IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20130207915A1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: ASAI, Shinichi, OIKAWA, Takashi, GOTO, Jiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,900,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a processing portion, a storage portion, and a touch pad. The processing portion is adapted to accept input of a value for a prescribed processing condition for an image forming job. The storage portion is adapted to store the value accepted by the processing portion. The touch pad is adapted to accept a touch operation. The processing portion updates the value stored in the storage portion based on a manner of change in touch position resulting from a second touch operation on the touch pad while a first touch operation in a prescribed region of the touch pad continues.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a processing portion adapted to accept input of a value for a prescribed processing condition for an image forming job;

a storage portion adapted to store the value accepted by said processing portion; and

a touch pad adapted to accept a touch operation,

said processing portion updating the value stored in said storage portion based on a manner of change in touch position resulting from a second touch operation on said touch pad while a first touch operation in a prescribed region of said touch pad continues.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to update the value stored in said storage portion based on a distance by which the touch position resulting from said second touch operation has been changed.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when said distance has changed by a length equal to or longer than a length corresponding to a maximum value of an amount of change for the value stored in said storage portion, said processing portion is adapted not to update said value in spite of change in said distance equal to or longer than the length.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to update said value in response to a shorter distance of movement as an updated value is greater.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to cause a display device to display the value stored in said storage portion, and is adapted to change a manner of display of said value between a case where said first touch operation is performed and a case where it is not performed.

6. The image for fling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to maintain the value stored in said storage portion when said first touch operation ends before said second touch operation ends.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

whether the value stored in said storage portion is to be updated to a predetermined value can be set in said image forming apparatus each time start of said first touch operation is detected.

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

said processing portion is adapted to update by addition the value stored in said storage portion when the touch position where said second touch operation is started is on one side in a prescribed direction with respect to the touch position resulting from said first touch operation, and is adapted to update by subtraction the value stored in said storage portion when it is on the other side in said prescribed direction.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to switch a positive or negative sign of the value stored in said storage portion when the touch position does not move for a prescribed time period or longer in said second touch operation and then when the touch position resulting from said second touch operation has moved in a prescribed direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to switch a positive or negative sign of the value stored in said storage portion when a third touch operation is performed at a position different from positions resulting from said first touch operation and said second touch operation while said first touch operation and said second touch operation continue.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to accept input of said value for each digit.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said touch pad includes an input region predetermined for each digit for said value, and

said processing portion is adapted to accept input of said value for a digit corresponding to an input region included in an operation target of said first touch operation, in said input region.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to update the value stored in said storage portion on condition that said first touch operation has ended.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing portion is adapted to perform first processing for updating the value stored in said storage portion and second processing for changing a zoom factor for display, based on a manner of change in touch position resulting from the second touch operation at a position different from the touch position resulting from the first touch operation while the first touch operation in the prescribed region of said touch pad continues, and

which of said first processing and said second processing is to preferentially be performed is set.

15. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a processing portion for accepting input of a value for a prescribed processing condition for an image forming job, a storage portion for storing the value accepted by said processing portion, and a touch pad for accepting a touch operation, comprising:

accepting, by said image forming apparatus, a first touch operation in a prescribed region of said touch pad;

accepting, by said image forming apparatus, a second touch operation on said touch pad while said first touch operation continues; and

updating, by said image forming apparatus, the value stored in said storage portion based on a manner of change in touch position resulting from said second operation.

16. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating the value includes updating the value stored in said storage portion based on a distance by which the touch position resulting from said second touch operation has been changed.

17. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

when said distance has changed by a length equal to or longer than a length corresponding to a maximum value of an amount of change for the value stored in said storage portion, said updating includes maintaining said value in spite of change in said distance equal to or longer than the length.

18. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said updating includes updating said value in response to a shorter distance of movement as an updated value is greater.

19. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes causing a display device to display the value stored in said storage portion and changing a manner of display of said value between a case where said first touch operation is performed and a case where it is not performed.

20. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes maintaining said value stored in said storage portion when said first touch operation ends before said second touch operation ends.

21. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising setting whether the value stored in said storage portion is to be updated to a predetermined value each time start of said first touch operation is detected.

22. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes

updating by addition the value stored in said storage portion when the touch position where said second touch operation is started is on one side in a prescribed direction with respect to the touch position resulting from said first touch operation, and

updating by subtraction the value stored in said storage portion when the touch position where said second touch operation is started is on the other side in said prescribed direction with respect to the touch position resulting from said first touch operation.

23. The method of controlling an image foaming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes switching a positive or negative sign of the value stored in said storage portion when the touch position does not move for a prescribed time period or longer in said second touch operation and then when the touch position resulting from said second touch operation has moved in a prescribed direction.

24. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes switching a positive or negative sign of the value stored in said storage portion when a third touch operation is performed at a position different from positions resulting from said first touch operation and said second touch operation while said first touch operation and said second touch operation continue.

25. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes accepting input of said value for each digit.

26. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said touch pad includes an input region predetermined for each digit for said value, and

said accepting includes accepting input of said value for a digit corresponding to an input region included in an operation target of said first touch operation, in said input region.

27. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes updating the value stored in said storage portion on condition that said first touch operation has ended.

28. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said updating includes performing first processing for updating the value stored in said storage portion and second processing for changing a zoom factor for display, based on a manner of change in touch position resulting from the second touch operation at a position different from the touch position resulting from the first touch operation while the first touch operation in the prescribed region of said touch pad continues, and

said method further comprises setting which of said first processing and said second processing is to preferentially be performed.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a program executable by a computer of an image forming apparatus including a processing portion for accepting input of a value for a prescribed processing condition for an image forming job, a storage portion for storing the value accepted by said processing portion, and a touch pad for accepting a touch operation, said program causing said computer to perform:

accepting a first touch operation in a prescribed region of said touch pad and

accepting a second touch operation on said touch pad while said first touch operation continues; and

updating, by said image forming apparatus, the value stored in said storage portion based on a manner of change in touch position resulting from said second operation.