Image processing system

• US 6,329,979 B1
• Filed: 05/01/1995
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Katsuichi, Yamada, Masanori, Arimoto, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/432,453
• Time in Patent Office: 2,416 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 345/171, 345/172, 345/173, 345/157, 345/156, 345/145, 345/146, 341/22, 341/23, 399/81, 399/83
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4023 based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00384 Key input means, e.g. buttons or keypads electromechanical details of key input means in general H01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00397 Switches, knobs or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32496 Changing the task performed, e.g. reading and transmitting, receiving and reproducing, copying facsimile mode changing H04N1/333

Abstract

An image processing system comprises a printer and a reader which are mechanically and functionally separated in such a manner that they can be used independently of each other and the transmission of image information is possible therebetween. Said reader includes an operating unit which cooperates with the printer to perform many functions such as the image operating function, the image transfer function, the presetting function and the image quality processing function, in addition to a function of a conventional copier. Said operating unit consists of a general purpose key portion; a soft key portion which is used for optionally creating the copy transfer functions and having function keys and displays corresponding to said keys, said displays being adapted to display key labels and messages to a user in cooperation with a driver, CPU and controller; and a function key preset key portion which is used for registering, reading and resetting the image transfer functions and having a standard mode return key, preset keys and preset key displays corresponding to said reset keys and adapted to display the reset position.

Claims

1. An operation apparatus comprising:

parameter input means for inputting plural kinds of parameters necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material, said parameter input means inputting the plural kinds of parameters in accordance with parameters displayed on a display screen of a display device;

register means capable of registering plural kinds of parameters as a parameter group necessary for executing one information processing operation in response to a register instruction, said register means registering the plural kinds of parameters using an operation button;

plural input means, respectively corresponding to plural parameter groups, for selecting a parameter group registered by said register means in response to operation of a respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, thereby retrieving the plural kinds of parameters of the parameter group selected by operation of the respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, for use in executing the information processing operation;

display control means for controlling a display on the display screen in accordance with the register instruction so that a guidance message information is displayed at a position on the display screen for requesting an input from a user so that the user may select a single one of said plural input means to which the parameter group will be registered, wherein said display control means controls the display on the display screen such that the position at which the guidance message information is displayed corresponds to a position of the operation button used by said register means; and

control means for changing the parameter group in accordance with the single one of said plural input means selected by the user, and then controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the parameter group corresponding to the single one of said plural input means selected by the user.

2. An operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural kinds of parameters are selected from the group consisting of parameters for reproduction ratio, edit mode, positive/negative selection, send destination, send size, copy size, document picture quality, number of copies, and density.

3. An operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural kinds of parameters are parameters for controlling the operation of a photocopier.

4. An operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises image forming means for performing the information processing by forming an image.

5. An operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a copier and further comprises a scanner unit and a printer unit.

6. An operation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said scanner unit and said printer unit are provided separately from each other.

7. An operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a facsimile apparatus.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said register means is capable of registering the parameter group changed by said control means.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material;

calling means for selectively calling plural function information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for selectively combining the plural function information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation in accordance with input from an operator, for controlling said register means to register the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the new function information group to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information of the new function information group without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by the operator.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means comprises means for judging, per each kind of the function information, a priority as to which group of the function information is preferential to another group.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising displaying means having plural displaying positions on which display contents corresponding to the function information is displayed, wherein said input means has plural key input means separately corresponding to the plural displaying positions.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said display means is capable of changing the display contents, and displaying plural function information and messages instructing changes of the display contents, and the displaying positions of the plural messages instructing the change of the respectively different display contents correspond to respectively different key input means.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when said display means displays the plural function information, responsive to operating said input means, if the display contents displayed at the displaying position corresponding to said key input means operated is the function information, the function information corresponding to the displaying contents is inputted, and the same display contents is displayed in a different displaying mode, so that the input can be discriminated.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when said display means displays the message instructing the change of the displaying contents, responsive to the operating said input means, if the displaying contents displayed at the displaying position corresponding to said key input means operated is the message instructing the change of the displaying contents, the displaying contents is changed into one corresponding to the displaying position.

15. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a recording material;

calling means for selectively calling the plural information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for combining the plural information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation, for controlling information processing determined by the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by an operator.

16. An operation method comprising the steps of:

inputting plural kinds of parameters necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material, including inputting the plural kinds of parameters in accordance with parameters displayed on a display screen of a display device;

registering plural kinds of parameters as a parameter group necessary for executing one information processing operation in response to a register instruction;

providing plural input means respectively corresponding to plural parameter groups, and selecting a parameter group registered in said registering step in response to operation of a respectively corresponding one of the plural input means, thereby retrieving the plural kinds of parameters of the parameter group selected by operation of the respectively corresponding one of the plural input means, for use in executing the information processing operation;

controlling a display on the display screen in accordance with the register instruction so that guidance message information is displayed for requesting an input from a user so that the user may select a single one of the plural input means to which the parameter group will be registered, including displaying both the guidance message information and the parameters on the display screen of the display device; and

controlling execution of the information processing operation, including changing the parameter group in accordance with the single one of the plural input means selected by the user, and controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the parameter group corresponding to the single one of the plural input means selected by the user.

17. A method apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said registering step registers the parameter group changed by said control means.

18. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting function information;

registering in register means plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material;

selectively calling plural function information groups registered in said register means in said registering step; and

selectively combining the plural function information groups called by said calling step into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation in accordance with input from an operator, controlling the register means to register the new function information group, and controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the new function information group to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information of the new function information group without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by the operator.

19. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting function information;

registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a recording material;

selectively calling the plural information groups registered by said register step; and

combining the plural information groups called by said calling step into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation, controlling information processing determined by the new function information group, and controlling execution of the information processing operation to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by an operator.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer medium having computer readable program means embodied in said medium for controlling an operation apparatus, said product including:

first computer readable program code means for inputting plural kinds of parameters necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material, including inputting the plural kinds of parameters in accordance with parameters displayed on a display screen of a display device;

second computer readable program code means for registering plural kinds of parameters as a parameter group necessary for executing one information processing operation in response to a register instruction in register means;

third computer readable program code means for providing plural input means respectively corresponding to plural parameter groups, and selecting a parameter group registered by said register means in response to operation of a respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, thereby retrieving the plural kinds of parameters of the parameter group selected by operation of the respectively corresponding one of the plural input means, for use in executing the information processing operation;

fourth computer readable program code means for controlling a display on the display screen in accordance with the register instruction so that guidance message information is displayed for requesting an input from a user so that the user may select a single one of said plural input means to which the parameter group will be registered, including displaying both the guidance message information and the parameters on the display screen of the display device; and

fifth computer readable program code means for controlling execution of the information processing operation, including changing the parameter group in accordance with the single one of the plural input means selected by the user, and controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the parameter group corresponding to the single one of the plural input means selected by the user.

21. A product according to claim 20, wherein said second computer readable program code means registers the parameter group changed by said control means.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer medium having computer readable program means embodied in said medium for controlling an information processing apparatus comprising:

first computer readable program code means for inputting function information;

second computer readable program code means for registering in register means plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material;

third computer readable program code means for selectively calling plural function information groups registered by said register means; and

fourth computer readable program code means for selectively combining the plural function information groups called by said third computer readable program code means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation in accordance with input from an operator, for controlling said register means to register the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the new function information group to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information of the new function information group without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by the operator.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer medium having computer readable program means embodied in said medium for controlling an information processing apparatus comprising:

first computer readable program code means for inputting function information;

second computer readable program code means for registering in register means plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a recording material;

third computer readable program code means for selectively calling the plural information groups registered by said register means; and

fourth computer readable program code means for combining the plural information groups called by said third computer readable program code means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation, for controlling information processing determined by the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by an operator.

