MFP Guidance System for Screen Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multifunction peripherals (MFPs) face operability issues due to limited button display on smaller operation panels, making it difficult for users unfamiliar with the devices to access desired functions efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A guidance information providing system that includes an image forming device and a guidance information providing device, which stores switching information for customized screens, generates route information, and provides guidance to users to navigate through operation screens efficiently, allowing users to reach desired functions easily.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the operation panel size is reduced, then the device becomes more compact, but the number of buttons that can be displayed on the operation screen is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operation interface into multiple customized screens, each displaying a subset of buttons and functions. This allows the limited physical display area to present information in organized, manageable sections, enabling users to access different functional groups across multiple screens rather than overwhelming them with all buttons at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing buttons into multiple customized screens before the user needs them. Users can navigate through these pre-prepared screens to reach desired functions, eliminating the need to search through all buttons on a single crowded screen.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more buttons are displayed on the operation screen, then more functions are accessible, but the screen becomes more complex and harder to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complete set of buttons into multiple customized screens, each containing a manageable subset of functions. This segmentation reduces the visual complexity on each individual screen while maintaining access to all functions across the multiple screens, resolving the contradiction between function accessibility and screen complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between multiple customized screens based on user navigation. Each screen is optimized to display a specific set of buttons without overcrowding, and the system transitions between screens as users navigate, providing a dynamic viewing experience that maintains simplicity on each screen while offering comprehensive function access.
3Ease of operation
If users navigate through multiple screens to reach desired functions, then screen organization is improved, but the time required to access functions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a guidance information providing device that gives real-time feedback to users during screen navigation. The guidance system informs users about available customized screens and helps them efficiently locate desired functions, reducing the time penalty associated with navigating through multiple screens by providing directional information and reducing search effort.
4Adaptability or versatility
If customized screens are implemented, then user-specific functionality is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal guidance information providing device that can serve multiple functions: it provides navigation guidance, displays information about available customized screens, and assists users in locating desired functions. This multi-functional approach handles the complexity of managing multiple customized screens through a single integrated system rather than requiring separate control mechanisms for each customization aspect.
Data Source
AI summary
An MFP sequentially displays a plurality of operation screens on a display panel by switching, and receives a user operation on each operation screen. The user operation is performed for the switching or execution of a function, and the operation screens include screens customized by a user. A guidance information providing device includes: an information storage part storing switching information pieces in correspondence with the customized screens; a route generator that generates route information with reference to the stored switching information pieces, the generated route information indicating a display order of customized screens to be sequentially displayed between a current customized screen and a desired customized screen; a controller that selects, from among the stored switching information pieces, a switching information piece indicating switching from the current customized screen to a next customized screen to be displayed according to the display order indicated by the generated route information; a guidance generator that generates guidance information indicating an operation method for the user to switch the current customized screen to the next customized screen; and a communicator that outputs the generated guidance information.