JP3073992B2 - Data processing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, and a printer for recording image information, and in particular, to a user interface (hereinafter, referred to as UI). ) Relates to a data processing device for improving the operability.

[Related Art] In recent years, recording apparatuses such as copiers have been using advanced control technology and data processing technology with the introduction of computers, so that available functions have been diversified, and function selection and function execution for that purpose have been diversified. Since many and various operations are required for the condition setting, the operator has many types of operations to learn, and the operation is complicated, so that an erroneous operation procedure or an erroneous operation is likely to occur. Therefore, in order to make the operation of the operator as easy as possible, a console panel is adopted as a UI in the conventional recording apparatus. The console panel is provided with operation means such as various key switches and numeric keys for operation selection, and further provided with display lamps and indicators for displaying selection, setting status, and operation guidance messages by key operation. .

 An example is shown in FIG.

FIG. 50 (a) shows that the console panel 802 arranged on the front side of the copying machine main body is divided into two panel parts 803 and 804. A panel unit 803 is a panel unit in which various keys such as a numeric keypad and the like which are commonly used for making copies are arranged, and a display unit including a liquid crystal display device and the like.
The panel unit 804 is a panel unit on which keys that are used less frequently, such as keys used when a service engineer performs various settings or checks, are covered with a cover so as not to confuse the user. Further, the copying machine has a function of performing a wide variety of editing using an edit pad. For this purpose, an edit pad 806 is incorporated in a platen cover 805, and a desired position of the edit pad 806 is set with a pen 807. Thus, it is possible to set a desired edit area (hereinafter, simply referred to as an area) and / or an edit point (hereinafter, simply referred to as a point). The area indicated by 808 in the figure is a panel section where keys for performing various settings for performing editing are arranged, and are special keys for editing, so the keys used for performing normal copying are They are arranged so as to be distinguished.

In addition, the applicant has first made a B / W (BLACK AND WHITE)
Proposed a UI adopting CRT (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-10371)
No. 0). It is shown in FIG. 50 (b).

FIG. 50 (b) shows the appearance of the CRT display.
A key / LED board is arranged below the RT display 901 and in front of the right side. In the selection mode screen, the screen is divided into a plurality of areas, a selection area is provided as one of them, and the selection area is vertically divided, and each function is individually selected and set as a cascade area. I can do it. So, on the key / LED board,
Cascade keys 919-1 to 919-5 for setting cascade selection are arranged below the selection area of the vertically divided screen, and a mode selection key for switching the selection mode screen
908-910, other keys (902-904, 906, 907, 915-9
18) and LED (905, 911-914) are arranged on the right side.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, various forms of UI have been proposed for the purpose of improving operability. Regardless of the type of UI, in order to perform a desired copy, a mode necessary for performing the copy must be set by button operation, and therefore, even in the conventional UI, Generally, it is possible to confirm whether or not the button has been correctly pressed. For example, in a console panel type UI as shown in FIG. 50 (a), usually, a light emitting element such as an LED is arranged corresponding to each button, and lights when a corresponding button is pressed, It is turned off when it is released, and in the UI adopting the CRT as shown in FIG. 50 (b), the selected mode and the unselected mode are displayed differently. The user can easily confirm the selection mode.

However, in the conventional UI, in any case, the user must visually check the light-emitting element or the CRT screen to confirm that the button has been pressed, leaving room for improvement in operability. I was This is particularly noticeable when a fault occurs in the machine or when the user performs an erroneous operation. For example, a message is usually displayed on a display device when a fault occurs, but when a large number of copies are made, the user may start copying and leave the place. Yes,
In such a case, even if a fault such as a jam occurs and the machine stops, the user cannot determine whether copying has been completed or a fault has occurred. Also, if you set mutually contradictory modes such as the combination of automatic paper selection (APS) and automatic magnification (AMS), a message is displayed, but you may not notice that the message is displayed In such a case, the user does not notice the erroneous operation and continues the operation.

Also, as shown in FIG. 50 (a), in the case where various editing is made possible using the edit pad, many edit areas and / or edit points may be set by the edit pad. In that case, many points are designated on the edit pad, but it is difficult to confirm whether or not the designated points have been accepted. For this purpose, for example, it is possible to display a message such as "accepted" every time a point is designated on the edit pad, but the user must read the message every time the point is designated, which is bothersome. is there.

The present invention solves the above-described problems, and emits an audio tone every time a button operation is performed on a UI or an instruction such as a dot is performed on an edit pad, and whether or not the button is accepted is edited. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data processing device capable of easily confirming whether or not a point designated by a pad has been accepted.

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the data processing apparatus of the present invention has an operation means including a plurality of buttons for setting processing contents and the like, and the button is pressed. First determining means for determining whether or not the button can be selected, second determining means for determining whether or not the button can be selected when the first determining means determines that the button cannot be selected; and Control means for outputting different control signals in accordance with the content of the non-selection determined by the determining means, and sound generating means for generating different audio tones in accordance with the control signals output from the control means. Features.

 The operation of this data processing device is as follows.

As shown in FIG. 1, the data processing device includes an operation unit 1, a first determination unit 2, a second determination unit 3, a control unit 4, and a sound generation unit 5.

The operating means 1 is composed of a plurality of buttons for setting processing contents and the like. When a button of the operating means 1 is pressed, the first determining means 2 determines whether or not the button is selectable. .

Then, when the first judging means 2 judges that the button cannot be selected, the second judging means 3 judges the contents of the non-selection.

The result of the judgment by the second judging means 3 is transmitted to the control means 4, and the control means 4 outputs a control signal corresponding to the judgment result transmitted from the second judging means 3 accordingly. This control signal is supplied to the sound generator 5, and an audio tone corresponding to the control signal is generated.

As described above, for example, if there are two states in which it is determined that the button cannot be selected, the second determination means 3 outputs different control signals in accordance with these two states. Will produce different audio tones in these two states, which means that if the user selects a non-selectable button, the user will hear the audio tone and will not be able to select that button in any sense. You can clearly recognize that there is.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

Table of Contents In this embodiment, a color copying machine will be described as an example of a recording apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a printer, a facsimile, and other image recording apparatuses.

First, a table of contents is shown prior to the description of the embodiment. In addition,
In the following description, (I) is a section explaining the outline of the overall configuration of the copying machine to which the present invention is applied, and (II) is a section explaining the embodiment of the present invention in the configuration. is there.

(I) Outline of device (I-1) Device configuration (I-2) Characteristics of device (I-3) Configuration of electrical system control system (I-4) Image input terminal (IIT) (I-5) Image processing System (IPS) (I-6) Image output terminal (IOT) (I-7) Film image reader (II) User interface (UI) (II-1) Adoption of color CRT display and optical touch board (II- 2) UI installation (II-3) System configuration (II-4) Display screen configuration (II-5) Pathway and its layout (II-6) Pathway interaction (II-7) Screen transition (II-8) SYSUI software module (II-9) Other screen control (II-10) Button method (II-11) Pop-up display method (II-12) Message display method (II-13) Editing area display method (II-14) Audio Tone (part of the invention) (I) Overview (I-1) Apparatus Configuration FIG. 2 of the apparatus is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a color copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

In the color copying machine to which the present invention is applied, a base machine 30 serving as a basic configuration includes a platen glass 31 on which an original is placed on an upper surface, an image input terminal (IIT) 32, an electric system control storage unit 33, and an image output terminal ( It comprises an IOT) 34, a paper tray 35, and a user interface (U / I) 36, and optionally includes an edit pad 61, an automatic document feeder (ADF) 62, a sorter 63, and a film projector (F / P) 64.

IIT, IOT, electrical hardware is required to control the U / I, etc., these hardware,
IPS, U / I, F / P for image processing of IIT and IIT output signals
Are divided into a plurality of boards for each processing unit, such as SYS board for controlling them, and MCB board (master control board) for controlling IOT, ADF, sorter, etc. It is stored in the part 33.

Further, the feature of this embodiment is that the platen glass 31
A mirror unit (M / U) 65 is placed on top of this, and a film image is projected from the F / P 64 on this, and read as an image signal by the imaging unit 37 of IIT32, making it possible to make a color copy directly from color film. Making it possible. Target documents include negative film, positive film,
It is capable of sliding, and has an autofocus device and a correction filter automatic exchange device.

(I-2) Features of the device (a) Achieving high image quality full color In this device, black image reproduction, light color reproduction, generation copy quality, OHP image quality, fine line reproduction, film copy quality reproduction, copy quality It improves maintainability and achieves high-quality full-color images that can clearly reproduce color documents.

(B) Cost reduction The cost of image materials and consumables such as photoconductors, developing machines, and toner has been reduced, and service costs such as UMR and parts costs have been reduced. The black-and-white copy speed has been reduced to 30 times / A4, which is about three times that of the conventional one, to reduce running costs and reduce copy unit costs.

(C) Improvement of productivity ADF and sorter can be used as input / output device (optional) to process large number of originals, magnification can be selected from 50 to 400%, maximum original size A3, paper tray is upper B5 to B4 ,
Middle B5 to B4, lower B5 to A3, SSIB5 to A3, copy speed 4 colors full color, A4 4.8CPM, B4 4.8CPM, A3
2.4CPM, black and white, 19.2CPM for A4, 19.2CPM for B4, 9.6CP for A3
M, warm-up time is less than 8 minutes, FCOT achieves less than 28 seconds for 4 colors full color and 7 seconds or less for black and white, and continuous copy speed achieves 7.5 sheets of full color / A4 and 30 sheets of black and white / A4. We aim for high productivity.

(D) Improved operability Hard buttons and CR on the hardware control panel
Using the soft buttons on the T screen soft panel together, it is easy for beginners to understand, it is not troublesome for skilled workers, the contents of the function can be selected directly, and the operability is improved by concentrating the operation as much as possible in one place, By using colors effectively, necessary information can be accurately transmitted to an operator. High-fidelity copy should be performed only by operating the hardware control panel and basic screen.
Start, stop, all clear, interrupt, etc. that cannot be specified in the operation flow are performed by operating the hard buttons, and paper selection, reduction / enlargement, copy density, image quality adjustment, color mode, color balance adjustment, etc. It makes it easy for users of single-color copy machines to use it naturally. Furthermore, various editing functions and the like can be opened and the various editing functions can be selected simply by touching the path tab in the path area of the software panel. Further, by preliminarily storing a copy mode and its execution condition in a memory card, it is possible to automate a predetermined operation.

(E) Enhancement of functions In the present invention, in the user interface, the selection of functions, the selection of execution conditions, and the display of other menus are performed on a display such as a CRT as described above, so that anyone can easily operate the user interface. The feature of the present invention is that it is fully automated from the entrance to the exit of the copying operation while having various functions corresponding to the needs of the user.

The main functions are start, stop, all clear, numeric keypad, interrupt, information, language switching, etc. that cannot be specified by the operation low by operating the hard control panel, and various functions are operated by touching the soft buttons on the basic screen. You can choose by doing. By touching the Pathway tab corresponding to the Pathway, which is a function selection area, you can open the Pathway and select various editing functions such as marker editing, business editing, creative editing, etc. It is possible to make full-color and black-and-white copies. Further, the area specified by the editing function is displayed by a bitmap area, and the specified area can be confirmed. In this way, the abundant editing functions and color creation can greatly improve the expressiveness of sentences.

(F) Achieving power saving A 1.5kVA four-color full-color, high-performance copier has been realized. Therefore, a control method for achieving 1.5 kVA in each operation mode is determined, and power distribution by function for setting a target value is determined. In addition, preparation of energy system table for determination of energy transfer path,
The energy system is managed and verified.

(I-3) Configuration of Electrical Control System In this section, the electrical control system of the copying machine is
Describe the hardware and software architecture.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware architecture, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a software architecture.

If you use a color CRT as UI like this copier,
Compared to using a monochrome CRT, the amount of data for color display increases, and the amount of data increases if a more friendly UI is constructed by devising the display screen configuration and screen transition.

On the other hand, a CPU with a large memory capacity can be used, but the size of the board is large, making it difficult to store it in the copier body. There are problems, such as a certain cost increase.

Therefore, in the present copying machine, a technology that can be shared with other models or devices such as a CRT controller is remote and the CPU is distributed to cope with an increase in data amount.

As shown in FIG. 3, electrical hardware is roughly classified into three types: UI type, SYS type, and MCB type. UI system includes UI remote 70, and SYS system F / P
The F / P remote 72 for controlling the image processing, the IIT remote 73 for reading the original, and the IPS remote 74 for performing various image processing are distributed. The IIT remote 73 is an IIT controller 73a for controlling the imaging unit, and a VIDEO circuit 73b for digitizing the read image signal and sending it to the IPS remote 74.
And is controlled by the VCPU 74a together with the IPS remote 74. A SYS (System) remote 71 is provided as a unit for managing the remotes described above and later.

The SYS Remote 71 requires a huge amount of memory for programs to control UI screen transitions, so an 8086 equipped with a 16-bit microcomputer
You are using In addition to the 8086, for example, 68000 or the like can be used.

In the MCB system, a video signal used to form a latent image on a photosensitive material belt with a laser is transmitted to an IPS remote 74.
Raster Output Scan (ROS) interface for receiving from the IOT and sending it to the IOT, VCB (Video Control Board) remote 76, RCB remote 77 for transfer device (turtle) servo, and I
IOB remote 78 as I / O port for OT, ADF, sorter and accessories, and accessory remote 79 are distributed and MCB (Maste
r Control Board) A remote 75 is provided.

Each remote in the figure is constituted by one board. Also, the thick solid line in the figure is 187.5kbps LNET.
A high-speed communication network, a thick broken line indicates a 9600 bps master / slave serial communication network, and a thin solid line indicates a hot line, which is a transmission path of a control signal. Also,
76.8 kbps in the figure is a dedicated line for notifying the IPS remote 74 from the UI remote 70 of the graphic information drawn on the edit pad, the copy mode information input from the memory card, and the graphic information of the editing area. . In addition, CCC in the figure
(Communication Control Chip) is an IC that supports the protocol of the high-speed communication line LNET.

As described above, the hardware architecture is based on the UI
A system, a SYS system, and an MCB system are roughly classified into three types. The sharing of these processes will be described below with reference to the software architecture of FIG. The arrows in FIG. 3 indicate the transmission and reception of data via the 187.5 kbps LNET high-speed communication network and the 9600 bps master / slave serial communication network or the transmission of control signals via the hot line shown in FIG. Is shown.

UI Remote 70 is LLUI (Low Level UI) module 80
And a module (not shown) for performing processing on the edit pad and the memory card.
The LLUI module 80 is a software module for displaying a screen on a color CRT, similar to what is usually known as a CRT controller, and what kind of picture screen is displayed at each time is a SYSUI module. 81
Alternatively, it is controlled by the MCBUI module 86. It is clear that this allows the UI remote to be shared with other models or devices. This is because the CRT controller is used integrally with the CRT, although the screen configuration and screen transition differ depending on the model.

The SYS remote 71 includes three modules: a SYSUI module 81, a SYSTEM module 82, and a SYS.DIAG module 83.

The SYSUI module 81 is a software module that controls screen transitions, and the SYSTEM module 82 is
F / F (F / F) that recognizes which coordinates of the soft panel are selected on which screen, that is, what kind of job is selected
eature Function) Software for selection, software for job confirmation to finally check the job, such as whether there is no inconsistency in copy execution conditions, and F / F selection with other modules, job recovery, machine state, etc. This is a module including software for controlling communication for exchanging various information.

The SYS.DIAG module 83 is a module that operates in a customer simulation mode in which a copy operation is performed in a diagnostic state for performing a self-diagnosis. Since the customer simulation mode operates the same as a normal copy, the SYS.DIAG module 83 is practically the same as the SYSTEM module 82, but since it is used in a special state called diagnostic,
It is described separately from the SYSTEM module 82 but partially overlapped.

The IIT remote 73 stores an IIT module 84 that controls the stepping motor used in the imaging unit, and the IPS remote 74 stores an IPS module 85 that performs various IPS-related processes. Is controlled by the SYSTEM module 82.

On the other hand, MCB Remote 75 has diagnostic,
MCBUI module 86, software for controlling screen transitions in case of faults such as Auditron and jams, control of photosensitive belt, control of developing machine, control of fuser, etc. IOT module 90 for performing ADF module 91 for controlling ADF, SORTER module 92 for controlling sorter and copying executive module 87 for managing them, and diagnostic executive module 88 for performing various diagnoses, It stores an Auditron module 89 that accesses an electronic counter with a recitation number and performs a fee process.

Further, a turtle servo module 93 for controlling the operation of the transfer device is stored in the RCB remote 77. The turtle servo module 93 is placed under the control of the IOT module 90 in order to control the transfer process of the xerography cycle. Has been. In the figure, copying executive module 87 and diagnostic executive module 88
Are duplicated for the same reason that the SYSTEM module 82 and the SYS.DIAG module 83 are duplicated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the system and another remote.

As mentioned earlier, the remote 71 has a SYSUI module 81
And the SYSTEM module 82 are mounted, data is exchanged between the SYSUI 81 and the SYSTEM module 82 by an inter-module interface, and the SYSTEM module 82 and the IIT 73, I
PS74 is connected by a serial communication interface, and MCB75, ROS76, and RAIB79 are connected by an LNET high-speed communication network.

 Next, the module configuration of the system will be described.

 FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the module configuration of the system.

In this copying machine, each module such as IIT, IPS, and IOT is considered as a component, and each module of the system for controlling these modules has a brain. The system adopts a distributed CPU system, and the system is in charge of per-original processing and job programming processing.
Correspondingly, the user has the control right to manage the initialization state, standby state, setup state, and cycle state, and the UI master right to use the UI in these states. ing.

The system main 100 captures the data received from the SYSUI or MCB into an internal buffer, clears the data stored in the internal buffer, calls each lower module of the system main 100, passes the processing, and passes the system state. Update processing is being performed.

The M / C initialization control module 101 controls the initialization sequence from power-on until the system enters the standby state.
It is started when power-on processing for performing various tests after power-on by the MCB is completed.

The M / C setup control module 103 is an MC that performs copy layer processing after the start key is pressed.
Controlled the setup sequence up to the start of B, and created and created a job mode based on FEATURE (instruction item for M / C to achieve user's request) specified by SYSUI Determine the setup sequence according to the job mode.

The M / C standby control module 102 controls a sequence during the M / C standby, and specifically, performs reception of a start key, control of color registration, entry of a diagnostic mode, and the like.

M / C copy cycle control module 104 is MCB
Controls the copy sequence from the start to stop of the printer, specifically, notification of paper feed count, JIT end request to start IIT, MCB stop request to stop IPS I do.

In addition, it has a function of notifying the remote party of a through command that occurs during M / C stop or operation.

The fault control module 106 monitors the cause of the fall from the IIT or IPS, requests a fall to the MCB when the cause occurs, specifically performs a fall by a fail command from the IIT or IPS, and After the shutdown request is issued, recovery upon stopping the M / C is determined and determined, and the recovery is performed by a jam command from the MCB, for example.

Communication control module 107 is IIT
From the IIT ready signal, and enable / disable communication in the image area.

The DIAG control module 108 controls the input check mode and the output check mode in the DIAG mode.

(I-4) Image Input Terminal (IIT) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the imaging unit 37. In the original 220, an image surface to be read is set downward on the platen glass 31, and the imaging unit 37 faces the lower surface. The document surface is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, and the document surface is exposed by the daylight fluorescent lamp 222 and the reflecting mirror 223. Then, the reflected light from the document 220 is transmitted to the SELFOC lens 224 and the cyan filter 2.
By passing through 25, an erect equal-magnification image is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD line sensor 226. Selfoc lens 224
Is a compound eye lens composed of four rows of fiber lenses,
Since it is bright and has a high resolution, the power of the light source can be kept low, and it has the advantages of being compact.
The imaging unit 37 includes a circuit board 2 including a CCD sensor drive circuit, a CCD sensor output buffer circuit, and the like.
27 is installed. 228 denotes a lamp heater, 229 denotes a control signal flexible cable, and 230 denotes a lighting power supply flexible cable. A circuit board 227 is attached to the lower part of the housing 37a to which the CCD line sensor 226 is fixed, and a heat sink 250 having a protrusion 250b is attached between the circuit board 227 and the housing 37a, and further covers the heat sink 250. The punching metal 251 for electromagnetic shielding is attached as described above. A drive IC chip 252 is provided on the circuit board 227, and the CCD line sensor 226 is electrically connected to the circuit board 227 by connection pins 226a.

FIG. 7 (b) is a detailed view of the daylight fluorescent lamp 222. A reflecting mirror 222b is formed on the inner surface of the glass tube 222a except for a surface having an aperture angle α (about 50 degrees). This shows a reflective fluorescent lamp on which a fluorescent film 222c is formed. As a result, the power consumption is reduced by efficiently reflecting the light amount of the fluorescent lamp 222 to the document surface. The reason why the fluorescent film 222c is formed on the entire inner surface and the reflective film 222b is formed on the surface except for the surface of the aperture angle is that the fluorescent film is attached except for the surface of the aperture angle (aperture type).
Although the amount of light is reduced as compared with the above, the ratio of the intensity of the emission line to the emission amount of the phosphor in the distribution of the spectral spectrum of the illumination light is reduced by absorbing the emission line emitted by the mercury vapor by the fluorescent film. Further, a lamp heater 2 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the fluorescent lamp 222.
28, a heat sink (radiating member) 222d is provided, and the lamp heater 228 and the cooling fan are controlled by detecting the temperature of the thermistor 222e.

