Display device, electronic device and image processing apparatus including the display device, and method of displaying information

• US 9,065,943 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sensu, Minami, Ebi, Yukari
• Primary Examiner(s): Hang, Vu B
• Application Number:
  US14/252,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.13, 358/1.15, 399/81, 345/594, 345/619, 345/628, 345/173, 715/781, 715/788, 715/792
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00381 Input by recognition or interpretation of visible user gestures manual input means, e.g. digitisers, writing tablets H04N1/00392; gesture input to computers G06F3/017; recognition algorithms G06V40/20
• 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 1/00424 using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00448 horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00456 for layout preview, e.g. page layout
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 : outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 : outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00506 : Customising to the data to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

On a touch-panel display of an image forming apparatus, a function selecting area and a preview area are displayed next to each other. On the function selecting area, a function setting menu is displayed in one display mode among an icon mode in which only a group of icons are displayed, a regular mode in which a group of icons and a group of texts are displayed, and an express mode in which a group of icons, a group of texts and a group of function setting buttons are displayed. In the icon mode, detailed preview information is displayed on a large preview area, and in the express mode, detailed function selecting information is displayed on a large function selecting area.

Claims

1. A display device provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:

a display unit displaying, on an approximately rectangular planar display area, information to be notified to a user;

a display control unit dividing said planar display area into a plurality of areas and displaying information with a first display area displaying first information and a second display area displaying second information arranged next to each other; and

an area changing unit, changing manner of display of said first information, and thereby changing width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said first display area and width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said second display area, to display information;

wherein

said first information includes setting information including a button for setting a function of said apparatus as the object of control;

said second information includes preview information displaying, before execution, expected result of a process executed by the function set using said first information in said apparatus as the object of control; and

said area changing unit changes said manner of display of said first information, and thereby makes narrower the width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said first display area by a prescribed width and makes wider the width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said second display area by said prescribed width, to display further information;

said display device further comprising

a touch-panel formed on said display unit, detecting either a touch operation based on a position where a finger tip of a user touched, or a gesture operation based on a trajectory of positions where the finger tip of the user touched;

wherein

said area changing unit changes said manner of display either by said touch operation or said gesture operation.

2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein

said setting information is displayed either in a first manner of display displaying icons, or in a second manner of display displaying said button;

the change of said manner of display of said first information by said area changing unit is realized by changing said second manner of display to said first manner of display;

said area changing unit changes said second manner of display to said first manner of display by a gesture operation of making narrower the function information displayed in said second manner of display; and

said area changing unit changes said first manner of display to said second manner of display by a gesture operation of making wider an icon displayed in said first manner of display.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein in said second manner of display, an icon is further displayed in addition to said button for setting a function.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein

in said second manner of display, function information related to said function is further displayed in addition to said button for setting a function and the icon.

5. The display device according to claim 2, wherein

in said second manner of display, a plurality of buttons respectively corresponding to a plurality of conditions settable for said function are displayed.

6. An electronic device provided with the display device according to claim 1.

7. An image processing apparatus provided with the display device according to claim 1.

8. A method of displaying information on a display unit of a display device provided on an apparatus as an object of control,

said display unit having an approximately rectangular planar display area and displaying information to be notified to a user, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing said planar display area into a plurality of areas and displaying information with a first display area displaying first information and a second display area displaying second information arranged next to each other; and

changing manner of display of said first information, and thereby changing width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said first display area and width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said second display area, to display information;

wherein

said first information includes setting information including a button for setting a function of said apparatus as the object of control;

said second information includes preview information displaying, before execution, expected result of a process executed by the function set using said first information in said apparatus as the object of control; and

said display device further includes a touch-panel formed on said display unit, detecting either a touch operation based on a position where a finger tip of a user touched, or a gesture operation based on a trajectory of positions where the finger tip of the user touched;

said method further comprising the steps of

changing said manner of display of said first information, and thereby making narrower the width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said first display area by a prescribed width and making wider the width along the longitudinal direction of said planar display area of said second display area by said prescribed width, to display information; and

changing said manner of display either by said touch operation or said gesture operation.

9. The method of displaying information according to claim 8,

wherein

said setting information is displayed either in a first manner of display displaying icons, or in a second manner of display displaying said button;

said step of changing said manner of display of said first information to display information is realized by changing said second manner of display to said first manner of display;

said method further comprising the steps of;

changing said second manner of display to said first manner of display by a gesture operation of making narrower the function information displayed in said second manner of display; and

changing said first manner of display to said second manner of display by a gesture operation of making wider an icon displayed in said first manner of display.

10. The method of displaying information according to claim 9, wherein in said second manner of display, an icon is further displayed in addition to said button for setting a function.

11. The method of displaying information according to claim 10, wherein

in said second manner of display, function information related to said function is further displayed in addition to said button for setting a function and the icon.

12. The method of displaying information according to claim 9, wherein

in said second manner of display, a plurality of buttons respectively corresponding to a plurality of conditions settable for said function are displayed.