Image processing device, control method, and program

Abstract

To allow a user to easily confirm setting values automatically set, and improve the operability in modifying the automatically set setting values.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus 1 includes: a display unit 8a which displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items; an automatic setting unit 23 which automatically sets setting values to operation items with automatic setting set thereto, out of the multiple operation items; a display control unit 24 which displays, on the display unit 8a, the setting values automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23; and a manual setting unit 22 which receives operation of a user on the setting values automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23, the setting values being displayed on the display unit 8a, and changes the setting values automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 to setting values designated by the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a control method, and a program. [Background Art]

[0002] An image processing apparatus such as an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) includes an operation panel that allows a user to perform touch operations (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). A user can perform setting operations for various jobs such as a copy job, a scan job, and a print job by performing an operation on an operation screen displayed on the operation panel.

[0003] In recent years, image processing apparatuses of this type have become multifunctional, and the number of operation items (setting items) for performing job setting operations has increased. On the other hand, it is difficult for users to grasp all of these many operation items. Therefore, if a user has to individually input setting values for many operation items, the convenience of using the image processing apparatus decreases.

[0004] Therefore, in order to improve user convenience, recent image processing apparatuses are equipped with an automatic setting function that automatically performs settings necessary for job execution. For example, the automatic color setting function for a copy job is a function that automatically determines whether an image of a document read by a document reading apparatus is a color image or a monochrome image, and automatically sets the color setting for copy output to either color or monochrome. With the automatic color setting function, since the image processing apparatus automatically performs color setting, the user does not need to be aware of color setting when performing job setting operations. Therefore, there is an advantage that the operation burden on the user can be reduced. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-211997 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-187213 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the aforementioned automatic configuration function may sometimes automatically set settings that the user does not want. If the automatic configuration function sets settings that the user does not want without the user's knowledge, the job will be executed with those settings applied, and the user will not be able to obtain the output results they desire, rendering the job execution useless.

[0007] To prevent unnecessary job execution, for example, the final output image could be displayed as a preview image before the job starts, allowing the user to review it. However, even if the user notices that an unwanted setting has been applied after reviewing the preview image, they must still find the relevant operation item within the operation screen to change that setting. In particular, settings automatically configured by the automatic configuration function are not settings that the user has manually configured through the operation screen, so it is often difficult to find the relevant operation item to change the setting. This leads to a time-consuming process of changing the setting and hinders efficient modification.

[0008] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide an image processing device, a control method, and a program that allow users to easily check automatically set values ​​and improve operability when changing automatically set values. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the invention according to claim 1 is an image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items; an automatic setting unit that automatically sets setting values ​​for operation items among the plurality of operation items for which automatic setting is set; a display control unit that displays the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit; and a manual setting unit that receives user operations on the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit displayed on the display unit, and changes the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit to setting values ​​specified by the user. The display control unit is configured such that when the manual setting unit receives a user operation on a setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit, it displays a setting value selection screen on the display unit that shows multiple setting values ​​that the user can select for the operation item, the operation screen is displayed in a first area of ​​the display unit, a setting value display screen that shows the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit is displayed in a second area of ​​the display unit different from the first area, and the setting value selection screen is displayed in the second area. This configuration is characterized by the following features. The invention according to claim 2 is an image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items; an automatic setting unit that automatically sets a setting value for an operation item among the plurality of operation items for which automatic setting is set; a display control unit that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit; a manual setting unit that receives user operations on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit displayed on the display unit and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user; and a user authentication unit that authenticates the user and identifies the operation rights of the authenticated user, wherein when the automatic setting unit automatically sets a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is set, it automatically sets a setting value within the range of operation rights identified by the user authentication unit. The invention according to claim 3 is an image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items; an automatic setting unit that automatically sets setting values ​​for operation items among the plurality of operation items for which automatic setting is set; a display control unit that displays the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit; a manual setting unit that receives user operations on the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit displayed on the display unit and changes the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit to setting values ​​specified by the user; and a job control unit that controls the execution of a job while reflecting the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit, wherein the automatic setting unit may automatically set setting values ​​for operation items for which automatic setting is set after the execution of a job by the job control unit has started, and the job control unit temporarily suspends the execution of a job after the execution of a job has started if the setting values ​​have been automatically set by the automatic setting unit. The invention according to claim 4 is an image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items; an automatic setting unit that automatically sets a setting value for an operation item among the plurality of operation items for which automatic setting is set; a display control unit that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit; and a manual setting unit that receives user operations on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit displayed on the display unit and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, wherein the display control unit displays the operation item among the plurality of operation items for which automatic setting is set on the display unit before the user performs an operation on the operation screen.

[0012] Claim 5 The invention relating to this claim is 1 In the image processing apparatus, the display control means is configured such that when the number of setting values ​​displayed on the setting value selection screen exceeds a predetermined number, it transitions the operation screen displayed in the first area and displays a screen in the first area for the user to perform a manual setting operation for that operation item.

[0014] The invention according to claim 6 is, 2 In the image processing apparatus, the manual setting unit is configured such that when it changes a setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, it changes the setting value to a setting value within the range of the operation privileges identified by the user authentication unit.

[0015] The invention according to claim 7 is, any of the following four: In the image processing apparatus, the display control unit is configured to display the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit at a timing automatically set by the automatic setting unit.

[0016] The invention according to claim 8 is, any of the following four:In the image processing apparatus, the manual setting unit accepts user operations on the operation screen and can set user-specified setting values ​​for operation items specified by the user from among the plurality of operation items, and the display control unit displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit in chronological order according to the setting order.

[0017] The invention according to claim 9 is, any of the following four: In the image processing apparatus, the display control unit is capable of displaying a preview screen on at least a part of the operation screen, which displays a preview image that reflects the setting value set for each of the plurality of operation items, and when the setting value is automatically set by the automatic setting unit while the preview screen is displayed, the display control unit changes the preview image displayed on the preview screen to a preview image that reflects the setting value.

[0018] The invention according to claim 10 is, any of the following four: The image processing apparatus is characterized in that the operation items automatically set by the automatic setting unit are operation items that the user can change to desired settings.

[0019] The invention according to claim 11 is characterized in that, in the image processing apparatus of claim 10, the operation item that is automatically set by the automatic setting unit is at least one of the operation items selected from color setting, density setting, paper setting, and document quality mode setting.

[0020] The invention according to claim 12 is, , 2 or 4 The image processing apparatus further comprises a job control unit that controls the execution of a job while reflecting the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit, and the display control unit is characterized in that it displays the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit before the job execution is started by the job control unit.

[0021] The invention according to claim 13 is the image processing apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the job control unit starts execution of a job after a user confirms the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit.

[0023] Claim 14 The invention according to 3 is the image processing apparatus, characterized in that, after pausing the execution of the job, the job control unit resumes the execution of the job based on an instruction from a user.

