Image forming apparatus and control method

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that can display a notification according to display contents.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: a display that displays a display screen according to a mode; an acquisition unit that acquires the details of a notification according to the mode; and a control unit that controls to display the acquired details of the notification on the display screen together with display contents of the mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, image forming apparatuses that output images by an electrophotographic method, such as multifunction devices and printers, have been used. Also, technologies for displaying information related to an image forming apparatus have been proposed.

[0003] For example, there has been proposed an information processing apparatus that receives notification information transmitted from an external device, identifies a UI mode displayed on a screen of a specific display unit, and when the first UI mode is identified, displays the notification information on a display screen in the first UI mode, and when the second UI mode is identified, displays the notification information on a display screen in the second UI mode (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When a notification is displayed on an operation screen of an image forming apparatus, when a notification unrelated to the situation of the image forming apparatus occurs, unnecessary notifications are displayed to the user. As a result, it is considered that the convenience of the image forming apparatus is impaired. Therefore, control for displaying the content of a notification according to the display content on the operation screen is required. However, in Patent Document 1, such control is not considered.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an image forming apparatus and the like capable of displaying a notification according to display content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the image forming apparatus according to this disclosure is characterized by comprising: a display unit that displays a display screen according to a mode; an acquisition unit that acquires the content of a notification according to the mode; and a control unit that controls the display of the acquired content of the notification together with the display content of the mode on the display screen.

[0008] Furthermore, the control method relating to this disclosure is a control method for an image forming apparatus equipped with a display unit that displays a display screen according to a mode, and is characterized by including the steps of: acquiring the content of a notification according to the mode; and displaying the acquired content of the notification together with the display content of the mode on the display screen. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, it will be possible to display notifications that correspond to the content being displayed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating an example of home screen information in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of notification information in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the main processing flow of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the home screen display process in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the screen display process for selecting the operation mode in the first embodiment. [Figure 8]This is a diagram showing an operation example in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the first embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the first embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a diagram for explaining the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a diagram for explaining an example of the data structure of user information in the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a diagram for explaining an example of the data structure of notification information in the second embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the main process of the image forming apparatus in the second embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the login screen display process in the second embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the second embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the second embodiment. / / 这里推测可能是原格式问题,保留原样 [Figure 20] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the third embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a diagram showing an operation example in the third embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment for implementing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are examples for explaining the present disclosure, and the technical scope of the invention described in the claims is not limited to the following description.

[0012] [1. First Embodiment] [1.1 Functional Configuration] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0013] The image forming apparatus 10 is a digital multifunction device (MFP; Multi-Function Peripheral / Printer) that has functions such as copying, printing, scanning, and email sending. As shown in Figure 2, the image forming apparatus 10 is composed of a control unit 100, an image input unit 120, an image forming unit 130, a display unit 140, an operation unit 150, a storage unit 160, a line communication unit 180, and a network communication unit 190.

[0014] The control unit 100 is a functional unit for controlling the entire image forming apparatus 10. The control unit 100 realizes various functions by reading and executing various programs stored in the storage unit 160, and is composed of, for example, one or more arithmetic units (CPU (Central Processing Unit)).

[0015] The image input unit 120 inputs image data to the image forming apparatus 10. For example, the image input unit 120 is composed of a scanner device capable of reading images and generating image data. The scanner device converts images into electrical signals using an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CIS (Contact Image Sensor), and generates digital data by quantizing and encoding the electrical signals. The image input unit 120 may also be composed of an interface (terminal) for reading image data stored in a storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or an SD card. Alternatively, the image input unit 120 may receive image data from other devices via the network communication unit 190.

[0016] The image forming unit 130 forms (prints) an image on a recording medium such as recording paper. The image forming unit 130 is composed of a printing device such as a laser printer using an electrophotographic method. For example, the image forming unit 130 feeds recording paper from the paper feed tray 132 in Figure 1, forms an image on the surface of the recording paper, and ejects the recording paper from the paper output tray 134.

[0017] The display unit 140 displays various information. The display unit 140 is composed of a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel, or a microLED (Light Emitting Diode) display.

[0018] The operation unit 150 receives operation instructions from the user of the image forming apparatus 10. The operation unit 150 is composed of input devices such as various key switches and touch sensors that detect input by contact (touch). The method of detecting input in the touch sensor can be any common detection method, such as resistive, infrared, electromagnetic induction, or capacitive. The image forming apparatus 10 may also be equipped with a touch panel in which the display unit 140 and the operation unit 150 are integrally formed.

[0019] The memory unit 160 stores various programs and data necessary for the operation of the image forming apparatus 10. The memory unit 160 is composed of storage devices such as a semiconductor memory SSD (Solid State Drive) or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0020] The memory unit 160 stores the home screen information 162. The memory unit 160 also reserves a screen information storage area 164 and a notification information storage area 166 as storage areas.

