IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20130185665A1
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: FURUKAWA, Manabu, MATSUDA, Hideyuki, MISHIMA, Nobuhiro, TAKAHASHI, Kazusei, NAGAI, Mitsuharu
• Granted Patent: US 10,248,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

An image forming apparatus comprises: a display which allows users to connect a first icon to a second icon on a first screen and is capable of displaying the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion and a second screen matching an event; a completion detector which detects completion of the connecting operation; a processor which performs an operation predetermined for the first and second icon when the connecting operation is completed; an event detector which detects occurrence of an event during the connecting operation; and a controller which performs, if an event occurs before completion of the connecting operation, a control operation consisting of: storing composition information of the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion; interrupting the first screen; and reproducing the first screen after disappearance of the second screen on the basis of the composition information.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a display portion which allows users to connect a first icon to a second icon by specifying the first icon and moving it to the second icon on a first screen and is capable of displaying the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon and a second screen matching an event that occurs to the body of the image forming apparatus;

a connection completion detector which detects completion of the icon connecting operation;

a processor which performs an operation predetermined for the first icon and the second icon when completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector;

an event detector which detects occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus during the icon connecting operation; and

a controller which performs, if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector before completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, a first control operation consisting of;

storing on a memory, composition information of the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon;

interrupting the first screen by making the second screen appear on the display; and

reproducing the first screen on the display portion after disappearance of the second screen on the basis of the composition information stored on the memory, in order for users to resume the icon connecting operation.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a judgment portion which judges whether or not the first icon has been moved to an area adjacent to the second icon, the adjacent area being specified in advance, wherein:

the controller performs, if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector before the first icon has been moved to the adjacent area according to the judgment portion, a second control operation consisting of;

storing on the memory, composition information of the first screen with an still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon;

interrupting the first screen by making the second screen appear on the display portion; and

reproducing the first screen on the display portion after disappearance of the second screen on the basis of the composition information stored on the memory, in order for users to resume the icon connecting operation;

the controller, if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector after the first icon has been moved to the adjacent area according to the judgment portion but before completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, performs a third control operation consisting of;

continuously displaying the first screen on the display portion until completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector; and

making the second screen appear on the display portion after completion of the icon connection operation is detected by the connection completion detector.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector after completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, the controller makes a message stating the predetermined operation for the first icon and the second icon has successfully been completed, appear on the display portion after disappearance of the second screen.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first icon overlaps with the second icon at least partially in the area adjacent to the second icon.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller makes a message stating that the first screen will be reproduced, appear on the display portion before reproducing the first screen thereon.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display portion displays the first screen by displaying a base screen with a drawing layer carrying a drawing of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon, the drawing layer being put on the base screen;

the controller performs a control operation consisting of;

storing on the memory, the positional coordinate of the first icon on the drawing layer;

allowing users to resume the icon connecting operation if an area in a predetermined range based on the positional coordinate of the first icon on the drawing layer is specified by user operation after reproduction of the first screen; and

making the first screen disappear from the display portion without completing the icon connecting operation when at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

a) the icon connecting operation is cancelled by user operation;

b) the first icon is connected to another object than the second icon; and

c) a predetermined period of time has lapsed after reproduction of the first screen.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein users are allowed to connect the first icon to the second icon by dragging and dropping the first icon to the second icon on the first screen.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a display portion which allows users to connect a first icon to a second icon by specifying the first icon and moving it to the second icon on a first screen and is capable of displaying the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon and a second screen matching an event that occurs to the body of the image forming apparatus;

a connection completion detector which detects completion of the icon connecting operation;

a processor which performs an operation predetermined for the first icon and the second icon when completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector;

an event detector which detects occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus during the icon connecting operation;

a controller which performs, if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector before completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, a control operation consisting of;

continuously displaying the first screen on the display portion until completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector; and

making the second screen appear on the display portion after completion of the icon connection operation is detected by the connection completion detector.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, if the predetermined operation for the first icon and the second icon cannot be performed by the processor for some reasons while the first screen is displayed on the display portion before completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, the controller makes a third screen with a message stating that the predetermined operation for the first icon and the second icon cannot be performed for some reasons, appear on the display portion.

4. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a display portion which allows users to connect a first icon to a second icon by specifying the first icon and moving it to the second icon on a first screen and is capable of displaying the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon and a second screen matching an event that occurs to the body of the image forming apparatus;

a connection completion detector which detects completion of the icon connecting operation;

a processor which performs an operation predetermined for the first icon and the second icon when completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector;

an event detector which detects occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus during the icon connecting operation;

a judgment portion which judges whether or not the first icon has been moved to an area adjacent to the second icon, the adjacent area being specified in advance;

a mode setting portion which allows users to select any one of the interrupt mode, the user operation first mode, and the switch back and forth mode and turns on the selected mode; and

a controller which performs;

if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector during the interrupt mode which is turned on by the mode setting portion, before completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, a first control operation consisting of;

storing on a memory, composition information of the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon;

interrupting the first screen by making the second screen appear on the display portion; and

reproducing the first screen on the display portion after disappearance of the second screen on the basis of the composition information stored on the memory, in order for users to resume the icon connecting operation;

if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector during the user operation first mode which is turned on by the mode setting portion, after completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, a second control operation consisting of;

continuously displaying the first screen on the display until completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector; and

making the second screen appear on the display after completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector;

if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector during the switch back and forth mode which is turned on by the mode setting portion, before the first icon has been moved to the adjacent area according to the judgment portion, a third control operation consisting of;

storing on a memory, composition information of the first screen with a still image of the first icon in motion on the way to the second icon;

interrupting the first screen by making the second screen appear on the display portion; and

reproducing the first screen on the display portion after disappearance of the second screen on the basis of the composition information stored on the memory, in order for users to resume the icon connecting operation;

if occurrence of an event on the body of the image forming apparatus is detected by the event detector after the first icon has been moved to the adjacent area according to the judgment portion but before completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector, a fourth control operation consisting of;

continuously displaying the first screen on the display portion until completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector; and

making the second screen appear on the display after completion of the icon connecting operation is detected by the connection completion detector.