Next, the color original is converted to R using the CCD line sensor 226,
A video signal processing circuit for reading out a reflectance signal which has been color-separated into G and B and converting this into a digital density signal will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 8, the read data adjustment / conversion circuit 232
Sample and hold analog video signals, adjust gain and offset, and convert them to digital signals.Sample and hold circuit 232a, gain adjustment circuit AGC
(AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL) 232b, offset adjustment circuit
AOC (AUTOMATIC OFSET CONTROL) 232c, A / D conversion circuit 232
Consists of d. The white signal (read signal of the white reference plate) and the black signal (dark output signal) of the CCD line sensor usually vary from chip to chip and from pixel to chip. The gain adjustment circuit AGC232b uses the maximum value (peak value) of the white signal of each channel as a reference value, for example, 256
The gray level is set to “200”, and the offset adjustment circuit AOC232c sets the minimum value of the black signal to a reference value, for example, “1” at 256 gray levels.
"0".

An ITG (IIT Timing Generator) 238 controls the delay amount setting circuit 233 and the separation / combination circuit 234 that perform staggered correction, and controls the delay amount of the staggered correction according to the contents of the register set by the VCPU 74a. 5 runner CC
By adjusting the output timing of the D line sensor 226, B,
Control for distribution to the G and R color separation signals is performed.

The delay amount setting circuit 233 is a so-called zigzag correction circuit that corrects the amount of displacement of the CCD line sensor 226 in the sub-scanning direction. A line memory having a FIFO configuration stores signals from the first line CCD line sensor that scans the original document in advance, and outputs the signal in synchronization with the signal output from the subsequent second line CCD line sensor. Yes, the number of delay lines is controlled in accordance with the setting of the delay amount according to the scaling factor in ITG238.

The separation / combination circuit 234 separates the 8-bit data string connected to BGRBRGR of each channel into R, G, and B and stores it in the line memory, and then serially combines the signals of each channel into R, G, and B separately. Output.

The conversion table 236 includes a logarithmic conversion table LUT for converting a reflection signal to a density signal and a through conversion table L
It has two tables of UT and is stored in, for example, a ROM. Then, the reflectance R, G, B of the read original is
The signals are converted into R, G, and B signals having a density corresponding to the amount of the recording material (for example, the amount of toner).

The shading correction units 235 and 237 are composed of shading correction circuits 235a and 237a and SRAMs 235b and 237b, and perform pixel shift correction, shading correction, image data input adjustment, and the like. The pixel shift correction is a process of performing a weighted average between pixel data. As described above, in the signal processing circuit, R, G, and B data are fetched in parallel. Are shifted,
A weighted averaging process is performed. The shading correction is a process of subtracting image data written in the SRAM as reference data from the image input data after the pixel shift correction and outputting the subtracted data. It compensates for variations in the optical system due to dirt and the like, and variations in sensitivity between bits of the CCD line sensor. The shading correction circuit 235a is connected to the preceding stage of the conversion table 236 and performs correction for a dark level (dark output when the fluorescent lamp is turned off), and the shading correction circuit 237a is connected to the subsequent stage of the conversion table 236 and A correction is made to the read output of the reference plate.

(I-5) Image Processing System (IPS) FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an outline of the module configuration of the IPS.

The IPS inputs 8-bit data (256 gradations) for each of the B, G, and R color separation signals from IIT,
After conversion into the Y, M, C, and K toner signals, the process color toner signal X is selected, binarized, and converted into ON / OFF data of the process color toner signal.
Output to T. During this time, various data processings are performed to enhance the color reproducibility, gradation reproducibility, definition reproducibility, and the like.

An END conversion (Equivalent Neutral Density) module 301 is a module for adjusting (converting) an optical reading signal of a color original obtained by the IIT into a gray-balanced color signal. In this case, there are provided 16 conversion tables for converting and outputting the B, G, and R color separation signals at the same gray level corresponding to the level (black → white).

The color masking module 302 converts the B, G, and R color separation signals into Y, M, and C toner signals, and performs a matrix operation or obtains using a table.

The document size detection module 303 performs document size detection during pre-scanning and platen color erasing (frame erasing) processing during document scanning. If the document is tilted or not rectangular, the maximum and minimum values (x1, x2, y1, y2) are detected and stored.

The color conversion module 305 performs a conversion process using a designated color in a specific area. According to an area signal input from the area image control module, if the area is not a color conversion area, the Y, M, and C of the document are converted. When the color is transmitted as it is and enters the color conversion area, the designated color is detected and the converted colors Y, M and C are transmitted.

The UCR (Under Color Removal) & black generation module 305 generates an appropriate amount of K so that color turbidity does not occur, and reduces Y, M, and C by an equal amount according to the amount (under color removal). ) Processing to prevent the incorporation of black ink and the decrease in saturation of low-brightness and high-saturation colors.

The spatial filter module 306 generates dot removal information and edge emphasis information using a digital filter and a modulation table, smoothes the original for a photograph or halftone print original, and performs edge emphasis for a character or line drawing original. Is what you do.

IOT is Y, according to ON / OFF signal from IPS.
Although four copy cycles (in the case of four full-color copies) are executed by each process color of M, C, and K to enable reproduction of a full-color original, actually, the color theoretically obtained by signal processing is used. To play faithfully, IO
Subtle adjustments that take into account the characteristics of T are required.

A TRC (Tone Reproduction Control) module 307 is for improving reproducibility, and performs density adjustment, contrast adjustment,
It has editing functions such as negative / positive reversal, color balance adjustment, character mode, and watermark composition.

The enlargement / reduction processing module 308 performs enlargement / reduction processing in the main scanning direction by performing thinning complementation and additional complementation when reading / writing data using a line buffer.
Also, the data written in the line buffer can be read out from the middle or read out at a delayed timing, so that shift image processing in the main scanning direction can be performed. Mirror image processing can also be performed by reading. In the sub-scanning direction, change the IIT scan speed from 2x speed to 1 / 4x speed and change from 50% to 400%
Scale up to%.

The screen generator 309 converts the gradation toner signal of the process color into an on / off binarized toner signal and outputs the binarized toner signal. The screen generator 309 performs a binarization process by comparing a threshold matrix with data values expressed in gradation. Error diffusion processing is being performed. In the IOT, this binarized toner signal is input, and is approximately 80 μm in height and 6 in width to correspond to 16 dots / mm.
A halftone image is reproduced by turning on / off a 0 μmφ elliptical laser beam. Further, a quantization error between the on / off binarized signal generated by the screen generator and the input gradation signal is detected and error diffusion processing is performed by feedback, and the gradation of the gradation when viewed macroscopically is obtained. The reproducibility is improved.

The area image control module 311 can set seven rectangular areas and their priorities, and area control information is set corresponding to each area. The control information includes color conversion, color mode such as mono color or full color, modulation select information such as photos and characters, TRC select information, screen generator select information, and the like.
2. Used to control the color conversion module 304, UCR module 305, spatial filter 306, and TRC module 307.

The edit control module reads a manuscript such as a pie chart instead of a rectangle, and enables a coloring process such as filling a designated area having an unlimited shape with a designated color. It is set and processed as a command for processing the fill logic, logo, etc.

In the IPS of the present invention, as described above, the IIT original reading signal is first subjected to END conversion and then color masked,
Processing with full-color data is more efficient than document color, frame erasure, and color conversion, and then undercolor removal and black generation to narrow down to process colors. However, processes such as spatial filters, color modulation, TRC, and scaling are performed by processing process color data.
Reduces the amount of processing compared to processing with full-color data, reduces the number of conversion tables used to 1/3, and increases the number of types to increase the flexibility of adjustment, color reproducibility, and gradation reproduction. Improves the reproducibility of sex and definition.

(I-6) Image Output Terminal (IOT) FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image output terminal.

This device uses an organic photosensitive material belt (Photo Recept
er belt), K, M, C,
A developing device 404 made of Y, a transfer device (Tow Roll Transfer Loop) 406 for transporting paper to a transfer unit, and a vacuum transport device (Vacuum Tr) for transporting paper from the transfer device 404 to the fixing device 408
ansfer) 407, paper trays 410 and 412, and a paper transport path 411, and the three units of the photosensitive material belt, the developing machine, and the transfer device can be pulled out to the front side.

The information light obtained by modulating the laser light from the laser light source 40 is irradiated onto the photosensitive material 41 via the mirror 40d to be exposed, and a latent image is formed. The image formed on the photosensitive material is developed by the developing device 404 to form a toner image.
The developing machines 404 are composed of K, M, C, and Y, and are arranged in a positional relationship as illustrated. This arrangement is made in consideration of, for example, the relationship between the dark decay and the characteristics of each toner, and the difference in the effect of the color mixture of other toners on the black toner. However, the driving order in the case of full color copying is Y → C → M → K.

On the other hand, 410 consisting of a two-stage elevator tray,
The sheet supplied from the tray 412 is supplied to the transfer device 406 through the transport path 411. The transfer device 406 is disposed in the transfer unit, is composed of two rolls connected by a timing chain or a belt, and a gripper bar as described below.
The toner image on the photosensitive material is transferred to paper. In the case of four-color full color, the paper rotates four times in the transfer device section, and Y, C, M, K
Are transferred in this order. The sheet after the transfer is released from the gripper bar, passed from the transfer device to the vacuum transfer device 407, fixed by the fixing device 408, and discharged.

The vacuum transfer device 407 synchronizes by absorbing the speed difference between the transfer device 406 and the fixing device 408. In this apparatus, the transfer speed (process speed) is set at 190 mm / sec.
Since it is 90 mm / sec, the transfer speed and the fixing speed are different.
The process speed has been reduced in order to secure the degree of fixing, while the power cannot be reduced to the fuser because 1.5 kVA has been achieved.

Therefore, in the case of small sheets such as B5 and A4, the speed of the vacuum transfer device is increased from 190 mm / sec to 90 mm / sec at the moment when the transferred sheet is released from the transfer device 406 and placed on the vacuum transfer device 407.
And the same as the fixing speed. However, in this device, the distance between the transfer device and the fixing device is shortened as much as possible to make the device more compact.For A3 paper, it cannot fit between the transfer point and the fixing device, and the speed of the vacuum transfer device is reduced. In this case, since the rear end of A3 is being transferred, the paper is braked and a color shift occurs. Therefore, a baffle plate 409 is provided between the fixing device and the vacuum transport device, and in the case of A3 paper, the baffle plate is tilted down to draw a loop on the paper to lengthen the transport path, and the vacuum transport device is transferred. The speed difference is absorbed so that the leading edge of the sheet reaches the fixing device after the transfer is completed at the same speed as the speed. Also, in the case of OHP, the heat conduction is poor, so the same as in the case of A3 paper.

In addition, in this apparatus, not only full color but also black can be copied without lowering the productivity.In the case of black, fixing is possible even with a small toner layer and a small amount of heat, so the fixing speed is 190 mm / sec. The process is performed as it is, and the speed is not reduced by the vacuum transfer device. This is the same as in the case of a single color toner layer other than black, since the fixing speed does not need to be reduced when the toner layer is a single layer. When the transfer is completed, the toner remaining on the photosensitive material is scraped off by the cleaner 405.

(I-7) Film Image Reading Device As shown in FIG. 2, the film image reading device includes a film projector (F / P) 64 and a mirror unit (M / U) 65.

11 is a perspective view of the F / P, FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the M / U, and FIG. 13 is a view showing a schematic configuration of the F / P and a relationship between the F / P, M / U and the IIT. .

The F / P 64 has a housing 601 as shown in FIG. 11, and the housing 601 has an operation confirmation lamp 602, a manual lamp switch 603, an auto focus / manual focus switch (AF / MF switch) 604, and Manual focus operation switch (M
/ F operation switches) 605a and 605b are provided. Also,
The housing 601 has an opening / closing unit 606 that can be opened and closed. A film holding case 607 holding an original film 633 is inserted into the housing 601 from the vertical or horizontal direction on the upper and side surfaces of the opening / closing portion 606 according to the manner of photographing the subject recorded on the original film 633. Holes 608 and 609 each having a size capable of being used are drilled. These holes 608,609
A hole (not shown) through which the film holding case 607 can protrude is formed on the opposite side of the hole. Opening / closing part 60
Numeral 6 is rotatably attached to the housing 601 by a hinge or detachably attached to the housing 601. By making the opening / closing part 606 freely openable, when a small foreign matter enters the housing 601 through the holes 608, 609, the foreign matter can be easily removed.

As the film holding case 607, a case for 35 mm negative film and a case for positive film are prepared.
Therefore, F / P64 is designed to support these films. Also, F / P64 is 6cm x 6cm or 4in
It is designed to be compatible with chx5 inch negative film. In this case, the negative film is brought into close contact with the platen glass 31 between the M / U 65 and the platen glass 31.

In the drawing of the housing 601, a projection lens 610 is provided on the right side.
Is held slidably.

A light source lamp 613 including a reflector 612 and a halogen lamp is provided coaxially with the projection lens 610 in the housing 601. In the vicinity of the lamp 613, a cooling fan 614 for cooling the lamp 613 is provided. Further, on the right side of the lamp 613, an aspheric lens 615 for converging light from the lamp 613, a heat ray absorption filter 616 for cutting off light of a predetermined wavelength and a convex lens 617 are coaxial with the projection lens 610, respectively. It is arranged above.

On the right side of the convex lens 617, for example, a correction filter holding a correction filter 635 for adjusting film density for 35 mm negative film and positive film (a correction filter for one film is shown in the figure) Element
618 and the drive motor 61 of the correction filter holding member 618.
9, first and second position detecting sensors 620 and 621 for detecting the rotational position of the correction filter holding member 618, and a driving motor 619.
And a control device (provided in the F / P 64, but not shown) for controlling the correction filter. Then, among the correction filters 635 supported by the correction filter holding member 618, the correction filter 635 corresponding to the original film 633 is automatically selected so as to match the use position coaxial with each lens such as the projection lens 610. I have to. The correction filter 635 of the automatic correction filter changing device can be disposed at any position on the optical axis of the projection light, for example, between the platen glass 31 and the imaging unit 37.

Further, the auto-focusing light emitting device 623 and the light receiving device 624 interlocking with the projection lens holding member 611, and a sliding motor 625 for sliding the projection lens holding member 611 of the projection lens 610 with respect to the housing 601. A focus device is provided. When the film holding case 607 is inserted into the housing 601 from the hole 608 or the hole 609, the original film 633 supported by the film holding case 607 moves between the correction filter holding member 618, the light emitter 623 and the light receiver 624. Has been located. In the vicinity of the setting position of the original film 635, this original film 6
A film cooling fan 626 for cooling 33 is provided.

The power supply of the F / P 64 is provided separately from the power supply of the base machine 30, but is housed in the base machine 30.

The M / U 65 has a bottom plate 627 and this bottom plate 627 as shown in FIG.
And a cover 628 whose one end is rotatably mounted. A pair of support pieces are provided between the bottom plate 627 and the cover 628.
The supporting pieces 629, 629 support the cover 628 so that the angle between the cover 628 and the bottom plate 627 becomes 45 degrees when the cover 628 is opened to the maximum.

A mirror 630 is provided on the back surface of the cover 628. A large opening is formed in the bottom plate 627, and a Fresnel lens 631 and a diffusion plate 632 are provided so as to close this opening.

The Fresnel lens 631 and the diffusion plate 632 are made of a single acrylic plate as shown in FIG. 13, and the Fresnel lens 631 is formed on the surface of the acrylic plate, and the diffusion plate 632 is formed on the back surface. Is formed. The Fresnel lens 631 has a function of preventing the peripheral portion of the image from being darkened by changing the projection light, which is reflected by the mirror 630 and is to be diffused, into parallel light. The diffusion plate 632 diffuses the parallel light by a small amount so that the line sensor 226 cannot detect the shadow of the selfoc lens 224 in the imaging unit 37 formed by the parallel light from the Fresnel lens 631. Has a function.

When color copying by the F / P 64 is not performed, the M / U 65 is folded and stored in a predetermined storage location. Then, the M / U 65 is opened at the time of use and placed at a predetermined place on the platen glass 31 of the base machine 30.

The main features of the film image reading device are the correction filter automatic exchange function, original film insertion direction detection function, auto focus function (AF function), manual focus function (MF function), manual lighting function of the light source lamp, automatic magnification change and It has a scan area automatic change function, automatic shading correction function, and automatic image quality adjustment function.

(II) User interface (UI) (II-1) Employment of color CRT display and optical touch board As described above, this copying machine can be used not only for color copying such as 4-color full-color, 3-color, etc. It is a high-performance digital color copier that can perform black-and-white copying, has various editing functions, and is fully automated.Therefore, beginners who are not familiar with the function or configuration of the copier, Not only in the case of copying the required number of documents, but also by making good use of copying machines such as designers, so-called skilled workers can create novel and original documents using various editing functions. Can also be.

Now, not only in the present copying machine, but in using the copying machine, it is necessary to set copy execution conditions (copy mode) and to set necessary parameters according to what kind of copying is performed. For these settings,
The UI intervenes between the user and the copier to support dialogue
It is.

Therefore, operability is a very important point in the UI. In other words, a machine with various functions and high reliability will be highly evaluated as a copier, but if those functions are difficult to use, the value will be extremely reduced even if it has excellent functions. On the contrary, it becomes expensive, and the overall evaluation is significantly reduced. In particular, in a copying machine such as this copying machine having many editing functions, many operations are required for selecting functions and setting parameters, and erroneous operation procedures and erroneous operations are likely to occur.

From such a viewpoint, the UI is a factor that largely determines whether or not the copying machine is easy to use, especially in a multifunctional copying machine such as this copying machine.
UI operability becomes a problem.

So, how can the UI be configured to improve operability?

First, even if it is a high-performance copier, if it requires completely different operations from the conventional copiers, it only confuses the user and becomes extremely inconvenient, so that the user can operate it without discomfort. Therefore, it is apparent that it is desirable to have the same operability as a conventional copying machine.
For example, if you want to make three copies on A4 paper at a magnification of 100%, the magnification setting button or key "100%"
It is important to be able to operate in the same manner as a conventional copier, for example, by pressing the button of "A4" from the button of paper setting and pressing "4" with the numeric keypad to start copying.

Also, it is important to provide the user with necessary information when necessary. The extra information not only confuses the user but also causes an erroneous operation.

Furthermore, if the operation units are dispersed, the user must look around, which is not only troublesome, but also the operation procedure is unclear, so that it is desirable to concentrate the operation units in one place.

Further, as described above, the copying machine can be used by beginners to experts, and the usage differs depending on the skill of the user. Therefore, the UI needs to have operability corresponding to the usage of various users. In other words, if you just want to make a copy, you only need to indicate basic modes such as magnification, paper, color or black and white,
When performing advanced editing, it is desirable to have purpose-oriented operability in order to eliminate inconvenience.

In order to satisfy all of the above requirements, in this copying machine, a color CRT display will be used as the UI display device, and an optical touch board using infrared rays will be used as the mode or parameter selection means. did.

According to this configuration, for example, when the user wants to set the magnification to 100%, the user directly touches a portion (hereinafter, referred to as a soft button) where "100%" is displayed in the column of the magnification on the display screen. This has the same operational feeling as pressing a conventional hard button. In addition, a pressure-sensitive touch board is also known, but it is necessary to actually press it with a certain force, whereas an optical one only needs to block infrared rays with a finger or other object. Therefore, the operational feeling is excellent. In the following description, the operation of blocking infrared rays is "pressed" or "pressed".
I will write.

In addition, since the display screen can be appropriately configured in the CRT display, it is possible to provide a user with only necessary information when necessary. Further, by appropriately switching the display screen, the relation of information or the operation procedure can be clearly shown.

Thereby, the object-oriented operability can also be achieved. The purpose-oriented operability is, for example, "inset synthesis"
The following is a description of the case where the above is performed. As shown in FIG. 33, the inset synthesis is editing in which a predetermined portion a of the document A is fitted into a predetermined portion b of the document B. To perform this editing, first, a predetermined area a of the document A is set.
Is trimmed and copied, and then a predetermined area b of the original B is copied.
Must be performed, and the area a of the document A must be enlarged or reduced to fit into the area b of the document B. Other editing may require some of these tasks. Conventionally, when several operations have to be performed continuously, such as in the case of inset synthesis, it is necessary to confirm what operations are required and to perform each operation one by one. However, this is very troublesome, and a desired editing operation cannot be performed if any necessary operation is omitted. On the other hand, for example, when an item such as “inset combination” is displayed on the screen and the soft button is pressed, the screen is switched, or the pop-up screen is displayed, and the editing is performed. By telling you how to set a URL,
The inconvenience described above is eliminated, and erroneous operation does not occur. This is the objective-oriented operability, which allows easy and direct operation.

In addition, the use of a color CRT display not only makes it possible to construct a good-looking screen, but also makes it possible to use information effectively to impress the information strongly to the user. The user can transmit information more quickly. Also, since this copier is a color copier, it has color-related functions such as color tone adjustment and color conversion, but when using these functions,
It is also possible to check on the screen what the color of the output copy will be.