[0025] Claim 15 The invention according to is a control method for an image processing apparatus comprising a display unit that displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items, the method comprising: an automatic setting step of automatically setting a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is enabled among the plurality of operation items; a display control step of displaying the setting value automatically set in the automatic setting step on the display unit; and a manual setting step of accepting a user's operation on the setting value automatically set in the automatic setting step displayed on the display unit, and changing the setting value automatically set in the automatic setting step to a setting value specified by the user. A user authentication step that authenticates the user and identifies the operational rights of the authenticated user, hav Furthermore, when the automatic setting step automatically sets a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is configured, it automatically sets a setting value within the scope of the operation privileges identified by the user authentication step. characterized in that

[0026] Claim 16 The invention according to is a program executed in an image processing apparatus comprising a display unit that displays an operation screen including a plurality of operation items, the program causing the image processing apparatus to execute: an automatic setting step of automatically setting a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is enabled among the plurality of operation items; a display control step of displaying the setting value automatically set in the automatic setting step on the display unit; and a manual setting step of accepting a user's operation on the setting value automatically set in the automatic setting step displayed on the display unit, and changing the setting value automatically set in the automatic setting step to a setting value specified by the user. A user authentication step that authenticates the user and identifies the operational rights of the authenticated user, to be executed by 、 The automatic setting step, when automatically setting a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is configured, automatically sets the setting value within the scope of the operation privileges identified by the user authentication step.This configuration is characterized by the following features. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, users can easily check the automatically set values, and the user's operability when changing the automatically set values ​​can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0028] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example configuration of an image processing device. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an image processing device. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing an example of the detailed functional configuration of the control unit. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of default value information. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of settings history information. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the screen displayed on the display unit when logged out. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a screen that appears on the display after transitioning to the logged-in state. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the screen displayed on the display unit when a copy job is selected. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a screen displaying configuration values ​​after the job setup has progressed to a certain extent. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a settings display screen after the job has progressed further since the start of scanning the original document image. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example where a preview screen is displayed on a portion of the operation screen. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of the setting value selection screen displayed on the setting value display screen. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a screen displaying the settings after the user has changed the automatically set settings. [Figure 14]This figure shows an example of the settings display screen when job execution is resumed. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of a screen displaying the operation screen for which the setting value can be changed. [Figure 16] This flowchart shows an example of a processing procedure performed in an image processing device. [Figure 17] This flowchart shows an example of a processing procedure performed in an image processing device. [Figure 18] This figure shows an example of a setting value display screen where setting information set by the manual setting unit and setting information set automatically by the automatic setting unit are displayed in the same area. [Figure 19] This figure shows an example of a settings display screen that shows only the settings information automatically set by the automatic setting unit. [Figure 20] This figure shows an example where the settings display screen is shown in the same area as the operation screen. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, elements common to all are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations of these elements will be omitted.

[0030] Figure 1 shows an example configuration of an image processing apparatus 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention. This image processing apparatus 1 is configured, for example, by an MFP (Multifunction Printer) and performs various image processing jobs such as copy jobs, scan jobs, and print jobs. The image processing apparatus 1 has a scanner unit 2 at the top of the main body and a printer unit 5 at the bottom of the main body. The image processing apparatus 1 also has an operation panel 8 on the front side of the main body that can be operated by the user.

[0031] The scanner unit 2 reads the image of a document set by the user and generates image data. The scanner unit 2 includes an image reading unit 3 and an automatic document feeder (ADF unit) 4. The image reading unit 3 optically reads the image of the document and generates image data. For example, if the image of the document is a color image, the image reading unit 3 can generate color image data. Also, if the image of the document is a monochrome image, the image reading unit 3 can generate monochrome image data. The ADF unit 4 has a document placement tray 4a and a document output tray 4b. It picks up one document at a time from among multiple documents placed on the document placement tray 4a, automatically transports them sequentially to the reading position by the image reading unit 3, and outputs them to the document output tray 4b. The image reading unit 3 can perform continuous automatic scanning of multiple documents by reading the image of the document as the document being automatically transported by the ADF unit 4 passes the reading position. The image reading unit 3 can also read the image of a document placed on a platen glass. Furthermore, the scanner unit 2 is equipped with a sensor that detects the size of the document placed on the ADF unit 4 and the platen glass, making it possible to automatically detect the size of the document placed by the user.

[0032] The printer unit 5 prints the image specified by the user onto the printing paper (sheet) and ejects the printed paper into the output tray 6a located at the top of the printer unit 5. The printer unit 5 includes an image forming unit 6 that forms an image on the paper and a paper feeding unit 7 that feeds the paper to be printed toward the image forming unit 6. The paper feeding unit 7 has multiple paper feed cassettes 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, each capable of storing different sizes and types of paper. The paper feeding unit 7 then picks up the paper stored in one of the multiple paper feed cassettes 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d and transports it to the image forming unit 6. The image forming unit 6 forms an image on the paper, for example, using an electrophotographic method. Inside the image forming unit 6 are multiple toner cartridges of various colors, such as Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). Therefore, the image forming unit 6 can form a color image on the paper by using multiple toner colors to form the image. In addition, the image forming unit 6 can also form a monochrome image on the paper by using only the K-colored toner to form the image.

[0033] The control panel 8 displays an operation screen that the user can operate and accepts user input. The image processing device 1 configures the job settings to be applied when executing various jobs such as copy jobs, scan jobs, and print jobs based on the user's input to the control panel 8. When the user instructs the control panel 8 to execute a job, the image processing device 1 executes the job instructed by the user. For example, if the user instructs the execution of a copy job, the image processing device 1 operates the scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 5 in sequence, copies the image of the original document set in the scanner unit 2 by the user onto paper using the printer unit 5, and outputs the copied paper to the output tray 6a.

[0034] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the image processing device 1. In addition to the scanner unit 2, printer unit 5, and operation panel 8 described above, the image processing device 1 includes a control unit 10, a communication interface 13, a storage unit 14, an image memory 16, and a plurality of sensors 17. For example, the control unit 10, operation panel 8, communication interface 13, storage unit 14, scanner unit 2, printer unit 5, image memory 16, and sensors 17 are each connected to a bus 18, and can input and output data to and from each other via the bus 18.

[0035] The control panel 8 comprises a display unit 8a and an operation unit 8b. The display unit 8a is composed of, for example, a color liquid crystal display and displays an operation screen that can be operated by the user. The operation unit 8b is composed of, for example, touch panel keys arranged on the screen of the display unit 8a and push button keys arranged around the screen of the display unit 8a, and accepts manual operation by the user.

[0036] The communication interface 13 is an interface for connecting the image processing device 1 to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The image processing device 1 can communicate with external devices connected to the network via this communication interface 13. For example, the image processing device 1 can receive print jobs via the communication interface 13 and perform print output based on the received print jobs.

[0037] The storage unit 14 is a non-volatile storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). This storage unit 14 stores a computer-readable program 15 that is executed by the CPU 11 of the control unit 10.

[0038] The image memory 16 is a memory for storing image data. For example, in the case of a copy job, the image data generated by the scanner unit 2 is temporarily stored in the image memory 16, and various image processing is performed on the image data stored in the image memory 16. After being converted into image data for printing, the image data for printing is provided from the image memory 16 to the printer unit 5.

[0039] The sensor 17 includes various sensors mounted on the image processing device 1. For example, the sensor 17 includes sensors that detect the size of the original document placed on the ADF unit 4 and platen glass of the scanner unit 2.

[0040] The control unit 10 comprehensively controls the operation of the image processing device 1. The control unit 10 includes a CPU 11 and a memory 12. The CPU 11 is a hardware processor that reads and executes the program 15 stored in the storage unit 14. The memory 12 is a storage device that stores temporary data and other information generated as a result of the CPU 11 executing processing based on the program 15.

