OPERATION PANEL AND ELECTRIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20090125841A1
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: YAMASHITA, Tomohito
• Application Number:
  US12/268,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125841A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• 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

The present invention provides an operation panel 13 that makes it easier to select setting buttons 20c and 20e desired by a user and to perform setting of various kinds of processings, and an electric device including the same.

The operation panel 13 provided in an image processing apparatus 1 includes an operation section 13a for inputting an operation instruction, a display section 13b for displaying an operation screen, a control section 13c for causing the display section 13b to display a different operation screen every time setting buttons 20c and 20e in the operation screen are operated, and a storage section 13d for storing the selected setting button 20c. The control section 13c counts the number of use times of each setting button 20c to store in the storage section 13d. When a setting screen is displayed, the control section 13c detects the number of use times of each of the setting buttons 20c to change a display state on the display section 13b depending on the number of use times.

With the structure above, even when many setting buttons 20c and 20e are displayed on the setting screen for various kinds of processings, the desired setting button 20c can be selected easily.

Claims

1. An operation panel for operating a setting button on an operation screen to input operation instruction, comprising:

a display section for displaying the operation screen; and

a control section for causing the display section to display the operation screen, wherein

the control section selects a setting button desired to be displayed differently from other setting buttons depending on a usage frequency, and changes a display of the selected setting button.

2. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein:

the control section counts the number of use times of the setting button and changes the display of the setting button in a stepwise manner as the usage times increases.

3. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein:

the control section changes a color of the display of the setting button.

4. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein:

the control section changes a size of the display of the setting button.

5. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein:

the control section changes a blink rate of the display of the setting button.

6. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein:

the control section changes a vibration period of the display of the setting button.

7. The operation panel according to claim 1 comprising a selection button for selecting a method for changing the display of the setting button, wherein:

when detecting that the selection button is operated, the control section causes the display section to display a selection screen for selecting the method for changing the display of the setting button.

8. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein:

the control section acquires information for each user and customizes a selected setting button and change of a display for each user.

9. An electric device which is mounted with the operation panel according to claim 1.

10. The electric device according to claim 9, wherein:

the electric device is a copier, a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, or a multifunctional peripheral combining two or more of them.