Image forming apparatus and preview display method

• US 8,559,034 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• 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: Mori, Nami
• Primary Examiner(s): Zheng, Jacky X
• Application Number:
  US12/460,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100027055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.2, 358/1.15, 358/451, 358/528, 358/1.18, 358/1.9, 358/400, 382/276, 382/298, 715/273, 715/274, 715/773, 715/855
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00466 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 1/00503 Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32496 Changing the task performed, e.g. reading and transmitting, receiving and reproducing, copying facsimile mode changing H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided that is capable of, in displaying a preview of image data to be output, confirming a confirmation point in accordance with an operation mode immediately without performing a user operation such as enlarging, reducing or shifting. The image processing apparatus (illustrated as a digital multi-functional peripheral) is capable of operating in each of a plurality of operation modes. The image forming apparatus is provided with an image display portion such as a touch panel for displaying a preview of image data and a set value storage portion such as control memory for storing a display set value in displaying a preview image at first on the image display portion for each operation mode.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus configured to operate in each of a plurality of operation modes, comprising:

an image display portion that displays a preview image of image data to be output; and

a set value storage portion that stores a display set value corresponding to the preview image that is initially displayed on the image display portion for each of the operation modes, the display set value being varied for each of the operation modes, such that the preview image initially displayed in each of the operation modes is different, and in a copy mode includes a finish state together with the preview image, whereas in a data send mode includes an image of header information together with the preview image,

wherein the preview image is displayed on the image display portion together with an additional information adjustment key for adjusting an adding position of the header information or other additional information, and after an adjustment is performed, a standard setting key is displayed instead of the adjustment key in order to rewrite the display set value.

2. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the preview image is an image generated by reducing the image data to be output.

3. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the preview image is an image in which the image data to be output is sequentially displayed in the unit of a page to be output.

4. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the copy mode in which image data obtained by reading an original image is printed is included as one of the plurality of operation modes, and the display set value for the copy mode includes a setting by which a display size of the preview image is such a size that the entire page is viewable.

5. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the display set value for the copy mode includes a setting by which the image display portion displays the preview image including the finish state in outputting.

6. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the finish state is a state after any one or more of stapling, punching, combination and booklet stapling.

7. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the copy mode in which image data obtained by reading an original image is printed is included as one of the plurality of operation modes, and the display set value for the copy mode includes a setting by which additional information to be added to the image data in printing is displayed at a substantially intermediate position between an upper end and a lower end of a screen of the image display portion.

8. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the data send mode in which image data is sent to an outside is included as one of the plurality of operation modes, and the display set value for the data send mode includes a setting by which a covering letter to be attached in sending to the outside or the header information to be added to image data sent to the outside is displayed in a viewable size.

9. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a filing mode in which image data is stored in a storage apparatus provided inside the image forming apparatus is included as one of the plurality of operation modes, and the display set value for the filing mode includes a setting by which additional information to be added to the image data in storing is displayed at a substantially intermediate position between an upper end and a lower end of the screen of the image display portion.

10. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the display set value includes a setting by which a display magnification of the preview image of the image data to be output is differentiated in accordance with the operation modes.

11. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a set value changing portion is included for changing the display set value in accordance with the operation modes by a user operation.

12. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein a user authenticating portion for authenticating a user is included, the set value storage portion is capable of storing the display set value in accordance with the operation modes for each user authenticated by the user authenticating portion, and the set value changing portion is capable of changing the display set value in accordance with the operation modes for each user authenticated by the user authenticating portion.

13. A preview display method in an image forming apparatus configured to operate in each of a plurality of operation modes, wherein

the image forming apparatus includes a set value storage portion that stores a display set value corresponding to a preview image that is initially displayed for each of the operation modes and an image display portion, the display set value being varied for each of the operation modes, such that the preview image in each of the operation modes is different, and in a copy mode includes a finish state together with the preview image, whereas in a data send mode includes an image of header information together with the preview image, the preview image display method comprising:

a step of reading the display set value corresponding to a current operation mode from the set value storage portion; and

a step of displaying the preview image of image data to be output on the image display portion according to the read display set value,

wherein the preview image is displayed on the image display portion together with an additional information adjustment key for adjusting an adding position of the header information or other additional information, and after an adjustment is performed, a standard setting key is displayed instead of the adjustment key in order to rewrite the display set value.