[0021] Home screen information 162 is information that indicates the content displayed on the home screen. The home screen is a screen that allows the user to select a function provided by the image forming apparatus 10. Home screen information 162 is a table that stores, for example, a function provided by the image forming apparatus 10 (e.g., "Simple Copy") and a display flag (e.g., "Yes") indicating whether or not to display a button for using that function, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, the contents of the display flag stored in the table may be modified (customized) by the administrator of the image forming apparatus 10, etc. In addition, home screen information 162 may also store the layout of the home screen, the color scheme, and display elements. Display elements are elements such as buttons, text, fields, and icons that are displayed on the screen.

[0022] The screen information storage area 164 is an area where information indicating the display content of screens other than the home screen (screen information) is stored. Screen information is, for example, information that associates an operating mode with information about the screen displayed in that operating mode (e.g., layout, color scheme, display elements, etc.). The operating mode is a state that is maintained internally by the image forming apparatus 10 in order to operate a specific function among the functions provided by the image forming apparatus 10.

[0023] The screen information is stored in the image forming apparatus 10 in advance. Furthermore, the screen information may be modified (customized) by the administrator of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0024] The notification information storage area 166 is an area where information related to notifications (notification information) is stored. In this embodiment, a notification refers to information indicating the status of the image forming apparatus 10, or information necessary for management, which is communicated to the user of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0025] The notification information stores, for example, the notification content (e.g., "Retention data is available.") and the corresponding operating mode (e.g., "Simple Copy") that indicates the operating mode related to the notification content, as shown in Figure 4.

[0026] Notification information may include notification content that is not associated with a specific operating mode. Notification content not associated with a specific operating mode is represented, for example, by notification information in which the corresponding operating mode does not store information about a specific operating mode, as shown in D100 in Figure 4.

[0027] The communication unit 180 communicates with external devices via a public network (for example, a regular telephone line). The communication unit 180 is composed of, for example, terminals into which a cable that can be connected to a public network can be inserted.

[0028] The network communication unit 190 communicates with external devices via a LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network). The network communication unit 190 is composed of communication devices and communication modules, such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) used in wired / wireless LANs.

[0029] Furthermore, the control unit 100 functions as an image processing unit 102 and a notification information management unit 104 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 160.

[0030] The image processing unit 102 performs various image-related processing. For example, the image processing unit 102 performs sharpening and grayscale conversion processing on the image read by the image input unit 120.

[0031] The notification information management unit 104 manages notification information by storing notification information in the notification information storage area 166 and deleting notification information stored in the notification information storage area 166.

[0032] For example, the notification information management unit 104 monitors whether the image forming apparatus 10 is in a normal state. If the image forming apparatus 10 is not in a normal state, the notification information management unit 104 stores notification information indicating that it is not in a normal state in the notification information storage area 166, and when it returns to a normal state, it deletes the corresponding notification information from the notification information storage area 166.

[0033] The image forming apparatus 10 is not in a normal state in the following cases, for example: When the ADF (Auto Document Feeder) cover or the toner cartridge compartment cover is open. When a paper jam occurs When the paper runs out. • When the toner runs out When there is a network failure

[0034] Furthermore, the notification information management unit 104 may store information based on the state of the image forming apparatus 10 as notification information in the notification information storage area 166. Information based on the state of the image forming apparatus 10 may include, for example, the following: • When the toner is almost empty. • When the paper is nearly out (near end of paper) When you receive a facsimile

[0035] Furthermore, the notification information management unit 104 may store information regarding the usage status of the image forming apparatus 10 as notification information in the notification information storage area 166. For example, the notification information management unit 104 may store information such as how to operate the image forming apparatus 10 and an introduction to the functions of the image forming apparatus 10 as notification information in the notification information storage area 166 until a predetermined period has elapsed since the image forming apparatus 10 began to be used. In addition, the notification information management unit 104 may store information such as the need to replace a part of the image forming apparatus 10 (for example, the photoreceptor drum) as notification information in the notification information storage area 166 after a predetermined period has elapsed since the image forming apparatus 10 began to be used.

[0036] Furthermore, the notification information management unit 104 may receive notification content and information on the operating mode corresponding to said notification content based on the operation of the administrator or other person of the image forming apparatus 10, and store the notification information based on the received information in the notification information storage area 166.

[0037] [1.2 Processing Flow] The main processes performed by the control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 10 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. The processes shown in Figures 5 to 7 are performed, for example, by the control unit 100 reading a program stored in the storage unit 160.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the power is turned on or when the device resumes from sleep mode or low power mode, the control unit 100 will be described as switching the operating mode to home screen display mode, which is the mode in which the home screen is displayed.

[0039] [1.2.1 Main Processing] First, let's explain the main process shown in Figure 5. The main process is executed by the control unit 100 when the operating mode is switched.

[0040] First, the control unit 100 determines whether the operating mode of the image forming apparatus 10 is the home screen display mode (step S100). If the control unit 100 determines that the operating mode is the home screen display mode, it executes a home screen display process, which is the process of displaying the home screen on the display unit 140 (step S100; Yes → step S102). The home screen display process will be described later.

[0041] On the other hand, if the control unit 100 determines that the operating mode is not the home screen display mode, it determines whether or not it is the selected operation mode, which is a mode for operating a predetermined function (step S100; No → step S104).

[0042] The selected operation mode is the operation mode selected by the user via the home screen. Selected operation modes include, for example, a copy mode for operating the copy function, a fax mode for transmitting images via the line communication unit 180, and a scanner mode for transmitting scanned images via the image input unit 120 to another device.

