Message display device

• US 6,487,684 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishii, Hirotomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M
• Application Number:
  US09/345,077
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 713/600, 710/1, 707/526, 714/40, 714/44, 714/46, 714/57
• US Class Current: 714/44
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens

Abstract

When the user performs input seeking a message that pertains to the status of the device, the message display device of the present invention selects and displays based on the data generated by a data generator comprising a counter and/or a sensor an appropriate message from a group of messages, each of which corresponds to various input contents.

Claims

1. A message display device comprising:

a receiving unit that receives a user input;

a first signal generator that generates a first signal;

a memory that stores a plurality of messages;

a display unit that displays the plurality of messages stored in the memory;

selecting means that selects at least one message from among the plurality of messages stored in the memory based on the user input received by the receiving unit and the first signal generated by the first signal generator; and

a controller that causes the message selected by the selecting means to be displayed on the display unit.

2. A message display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second signal generator that generates a second signal;

wherein the selecting means selects at least one message based on the second signal generated by the second signal generator.

3. A message display device as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the generated signal relates to a status of a printer.

4. A message display device as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the first signal generator has a counter that counts a number of prints made and the second signal generator has a sensor that detects a remaining amount of toner in the printer.

5. A message display device as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the first signal is a signal regarding whether a value on the counter is larger than a toner depletion print number.

6. A message display device as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the second signal is a signal regarding whether a remaining amount of toner in the printer is an empty condition.

7. A message display device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein at least one of the plurality of messages stored in the memory is a help message for a printer.

8. A message display device as claimed in claim 7,

wherein the receiving unit receives input for requesting the help message.

9. A message display device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the first signal is a signal regarding a status of a printer.

10. A message display device as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the first signal generator has a counter that counts a number of prints made.

11. A message display device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a second signal generator that has a sensor that detects a remaining amount of toner in the printer.

12. A system comprising:

a printer that has a sensor sensing a status of the printer; and

a personal computer that communicates with the printer, the printer having;

a memory that stores a plurality of help messages;

first receiving means that receives a question from a user;

first selecting means that selects messages in response to the question received by the receiving means;

second receiving means that receives a signal based on the sensor;

second selecting means that selects at least one message from a plurality of messages selected by the first selecting means in response to the signal received by the second receiving means; and

a display that displays the at least one message selected by the second selecting means.

13. A message selecting device comprising:

an input unit that receives input from a user;

a referring unit that refers to a signal;

selecting means that selects at least one message from among a plurality of messages stored in a memory based on the input and the signal; and

display instruction means that causes the at least one message selected by the selecting means to be displayed on a display.

14. A message display system comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of messages;

a display that displays messages;

a machine that outputs a job based on a job instruction;

a signal generator that generates a signal regarding a status of the machine;

a receiving device that receives a request of status of the machine;

selecting means that selects at least one message from among a plurality of messages stored in the memory based on the request of status received by the receiving device and the signal generated by the signal generator; and

a controller that causes the at least one message selected by the selecting means to be displayed on the display.

15. A message display system as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the display, the signal generator, the receiving device, the selecting means and the controller are in a personal computer.

16. A message display system as claimed in claim 15,

wherein the machine is a printer.

17. A message display method comprising the steps of:

receiving an input from a user;

referring to a signal;

selecting at least one message from among a plurality of messages stored in a memory based on the input and the referred signal; and

causing the at least one message selected to be displayed on a display.

18. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, the plurality of sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement a process for:

receiving an input from a user;

referring to a signal;

selecting at least one message from among a plurality of messages stored in a memory based on the input and the referred signal; and

causing the at least one message selected to be displayed on a display.