Display device, electronic device and image processing apparatus including the display device, and method of displaying information

• US 8,976,372 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• 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: Tohki, Shinsaku, Nakatani, Takaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hang, Vu B
• Application Number:
  US13/023,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.13, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.9, 358/401, 358/403, 358/448, 358/296, 399/81, 399/82, 399/85, 715/792, 715/810, 715/863
• 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. An image processing apparatus operated in an operational mode selected by a user from a plurality of operational modes, comprising:

a 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 into a plurality of areas, and displaying the information while maintaining an 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 of an expected result of a process to be executed by said image processing apparatus is displayed before execution of the process;

in a second area among the plurality of areas, information allowing selection of a function in each of the operational modes of said image processing apparatus is displayed;

said display control unit displays, in response to selection of the function by selection of the information displayed on said second area, the expected result of the process executed by the selected function in said first area as the preview information;

the operational modes include a copy mode and at least one of a FAX mode, a document filing mode, and a mail mode;

in the copy mode, the preview information is an image representing an expected result of copy processing, including the selected function, executed on dummy data or scanned data of a document;

in the copy mode, in a third area among the plurality of areas, a button causing the copy processing, including the selected function, by said image processing apparatus when the button is pressed after selection of the function is displayed; and

said display control unit arranges and displays said second and third areas on opposite sides of the first area, and displays a plurality of preview changing buttons for changing display styles of said preview information displayed in said first area at a lower portion of said first area.

2. A method of displaying information on a display device provided on an image processing apparatus operated in an 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 into a plurality of areas, and displaying the information while maintaining an 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 of an expected result of a process to be executed by said image processing apparatus before execution of the process;

displaying, in a second area among the plurality of areas, information allowing selection of a function in each of the operational modes of said image processing apparatus;

displaying, in response to selection of the function by selection of the information displayed on said second area, the expected result of the process executed by the selected function in said first area as the preview information;

the operational modes include a copy mode and at least one of a FAX mode, a document filing mode, and a mail mode;

in the copy mode, the preview information is an image representing an expected result of copy processing including the selected function, executed on dummy data or scanned data of a document;

in the copy mode, displaying, in a third area among the plurality of areas, a button causing the copy processing, including the selected function, by said image processing apparatus when the button is pressed after selection of the function;

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

displaying a plurality of preview changing buttons for changing display styles of said preview information displayed in said first area at a lower portion of said first area.