[0041] For example, the control unit 10 displays an operation screen on the display unit 8a of the operation panel 8 that the user can operate. This operation screen includes multiple operation items (setting items) for the user to perform job setting operations. The user manually sets the desired setting value for each of these operation items. However, some of these operation items can be automatically set by the control unit 10, and the setting value for operation items that can be automatically set may be set to "automatic setting" by default. If the user does not enter a desired setting value for an operation item that is set to "automatic setting" by default, the control unit 10 sets the job by automatically setting the setting value for that operation item. Therefore, the user does not need to manually set the desired setting value for all of the operation items, and can perform job setting operations efficiently.

[0042] On the other hand, the settings automatically set by the control unit 10 may not be the settings desired by the user. If a job is executed with settings different from those desired by the user, paper output from the image processing device 1 may be wasted. To prevent such paper waste, the image processing device 1 in this embodiment displays the settings automatically set by the control unit 10 on the display unit 8a of the operation panel 8, allowing the user to confirm the automatically set settings. If the settings are not as desired by the user, the image processing device 1 accepts a user request to change the settings and changes them to the settings specified by the user. The details of the control unit 10 that realizes this operation will be described below.

[0043] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the detailed functional configuration of the control unit 10. As shown in Figure 3, the CPU 11 of the control unit 10 functions as a user authentication unit 20, a setting value management unit 21, a manual setting unit 22, an automatic setting unit 23, a display control unit 24, and a job control unit 25 by reading and executing the program 15. In addition, as the CPU 11 executes the program 15, it stores user information 30, default value information 31, and setting history information 32 in the memory 12.

[0044] The user authentication unit 20 authenticates the user who will use the image processing device 1 and identifies the user's operational authority. For example, the user authentication unit 20 obtains authentication information such as the user ID and password entered into the operation panel 8 and determines whether the authentication information matches the information registered in the user information 30 stored in the memory 12. The user information 30 is information that registers information for authenticating users who have been previously authorized to use the image processing device 1 (such as user ID and password) and information regarding operational authority. If the authentication information matches the information registered in the user information 30, the user is authenticated, and the user authentication unit 20 identifies the user who will use the image processing device 1. As a result, the image processing device 1 transitions to a logged-in state that the user can use.

[0045] Conversely, if the authentication information does not match the information registered in user information 30, the user authentication fails, and the user authentication unit 20 cannot identify the user. In this case, the image processing device 1 does not transition to a login state where the user can use it, but remains in a logged-out state. Therefore, the user cannot use the image processing device 1.

[0046] Furthermore, once user authentication is successful and the user can be identified, the user authentication unit 20 identifies the user's operational privileges based on the user information 30. The user's operational privileges include multiple privileges, such as the right to perform color printing and the right to print confidential documents. The user authentication unit 20 identifies the privileges among these multiple privileges that have been pre-granted to the user identified through user authentication.

[0047] Furthermore, the user authentication unit 20 may perform user authentication by reading authentication information from the IC card held by the user, or it may perform user authentication by reading biometric information such as the user's fingerprints, veins, iris, or face.

[0048] The setting value management unit 21, manual setting unit 22, automatic setting unit 23, and job control unit 25 operate when the image processing device 1 is logged in by the user authentication unit 20.

[0049] The setting value management unit 21 manages the setting values ​​of each of the multiple operation items required for job execution. For example, the setting value management unit 21 manages the setting values ​​of each of the multiple operation items by storing and managing default value information 31 and setting history information 32 in the memory 12.

[0050] Figure 4 shows an example of default value information 31. Default value information 31 is information that associates multiple operation items, the configurable settings for each operation item, and a default value for each job type. The default value is one setting value that has been designated in advance as the default by the administrator of the image processing device 1 or the like, from among the multiple configurable settings for each operation item. For example, when a user performs an operation on the operation screen, if they do not perform an operation on an operation item for which a default value has been specified, that default value will be adopted as the setting value for that operation item. In addition, for operation items for which "automatic setting" is set as the default value, such as "automatic color setting," "automatic density setting," and "automatic size detection," the control unit 10 will automatically set the setting if the user does not manually change it to the desired setting value. Therefore, when a user performs a job setting operation, they do not need to perform a setting operation on an operation item for which "automatic setting" is set as the default value. Note that the operation item for which "automatic setting" is set as the default value in default value information 31 only needs to be at least one of the following operation items: color setting, density setting, paper setting, and original image quality mode setting. Furthermore, while Figure 4 only illustrates some of the operation items for a copy job, other operation items not shown in Figure 4 may also be included. Also, although not shown in Figure 4, the default value information 31 records similar information for other jobs such as scan jobs and print jobs.

[0051] The setting history information 32 is information that records setting values ​​specified by the user or setting values ​​automatically set by the control unit 10 in chronological order. Details of the setting history information 32 will be described later.

[0052] The manual setting unit 22 sets the user-specified setting value for the operation item specified by the user from among several operation items for job setting. When the display control unit 24 displays an operation screen that the user can operate on the display unit 8a, and the operation unit 8b of the operation panel 8 detects a user operation on the operation screen, the manual setting unit 22 obtains operation information from the operation unit 8b and accepts the user's operation. Based on the operation information obtained from the operation unit 8b, the manual setting unit 22 identifies the operation item operated by the user and the setting value specified by the user for the identified operation item. The manual setting unit 22 then outputs a setting command including the operation item specified by the user and the setting value specified by the user to the setting value management unit 21. As a result, the setting value management unit 21 changes the setting value of the operation item specified by the user from the default value to the setting value specified by the user, and the setting made by the user's manual operation is reflected.

[0053] For example, when the manual setting unit 22 receives a user operation for an operation item that is set to "automatic setting," it changes the setting value of that operation item from "automatic setting" to the setting value specified by the user. Therefore, even for operation items that are set to "automatic setting" as the default value, the user can change the setting value to their desired value.

[0054] Furthermore, the manual setting unit 22 sets the setting value within the scope of the operating authority granted to the user identified by the user authentication unit 20. For example, if the user does not have the authority to perform color printing, the manual setting unit 22 will not accept the operation even if the user specifies the setting value as "color," and is configured not to set a setting value that would exceed the user's operating authority.

[0055] The automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets the setting values ​​for operation items that are set to "automatic setting" among the multiple operation items for setting up a job. For example, the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets the setting values ​​for operation items that should be automatically set based on the setting values ​​of other operation items set manually by the user, the detection results of the sensor 17, or the determination results made by the job control unit 25 before or after the start of job execution. At this time, the automatic setting unit 23 outputs a setting command to the setting value management unit 21 that includes the operation items and setting values ​​that are subject to automatic setting, similar to the manual setting unit 22. This allows the setting value management unit 21 to reflect the setting values ​​that are automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23.

[0056] For example, in a copy job, if "Automatic Size Detection" is set as the setting value for the operation item "Document Size," the automatic setting unit 23 automatically detects the size of the document set by the user based on the detection result of the sensor 17. If the size of the document detected by the sensor 17 is "A4," the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets the setting value for the operation item "Document Size" to "A4." Specifically, the automatic setting unit 23 outputs a setting command to the setting value management unit 21 that specifies "A4" as the setting value for the operation item "Document Size." The setting value management unit 21 then changes the setting value for the operation item "Document Size" to the setting value "A4" specified by the automatic setting unit 23, thereby reflecting the setting made by automatic setting.

[0057] For example, in a copy job, if all three operation items, "original size," "magnification setting," and "paper setting," are set to automatic, the automatic setting unit 23 will automatically set the "original size" setting to "A4" based on the detection result of the sensor 17, and at the same time, it will automatically set the "magnification setting" setting to "1:1," and further, it will automatically set the "paper setting" setting to "A4."