[0043] If the control unit 100 determines that the operating mode is a selected operating mode, it executes a selected operating mode screen display process, which is a process that displays a screen on which settings can be made to operate the functions corresponding to that operating mode (step S104; Yes → step S106). The selected operating mode screen display process will be described later.

[0044] Furthermore, if the control unit 100 determines that the operating mode is not a selected operating mode, it terminates the main processing (step S104; No).

[0045] [1.2.2 Home screen display processing] Referring to Figure 6, the home screen display process will be explained. First, the control unit 100 obtains home screen information 162 from the storage unit 160 (step S140). Furthermore, the control unit 100 reads the notification information storage area 166 of the storage unit 160 to obtain all notification information stored in the notification information storage area 166 (step S142).

[0046] Next, the control unit 100 reserves an information area within the display area of ​​the display unit 140 (step S144). The information area is an area for displaying the notification content included in the notification information.

[0047] In this case, since the operating mode is the home screen display mode, the control unit 100 reserves an information area according to the screen displayed on the home screen. For example, if the home screen includes an area for displaying a button (operating mode button) that is selected by the user to switch the operating mode, the control unit 100 reserves an area of ​​a predetermined size as an information area within the area for displaying the operating mode button. In this case, the size of the information area reserved by the control unit 100 may depend on the number of notification information items acquired in step S142 or the number of characters (display amount) in the notification content, or it may be a fixed size.

[0048] Next, the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification stored in the notification information acquired in step S142 in the information area reserved in step S144 (step S146). The control unit 100 also displays the home screen on the display unit 140 based on the home screen information 162 acquired in step S140 (step S148). As a result, display elements such as the operation mode button, text, and icons are displayed on the display unit 140. At this time, if the control unit 100 has reserved an information area, it displays the home screen corresponding to the reserved information area. For example, if an information area is reserved within the area for displaying the operation mode button, the control unit 100 displays the operation mode button in the area of ​​the area for displaying the operation mode button that is not the information area. As a result, the operation mode button and the content of the notification are displayed side by side on the home screen.

[0049] The control unit 100 can display the contents of the home screen (for example, display elements such as the operation mode button) and the contents of the notification on the display unit 140 by executing the processes from step S100 to step S148.

[0050] Next, the control unit 100 determines whether the operation mode button has been selected by the user (step S150). For example, the control unit 100 determines that the operation mode button has been selected if an operation is input via the operation unit 150 to touch the area where the operation mode button is displayed.

[0051] If the control unit 100 determines that an operation mode button has been selected, it switches to the operation mode corresponding to the selected operation mode button (step S150; Yes → step S152).

[0052] [1.2.3 Screen display processing for selected operation mode] Referring to Figure 7, the process of displaying the selected operation mode screen will be explained. First, the control unit 100 acquires screen information corresponding to the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 10 from the screen information storage area 164 of the storage unit 160 (step S170).

[0053] Next, the control unit 100 acquires notification information based on the operating mode of the image forming apparatus 10 (step S172). For example, the control unit 100 acquires the following notification information from the notification information storage area 166 of the storage unit 160. (1) Notification information that matches the current operating mode (2) Notification information not associated with a specific operating mode

[0054] Next, the control unit 100 secures an information area (step S174). In step S174, the operation mode is an operation mode for operating a predetermined function provided by the image forming apparatus 10. Therefore, unlike a screen that displays operation mode buttons such as a home screen, the control unit 100 displays a screen for receiving instructions to change the settings of the function or to execute a process.

[0055] For example, when the control unit 100 displays a screen based on the screen information acquired in step S170, it reserves an area for displaying (placing) elements such as buttons for setting, instead of an area for displaying the operation mode buttons. Therefore, when the control unit 100 displays a screen based on the screen information acquired in step S170, it reserves an information area in a different location from the area where elements such as buttons are displayed (placing). For example, the control unit 100 reserves an information area above the area where elements such as buttons are displayed (placing).

[0056] Next, the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification stored in the notification information acquired in step S172 in the information area reserved in step S174 (step S176).

[0057] Furthermore, the control unit 100 displays the operating mode screen on the display unit 140 based on the screen information acquired in step S170 (step S178). For example, the control unit 100 arranges display elements based on layout information and decorates display elements based on color scheme information.

[0058] By executing the processes from step S170 to step S178, the control unit 100 can display the display content (for example, display elements such as buttons for making settings) of the operation mode (selected operation mode) corresponding to the function selected by the user, and the content of the notification, on the display unit 140. In addition, in step S174, the control unit 100 reserves an information area according to the display screen corresponding to the selected operation mode, so that the notification can be displayed in an appropriate position.

[0059] Next, the control unit 100 displays a home button on the display unit 140 to switch to the home screen display mode (step S180). If the control unit 100 determines that the home button has been selected by the user, it switches the operating mode of the image forming apparatus 10 to the home screen display mode (step S182; Yes → step S184).

[0060] [1.3 Example of Operation] Next, an example of operation in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of the home screen W100 displayed on the display unit 140. The home screen W100 includes a status area E100 that displays the current operating mode and the status of the image forming apparatus 10, and an area E102 that displays the operating mode buttons.

