Screen data generating apparatus, image processor, screen data generating method, and computer program product

• US 20080229212A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Akira
• Application Number:
  US12/073,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20080229212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• 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 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• 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 1/00514 for individual users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Structure definition information defining element layout positions on the screen, element definition information defining contents of the display elements, and layout definition information defining which of the display elements is to be laid out on which of the element layout positions are acquired. The screen data is generated by laying out the display elements in the element layout positions on the screen according to the layout definition information.

Claims

1. A screen data generating apparatus that generates screen data that defines a content of a screen and includes a plurality of display elements, the screen data generating apparatus comprising:

a structure-definition-information acquiring unit that acquires structure definition information that defines a plurality of element layout positions on the screen;

an element-definition-information acquiring unit that acquires element definition information that defines contents of the display elements to be laid out on the screen;

a layout-definition-information acquiring unit that acquires layout definition information that defines which of the display elements is to be laid out on which of the element layout positions; and

a screen data generating unit that generates the screen data by laying out the display elements in the element layout positions on the screen according to the layout definition information.

2. The screen data generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the structure definition information includes information on a priority order for each of the element layout positions,

the layout definition information includes information on a layout order indicative of an order of laying out the display elements in the element layout positions, and

the screen data generating unit lays out the display elements in the layout order in the element layout positions in the priority order.

3. The screen data generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the element layout positions are arranged in a matrix, and

the structure definition information includes information indicative of a row number and a column number of each of the element layout positions in the matrix.

4. The screen data generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the layout definition information includes layout true-false information indicative of whether to lay out each of the display elements, and

the screen data generating unit lays out the display elements based on the layout true-false information.

5. The screen data generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the structure definition information and the layout definition information includes page element information indicative of a layout of a page element for page switching that is one of the display elements,

when the screen data generating unit lays out all of the display elements in the element layout positions according to the layout definition information, the screen data generating unit generates screen data without the page element laid out, and

when not all of the display elements are laid out in the element layout positions, the screen data generating unit generates screen data with the page element laid out according to the page element information.

6. The screen data generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the layout definition information includes fixing true-false information indicative of whether to fix each of the display elements in a specified element layout position among the element layout positions, and

the screen data generating unit includes a display-element laying out unit that lays out the display elements based on the fixing true-false information.

7. The screen data generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the layout definition information includes grouping information indicative of grouping of two or more of the display elements, and

the screen data generating unit includes a display-element-group laying out unit that lays out grouped display elements among the display elements in element layout positions that are adjacent in one row among the element layout positions.

8. An image processor comprising:

the screen data generating apparatus according to claim 1;

a display unit that displays a screen; and

a display control unit that allows the display unit to display a screen based on the screen data generated by the screen data generating apparatus.

9. A method of generating screen data that defines a content of a screen and includes a plurality of display elements to be displayed on a display unit, the method comprising:

acquiring structure definition information that defines a plurality of element layout positions on the screen;

acquiring element definition information that defines contents of the display elements to be laid out on the screen;

acquiring layout definition information that defines which of the display elements is to be laid out on which of the element layout positions; and

generating the screen data by laying out the display elements in the element layout positions on the screen according to the layout definition information.

10. The screen data generating method according to claim 9, wherein

the structure definition information includes information on a priority order for each of the element layout positions,

the layout definition information includes information on a layout order indicative of an order of laying out the display elements in the element layout positions, and

the generating includes laying out the display elements in the layout order in the element layout positions in the priority order.

11. The screen data generating method according to claim 9, further comprising arranging the element layout positions in a matrix, wherein

the structure definition information includes information indicative of a row number and a column number of each of the element layout positions in the matrix.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the medium that, when executed, causes a screen data generating apparatus to execute:

acquiring structure definition information that defines a plurality of element layout positions on the screen;

acquiring element definition information that defines contents of the display elements to be laid out on the screen;

acquiring layout definition information that defines which of the display elements is to be laid out on which of the element layout positions; and

generating the screen data by laying out the display elements in the element layout positions on the screen according to the layout definition information.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein

the structure definition information includes information on a priority order for each of the element layout positions,

the layout definition information includes information on a layout order indicative of an order of laying out the display elements in the element layout positions, and

the generating includes laying out the display elements in the layout order in the element layout positions in the priority order.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, further causing the screen data generating apparatus to execute, arranging the element layout positions in a matrix, wherein

the structure definition information includes information indicative of a row number and a column number of each of the element layout positions in the matrix.