As described above, by combining a color CRT display and an optical touch board, it is easy for beginners to understand, and it is possible to set copy mode directly at one place without being troubled by skilled workers You can build a UI.

(II-2) Attaching UI FIG. 14 is a view showing an attached state and an appearance of the UI to the copying machine body using a color CRT monitor, and FIG. 15 is a view for explaining an attaching angle and a height of the UI. It is.

The UI of the copying machine includes a 12-inch color CRT monitor 501 and a hard control panel 502 beside it as shown in FIG. Color C
The size of the RT monitor 501 can be selected as required, but it is not advisable to be too large because it needs to be attached to the copier body, while the soft buttons can be displayed in an appropriate size and The screen needs to have a certain size in order to arrange important information in an easily viewable manner. The copier uses a 12-inch printer in consideration of these factors. Also, the hard control panel 502
Is provided for the following reason. Of course, all buttons can be soft buttons, but a numeric keypad for setting the number of copies and inputting a password, a start button for starting copying, resuming after interruption, and a copy button The stop button, etc. for interrupting must be in a state that can be pressed at any time, and if these buttons are formed by soft buttons, they must be displayed on the screen at all times, so that the copy mode setting The display area becomes narrow, and the screen must be switched frequently or the size of the soft buttons must be reduced to secure the required number of buttons. However, frequent screen switching is not only troublesome for the user, but it is not preferable because the soft buttons become difficult to press and the screen becomes difficult to see. Therefore, buttons such as a numeric keypad and a start button which are required to be able to be pressed at any time are formed as a hard control panel separately from the soft buttons.

In addition to providing easy-to-read and easy-to-understand menus to the user by devising the color display, the color CRT monitor 501 is combined with the infrared touch board 503 so that it can be directly accessed by soft buttons on the screen. Also, the hard buttons on the hard control panel 502 and the color CRT
The operation contents are efficiently distributed to the soft buttons displayed on the screen of the monitor 501, thereby simplifying the operation and enabling the menu screen to be configured efficiently.

Color CRT monitor 501 and hardware control panel 502
On the back side, various boards such as a monitor control / power supply board 504, a video engine board 505, and a CRT driver board 506 are arranged as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3C, the color CRT monitor 501 is arranged at a certain angle so as to face further toward the center from the surface of the color CRT monitor 501.

Also, the color CRT monitor 501 and the hard control panel 502 are not directly on the base machine (copier body) 507 as shown
508 stands and is mounted on it. If a stand-type color CRT monitor 501 is adopted instead of the conventional console panel, it can be mounted three-dimensionally above the base machine 507 as shown in FIG. 14 (a). By arranging the color CRT monitor 501 at the rear right corner of the base machine 507 as shown in FIG. 15 (a), the size of the copying machine can be designed without considering the console panel as in the conventional case. In addition, the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

In the copying machine, the height of the platen, that is, the height of the apparatus is designed to be a waist high enough to set a document, and this height regulates the height of the apparatus. The conventional console panel is mounted on the top of the copier, so it is almost waist high and close to your hand, making it easy to operate.However, it is quite far from your eyes to select functions and set execution conditions. Of the operation unit and the display unit are arranged. In this regard, in the UI of the copying machine, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), the position is higher than the platen, that is, close to the eye level, so that it is easy to see and the position is forward, not downward, to the operator, and It will be on the right side and it will be easy to operate. And color CRT monitor 5
By bringing the mounting height of 01 closer to the eye level,
The lower side can be effectively used as a space for mounting an optional kit such as a UI control board, a memory card device, and a key counter. Therefore, a structural change for mounting the memory card device is not required, and the memory card device can be additionally installed without changing the appearance at the same time, and at the same time, the mounting position and height of the color CRT monitor 501 can be easily viewed. . Also, color CRT monitor 501
May be fixed at a predetermined angle, but it is a matter of course that a structure capable of changing the angle may be adopted.

(II-3) System Configuration Next, the electrical system configuration of the UI of the copying machine will be described. The electrical system of the UI includes software and hardware. FIG. 16 shows the configuration of software modules of the UI, and FIG. 17 shows the hardware configuration of the UI. The software corresponds to the LLUI 80 in FIG. 4, and the hardware corresponds to the UI remote 70 in FIG.

The software module configuration of the UI of this copier
As shown in the figure, a video display module 511 for controlling the display screen of the color CRT monitor 501, an edit pad 513, and an edit pad interface module 512 for processing input / output of information of the memory card 514 are configured and controlled. System U
I517, 519 and subsystem 515, touch screen 503,
A control panel 502 is connected to the video display module 511.

Edit pad interface module 512
Input the X and Y coordinates from the edit pad 513, the job and the X and Y coordinates from the memory card 514, and send the video map display information to the video display module 511, and send the UI to the video display module 511.
Control signals are being exchanged.

By the way, the area specification includes a marker specification for performing trimming and color conversion by specifying an area on a document using red and blue markers, a two-point specification using coordinates of a rectangular area, and a closed loop specification using an edit pad. The designation has no particular data, and the two-point designation has little data, whereas the closed-loop designation requires a large amount of data as an edit target area. Editing of this data is done by IPS remote, but there is a lot of data to return at high speed. Therefore, such X, Y coordinate data is configured to use a dedicated transfer line to the IIT / IPS 516 (a transfer line of 76.8 kbps in FIG. 3) separately from a general data transfer line. I have.

The video display module 511 inputs the vertical and horizontal input points (coordinate positions of the touch screen) of the touch screen 503, recognizes the button ID, and inputs the button ID of the control panel 502. And the system UI51
The button ID is sent to 7, 519, and a display request is received from the system UI 517, 519. A subsystem (ESS) 515 is a printer controller that is connected to, for example, a workstation or a host CPU and uses the apparatus as a laser printer. In this case, the touch screen 50
The information of 3, the control panel 502, and the keyboard (not shown) are directly transferred to the subsystem 515, and the contents of the display screen are sent from the subsystem 515 to the video display module 511.

System UI 517, 519, master controller 518, 5
Information about copy mode and machine state is exchanged between 20 Corresponding to FIG. 4 described above, one of the system UIs 517 and 519 corresponds to the SYS remote S shown in FIG.
The other is an MCBUI module 86 of the MCB remote shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 17, the UI of the copying machine is composed of two control boards including a UICB 521 and an EPIB 522, and the functions are largely divided into two corresponding to the above-mentioned module configuration. The UICB521 also has a touch screen 5 to control the UI hardware and drive the edit pad 513 and memory card 514.
Use a CPU (e.g., Intel's 8085 equivalent) and CRT control (e.g., Intel's 6845 equivalent) to process the 03 input and write it on the CRT. In addition, EPIB522 has a function to draw in the bitmap area. 16 bits CPU (for example, Intel 80C196K)
A) is used to distribute the functions by drawing data in the bitmap area to the UICB521 by direct memory access (DMA).

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a configuration of the UICB. The UICB has a CPU 534 (e.g., Intel Corporation 8051 equivalent) in addition to the CPU described above. The CCC 531 is connected to a high-speed communication line L-NET or a communication line of an optional keyboard to control communication between the CPU 534 and the CCC 531. Is also used for the touch screen drive. The touch screen signal is passed from the CPU 534 through the CCC 531 to the CPU
The button ID is recognized and processed by the CPU 532. Also, input port 551 and output port 5
Connects to control panel through 52, subsystem interface 548, receiver 549, driver 550
It receives video data at 1 Mbps together with a 1 MHz clock from the EPIB522 and subsystem (ESS), and can send and receive commands and status information at 9600 bps.

The memory that stores the bootstrap
In addition to the ROM 535, it has frame ROMs 538 and 539, a RAM 536, a bit map RAM 537, and a V-RAM 542. Frame ROM538
539 is a memory in which display screen data is stored by a data structure that is easy to handle with software rather than a bitmap.When a display request is sent through LNET, the CPU 532 first uses the RAM 536 as a work area here. Drawing data is generated and written to the V-RAM 542 by the DMA 541. The bitmap data is DMA540
Is transferred from the EPIB 522 to the bitmap RAM 537 and written. Character generator 544 is for graphic tiles, and text character generator 543 is for character tiles. The V-RAM 542 is managed by a tile code. The tile code is composed of 24 bits (3 bytes), 13 bits are used for tile type information, 2 bits are used for identification information of text, graphic, or bitmap. Bits are used for blink information, 5 bits are used for background color information, and 3 bits are used for foreground color information. The CRT controller 533 develops a display screen based on the information of the tile code written in the V-RAM 542, and sends out video data to the CRT through a shift register 545, a multiplexer 546, and a color palette 547. To draw the bitmap area, use the shift register 545
Can be switched with.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the configuration of EPIB. The EPIB has a 16-bit CPU (e.g., Intel 80C196KA equivalent) 555, a boot page code ROM 556, an OS page code ROM 557, an area memory 558, and a RAM 559 used as a work area. And interface 561, driver 56
2. Transfers bitmap data to the UICB through the driver / receiver 563, sends and receives commands and status information, and transfers X and Y coordinate data to the IPS through the high-speed communication interface 564 and the driver 565. Note that reading / writing from / to the memory card 525 is performed through the interface 560. Therefore, when the edit area designation information and the copy mode information of the closed loop are input from the edit pad 524 or the memory card 525, the information is appropriately transmitted to the UICB through the interface 561 and the driver 562.
High-speed communication interface 564, IP through driver 565
Transferred to S respectively.

(II-4) Display screen configuration Next, how to configure the screen, UI with good operability
Think about how you can build

Even when a color CRT monitor is used for the UI, the amount of information increases to provide information that supports multiple functions, so a simple display requires a large display area, making it difficult to respond to compactness. It has the aspect of becoming. Further, when a display device having a compact size is employed, it is difficult to provide all necessary information on one screen, not only because of the problem of display density, but also because it is necessary to provide a screen which is easy for the operator to see and understand.

Therefore, various measures are required to provide a screen which is easy to see and understand by adopting a compact color CRT monitor like the UI of the copying machine.

Now, since this copying machine is a color copying machine having various editing functions, the copy mode set by the UI includes four copy modes.
For setting the basic copy mode, which is indispensable for copying such as color mode setting, whether to perform full color, three color, or black and white copying, paper size setting, and magnification setting. In addition, when using the editing function, it is necessary to set an instruction of the editing function to be used and parameters necessary for the instruction.

However, since the screen size is 12 inches, it is impossible and not advisable to display such information on one screen. This is because the more information is displayed, the more difficult it is to see and understand the screen, and moreover, the number of items to be set increases, causing unnecessary confusion for beginners.

Therefore, it is necessary to divide the screen for performing the copy mode setting into several screens.
First, it is desirable to provide a screen for setting a basic copy mode. In other words, the basic copy mode is a mode in which copying cannot be executed unless it is set, so that it is necessary not only for simple copying but also for using the editing function.

By the way, as the basic copy mode, besides the above-described color mode, paper size, and magnification, there are also a margin setting, use of F / P, adjustment of copy density, color adjustment, adjustment of copy contrast, and the like. . However, setting the color mode, paper size, magnification, and whether or not to use the sorter when the sorter is installed is essentially a basic setting condition, while setting other binding margins and using F / P Presence / absence, copy density adjustment, color adjustment, copy contrast adjustment, etc. are items that may be performed as needed,
Separate screens for setting these items.

By dividing the screens in this way, the setting of the color mode, the paper size, the magnification, and the use / non-use of the sorter when the sorter is attached, which are the basic setting conditions, can be performed on one screen (hereinafter, this screen). Is called a basic copy screen.) Further, when it is desired to adjust the copy density or the like, another screen can be called to perform desired adjustment and setting.

It is also very effective to display a pop-up screen. For example, when considering the magnification setting, the automatic magnification and 100% are usually used, but there are other cases where it is desired to enlarge or reduce the size appropriately. Since it also has a magnification function that can copy in the horizontal direction at different magnifications, it is necessary to select whether to perform magnification, but it is necessary to make those settings in the basic copy screen Then, the screen display becomes complicated. Therefore, in the basic copy screen, there are three types of magnification setting items: automatic magnification, 100%, and variable. When a variable is selected, a pop-up opens so that a desired magnification can be set. Is good.

As is apparent from the above description, the screen is appropriately divided in this way, and the pop-up screen is appropriately displayed, so that "only necessary information when necessary" can be obtained.
Can be given to the user, and the extra information is hidden and can be called up as needed, so that the user is not confused and a UI with good operability can be constructed.

The setting of the basic mode has been described above. Next, the setting of the editing function will be described.

 There are the following two ways to set the editing function.

One is to display all of the editing functions of the copier and allow the user to select a desired editing function from among them, and the other is to select a number depending on the user's skill level and editing functions. This copying machine employs the latter. One of the reasons is that the object-oriented operability cannot be achieved according to the former. In other words, in the case of "inset synthesis" as an example, in the former, as described above, the trimming of the predetermined area of the document A, the masking of the predetermined area of the document B, and the like must be performed in order one by one. In the latter case, it can be done directly by pressing the "Inset synthesis" soft button. In addition, some users may be accustomed to using the editing function, while others may not. The method of using the same editing function may differ depending on the skill level of each user. The following is an example.

Now, considering a case where the background of a predetermined area of a document is colored with a desired color, as a method of specifying the area,
First, it is conceivable to surround a desired area with a marker pen. Since the machine recognizes the color of the marker pen, it can automatically detect the closed loop and apply a specified net to the area surrounded by the closed loop with the specified color. This is the simplest method of specifying an area, and can be easily performed even by a user who has just learned to edit. However, in the method using the marker pen, a closed loop is written on the document with the marker pen, so that the document is soiled. In order to avoid this, the desired area is specified using the edit pad, but in this method, the coordinates of the desired area must be input with the edit pad, so that the number of operations increases and the coordinates are increased. Is also a more advanced editing function than the above-described method using the marker pen, since some skill is required.

Further, there may be a case where it is desired to perform not only the netting but also other editing functions such as trimming on the area at the same time. In this case, the operation becomes more complicated,
It requires considerable skill to master it.

As described above, some of the editing functions are very difficult to master depending on the skill of the user. Therefore, it is desirable to divide the editing functions into several stages and hierarchize them. You can see that. In addition, this makes it possible to achieve the purpose of the UI of the copying machine of "giving the user only necessary information when necessary".
In other words, if you want to perform simple editing, you only need to call the corresponding screen, specify the desired editing function, and set the necessary parameters. This is because it does not cause any confusion.

In addition, there is an advantage that software can be easily created by layering the editing functions. In other words, if the editing functions are grouped together, the number of branches becomes very large, which causes great difficulty in software creation. However, if various editing functions are divided by similar functions and hierarchized, the number of branches can be reduced. Therefore, the software can be easily created.

As described above, the screen for guiding the setting of the copy mode is roughly divided into the basic copy mode and the edit mode, and further, by appropriately layering each of the basic copy mode and the edit mode, the information can be accurately obtained. Since it can be transmitted to the user as and when required, it is possible to construct a user-friendly UI without causing erroneous operations.

Next, how to layer each of the basic copy mode and the edit mode and what setting items should be provided in each layer poses a problem, but the basic copy mode includes the color mode and the paper mode as described above. The size, magnification, and sorter are set as one set, and other copy density adjustments and the like are different.

In addition, the number of editing modes to be hierarchized can be determined as appropriate. As described above, for example, a step of using a marker, a step of performing only one editing function using an edit pad, and all editing functions Is preferably at least three of the stages in which can be used.

(II-5) Pathway and its layout Next, how to lay out the screen is a problem.

First, when the setting items of the function or the mode are hierarchized as described above, it is apparent that a display area must be provided for each hierarchy. In addition, in order to set a desired mode at the minimum step in any hierarchy, it is preferable to display only basic items in the hierarchy in the display area of each hierarchy, and to display a pop-up display in other areas. In addition, it is necessary that the display area of each layer can be called at any time. This is because there is a problem in terms of operability unless the display area of the hierarchy in which the desired editing can be performed can be called immediately whenever editing is desired.

These display areas are areas for selecting functions for each hierarchy (function selection areas), and are hereinafter referred to as pathways.

Based on the above considerations, this copying machine is provided with the following pathway.

(A) Basic Feature Pathway A description will now be given, with reference to the drawings, of the pathway employed in this copying machine.

FIG. 20 (a) shows a screen displaying the basic feature pathway. First, the overall screen layout will be described using this screen.

As shown in FIG. 20 (a), the display screen is divided into a message area A and a pathway B.

The message area A uses the upper three lines of the screen, the first line for a state message, the second to third lines for a guide message when there is a conflict in function selection, a message for an abnormal state of the device, A predetermined message is displayed for the warning information message. The right end of the message area A is used as a number display area, and displays the set number of copies and the number of copies in progress input by the ten keys.

Pathway B is an area for selecting various functions, and includes a basic feature, an added feature,
It has each way of copy quality, tool, marker editing, business editing, freehand editing, and creative editing.
Is displayed. On the pathway B, there are a soft button D for selecting a function when touched as an option, an icon (picture) E that changes according to the selected function and displays the function, and an indicator F for displaying the enlargement / reduction ratio. Is displayed. Each of the pathways has a pop-up in order to improve operability, and a pop-up mark G of “△” is attached to a pop-up that opens when the soft button D is pressed. Then, by touching the pathway tab C, the pathway can be opened, so that a desired pathway can be displayed whenever necessary.

By the way, in the basic feature pathway, the mode setting is performed for each of the items of the color mode, the paper size, the magnification, and the sorter, which are indispensable modes when executing the copy.

The color mode includes full color copying with four toners of Y, M, C, and K (black), three-pass color copying with three toners excluding K, black for ordinary black and white copying, and It has a red / black option, and the user can arbitrarily set a default that is automatically selected when the power is turned on. The red / black mode is a mode to copy using only red and black toner. It changes the black part of the original to red, deletes the red part of the original, and performs the coloring with red. If you select the red / black mode and start copying, the red part of the original will be redder and the black part will be blacker, so you can also perform generation copy. is there.

Paper size can be selected from Automatic Paper Selection (APS), Tray 1,
It has a few choices and the default is APS.

The magnification is 100%. When paper is selected, there are three options: automatic magnification selection (AMS), which sets the magnification based on the paper size and document size, and variable (arbitrary magnification). The calculated magnification, the calculated magnification, or automatic is displayed. When the variable is selected, a pop-up as shown in FIG. 20 (b) is displayed, and the preset magnification or the sucrose button H is displayed.
Thus, for example, a magnification of 1% can be set in a range of 50% to 400%. The “Anamorphic” in the pop-up in the figure is a magnification function that can set the vertical and horizontal magnifications of the original independently. When the soft button is pressed, the pop-up shown in FIG. Thus, the magnification of the original in the vertical and horizontal directions can be set independently and arbitrarily.

As described above, the detailed setting information for a specific function is displayed as a pop-up, and if the pop-up is opened as needed, the screen display of the pathway becomes easy to see, the screen becomes simple, and the minimum necessary Since only information can be displayed, the user can be accurately guided. The default is, for example, 100
%.

The sorter is an item for selecting whether to output a copy to a top tray or to use a sorter. However, the items of the sorter are not always displayed, and when the sorter is not mounted, the sorter is invisible as shown in FIG. 20 (d). If the sorter is not mounted, the output location is limited to the top tray, and there is no need to select whether or not to use the sorter, so that the user cannot be given extra information. Therefore, the occurrence of erroneous operation can be avoided.

The above is the mode setting in the basic feature pathway. With this mode setting, normal hi-fi copying without any editing can be performed.

By the way, not only basic feature pathway,
The same applies to other pathways described later,
How to arrange the menus to be displayed is an important issue. That is, as easily understood from FIG. 15, when the soft button is pressed, the screen is inevitably hidden by one's hand or arm. Therefore, the menus provided in each pathway need not be simply arranged, but must be arranged so that the mode can be set in an ideal order by selecting the menus from the left or right. For example, when arranging the items of color mode, paper size, magnification, and sorter, since this copying machine is a color copying machine, it is desirable to select the color mode first, It can be understood that the necessary mode setting can be performed in order by proceeding with the setting along the sheet conveying path, such as what size to copy in, and where to output the copied sheet. It will be apparent that the arrangement of the menus in the basic feature pathway of FIG. 20 (a) is based on the above considerations.

In the case of a right-handed user, the right side of the screen is hidden, and the left-handed screen of the left-handed person is hidden. Therefore, for a right-handed user, as shown in FIG. It is also effective that the setting can be changed, and for left-handed users, the display can be switched so that the display can be switched in order from the right side, as an arrangement opposite to that of FIG. 20 (a). It is.

However, it is not appropriate to set priorities in the order of selection. If you can only set the mode in a certain order,
This is because pressing the button may not work in some cases, and may cause confusion to the user.

The job program shown at the lower right of FIG. 20 (a) is a soft button used to read a job from a memory card and write a job to the memory card. The display as shown in the figure can be made only when inserted into the slot of the reader. This is to prevent unnecessary information from being given to the user as described above.
It is desirable that the memory card has a large capacity. For example, if a memory card having a capacity of 32 kbytes is used, it can be said that information of about eight jobs can be stored.