[0061] The status area E100 may display temporary information based on the status of the image forming apparatus 10. The information displayed in the status area E100 may include, for example, the number and types of jobs scheduled to be executed, and the details of jobs that have been completed.

[0062] Furthermore, if all operation mode buttons cannot be displayed in area E102, the operation mode buttons displayed in area E102 may be switchable. For example, a button B100 for switching the display of operation mode buttons on the display unit 140 may be included in the home screen W100.

[0063] Figure 9(a) shows an example of the home screen W110 displayed on the display unit 140 when the content of a notification is displayed. In addition to the area E110 for displaying the operation mode button, the home screen W110 has an information area E112. The information area E112 displays the content of all notifications stored in the image forming apparatus 10.

[0064] If the content of all notifications cannot be displayed on the home screen W110, the information area E112 may be made scrollable, and the content of notifications may be displayed according to the user's scrolling operation. Alternatively, the content of notifications displayed in the information area E112 may be made switchable.

[0065] Furthermore, the allocation of information area E112 may reduce the number of operation mode buttons that can be displayed on the home screen W110. For example, in the home screen W100 shown in Figure 8, eight operation mode buttons are displayed in area E102. On the other hand, in the home screen W110 shown in Figure 9(a), four operation mode buttons are displayed in area E110. In this case, the operation mode buttons that are no longer displayed in area E110 may be displayed by a button B110 for switching the display of operation mode buttons in area E110. In other words, the operation mode buttons displayed on the home screen may be switched based on user operation.

[0066] Here, the operation mode buttons that disappear when the information area E112 is reserved are automatically determined by the image forming apparatus 10 (control unit 100) according to the display order of the operation mode buttons. Alternatively, the priority of each function may be stored in the home screen information 162, and operation mode buttons corresponding to high-priority functions may be displayed preferentially even when the information area E112 is reserved. In this case, user operation is required to display the operation mode buttons corresponding to low-priority functions.

[0067] Figure 9(b) shows an example of the home screen W120 displayed on the display unit 140 when button B110, which switches the display of the operation mode buttons in Figure 9(a), is selected. In this way, the page of operation mode buttons displayed on the home screen is switched.

[0068] The information area E122 may remain allocated even when the page changes, or it may be released at the time the page changes. Furthermore, the information area E122 may not be allocated for the second page and beyond, or it may be a smaller area than the first page.

[0069] Figure 10 shows an example of screen W130, which is displayed on the display unit 140 after the user selects the operation mode button. Screen W130 is the screen for the operation mode called "Simple Copy Mode." The user can configure settings related to the Simple Copy function via screen W130.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the information area E130 is reserved above the area where buttons and other settings are displayed. In this way, the information area E130 is reserved so as not to interfere with the operation of setting the operating mode.

[0071] The information area E130 displays the content of notifications related to simple copy mode. In this way, screens corresponding to specific operating modes continue to display only the content of notifications related to that operating mode, compared to the home screen.

[0072] The display format of the notification content shown in the information area E130 may be changed as appropriate depending on the number of notification contents and user actions. For example, if the content of the notification corresponding to the operating mode cannot all be displayed in the information area E130, the display format of the information area E130 and the content of the notifications displayed in the information area E130 may be switched according to user actions. For example, the information area E130 may be temporarily enlarged and displayed (overlaid on buttons for setting the operating mode, etc.) in response to user actions (e.g., touch operations or pinch-out operations). In this case, the enlarged information area E130 may display more notification contents than the number of notification contents displayed before enlargement. Alternatively, the notification content may be divided into multiple pages, and buttons for switching pages may be displayed in the information area E130. In this case, the content of the notifications displayed in the information area E130 will switch according to user actions on the buttons for switching pages.

[0073] Furthermore, the content of the notifications displayed in information area E130 may automatically change after a certain period of time has elapsed. Also, information area E130 may be a scrollable area.

[0074] Furthermore, the information area E130 does not necessarily have to be reserved in the upper part of the screen W130; for example, it may be reserved in the right, left, or lower part of the screen W130.

[0075] Thus, when the home screen is switched to the screen of the operation mode selected by the user, the notification content may be displayed in the same position on both the home screen and the operation mode screen, or it may be displayed in a different location. If the notification content is displayed in a different location on the operation mode screen than on the home screen, the notification will be displayed in a position on the operation mode screen that does not disable user interaction.

[0076] Furthermore, if the same notification is displayed on the home screen and the screen of the user-selected operating mode, the content of the notification may be displayed in the same manner, such as by displaying it on a shape with the same background color or shape, or by displaying the same icon. In this way, by displaying the same notification content in the same manner on the home screen and the screen after transitioning, the user can be made to recognize that the same information is being displayed.

[0077] [1.4 Modified Examples of This Embodiment] Next, as a modification of this embodiment, an example will be described in which priority levels are set for the content of the notification, and the content of the notification is displayed according to those priority levels.

[0078] First, we will explain an example of setting a display level for each type of notification content. In this example, the storage unit 160 stores a table (display level table) that associates the type of notification content (for example, "Notification that there is no retention data") with the display level (for example, "Display (emphasized)").

