Image Forming Apparatus Automatic Template Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses require users to manually register and design icons for frequently used function settings, which is labor-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that uses a business-type or hobby-type database to automatically determine the user's context based on print data analysis, allowing for the display of relevant template icons without user intervention, by extracting words from print data and matching them against a database to determine the appropriate template to display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users manually register and design icons for frequently used function settings, then the icon customization function is achieved, but labor is required for the registration operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically analyzes print data to identify frequently used functions and generates template icons without user intervention. The image forming apparatus itself performs the registration operation by extracting function information from print data, counting frequency, and automatically creating template icons, thereby eliminating the need for manual user registration while maintaining customization capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of print data to identify frequently used functions before the user needs to use them. By counting function frequencies in advance and pre-generating template icons based on this analysis, the system prepares customized icons proactively, so users can directly use the generated templates without performing registration operations
2Ease of operation
If template icons are automatically generated based on print data analysis, then user operation load is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing print data analysis functionality and function frequency counting mechanisms are leveraged to automatically generate template icons. The system reuses existing components (print data acquisition, function identification, frequency counting) for the new purpose of template icon generation, thereby reducing the need for additional complex subsystems while achieving automatic template creation
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a template management component that acts as an intermediary between the print data analysis system and the user interface. This intermediary automatically generates template icons based on function frequency data and manages their storage and retrieval, simplifying the user's interaction while organizing the system's complexity in a manageable layer
Data Source
AI summary
According to an image forming apparatus of one embodiment, a business-type-based word database classifies and stores words for each business type. A business-type-based template database stores business-type-based templates in which plural icons to respectively invoke plural functions previously set for each business type are grouped. A word extraction unit extracts a word by analyzing character information included in print data. A coincidence number count unit compares the extracted word with the words stored in the business-type-based word database, and counts a coincidence number in a comparison result for each business type. A business type determination unit determines a business type of a user transmitting the print data based on the coincidence number. A template acquisition unit acquires a template relating to the determined business type of the user from the business-type-based template database. A display unit displays the acquired template on a screen.