Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an image formation apparatus which can display a setting screen with a simple operation to a user interface in a lock state.SOLUTION: A controller 23 shifts a user IF22 to a lock state according to an operation received to a standby screen 40. The controller 23 is turned into the temporary release state where a setting screen is displayed on the user IF22 when a temporary release operation for temporarily releasing the lock state is performed during the lock state, and then returns to the lock state when the user IF22 finishes display of the setting screen and displays the standby screen 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising a user interface, memory, and a controller, The aforementioned controller, The image formation process can be executed according to the setting values ​​stored in the memory. The aforementioned user interface includes a standby screen display process that displays a standby screen including a screen display icon, On the standby screen, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface in response to the operation of the screen display icon, and a setting value storage process is performed to store the setting value in the memory in response to the operation received on the settings screen. The aforementioned controller, In response to an operation received on the standby screen, a lock state transition process is executed to transition the user interface to a locked state, the locked state being a state in which the settings screen is not displayed on the user interface even if the screen display icon is operated. The aforementioned controller, If a temporary release operation is performed to temporarily release the lock state while the lock state is in effect, the system enters a temporary release state in which the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Subsequently, when the user interface finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, a first release process is executed to return to the lock state. The aforementioned controller, If the lock state is released by a specific operation on the standby screen while the lock state is in effect, a second release process is executed to display the settings screen on the user interface, wherein the specific operation is different from the temporary release operation. In the second release process, once the lock state is released, the system is configured such that even if the user interface subsequently terminates the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it will not revert to the lock state. In the second release process, the specific operation on the standby screen is to operate the unlock icon displayed on the standby screen while the screen is locked, in an image forming apparatus.

2. In the first release process, If the screen display icon is operated while the lock state is in place, the temporary release operation is accepted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, configured such that when the temporary release operation is received, it enters the temporary release state, and thereafter, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it returns to the locked state.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the first release process, the temporary release operation is an operation to input authentication information.

4. An image forming apparatus comprising a user interface, memory, and a controller, The aforementioned controller, The image formation process can be executed according to the setting values ​​stored in the memory. The aforementioned user interface includes a standby screen display process that displays a standby screen including a screen display icon, On the standby screen, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface in response to the operation of the screen display icon, and a setting value storage process is performed to store the setting value in the memory in response to the operation received on the settings screen. The aforementioned controller, In response to an operation received on the standby screen, a lock state transition process is executed to transition the user interface to a locked state, the locked state being a state in which the settings screen is not displayed on the user interface even if the screen display icon is operated. The aforementioned controller, If a temporary release operation is performed to temporarily release the locked state, the system enters a temporary release state where the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Subsequently, when the user interface finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, a first release process is executed to return to the locked state. In the first release process, the temporary release operation is performed by operating the unlock icon displayed on the standby screen while the device is locked.

5. In the first release process, If the unlock icon is operated while the lock state is in place, the temporary unlock operation is accepted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, configured such that when the temporary release operation is received, it enters the temporary release state, and thereafter, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it returns to the locked state.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in the first release process, the temporary release operation is an operation to input authentication information.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising a user interface, memory, and a controller, The aforementioned controller, The image formation process can be executed according to the setting values ​​stored in the memory. The aforementioned user interface includes a standby screen display process that displays a standby screen including a screen display icon, On the standby screen, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface in response to the operation of the screen display icon, and a setting value storage process is performed to store the setting value in the memory in response to the operation received on the settings screen. The aforementioned controller, In response to an operation received on the standby screen, a lock state transition process is executed to transition the user interface to a locked state, the locked state being a state in which the settings screen is not displayed on the user interface even if the screen display icon is operated. The aforementioned controller, If a temporary release operation is performed to temporarily release the locked state, the system enters a temporary release state where the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Subsequently, when the user interface finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, a first release process is executed to return to the locked state. The aforementioned controller, Depending on the received operation, the lock function can be switched between on and off. When the lock function is on, the state of the user interface can be switched between the locked state and the unlocked state. When the lock function is off, the state of the user interface cannot be switched between the locked state and the unlocked state. In the first release process, If the lock function is on and the lock state is active, when the temporary release operation is performed, the state will be temporarily released. Subsequently, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, the state will return to the lock state. The lock function is turned off, and when the screen display icon is operated, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Even if the user interface then finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, the system is not locked. The aforementioned controller, When the lock function is off, if the operation to switch the lock function from off to on is performed on the settings screen, the lock function will be set to on. When the lock function is turned on, the settings screen can accept an operation to switch the state of the user interface from the locked state to the unlocked state. In the first release process, if the lock function is on and the temporary release operation is performed, the system enters the temporary release state, and then, when the user interface finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, the system returns to the locked state. If the settings screen accepts an operation to switch the user interface state from the locked state to the unlocked state, then even if the user interface subsequently terminates the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it will remain in the unlocked state. An image forming apparatus configured as follows.