[0079] The display level is stored as one of the following: "Display (emphasize)", "Display", or "Do not display". The display level is set by the administrator of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0080] Furthermore, in step S146 of the home screen display process and step S176 of the selected operation mode screen display process, the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification according to the display level table.

[0081] For example, the control unit 100 controls the display to show only the content of notifications corresponding to notification types for which the display level is set to "Display (emphasized)" or "Display". The control unit 100 may also make the content of notifications corresponding to notification types for which the display level is set to "Display (emphasized)" more prominent than the content of notifications corresponding to notification types for which the display level is set to "Display". Furthermore, the control unit 100 may prioritize the display of the content of notifications corresponding to notification types for which the display level is set to "Display (emphasized)".

[0082] Figure 11(b) shows an example of the home screen W140 when the content of a notification is displayed on the display unit 140 based on the display level table. The home screen W140 has an information area E140, where the content of a notification corresponding to the type of notification for which the display level is set to "Display (emphasized)" or "Display" is displayed.

[0083] Furthermore, depending on the display level, the content of notifications may be highlighted or rearranged. As a result, the content of notifications corresponding to the notification type set to "Display (Highlighted)" is displayed in a manner that is easily visible to the user.

[0084] In this way, the administrator of the image forming apparatus 10 can control the level of notification display according to the type of notification. For example, the administrator of the image forming apparatus 10 can make notifications that the user particularly needs to see more prominent.

[0085] Next, as another example, we will explain an example of setting priorities for each type of notification. In this example, as shown in Figure 12(a), the notification information stores the content of the notification and the corresponding operation mode, as well as the type (e.g., "Information") and priority (e.g., "20").

[0086] The "Type" field is information indicating the type of notification content, such as "Error," "Information," or "Guidance." The "Priority" field is stored as a numerical value. In the example in Figure 12(a), a smaller number indicates a higher priority. The priority may be set by the administrator of the image forming apparatus 10, automatically set according to the type, or automatically set according to the content of the notification.

[0087] Furthermore, in step S146 of the home screen display process and step S176 of the selected operation mode screen display process, the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification according to its type and priority.

[0088] Figure 12(b) shows an example of the home screen W150, where the content of notifications is displayed on the display unit 140 based on a display level table. The home screen W150 includes an information area E150, where the content of notifications is displayed according to their type and priority.

[0089] For example, notifications with higher priority may be displayed more frequently, or their content may be displayed in a manner appropriate to their type. Furthermore, notification content may be sorted and displayed according to its type.

[0090] In this embodiment, the information area is described as being automatically reserved, but the information area may be reserved by other means. For example, a widget that displays the content of a notification can be placed on the home screen or the screen of a predetermined operating mode of the image forming apparatus 10. In this case, the image forming apparatus 10 reserves the area where the widget that displays the content of the notification is placed as the information area. In this way, the user can freely set the position and size in which the content of the notification is displayed.

[0091] Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to display the content of notifications related to the displayed screen in an appropriate position on the home screen or on screens that are displayed when a predetermined function is used.

[0092] In particular, while the home screen displays all notification content, screens corresponding to specific functions display only notifications related to that function, hiding other notifications. This allows the image forming apparatus of this embodiment to direct the user's attention only to important information without providing unnecessary information. As a result, the user can clearly identify the necessary actions and procedures, reducing the likelihood of malfunctions.

[0093] For example, in this embodiment, when the copy function is used, the image forming apparatus hides a notification indicating that the network function is unavailable if the network function is unavailable. This prevents users from misunderstanding that they need to consider the network status in order to use the copy function, thereby reducing the possibility of delays or errors in operation.

[0094] Furthermore, since the content of notifications related to a given function is displayed on the screen corresponding to that function, even if a user overlooks the content of a notification displayed on the home screen, they can still notice the notification when using the selected function.

[0095] On the other hand, the screen corresponding to a specific function will not display notification content unrelated to that function. Therefore, when using a specific function, the user does not need to determine whether the content of a notification is related to the function being used.

[0096] In this way, the image forming apparatus of this embodiment can appropriately display the content of a notification according to the screen displayed on the display unit.

[0097] [2. Second Embodiment] Next, the second embodiment will be described. Unlike the first embodiment, the second embodiment displays the content of the notification according to the operating mode and the user. In this embodiment, Figure 2 of the first embodiment is replaced with Figure 13, and Figure 5 of the first embodiment is replaced with Figure 16. The same reference numerals are used for the same functional parts and processes, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0098] [2.1 Functional Configuration] Referring to Figure 13, the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 12 in this embodiment will be described. Unlike the image forming apparatus 10 in the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 12 has an additional user information storage area 168 in the storage unit 160.

[0099] The user information storage area 168 is an area where information about the user using the image forming apparatus 12 (user information) is stored. User information includes, for example, information for identifying the user, such as the login name (e.g., "userA"), password (e.g., "abc123"), username (e.g., "John Smith"), and user type (e.g., "general user"), as shown in Figure 14.

[0100] In this embodiment, it is assumed that either "general user" or "administrator" information is stored as the user type. However, information other than "general user" or "administrator" may also be stored as the user type.