[0058] For example, in a copy job, if the operation item "Color Setting" is set to automatic, the automatic setting unit 23 will automatically set the value of the operation item "Color Setting" to "Color" after the scanner unit 2 starts scanning the original image, if the image data generated by the scanner unit 2 is a color image. Conversely, if the image data generated by the scanner unit 2 is a monochrome image, the automatic setting unit 23 will automatically set the value of the operation item "Color Setting" to "Monochrome".

[0059] However, if the user identified by the automatic setting unit 23 and the user authentication unit 20 has been granted operational privileges, the setting values ​​will be automatically set within the scope of those privileges. For example, if the user does not have the authority to perform color printing, the manual setting unit 22 is configured not to automatically set the "Color" setting value as the color setting for printing.

[0060] When the setting value management unit 21 receives setting commands output from the manual setting unit 22 and the automatic setting unit 23, it overwrites the setting values ​​of the operation items specified in the setting commands from their default values ​​to the setting values ​​specified in the setting commands. As a result, when a job is executed, the setting values ​​specified by the manual setting unit 22 and the automatic setting unit 23 are applied.

[0061] Furthermore, the setting value management unit 21 rewrites the setting values ​​of each operation item based on the setting commands output from the manual setting unit 22 and the automatic setting unit 23, respectively, and records the setting history in the setting history information 32.

[0062] Figure 5 shows an example of setting history information 32. The setting history information 32 shown in Figure 5 represents an example of the setting history when a user makes a copy of an original document using the image processing device 1. This setting history information 32 is information in which the setting time, setting type, operation item, and setting value are correlated. Here, the setting time is the time when the setting was made by the manual setting unit 22 or the automatic setting unit 23. The setting type is information indicating whether it was a manual setting by the user or an automatic setting by the automatic setting unit 23. The operation item is information indicating the operation item (setting item) that was set. The setting value is the setting value specified by the manual setting unit 22 or the automatic setting unit 23.

[0063] For example, after the image processing device 1 enters the logged-in state, if the user performs an operation on the operation panel 8 and selects a copy job, the setting value management unit 21 records the time the user performed the operation in the setting history information 32 and records "Manual setting" as the setting type. The setting value management unit 21 also records "Function selection" as the operation item and "Copy" as the setting value.

[0064] Next, when the user places a document in the document tray 4a of the ADF unit 4, the sensor 17 automatically detects the document size, and the automatic setting unit 23 performs automatic settings. At this time, if all three operation items, "document size," "magnification setting," and "paper setting," are set automatically, the setting value management unit 21 records a setting history indicating that each of the three operation items, "document size," "magnification setting," and "paper setting," was set automatically based on the results of the automatic setting by the automatic setting unit 23. In this way, the setting value management unit 21 records the setting history in the setting history information 32 at the time of setting by the manual setting unit 22 or automatic setting by the automatic setting unit 23. The setting value management unit 21 may delete the setting history recorded in the setting history information 32 once the job execution is completed in the image processing device 1.

[0065] Furthermore, if the setting value management unit 21 rewrites the setting value of an operation item based on a setting command from the manual setting unit 22 or the automatic setting unit 23, it notifies the display control unit 24 of the operation item and the rewritten setting value.

[0066] After the image processing device 1 enters the login state, the display control unit 24 displays an operation screen on the display unit 8a of the operation panel 8 that the user can operate for tasks such as setting jobs. The display control unit 24 also displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 in a predetermined display area on the display unit 8a. The display area for displaying the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 is, for example, an area that does not overlap with the area where the user can operate the operation screen is displayed. Furthermore, when the display control unit 24 displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23, it displays them in chronological order according to the setting order.

[0067] The job control unit 25 operates when the user instructs it to start a job and controls the execution of the job in the image processing device 1. For example, in the case of a copy job, the job control unit 25 sequentially operates the scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 5 and controls the execution of a job that outputs the copied image of the original document set in the scanner unit 2 by the user to the output tray 6a.

[0068] The job control unit 25 has a function to determine the color of image data stored in the image memory 16 by the scanner unit 2. This color determination function operates, for example, when the operation item "Color Setting" is set to "Automatic Color Setting" in a copy job. When the color determination function determines the color of the image data, it outputs the determination result to the automatic setting unit 23. As a result, the automatic setting unit 23 can automatically set either the "Color" or "Monochrome" setting value for the "Color Setting" operation item.

[0069] The image processing device 1 having the above configuration can display the settings set by the manual setting unit 22 and the settings set by the automatic setting unit 23 in chronological order according to the setting sequence on the display unit 8a of the operation panel 8 before the start of job execution or during job execution. Therefore, before the start of job execution or during job execution, the user can check both the settings set by themselves and the settings set automatically by the image processing device 1 by looking at a predetermined display area on the display unit 8a. In particular, because the settings set automatically by the image processing device 1 are displayed, the user can easily check whether the settings set automatically without their involvement are the desired settings.

[0070] Next, an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 8a of the operation panel 8 will be described. Figure 6 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 8a when logged out. The screen shown in Figure 6 is a screen displayed on the display unit 8a by the display control unit 24. For example, when the image processing device 1 is logged out, the display control unit 24 displays the user-operable operation screen G1 in the left display area 41, which is part of the total display area 40 of the display unit 8a, as shown in Figure 6. The display control unit 24 also displays the setting value display screen G2 in the display area 42 adjacent to the display area 41. Therefore, the operation screen G1 and the setting value display screen G2 are displayed in positions on the display unit 8a that do not overlap with each other.

[0071] When the image processing device 1 is logged out, the display control unit 24 displays an operation screen G1 in the display area 41 for the user to enter their user ID and password. Specifically, the operation screen G1 shown in Figure 6 includes a user ID input field 43, a password input field 44, and an operation button B10 to instruct the user to start authentication. A user who wishes to use the image processing device 1 enters their user ID and password in the input fields 43 and 44 and operates the operation button B10, which activates the user authentication unit 20 and starts user authentication.

[0072] Furthermore, when the image processing device 1 is logged out, the display control unit 24 displays default value information 50 set for each of the multiple operation items on the setting value display screen G2. When the display control unit 24 displays the default value information 50, it may, for example, read the default value information 31 stored in the memory 12 and display the default value information 50 which includes all the default values ​​recorded in the default value information 31. However, it is not limited to this, and the display control unit 24 may also extract only the default values ​​of operation items for which automatic settings are set from the default value information 31 and display the default value information 50. Since the setting value display screen G2 has a smaller screen size compared to the operation screen G1, by extracting and displaying only the default values ​​of operation items for which automatic settings are set, it is possible to effectively make the user aware of the operation items for which automatic settings are set.

[0073] Once authentication is performed by the user authentication unit 20 and the image processing device 1 transitions to the logged-in state, the display content of the operation screen G1 changes. Figure 7 shows an example of the screen displayed on the display unit 8a after transitioning to the logged-in state. In the screen shown in Figure 7, the operation screen G1 displayed in the display area 41 has transitioned to the job selection screen. This operation screen G1 is the initial screen after transitioning to the logged-in state and displays several operation items that the user can operate, including an operation button B11 for selecting a copy job, an operation button B12 for selecting a scan job, and an operation button B13 for selecting a print job. The user can select one of several types of jobs, such as a copy job, a scan job, or a print job, by operating any one of these operation buttons B11, B12, or B13.