(B) Added feature pathway The added feature pathway is shown in FIG. 20 (e).

The pathway belongs to a basic mode, not an edit mode. However, it is not a mode provided in the basic feature pathway in which an absolute copy cannot be performed unless it is set, and may be set as necessary. This is a function setting area in which modes are grouped together.
As shown in FIG. 7E, the items are set for copy position, book copy, F / P, and Exeption Pages (page programming).

The copy position is an auto center where the center of the copy image is aligned with the center of the paper, and the width from the leading edge of the paper to the leading edge of the copy image is, for example, within a range of 0 to 30 mm.
There are three options: margin shift that allows you to set margins on the top, bottom, left and right of the copy in 1 mm increments, and corner shift that matches the corner of the copy image to the corner of the specified paper. The screen has been made to do. Note that the default is preferably the auto center. This is because it is a special case that the margin needs to be set.

Book copy is a mode used when copying a book, and has four options of normal, side A, side B, and side A & B. Normal is to make a normal copy with a book spread, side A is to copy only one side of the spread, for example, only the right (or left) side, and side B is likewise to the other side of the spread, for example, Only the left side (or right side) is copied, and the side A & B is also referred to as continuous page copying, in which each spread page is copied onto one sheet of paper.

The film projector is a mode for making a copy from various films, and has two options of off and on. When the on button is pressed, a pop-up as shown in FIG. 20 (f) opens to use the film projector. Various parameters required in this case, that is, 35 mm negative when using a projector, 35 mm positive, or 35 mm negative when copying on a platen, 6 cm x 6 cm slide, 4 "x 5" slide, and , Color correction can be set.

The page programming is a function for inserting a front cover, a back cover, a slip sheet, changing the setting of the color mode for each page, and changing the tray for supplying sheets.

(C) Copy Quality Pathway As shown in FIG. 20 (g), this pathway is a pathway for performing copy-related adjustments such as copy density, color adjustment, sharpness, and contrast. Is not an absolute condition, but a matter to be performed as necessary. Therefore, the setting is made with a different pathway from the basic feature pathway.

The copy density has two options: automatic and manual. Automatic is a button for performing automatic density adjustment on a black-and-white document, and a manual button allows a pop-up to open and perform seven-step density control when selected.

For color adjustment, automatic color adjustment is performed automatically. When pressed, a pop-up opens, and C, M, Y, R, B, G
Color suppression that can reduce any of the colors,
Then, when pressed, a pop-up opens, and C, M,
There are three options of color balance that can arbitrarily adjust the balance between Y and K.

FIG. 20 (h) shows a color suppression pop-up, and FIG. 20 (i) shows a color balance pop-up. In the color suppression pop-up, six color names and six tubes are displayed, and each tube has its own color. Now, when you press the soft button (third from the top of the figure) displaying "Red" to reduce the color of red, the soft button displays a red tube and the third red from the left. Indicates that the length of the tube has been shortened and the red color reduction has been set. In the UI of this copier,
Since the icon display mode is changed according to the mode setting in addition to simply displaying the icon, the user can easily confirm the setting contents only by looking at the icon.

FIG. 20 (i) shows a color balance pop-up, in which soft buttons for selecting C, M, Y and K toner colors and scroll buttons for balance adjustment are displayed.
Therefore, when a color is selected and the amount is set with the scroll buttons, copying can be performed with a desired color balance.

The sharpness is provided with two options: a normal (Normal) and a manual in which the type of the original and a seven-step sharpness control can be performed by a pop-up. The manual pop-up is shown in FIG.
Sharpness can be adjusted by writing text (Text) and photo (Photo), printing, and text (M)
ixed), it is necessary to set the type of the original, and a soft button for that purpose and a soft button for setting the degree of sharpness are arranged.

Contrast has two options: standard and a manual that allows seven steps of contrast control by pop-up.

(D) Marker editing pathway The marker editing pathway proposes a unique way of using a tool called a marker, and simply surrounds a desired area of the original with a marker of a color that can be recognized by the machine, and simply specifies a command. Can be used for simple editing.

What kind of editing function can be provided in the pathway is arbitrary, but since it is the pathway for the most rudimentary editing, for example, as shown in FIG. 21 (a), It is sufficient to provide four editing functions of trim, mask, mesh (coloring), and black → color conversion.

Also, since the pathway can be edited by a simple operation, and thus even a beginner who has just learned the editing function can perform the operation without erroneous operation, only one editing function can be set for one original. Is good. That is, even if a plurality of areas are set by the marker, it is preferable that only one editing command can be set for the plurality of areas. This is because another pathway is prepared for a user who performs more advanced editing, as described later. This is a feature of the hierarchical editing function. However, since the color of the marker is not limited to one color, it is possible and useful, for example, to make different edits for the blue and red markers, respectively.

Further, in the pathway, it is preferable that the document is handled as a black and white document. In fact, in a black and white document, it is useful to edit trims and masks, and in a black and white document, the marker color can be easily determined, and the presence or absence of an image, that is, white or black, can be easily determined. It is easy to judge the background and judge the background when performing coloring. This is also a feature obtained only by layering. In other words, if the editing for color originals and the editing for black and white originals are at different levels, it is possible to design using the characteristics of black and white originals and color originals,
This is because the copy can be performed with a clear sense of purpose for the user.

Hereinafter, each editing function of the marker editing pathway will be described.

Trim is a function for copying only the image in the marked area in black and white, and erasing the other areas.

The mask erases the image in the marked area,
This is a function to copy the image of the other area in black and white.

Coloring is a function of copying an image in a marked area in black and white and multiplying the area by a specified color density pattern. The color and density pattern are specified on a pop-up screen.

The pop-up is shown in FIG. The color can be selected from preset eight standard colors (R, B, G, Y, C, M, lime, orange) and eight registered colors registered in advance by the user, for a total of 16 colors. For example, if the third registered color soft button is pressed, an icon with the paint coming out of the tube is displayed as shown in the figure, so that it is possible to determine at a glance that the color has been set.

In addition, four types of density patterns are prepared, and one of them can be selected.

In the area indicated by A in the figure, a message for guiding mode setting such as "Please select a color and a density pattern" is displayed.

The black-to-color conversion is a function of copying an image in a marked area with a specified color, and the color is specified by a pop-up. The pop-up is shown in FIG.
This pop-up is the same as the color pop-up of FIG. 21 (b), and a desired color is designated from a total of 16 colors of 8 standard colors and 8 registered colors. Since the icon showing the paint is displayed on the soft button of the designated color, the second blue from the top of the leftmost column in the figure is blue (see Fig. 21 (b)).
Is specified.

In the above description, the machine has been described as treating a document as a black and white document. However, it is clear that the red / black mode described in the section on the basic feature pathway is also useful. In other words, red is a prominent color in black and white manuscripts, and in fact, it is usually the case that examination scoring, checking of manuscripts or draft documents, etc. are usually performed in black and white documents in red, and manuscripts having such red and black You may want to make some edits to. Therefore, it is meaningful for the user not only to handle a black and white document but also to be able to use a red / black mode. Of course, the image can be converted to red or multiplied by a red density pattern by specifying the red color in the pop-ups shown in FIGS. 21 (b) and (c). Therefore, even if there is a red color, it will be copied in black.

Therefore, in the marker editing pathway, the image of the marked area can be converted to red or a red density pattern can be applied, and the other unmarked areas can be red / black so that the red / black generation copy can be performed. A mode was provided.

By the way, as described above, when the red / black mode for handling red-black documents can be performed in addition to the black mode for handling all documents as black-and-white documents, there are several possible mode switching methods. First, it is conceivable to provide a red / black mode selection soft button on the marker editing pathway screen shown in FIG. 21 (a). Second, the "red / black" soft button provided in the color mode column of the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 20 (a) is also used for editing. Press / black,
Next, it is conceivable to select a marker editing pathway so that desired editing can be performed in the red / black mode. Third
Alternatively, it is also conceivable to select the marker editing pathway, return to the basic feature pathway, and select red / black there. Furthermore, as a fourth method, it is conceivable that any of the above three methods can be used.

Which of the above methods is to be adopted may be determined as necessary. However, in this copying machine, the red / black mode is a special mode, the number of operation steps should be reduced as much as possible, The above-described second method is adopted in consideration of, for example, not affecting other modes even if there is any.

FIG. 21D shows the marker editing pathway in the red / black mode. As described above, when "Red / Black" is selected in the color mode column of the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 20 (a), and then the tab of the marker editing pathway shown in FIG. 20 is pressed, FIG. 21 (d) Screen is displayed.
As is clear from the comparison between this screen and the screen shown in FIG. 21 (a), the indications "Mesh" and "Black to Colopr" have been changed to "Red Mesh" and "Black to Red", respectively. This is because in the red / black mode, the color of the density pattern is limited to red, and black is converted only to red. Therefore, the pop-up “Red Mesh”
As shown in FIG. 21 (e), there is no color selection, only the density pattern selection.

(E) Business Editing Pathway The marker editing pathway targets a black-and-white document. However, the present pathway targets a color document and aims to easily and quickly produce a high-quality original. In addition, the area setting in the marker editing is performed by directly painting the original with a marker, whereas in the business editing, the setting is performed using the edit pad. Therefore, there is an advantage that the original does not need to be stained.

Therefore, since the editing function is intended for a color original, there are many editing functions that can be used, and the use of an edit pad complicates the operation.

As shown in FIG. 22 (a), the business editing pathway has six types of editing functions: trim, mask, coloring, black-to-color conversion, logo insertion (Logo Type), and paint 1. A collection (Correction) function for correcting an area and correcting a function set for the area is provided.

Trim, mask, coloring, and black-to-color conversion are functions provided for marker editing.
As you can see, the Business Editing Pathway opens pop-ups for all features. This is because in marker editing, an area can be set by drawing a desired closed loop with a marker, so there is no need to open a pop-up, whereas in business editing, it is necessary to set an area with an edit pad. For example,
When the coloring is pressed, a pop-up opens, and the screen becomes as shown in FIG. 22 (b). In addition to the setting of the coloring color and the density pattern, the area for coloring is set in the bitmap area shown in FIG. Has been made. The bitmap area A is for displaying the set area as a bitmap when an edit area is set on the edit pad, and it is sufficient that the area can be recognized.
The same applies to trim, mask, and black-to-color conversion, in which monochrome display is performed.

In order to set an area using the edit pad, two points may be designated on the edit pad, and a rectangle having the two points as diagonals is automatically displayed on the bitmap area.

In order to differentiate the business editing from the marker editing, the following may be performed. In other words, in marker editing, any number of areas can be set, but only one function can be set commonly for all areas, whereas in business editing, different functions are set for each area To make it possible. For example, if two areas are set, a coloring function is set in one area, and a mask function can be set in another area.

As a result, more advanced editing than marker editing can be performed by the same simple operation as marker editing.

Logo insertion is a function that allows you to copy a logo such as a symbol mark to a designated point. The pop-up shown in Fig. 22 (c) allows you to set three parameters such as the logo type, insertion position, and insertion direction. Has been made.

The number of logo patterns to be provided can be arbitrarily set in consideration of the necessity, the capacity of the ROM, and the like, but it is preferable to have two as shown in the figure.
Further, in the drawing, there are two types of insertion directions, vertical and horizontal, and this is usually sufficient. However, it will be apparent that the oblique insertion may be performed if necessary.

Paint 1 is a function of painting one point in an existing loop on a document by pointing to one point in the loop.
The pop-up shown in FIG. 22 (d) is used to set the fill color and the density pattern for each set area. The color can be selected from a total of 16 colors of 8 standard colors and 8 registered colors, and 4 density patterns are prepared.
The number of loops that can be set is arbitrary, but is preferably unlimited. The point of filling a predetermined area is the same as that of coloring, except that it is necessary to specify two points on the edit pad to set a rectangular area, whereas paint 1 is a closed figure on a manuscript. Is different in that the inside of the closed area is filled by designating a point in.

The collection function corrects and deletes the size of the area, corrects the position of the designated point, and checks and corrects the function set for each area.
The pop-up shown in FIG. 22E is opened, and the setting area and the setting point can be deleted, changed, and the editing function can be changed. The deletion in the case where there are a plurality of setting areas can be performed by sequentially designating the areas by using scroll buttons arranged below the bitmap area.

The reason why the collection function is provided is as follows. In other words, since different editing functions can be set for many areas in business editing, the size of the area and the function to be set may be erroneous. Therefore, the size of the area and the function set for the area before starting copying This collection function is provided because you may want to check the.

So far, we have discussed the Business Editing Pathway.
As with marker editing, a red / black mode may be provided. While business editing is intended for color originals, the red / black mode is a function that is generally used for text originals that contain red as part of a black and white original. Since the functions that can be performed by editing include all the functions that can be performed by marker editing, what can be performed by marker editing should be able to be performed by business editing as well. It can be a pathway.

At this time, the mode is switched by first using the basic feature pathway as in the case of marker editing.
Select the black mode and then press the business editing pathway. The reason for this is the same as described in the marker editing, but another reason is that the marker editing uses the red / black mode and the business editing uses the red / black mode. If the mode switching method is different, the user may be confused. Therefore, the user may want to unify the red / black mode regardless of the pathway.

FIG. 22 (f) shows the business editing pathway when the red / black mode is selected. "Mesh" becomes "Red Mesh"
“Black to Color” is changed to “Black to Red” in the same way as marker editing, except that in business editing, the functions of logo insertion and paint 1 are lost, and red deletion which deletes red characters or patterns (Red Delete)
Features are added. This is a result of aggregating the functions unique to the red / black mode. In fact, in the business editing, the original is treated as a full-color original. Therefore, if a logo is to be inserted into the red / black document, FIG. If you choose to insert a logo in the business editing pathway in the normal black mode, black other than the logo will be copied blacker and red will be copied redder. In the same manner as in the marker editing, the operation of the pop-up is the same as that in the black mode except that the editing function is changed as described above.

(F) Freehand Editing Pathway In the business editing pathway, each area for setting the editing function is rectangular, but in this freehand editing pathway, an arbitrary polygon or loop (closed curve) is traced on the edit pad. Can set an area of any shape (free form). Of course, it is conceivable to always be able to set an area of any shape with the edit pad, but using freeform is often a special, high-level editing, and drawing a desired freeform May require skill, and in normal editing, it is sufficient to set a rectangular area, so it can be used as an independent pathway only when freestyle is required. is there.

Freehand editing includes trim, mask, coloring, and black-to-conversion (Black to Color), similar to marker editing.
Various functions are provided. The contents of these functions are the same as those described in the marker editing except that the area to be set is a free-form, and the pathway screen has a pop-up mark for all functions.
The pop-up display is the same as the screen shown in FIG. 22 (b) except that the free form is displayed in the bitmap area except for the marker editing pathway shown in FIG. Is omitted.

(G) Creative Editing Pathway This pathway is designed for expert users such as designers, copy service providers, and key operators. It is the highest level of editing, including all editing functions of this copier. A certain way. Therefore, all originals are handled as full-color originals. In addition, since advanced editing cannot be performed with one area and one function as in the pathway described above, it is preferable that a plurality of functions can be set for one area.

As shown in Fig. 23 (a), the Creative Pathway consists of trim, mask, mask / shift (partial movement), copy-on-copy (watermark composition), logo insertion, and inset composition (Image Composition). Cut / paste column, paint 1,
Color column related to color processing such as paint 2, color conversion, coloring (color mesh), and color mode, repeat, mirror image, negative / positive inversion, enlarged continuous shooting (Multi Page Enlar)
gement), which is a manipulated image column that gives special effects to the image, and an image quality column related to image quality adjustment such as color balance and copy quality.

As described above, there are many options in the creative pathway, and accordingly, unlike the above-described pathway, no icon is displayed in relation to the display area, but the skilled operator such as a key operator or a designer uses the pathway. It is enough to display the function name from. Also, for the expert, there is no need to guide each operation, even if there are many choices, but it is not necessary to guide each operation, but as the number of screen switching increases, the chance of erroneous operation increases, so pop up as much as possible It is necessary to make it possible to set the desired edit mode with a minimum number of steps.

 Hereinafter, each function will be described.

Trim and mask have the same functions as described above. Now, if you press the trim soft button,
23 The pop-up shown in FIG. 11B opens, and the area to be trimmed is set in the bitmap area. The area set at this time is a rectangle formed by designating two points on the edit pad.

Similarly, when a soft button is pressed, a pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (c) is opened to set an area to be masked.

The partial movement is a function of masking a predetermined area of a document and moving an image of a desired area to a desired position. This function is a package of two functions, a mask and a shift. By pressing one soft button, the package function can be easily set, thereby achieving the object-oriented operability.

Watermark combining is a function of copying a first document, holding a sheet on a transfer device, and subsequently copying the second document in an overlapping manner. Since this function can be packaged with several functions to be performed subsequently, that is, copying and combining two originals, it is clear that this function is in line with the objective directional operability.

Inserting a logo is the same function as described in Business Editing, and the insertion position,
The logo type and insertion direction are set.

The inset combination is a function of performing color copying of a first original serving as a base, holding a sheet on a transfer device, and successively overlaying a trimmed second original.
As described above, this function is in accordance with the objective directivity.

When the soft button for inlay combination is pressed, a pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (e) is opened, and necessary parameters are set. In the bitmap area, a region for masking the first document and a region for trimming the second document are set. The magnification is used to set the size of the area of the second document to be fitted in the first document, and has three options: 100%, automatic magnification, and variable. The soft button called “ad function” in the figure is used to add another editing function. For example, if the user wants to convert the color of the trimmed area of the second document to a desired color, By pressing this button, a color conversion function may be selected, and the color to be converted and the color after conversion may be specified.

Paint 1 is the same as the function described in the business editing. When the button is pressed, a pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (f) is opened to select an area, white, and a type of mesh.

Paint 2 is a function of masking a designated area once and then coloring the area with a designated color. Although functionally similar to coloring, coloring differs from coloring in that the image in the designated area is copied as it is, whereas the image in the designated area is erased.

Color conversion is a function for converting a desired color in a desired area of a document to another color. When the button is pressed, a pop-up shown in FIG. The conversion color and the detection sensitivity can be set. The color to be converted and the color to be converted may be specified by pressing the point button and specifying a desired color on the document with the edit pad, or by using the pallet button for a total of 16 colors including standard 8 colors and registered 8 colors. You may choose from. That is, the palette button of the color to be converted (From side)
Pressing opens the pop-up in FIG. 23 (h), and pressing the converted color palette button (To side) opens the pop-up in FIG. 23 (i) so that each color can be selected.

In addition, the detection sensitivity of the color of the original is shown in “Color” in FIG. 23 (g).
As shown in "Sensitvity", for example, it can be switched in seven stages.

 The coloring is the same as the function described so far.

The color mode is the same as the selection of the color mode in the basic feature pathway, and a four-color full-color, three-color, black-and-white or red / black mode can be selected by a pop-up.

The repeat image is a function of repeatedly copying a predetermined image in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and is an effective function when copying a number of logos or service marks.

 The mirror image is a function for obtaining a mirror image.

Negative / positive reversal is a function of performing negative / positive reversal with a specified single color.

Multi-page enlarging is a function of enlarging a spread page of a book to a predetermined magnification and continuously copying each page on a sheet of a predetermined size.
The pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (j) is opened so that the magnification and the paper size can be selected.

The magnification is 100% both vertically and horizontally, the final output size,
There are three options for arbitrary magnification. The final output size is a function to directly set the size of the output image, not to set the magnification. When this button is pressed, the popup shown in FIG. 23 (k) opens and the output size of the image can be set. It has been made like that. When a button of an arbitrary magnification is pressed, a pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (l) is opened, and a preset magnification or a desired magnification can be set in each of the vertical and horizontal directions.

The color balance is the same as described in the copy quality pathway, and when the button is pressed, the color balance is changed as shown in FIG.
Pop-up opens to allow the user to arbitrarily set the area for color balance adjustment, the toner color, and its amount.

The copy quality is a function for performing the same adjustment as described in the copy quality pathway such as the copy density adjustment, and the desired adjustment can be performed by pop-up.

Although the color balance and copy quality can be set in the basic mode as described above, it may be necessary to adjust the color balance and the like only in the desired area of the document. The function is provided.

Collection (Correction) is the same as described in the Business Editing Pathway, including adding, deleting, and changing the setting function, deleting the setting area, adjusting the size, correcting the position, and deleting the pointing point, correcting the position, and the like. Function to perform.

When the collection button shown in FIG.
The pop-up shown in Fig. 23 (n) opens, and the menu of the bitmap area and collection is displayed. When the user selects the correction of the area, the pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (o) is opened, and the size of the area can be changed in increments of 1 mm using the scroll buttons on the upper, lower, left and right sides of the area display. Also, for example, 5 mm upwards with the upper scroll button
If the area is enlarged and further reduced upward by 5 mm using the scroll buttons below, the setting area can be moved upward by 5 mm as a whole.

If point correction is selected in the pop-up in FIG. 23 (n), the pop-up in FIG. 23 (p) is opened, and the position can be moved in 1 mm steps using the scroll buttons.

The above is the Creative Pathway. As is apparent from the above description, the expert is able to perform desired editing in the minimum step.