[0101] Next, with reference to Figure 15, the notification information in this embodiment will be described. Unlike the notification information in the first embodiment, the notification information in this embodiment also stores the target user (for example, "administrator"). In this embodiment, the target user is stored either as a user type or a login name.

[0102] [2.2 Processing Flow] [2.2.1 Main Processing] The main processes performed by the control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 12 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. In this embodiment, when the device resumes from sleep mode or low power mode, the control unit 100 will be described as switching the operating mode to login screen display mode, which is a mode that displays the login screen.

[0103] First, the main process shown in Figure 16 will be explained. In this embodiment, the control unit 100 determines whether or not the operation mode is the login screen display mode (step S200). If the control unit 100 determines that the operation mode is the login screen display mode, it executes the login screen display process, which is the process of displaying the login screen on the display unit 140 (step S200; Yes → step S202). The login screen display process will be described later.

[0104] Furthermore, if a user performs a logout operation, the control unit 100 executes a process to log out the user and then switches the operation mode to the login screen display mode (step S204; Yes → step S206 → step S208).

[0105] [2.2.2 Login screen display process] Referring to Figure 17, the login screen display process will be explained. First, the control unit 100 reads the notification information storage area 166 of the storage unit 160 to obtain all notification information stored in the notification information storage area 166 (step S220).

[0106] Next, the control unit 100 reserves an information area within the display area of ​​the display unit 140 (step S222). In step S222, the operating mode is the login screen display mode, which displays the login screen. Therefore, instead of an area to display the operating mode button or an area to display buttons that accept instructions to change the function settings, the control unit 100 reserves an area to display input fields for entering information used for authentication (for example, login name and password). Thus, the control unit 100 reserves the information area in a different location from the area to display the input fields for entering information used for authentication. For example, the control unit 100 reserves the area to display the input fields to the left of the display area of ​​the display unit 140, and reserves the information area to the right of the display area of ​​the display unit 140. This allows the control unit 100 to display the input fields and the notification content side by side.

[0107] Next, the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification stored in the notification information acquired in step S220 in the information area reserved in step S222 (step S224).

[0108] Next, the control unit 100 displays an input field for entering information used for authentication (for example, a login name and password) and an authentication button used to perform authentication within the display area of ​​the display unit 140 (step S226).

[0109] Next, when the user selects the authentication button, the control unit 100 performs authentication based on the information entered in the input field and determines whether the authentication was successful (step S228). For example, the control unit 100 determines whether the login name and password entered by the user match any of the user information stored in the user information storage area 168. If it determines that the login name and password entered by the user match any of the user information stored in the user information storage area 168, the control unit 100 determines that the authentication was successful.

[0110] Next, the control unit 100 executes a process to log in the authenticated user (step S228; Yes → step S230). Furthermore, the control unit 100 switches the operation mode to the home screen display mode (step S232).

[0111] [2.2.3 Home screen display processing and selected operation mode screen display processing] In this embodiment, in step S142 of the home screen display process described in the first embodiment, a process is executed to obtain notification information related to the logged-in user from among the notification information stored in the notification information storage area 166.

[0112] The following notification information is relevant to the logged-in user. (1) If the logged-in user's user type is administrator: All notification information (2) If the user type of the logged-in user is a regular user: Notification information where the user type is "regular user" and notification information where the same login name as the logged-in user is stored.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in step S172 of the selected operation mode display process described in the first embodiment, notification information related to the logged-in user and based on the operation mode is acquired from the notification information stored in the notification information storage area 166.

[0114] As a result of the process described above, the content of notifications related to that user will be displayed on the home screen and the screen of the operating mode selected by the user.

[0115] [2.3 Example of Operation] Next, an example of operation in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. Figure 18 is a diagram showing an example of the login screen W200 displayed on the display unit 140. The login screen W200 includes an area E200 where input fields and authentication buttons are displayed, and an information area E202. This allows the user to check the contents of notifications when performing the authentication operation.

[0116] Figure 19 shows the home screen displayed on the display unit 140. Figure 19(a) is an example of the home screen W210 displayed when a user with the user type "administrator" logs in. An information area E210 is reserved on the home screen W210. On the other hand, Figure 19(b) is an example of the home screen W220 displayed when a user with the user type "general user" logs in. An information area E220 is reserved on the home screen W220.

[0117] Here, the information area E210 displays the contents of all notifications stored in the image forming apparatus 12. Therefore, the administrator of the image forming apparatus 12 can understand all the contents of notifications sent to the user. On the other hand, the information area E220 displays only the contents of notifications related to the authenticated user from among all the contents of notifications stored in the image forming apparatus 12. Therefore, a general user using the image forming apparatus 12 can understand only the contents related to the user.

[0118] The image forming apparatus 12 may be configured to enable or disable the user authentication function. When the user authentication function is enabled, the image forming apparatus 12 executes the process described in the second embodiment, and when the user authentication function is disabled, the image forming apparatus 12 executes the process described in the first embodiment.

[0119] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the image forming apparatus 12 as performing user authentication, user authentication may also be performed by a device connected to the image forming apparatus 12 (for example, an authentication server).