[0074] Furthermore, in Figure 7, the setting value display screen G2 shown in the display area 42 remains unchanged from the state in Figure 6. In other words, the setting value display screen G2 is a screen that displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23. Since neither the manual setting unit 22 nor the automatic setting unit 23 has made any settings for job execution, the display content does not change simply by transitioning from the logout state to the logged-in state.

[0075] Next, let's assume that when the screen shown in Figure 7 is displayed, the user operates the operation button B11 to select a copy job. Then, the screen shown in Figure 7 transitions to the screen shown in Figure 8. At this time, the manual setting unit 22 accepts the user's operation and notifies the setting value management unit 21 that a copy job has been set by the user. As a result, the setting value management unit 21 notifies the display control unit 24 that a copy job has been set, and the display control unit 24 transitions the screen shown in Figure 7 to the screen shown in Figure 8.

[0076] Figure 8 shows an example of the screen displayed on the display unit 8a when a copy job is selected. In the screen shown in Figure 8, the operation screen G1 displayed in the display area 41 transitions to a screen for setting up the copy job. This operation screen G1 is the top screen for setting up the copy job and displays several user-operable operation items, including an operation button B14 for setting the color, an operation button B15 for setting the density, an operation button B16 for setting the document size, an operation button B17 for setting the magnification, an operation button B18 for setting the paper size, an operation button B19 for other advanced settings, and a start key B20 to instruct the start of the copy job. By performing operations on this operation screen G1, the user can set the desired setting value for each of the multiple operation items. For example, if the user operates the color setting operation button B14, the operation screen G1 transitions to the screen for setting the color. Therefore, the user can set the desired setting value for the operation item "Color Setting" by performing operations on the screen for setting the color. The same applies to the other setting items.

[0077] Furthermore, when transitioning to the screen shown in Figure 8, the setting value display screen G2 displayed in the display area 42 shows the setting information 51 that the user operated on in the screen shown in Figure 7. Here, the setting value display screen G2 is a screen that sequentially displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 in real time. The display control unit 24 adds and displays the setting values ​​on the setting value display screen G2 each time that setting processing is performed by the manual setting unit 22 and the automatic setting unit 23, respectively. At this time, the display control unit 24 displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit 22 in the first area on the right side of the display area 42, and displays the setting values ​​set by the automatic setting unit 23 in the second area on the left side of the display area 42. As a result, the user can distinguish between the setting values ​​they specified and the setting values ​​that were automatically set by the display position of the setting values ​​that are sequentially added and displayed on the setting value display screen G2, and confirm the setting values. In the screen shown in Figure 8, the user has selected a copy job, so the setting information 51 indicating that the user has selected a copy job is displayed in the first area on the right side of the display area 42.

[0078] Subsequently, as the job setup progresses, the display control unit 24 adds and displays new setting information on the setting value display screen G2.

[0079] Figure 9 shows an example of the setting value display screen G2 when the job setup has progressed to a certain extent. For example, when a user places a document in the scanner unit 2, the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets the "Document Size" operation item because it is set to "Automatic Size Detection". Accordingly, the display control unit 24 displays setting information 52 indicating the automatically set setting value "A4" in the second area on the left side of the setting value display screen G2. The automatic setting unit 23 also automatically sets the setting value of the operation item "Magnification Setting" to "1:1" and further sets the setting value of the operation item "Paper Setting" to "A4". Accordingly, the display control unit 24 sequentially displays setting information 53 and 54 indicating the automatically set setting values ​​"1:1" and "A4", respectively, in the second area on the left side of the setting value display screen G2. As the setting information 52, 53, and 54 are displayed sequentially in response to the placement of a document, the user can quickly confirm the automatically set settings.

[0080] Next, when the user sets the setting value of the operation item "Document Image Quality Mode Setting" to "Text Document," setting information 55 indicating that "Text Document" has been set by the user is displayed on the setting value display screen G2. At this time, the display control unit 24 displays the setting information 55 in the first area on the right side of the setting value display screen G2. Subsequently, when the user sets the setting value of the operation item "Density Setting" to "-2," setting information 56 indicating that "-2" has been set by the user is displayed on the setting value display screen G2. At this time, the display control unit 24 displays the setting information 56 in the first area on the right side of the setting value display screen G2.

[0081] Subsequently, when the user operates the start key B20 to instruct the execution of the job, setting information 57 indicating that the start key B20 has been operated by the user is displayed on the setting value display screen G2. At this time, the display control unit 24 displays the setting information 57 in the first area on the right side of the setting value display screen G2. Following the user's operation of the start key, the job control unit 25 in the control unit 10 operates and the execution of the copy job begins. Once the execution of the copy job begins, the scanner unit 2 begins scanning the image of the original document. Therefore, the display control unit 24 displays setting information 58 indicating that the scanning of the original document has begun in the second area on the left side of the setting value display screen G2. As a result, the setting value display screen G2 as shown in Figure 9 is displayed on the display unit 8a.

[0082] Figure 10 shows an example of the setting value display screen G2 after the job has progressed further since the start of image scanning of the original document. When the job control unit 25 starts scanning the original document and the image data is stored in the image memory 16, the job control unit 25 performs a color determination of the image data. If the image data is a color image, the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets the setting value of the operation item "Color Setting" to "Color". Accordingly, the display control unit 24 sequentially displays setting information 59 indicating the automatically set setting value "Color" in the second area on the left side of the setting value display screen G2. At this time, if there is no space to display the new setting information 59 on the setting value display screen G2, the display control unit 24 automatically scrolls the setting value display screen G2 to secure display space and then displays the new setting information 59. Note that the user can also manually scroll the setting value display screen G2. After that, when the scanner unit 2 finishes scanning the original document, the display control unit 24 displays setting information 60 indicating that the image scanning operation has finished.

[0083] If the user continues to check the setting value display screen G2 after operating the start key B20, they can understand that "Color" was automatically set as the setting value for the operation item "Color Setting" during the image scanning operation of the document. Therefore, they can confirm whether the "Color Setting" that is automatically set in the image processing device 1 is the desired setting value.

[0084] Furthermore, the display control unit 24 may display a preview screen on at least a portion of the operation screen G1 in the display area 41, either before the start of job execution or after the start of job execution, displaying a preview image that reflects the settings set for each of the multiple operation items. Figure 11 shows an example of displaying a preview screen on a portion of the operation screen G1. This preview screen displays a preview image 46 that reflects the settings set for each of the multiple operation items. Therefore, when the setting value of an operation item is automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23, the display control unit 24 changes the preview image 46 in real time to an image that reflects the automatically set setting value. For example, if the setting value of the operation item "color setting" is automatically set to "color" by the automatic setting unit 23 after the start of image scanning of the document, the display control unit 24 changes the preview image 46 from a monochrome image to a color image. This allows the user to easily confirm whether the desired setting value has been automatically set by looking at the preview image 46 and observing the image change of the preview image 46.

[0085] The job control unit 25 pauses job execution if the automatic setting unit 23 performs automatic setting during job execution. For example, as described above, if the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets the setting value for the operation item "Color setting" to "Color" during the image scanning operation of the document, the job control unit 25 temporarily pauses the job when the image scanning operation of the document is completed. Therefore, the user can check the automatically set setting value while the job execution is paused. If the automatically set setting value is the desired setting value, the user operates the start key B20 again to instruct the job execution to resume. Accordingly, the job control unit 25 resumes job execution.

