Image Forming Control Apparatus Highlighting Changed Settings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users find it difficult to accurately check and manage collectively changed setting items in image forming processes due to the complexity of UI screens in image forming control apparatuses, making it hard to identify which setting items have been altered.

Innovation Solution

An image forming control apparatus and method that emphatically displays changed setting items by highlighting them through different font types, sizes, or colors, allowing users to easily identify and store these changes under collective setting group names, and generates menus for inputting and managing these groups.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple setting items are provided in the UI screen, then the functionality of the image forming control apparatus is improved, but the complexity of the UI screen increases making it difficult for users to identify changed settings

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidUI screen complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies color changes by displaying changed setting items in a different color (e.g., red or blue) compared to unchanged items. This visual differentiation allows users to quickly identify which settings have been modified without needing to examine the entire complex UI screen, thus resolving the contradiction between providing comprehensive functionality and maintaining UI simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Productivity

If collective setting group names are added to store multiple setting values, then the efficiency of managing settings is improved, but the difficulty of tracking which specific items changed increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesetting management efficiencyVSAvoidinformation about changed items

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by providing visual information about which specific setting items changed when collective setting groups are applied. The system feeds back to the user the details of changed items through color-coded display, ensuring that while efficiency is improved through collective management, no information about specific changes is lost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If the UI screen displays all setting items, then complete information is provided, but users cannot easily distinguish changed settings from unchanged ones

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidease of identifying changes

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the display characteristics of changed setting items versus unchanged items. Specifically, changed items are displayed with distinct visual properties (color, highlighting) while unchanged items maintain the standard display. This allows complete information to be presented while making changed items easily distinguishable, thus improving ease of operation without sacrificing information completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8305592B2Image forming system and apparatus that displays a setting item, and control method thereof

Publication Date: 2012.11.06 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

AI summary

A control method of an image forming control apparatus includes displaying a plurality of setting items about image forming, changing at least one setting value of the plurality of setting items and storing the plurality of setting items, and emphatically displaying a setting item, of which the setting value is changed, among the plurality of setting items.