[0120] According to this embodiment of the image forming apparatus, the content of the notification is displayed on the login screen, so the user can understand the status of the image forming apparatus before logging in. Furthermore, the user can take appropriate action based on the content of the notification. For example, if the paper runs out, the user can replenish the paper before logging in. Also, if the network status is poor, the user can report it to the image forming apparatus administrator.

[0121] Furthermore, according to the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, when the display switches from the login screen to the home screen, only the content of notifications relevant to the logged-in user is displayed, and the content of notifications unrelated to the user is hidden. As a result, the image forming apparatus of this embodiment can direct the user's attention only to the information of interest without providing unnecessary information. Consequently, the image forming apparatus of this embodiment can clearly indicate the necessary actions and procedures to the user, and reduce the likelihood of malfunctions.

[0122] For example, if application or firmware update information is displayed on the login screen, and the logged-in user is not an administrator, the update information will not be displayed. This prevents users from mistakenly believing that they cannot use the functions of the image forming apparatus unless they update the applications, thereby reducing the possibility of delays in work and errors.

[0123] [3. Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is an embodiment in which the information area is reserved in a location where user operation is disabled (blocked). This embodiment can be applied to either the first or second embodiment.

[0124] In this embodiment, if a predetermined function is unavailable, an information area is reserved above the display element selected to use that function. Furthermore, a notification containing the cause of the function's unavailability and suggested solutions is displayed within this information area.

[0125] Specifically, in step S144 of the home screen display process, the control unit 100 determines whether the content of the notification stored in the notification information acquired in step S142 indicates that a predetermined function is unavailable. If the content of the notification indicates that a predetermined function is unavailable, the control unit 100 reserves an information area so as to overlap with the location where the display element selected to use that predetermined function is displayed. Furthermore, in step S146, the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification indicating that a predetermined function is unavailable in the information area reserved in step S144.

[0126] Furthermore, the control unit 100 performs the same processing as described above in steps S174 to S176 of the selected operation mode screen display processing.

[0127] Next, an embodiment of this design will be described with reference to Figures 20 and 21. Figure 20(a) is a diagram showing an example of the home screen W300 displayed on the display unit 140 when the information area E300 (widget for displaying notification content) is secured in a position that overlaps with the operation mode button.

[0128] For example, if the simple copy function is unavailable (for instance, if a software update is in progress or the paper is out), an information area is reserved above the simple copy operation mode button. This prevents the user from selecting the simple copy operation mode button. As a result, the image forming apparatus 10 or 12 cannot switch to a mode that utilizes the simple copy function.

[0129] As shown in Figure 20(a), two or more information areas may be provided. For example, in addition to the information area E300 provided on the operation mode button, an information area E302 may be provided in a position that does not overlap with the operation mode button. In this case, information area E302 will display notification content that does not require the user to be unable to respond.

[0130] Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 12 may display the notification content in a position that does not disable user operation on the home screen, and display the notification content in a position that disables user operation on the screen of the operation mode selected by the user.

[0131] For example, if the cyan toner is depleted, the button for using the copy function (e.g., the simple copy operation mode button) will be displayed normally on the home screen, and a notification that the cyan toner is depleted will be displayed in a different location from that button. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 20(b), on the screen W310 corresponding to the simple copy operation mode displayed on the display unit 140, the information area E310 is reserved above the color copy start button. As a result, the user will be unable to execute the color copy function. The user can also be aware that the cyan toner is depleted by checking the notification on the start button.

[0132] Figure 21 shows an example of the home screen W320 displayed on the display unit 140 when a fax is received in an image forming apparatus 10 or image forming apparatus 12, where a new fax cannot be sent unless a predetermined operation is performed after receiving a fax. As shown in Figure 21(a), an information area E320 is reserved above the operation mode button for sending a fax on the home screen W320. As a result, a user of the image forming apparatus 10 or image forming apparatus 12 will not be able to send a new fax unless a predetermined operation, such as the operation to receive a fax, is performed.

[0133] Furthermore, in an image forming apparatus 10 or 12 where a new fax cannot be sent unless a predetermined operation is performed after receiving a fax, an information area may be reserved across the entire home screen when a fax is received. In this case, the home screen W330 shown in Figure 21(b) will be displayed on the display unit 140. As a result, the user of the image forming apparatus 12 will be unable to use any functions other than sending faxes. In this way, the image forming apparatus 10 or 12 may perform a process to allow the user to confirm the contents of a notification by disabling all functions until a predetermined operation is performed.

[0134] Furthermore, an information area may be reserved based on the content of notifications directed to specific users. For example, in an image forming apparatus 12 where a new fax cannot be sent unless a predetermined operation is performed after receiving a fax, the home screen W320 in Figure 21(a) or the home screen W330 in Figure 21(b) may be displayed as the home screen for a user who has received a fax. On the other hand, the home screen for a user who has not received a fax may be the normal home screen, that is, a home screen without an information area reserved above the operation mode button for sending a fax.

[0135] Furthermore, if a login screen is displayed, depending on the content of the notification, it may be intentionally placed in a location that prevents the user from logging in.

[0136] According to this embodiment, it is possible to explicitly show the causal relationship between the state of the image forming apparatus and the external input status, and the operation that the user intends to perform.

