IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND MENU SELECT AND DISPLAY METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110107267A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Bong-gun, Shin, Sung-man, Lee, Sang-su, Chung, Sung-jae, Ha, Kwang-soo
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are an image forming apparatus and a menu select and display method thereof. A select and display method of a menu which is displayed on a (touch) screen of an image forming apparatus, the method includes: displaying an initial screen including at least one menu list to perform at least one of functions of the image forming apparatus; selecting one of the displayed menu lists by touch; and displaying in the selected menu area a first subordinate menu corresponding to the menu area to set an option for the selected menu without converting the remaining menus. With this, an image forming apparatus and a menu select and display method thereof selectively converts a selected menu area only and displays a subordinate menu to set an option for the menu to thereby reduce a load arising from the conversion and returning of the overall screen and reduces user'"'"'s inconvenience.

Claims

1. A select and display method of a menu which is displayed on a (touch) screen of an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying an initial menu screen comprising at least one menu list to perform at least one of functions of the image forming apparatus;

selecting one of the displayed menu lists by a user; and

displaying a first subordinate menu (submenu) in the selected menu area to set an option for the selected menu without converting (changing) the remaining menus (unselected menus).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying the first subordinate menu comprises separately displaying the menu area depending on an application of a screen transition process.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a second subordinate menu if the another menu is selected while the first subordinate menu is displayed for the selected menu without returning to the initial menu screen.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subordinate menu to set an option comprises at least one of a spinner control, an on/off button and a level control for the selected menu.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising setting an option for the selected menu through the subordinate menu.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising returning to the initial menu screen if the option setting is completed.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the returning to the initial menu screen comprises returning to the initial menu screen displaying the set option in the menu area.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the option and the menu area displayed on the initial menu screen is reduced or enlarged corresponding to a size of the initial menu screen.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising displaying at least one of a color and size of the subordinate menu to set an option of the selected menu if the option setting is completed.

10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a display unit which displays thereon an initial menu screen comprising at least one menu list to perform at least one of functions of the image forming apparatus;

a user input unit which comprises a screen displayed on the display unit; and

a controller which controls the display unit to display thereon a first subordinate menu (submenu) in the menu area without converting remaining menus if one of the displayed menus is selected by a user.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display unit displays thereon the menu area separately depending on an application of a screen transition process.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display unit displays the selected menu which returns to the initial menu screen or displays a second subordinate menu and the first subordinate menu in the menu areas if another menu is selected through the user input unit while the first menu is displayed in the selected menu area.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the subordinate menu to set an option for the menu comprises at least one of a spinner control, an on/off button and a level control for the selected menu.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the user input unit is used to set an option for the selected menu through the subordinate menu.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the display unit displays the selected menu area which returns to the initial screen if the option setting is completed.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the set option is comprised in the menu area and displayed on the initial menu screen.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the option and the menu area displayed on the initial screen are reduced or enlarged corresponding to the size of the initial screen.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display unit converts and displays at least one of a color and a size of the subordinate menu to set an option for the selected menu if the option setting is completed.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the screen is a touch screen.

20. A select and display method of a menu which is displayed on a screen of a device having a display for a menu, the method comprising:

displaying an initial menu screen comprising at least one menu list to perform at least one of functions of the device;

selecting one of the displayed menu lists by a user;

displaying a first subordinate menu in a predetermined area to set an option for the selected menu without converting (changing) the remaining menus (unselected menus);

selecting a second menu from the remaining menus; and

displaying a second subordinate menu of selected second menu.