Information input apparatus and image forming apparatus

• US 20060216053A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shimazawa, Yohichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/80
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens

Abstract

An information input apparatus is constituted of an operation panel that inputs various types of information and an operation panel board that controls the operation panel. The operation panel includes an LCD that is the displaying unit that displays the information input screen for inputting various types of information, and a touch panel that is the input instructing unit that executes an input instruction from an input region (virtual keys) provided on the information input screen. The LCD displays on the virtual keys information different from information previously assigned to the virtual keys on the information input screen.

Claims

1. An information input apparatus including a displaying unit that displays an information input screen for inputting various types of information, and an input instructing unit that executes an input instruction from an input region provided on the information input screen, wherein the displaying unit displays, in the input region on the information input screen, information different from information assigned previously to the input region.

2. The information input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying unit displays, in the input region on the information input screen, information different from information displayed in the input region for the previous time.

3. The information input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying unit can display an authentication information input screen for inputting authentication information set in the information input apparatus before displaying a setting information input screen for predetermined functions and displays, in the input region on the authentication information input screen, information different from information previously assigned to the input region.

4. The information input apparatus according to claim 3, including a unit that permits an operation input to the information input apparatus when an input region corresponding to the authentication information is designated on the authentication information input screen, wherein the setting information input screen of the predetermined functions is displayed after the operation input has been permitted.

5. The information input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input instructing unit is constructed of a touch panel that can input a coordinate position of an input region on the information input screen.

12. An image forming apparatus including the information input apparatus according to claim 1.

6. An information input apparatus including a displaying unit that displays an information input screen for inputting various types of information, and an input instructing unit that executes an input instruction from an input region provided on the information input screen, wherein the displaying unit displays nothing in the input region on the information input screen.

7. The information input apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the displaying unit displays, on the information input screen, mode information indicating a setting state of the information input apparatus, and a cancellation key for canceling a mode of the mode information.

8. The information input apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the displaying unit displays a frame indicating an input region on the information input screen.

9. The information input apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the displaying unit can display an authentication information input screen for inputting authentication information set in the information input apparatus before displaying a setting information input screen of predetermined functions and displays nothing in the input region on the authentication information input screen.

10. The information input apparatus according to claim 9, including a unit that permits an operation input to the information input apparatus when an input region corresponding to the authentication information is designated on the authentication information input screen, wherein the setting information input screen of the predetermined functions is displayed after the operation input has been permitted.

11. The information input apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the input instructing unit is constructed of a touch panel that can input a coordinate position of an input region on the information input screen.

13. An image forming apparatus including the information input apparatus according to claim 6.