DISPLAY DEVICE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE DISPLAY DEVICE, AND METHOD OF DISPLAYING INFORMATION

• US 20110199628A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• 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: Nakatani, Takaya, Tohki, Shinsaku
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• 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 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00384 Key input means, e.g. buttons or keypads electromechanical details of key input means in general H01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00395 Arrangements for reducing operator input input arrangements for job or mode instructions or parameters H04N1/00962; intelligent menu interfaces H04N1/00437
• 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 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00466 displaying finishing information, e.g. position of punch holes or staple or orientation references
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00469 with enlargement of a selected area of the displayed information
• 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 1/00501 Tailoring a user interface [UI] to specific requirements
• 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, pieces of information are displayed divided into five areas, that is, a system area , a function selecting area , a preview area , an action panel area and a task trigger area , of which arrangement is kept unchanged even when operational modes are switched. With such an arrangement, the same or similar pieces of information are displayed on an area arranged at the same position even in different operational modes.

Claims

1. A display device, provided on an apparatus as an object of control operated in one operational mode selected by a user from a plurality of operational modes, said display device comprising:

a display unit displaying information corresponding to said selected operational mode to the user; and

a display control unit dividing said display unit to a plurality of areas, and displaying information while maintaining arrangement of divided areas even when said selected operational mode is changed;

wherein

said display control unit displays same or similar information in an area arranged at the same position in each operational mode;

in a first area among the plurality of areas, preview information displaying, before execution, expected result of a process to be executed by said apparatus as the object of control, is displayed;

in a second area among the plurality of areas, information allowing selection of a function to be executed by said apparatus as the object of control is displayed; and

said display control unit displays, in response to selection of a function displayed on said second area, an expected result of a process executed by the selected function in said first area.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit displays information related to same or similar operation by the user, on an area arranged at the same position.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit displays information having same or similar contents to be notified to the user, on an area arranged at the same position.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein in a third area among the plurality of areas, information requesting processing by said apparatus as the object of control after selection of a function by the user is displayed;

and

said display control unit arranges and displays said second and third areas on opposite sides of said first area.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein

in a fourth area among the plurality of areas, information related to a function selected by the user is displayed;

and

said display control unit arranges and displays said fourth area close to said third area.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein

in a fifth area among said plurality of areas, information related to a state of operation of the apparatus as the object of control is displayed;

and

said display control unit arranges and displays said fifth area at an upper portion or a lower portion of said display unit.

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

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

9. A method of displaying information on a display device provided on an apparatus as an object of control operated in one operational mode selected by a user from a plurality of operational modes, said method comprising the steps of;

displaying, on a display unit of said display device, information corresponding to said selected operational mode;

dividing said display unit to a plurality of areas, and displaying information while maintaining arrangement of divided areas even when said selected operational mode is changed;

displaying same or similar information in an area arranged at the same position in each operational mode;

displaying, in a first area among the plurality of areas, preview information displaying, before execution, expected result of a process to be executed by said apparatus as the object of control;

displaying, in a second area among the plurality of areas, information allowing selection of a function to be executed by said apparatus as the object of control; and

displaying, in response to selection of a function displayed on said second area, an expected result of a process executed by the selected function in said first area.

10. The method of displaying information according to claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying information related to same or similar operation by the user, on an area arranged at the same position.

11. The method of displaying information according to claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying information having same or similar contents to be notified to the user, on an area arranged at the same position.

12. The method of displaying information according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

displaying, in a third area among the plurality of areas, information requesting processing by said apparatus as the object of control after selection of a function by the user; and

arranging and displaying said second and third areas on opposite sides of said first area.

13. The method of displaying information according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

displaying, in a fourth area among the plurality of areas, information related to a function selected by the user; and

arranging and displaying said fourth area close to said third area.

14. The method of displaying information according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

displaying, in a fifth area among said plurality of areas, information related to a state of operation of the apparatus as the object of control; and

arranging and displaying said fifth area at an upper portion or a lower portion of said display unit.