15, 23, 33: Communication unit, 16, 24: Operation panel, 100: Image forming system, 34, 161, 241: Display unit, 35, 162, 242: Operation unit

Claims

1. A communication unit that transmits and receives various data with external devices equipped with an operation panel, A display unit that shows various information to the user, An operating unit that receives user input, A storage unit that holds a program for an electronic manual application that displays the electronic manual of the aforementioned device on the display unit, The system comprises a control unit that controls the communication unit, the display unit, the operation unit, and the storage unit, When the electronic manual application is running, the control unit causes the communication unit to receive data of the display contents of the operation panel of the device, and displays the predetermined contents of the electronic manual on the display unit, corresponding to the display contents of the operation panel. If the display content of the operation panel includes selection buttons that accept user selections, the display unit will display corresponding selection buttons that correspond to the content of the electronic manual, which is predetermined in accordance with the display content of the operation panel. The terminal device is characterized in that, when the control unit receives a selection from the corresponding selection button while the display unit is displaying the electronic manual, the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit a command to the device to reflect the selection result of the corresponding selection button.

2. The communication unit receives the display command for the electronic manual received on the operation panel of the device, The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein when the communication unit receives a command to display the electronic manual, the control unit causes the communication unit to receive data of the display contents of the operation panel of the device, and displays the predetermined electronic manual on the display unit in accordance with the display contents of the operation panel.

3. The display unit displays an interlock setting button that accepts a setting whether or not to enable interlocking between the device's operation panel and the electronic manual application. The terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit causes the contents of the electronic manual, which are predetermined to correspond to the contents of the operation panel, to be displayed on the display unit only when the interlocking is set to be enabled.

4. A communication step that transmits and receives various data with an external device equipped with an operation panel, A display step that shows various information to the user, An operation step that accepts user input, The system includes a storage step that holds a program for an electronic manual application that displays the electronic manual of the aforementioned device in the display step, In the communication step, if the electronic manual application is running, the data of the display content of the device's operation panel is received, and in the display step, the content of the electronic manual, predetermined to correspond to the display content of the operation panel, is displayed. In the display step, if the display content of the operation panel includes selection buttons that accept user selections, the corresponding selection buttons corresponding to the content of the electronic manual predetermined in relation to the display content of the operation panel are displayed. An electronic manual display method characterized in that, while the electronic manual is being displayed, if the selection of the corresponding selection button is received in the operation step, a command is transmitted to the device in the communication step to reflect the selection result of the corresponding selection button.

Images