IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20090183121A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: KONUMA, Shigeo
• Application Number:
  US12/347,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183121A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5087 for receiving image data
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00496 Constructional details of the interface or console not otherwise provided for, e.g. rotating or tilting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00962 Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a display section to display an operation screen having a plurality of buttons each of which shows each type of operation instruction, a first input section to input a selecting instruction of at least any one button among the buttons based on a pushed signal on the operation screen, a second input section to input the selecting instruction of the one button by a structure different from the first input section and a control section to make the display section display an operation supporting screen which supports to input the selecting instruction without finalizing an operation instruction indicated by the one button to which the selecting instruction is given when the selecting instruction is input by the first input section in the operation screen which is structured so as to assume that the selecting instruction of the one button is inputted by the second input section.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a display section to display an operation screen having a plurality of buttons each of which shows each type of operation instruction;

a first input section to input a selecting instruction of at least any one button among the buttons based on a pushed signal on the operation screen;

a, second input section to input the selecting instruction of the one button by a structure different from the first input section; and

a control section to make the display section display an operation supporting screen which supports to input the selecting instruction without finalizing an operation instruction indicated by the one button to which the selecting instruction is given when the selecting instruction is input by the first input section in the operation screen which is structured so as to assume that the selecting instruction of the one button is inputted by the second input section.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation supporting screen includes a switching button to switch a button to which the selecting instruction is given to another button from the one button.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the operation supporting screen further comprises a cancel button to cancel the selecting instruction and an enter button to finalize the operation instruction indicated by the one button to which the selecting instruction is given.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control section displays the operation supporting screen at a position which is different from a position of the one button to which the selecting instruction is given.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first input section is a touch panel,

the second input section is a mouse, and

the operation screen is a screen which is structured so as to assume that the selecting instruction of the one button is inputted by the mouse.