Image forming apparatus configured to display function setting buttons and switch display mode between first display mode and second display mode and image recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10063722-B2
Application number	US-201514845322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to switch a display mode of a menu screen for setting between a first display mode and a second display mode. On a menu screen of the first display mode, the controller (i) determines as display object function buttons a part of function buttons of a plurality of function buttons used to call up each of detailed settings screens each related to each of a plurality of functions provided in the image forming apparatus, (ii) displays the display object function buttons to be arranged in a row in a predetermined direction, and (iii) changes and displays the display object function buttons according to a scroll operation performed by a user. On a menu screen of the second display mode, the controller displays at least a part of function buttons of the plurality of function buttons to be arranged in a grid-like manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a display unit configured to display a menu screen for setting; and
a controller configured to switch a display mode of the menu screen between a first display mode and a second display mode,
wherein, on a first menu screen which is the menu screen of the first display mode, the controller (i) determines as display object function buttons a part of function buttons of a plurality of function buttons used to call up each of detailed settings screens each related to each of a plurality of functions provided in the image forming apparatus, (ii) displays the display object function buttons to be arranged in a row in a predetermined direction and grouped in different groups according to a particular function setting, and (iii) changes and displays the display object function buttons according to a scroll operation performed by a user, and
on a second menu screen which is the menu screen of the second display mode, the controller displays at least some of function buttons of the plurality of function buttons undivided by group so that the function buttons in different groups are viewable on the second menu screen, and so that the plurality of function buttons are arranged in a grid-like manner in which the displayed function buttons are arranged in a plurality of rows, wherein more than one of the function buttons are included in each row, and each of the function buttons displayed in the grid-like manner is displayed in its entirety,
wherein the controller displays the second menu screen to replace the first menu screen after a function button related to a booklet function is selected as a setting object function button and is pressed down by the user on the first menu screen and after a setting operation is performed by using one of the detailed settings screens corresponding to the setting object function button, under a condition that there have not been concurrently displayed on the immediately preceding first menu screen two or more function buttons corresponding to two or more functions whose settings have been changed in association with the setting operation and which include the booklet function, and a duplex print output function whose settings have been automatically changed in response to the setting operation.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, on the second menu screen, each of the function buttons is disposed at each unique position in the grid-like arrangement.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, on the second menu screen, the plurality of function buttons are disposed to be distributed in a plurality of pages, and each of the function buttons disposed in each of the plurality of pages is displayed at a unique position in each of the plurality of pages.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when any one of the buttons is selected as the setting object function button and is pressed down by the user on the second menu screen, the controller displays one of the detailed settings screens corresponding to the setting object function button at a common predetermined position independent of which button is selected as the setting object function button.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when any one of a part of function buttons is selected as the setting object function button and pressed down by the user on the first menu screen, the controller pop-up displays one of the detailed settings screens which corresponds to the setting object function button, has a figure section indicating that the one of the detailed settings screens relates to the setting object function button, and is displayed so that the selected setting object function button is not hidden.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the figure section has a projecting section which is close to or in contact with the setting object function button.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller performs the display mode switching process in response to a press-down operation of a mode switching button provided in a currently displayed menu screen of two menu screens, which are the first menu screen and the second menu screen.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein when the mode switching button is pressed down while one of the detailed settings screens related to a specific function is being displayed in the second display mode, the controller displays, immediately after switching to the first display mode, one of the detailed settings screens which is for the first display mode and is related to the specific function, and
after the setting is completed by using the one of the detailed settings screens for the first display mode, the controller displays the first menu screen including the function button corresponding to the specific function as one of the display object function buttons.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein when the mode switching button is pressed down while one of the detailed settings screens related to a specific function is being displayed in the first display mode, the controller displays, immediately after switching to the second display mode, one of the detailed settings screens which is for the second display mode and is related to the specific function, and
after the setting is completed by using the one of the detailed settings screens for the second display mode, the controller displays at least the part of function buttons including the function button corresponding to the specific function to be arranged in the grid-like manner.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when any one of the part of function buttons is selected as the setting object function button and is pressed down by the user on the first menu screen, the controller pop-up displays, as one of the detailed settings screens for the first display mode, one of the detailed settings screens which corresponds to the setting object function button and has a figure section indicating that the one of the detailed settings screens relates to the setting object function button, in such a manner that the one of the detailed settings screens is displayed so as not to hide the setting object function button,
when any one of the buttons is selected as the setting object function button and is pressed down by the user on the second menu screen, the controller pop-up displays, as one of the detailed settings screens for the second display mode, one of the detailed settings screens corresponding to the setting object function button at a common predetermined position independent of which button is selected as the setting object function button,
when the mode switching instruction to the second display mode is received while one of the detailed settings screens, for the first display mode, related to a specific function is being displayed in the first display mode, the controller displays, immediately after switching to the second display mode, one of the detailed settings screens which is for the second display mode and is related to the specific function, when the mode switching instruction to the first display mode is received while one of the detailed settings screens, for the second display mode, related to the specific function is being displayed in the second display mode, the controller displays, immediately after switching to the first display mode, one of the detailed settings screens which is for the first display mode and is related to the specific function,

and
the detailed settings screens for the first display mode and the detailed settings screens for the second display mode have a same shape and size except the figure section.

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Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Sugiura Hiroshi
• Kawamura Yuji
• Kurumasa Yoichi
• Kunioka Jun
• Kawabata Mie

Classifications

• H04N1/00392

  Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets · CPC title

• H04N1/00411

  the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen · CPC title

• H04N1/00501

  Tailoring a user interface [UI] to specific requirements · CPC title

• H04N1/00432 Primary

  using tabs · CPC title

• H04N1/00424

  using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar · CPC title