Touch Panel Image Size Adjustment for Print Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of image forming apparatuses face difficulties in accurately adjusting image sizes for printing, often leading to incorrect output sizes and wastage of ink and paper, as they need to measure dimensions manually or use rulers, making the process cumbersome and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
An operation instructing device with a display unit and detecting unit that allows users to touch points on a displayed image to calculate and display the target distance, enabling precise adjustment of image size through touch operations, and displaying a preview image to confirm the changes, thereby reducing errors and wastage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual measurement with rulers is used to set copy magnification, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical measurement system (rulers and manual measurement) with a touch-panel based digital measurement system. The touch-panel display shows the original image, and users can directly touch two points on the displayed image to define the measurement distance, eliminating the need for physical rulers and manual calculation of magnification ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch-panel display acts as an intermediary between the user and the image measurement process. It displays the original image and allows users to interactively select two points by touching the screen, with the system automatically calculating the distance and magnification ratio based on these selected points, thus mediating the complex measurement task into a simple touch operation.
2Productivity
If image size is adjusted without preview confirmation, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays a preview image showing how the output image will appear with the selected magnification ratio before the user finalizes the setting. This preliminary visualization allows users to confirm the output size accuracy before proceeding, preventing erroneous operations while maintaining quick adjustment through direct touch input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback by displaying the calculated magnification ratio and preview image immediately after the user selects two points on the original image. This feedback loop allows users to verify the output size and adjust their selection if needed, ensuring manufacturing precision without sacrificing productivity.
3Ease of operation
If direct touch operation on displayed image is used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into distinct functional areas: the original image display area where users touch to select measurement points, and the preview image display area showing the expected output. This segmentation allows users to perform direct touch operations on the original image while maintaining accurate reference to the original size through the displayed image, preventing confusion between original and output dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation instructing device includes a display unit that displays an image and a detecting unit that detects a touched position and thereby specifies a corresponding position of an image displayed on the display unit. While an image is displayed on the display unit, if the detecting unit detects that at least two points A and B are touched in a portion of the detecting unit corresponding to the image, assuming that the image is formed on a sheet of recording paper, a distance between two points of the image formed on the sheet of recording paper corresponding to the two touched points is calculated and displayed on a display panel. Thus, an error in operation instruction such as enlargement and reduction can be reduced, and hence, wasteful consumption of ink and recording paper can be reduced.