System, recording medium and program for inputting operation condition of instrument

• US 7,336,282 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Muroi, Tetsuya, Lu, Bin, Saeki, Iwao, Sakuramata, Yoshifumi, Sakayori, Tetsuya, Takami, Junichi, Kato, Yoshinaga
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick; Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US10/938,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/418, 345/501, 345/522, 345/619, 715/810, 715/841, 715/854
• US Class Current: 345/501
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence

Abstract

An operation condition inputting system employing a tree state hierarchical menu is formed by classifying various operation conditions of an apparatus by at least one function and segmentalizing the at least one function into menu items to be optionally selected by a visually-impaired person.

Claims

1. An operation condition inputting system, comprising:

a tree state hierarchical menu formed by classifying various operation conditions by at least one function and segmentalizing the at least one function into menu items to be inputted;

a first input section configured to allow inputting of an operation condition in a first manner;

a second input section configured to allow inputting of at least a menu item in a second manner different from the first manner;

a display configured to display a prescribed number of defaults and updated operation conditions of an instrument;

a menu control section configured to control the hierarchical menu; and

a supervising section configured to receive and transmit the operation conditions inputted to the first inputting section to the display section to be displayed;

wherein said supervising section converts a prescribed number of operation conditions displayed on the display into one or more menu items with reference to a first conversion table and transmits them to the menu control section, wherein said menu control section assigns them to applicable portions of the hierarchical menu, respectively, to be confirmed when a menu item is additionally inputted through the second inputting section.

3. The operation condition inputting system according to claim 1, wherein said first manner uses sight information.

4. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 3, wherein the operation condition inputting system is controlled by a computer comprising a program.

5. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said second input section is detachable.

6. The operation condition inputting system according to claim 5, wherein said second input section is formed from a mobile phone.

7. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claims 1 or 2, further comprising an image forming apparatus, wherein the instrument starts operating after operation conditions are inputted in the first and second manner.

8. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 7, wherein said first input section is formed from a touch panel configured to allow inputting of an operation condition.

9. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 8, wherein said display section is formed from a liquid crystal screen configured to display an operation condition.

10. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation condition inputting system is controlled by a computer comprising a program.

11. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 10, wherein said program is stored on a computer readable recording medium storing program.

2. An operation condition inputting system, comprising:

a tree state hierarchical menu formed by classifying operating conditions by at least one function and segmentalizing the at least one function into inputting items;

a first input section configured to allow inputting of an operation condition in a first manner;

a second input section configured to allow inputting of at least a menu item in a second manner different from the first manner;

a display configured to display a prescribed number of defaults and an updated operation condition of an instrument;

a menu control section configured to select and output a corresponding menu item in accordance with an input received through the second inputting section; and

a supervising section configured to receive and convert the menu item into a corresponding operation condition with reference to a second conversion table, said supervising section transmitting the operation condition to the instrument.

12. The operation condition inputting system according to claim 2, wherein the supervising section transmits the operation condition to the display to be displayed.

13. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claims 2 or 12, wherein said second manner excludes sight information.

14. The operation condition inputting system according to claim 13, wherein second input section recognizes an input by a sense of touch.

15. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 12, wherein the operation condition inputting system is controlled by a computer comprising a program.

16. The operation condition inputting system according to claim 13, wherein said second input section recognizes an input by a sense of hearing.

17. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 16, wherein said second input section is detachable.

18. The operation condition inputting system as recited in claim 2, wherein the operation condition inputting system is controlled by a computer comprising a program.