Image forming apparatus and control method thereof

• US 10,044,888 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Yuuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Distefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US14/453,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00506 Customising to the data to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00514 for individual users

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an operation display unit, a display range registration unit, an icon registration unit, and a display control unit. In the operation display unit, an icon for selecting an image forming apparatus operation is displayed. In the display range registration unit, information on a display range of the icons displayed on the operation display unit is registered. In the icon registration unit, information on a display position of the icon on the operation display unit is registered. In the display control unit, a movement button for moving the icon based on the information on the display range which is registered in the display range registration unit is displayed when the icon is selected. In the display control unit, the information on the display position which is registered in the icon registration unit is updated when the movement button is pressed.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an operation display panel configured to display an icon for selecting an operation of the image forming apparatus;

a display range registration unit in which information on a display range of the icon displayed on the operation display panel is registered;

an icon registration unit in which information on a display position of the icon on the operation display panel is registered; and

a display control processor configured to display a movement button for moving the icon when the icon is selected, based on the information on the display range of the icon which is registered for that icon in the display range registration unit, and to update the information on the display position of the icon which is registered in the icon registration unit when the movement button is pressed;

wherein when an icon is selected, the display control processor is further configured to;

add a whole number representing a position of the selected icon to each of numerical values assigned to the movement buttons;

compare each addition result to a range of whole numbers representing icon positions of the display range; and

disable each of the movement buttons having an addition result that is outside the range of icon position numbers of the display range.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display control processor is configured to change a shape of the movement button pointing in a direction in which the icon is not capable of being moved based on the information on the display range which is registered in the display range registration unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control processor is configured to change a gray scale image of the movement button pointing in a direction in which the icon is not capable of being moved based on the information on the display range which is registered in the display range registration unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display control processor is configured to cause the movement button pointing in a direction in which the icon is not capable of being moved to not be displayed when the information on the display range which is registered in the display range registration unit indicates that the icon cannot be moved from a current position of the icon in the denoted direction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, the display control processor is configured, such that if another icon is registered in a selected destination position of an icon selected for movement when the movement button is pressed, to update information on a display position of the another icon which is registered in the icon registration unit to the display position of the icon selected for movement.

6. A control method for positioning control icons on a touch display associated with an image forming apparatus, comprising:

registering a display range in which information for the display range of icons for selecting an operation of the image forming apparatus may be displayed on a display unit;

registering an icon, for which information on a display position of the icon is registered, in an operation display panel;

selecting an icon on the display unit;

displaying in the display unit one or more movement buttons for moving the selected icon, based on the information on the display range which is registered in the registering of the display range;

adding a whole number representing the icon position to each of numerical values assigned to the movement buttons;

comparing each addition result to a range of whole numbers representing icon positions of the display range; and

disabling each of the movement buttons having an addition result that is outside the range of icon position numbers of the display range; and

updating the registration information of the display position of the icon when one of the movement buttons is pressed.

7. The method according to claim 6,

wherein a shape of a movement button pointing in a direction in which the icon is not capable of being moved to is changed based on the information on the registered display range.

8. The method according to claim 6,

wherein a movement button pointing in a direction in which the icon is not capable of being moved to is not displayed based on the information on the registered display range.

9. The method according to claim 6,

wherein if another icon is registered in a destination location of an icon selected to be moved when the movement button is pressed, information on a display position of the another icon is updated to the original display position of the icon selected to be moved.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

changing the display appearance of the icon upon selection of the icon.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

associating a display icon with an icon value; and

correlating the icon value with a display location in the registration information.

12. An apparatus for managing the display and position of icons which are representative of selectable process functions on an image processing device and are displayable on a touch screen display, comprising:

a plurality of icon display locations, each location including a location identity, for display of the icons on the touch screen display;

a plurality of icons, each icon associated with an icon value;

a registration database, in which the icon location identity is associated with an icon value if an icon is displayed at the location on the touch screen display represented by the location identity; and

a location change unit configured to move an icon display location to a different location irrespective of the presence of an additional icon at the different location and including a plurality of movement buttons, wherein, when an icon is selected the location change unit is further configured to;

add a whole number representing a position of the selected icon to each of numerical values assigned to the movement buttons;

compare each addition result to a range of whole numbers representing icon positions of a display range; and

disable each of the movement buttons having an addition result that is outside the range of icon position numbers of the display range.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the registration database is configured to track the change in the location of an icon moved using the location change unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a logic unit associated with the registration database, wherein the logic unit calculates the available directions of movement for an icon.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

the logic unit is operatively coupled to the location change unit;

and

the location change unit is modified by an instruction from the logic unit to indicate location changes on the touch screen which are not available for a particular icon.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the modification of the location change unit includes changing a feature of a movement button displayed on the touch screen.