[0086] The manual setting unit 22 receives user operation to change the setting value that has been automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23. When the user changes the setting value, the manual setting unit 22 changes the setting value that has been automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 to the setting value specified by the user. At this time, the manual setting unit 22 receives operation on the setting value displayed on the setting value display screen G2 shown on the display unit 8a. When the manual setting unit 22 receives user operation on the setting value displayed on the setting value display screen G2, it outputs information indicating the position of that operation to the display control unit 24. Based on the information indicating the position of the operation obtained from the manual setting unit 22, the display control unit 24 identifies the operation item and setting value selected by the user, and displays a setting value selection screen on the setting value display screen G2 that displays the setting values ​​that the user can select for the identified operation item.

[0087] Figure 12 shows an example of a setting value selection screen G3 displayed on the setting value display screen G2. For example, when a job is running, the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets "Color" as the setting value for the operation item "Color Setting," and the user taps the setting information 59 while the job is paused, the display control unit 24 displays a setting value selection screen G3 near the setting information 59, as shown in Figure 12, which contains setting values ​​that the user can select for the operation item "Color Setting." This setting value selection screen G3 includes an operation button B21 for selecting "Color" and an operation button B22 for selecting "Monochrome" as setting values ​​that the user can select. The user can change the automatically set setting value to the desired setting value by selecting either of these operation buttons B21 or B22.

[0088] Figure 13 shows an example of the setting value display screen G2 when the user changes the automatically set setting value. For example, if the user changes the setting value of the operation item "Color setting" to "Monochrome" on the setting value display screen G2 shown in Figure 12, the setting value display screen G2 switches to the screen shown in Figure 13. That is, when the manual setting unit 22 changes the setting value that was automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 to the setting value specified by the user, the display control unit 24 updates the setting information 59 displayed on the setting value display screen G2 as shown in Figure 13. In Figure 13, the setting value of the setting information 59 has been changed from "Color" to "Monochrome". In addition, the display control unit 24 displays the setting information 59 in a different display manner (e.g., highlighted display) than other setting information to indicate that the setting value of the setting information 59 is the setting value specified by the user. This allows the user to easily confirm the setting value they have set.

[0089] Figure 14 shows an example of the setting value display screen G2 when job execution is resumed. When setting information 60 is displayed and job execution is paused, if the user operates the start key B20, setting information 61 indicating that the start key B20 has been operated by the user is displayed on the setting value display screen G2. At this time, the display control unit 24 displays setting information 61 in the first area on the right side of the setting value display screen G2. Following the user's start key operation, the job control unit 25 resumes job execution and starts printing output by the printer unit 5. Accordingly, the display control unit 24 displays setting information 62 indicating that printing output has started in the second area on the left side of the setting value display screen G2. As a result, the setting value display screen G2 as shown in Figure 14 is displayed on the display unit 8a.

[0090] Incidentally, when a user changes an automatically set value, if the number of configurable values ​​for the operation item to be changed exceeds a predetermined number, it may be difficult to display the setting value selection screen G3, which includes all the configurable values, within the setting value display screen G2. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the "Concentration Setting" operation item has 11 selectable configurable values, including "+5", "+4", "+3", "+2", "+1", "0", "=1", "-2", "-3", "-4", and "-5". Therefore, when a user tries to change an automatically set concentration setting, it is difficult to display all the configurable values ​​on the setting value selection screen G3.

[0091] Therefore, if the number of setting values ​​displayed on the setting value selection screen G3 is greater than a predetermined number (for example, "5"), the display control unit 24 transitions the operation screen G1 displayed in the display area 41 to display an operation screen G1 for the user to perform a manual setting operation for that operation item. Thus, even if the user does not know where the operation item to be changed is located, the operation screen G1 for changing the setting value is automatically displayed in the display area 41 of the display unit 8a, allowing the user to efficiently change the setting value by performing an operation on that operation screen G1.

[0092] Figure 15 shows an example of a screen displaying the operation screen G1 that is the target of setting value changes. In Figure 15, the case in which "-1" is automatically set as the concentration setting value by the automatic setting unit 23 after the job execution has started is illustrated. After the job execution has started, the setting information 63 is displayed on the setting value display screen G2, so the user is aware that "-1" has been automatically set as the concentration setting value. At this time, since the number of setting values ​​that the user can set in the operation item "Concentration Setting" is greater than a predetermined number, the display control unit 24 transitions the operation screen G1 in the display area 41 to the operation screen G1 for the user to perform a manual setting operation on the operation item "Concentration Setting". As a result, the operation screen G1 shown in Figure 15 is displayed in the display area 41. In other words, even if the number of setting values ​​that the user can set is greater than a predetermined number, all of those multiple setting values ​​can be displayed on the operation screen G1 displayed in the display area 41. In the operation screen G1 shown in Figure 15, indicators 47 such as a surrounding frame are added to the setting values ​​that were automatically set during the job execution, clearly indicating the automatically set setting values. The user can change the automatically set value to a desired value by dragging the indicator 47 left or right. After moving the indicator 47, if the user operates the operation button B21, the manual setting unit 22 changes the automatically set value to the value specified by the user.

[0093] As described above, the image processing device 1 of this embodiment has an automatic setting unit 23 that automatically sets setting values ​​for operation items among a plurality of operation items for job setting for which automatic setting is set, and displays the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 on the display unit 8a.The image processing device 1 can then accept user operations on the setting values ​​that have been automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 while they are displayed on the display unit 8a, and can change the setting values ​​that have been automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 to the setting values ​​specified by the user.

[0094] Next, an example of a specific processing procedure in the image processing device 1 described above will be explained. Figures 16 and 17 are flowcharts showing an example of a processing procedure performed in the image processing device 1. The processing procedure shown in Figures 16 and 17 is performed by the CPU 11 of the control unit 10 executing program 15.

[0095] First, as shown in Figure 16, when the user is identified by the user authentication unit 20, the image processing device 1 displays the default value of the operation item on the setting value display screen G2 (step S10). As a result, the display unit 8a displays a screen as shown in Figure 7. Next, the image processing device 1 determines whether or not it has received a user operation on the operation screen G1 (step S11). If it has received a user operation (YES in step S11), the image processing device 1 determines whether or not it is an operation within the operation screen G1 (step S12). If it is an operation within the operation screen G1 (YES in step S12), the image processing device 1 identifies the operation item specified by the user (step S13) and performs setting processing to set the setting value specified by the user for the identified operation item (step S14). At this time, the image processing device 1 performs setting processing within the scope of the user's operation authority. When the image processing device 1 sets the setting value based on the user's operation, it records that setting value in the setting history information 32 (step S15) and displays the setting information indicating that setting value on the setting value display screen G2 (step S16). At this time, the image processing device 1 displays the set value in the first area on the right side of the set value display screen G2.

[0096] On the other hand, if the system is not accepting user input (NO in step S11), the image processing device 1 determines whether the sensor 17 has detected any change in state (step S17). If the sensor 17 has detected a change in state (YES in step S17), the image processing device 1 determines whether there is an automatically set operation item corresponding to that change in state (step S18). For example, if the sensor 17 detects the size of a document when the user places a document, the image processing device 1 determines whether there is an automatically set operation item corresponding to the document size. If there is an automatically set operation item as a result (YES in step S18), the image processing device 1 automatically sets the setting value of the automatically set operation item based on the detection result of the sensor 17 (step S19). In this case as well, the image processing device 1 automatically sets the setting value so that it is within the scope of the user's operational authority. When the image processing device 1 automatically sets the setting value, it records that setting value in the setting history information 32 (step S20) and displays the setting information indicating that setting value on the setting value display screen G2 (step S21). At this time, the image processing device 1 displays the set value in the second area on the left side of the set value display screen G2.

