Operator introduction screen

• US 5,105,220 A
• Filed: 08/06/1990
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Williams, James B., Miller, David E., Knodt, Ruediger W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Joan H.
• Application Number:
  US07/563,121
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 355/209, 340/712, 364/146, 434/227, 434/228, 434/230, 434/231, 434/118
• US Class Current: 399/81
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A method and apparatus for coaxing a novice operator into dialogue with a touch screen display and for directing the operator to program the machine including a soft display actuator displayed on the first frame of the touch screen display of the user interface, a pointer displayed adjacent to the acutator, the pointer simulating a human action with respect to the actuator, the human action suggesting to the operator the manual engagement of the actuator, and a control responsive to the manual engagement of the actuator to provide a subsequent frame on the touch screen display of the user interface, the subsequent frames providing progressively more complex operator options.

Claims

1. In a reproduction machine having a control and user interface with a touch screen display for providing operator prompts and selectable features for programming the operation of the machine, the method of inviting the operator into a touch screen environment by introducing the touch screen display to an operator comprising the steps of:

providing a soft touch target having the appearance of a hard button, the button having an identifiable on state and an identifiable off state,

displaying an abstract rendition of a hand, the abstract rendition of the hand including a symbolic finger, the symbolic finger pointing toward said touch target, the symbolic finger and touch target conveying the image of a hard button,

displaying a linear design suggesting the function of image document manipulation by the pressing of the touch target, and

providing text messages to reinforce the hard button image provided by the combination of the soft touch target and the abstract rendition of the hand.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of providing an audio signal to reinforce the on state of the touch target.

3. The system of claim 1 including the step of selectively omitting the display of the abstract rendition of the hand.

4. A reproduction machine having a control and user interface with a touch screen display for providing operator prompts and selectable features for programming the operation of the machine to coordinate a plurality of operating components to produce reproductions of images on support material comprising:

a soft touch target on said screen display having the appearance of a hard button, the button having an identifiable on state and an identifiable off state,

rendition of a hand on said screen display, the rendition of the hand including a finger impression, the finger impression pointing toward said touch target, the finger and touch target conveying the image of a hard button,

text messages on the screen display to reinforce the hard button image of the combination of the soft touch target and the abstract rendition of the hand, and

means to provide a signal to reinforce the one state of the touch target.

5. In a reproduction machine having a control and user interface with a touch screen display for programming the operation of the machine to coordinate a plurality of operating components to produce reproductions of images on support material, means for coaxing an operator into dialogue with the machine by means of the interface comprising:

means to exhibit a first frame on the touch screen display of the user interface,

an actuator displayed on the first frame,

a pointer displayed adjacent to the actuator, the pointer simulating a human action with respect to the actuator, the human action suggesting to the operator the manual engagement of the actuator,

means responsive to the manual engagement of the actuator to provide subsequent frames on the touch screen display of the user interface, the subsequent frames providing progressively more complex operator options and means for exhibiting a linear image expressing the operation of document manipulation.

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein the pointer is a rendition of a human hand expressing the action of a finger touching the actuator.

7. The machine of claim 5 including means for displaying a rendition of a hand, the rendition of the hand including a finger impression, the finger impression pointing toward said touch target, the finger and touch target conveying the image of a hard button.

8. The machine of claim 7 including means for providing text messages to reinforce the hard button image by the combination of the soft touch target and the rendition of the hand.

9. The machine of claim 5 wherein the linear image includes first linear display and a second linear display, the second linear display being at an angle with respect to the first linear display.