24. A recording medium for use in an apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

parameter input means for inputting plural kinds of parameters necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material, said parameter input means inputting the plural kinds of parameters in accordance with parameters displayed on a display screen of a display device;

register means capable of registering plural kinds of parameters as a parameter group necessary for executing one information processing operation in response to a register instruction;

plural input means, respectively corresponding to plural parameter groups, for selecting a parameter group registered by said register means in response to operation of a respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, thereby retrieving the plural kinds of parameters of the parameter group selected by operation of the respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, for use in executing the information processing operation;

display control means for controlling the display on the display screen in accordance with the register instruction so that guidance message information is displayed for requesting an input from a user so that the user may select a single one of said plural input means to which the parameter group will be registered, both the guidance message information and the parameters being displayed on the display screen of the display device; and

control means for changing the parameter group in accordance with the single one of said plural input means selected by the user, and then controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the parameter group corresponding to the single one of said plural input means selected by the user.

25. A medium according to claim 24, wherein said register means is capable of registering the parameter group changed by said control means.

26. A recording medium for use in an apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material;

calling means for selectively calling plural function information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for selectively combining the plural function information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation in accordance with input from an operator, for controlling said register means to register the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the new function information group to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information of the new function information group without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by the operator.

27. A recording medium for use in an apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a recording material;

calling means for selectively calling the plural information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for combining the plural information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation, for controlling information processing determined by the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by an operator.

28. A printer apparatus comprising:

parameter input means for inputting plural kinds of parameters necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material, said parameter input means inputting the plural kinds of parameters in accordance with parameters displayed on a display screen of a display device;

register means capable of registering plural kinds of parameters as a parameter group necessary for executing one information processing operation in response to a register instruction;

plural input means, respectively corresponding to plural parameter groups, for selecting a parameter group registered by said register means in response to operation of a respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, thereby retrieving the plural kinds of parameters of the parameter group selected by operation of the respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, for use in executing the information processing operation;

display control means for controlling a display on the display screen in accordance with the register instruction so that a guidance message information is displayed for requesting an input from a user so that the user may select a single one of said plural input means to which the parameter group will be registered, both the guidance message information and the parameters being displayed on the display screen of the display device; and

control means for changing the parameter group in accordance with the single one of said plural input means selected by the user, and then controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with a parameter group corresponding to the single one of said plural input means selected by the user.

29. A printer apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said register means is capable of registering the parameter group changed by said control means.

30. A printer apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material;

calling means for selectively calling plural function information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for selectively combining the plural function information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation in accordance with input from an operator, for controlling said register means to register the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the new function information group to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information of the new function information group without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by the operator.

31. A printer apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a recording material;

calling means for selectively calling the plural information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for combining the plural information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation, for controlling information processing determined by the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by an operator.

32. A copier comprising:

parameter input means for inputting plural kinds of parameters necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material, said parameter input means inputting the plural kinds of parameters in accordance with parameters displayed on a display screen of a display device;

register means capable of registering plural kinds of parameters as a parameter group necessary for executing one information processing operation in response to a register instruction;

plural input means, respectively corresponding to plural parameter groups, for selecting a parameter group registered by said register means in response to operation of a respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, thereby retrieving the plural kinds of parameters of the parameter group selected by operation of the respectively corresponding one of said plural input means, for use in executing the information processing operation;

display control means for controlling a display on the display screen in accordance with the register instruction so that guidance message information is displayed for requesting an input from a user so that the user may select a single one of said plural input means to which the parameter group will be registered, both the guidance message information and the parameters being displayed on the display screen of the display device; and

control means for changing the parameter group in accordance with the single one of said plural input means selected by the user, and then controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with a parameter group corresponding to the single one of said plural input means selected by the user.

33. A copier according to claim 32, wherein said register means is capable of registering the parameter group changed by said control means.

34. A copier comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a sheet of recording material;

calling means for selectively calling plural function information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for selectively combining the plural function information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation in accordance with input from an operator, for controlling said register means to register the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation in accordance with the new function information group to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information of the new function information group without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by the operator.

35. A copier comprising:

input means for inputting function information;

register means capable of registering plural function information groups, each function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation to form an output on a recording material;

calling means for selectively calling the plural information groups registered by said register means; and

control means for combining the plural information groups called by said calling means into a new function information group comprising plural kinds of function information necessary for executing one information processing operation, for controlling information processing determined by the new function information group, and for controlling execution of the information processing operation to form the output on the recording material using all of the plural kinds of function information without requiring further selection among the plural kinds of function information by an operator.