[0097] If the sensor 17 does not detect any change in state (NO in step S17), or if there are no automatic setting operation items corresponding to the change in state detected by the sensor 17 (NO in step S18), the processing by the image processing device 1 returns to step S11.

[0098] Furthermore, if the image processing device 1 receives a user operation and that operation is not on the operation screen G1 but on the setting value display screen G2 (NO in step S12), the image processing device 1 identifies the operation item specified by the user on the setting value display screen G2 (step S22) and displays the setting value selection screen G3 which contains multiple setting values ​​that the user can select (step S23). The image processing device 1 receives the user operation on the setting value selection screen G3 (step S24) and changes the setting value of the identified operation item from the automatically set setting value to the setting value specified by the user (step S25). When the image processing device 1 changes the setting value, it also changes the setting value recorded in the setting history information 32 (step S26). In addition, the image processing device 1 changes the setting value displayed on the setting value display screen G2 to the setting value specified by the user (step S27). Furthermore, in step S23, if the number of selectable settings by the user exceeds a predetermined number, the operation screen G1 is transitioned as described above, and the operation screen G1 is displayed for the user to set the desired setting for the identified operation item.

[0099] Next, the image processing device 1 determines whether or not a user has issued a job execution instruction (step S28). If there is no job execution instruction (NO in step S28), the process returns to step S11 and continues the job setting process by repeating the process described above. On the other hand, if there is a job execution instruction (YES in step S28), the image processing device 1 starts executing the job specified by the user (step S29).

[0100] When the image processing device 1 starts executing a job, it proceeds to the flowchart in Figure 17 and determines whether there are any automatic setting operation items for which the setting value has not yet been determined (step S30). If there are automatic setting operation items (YES in step S30), the image processing device 1 automatically sets the setting value for the automatic setting operation item when it is time to perform the automatic setting (step S31). For example, if the operation item "Color Setting" is set to automatic in a copy job, the image processing device 1 performs a color determination of the image data when it starts executing the job and reading the image of the original, and automatically sets the setting value for the operation item "Color Setting". However, even in this case, the image processing device 1 performs the setting process within the scope of the user's operating authority.

[0101] When the image processing device 1 automatically sets a setting value, it records that setting value in the setting history information 32 (step S32) and displays the setting information indicating that setting value on the setting value display screen G2 (step S33). At this time, the image processing device 1 displays the setting value in the second area on the left side of the setting value display screen G2. The image processing device 1 also displays a preview screen on a part of the operation screen G1 displayed in the display area 41 and updates the preview image 46 displayed on the preview screen to an image that reflects the automatically set setting value (step S34).

[0102] Subsequently, the image processing device 1 pauses the job execution (step S35) before starting operations that reflect the settings automatically set in step S31. For example, in the case of the color settings described above, the job execution is paused before the printer unit 5 starts printing. This allows the user to check the settings that were automatically set during the job execution while the job is paused, and to change the settings if the desired settings have not been automatically set.

[0103] When the execution of a job is paused, the image processing device 1 waits until it receives user input (NO in step S36), and when it receives user input (YES in step S36), it determines whether or not the input is directed to the setting value display screen G2 (step S37). If the input is directed to the setting value display screen G2 (YES in step S37), the image processing device 1 identifies the operation item specified by the user (step S38) and displays the setting value selection screen G3, which contains multiple setting values ​​that the user can select (step S39). The image processing device 1 accepts the user's input to the setting value selection screen G3 (step S40) and changes the setting value of the identified operation item from the automatically set setting value to the setting value specified by the user (step S41). When the image processing device 1 changes the setting value, it also changes the setting value recorded in the setting history information 32 (step S42). The image processing device 1 also changes the setting value displayed on the setting value display screen G2 to the setting value specified by the user (step S43). Furthermore, in step S39, if the number of selectable settings by the user exceeds a predetermined number, the operation screen G1 is transitioned as described above, and the operation screen G1 is displayed for the user to set the desired setting for the identified operation item. After that, the processing by the image processing device 1 returns to step S36.

[0104] If the operation received in step S37 is not an operation on the setting value display screen G2 (NO in step S37), the image processing device 1 determines whether the user's operation is an operation of the start key B20 (step S44). If the user has operated the start key B20 (YES in step S44), the image processing device 1 resumes the execution of the paused job (step S45). As a result, the job execution resumes with the setting value automatically set in step S31, or the setting value specified by the user while the job was paused.

[0105] Subsequently, the image processing device 1 returns to step S30, where it is again determined whether there are any automatic setting operation items for which the setting value has not yet been determined. If there are no automatic setting operation items for which the setting value has not yet been determined (NO in step S30), the image processing device 1 determines whether the job execution has finished (step S46). If the job has not yet finished (NO in step S46), the image processing device 1 returns to step S30, and the above process is repeated. On the other hand, if the job execution has finished (YES in step S46), the image processing device 1 terminates.

[0106] As described above, in this embodiment, if the automatic setting unit 23 automatically sets setting values ​​before or during job execution, the image processing device 1 allows the user to confirm the automatically set setting values. If an undesirable setting value has been automatically set, the user can change the automatically set setting value to a desired setting value by operating the operation panel 8. Therefore, the image processing device 1 of this embodiment can prevent job execution from proceeding with an undesirable setting value automatically set. For example, in this embodiment, if the user taps an automatically set setting value displayed on the operation panel 8, the image processing device 1 of this embodiment is configured to display a list of selectable setting values ​​for that operation item on the display unit 8a and accept user operations on that list. Therefore, the user does not need to manually display the operation screen G1 for changing the automatically set setting value on the display unit 8a. Thus, there is an advantage in that the user's operational burden when changing an automatically set setting value can be reduced.

[0107] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to those described in the above embodiments, and various modifications are applicable.

[0108] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the setting information set by the manual setting unit 22 is displayed in the first area on the right, and the setting information automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 is displayed in the second area on the left, on the setting value display screen G2. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the display control unit 24 may display the setting information set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting information automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 in the same area without distinguishing between areas.

[0109] Figure 18 shows an example of a setting value display screen G2 in which setting information set by the manual setting unit 22 and setting information automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 are displayed in the same area without distinction between areas. As shown in Figure 18, when setting information 51, 55, 56, 57 set by the manual setting unit 22 and setting information 52, 53, 54, 58 automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 are displayed in the same area, it becomes difficult for the user to understand which setting information represents the automatically set setting value. Therefore, when the display control unit 24 displays setting information 51, 55, 56, 57 set by the manual setting unit 22 and setting information 52, 53, 54, 58 automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 in the same area, it is preferable, as shown in Figure 18, to set the display mode of setting information 51, 55, 56, 57 set by the manual setting unit 22 to be different from the display mode of setting information 52, 53, 54, 58 automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23. For example, the display control unit 24 may change the display color based on the setting information 51, 55, 56, 57 set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting information 52, 53, 54, 58 automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23.

[0110] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which both the setting information set by the manual setting unit 22 and the setting information automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 are displayed on the setting value display screen G2. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the setting information set by the manual setting unit 22 is information that indicates the setting value set by the user's manual operation, so it does not need to be displayed. For this reason, the display control unit 24 may display only the setting information automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 on the setting value display screen G2. Figure 19 is a diagram showing an example of the setting value display screen G2 that displays only the setting information automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23. As shown in Figure 19, the display control unit 24 may display only the setting information 52, 53, 54, and 58 that indicate the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit 23 on the setting value display screen G2.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the setting value display screen G2 is displayed in a position adjacent to the user-operable operation screen G1. However, it is not limited to this. For example, when the display control unit 24 displays the setting value display screen G2, it may display it superimposed on the user-operable operation screen G1.

