Image Processing Display Layout for Multi-Abnormality Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image processing apparatus maintenance methods require inefficient screen navigation by service personnel to gather necessary information, and existing state confirmation screens do not provide sufficient detail for efficiently addressing multiple abnormalities, particularly when they occur in close proximity.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus with a display unit that integrates state and history information, displaying abnormalities on a single screen using categorized icons on a schematic diagram, allowing for prioritized and location-specific information presentation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a menu format display is used to show state information, then the service person can access detailed information, but the service person must move back and forth between menus which is inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accessibilityVSAvoidtime for screen navigation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple types of state information (abnormality information, error information, jam information, usage status) onto a single screen display. This allows the service person to access all necessary information without navigating between multiple menus, directly resolving the contradiction by merging information accessibility with time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of time

If a single state confirmation screen consolidates all abnormalities, then screen navigation effort is eliminated, but the service person cannot grasp positional relationships of abnormalities when multiple abnormalities occur in close proximity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for information gatheringVSAvoidease of abnormality analysis
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the display into two distinct regions: a list view for detailed abnormality information and a schematic diagram view for spatial positioning. This segmentation allows the service person to access both comprehensive information and positional relationships simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between time efficiency and ease of analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a spatial dimension by displaying abnormalities on a schematic diagram that represents the physical layout of the image processing apparatus. This dimensional addition allows the service person to grasp positional relationships of abnormalities while maintaining access to detailed information, solving the contradiction between consolidated display and spatial understanding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If detailed state information is displayed on a single screen, then maintenance work can be performed more efficiently, but the screen region becomes limited and cannot display all necessary information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance work efficiencyVSAvoidscreen display area
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the screen into functional segments: a list display area for detailed textual information and a schematic diagram area for spatial visualization. This segmentation allows comprehensive information to be displayed within limited screen real estate by organizing information in multiple formats simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between productivity and display area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4651478A1Image processing apparatus, method executed by image processing apparatus, and program
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 CANON KK
  • EP4651478A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4651478A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4651478A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image processing apparatus (103) has a display unit (302), manages state information (1000, 1100, 1200, 1300) and history information (1400, 1410, 1420, 1430) of the image processing apparatus, and performs processing based on the managed state information and history information. The processing includes display of display contents on the display unit in a single screen (400) based on both first display information for displaying, for each category, information related to abnormalities among the state information and history information of the image processing apparatus by dividing the information related to abnormalities into a plurality of different categories (403-407), and second display information for displaying data corresponding to the information related to abnormalities at corresponding locations on a schematic diagram (401) of the image processing apparatus.