Touch Panel Language Switching via Slide Gestures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses require cumbersome operations to switch languages, especially when multiple users with different languages share the device, and display multiple language keys, which occupies screen space and complicates navigation.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a touch panel and storage unit that allows language switching by associating different languages with slide directions on the touch panel, enabling users to switch languages through simple slide operations without a dedicated key, by detecting slide directions and displaying a selected-language window for a predetermined time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple language keys are displayed on the display unit, then language switching capability is improved, but screen space for displaying other keys and checkboxes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The language switching function is extracted from the main display area and implemented through gesture operations on existing display elements. Instead of adding dedicated language keys that occupy screen space, the patent extracts the language switching capability and implements it through slide gestures on the touch panel that can be performed on any region of the display.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch panel is given multi-functionality by enabling slide gestures to trigger language switching. The same touch panel used for normal operation also serves as a language switching mechanism through gesture recognition, eliminating the need for separate dedicated keys or display elements for language selection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If language switching requires invoking a special screen, then language switching capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent skips the intermediate step of invoking a separate language switching screen. Instead of requiring users to navigate to a dedicated language selection screen, the system rushes through the language switching process by detecting slide gestures directly on the current display and immediately switching languages without intermediate navigation steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service by automatically detecting slide gestures and switching languages without requiring users to manually navigate to language settings or select from language menus. The language switching function serves itself through gesture recognition and automatic language change implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
In an image forming apparatus, a storage unit contains, by each of a plurality of languages that are respectively associated with each direction of slide operations, a character string. A display controller causes a display unit to display, on a screen, an instruction-receiving image to be touched through a touch panel. When a slide operation is performed on a non-operational region where the instruction-receiving image is not located, the character string of the language associated with the direction of the slide operation is retrieved from the storage unit, and a selected-language window is generated by substituting the character string displayed on the screen of the display unit with the character string that has been retrieved, and displayed only for a predetermined period of time.