(H) Tool Pathway The above-described pathway is used when the user sets the copy mode. However, the tools pathway sets the copy mode differently from these paths. Instead, it sets the machine state such as the setup of initial values.
Therefore, the setting on the tool path cannot be performed unless a recite number is input so that a general user cannot set the password. As a result, only the key operator and the customer engineer can make settings on the pathway.

 The tool path way is shown in FIG.

The color registration is a function used when registering a desired color to a register color button in a color palette. When the button is pressed, the color registration is performed as shown in FIG.
Pop-up opens, the point of the color to be registered in the color document is displayed in the bitmap area, and the number of the button to register the color is set. For example, if the user presses the "1" button to register a desired color to the "1" button, the icon of the tube is displayed as shown in the figure, so that the operator can easily confirm. To fine-adjust the color tone of the color to be registered, press the color correction button in FIG. 24 (b) to open the pop-up in FIG. 24 (c). Can be adjusted. Since the paint has fallen from the magenta tube in the figure, it can be seen that the amount of magenta toner has been adjusted.

Film registration is a function that registers the type of film using a film projector.

The default setting is a function for setting a default for each mode such as a color mode, a paper size, and a magnification.

Machine setup is a function that performs settings for the entire machine, and is the same as the default setting described above in terms of setting defaults.However, whereas machine defaults set parameter defaults for functions with default settings It differs in that it sets the machine default for higher-level concepts.

The general accessory is a function for setting an accessory when it is used.

Billing is total billing, full color copy,
This function is for viewing the values of the billing meters for three-color copying and black-and-white copying.

The service diagnostics is a function for checking a machine state using a self-diagnosis mode, and can be used only by a customer engineer.

(II-6) Interaction of pathways The configuration of the pathway as the function selection area has been described above. Next, the interaction between the pathways will be described.

As described above, the pathway is roughly divided into a basic feature and an edit, and the basic feature and the edit are both hierarchized. Therefore, unless the interaction between the pathways is defined, the user may move between the pathways arbitrarily and the setting of the copy mode or the parameters may be lost. Therefore, the following interaction was defined.

(0) The ground part of each pathway is displayed in a different color. This is so that the user can easily determine which pathway is currently open. However, each of the added feature, copy quality, and tool pathways is a pathway related to basic mode setting (hereinafter, these pathways are collectively referred to as a basic copy pathway), similarly to the basic feature pathway. The color may be the same as the basic feature pathway. The color of each pathway is arbitrary, but it is preferable to display the colors in a more subdued tone using a halftone than the primary colors.For example, each of the basic features, added features, copy quality and tools The pathway is preferably gray, the marker editing pathway is blue, the business editing pathway is green, and the creative editing pathway is pink.

(1) Interaction between each way of basic features, added features, copy quality, and tools (1-1) In principle, it is possible to freely move between these ways. This is because these pathways are the pathways in which basic copy modes that must be set for any copy are collected, and must be freely movable at any time. However, if the popup is open, it cannot be moved to another pathway until the popup is closed. In other words, when a pop-up is open,
Since the user is trying to set some mode or parameter by using the pop-up, the pop-up is prioritized, and after the setting in the pop-up is completed, the user is moved to another pathway.

In addition, since the job has not yet been completed between the time when the job recovery is completed and the time when the start button is pressed, the movement between the pathways is prohibited.

(1-2) Timeout and Priority (1-2-1) If no operation is performed within a predetermined time after being opened, the added feature pathway will time out and automatically become basic. It is made to return to the feature pathway. This is because the added feature may be set as needed, and the copy can be executed without being opened and performing any setting. The predetermined time is set in the tool path way machine setup.

(1-2-2) While the tool path way is open, the mode set by the basic feature and the added feature is maintained. As described above, some modes and parameters can be changed in the tool path way. Therefore, it is necessary to specify at what point the mode and parameters set in the tool path become effective. In the copier UI, while the tool path way is open, the mode and parameters up to that point are retained, and the settings are made when another path way is selected and the tool path way is closed after the tool path way setting is completed. The mode and parameters that were set are valid.

(1-2-3) The tool pathway closes when another pathway is selected or when the all clear button on the hardware control panel is pressed.

(1-2-4) If a fault occurs while any mode is set and copying is being executed, a message indicating that a fault has occurred is displayed on the screen of the pathway.
At this time, the copy mode is not canceled and the state at the time when the fault occurs is maintained. This rule specifies what should be given priority on the display when an abnormality occurs,
This defines the state of the machine mode at that time. In other words, as a display when an abnormality occurs, for example, a method in which a fault screen is prepared and the fault screen is displayed by erasing the pathway is also conceivable, but it is not possible to know which pathway was opened. Therefore, the fault is displayed while the pathway is displayed. Also,
When the fault has been resolved, the remaining jobs need to be continued, so the mode at the time when the fault occurred is retained.

(1-2-5) The hardware control panel described later has an information button, and when the button is pressed, a description of the function, operation method, and the like of the copying machine is displayed on the pathway. At this time, the machine keeps the set mode. In other words, if the information button is pressed in the middle of setting the mode, the pathway will disappear, so it may not be possible to know which pathway was open. To be displayed above,
Also, if the information button is pressed during mode setting, the previously set mode is canceled, so it must be reset from the beginning and it becomes inconvenient to use. Mode is kept.

(1-3) Interaction between modes in the pathway (1-3-1) In a column including a plurality of options, the soft buttons of each option are mutually exclusive. This is clear. For example, there are four options in the color mode of FIG. Now, when full color is selected and it is on, trying to switch to red / black mode
If you press "and Black", the "Red and Black" soft button will be on and the full color soft button will be off.

It can be performed by turning on / off the soft button and changing the brightness of the button area. That is, when the display is turned on at a high luminance when the display is on and at a low luminance when the display is off, the operation and the non-operation can be clearly distinguished.

(1-3-2) Buttons arranged in different columns are not mutually exclusive, but when a certain button is pressed, a button in a mode inconsistent with the mode is made unselectable.
For example, automatic magnification and automatic paper selection are mutually contradictory modes. Because automatic magnification is a mode that functions only when the size of the original and paper is determined, whereas automatic paper selection is a mode that functions only when the size of the original and the magnification are determined. Is selected, neither the paper size nor the magnification is determined. In such cases, it has been common practice to display a warning message to alert the user.
In the UI of the present invention, for example, when the user selects the automatic magnification, the automatic paper selection button is disabled so that the user does not press the soft button. As a result, it is possible to prevent an inconsistent mode from being selected erroneously, so that a warning message is not displayed, and the user can be eliminated from annoyance, and the machine unavailable time can be reduced. It can be shortened.

For this purpose, for example, a soft button 920 displays a shadow (hereinafter referred to as a shadow) 921 on a soft button 920 for a selectable soft button as shown in FIG. , The shadow is not displayed as shown in FIG. If you add a shadow to the button, the button will appear prominent and you can feel that you can press it indeed, and if you do not add a shadow, the button will feel like it is pushed into the background and the user will be in a state where it can not be pressed at all. Because you can let them know.

However, it is possible that conflicting modes are still selected. For example, now in the default state,
Suppose the magnification is 100% and the paper size is automatic paper selection.
In this state, if the user wants to copy at the automatic magnification, it is easily conceivable that the shadow disappears and the automatic magnification button that cannot be selected is pressed. In such a case, the machine will not operate, and therefore has no alternative but to change the mode, so that a warning message is displayed to request the mode change.

There are other modes that conflict with each other, such as a combination of black and white mode and color balance, SSI (Single Sheet
Inserter) and other paper selection, and the combination of the package function described in Creative Editing and other package functions.

(2) Interaction between editing pathways Here, the interaction between the editing pathways of marker, business, and creative is specified.

First, as a basic interaction between the editing pathways, it is assumed that the editing pathways are mutually exclusive. As described above, the editing pathway is hierarchized according to the user's skill level and the editing function, and the desired editing can be performed only within one pathway, and the business editing performs all the editing functions of the marker editing. This is because the creative editing includes all the editing functions of business editing, so that each editing pathway can be treated as an independent one. However, it will be apparent that each editing pathway is not completely independent and is always used in conjunction with basic features and other basic copies.

(2-1) Carryover of Function Here, it is specified whether or not different pathways have the same function when they have the same function. For example,
Adjustment of copy density can be done with the basic feature pathway, and it can be done with the creative editing pathway.However, if density adjustment is performed with the basic feature pathway, whether the density adjustment is reflected in creative editing, The problem is whether to avoid it.

(2-1-1) Carryover of functions is not performed between the editing pathways. This means that, for example, even if the coloring is selected in the creative editing, the coloring in the business editing is not automatically selected. This provision,
Obviously, each of the editing pathways is mutually exclusive.

This also means that when a function that is one editing pathway, e.g., a marker editing pathway, is selected, pressing the pathway tab to open another pathway, e.g., the creative editing pathway, does not immediately open the creative pathway. means. In other words, if a function is carried over between editing pathways, the function selected in marker editing will be automatically selected in creative editing, but since carryover of functions between editing pathways is prohibited, In addition, when the creative editing pathway is opened, the function selected in the marker editing is automatically canceled.

Therefore, in such a case, "Are you sure? (Are
It is necessary to confirm the user's intention by a message or pop-up such as "you sure?)".

In this way, since there is no carryover of functions between editing pathways, the user is easy to understand,
It has good operability.

(3) Interaction between the basic copy pathway and the editing pathway, and the action within the editing pathway (3-1) Interaction between the basic copy pathway and the editing pathway Here, the interaction between the basic copy pathway such as a basic feature and the editing pathway Is specified.

(3-1-1) The settings made in the basic copy pathway are valid in each editing pathway. This is evident from the fact that the editing pathway is used in conjunction with the base copy pathway.

(3-1-2) If the basic copy path and the edit path have a common function, the settings are retained even if the path is moved between the paths.

This is specifically as follows. For example, copy density can be set in the copy quality pathway of the basic copy, while the creative editing pathway has its own copy quality function as described above. Now, if the copy density is set to be high in the basic copy path, the copy density is high even if the copy path is moved to the creative path. This is apparent from the above (3-1-1). Therefore,
If the copy density is reduced in the creative pathway, the copy density in the basic copy pathway is also reduced. In other words, if the copy density in the creative pathway and the copy density in the basic copy pathway are made independent, the user will not know which copy density is set in which pathway, causing unnecessary confusion. This enables copying with the same density in the pathway.
Although the copy density has been described above as an example, the same applies to color balance, contrast, sharpness, and the like.

(3-2) Function duplication within the editing pathway (3-2-1) In the creative editing, it is possible to select whether to perform a desired function on the entire surface of the document or only on a desired area. However, when a certain function is set for the entire surface of the document, the buttons of the other functions which are mutually exclusive with the function are shaded as shown in FIG. 25 (b). The selection is disabled.

(3-2-2) As described above, in the creative editing pathway, a plurality of functions can be set for one area, but when a certain editing function is set for a predetermined area, On the other hand, the button of the editing function that has an exclusive relationship with the function is erased and cannot be selected. Functions in such a relationship include, for example, partial movement (Mask and
Shift), inset synthesis, and watermark synthesis (Copy on Co
py). In other words, each of these functions is a function in which some functions are packaged, and these processes cannot be performed at once, so that they are mutually exclusive. Therefore, for example, when the partial movement is selected, the inset combination and the watermark combination buttons are shaded and disabled, and the previously set function, in this case, unless the partial movement is canceled, the inset combination, Watermarking is not allowed to be set. Also, the combination of the mirror image and the partial movement and the combination of the mirror image and the inset combination are prohibited. Partial movement and inset synthesis are both performed through complicated processing, and when combined with a mirror image, copying may cause confusion in determining whether the copied result is as desired. It is forbidden because there are many. Therefore, when the mirror image is set, the buttons for inset combination and partial movement are disabled. Further, the combination of the enlarged transfer and the trim of the area is also prohibited. This will be clear. This is because trim is a function of copying only an image in a desired area, and enlarged continuous shooting of an area is also a function of copying an image in a desired area by enlarging the image to a desired magnification. It is. Therefore, if the trim is set, the enlarged continuous shooting of the area is set to the unselectable state, and if the enlarged transfer of the area is set, the trim is set to the unselectable state.

When all of the functions that can be set are set in one area, the ad function button used to add the function is disabled. This is because there is no other function that can be additionally set.

(II-7) Screen Transition The pathways and their interactions have been described above. Next, an overview of screen transitions, that is, when and under what conditions a screen is displayed, will be given. Will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, when the power is turned on and the machine starts up, it is necessary to display some kind of pathway so that the copy mode can be set. This is shown at 992 in FIG. 26 (a). Here Walkup Frame
"A" means a set of all pathways. When the information on button on the hardware control panel is pressed while the pathway is displayed, an information frame 923 is displayed. When the information off button or the interrupt button is pressed during the information frame, a walk-up frame, that is, It is made to return to the original pathway. In addition, when a mode such as a jam occurs during copying while the mode is set in the walk-up frame, a fault frame 924 is displayed, and when the jam is cleared, the system returns to the original pathway. The same applies to the diagnosis screen 925. By performing a predetermined operation, the user can enter the diagnosis or return to the original pathway from the diagnosis. The Phosphor Saver is a screen that displays a moving clock to prevent burn-in on the phosphor screen of a color CRT monitor. When the same screen is displayed for a predetermined time, the moving clock is automatically displayed. Is displayed,
When any key is pressed, the screen transitions to the screen immediately before the phosphor saver screen. However,
If the machine is auto-clearing while the phosphor saver screen is displayed, a transition to a walk-up frame occurs when a key is pressed. In the drawing, numerical values such as "1" in the walk-up frame and "2" in the information frame indicate the hierarchy, and so on.

The above is the overall screen transition. The transition of the pathway will be described below.

 FIG. 26 (b) shows the transition between the pathways.

First, when the startup of the machine is completed, the basic copy path 927, that is, the basic feature path shown in FIG. 20A is displayed. As described above, this pathway is a pathway having a mode that must be set for any copy. In the figure, a thick solid line circle indicated by A indicates a screen of the pathway, a thick solid line rectangle of B indicates a frame other than the walk-up frame, and a broken circle of C indicates that the screen does not change but the machine state changes. D indicates a screen transition condition in the direction of the arrow. The same applies hereinafter.

As described above, since the basic copy path can be used in combination with each editing path, a transition to a desired path can be made directly by pressing the path tab from the screen on which the basic copy path is displayed. Need to be FIG. 26 (b) shows this, and it can be seen that the desired copy way can be changed from the basic copy path 927 by pressing each of the marker edit, business edit, free form edit, and creative edit path tabs. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 20 (a), (e), (g) and FIG. 24 (a), the screen on which the basic copy path is displayed is changed to the desired edit path whenever necessary. In order to be able to do so, a pathway tab of the editing pathway is displayed.

As a result, it can be understood that the desired pathway can be transited in one step, and the operability is excellent. That is, it is possible to temporarily delete the basic copy path and display a menu of the edit path, and select a desired edit path there, but it is apparent that the operability is inferior.

Further, from this figure, it can be seen that the editing pathways are mutually exclusive because there is no transition between the editing pathways except for returning to the basic copy pathway and then selecting another desired pathway. Therefore, FIG. 21 (a),
As shown in FIGS. 22 (a) and 23 (a), the screen displaying the editing pathway does not display the pathway tabs of other editing pathways.

Furthermore, when setting the red / black mode in the marker editing and the business editing first, it is described that first, the red / black mode is selected in the basic copy path, and then the marker editing or the business editing is selected. This transition state is also shown in the figure. Although the reason has been briefly described above, it is also based on the provision of (3-1-2) in the preceding section. That is, since marker editing is intended for black-and-white documents in the first place, when marker editing is selected, the mode automatically switches to black-and-white mode, and the red / black mode button in FIG. Is made. Therefore, if you select the marker edit pathway and then return to the basic copy pathway, where you can set the red / black mode,
The black mode button must be returned to a selectable state, and for that purpose marker editing must be temporarily canceled. In other words, contradictions arise,
Therefore, the operation becomes very complicated. Therefore, in order to unify the operation method and to easily set a desired mode in the minimum step, the screen transition is made as shown in FIG. 26 (b).

This also means that priorities are given by operating procedures. In other words, if editing is selected, editing takes precedence, and red / black mode can be selected as long as it is not canceled. Conversely, if red / black mode is selected, editing takes precedence and red / black mode takes priority It is set to black mode.

Further, for example, the condition for returning from the marker editing pathway to the basic copy pathway is, as shown in D in the figure, whether all clear, interrupt, save / close, and cancel buttons are pressed. , Marker Edit Pathway has been displayed for a certain period of time and times out, Marker Edit Pathway tab is pressed again, or Basic Copy, Added Feature, and Tool Basic Copy Pathway tabs are pressed In some cases, this criterion also applies when returning from the Business Editing Pathway to the Basic Copy Pathway,
It can be seen that this also applies when returning from the creative editing pathway to the basic copy pathway. That is, the conditions for returning from each editing path to the basic copy path are all the same regardless of which editing path to return to. This is important.
This is because if the conditions for returning to the basic copy path are different depending on the editing path, the user must remember all the operations, which is very troublesome and causes an erroneous operation.

Among the conditions for returning from each editing path to the basic copy path, the all clear button and the interrupt button are on the hardware control panel and can be pressed at any time. In addition, FIGS. 21 (a), 22 (a), As shown in FIG. 23 (a), save / close and cancel buttons are arranged in each edit path, and a path tab for basic copy is displayed. This guarantees the above conditions.

FIG. 26 (c) shows the transition within the basic copy path. From the figure, it can be seen that, after power-on, the basic feature pathway is displayed first, and that the transition to each pathway can be made by pressing the pathway tab of the added feature pathway or the tool pathway.
Although the copy quality pathway is not shown in the figure, it is clear that the same transition can be made.

Further, it can be seen from the figure that the tool can be inserted into the diag by a predetermined operation from the tool path way. As described with reference to FIG. 24 (a), a part of the machine adjustment such as the machine setup is open to the key operator, but the operation method is such that only the customer engineer enters the service diagnosis. Is different. In other words, it is determined whether the machine is a key operator or a customer engineer according to the manner of operation, and decide whether to open or not to open the diagnostic screen.

FIG. 26 (d) shows the transition state of the popup in the basic feature pathway. Note that a thin solid circle in the figure indicates a pop-up. Hereinafter, the same applies.

From the figure, it can be seen that in the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 20 (a), a popup is opened by pressing an arbitrary magnification (Variable R / E) button. The same applies to job programming. Further, although the button of “single color” is not shown in FIG. 20 (a), if the single color mode is provided as a color mode option as shown in FIG. 26 (e), 26 (f) can be opened to set a desired color.

According to FIG. 26 (d), all pop-ups are automatically closed by pressing buttons such as save / close, cancel, all clear, and interrupt, or automatically closed after a lapse of a predetermined time. It turns out that it returns to. In other words, the way of opening and closing the pop-up are all unified, and the user who has learned one operation can also guess the other operation.

In FIG. 26 (d), when a button with an arbitrary magnification is pressed, two pop-ups “Variable R / E” and “Anamorphic R / E” are displayed, but this requires arbitrary operation. This has the following meaning. This copier has a magnification function as shown in FIG. 20 (c) in addition to being able to set the same magnification both vertically and horizontally as shown in FIG. 20 (b). It can be set by pop-up. Therefore, when a button of an arbitrary magnification is pressed, which pop-up is preferentially displayed is a problem. Therefore, when an arbitrary magnification is selected, the same-magnification popup of FIG. 20 (b) is opened if the magnification has been used before, and if the magnification has been used before, FIG. 20 (c). The pop-up of the magnification is opened. This is the meaning of the popup at an arbitrary magnification in FIG. 26 (d). It is possible to set both the same magnification and the partial magnification with a single popup from the beginning, but this will only confuse the user with more options and will not open the same magnification popup It is also troublesome for a user who uses a large number of magnifications to determine the priority order in advance so that the popup of the magnification cannot be opened. Therefore, if it was previously used at the same magnification, there is a high possibility that it will be used at the same magnification next time,
In view of the fact that there is a high possibility that magnification will be performed next if the magnification has been used before, the method of opening the pop-up as described above is adopted.

FIG. 26 (g) is a diagram showing a transition state in which a single color pop-up is opened when a single color is selected in the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 26 (e). A small circle indicates that the full color, three pass color, black and white and red / black buttons can be selected in addition to the single color, and so on.

The outline of the screen transition of the basic feature pathway has been described above, but the same applies to other basic copy pathways of the added feature pathway, the copy quality pathway, and the tool pathway. For example, as apparent from FIGS. 20 (e), (g), and FIG. 24 (a), the path tab of the editing path is always displayed on the screen on which these basic copy paths are displayed. The desired editing can be performed at any time.

FIG. 27 (a) shows the screen transition when the copy position button is pressed in the added feature pathway. When the margin shift button is pressed, a pop-up opens, where reset, fine adjustment in the left and right directions, It can be seen that fine adjustment in the vertical direction is possible. An example of the pop-up is shown in FIG. 27 (b), and fine adjustment of the up, down, left, and right positions can be performed by the respective scroll buttons. The same applies to the corner shift. Further, according to FIG. 27 (a), it can be seen that other options for the copy position include the no shift and auto center buttons.