8. In the first release process, If the screen display icon is operated while the lock state is in place, the temporary release operation is accepted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, configured such that when the temporary release operation is received, it enters the temporary release state, and thereafter, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it returns to the locked state.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the first release process, the temporary release operation is an operation to input authentication information.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising a user interface, memory, and a controller, The aforementioned controller, The image formation process can be executed according to the setting values ​​stored in the memory. The aforementioned user interface includes a standby screen display process that displays a standby screen including a screen display icon, On the standby screen, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface in response to the operation of the screen display icon, and a setting value storage process is performed to store the setting value in the memory in response to the operation received on the settings screen. The aforementioned controller, In response to an operation received on the standby screen, a lock state transition process is executed to transition the user interface to a locked state, the locked state being a state in which the settings screen is not displayed on the user interface even if the screen display icon is operated. The aforementioned controller, If a temporary release operation is performed to temporarily release the locked state, the system enters a temporary release state where the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Subsequently, when the user interface finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, a first release process is executed to return to the locked state. The aforementioned controller, Depending on the received operation, the lock function can be switched between on and off. When the lock function is on, the state of the user interface can be switched between the locked state and the unlocked state. When the lock function is off, the state of the user interface cannot be switched between the locked state and the unlocked state. In the first release process, If the lock function is on and the lock state is active, when the temporary release operation is performed, the state will be temporarily released. Subsequently, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, the state will return to the lock state. The lock function is turned off, and when the screen display icon is operated, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Even if the user interface then finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, the system is not locked. The aforementioned controller, If it is possible to accept an operation to switch the state of the user interface from the unlocked state to the locked state, then the operation to transition the user interface to the locked state will be accepted. If it is not possible to accept an operation to switch the state of the user interface from the locked state to the unlocked state, the operation to transition the user interface to the locked state will not be accepted. An image forming apparatus configured as follows.

11. In the first release process, If the screen display icon is operated while the lock state is in place, the temporary release operation is accepted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, configured such that when the temporary release operation is received, it enters the temporary release state, and thereafter, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it returns to the locked state.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein in the first release process, the temporary release operation is an operation to input authentication information.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising a user interface, memory, and a controller, The aforementioned controller, The image formation process can be executed according to the setting values ​​stored in the memory. The aforementioned user interface includes a standby screen display process that displays a standby screen including a screen display icon, On the standby screen, the settings screen is displayed on the user interface in response to the operation of the screen display icon, and a setting value storage process is performed to store the setting value in the memory in response to the operation received on the settings screen. The aforementioned controller, In response to an operation received on the standby screen, a lock state transition process is executed to transition the user interface to a locked state, the locked state being a state in which the settings screen is not displayed on the user interface even if the screen display icon is operated. The aforementioned controller, If a temporary release operation is performed to temporarily release the locked state, the system enters a temporary release state where the settings screen is displayed on the user interface. Subsequently, when the user interface finishes displaying the settings screen and displays the standby screen, a first release process is executed to return to the locked state. In the aforementioned standby screen display process, a lock icon is displayed on the standby screen while the screen is unlocked. When the lock icon is operated, the controller transitions the user interface to a locked state. An image forming apparatus configured as follows.

14. In the first release process, If the screen display icon is operated while the lock state is in place, the temporary release operation is accepted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, configured such that when the temporary release operation is received, it enters the temporary release state, and thereafter, when the user interface ends the display of the settings screen and displays the standby screen, it returns to the locked state.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein in the first release process, the temporary release operation is an operation to input authentication information.

16. In the aforementioned waiting screen display process, The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, configured to display the lock icon in a first mode, and if a predetermined time has elapsed since the lock icon was displayed in the first mode without the lock icon being operated, change the mode of the lock icon to a second mode different from the first mode.

17. In the standby screen display process, the lock icon is displayed on the standby screen in the first form, including a mark and text. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, configured such that if a predetermined time elapses after the lock icon is displayed without the lock icon being operated, the form of the lock icon is changed to the second form, which consists only of a mark.

18. In the aforementioned waiting screen display process, The lock icon is displayed in the first configuration, where it is placed in the first display area on the standby screen. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, configured such that after the lock icon is displayed in the first display area, and a predetermined time has elapsed without any operation being performed on the lock icon, the lock icon is moved from the first display area to a second display area different from the first display area and displayed in the second manner.

Images