Control panel for image forming devices

• US 6,075,925 A
• Filed: 02/13/1997
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gulrich, Marguerite L., Downing, Jacqueline V., Savola, Marianne, Johnson, Stephen K., Laidlaw, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chandler, Sterling W.
• Application Number:
  US08/800,726
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 395/101, 395/109, 395/113, 395/112, 345/326, 345/341, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 399/81
• US Class Current: 358/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00

Abstract

In an image forming device, a control panel having an intuitive hierarchical layout including: three rocker type switches corresponding to a menu selector, an item selector and a value selector; a select push-button; a job cancel push-button; and a go button. Menu selector, item selector, value selector and select button are arranged in an intuitive hierarchical fashion with the selectors corresponding to higher level features and menus are placed higher in the control panel layout hierarchy than lower level selectors. The rocker type switches allow a user to proceed through menus and items within the menus in both forward and backward directions. The separate go button as well as the separate job cancel button are provided to allow independent selection of those features.

Claims

1. A control panel for an image forming device which comprises:

a single first hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a separate, single second hierarchical level bi-directional selector located below the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a separate, single bi-directional value increment and decrement selector located below the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a select switch located below the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector;

an on-line switch; and

a control panel control circuit operatively connected to the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector, the select switch and the on-line switch.

2. The control panel of claim 1 further comprising a visual indicator device operatively connected to the control circuit.

3. The control panel of claim 2 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector are rocker switches.

4. The control panel of claim 3 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch and the second hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch each include direction indicating indicia located near opposing ends of the switches and the bi-directional value increment and decrement rocker switch has increment and decrement indicia located near opposing ends thereof.

5. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector are rocker switches.

6. The control panel of claim 5 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch and the second hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch each include direction indicating indicia located near opposing ends of the switches and the bidirectional value increment and decrement rocker switch has increment and decrement indicia located near opposing ends thereof.

7. The control panel of claim 1 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

8. The control panel of claim 2 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

9. The control panel of claim 4 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

10. The control panel of claim 6 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

11. An image forming device which comprises:

a housing;

a print engine within the housing;

a control panel control circuit within the housing and operatively attached to the print engine; and

a control panel affixed to the housing, the control panel including;

a single first hierarchical level bi-directional selector operatively connected to the control panel control circuit;

a separate, single second hierarchical level bi-directional selector operatively connected to the control panel control circuit and located below the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a separate, single bi-directional value increment and decrement selector operatively connected to the control panel control circuit and located below the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a select switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit and located below the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector; and

an on-line switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit.

12. The image forming device of claim 11 further comprising a visual indicator device affixed to the housing and operatively connected to the control circuit.

13. The image forming device of claim 12 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector are rocker switches.

14. The image forming device of claim 13 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch and the second hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch each include direction indicating indicia located near opposing ends of the switches and the bi-directional value increment and decrement rocker switch has increment and decrement indicia located near opposing ends thereof.

15. The image forming device of claim 11 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector are rocker switches.

16. The image forming device of claim 15 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch and the second hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch each include direction indicating indicia located near opposing ends of the switches and the bi-directional value increment and decrement rocker switch has increment and decrement indicia located near opposing ends thereof.

17. An image forming device which comprises:

a housing;

a print engine within the housing;

a control panel control circuit within the housing and operatively attached to the print engine;

a control panel affixed to the housing, the control panel including;

a single first hierarchical level bi-directional selector operatively connected to the control panel control circuit;

a separate, single second hierarchical level bi-directional selector operatively connected to the control panel control circuit and located below the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a separate, single bi-directional value increment and decrement selector operatively connected to the control panel control circuit and located below the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector;

a select switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit and located below the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector;

an on-line switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to display on a visual indicator device a plurality of first hierarchical level indicia each indicating a separate menu in response to activation of the first hierarchical level selector, a plurality groups of second hierarchical level indicia each indicating a separate item within a group of items within a particular menu in response to activation of the second hierarchical level selector, incrementing and decrementing a temporary register value corresponding to an individual item value in response to activation of the value increment and decrement selector;

to save the temporary register value to the print engine in response to an activation of the select switch, and to place the image forming device in an on-line state in response to an activation of the on-line switch.

18. The image forming device of claim 17 further comprising a visual indicator device affixed to the housing and operatively connected to the control circuit.

19. The image forming device of claim 18 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector are rocker switches.

20. The image forming device of claim 19 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch and the second hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch each include direction indicating indicia located near opposing ends of the switches and the bi-directional value increment and decrement rocker switch has increment and decrement indicia located near opposing ends thereof.

21. The image forming device of claim 17 wherein the first hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the second hierarchical level bi-directional selector, the bi-directional value increment and decrement selector are rocker switches.

22. The image forming device of claim 21 wherein the first hierarchical level bidirectional rocker switch and the second hierarchical level bi-directional rocker switch each include direction indicating indicia located near opposing ends of the switches and the bi-directional value increment and decrement rocker switch has increment and decrement indicia located near opposing ends thereof.

23. The image forming device of claim 17 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

24. The image forming device of claim 18 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

25. The image forming device of claim 20 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.

26. The image forming device of claim 22 further comprising:

a job cancel switch operatively connected to the control panel control circuit; and

the control panel control circuit being configured to cancel any print job currently being printed in response to an activation of the job cancel switch.