As described above, in the basic copy path, the editing path tab is always displayed so that the editing path can be opened at any time when desired, and the conditions for returning from each editing path to the basic copy path are all the same. It has been done. Each button must be pressed to open the pop-up. To close the pop-up, the save / close button or the cancel button may be pressed for all pop-ups.

Since the operation methods are unified in this way, even a novice user can infer another operation method by learning one operation method, which indicates that the operability is good.

FIG. 28 shows a screen transition in the marker editing pathway.

FIG. 28 (a) is a diagram showing a screen transition from FIG. 21 (a), and it can be seen that pop-ups are respectively opened by pressing the buttons of coloring and color conversion. This figure shows the transition in the black-and-white mode.
As shown in FIG. 8B, the pop-up is only one with a red color. Each of these screen transitions is shown in FIG.
It is clear that this corresponds to (b).

Also, it can be seen that the way of opening and closing the pop-up is the same as in the basic copy path. Therefore,
A user who can operate the basic copy pathway can use the marker editing pathway by analogy.

FIG. 29 shows screen transitions in the business editing pathway.

First, in the black and white mode, each pop-up is opened by pressing each function selection button as shown in FIG. 29 (a). Although only trim and paint 1 are shown as the editing functions in the figure, FIG. 22 (a) shows that the same applies to other functions such as masks.
It is clear from Also, it can be seen that the method of closing the popup is the same as the basic copy path and the marker edit path.

Therefore, assuming that coloring is selected, a coloring pop-up opens as shown in FIG.
It can be seen that the user can set the type of color and density, two-point instruction for area setting, enter for fixing the data, and area cancel for deleting the area.

When the collection button is pressed on the screen in FIG. 22 (a), a pop-up (FIG. 22 (e)) is opened, and the area can be deleted and the area can be scrolled. Now, when you press the color button to change the function to be set to a certain area to color, the color popup appears (Fig. 22 (b)).
Opens to set the color, pattern type, etc. in the same manner as above. When you close the popup with the save / close button, you return to the collection popup again,
Then press the save / close button again to close the collection pop-up and return to the business editing pathway screen.

Further, although not shown in FIG. 22 (a), if a function cancel (Functional Cancel) button is pressed in the business editing pathway, a pop-up opens to cancel the function set in the area, in this case, coloring.

FIG. 29 (c) shows the screen transition when the collection button is pressed in the business editing pathway. Fig. 22 (a)
When the collection button is pressed in the business editing, a pop-up opens, and it can be seen that the area / point can be deleted, the area / point can be scrolled and various editing functions can be performed. This is as shown in FIG. 22 (e). Note that “Function” in FIG. 29 (c) means that
FIG. 22 shows various editing functions shown in FIG. Therefore, if you select any function to change the function to be set in a certain setting area, a pop-up opens and you can set the parameters. When you press the save / close button in the pop-up of the function, FIG. It is possible to return to the collection pop-up of (e) and change the function to be set. To change the area or the point, the area / point collection button may be pressed in the pop-up shown in FIG. Then a pop-up opens, allowing you to move the area / point up, down, left and right, or reset it.
When the save / close button is pressed after the area / point is changed in this way, the display returns to the collection pop-up shown in FIG. 22 (e), and the area / point can be changed. . Then press the save / close button on the collection popup to return to the business editing pathway,
You can change the point or change the editing function set for the area.

 The above is the screen transition in the monochrome mode.

FIGS. 29 (d), (e) and (f) show FIGS.
Screen transitions in the red / black mode corresponding to (b) and (c) are shown. As is clear from these figures, the screen transition conditions are the same except for the editing function. This is an important matter. In other words, if the screen transition conditions of two mutually exclusive modes, that is, the black and white mode and the red / black mode, which are in the same way of business editing, that is, the mutually exclusive modes, that is, the operation methods are different, it only confuses the user. Since the conditions for screen transition are unified, users who can use the black and white mode can also use the red / black mode.

FIG. 30 shows the screen transition in the creative pathway.

FIG. 30 (a) shows a screen transition from the creative editing pathway shown in FIG. 23 (a). In the figure, only the inset composition is shown as the editing function,
This is described as a representative of the editing function, and the same applies to other editing functions.

Now, when any editing function is selected in the Creative Editing Pathway, for example, when the spring-in composition is selected, a pop-up
A window 929 is opened so that a desired editing function can be set on the entire surface of the document or an area set in the document. When the collection button is pressed, a pop-up 930 is opened to change an area size, a position / point position, an editing function for setting an area, and the like. Furthermore,
Although not shown in FIG. 23 (a), when a function cancel button is pressed, a pop-up 931 is opened so that an editing function set in a predetermined area or point can be canceled. When a cancel button or a save / close button is pressed after setting a predetermined parameter in each of these pop-ups,
The pop-up is closed and the display returns to the creative editing pathway display screen of FIG. 23 (a).

Now, when the inset combination is selected on the screen of FIG. 23 (a), a pop-up 932 of FIG. 30 (b) (FIG. 23 (e))
Is opened to set, delete, and set a magnification. If you only want to perform inset synthesis, you can set these settings and then press Save / Close to return to the Creative Editing Pathway. If you want to set other editing functions in the setting area, use the pop-up 932 ( Add function (Add Funct in Fig. 23 (e))
ion) button. Then, additional function pop-up 9
33 is opened and when the editing function to be added to the area is designated by the pop-up, the pop-up
4 opens. Set the necessary parameters in this pop-up and press the save / close button to pop-up 934
Will close and return to the additional features popup 932. By repeating this operation, a plurality of desired editing functions can be set in the setting area.

The above is the screen transition when a new area is set and a desired function is set in the area. After the editing function to be applied to the area and the area is set once, the area and the editing function are changed. The screen transition in the case of performing is described.

When the collection button is pressed on the creative editing pathway shown in FIG. 23 (a), a pop-up 93 shown in FIG. 30 (b) is displayed.
5 (FIG. 23 (n)) opens, and the area, point, and editing function can be deleted or changed. If it is desired to delete the preset editing function, the function clear button is pressed in FIG. 23 (n). As a result, a pop-up 936 opens, and unnecessary editing functions can be deleted. Also, the 23rd
In FIG. 30 (n), when the Function Change button is pressed, a pop-up 937 shown in FIG. 30 (b) opens. When a desired editing function is selected in the pop-up 937, a pop-up 938 further opens. If you cancel the function selected in this popup and press the cancel button, or set a predetermined parameter and press the save / close button, the display returns to the collection popup 935. Further, when an Add Function button is pressed in the collection pop-up 935, the editing functions are listed and a pop-up 939 is opened. When the button of the editing function to be added is pressed, a pop-up 938 is further opened. If you cancel the addition of the editing function in the popup and press the cancel button, or set the predetermined parameters and press the save / close button,
Pop-up 938 is closed and collection pop-up 9
Return to 35. Thus, the region and the editing function can be corrected.

In the figure, the same popup is opened in the transition from 933 to 934 and in the transition from 939 to 938, but the transition state is also different because the screen when the additional function button is pressed is different It is. In this way, in the present UI, even when the same screen is displayed, the transition state of the screen is different depending on the screen on which the button is pressed, so that the user makes an erroneous operation. It can be done without.

The screen transition has been described above with reference to the inset synthesis, but the same applies to a case where another editing function is selected in the creative editing pathway shown in FIG. 23 (a).

In this way, in the creative editing pathway, the screen transition when setting a new area and editing area, the area,
Since the screen transition of the modification after the editing function is set is different, that is, the operation method is different, so that the user can perform the operation without confusion.

(II-8) SYSUI Software Module In this section, a software module (hereinafter simply referred to as a module) for realizing the screen transition as described above will be described.

As described with reference to FIG. 4, the LLUI (Lo
w Level UI) simply has the function of displaying the specified screen, and you can check what screen to display at each time.
SYSUI has been determined. This is to generalize each remote of the copying machine and to reduce the design burden. Therefore, this section describes what modules the SYSUI consists of and how the next screen is determined when a button is pressed.

FIG. 31 shows the configuration of the SYSUI module. FIG. 31 (a) shows the schematic configuration, FIG. 31 (b) shows the module configuration for user control, FIG. 31 (c) shows the module configuration for user mode, and FIG. 31 (d) shows the module for edit mode control. The configuration is shown respectively.

As shown in FIG. 31 (a), SYSUI 940 includes a user control 941 for controlling the screen display,
It comprises a currently displayed screen and a user mode 942 for interpreting the pressed button and determining the next screen to be displayed. Therefore, the user mode 942 is a high-level module, and the user control 941 is a low-level module. The SYSUI940 is connected to the UI943 via LNET948 (see Fig. 3). PAD944 stores coordinate data specified on the edit pad, and CRT945 stores button information indicating which button was pressed. The information of the memory card is taken in from the card 946, and the display information is sent to the CRT 945.
Is notified of data to be newly written.

Further, the SYSUI 940 notifies the mode information set to the SYS 947 and receives machine state information and the like necessary for display from the SYS 947. Communication 949 for this is R
Done via AM. As is clear from FIGS. 3 and 4, SYSUI 940 and SYS 947 operate on the same CPU.

FIG. 31 (b) shows the module configuration of the user control 941.

 Hereinafter, the function of each module will be described.

The button interpretation 950 is a module that mainly checks whether or not a pressed button can be accepted. Specifically, the button interpretation 950 receives button information, coordinate information, copy information from the CRT interface 955, and sends a message to the state management 952. It inquires of a status code, receives a button based on the status code, distributes the received button information to each module, outputs a discharge request to a memory card, and the like.

The job handling 951 is a module that monitors a job from the time the start button is pressed until the copy is completed, and displays a maid count. Specifically, the job handling 951 performs the following processing.

When the start button is pressed, a machine start is output to SYS947 to notify the copy mode. In addition, the start button is used as a trigger to output a check request to the state management 952 as to whether or not the selected modes are inconsistent with each other. (Hereinafter referred to as J code information) to the display 954 to display a message. Further, it determines whether copying can be started or not based on the status code, determines color registration / normal copying, notifies a color registration request to SYS947, registers / cancels auto start, and the like.

Further, the job is canceled by using auto clear and numeric key clear as triggers, a trigger is provided for the user mode 942, and a job cancel request is notified to SYS947. In addition, it notifies the SYS947 of the stop request triggered by the stop button, notifies the SYS947 of the interrupt request triggered by the interrupt button, displays a command corresponding to the command, checks the toner supply display, performs an automatic clear process, and the like.

The state management 952 manages the state of the entire machine, and updates and creates a machine state and a UI state, updates a job status, creates a state code, and the like. The state management performed by the module is for display, and is distinguished from the state management performed by SYS947 for job execution.

The machine monitor 953 requests and updates the machine state 9
Requests for registration / cancellation of display information to 54, requests for registration / cancellation of faults and warnings, notification of job information in commands received from SYS947 to job handling 951, and the like.

Display 954 shows user mode 942, job handling 95
1. Based on display information received from the machine monitor 953 and the information 957, various images are actually displayed on a color CRT monitor.

The CRT interface 955 receives button information from the CRT, and queues information received from the CRT (Quein
g), notification of reception result of display information and button information to CRT, queuing of transmission information to CRT, reception of memory contents from memory card, transmission of writing contents to memory card, coordinate data from edit pad And the like.

The SYS interface 956 receives a command from the SYS947 and transmits transmission information to the SYS947.

The information 957 requests the display 954 to display an information screen when the information on button is pressed.

FIG. 31 (c) shows a module configuration in the user mode. As is clear from the figure, each of the modules has a module corresponding to each pathway, and each module manages only information necessary for the corresponding pathway. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with a change in the specification, and the security is high.

 Hereinafter, the function of each module will be described.

The operation flow 960 controls the screen transition, and performs screen switching control, pop-up control, message display control, button selectable / non-selectable control, screen status management, and the like. User control 941 for operation flow 960
, The button information is distributed to the basic copy 961, the marker edit 962, the business edit 963, and the creative edit 964, and the display information is notified to the user control 941 according to the path in which the button is located.

The basic copy 961 controls the mode set by the basic copy path, and specifically includes selection of a paper size, selection of a sorter, control of a set number of sheets, magnification, color mode, copy density, contrast, Control of creation of copy mode for sharpness, movement, and color balance; initialization and display control of copy mode when copy initialization is instructed; actual copy of edited data managed internally when copy start is instructed Conversion to mode, notification of J code information to state management 952 when mutually contradictory functions are selected, retention of current copy mode triggered by interrupt start instruction, and initialization and display control of current copy mode , Conversion from the current copy mode to the retained copy mode triggered by an interrupt end instruction and recovery control of display Cormorant.

Therefore, the basic copy 961 obtains the button information from the operation flow 960 and obtains the copy start information and the copy mode initialization information from the user control 941, while notifying the user control 941 of the display information and the J code information. Further, the module receives the edit management data from the edit mode control 966 and notifies the command creation information.

The marker edit 962 manages information handled by the marker edit pathway, and controls copy mode creation for each menu, command cancellation control, and the like.
For this purpose, the marker edit 962 obtains button information from the operation flow 960 and screen status information from the edit mode control 966, while notifying display information to the user control 941 and command creation information to the edit mode control 966. It has been made like that.

The business editing 963 manages information handled by the business editing pathway. Specifically, the menu of each editing function includes an instruction to create a copy mode, an instruction to cancel a command, an instruction to scroll an area / point, and an instruction to scroll an area / point. An instruction to correct / delete a point, an instruction to correct a command, an instruction to register coordinates, an instruction to cancel registered coordinates, an instruction to cancel an operation, and the like are given. Business Editing 96 for that
3 obtains the button information from the operation flow 960, the coordinate information from the user control 941, the screen status information from the edit mode control 966, the display information to the user control 941, and the command creation to the edit mode control 966. Information, command correction information, area scroll information, area correction information, area deletion information, coordinate registration information, input cancel information, and the like are notified.

Creative Editing 964 manages the information handled by the Creative Editing Pathway. Specifically,
Instructions for creating a copy mode for the menu of each editing function, instructions for canceling commands, instructions for scrolling areas / points, instructions for modifying / deleting areas / points, instructions for deleting commands, instructions for adding commands, and instructions for registering coordinates. An instruction, an instruction to cancel the registered coordinates, an instruction to the registered color, an instruction to cancel the operation, and the like are performed. To that end, the creative editor 964 obtains button information from the operation flow 960, coordinate information and registered color information from the user control 941, and screen status information from the edit mode control 966, while notifying display information to the user control 941, The edit mode control 966 is notified of command creation information, area scroll information, area correction information, area deletion information, coordinate registration information, input cancel information, command addition information, and the like.

An edit pad control 965 is for displaying an area provided on the edit pad in a bit map area, obtains an output pattern from the edit mode control 966, and notifies the user control 941 of coordinate information.

The edit mode control 966 manages the set area and the edit function, and specifically has a module configuration shown in FIG. 31 (d).

The edit mode I970 and the edit mode II971 each perform an edit check, and check all functions restricted by the IPS. A function that cannot be processed by the ISP is set, and if the IPS is notified as it is, a malfunction will occur. Therefore, in the editing modes I and II, an exclusive function is not set.
Regarding the function, it is checked whether a plurality of functions are set for one area. In other words, the edit mode I970 and the edit mode II971 have a small IPS world, and check the functions based on them.

The sharing of the editing mode I and the editing mode II can be performed, for example, as follows.

Edit mode I970 has repeat control, reduction / enlargement control,
Enlargement continuous shooting control, logo control, movement control, binding margin control, and mirror image control are checked.Edit mode II971 controls trim, delete, color painting, color conversion, coloring, inversion, It is possible to check copy density control, contrast control, sharpness control, color balance control, color mode control, and paint control. Note that the above role assignment is only an example and can be arbitrarily determined. In the figure, the editing mode is divided into two modes, I and II. However, it is clear that if only one module is required in terms of the software configuration, one module can be used. Conversely, it is composed of three or more modules. It may be.

In order to perform the above control, the edit mode I970 inputs the above-described command creation information, outputs a database request to the database control 974, and receives an access result as a response from the database control 974. The edit mode II 971 receives command creation information, registered coordinate information, and registered color information, sends a database request to the database control 974, and obtains an access result.

Package control 972 includes inset synthesis, watermark synthesis,
Several functions, such as color synthesis and partial movement, are used to control packaged editing. Button information is input to notify editing mode I970 and editing mode II971 of command creation information. Further, it issues a database request to the database control 974 and receives an access result.

The area control 973 controls the area set by the edit pad, and controls registration of coordinates, control of coordinate correction, control of deletion of coordinates, control of deletion of commands in the area, control of addition of commands, and control of commands. Control of correction, control of scrolling of an area, control of registration cancellation of coordinates, and the like are performed. For that, the area control 973 inputs coordinate information, input cancel information, scroll information, area correction information, area deletion information, command correction information, command addition information, and the like,
The output pattern information of the bitmap area is notified to the edit pad control 965 in FIG. 31 (c). Further, it issues a database request to the database control 974 and receives an access result.

The database control 974 sets the copy mode,
It manages and controls a database that collectively stores screen statuses, etc., and creates a packet to be passed to SYS947, that is, information that notifies what function has been selected. Initialization, change of scroll pointer, deletion and registration of area information pointed by scroll pointer, addition and deletion of one command to area pointed by scroll pointer, new registration of command, new registration of coordinates, deletion of registered coordinates, The mark of the registered coordinate pointer and its release are performed. Accordingly, the database control 974 includes edit mode I, edit mode II,
In response to a database request from the package control and the area control, information necessary for the request is sent back as an access result, and display information and screen status information are output.

As described above, since a module is provided for each pathway and for each edit, even when the specification needs to be changed, only the corresponding module needs to be modified, which can be easily dealt with. Also, the data necessary to control the screen is collectively managed in the database, and the necessary data is sent when there is a request from another module, so that each module has inconsistent data. Nothing is wrong, and it is highly secure.

Having described the module configuration of SYSUI, its operation will now be described with an example of screen transition.

Now, if the pathway tab of the marker editing pathway is pressed in the basic feature pathway,
The button information is transferred from CRT 945 to CRT interface 955.
Is input to the button interpreter 950 via the button, and it is determined whether or not the button can be accepted. If the machine is performing a copy operation or the like, it cannot be accepted. If acceptable, the button information is sent to the user mode 942. In the operation flow 960, since the currently displayed basic feature pathway, the button information is notified to the basic copy 961. The basic copy 961 recognizes that the tab of the marker editing pathway has been pressed, and displays the display information of the user control 941 in order to turn on the tab.
Notify. The display 954 shows the command for turning on the pathway tab of the marker edit on the CRT interface 9
Notify CRT945 via 55. This turns on the marker editing path tab.

Next, when the user releases the marker editing passway tab, the button information is displayed on the CRT as described above.
The operation flow 960 of the user mode 942 is entered via the interface 955 and the button interpretation 950. The operation flow 960 notifies a display switching command to the display 954 to switch the screen to the marker editing. As a result, a screen transition from the basic feature pathway to the marker editing pathway is performed. At this time, if the mode used last time is held, the user is confused, and thus the initial setting is performed.

Therefore, for example, if the trim button is pressed on the marker editing screen, the button information is input to the operation flow 960 through the above-described route, and the operation flow 960 is displayed on the marker display screen. Since it is an edit pathway, the button information is notified to the marker edit 962. If the copy mode can be accepted for the currently pressed trim button, the marker edit 962 creates trim command creation information and edit mode control 966.
Pass to. The edit mode control 966 performs various checks based on the command creation information, creates trim data, and registers it in the database as a copy mode. In addition, a packet is created to notify SYS947 that trim has been selected. Further, screen status information indicating what screen is currently displayed is sent to the marker edit 962, and the display information is displayed on the display 954 of the user control 941.
Send to This turns on the trim button.

Then, when the start button is pressed, the trim packet is transferred from job handling 951 to SYS interface 95.
6 is notified to SYS947 and the job is executed.

When the copy is executed, the machine status and the job information are notified from the SYS497 to the machine monitor 953. The job handling 951 obtains job information from the machine monitor 953, creates display information, and notifies the display 954. As a result, a message such as "Copying" and a maid count can be displayed.

(II-9) Other Screen Control In the UI, if a jam occurs, a screen corresponding to the jam is displayed by constantly monitoring the copy execution state. In the function setting, an information screen corresponding to the currently displayed screen is provided, and the screen can be appropriately displayed.

The screen display is wide except for the bitmap area.
Tile display of 3 mm (8 pixels) and height of 6 mm (16 pixels) is adopted, with 80 tiles horizontally and 25 tiles vertically. The bitmap area is displayed with 151 pixels vertically and 216 pixels horizontally.

As described above, the basic copy,
The display screen is switched according to the pathways such as added features and editing, and menus for selecting functions and setting execution conditions are displayed in each mode, and options are specified by touching soft buttons. Or execution condition data. In addition, depending on menu options, the detailed items are displayed in a pop-up display (overlapped display or window display) to enhance the display contents. As a result, even if there are many selectable functions and setting conditions, the display screen can be refreshed and operability can be improved.

(II-10) Button System It has been described that the buttons are provided with the soft buttons and the hard buttons in the copying machine.
This section describes the properties and functions of each button.

