Image forming apparatus and input method thereof

• US 8,988,704 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jung-hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Guillermety, Juan M
• Application Number:
  US12/550,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 345/172, 345/13, 345/534, 345/173, 715/700, 715/961, 715/838, 715/863, 710/14
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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
• 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 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00421 using drop-down menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00432 using tabs
• 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 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus and an input method thereof are provided. The input method of an image forming apparatus which includes at least one hard key and a touch screen, including displaying a screen with at least one input selection option on the touch screen, receiving a selection of the at least one hard key and a touch selection of at least one of the input selection options of the displayed screen, and performing an operation corresponding to the received hard key selection and the received touch selection. Thus, a shortcut key using a hard key and a touch screen together may be provided, thereby reducing inconvenience for a user to navigate to a menu and to input data.

Claims

1. A method of operating an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying a screen image for a touch screen, the displayed screen image providing at least one option selectable by a touch input made through the touch screen;

receiving a mixed input of both the touch input and a hard key input from a hard key; and

performing an operation corresponding to the mixed input,

setting the hard key of the mixed input as a shortcut key, to perform operations corresponding to both the touch input and the hard key input, with the operation being performed by displaying a direct moving menu for a predetermined function based on the touch input and the hard key input of the mixed input.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixed input is received when the touch input occurs within a predetermined period of time with respect to the hard key input.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the screen image comprises an input field configured to receive predetermined data, and the operation is performed by displaying a selectable list with respect to the input field.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hard key of the mixed input is selected from a plurality of hard keys, and the operation corresponding to the selected hard key is determined according to an operation mode of the image forming apparatus.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the operation corresponding to the selected hard key is further determined according to the displayed screen image.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving a mixed input comprises receiving a first command signal corresponding to the hard key input and a second command signal corresponding to the touch input, and the operation corresponding to the mixed input is performed only if both the first and second command signals are received.

7. A method of operating an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying a screen image for a touch screen, the displayed screen image providing at least one option selectable by a touch input made through the touch screen;

receiving a mixed input of both the touch input and a hard key input from a hard key; and

setting the hard key of the mixed input as a shortcut key, to perform operations corresponding to both the touch input and the hard key input, where the shortcut key is set according to an operation mode of the image forming apparatus to perform a mode-specific function for at least two modes.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least two modes are selected from among a facsimile mode, a scanning mode, a copy mode, a scan-to-e-mail mode, and an e-mail facsimile mode.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the screen image of the touch screen is displayed according to the operation mode of the image forming apparatus, and the at least one option of the displayed screen image includes a mode-specific option.

10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a screen image for a touch screen, the displayed screen image providing at least one option selectable by a touch input made through the touch screen;

an input unit configured to receive a mixed input of both the touch input and a hard key input from a hard key; and

a control unit configured to perform an operation corresponding to the mixed input,

wherein the control unit is further configured to set the hard key of the mixed input as a shortcut key, to perform operations corresponding to both the touch input and the hard key input,

the control unit is further being configured to control the display unit to display a direct moving menu for a predetermined function based on the touch input and the hard key input of the mixed input.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mixed input is received when the touch input occurs within a predetermined period of time with respect to the hard key input.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the screen image comprises an input field configured to receive predetermined data, and the operation is performed by controlling the display unit to display a selectable list with respect to the input field.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the input unit includes a plurality of hard keys, the hard key of the mixed input is selected from the plurality of hard keys, and the operation corresponding to the selected hard key is determined according to an operation mode of the image forming apparatus.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operation corresponding to the selected hard key is further determined according to the displayed screen image.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive from the input unit a first command signal corresponding to the hard key input and a second command signal corresponding to the touch input and to perform the operation corresponding to the mixed input only if both the first and second command signals are received.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is further configured to interpret the second command signal based on the first command signal.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine that the second command signal is included in the mixed input if the second command signal is received within a predetermined period of time with respect to reception of the first command signal.

18. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a screen image for a touch screen, the displayed screen image providing at least one option selectable by a touch input made through the touch screen;

an input unit configured to receive a mixed input of both the touch input and a hard key input from a hard key; and

a control unit configured to set the hard key of the mixed input as a shortcut key, to perform operations corresponding to both the touch input and the hard key input, where the shortcut key is set according to an operation mode of the image forming apparatus to perform a mode-specific function for at least two modes.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control unit performs a mode-specific function for at least two modes among a facsimile mode, a scanning mode, a copy mode, a scan-to-e-mail mode, and an e-mail facsimile mode.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the screen image of the touch screen is displayed according to the operation mode of the image forming apparatus, and the at least one option of the displayed screen image includes a mode-specific option.