Touch Panel Display Button Integration for Print Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printing apparatuses face usability issues due to the separate placement of start buttons from the display, leading to inconvenient navigation and reduced space for displaying setting items, resulting in frequent screen switching and poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

A touch panel display that integrates setting items and a print start instruction button, where the button's appearance changes according to the set content, allowing users to recognize and correct settings before printing, thereby preventing errors and improving usability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the start button is disposed separately from the display, then the display area for setting items is increased, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to frequent finger movement between display and button

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay area for setting itemsVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the start button with the display by displaying it as a touchable button on the touch panel display surface. This integration allows users to perform setting operations and start printing without moving their finger between separate components, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining adequate display area for setting items

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If the start button is displayed on the display, then the ease of operation is improved, but the area for displaying setting items is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddisplay area for setting items
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the touch panel display's capability to overlay interactive elements on the display surface. The start button is rendered as a transparent or semi-transparent overlay that does not significantly reduce the underlying display area, allowing both adequate setting item display and easy touch operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If the button size is reduced to fit more setting items, then the display capacity is increased, but the ease of touch manipulation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of setting items displayedVSAvoidease of touch manipulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic scrolling and pagination functionality that allows the display to adaptively adjust the number of visible setting items based on user interaction. The start button maintains a sufficiently large, fixed size for easy touch manipulation while the surrounding setting items can be scrolled or paginated to display additional options without crowding the interface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3196702B1Printing apparatus, image reading apparatus, control program of printing apparatus, and control program of image reading apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3196702B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3196702B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP3196702B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D

AI summary

A control unit displays a setting item with respect to print, and a print start instruction button in a situation according to setting content, which is set in the setting item and is used for the print, on a touch panel type display.