(A) Hard button The hard button is a button located on the hardware control panel. The numeric keypad, asterisk, clear, start, stop, interrupt, all clear, auditron, information on, information off, and language buttons are attached. Have been.

Since these buttons need to be able to be pressed at all times, they are arranged as hard buttons separately from the soft buttons for setting the copy mode.

 The functions of the following buttons will be described.

The numeric keypad buttons are used for setting the number of copies, entering codes and data in the diagnostic mode, and entering a password when using the tool, and are invalid during job generation or job interruption. Becomes

The asterisk “*” button is a button used for inputting a password or a password when selecting a function in the tool path way. However, the input method differs between the key operator and the custom engineer, which limits the functions that the key operator can use.

The start button is used for starting a job and resuming after interruption. In the diagnostic mode, the start button is used for starting input saving and input / output of code values and data values. If the start button is scanned during the preheating of the machine, the machine automatically starts at the end of the preheating.

The stop button is used to interrupt the job at a break between copies during job execution, and to stop the machine after discharging the copy sheet. In the diagnostic mode,
Used to stop (interrupt) input / output checks.

The interrupt button is used to enter the interrupt mode during the primary job except during the interruption of the job, and to return to the primary job during the interrupt job. If this button is operated during the execution of the primary job, a reservation state is set, and the job is interrupted or terminated at the end of the copy paper discharge, and the interrupted job is started.

All clear button returns all the set copy mode to default, except when the tool screen is open,
This is used to return to the basic copy screen. During the setting of the interrupt job, the copy mode returns to the default, but the interrupt mode is not canceled.

The Auditron button is operated to input a password at the start of a job.

The information button consists of an on button and an off button. The information button is in a receivable state except when copying is in progress. It is used to display the information screen for the currently displayed screen by the on button, and to retract by the off button. It is. This button may be a toggle button, that is, turned on the first time, and turned off when pressed again. However, an ON button and an OFF button are provided for easy understanding by the user.

The language button is operated when switching the language of the display screen. Therefore, each display screen has data in a plurality of languages, for example, Japanese and English, and can be arbitrarily selected.

In addition, the hardware control panel has an appropriate LED to display the button operation status in addition to the above buttons.
(Light emitting diode) Lamp is attached. Lamps may be attached to all hard buttons, but it is not necessary to attach lamps if you can see which button is pressed by looking at the screen. It only needs to be attached to the button.

(B) Soft button As shown in FIG.
A touch board 981 is arranged on the front of the T monitor 980. At predetermined positions of the color CRT monitor 980, button patterns of various shapes such as rectangles and triangles are displayed. The touch board 981, for example, as shown in FIG. 32 (b), has a structure in which a light emitting diode 982 that emits infrared light is arranged on the upper side and the left side, and an infrared sensor 983 is arranged on the opposite lower side and the right side. It has been. Therefore, when the user interrupts the infrared ray to touch the button, the output of the infrared sensor at the interrupted location becomes small, and the coordinates of the selected button can be known from the position of the infrared sensor. These processes are performed by the CPU 534 in FIG. 18 as described above.

(C) Shapes and Sizes of Soft Buttons As can be seen from the figures so far, there are various shapes of soft buttons, and the sizes vary depending on the screen displayed even with the same shape. This is determined by the nature of the button, whether it is for function selection or scrolling, or how many buttons must be placed in the popup. .

FIG. 34 shows examples of button shapes and sizes. The unit of the numerical value in the figure is the number of tiles.

FIGS. 34 (a) and 34 (b) show buttons generally used as selection buttons, and FIG. 34 (a) is usually used for selecting functions in each pathway, and FIG. 34 (b) For example, even in the case of a pop-up displayed in a narrow range, such as a color selection button in FIG. 20 (h), or a full pop-up, for example, as shown in FIG. It is used when many buttons are arranged in addition to the area. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 34 (c), the button on which the icon is displayed when selected is the same size.

FIGS. 34 (d), (e), and (f) show buttons on the pathway tab, and FIG. 34 (d) is called up on the screen like the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 20 (a), for example. FIG. 20 (e) is used as a pathway tab which is not called like the tool pathway tab of FIG. 20 (a), and FIG. 20 (f) is used as a pathway tab. Is used as a tab of the edit path displayed on the screen on which the basic copy path is displayed.

FIG. 34 (g) is used as a pop-up mark.

FIGS. 34 (h) and 34 (i) show patterns used for scrolling up / down of numerical parameters and for correcting an area, respectively, in relation to the arrangement of other buttons and the like. A pattern is used, or the pattern shown in FIG.

34 (j), (k), (l) and (m) are patterns used as general on / off buttons, and FIGS. 34 (j) and (k) are, for example, FIGS. ) Are used for buttons of registered colors, density patterns, etc., FIG. 20 (l) is used, for example, for setting the sharpness stage in FIG. 20 (j), and FIG. 23 Used when the buttons are arranged without gaps like the color sensitivity button in FIG.

(D) Button operation Soft buttons must have several states.
After the soft button is pressed, the display must be different from that before the soft button is pressed in order to inform the user that the soft button has been pressed, and as described above, in a certain mode, This is because when a soft button is pressed, a button in a mode that is inconsistent with the mode must be disabled.

Also, it is desirable not to display unnecessary soft buttons so as not to give extra information to the user. For example, when a sorter is not attached, the sorter selection soft button (see FIG. 20 (a)) is not selected, so that it is obvious that there is no need to display it.

As described above, it can be seen that four types of states, ie, selectable, selecting, non-selectable, and invisible, are required as the states of the soft buttons.

 Hereinafter, each state will be described.

In the selectable state, the button appears prominently,
Since it is necessary to express the feeling that the button can be pressed, the button has the same color as the background, and a shadow 985 is added as shown in FIG. 35 (a).

In the selected state, the color of the button is white, and the light is turned on when pressed. If the button has a character or an icon, it is preferable to leave the display of the character or the icon as it is and to whiten only the ground of the button. This is because if a character or an icon is deleted, it becomes impossible to know the mode of the button.

The non-selectable state is for preventing the selection of one of the buttons when one of them is selected in a case where there are contradictory modes such as automatic magnification and automatic paper selection. As in the case of the possible state, the color is the same as the background, but no shadow is applied as shown in FIG. 35 (b). With this,
Indeed, you can get the feeling that it is pushed into the background and cannot be pressed.

In the conventional console panel UI, since all buttons are always selectable, the user may erroneously select mutually inconsistent modes, in which case a warning message is displayed. However, if one of the contradictory modes is selected and the other mode is made unselectable as described above, the user does not dare to select, and confirms the warning message displayed one by one as in the past. Will be eliminated.

However, it is possible that the user accidentally presses the soft button in the unselectable state.
The button will display a warning message that it cannot be selected.

It is also conceivable that when one of the conflicting modes is pressed, the button of the other mode is erased. In this case, a warning message is displayed because the conflicting mode is not set. However, if the button is deleted, it is not desirable to know whether the function is provided or not.

The invisible state is a state in which the button is not displayed. For example, when a sorter is not attached, no sorter is selected, and thus it is not necessary to display a sorter selection button. On the other hand, if the sorter button is always displayed, the user may erroneously press the sorter button, and a message must be displayed every time. Buttons that are not necessary to eliminate such annoyance are made invisible.

This state is also applied to the job program button. That is, since the job program is a function that becomes effective only when a memory card is inserted, it is not necessary to display the job program when no memory card is inserted, and the job program is made invisible.

Note that whether or not the button is made invisible is automatically determined by the machine. Since the machine can recognize whether the sorter is attached or not and whether the memory card is inserted or not, the machine can automatically recognize it.

The above is the description of the state given to each button, but the soft buttons are classified into several types according to the relationship with each other's mode, the functions of the soft buttons, and the like.
This will be described below.

First, there is a multiple-choice button as a button for selecting a function. This is a group of buttons in which when a certain button is pressed, the button is turned on and the other buttons are turned off. For example, each button such as a color mode, a paper selection, and a magnification shown in FIG. That is the button that has been made a column choice. That is, in the column of the color mode, when the three-color button is pressed while the three-color button is selected and in the selected state, the full-color button is turned on and the three-color button is turned off. This is because two color modes cannot be set at the same time. Therefore, one of the multiple-choice buttons is always selected.

In many cases, a default state is set for the multiple-choice button, and the default state is set when the all clear button on the hard control panel is pressed. In addition, when a button with a pop-up mark among the multiple-choice buttons is pressed, a pop-up is obviously opened.

Among the buttons for function selection, there is an independent selection button having only one option for a multiple choice type. As the independent selection button, for example, a job program button,
There are buttons and the like for each function provided in the business editing pathway shown in FIG. 22 (a), and these independent selection buttons are turned on when pressed, and in many cases pop-ups are opened. When parameters are set in the pop-up and the pop-up is closed by pressing the save / close button, the set state is maintained.

In order to turn off the independent selection button in the on state, a cancel button may be pressed in a pop-up.

The operation of the independent selection button will be described below with reference to an example. Now, assuming that the black-to-color conversion button is pressed in order to convert the black portion of the original into a desired color in FIG. 22 (a), a pop-up similar to FIG. 22 (b) opens. In the pop-up screen, the area for black-to-color conversion, the color to be converted, and its density pattern must be set as the parameters of the black-to-color conversion function. The density pattern button is not turned on. That is, the default state is not set. This is a function that can convert black in a document into a desired color from a total of 16 colors (8 standard colors and 8 registered colors). This is because it is not appropriate to set in advance. In the pop-up, for example, when a red button which is a registered color is pressed, the button is in a selected state. When the save / close button is further pressed, the pop-up is closed and the screen returns to the screen of FIG. 22 (a). At this time, the black → color conversion button is displayed in white,
That is, the selected state is set. To turn off the black-to-color conversion function in this state, press the button again to open a pop-up. At this time, in the popup,
As shown in FIG. 20 (h), the icon of the paint tube is displayed on the red button, and the button is turned on.
When the cancel button is pressed, the pop-up is closed and the screen returns to the screen in FIG. 22 (a). At this time, the black → color conversion button is in the off state, that is, the selectable state.

The above is the independent selection button, but some of the independent selection buttons do not open a pop-up. For example, 23rd
The button of the mirror image (mirror image) of the creative editing shown in FIG. In other words, since the mirror image is a function of inverting the image around the center of the original in the sub-scanning direction and forming an image just when the original is viewed from the back side, there is no parameter to be set, so there is no need to open a popup. It is.

There are two ways to turn off the independent selection button that does not open such a popup. One is to use the button as a toggle button and repeat on / off each time it is pressed, and the other is to use a cancel button.

Which method is adopted is optional, but the latter is adopted in this UI. The reason is as follows. First, it is not appropriate to use a toggle button instead of an independent selection button that opens a popup. In other words, since the act of setting the parameters in the popup is intentionally performed by the user,
It is necessary to prevent the parameter from being easily released, and therefore, the cancel button is provided as described above. On the other hand, if such a button is used as a toggle button, the function and the set parameters will be canceled even if the button is accidentally pressed again, which is obviously undesirable. Next, there is the unification of operation methods. This is because if the operation method of turning off the pop-up is different between the case where the pop-up is opened and the case where the pop-up is not opened even with the same independent selection button, it only confuses the user and becomes inconvenient.
For the above reasons, the cancel button is used to turn off the independent selection button that does not open the pop-up.

As shown in FIGS. 34 (h) and (i), the scroll button is a pair of an up button and a down button. When the up button is pressed, the scroll button is turned on to increase the numerical value. When released, it turns off and returns to the selectable state. The same applies to the down button. When the button is pressed, the button is turned on, the numerical value is decreased, and when the button is released, the button is turned off.

The scroll buttons are also used to modify or delete the area, point size, position set by the edit pad. Now, it is assumed that three areas A, B, and C are displayed in the bitmap area as shown in FIG. In the initial state, for example, the leftmost and uppermost area, that is, the area indicated by A in FIG. 36 (a) is displayed in black and white inverted. Therefore, one scroll button 985 is set to 1
Each time the button is pressed, the areas B and C in the figure are sequentially displayed in black and white inverted. The moving order may be the order of registration of the areas or the order of the positions of the areas, for example, from left to right, top to bottom. Then, for example, the area C can be deleted by pressing the area / point cancel button while the area C is highlighted in black and white. When the other scroll button 986 is pressed, scrolling can be performed in the opposite direction. Further, in the case of designating an area or a point, when the scroll button is kept pressed, the movement of the area / point may be repeated in a predetermined order without stopping.

As described above, there are two types of functions of the scroll button, and the operations are different from each other. In the case of setting a numerical value, the numerical value changes while one of the buttons is pressed, and stops changing when the upper limit value or the lower limit value is reached. At this time, the button is set in a state where the shadow disappears and the button cannot be selected. The display of the button while the scroll button is being pressed may be a normal selection state. However, as shown by 987 in FIG. 36 (b), the shadow width can be selected (see FIG. 36B). 988).

Further, the speed of the numerical value change when the scroll button is continuously pressed may be changed at regular time intervals. For example, the speed changes by one step at the first press, and then changes by one step after 250 msec. Change, then 240
After msec, 230 msec, 220 msec, etc., the speed of change may be gradually increased, for example, by one step at a time, for example, at one step every 40 msec. It is.

Until now, it has been described that it is simply turned on when pressed and turned off when released, but the following specifically describes when to turn on and when to turn off Will be described.

If infrared light is blocked in the area of the soft button,
The button is turned on, transits from the selectable state to the selected state, and if released, the selected state is maintained, and the mode is checked and confirmed. In other words, the button is turned on when the infrared rays are blocked, but the mode is not yet determined at this point, and the mode is checked only when the button is released, and is determined if there is no inconsistency. It is conceivable that the mode is confirmed when the start button is pressed, but it is better for the user to know whether the correct operation was performed immediately when an action was taken or whether the operation was incorrect. It was limited.

When the user presses the button, the arrow A in FIG.
As shown by, a finger may be moved from outside the button area to the inside of the area. In this case, the button is turned on when the user crosses the boundary of the button indicated by 989 in FIG. When the user moves his finger as shown by arrow B in FIG.
When it crosses the boundary of the button indicated by 0, it is determined that the button has been released.

Further, as shown in FIG. 36 (d), the buttons may be pressed one after another in a short time. When using a touch board like this UI, there are no actual buttons like the buttons on the console panel, so the surface of the touch board is smooth without any protrusions When the finger slips, a plurality of buttons may be pressed in a short time as shown in FIG. 36 (d). The figure shows
First, a case is shown in which the infrared ray is blocked at point P, then the infrared ray is continuously blocked up to point Q, and the infrared ray is separated at point Q. In this case, button 99
1 turns on when the finger crosses its border 993,
Whether the button 992 is turned on or not may be determined based on whether the finger is moved quickly or slowly. If the user moves the finger slowly, it can be determined that not only the 991 button but also the 992 button is about to be turned on.
This is because it can be determined that there is no intention to turn on 992.

Specifically, when a predetermined time T is determined, and the button 991 is turned on, and the time exceeds the boundary of the button 992 indicated by 995 within the time T, the button 992 is not turned on and the button 912 is turned on.
Turn on only 91. Therefore, in this case, button 99
Regardless of whether the buttons 1 and 992 are the multiple selection button or the independent selection button, only the button 991 is turned on. If the time period T has elapsed since the button 991 was turned on until it crossed the boundary 995 of the button 992, the button 992 is turned on.
Therefore, in this case, if the buttons 991 and 992 are multiple-choice buttons, the button 991 is turned off and only the button 992 is turned on.
Both 92 are turned on. The predetermined time T may be set arbitrarily, but may be, for example, about 125 msec.

The reason for the above definition is to prevent flushing. That is, if the button is always turned on when the button is pressed, flushing occurs when the multiple limb selection button is continuously pressed within a short time, making it very difficult to see. This is particularly remarkable when the buttons are arranged without gaps as in the color sensitivity of FIG. 23 (g). On the other hand, if the button is turned on / off under the above-described conditions, no flushing occurs, and even if it does, the cycle is relatively long, so that it is possible to prevent the viewability. It is.

The above are the general conditions for button on / off and mode confirmation. However, the scroll button is different, and it is the same that the button is turned on when pressed. The scrolling of the numerical value or the area or the point is started when it is determined, and when it is released, the scrolling is turned off and the scrolling operation is stopped. This is natural, since scrolling must be done only while the scroll button is being pressed.

(E) Control buttons Although the shapes and operations of general buttons and the types of function setting buttons have been described above, this section particularly describes buttons for controlling operations such as save / close and cancel. State.

The pathway button is a button for switching the pathway. For example, when the marker edit pathway button is pressed on the screen where the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 20 (a) is displayed, the screen shown in FIG. 21 (a) is displayed. The path can be switched by this. However, since the buttons for each editing path are displayed on the basic copy path screen,
The user can shift to the desired editing pathway at a desired time. For example, if the user wants to shift from the marker editing pathway to the business editing pathway, the user presses the cancel button on the screen shown in FIG. 21A and returns from the marker editing to the basic feature pathway once. In this case, the business edit path button must be pressed on the screen shown in FIG. 20 (a).

The save / close button is a button provided for each editing path and popup. When the button is pressed, the set mode or parameter is saved. In the case of popup, the popup is closed and basically the popup is opened. Returns to the screen before was opened. Not all the required parameters are set in the popup, and if you try to close the popup by pressing the save / close button in an incomplete state, the save / close button does not work and a warning message is displayed. For example, if coloring is selected in FIG. 21 (a), FIG. 21 (b)
Pop-up opens, but no default is set for color and density pattern. This is because the type of the color and the density pattern should be set arbitrarily. Therefore, you must select the color and density pattern on this screen. If you select only the color and press the save / close button, this popup will not
A message such as "Please select a density pattern" is displayed.

Also, the save / close button is always shadowed, even if it does not function as described above.
Without the shadow, the user would not know how to close the popup.

When all the parameters are set, the start button functions effectively without pressing the save / close button to close the pop-up, so that copying can be performed.

A cancel button is provided for each editing pathway and popup, and when the button is pressed, the editing pathway and popup are closed and all the set modes and parameters are invalidated.

When the cancel button is pressed, the screen returns to the previous screen, but the state at that time is different between the multiple choice button and the independent selection button.

If the pop-up is opened with the multiple-choice selection button and the cancel button is pressed, basically the state returns to the previous state, but if the previous state has not been canceled, the state returns to the default. Specifically, it is as follows. For example, when the automatic magnification is selected as shown in FIG. 36 (e) and the variable button is pressed and the cancel button is pressed in the pop-up, the pop-up closes and the mode immediately before the variable is selected is set. An automatic magnification is automatically selected. However, if the variable button is pressed again to open the pop-up when the variable is currently selected as shown in FIG. 11F, and the cancel button is pressed there, the variable mode which is the mode immediately before returning to the cancel mode is canceled. In this case, the default of 100% is selected.

Next, when the pop-up is opened with the independent selection button and the cancel button is pressed there, the function is invalidated, and the pop-up closes to return to the original screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 36 (g), when the color correction button is selected and some color fine adjustment is performed, that is, when the color correction button is on, the color correction button is turned on again. When the button is pressed, the pop-up shown in Fig. 24 (c) opens. However, when the cancel button is pressed here, the parameters of the collection that have been performed become invalid, the pop-up closes and the pop-up shown in Fig. 24 (b)
Return to the screen. At this time, the color correction button is turned off as shown in FIG. 36 (g).

The above-mentioned state transition is desirable if it always returns to the previous state when the cancel button is pressed, but in order to do so, it is necessary to save all the previous state in memory. In addition, since an enormous memory capacity is required, only a minimum necessary basic state is saved.

Since the cancel button needs to be selectable at all times, the cancel button is always shaded to be selectable.

The reset button is a button for setting all parameters in the popup to the state at the time of power-on, and can be called a partial cancel button. For example,
In the color correction pop-up in FIG. 24 (c), when the power is on, cyan is 10, magenta is 10,
Yellow is 50 and magenta is changed to 30 by the scroll button, but if you want to start over again from the beginning, press the reset button to reset all the settings immediately after power-on, that is, cyan 10, magenta 10 ,yellow
Since it becomes 50, it can be set again.
Of course, it is possible to set the desired value with the scroll button, but it takes time, and if you press the cancel button, the color correction function itself will be disabled, so provide a reset button and easily adjust the parameters from the beginning They can do it again.

The enter button is a button for confirming the area set by the edit pad and the editing function set in the area. Now, let us consider a case in which two areas A and B are multiplied by density patterns of different colors in the color mesh pop-up shown in FIG. 22 (b). At this time, since the order of setting the color of the area and the parameter is not specified at all, if the color is specified after setting the areas A and B, the same color is set in the areas A and B. Become. In order to avoid such a situation, an enter button is provided. First, an area A is set and a color C1 is designated. When the enter button is pressed there, the combination of the area A and the color C1 is changed. The area B is set, and then the area B is set. Even if the color C2 is designated, the color for the area A does not change and C1 is held.
If the user wants to change the color of the area A, the user returns to the previous screen, FIG. 22A, and uses the collection function.

Since the parameter value determined by the enter button is the immediately preceding parameter value, the parameter can be arbitrarily changed until the enter button is pressed. In the above example, area A
At first, the color C1 was specified. Then, when the color C2 was selected and the enter button was pressed, the color for the area A was C2.
Is determined.