[0112] Figure 20 shows an example where the setting value display screen G2 is displayed in the same display area 41 as the operation screen G1. In this case, the display area 42 for displaying the setting value display screen G2 is set within the display area 41 where the operation screen G1 is displayed. For example, as shown in Figure 20(a), when the display control unit 24 displays the setting value display screen G2, it displays it at an arbitrary position within the display area 41 of the operation screen G1. However, in the display state shown in Figure 20(a), the operation button B13 is hidden by the setting value display screen G2, so the user cannot operate the operation button B13. Therefore, when the display control unit 24 displays the setting value display screen G2, as shown in Figure 20(a), it allows the user to change the display position of the setting value display screen G2. For example, if the user taps and moves the setting value display screen G2 displayed on the operation screen G1, the display control unit 24 moves the display position of the setting value display screen G2 based on the user's operation, as shown in Figure 20(b). This will make operation button B13 visible, allowing the user to perform operations on operation button B13.

[0113] Furthermore, the above embodiment illustrates a case where the program 15 executed by the CPU 11 of the control unit 10 is pre-stored in the storage unit 14. However, the program 15 may also be installed on the image processing device 1 via a network or the like. In this case, the program 15 is provided in a form that can be downloaded via the internet or the like. Moreover, the program 15 is not limited to this and may also be provided recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or USB memory.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the display example of setting values ​​on the setting value display screen G2 and the example of user operation to change setting values ​​were mainly explained using copy jobs as an example. However, there are jobs other than copy jobs that are executed in the image processing device 1. It goes without saying that the display example described above is also applicable when setting up jobs other than copy jobs. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] 1 Image Processing Device 8. Control Panel 8a Display section 8b Operation section 10 Control Unit 15 Programs 20 User Authentication Section 21 Setting Value Management Section 22 Manual setting section 23 Automatic setting unit 24 Display Control Unit 25 Job Control Unit

Claims

1. A display unit that displays an operation screen containing multiple operation items, An automatic setting unit automatically sets the setting value for the operation items among the aforementioned multiple operation items for which automatic setting is enabled, A display control unit that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit, A manual setting unit that receives user input on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, is displayed on the display unit. Equipped with, The display control unit is configured to display a setting value selection screen on the display unit that displays a plurality of setting values ​​selectable by the user for the operation item when the manual setting unit receives a user operation on a setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit, the operation screen is displayed in a first area of ​​the display unit, a setting value display screen that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit is displayed in a second area of ​​the display unit different from the first area, and the setting value selection screen is displayed in the second area.

2. A display unit that displays an operation screen containing multiple operation items, An automatic setting unit automatically sets the setting value for the operation items among the aforementioned multiple operation items for which automatic setting is enabled, A display control unit that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit, A manual setting unit that receives user input on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, is displayed on the display unit. A user authentication unit that authenticates the user and identifies the operational rights of the authenticated user, Equipped with, The image processing apparatus is characterized in that, when the automatic setting unit automatically sets a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is configured, it automatically sets a setting value within the range of operation privileges identified by the user authentication unit.

3. A display unit that displays an operation screen containing multiple operation items, An automatic setting unit automatically sets the setting value for the operation items among the aforementioned multiple operation items for which automatic setting is enabled, A display control unit that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit, A manual setting unit that receives user input on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, is displayed on the display unit. A job control unit controls the execution of a job while reflecting the setting values ​​that were automatically set by the automatic setting unit, Equipped with, The automatic setting unit may automatically set setting values ​​for operation items for which automatic settings are configured after the execution of a job by the job control unit has started. The image processing apparatus is characterized in that the job control unit pauses the execution of a job after the job execution has started if the setting value has been automatically set by the automatic setting unit.

4. A display unit that displays an operation screen containing multiple operation items, An automatic setting unit automatically sets the setting value for the operation items among the aforementioned multiple operation items for which automatic setting is enabled, A display control unit that displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit, A manual setting unit that receives user input on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, is displayed on the display unit. Equipped with, The image processing apparatus is characterized in that, before a user performs an operation on the operation screen, the display control unit displays the operation items for which automatic settings are configured from among the plurality of operation items on the display unit.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that when the number of setting values ​​displayed on the setting value selection screen is greater than a predetermined number, the display control unit transitions the operation screen displayed in the first area and displays a screen in the first area for the user to perform a manual setting operation for the operation item.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that when the manual setting unit changes a setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit to a setting value specified by the user, it changes the setting value to a setting value within the range of operation privileges identified by the user authentication unit.

7. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the display control unit displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit at a timing automatically set by the automatic setting unit.

8. The manual setting unit can receive user input on the operation screen and set a user-specified setting value for an operation item specified by the user from among the multiple operation items. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the display control unit displays the setting values ​​set by the manual setting unit and the setting values ​​automatically set by the automatic setting unit on the display unit in chronological order according to the setting order.

9. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the display control unit is capable of displaying a preview screen on at least a part of the operation screen, which displays a preview image that reflects the setting value set for each of the plurality of operation items, and when the setting value is automatically set by the automatic setting unit while the preview screen is displayed, the preview image displayed on the preview screen is changed to a preview image that reflects the setting value.

10. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the operation items automatically set by the automatic setting unit are operation items that can be changed to desired settings by the user.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the operation item automatically set by the automatic setting unit is at least one of the operation items selected from color setting, density setting, paper setting, and original image quality mode setting.

12. A job control unit controls the execution of a job while reflecting the settings automatically set by the automatic setting unit. Furthermore, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 4, characterized in that the display control unit displays the setting value that was automatically set by the automatic setting unit before the execution of the job was started by the job control unit.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the job control unit starts executing a job after the user has confirmed the setting value that has been automatically set by the automatic setting unit.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the job control unit temporarily suspends the execution of a job and then resumes the execution of the job based on instructions from the user.

15. A control method for an image processing apparatus equipped with a display unit that displays an operation screen including multiple operation items, An automatic setting step for setting values ​​automatically for operation items among the aforementioned multiple operation items for which automatic setting is enabled, A display control step which displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting step in the display unit, A manual setting step that accepts user input on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting step, displayed on the display unit, and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting step to a setting value specified by the user, A user authentication step that authenticates the user and identifies the operational rights of the authenticated user, It has, The control method is characterized in that, when the automatic setting step automatically sets a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is configured, the setting value is set within the range of operation privileges identified by the user authentication step.

16. A program executed in an image processing device equipped with a display unit that displays an operation screen including multiple operation items, wherein the image processing device is configured to perform the operation on the display unit. An automatic setting step for setting values ​​automatically for operation items among the aforementioned multiple operation items for which automatic setting is enabled, A display control step which displays the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting step in the display unit, A manual setting step that accepts user input on the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting step, displayed on the display unit, and changes the setting value automatically set by the automatic setting step to a setting value specified by the user, A user authentication step that authenticates the user and identifies the operational rights of the authenticated user, Make it run, The program is characterized in that, when the automatic setting step automatically sets a setting value for an operation item for which automatic setting is configured, it automatically sets a setting value within the scope of the operation privileges identified by the user authentication step.

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