Application Control Settings Adaptation in Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multifunctional machines and compound machines face challenges in easily modifying application control settings based on their location of use, requiring complex design changes rather than adaptable control methods.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with an item acquiring unit, screen providing unit, and application controlling unit that generates and displays setting screens and controls applications based on unique activation conditions stored in files, allowing for unified installation and control of applications without needing to change their designs according to the location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If application designs are changed according to the place of use, then the application control settings can be adapted to different locations, but the design complexity and modification difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the application control into two independent parts: the application program itself and the setting screen data. The setting screen data is further divided into common items (applicable to all applications) and unique items (specific to each application activation condition). This segmentation allows the application program to remain unchanged while only the setting screen data needs to be modified for different locations, thus improving adaptability without increasing design complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the location-specific control settings from the application design and stores them as separate setting screen data in a file. By taking out the activation conditions and unique items from the application program, the system can load different setting screen data for different locations without modifying the application design, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving adaptability.
2Ease of manufacture
If a unified application installation method is used, then the installation process is simplified, but the ability to control application activation based on location is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates setting screen data files containing activation conditions and unique items into the application installation package in advance. During unified installation, these setting screen data are automatically installed alongside the application program. The system then automatically loads the appropriate setting screen data based on the detected location, enabling location-based activation control without requiring separate installation processes for different locations.
3Measurement precision
If multiple setting screens are created for different applications and locations, then the control precision is improved, but the number of setting screens and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal setting screen that can display different content based on the loaded setting screen data. The setting screen structure includes common items that are applicable to all applications and locations, and unique items that are dynamically loaded based on the specific application activation condition. This universal design allows one setting screen to serve multiple purposes across different applications and locations, maintaining control precision without increasing the number of setting screens.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus configured to run a plurality of applications having different activation conditions includes an item acquiring unit configured to acquire from an item storage an item to be displayed on a setting screen for making a setting to an application, and a screen providing unit configured to generate and display the setting screen in response to the item acquired by the item acquiring unit, wherein the screen providing unit generates the setting screen in response to an item acquired from a file that contains one or more items that are unique for each application activation condition.