Image Forming Screen Transition Control via Inactivity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses with multiple functions face challenges in maintaining user usability by automatically returning to a selected function's initial screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, ensuring seamless operation when resumed.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a display, operating section, detecting section, and controller that manage screen transitions by detecting inactivity and resetting to the initial screen of the last selected function, allowing for enhanced usability by prioritizing frequently used functions and allowing user settings for specific screen transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the screen returns to the initial mode after a predetermined period of inactivity, then the apparatus can maintain readiness for the next operation, but the user experience deteriorates when the previously selected function was the most frequently used one
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing the usage frequency information of each function in advance. When the screen needs to transition after inactivity, the controller retrieves this pre-stored frequency data and uses it to determine the optimal screen to display, rather than simply returning to a fixed initial mode or requiring the user to navigate back through the menu.
2Device complexity
If the screen transitions to a fixed initial mode, then the system structure remains simple, but the adaptability to different usage patterns is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the screen transition destination based on the usage frequency parameter. Instead of using a fixed transition rule, the controller modifies the target screen selection according to the stored frequency data, allowing the system to adapt to different usage patterns while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus that performs a plurality of functions includes: a display which displays a menu screen or a function instruction screen, the menu screen being used for selecting one of the plurality of functions, and the function instruction screen corresponding to each of the functions and being used for executing the corresponding function; an operating section which accepts an operation relating the selected function from a user; a detecting section which detects that an operation relating to the selected function has not been performed for a predetermined amount of time; and a controller which controls a screen transition to change the screen of the display to an initial screen of the function instruction screen corresponding to the selected function, when the detecting section detects that the operation has not been performed for the predetermined amount of time.