Data input device, image processing device, data input method and computer readable recording medium on which data input program is recorded

• US 7,685,532 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Kenji, Yoshimi, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/062,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 715/753, 715/773, 715/800, 345/168
• US Class Current: 715/773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method for displaying a plurality of key icons on a display includes displaying a first screen on the display, the first screen having at least one first key icon and a plurality of second key icons, wherein the first key icon corresponds to a first input instruction while each of the second key icons respectively corresponds to a respective one of a set of second input instructions; and displaying a second screen on the display, the second screen having at least one third key icon and a pull down menu, wherein the third key icon is bigger than the first key icon but corresponds to the first input instruction, and the pull down menu corresponds to the set of second input instructions.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a plurality of key icons on a display of an operating panel unit of a device controlled by user input, the method comprising:

displaying a first screen on the display of the operating panel unit of the device, the first screen comprising at least one first key icon and a plurality of second key icons, wherein the first key icon corresponds to a first input instruction while each of the second key icons respectively corresponds to a respective one of a set of second input instructions;

receiving, on the operating panel unit of the device, a user input containing an instruction to manipulate a size of the first key icon; and

controlling the display of the operating panel unit of the device to, upon receipt of the user input, display a second screen on the display of the operating panel unit of the device, the second screen comprising at least one third key icon and a pull down menu, wherein the third key icon is bigger than the first key icon and corresponds to the first input instruction, and the pull down menu corresponds to the set of second input instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating panel unit of the device comprises a touch panel that receives the user input that controls the display of the operating unit panel of the device to change the display from the first screen to the second screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the operating panel unit of the device is associated with an image reading device for obtaining image data by reading document images, a printing device for printing the image data, or a transmitting device for transmitting image data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the display of the operating panel unit of the device is associated with an image reading device for obtaining image data by reading document images, a printing device for printing the image data, or a transmitting device for transmitting image data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating panel unit of the device receives a user input of a manipulation of a size modifying key that controls the display of the operating panel unit of the to change the display between the first screen and the second screen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of second input instructions are exclusive to each other.

7. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer executable program that causes a device to control a display device of an operating panel unit to display a plurality of key icons on a display, the method comprising:

displaying a first screen on the display of the operating panel unit of the device, the first screen comprising at least one first key icon and a plurality of second key icons, wherein the first key icon corresponds to a first input instruction while each of the second key icons respectively corresponds to a respective one of a set of second input instructions;

receiving a user input containing an instruction to manipulate a size of the first key icon on the operating panel unit of the device; and

controlling the display of the operating panel unit of the device to, upon receipt of the user input, to display a second screen on the display of the operating panel unit of the device, the second screen comprising at least one third key icon and a pull down menu, wherein the third key icon is bigger than the first key icon and corresponds to the first input instruction, and the pull down menu corresponds to the set of second input instructions.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operating panel unit of the device comprises a touch panel that receives the user input that controls the display of the operating unit panel of the device to change the display from the first screen to the second screen.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the display of the operating panel unit of the device is associated with an image reading device for obtaining image data by reading document images, a printing device for printing the image data, or a transmitting device for transmitting image data.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the display of the operating panel unit of the device is associated with an image reading device for obtaining image data by reading document images, a printing device for printing the image data, or a transmitting device for transmitting image data.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operating panel unit of the device receives a user input of a manipulation of a size modifying key that controls the display of the operating panel unit of the to change the display between the first screen and the second screen.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the set of second input instructions are exclusive to each other.