Until the enter button is pressed, the area set with the area cancel button can be deleted, but to delete the area once confirmed with the enter button, open the popup with the collection button and select area cancel there Will be.

When the area and the parameter are not set, the enter button is not in a state where the enter button can be pressed, and at this time, the enter button is in a state where the shadow disappears and the selectable state is disabled.

Although the above is the description of the area, the enter button functions not only for the area but also for points. However, when only one point needs to be designated as in the case of inserting a logo, the save / close button is pressed to determine the point, so that the enter button is not provided.

The area cancel button deletes the set area. In the collection mode, when the area is designated with the scroll button and the area cancel button is pressed, the rectangle of the area is erased from the bitmap area. When only one point is designated to set an area and the area cancel button is pressed, the designated point can be deleted. This is the same for the point cancellation.

If no area or point has been set, or immediately after the enter button is pressed, there is no area or point that can be canceled, so at this time the area / point cancel button will be in a non-selectable state with the shadow disappearing.

The ad function button is provided only for creative editing, and is used when adding an editing function to be set in an area. When this button is pressed, a pop-up opens and a menu of editing functions is displayed, so select the desired editing function you want to add,
Just press the save / close button. Thus, a desired editing function can be added.

As shown in FIG. 23 (n), the function clear button is a button provided on the pop-up of the collection for creative editing, and when an area is specified and the function clear button is pressed, the function clear button is set to the area. A pop-up showing the editing function will be displayed.
The function can be disabled by selecting the function to be disabled.

The area / point collection button is a button provided on the pop-up of the collection for creative editing shown in FIG. 23 (n), similarly to the function clear button. When the button is pressed, the pop-up shown in FIG. 23 (o) is displayed. Is opened, and the position of the region, its size and the position of the point can be finely adjusted by the scroll buttons.

(II-11) Pop-up display method This copier is a color copier with many functions.
In addition, as described above, the objective operability is set to improve the operability, and the user is provided with only necessary information when necessary, and no extra information is provided. Therefore, when a certain function is selected, detailed items such as parameters necessary for the function are set on another screen. At this time, if the screen is completely switched, it is confusing to the user. Therefore, when switching the screen, it is necessary to make the user understand that the screen is an extension of the currently displayed screen and to give a psychological sense of security. Therefore, a pop-up display is used, and a part or all of the displayed screen is overwritten with a predetermined close-up window. As a result, the screen can be widely used even when the screen size is small.

(A) General Pop-Up Hereinafter, a general pop-up operation will be described. First, an operation when a pop-up is opened is as follows.

As mentioned above, the popup is "△"
It can be opened by pressing the button with the pop-up mark of the mark, but more specifically, when the finger is released from the area of the soft button to unify the operation of the soft button It is made open and displayed.

The following is an example. Now, for example, in the copy quality pathway screen shown in FIG.
Suppose you press the color suppression button to reduce a certain color. Then, the button is turned on, that is, in a selected state, and when the finger is released from the button, a transition is made to the screen of FIG. 20 (h), and a color suppression pop-up P is displayed.

At this time, a shadow Q is attached to the popup P,
The pop-up P is displayed as if it were floating.
Further, the ground of the pop-up P is displayed in the same color as the color of the ground of the pathway. This gives the user a sense of security and makes the screen easier to see.

In other drawings, the shadow of the pop-up is omitted.

The popup is overwritten on the position of the button before the popup is opened, and its size is determined in consideration of the content of the popup, the number of buttons provided in the popup, and the like. Therefore, some of the pathways are overwritten as shown in FIG. 20 (h), and others are overwritten as shown in FIG. 23 (b).

As a method of displaying a pop-up, as shown in FIG. 37, the button 996 may be gradually enlarged while zooming to become a pop-up 997. According to this, it is possible to express the appearance of hidden information appearing as the button is gradually expanded, so that it can give the feeling that it is popping up indeed,
The user's interest can be concentrated. However, in order to adopt this display method, a high-quality CRT display must be used, and when the bitmap display method is adopted, it can be easily performed. If the display method is adopted, zooming becomes awkward, and it is difficult to create software, so this UI is not employed.

When a popup is displayed, a button may be displayed outside the popup area. For example, the 20th
In FIG. 9H, buttons for copy density and copy contrast are displayed. At this time, there is a possibility that the user malfunctions or intentionally presses these buttons, and in that case, what kind of operation should be performed must be specified in advance. This is because the user does not always perform the operation in the correct procedure, and may press the buttons as long as the buttons are visible. Therefore, the buttons outside the pop-up area are basically effective. This is so that other functions can be set even when the popup is open. For example, suppose that the variable button of the magnification is pressed when the color mode is black and white on the screen of FIG. 20A, and 50% is selected in the pop-up of FIG. 20B.
Therefore, if the user notices that the color mode is black and white and wants to change to the full color mode, pressing the full color button while keeping the screen shown in FIG. 20 (b) is effective. This saves the trouble of closing the pop-up and returning to the original screen.

However, a button that opens a pop-up, as in the copy density manual in FIG. 20 (h), is invalidated. When the button is pressed, the button is once turned on, but when the button is released, the button returns to the off state, that is, the selectable state. At this time, a predetermined warning sound is emitted, and a message such as “Please close the popup before selecting” is displayed. Buttons partially overwritten by pop-ups, such as the paper size column buttons in FIG. 20 (b), are displayed in a selectable state with shadows attached, but cannot be used. Made with buttons. Therefore, when the button is pressed, a predetermined warning sound is emitted and a predetermined warning message is displayed. Of course, in the screen of FIG. 20 (b), if the size of the pop-up is set appropriately, all the buttons in the paper size column can be hidden, so that it is not necessary to provide the above-mentioned rules. There is also a problem of appearance such as the balance of the number of buttons and the number of buttons, and because it is possible to show that the popup is an extension of the original screen by displaying a part of the button, it is done in this way is there.

Next, consider a case where the passway button is pressed while the popup is open. For example, FIG. 20 (h) shows a state in which a color suppression pop-up is open on the copy quality pathway. At this time, since the pathway buttons of other pathways are also displayed, the user can press the button. There is. However, changing the pathway means entering a completely different category, and it is not desirable to transition to a different pathway with the pop-up open halfway, so the job on that pathway is completely terminated. You must wait until you can make a transition to another pathway. Therefore, when the popup is displayed, the passway button is invalidated.

Next, as to how to close the popup, the popup is closed when the save / close button or the cancel button in the popup or the all clear button on the hard control panel is pressed.

However, the pop-up opened by the job program button is an exception, and the pop-up is closed even if the memory card is removed from the card reader. That is, since the job program is a function of reading a desired job from the memory card and copying the job, it is meaningless to keep the pop-up open when the memory card is removed.

For the same reason, the button is normally set to a non-selectable state, and is set to a selectable state only when the memory card is inserted into the card reader. That is, when a memory card is inserted, the button is made selectable, and when pressed, a pop-up opens to select a desired job from the jobs stored in the memory card or to execute a currently executed job. Jobs can be registered in the memory card. And the popup can be closed by pressing save / close,
If you remove the memory card while the popup is open, the popup will be closed.

When closed with the save / close button, all parameters set on the popup are registered as valid, and when closed with the cancel button, all parameters set on the popup are invalidated. When the button is closed with the all clear button, not only the parameters set in the pop-up but also all the registered parameters are invalidated, and the machine is set to the initial state.

Then, when the popup is closed, the screen is basically returned to the screen before the popup was opened. For example,
When color conversion (Color Conversion) is selected on the basic screen for creative editing in FIG. 23 (a), a pop-up opens and the screen in FIG. 23 (g) is displayed. If the “From” side palette button is pressed to set the color to be converted here, a pop-up is further opened to display the screen in FIG. 23 (h). Here, when the desired color is selected and the save / close button is pressed, the color is registered, and the screen returns to the immediately preceding screen, FIG. 23 (g), and is further saved on the screen of FIG. 23 (g). Press the / Close button to register the color conversion function and
It returns to the screen of FIG.

As described above, the pop-ups have a hierarchical structure, are opened one after another, and are closed in the reverse order of opening.

However, if there are many items to be set, so if there are many layers of pop-ups, it will take time and effort to return to the previous screen every time to return to the first screen.
Also, in order to guide the operation procedure, it is better to open pop-ups one after another instead of returning to the previous screen and return to the first screen when the setting of the last parameter is completed. There is. In other words, the pop-ups are cycled. Such pop-ups include pop-ups that are opened with the on button of the film projector of the added feature pathway, and pop-ups that are opened with an ad function button provided for creative editing.

The film projector is as follows. First, when the ON button of the film projector is pressed with the added feature pathway shown in FIG. 38 (a), a pop-up opens, and the screen changes to the screen shown in FIG. 38 (b). This pop-up displays the operation procedure of the F / P, and the buttons include a cancel button and a calibrate button. Here, if the cancel button is pressed, the screen returns to FIG. 11A, but if the calibration button is pressed, the white balance is adjusted and the screen automatically changes to the screen in FIG. Here, if the 35 mm negative of the column of the projector is selected, a pop-up opens and the screen shown in FIG. When the other (Other) button is pressed on this screen, a pop-up is further opened and the screen shown in FIG. The "other" is not a general film, so the pop-up opens because it requires special adjustment. Here, when the scan button is pressed, the adjustment is automatically started, and when the adjustment is completed, the process automatically returns to FIG. Here, when the save / close button is pressed, the display returns to FIG. 11C, and when the save / close button is further pressed, the display returns to FIG. As described above, the order in which the popups close is different from the order in which the popups open.

The same applies to the pop-up of the ad function. For example, when a trim is selected in FIG. Then, if necessary parameters are set and the ad function button is pressed to further change the color balance, a menu of additional functions is displayed as a pop-up, and when a desired menu is selected, the screen is switched to a pop-up screen of the function and a necessary screen is displayed. When parameters are set and saved / closed, the screen returns to the trim pop-up screen shown in FIG. 23 (b).

As described above, pop-ups have a hierarchical structure, and when closed, pop-ups return to the previous screen in principle. However, some pop-ups transition cyclically to guide user operations It is.

By the way, next, it is conceivable that the start button is pressed when the pop-up is displayed, so that the operation in that case must be specified.

Since the task of the popup is completed only after the popup is closed, the task is not completely completed in the open state, but if the parameters to be set in the popup are entered, Since the conditions necessary for executing the copy have been established, the start button is made to function effectively in this case.
In other words, the start button is valid as long as the condition for executing copying is satisfied even when the pop-up is open.

The reasons for such provisions are as follows. If default states are set for all modes, functions, and parameters, the start button is always enabled. This is because defaults are set for parameters not set by the user. This is possible with a black-and-white copying machine. However, since this copying machine is a color copying machine, it is necessary to set colors, and color preferences vary depending on users.
Since the color adjustment changes depending on the content of the document, for example, it is possible to make blue the default with a color palette, but this is not annoying to the user. Therefore, the default is often not set for the color, and the start button is not always effective. Therefore, as described above, the start button is enabled only when all the parameters to be set in the pop-up are input.

(B) Special Pop-up The general pop-up operation opened by pressing a button with a pop-up mark has been described above. Next, a special pop-up will be described.

Some pop-ups automatically open on the condition that a certain operation has been performed. Pop-ups of SSI (single seat inserter), run frames, and Are you sure to confirm the user's will
Pop-ups, full / area pop-ups correspond to this.

SSI is a high-priority feature that is selected when paper is inserted into the bypass tray. However, since the paper size cannot be detected, the user must specify the paper size. Then, when the paper is inserted, the 39th
The pop-up shown in FIG. 7A is automatically displayed, and the user can specify the paper size here. The pop-up is automatically closed when copying starts and paper is fed from the manual feed tray. Therefore, as is clear from FIG. 39 (a), the SSI popup does not have a save / close button and a cancel button. Because
This is because, as described above, the SSI is always selected when a sheet is inserted, and there is no point in opening the pop-up when the sheet is fed.

However, if another popup is displayed, SS
I cannot open the popup. This is because the pop-up currently open has priority as described above. Further, since the paper selection is a mode provided only in the basic feature pathway, and is a mode not provided in other pathways, the pop-up cannot be opened on a pathway other than the basic feature pathway. Therefore, these SS
Even if the start button is pressed in a state where the pop-up cannot be opened, the copy is not started and a predetermined message is displayed. However, the following is also possible. That is, when the start button is pressed under the condition that the SSI pop-up cannot be opened, first, a run frame to be described later is displayed, and the SSI shown in FIG.
It overwrites the pop-up, so that when the paper size is specified, the start button works effectively.

The run frame is a screen that is displayed when the start button is pressed to start copying, and is overwritten with the run frame even when the start is performed with the pop-up open. An example is shown in FIG. 39 (b). The run frame includes a color path indicating the currently copied toner color,
A set number of copies (Copies Selected), a current number of copies (Copies Made), and a magnification are displayed. Also, although not shown, a menu of a mode and a function that can be set in a run state is displayed. Thus, the settable modes and functions can be clearly recognized even during the copy operation. However, such settings can be made only when copying is temporarily stopped.

 Then, the screen returns to the original screen where the copying is completed.

The AyuSure pop-up is displayed when moving between pathways. As described above, each editing pathway can coexist with the basic feature pathway, but they are mutually exclusive. Then, when moving from one editing pathway to another editing pathway, the job set in the previous editing pathway is invalidated. Therefore, when the user moves between the editing pathways, it is necessary to check the user's will to see if it is okay. At this time, the Ayusure pop-up is displayed, and an example thereof is shown in FIG. 39 (c). For example, if business editing has been performed so far, and once returning to the basic feature of FIG. 20 (a) and pressing the marker edit path button there, the screen changes to the screen of FIG. 21 (a). Then, if the trim button is pressed, the AYSURE pop-up opens at this time, and the screen shown in FIG. 39 (c) is displayed. When returning to the basic feature from the business editing, the AYSURE popup is not displayed. Business editing and basic features can coexist with each other. On the other hand, since business editing and marker editing are in an exclusive relationship, a pop-up as shown in the figure is displayed to confirm the user's will.

If "yes" is pressed in FIG. 39 (c), all the jobs performed in the business editing are invalidated, and this popup is closed to enable marker editing. When "no" is selected, the pop-up is closed, but the screen is not changed, and the state of the marker editing pathway (FIG. 21 (a)) is maintained. At this time, since the business editing job is still registered in the machine, the newly selected pathway, in the case of the 39th (c), marker editing, is not selected. Therefore, even if the trim is selected again by the marker editing, only the Ayusure pop-up is opened, and to return to the business editing, it is necessary to press the cancel button on the screen of FIG. 21 (a).

Full / Area pop-up is a pop-up that is automatically displayed when an editing function is selected in creative editing. The user can select whether to set the editing function on the entire surface of the document or within a specified area. It is to make it. In other words, creative editing differs from marker editing and business editing,
A desired editing function can be set in an area designated by the edit pad, and the editing function can be set also on the entire surface of the document. Therefore, when the editing function is selected in the creative editing, it must first be selected whether to apply the editing function to the entire surface of the document or only to the designated area. Therefore, for example, if the color conversion is selected, the pop-up for the color conversion is opened, and at the same time, the full / area pop-up is automatically displayed in the pop-up as shown in FIG. 39 (d). Here, when the whole surface (Whole) is selected, the symmetry of the color conversion is the whole surface of the document, and when the area (Area) is selected, the color conversion is limited to the area specified by the edit pad. For this parameter, for example, the entire surface can be defaulted. In this case, if the editing function is to be applied to the entire surface, other parameters may be set without pressing the entire surface button and saved / closed. At this time, the full / area pop-up remains open, and the bitmap area and the area cancel button are not displayed. If the user wants to perform the editing function only in a predetermined area, the user presses the area button. Then, the entire area / area pop-up is closed, a bitmap area and an area cancel button are displayed as shown in FIG. 23 (g), and the area can be designated by the edit pad. However, the whole area / area pop-up
The screen shown in FIG. 23 (a) is displayed only when an editing function that can be set for both the entire document and the area is selected. Unless the area is designated such as by trimming or masking. This is not displayed when the edit function is selected.

(C) Overwriting of pop-ups So far, it has been described that when one pop-up is open, the other pop-up is not opened. However, even when the pop-up is displayed, in the case of emergency,
When a high-priority interrupt occurs, a predetermined screen must be overwritten and displayed on the pop-up so that the user can clearly recognize the situation. The conditions include a case where the start button is pressed, a case where a fault occurs, a case where the information button is pressed, and a case where the interrupt button is pressed.

When the start button is pressed, the run frame is overwritten as described above even if the popup is open.

When a fault occurs, a predetermined fault frame is overwritten on the popup. This is because a fault is an emergency, and a fault frame needs to be displayed with the highest priority regardless of whether a popup is displayed.

Since the information button is pressed when the user checks the functions and operation methods of the copying machine, the information frame must be displayed when the information button is pressed even when the popup is open. is there.

If the interrupt button is pressed, the current job is interrupted and a new job is set, so that the basic feature pathway needs to be displayed. Therefore, even if the pop-up is open, if the interrupt button is pressed, the basic feature pathway is overwritten.

(II-12) Message Display Method As described above, according to this UI, the operation of the user can be thoroughly guided, so that the possibility of erroneous operation is extremely small. It is not always necessary to perform only a correct operation. Therefore, it is necessary to display some kind of message to introduce an operation procedure or to notify a user that an erroneous operation has been performed. In addition, a message display is required to personally inform a user of a machine state, particularly an abnormal state such as a fault.

Now, the message needs to be displayed in a predetermined area. This is because if the display positions of the messages are not uniform, the user will be confused. In addition, a message that guides the user's operation (hereinafter referred to as an instruction message) and a machine state are displayed,
The message should be displayed in a different area from the warning message indicating the erroneous operation (hereinafter, these are referred to as main messages). That is, while the main message can be a short sentence, the instruction message is for guiding the operation, so that the sentence is relatively long. On the other hand, small CRT displays are required to make the entire machine more compact. Therefore, it is not advisable to set a large area in advance for displaying all messages including instruction messages. Also, since the main message needs to be always displayed, the display position is predetermined.
Although it is necessary to secure the instruction message, the instruction message may be displayed as needed when a complicated operation is required in a pop-up, and may be assigned to an empty portion of the screen.

For the above reasons, a main message area for displaying a main message and an instruction message area for displaying an instruction message are separately provided on the color CRT display.

Note that message blinking is not performed. This is because messages are difficult to read, and the burden of creating software is high.

(A) Main message The main message is set in the area indicated by A in FIG. 20 (a), that is, in the first to third lines of the color CRT display, so that the user can easily understand the character of the message depending on the display position. For this purpose, a line to be displayed is determined according to the content of the message.

The first line is assigned to a machine status message, and various machine statuses such as "Ready to copy,""Pleasewait,""Paperjam," and "Call a service technician" are displayed.

The second line shows that if you select mutually contradictory modes,
A message that is displayed when the user performs an operation that is determined to be confused, such as when the user presses a button that opens another popup while the popup is open, or when the user performs an unusual operation (hereinafter referred to as “ , A conflict message), and a message that cannot be displayed only on the second line is displayed over the third line.

The third line is assigned to a warning message. This is a light warning message,
"Toner is low", "Tray 1 paper is low" and the like are displayed.

The set number of copies can be displayed, for example, at the right end of the main message area. If the size of the number is the same as the normal character size, the set number is preferably displayed on the first line because it conforms to the machine status, but it is displayed in a large size of about double size to make it easier for the user to confirm. If so, the first and second rows may be used.

As described above, the display position is changed depending on the type of the message, so that similar messages are displayed at the same position, which is easy for the user to understand.

Since this UI uses a color CRT display,
By displaying the message in color, it is possible to facilitate the user's understanding. At that time, it is effective to color-code the message according to the type of the message, similarly to the display position. This is because the user can easily guess the content of the message based on the color of the message. It is optional to assign what kind of color to what kind of message, but for example, it can be as follows.

General machine status messages, such as "Ready to copy", "Starting up", "Copying", etc., generally indicate that the machine is in a normal state, so It is displayed in green to indicate the "GO" state.

Pause status, for example, a message indicating that the machine is dormant, such as "Please wait", is displayed in amber.

Fault messages displayed in the event of a jam or component failure are also displayed in amber.

The set number of copies is displayed in green according to the general machine status message described above.

Since the service call message is displayed when an emergency is required, the service call message is generally red used in an emergency.

Conventionally, in the UI of personal computers, etc., red and green were mainly used for displaying messages.
Is mainly displayed in a calm color, and the display of red is extremely rare, so that there is no flashiness.

Next, the display priority order will be described. As described above, the main message area is limited to three lines,
Since a row has 80 tiles, it is impossible to display all messages when a plurality of message display requests are issued at the same time. Therefore, when a display request is issued at the same time, it is necessary to prescribe which message is to be displayed with priority and its priority.

The priority of the machine status message displayed on the first line is preferably such that the failure display message is the first priority, then the failure recovery message, and then the general status message. Clearly, this priority is reasonable. This is because when a failure occurs, the failure must first be cleared, so that the display of the failure has the highest priority. “Paper jam” or the like displayed when a jam occurs corresponds to this, and the display continues without a timeout until the failure is cleared. