Image forming apparatus, control method for the same, control program, and storage medium storing the control program

• US 7,030,862 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nozaki, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US10/233,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345 11- 13, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/3.1, 345/102, 345/104
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• 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 1/00405 Output means output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00493 Particular location of the interface or console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00925 Inhibiting an operation

Abstract

There is provided an image forming apparatus, which is free from erroneous operations of a plurality of operation parts provided in the apparatus. A selector selects at least one operation part out of a plurality of operation parts, and a main CPU invalidates a predetermined operation by at least one operation part that is not selected by the selector, out of the plurality of operation parts.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of operation parts;

a selection device that selects at least one operation part out of said plurality of operation parts; and

a controller that invalidates operation by at least one operation part that is not selected by said selection device, out of said plurality of operation parts,

wherein said plurality of operation parts each have an input device including electric luminescence parts, and a liquid crystal display part having a backlight, and

wherein said controller outputs same display data for all the liquid crystal display parts of said plurality of operation parts regardless of the selection by said selection device, invalidates operation by said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected by said selection device, out of the plurality of operation parts, prohibits lighting of the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected by said selection device, permits operation by said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is selected by said selection device, lights the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is selected by said selection device, and lights said electric luminescence parts of said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is selected by said selection device.

2. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of operation parts;

a selection device that selects at least one operation part out of said plurality of operation parts; and

a controller that invalidates operation by at least one operation part that is not selected by said selection device, out of said plurality of operation parts,

wherein said plurality of operation parts each have an input device including electric luminescence parts, and a liquid crystal touch panel having a backlight, and

wherein said controller outputs same display data for all the liquid crystal display parts of said plurality of operation parts regardless of the selection by said selection device, invalidates operation by said input device and input from the liquid crystal touch panel of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected by said selection device, out of the plurality of operation parts, prohibits lighting of the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected by said selection device, permits operation by said input device and input from the liquid crystal touch panel of each of said at least one operation part that is selected by said selection device, lights the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is selected by said selection device, and lights said electric luminescence parts of said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is selected by said selection device.

3. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a plurality of operation parts, the plurality of operation parts each having an input device including electric luminescence parts and a liquid crystal display part having a backlight, the method comprising:

a selecting step of selecting at least one operation part out of the plurality of operation parts;

an output step of outputting same display data for all the liquid crystal display parts of the plurality of operation parts regardless of the selection in said selecting step;

an invalidating step of invalidating operation by said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected in said selecting step, out of the plurality of operation parts;

a prohibiting step of prohibiting lighting of the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected in said selecting step;

a permission step of permitting operation by said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is selected in said selecting step;

a backlight lighting step of lighting the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is selected in said selecting step; and

a lighting step of lighting said electric luminescence parts of said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is selected in said selecting step.

4. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a plurality of operation parts, the plurality of operation parts each having an input device including electric luminescence parts and a liquid crystal touch panel having a backlight, the method comprising:

a selecting step of selecting at least one operation part out of the plurality of operation parts;

an output step of outputting same display data for all the liquid crystal touch panels of the plurality of operation parts regardless of the selection in said selecting step;

an invalidating step of invalidating operation by said input device and input from the liquid crystal touch panel of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected in said selecting step, out of the plurality of operation parts;

a prohibiting step prohibiting lighting of the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is not selected in said selecting step;

a permission step of permitting operation by said input device and input from the liquid crystal touch panel of each of said at least one operation part that is selected in said selecting step;

a backlight lighting step of lighting the backlight of each of said at least one operation part that is selected in said selecting step; and

a lighting step of lighting said electric luminescence parts of said input device of each of said at least one operation part that is selected in said selecting step.