Selective Reset Control for Image Forming Apparatus Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for resetting settings in image forming apparatuses do not allow for individual initialization of each setting item, requiring users to input all values again after changes, which is cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a controller and display device that allows users to select a total reset mode or individual reset mode through an operation device, enabling selective initialization of setting items by changing values to initial or history settings based on user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all setting items are collectively initialized at once, then the resetting operation is simple and fast, but the user has to input all setting values again which increases operational time and reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the resetting operation into two distinct modes: total reset mode for initializing all setting items collectively, and individual reset mode for initializing only selected setting items. This segmentation allows users to choose the appropriate scope of resetting based on their needs, avoiding the need to reinput all values when only a few settings need changing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic selection capability where users can actively choose between total reset and individual reset modes before execution. This dynamic approach adapts the resetting behavior to user intent, allowing flexible control over which setting items are initialized and which are preserved.
2Device complexity
If a single reset button is used for both total reset and individual reset functions, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to ambiguous control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic action through multi-press detection of the reset button. The first press enters selection mode for individual reset, while the second press executes the total reset. This temporal pattern distinguishes between two different operations using a single physical button, maintaining low device complexity while improving operational clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the display device shows different states and options based on how many times the reset button has been pressed. This visual feedback guides the user through the reset process, making the ambiguous single-button control intuitive and easy to understand.
3Productivity
If individual setting items can be selectively initialized, then operational efficiency is improved by preserving needed settings, but the device complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the resetting function into total reset and individual reset modes, allowing users to selectively initialize only the necessary setting items while preserving others. This segmentation directly improves operational efficiency by avoiding unnecessary reinput of settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic action (multi-press detection) to enable individual reset mode, which allows selective initialization of setting items. This approach provides enhanced functionality without requiring separate physical buttons or complex control interfaces for each setting item.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a display device that displays a plurality of setting items related to an operation of an electronic apparatus, an operation device and a touch panel to be operated by a user, and a controller that sets a value of each of the setting items on a screen of the display device according to an input made through the operation device and the touch panel, initializes the values of the respective setting items, when a total reset mode is set through the operation device and the touch panel, and initializes, when an individual reset mode is set through the operation device and the touch panel, and resetting of the setting items on the screen of the display device is instructed through the touch panel, the value of the setting item about which the resetting has been instructed.