[0137] [4. Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. The fourth embodiment is an embodiment that uses machine learning techniques to determine the operating mode and user related to the content of the notification. This embodiment can be applied to any of the first to third embodiments.

[0138] In this embodiment, only the content of the notification is stored as notification information. Instead, in this embodiment, the storage unit 160 further stores a trained model that has learned the relationship between the content of the notification and the corresponding operating mode.

[0139] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 100 acquires all the contents of the notifications stored in the notification information storage area 166 in step S172 of the selected operation mode screen display processing.

[0140] Furthermore, in step S176, the control unit 100 uses a learned model to determine the corresponding operating mode for each notification, and displays the content of notifications whose determined corresponding operating mode matches the current operating mode in the information area.

[0141] In this way, the control unit 100 can determine the operation mode (corresponding operation mode) corresponding to the content of the notification using a trained model. Alternatively, the control unit 100 may determine the type of user corresponding to the content of the notification using a similar method. In this case, the storage unit 160 stores a trained model that has learned the relationship between the content of the notification and the type of user (for example, a trained model that has learned the content of the notification and whether or not the content of the notification is for a general user). Furthermore, when the control unit 100 displays the content of the notification, it uses the trained model to determine whether or not the content of the notification is for a general user, and determines whether or not the content of the notification is related to a logged-in user.

[0142] In this way, by using machine learning techniques to determine the operating mode corresponding to the content of a notification, it becomes unnecessary to prepare a table in advance that associates notification content with the corresponding operating mode. Furthermore, even when administrators add their own notification content, they no longer need to specify the operating mode.

[0143] [5. Variant] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. That is, embodiments obtained by combining technical means that are appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0144] Furthermore, although the embodiments described above are explained separately for the sake of explanation, it goes without saying that they may be combined and implemented to the extent that is technically possible.

[0145] Furthermore, in the embodiments, the programs that run in each device are programs that control the CPU and the like (programs that make the computer function) in order to realize the functions of the embodiments described above. The information handled by these devices is temporarily stored in a temporary storage device (for example, RAM) during processing, and then stored in storage devices such as various ROMs (Read Only Memory) and HDDs, and read, modified, and written by the CPU as needed.

[0146] Here, the recording medium for storing the program may be any of the following: semiconductor media (e.g., ROM or non-volatile memory card), optical recording medium / magneto-optical recording medium (e.g., DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), MO (Magneto Optical Disc), MD (Mini Disc), CD (Compact Disc), BD (Blu-ray® Disc), etc.), magnetic recording medium (e.g., magnetic tape, flexible disk, etc.). Furthermore, in addition to realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment by executing the loaded program, the functions of the present invention may also be realized by processing in cooperation with the operating system or other application programs based on the instructions of the program.

[0147] Furthermore, when distributing the program to the market, it can be stored on a portable recording medium and distributed, or transferred to a server computer connected via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the storage device of the server computer is, of course, also included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0148] 10, 12 Image forming apparatus 100 Control Unit 102 Image Processing Unit 104 Notification Information Management Department 120 Image Input Section 130 Image forming unit 140 Display section 150 Operation section 160 Storage section 162 Home screen information 164 Screen information storage area 166 Notification information storage area 168 User information storage area 180 Communication Section 190 Network Communications Department

Claims

1. A display unit that shows a home screen allowing the user to select the operating mode, It includes a control unit, The control unit, Multiple buttons that accept the instruction to select the operation mode are displayed in the first area of ​​the home screen. An image forming apparatus characterized in that, when displaying notification content for the user in a second area which is a part of the first area, the second area is reserved in relation to the first area based on the notification content, and the number of buttons displayed in the first area other than the reserved second area is reduced.

2. The control unit, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the number of buttons displayed in the first region is reduced by hiding some of the buttons in the first region.

3. A display unit that displays a home screen for allowing the user to select an operating mode, It includes a control unit, The control unit, Multiple buttons that accept the instruction to select the operation mode are displayed in the first area of ​​the home screen. When displaying notification content for the user in a second area which is a part of the first area, the number of buttons displayed in the first area is reduced by hiding some of the buttons in the first area. An image forming apparatus characterized by displaying the plurality of buttons that were previously hidden based on a display switching operation for the first region.

4. The control unit, The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second area is secured so as to cover the display position of a button that receives an instruction to select an unavailable operating mode.

5. The control unit, The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second area is reserved on the display position of a button that receives an instruction to select an unavailable operating mode.

6. The control unit, The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second region displays the notification content, including factors that prevent the use of the operating mode.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the factors that prevent the use of the aforementioned operating mode include software updates.

8. The control unit, The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it authenticates the user and displays the content of the notification to the authenticated user in the second area.

9. The control unit, The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, if the type of the authenticated user is an administrator, the notification content for all users is displayed in the second area.

10. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, The first area of ​​the home screen displays multiple buttons that accept instructions for selecting the operating mode. A control method for an image forming apparatus, characterized in that, when displaying notification content for a user in a second area which is a part of the first area, the second area is reserved in relation to the first area based on the notification content, and the number of buttons displayed in the first area other than the reserved second area is reduced.

Images