OPERATION CONSOLE, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH THE CONSOLE, AND OPERATION METHOD

• US 20110128247A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• 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: SENSU, Minami
• Granted Patent: US 8,648,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus including software buttons and hardware buttons, a log-in image is displayed, and when input of a log-in name by a user is completed, determination is made as to whether an operation device used at that time is hardware buttons. If the operation device is hardware buttons, the image forming apparatus erases a software keyboard from a display panel, and if the operation device is not the hardware buttons, turns off a hardware button lamp.

Claims

1. An operation console provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:

a first operation unit allowing a user to input a request to said apparatus as the object of control;

a second operation unit operated by the user in a manner exclusive to said first operation unit, allowing the user to input a request to said apparatus as the object of control;

a determining unit detecting an operation of said first operation unit and said second operation unit by the user, for determining which of said first operation unit and said second operation unit is to be given priority;

a display unit displaying information to the user; and

a control unit controlling said display unit such that a piece of information assisting the user to recognize said first operation unit or said second operation unit that is determined to be given priority is displayed.

2. The operation console according to claim 1, wherein said determining unit determines which of said first operation unit and said second operation unit is to be given priority based on presence/absence of a signal input from said first operation unit by a user operation and a signal input from said second operation unit by a user operation.

3. The operation console according to claim 2, wherein

said determining unit determines to give priority to said first operation unit when a signal that can be input only from said first operation unit is detected, or

determines to give priority to said second operation unit when a signal that can be input only from said second operation unit is detected.

4. The operation console according to claim 1, wherein

said first operation unit includes a software button displayed on a touch-panel display;

said second operation unit includes a hardware button; and

said display unit includes said touch-panel display and a pilot lamp provided for said hardware button.

5. The operation console according to claim 4, wherein said control unit controls said display unit such that, when it is determined to give priority to said second operation unit, said pilot lamp is lit or flickered and said software button is erased from said touch panel display.

6. The operation console according to claim 5, wherein said operation consol resumes display of the software button that has been erased from said touch-panel display.

7. The operation consol according to claim 4, wherein said control unit controls said display unit such that, when it is determined to give priority to said first operation unit, said pilot lamp is turned off and said software button is displayed on said touch-panel display.

8. The operation console according to claim 7, wherein said operation console lights again or flickers again the pilot lamp that has been turned off.

9. The operation console according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user identification unit identifying a user; and

a storage unit storing, user by user, operation history of the user of said first operation unit and said second operation unit;

wherein

said determining unit determines which of said first operation unit and said second operation unit is to be given priority for the identified user, based on said operation history.

10. The operation console according to claim 9, wherein said determining unit determines which of said first operation unit and said second operation unit is to be given priority, if said operation history is determined to reflect operation preference of the user.

16. Electronic equipment including the operation console according to claim 1.

17. An image forming apparatus including the operation console according to claim 1.

11. An operation console provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:

a touch-panel display;

a display control unit controlling said touch-panel display such that information to be notified to the user is displayed; and

an input control unit controlling said touch-panel display such that a request to said apparatus as the object of control is detected in response to a user touching said touch-panel display;

wherein

said input control unit includes

a first input control unit detecting said request based on a position where the user touched said touch-panel display, and

a second input control unit detecting said request based on a trajectory of the user touching said touch-panel display; and

said display control unit displays a first information item corresponding to said first input control unit on said touch-panel display,

displays a second information item corresponding to said second input control unit on said touch-panel display, and

changes a manner of display of said first information item if a user request is detected by said second input control unit.

12. The operation console according to claim 11, wherein said display control unit changes the manner of display of said first information item such that priority is given to said second information item when a user request is detected by said second input control unit.

13. The operation console according to claim 12, wherein said display control unit changes the manner of display of said first information item corresponding to said detected user request by said second input control unit such that the order of display of said first information item becomes lower.

14. The operation console according to claim 12, wherein said display control unit erases display of said first information item when a user request is detected by said second input control unit.

15. The operation console according to claim 12, wherein said display control unit reduces an area for displaying said first information item when a user request is detected by said second input control unit.

18. An operation method of an operation console including a display unit, a processor unit and a plurality of operation units, provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:

the first operation step of receiving a request by a user to said apparatus as the object of control using a first operation unit;

the second operation step of receiving, in a manner exclusive to said first operation step, a request by the user to said apparatus as the object of control, using a second operation unit different from said first operation unit;

the determining step of detecting the user operation at said first operation step and said second operation step, and determining, using said processor unit, which of said first operation unit and said second operation unit is to be given priority; and

the display step of displaying information to the user using said display unit;

wherein

at said display step, a piece of information assisting the user to recognize said first operation unit or said second operation unit that is determined to be given priority is displayed.

19. An operation method of an operation console including a touch-panel display and a processor unit, provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:

the display control step of controlling said touch-panel display such that information to be notified to the user is displayed, using said processor unit; and

the input control step of controlling said touch-panel display such that a request to said apparatus as the object of control is detected in response to a user touching said touch-panel display;

wherein

said input control step includes

the first input control step of detecting said request based on a position where the user touched said touch-panel display, and

a second input control step of detecting said request based on a trajectory of the user touching said touch-panel display; and

said display control step includes

the step of displaying a first information item corresponding to said first input control step,

the step of displaying a second information item corresponding to said second input control step, and

the changing step of changing a manner of display of said first information item if a user request is detected at said second input control step.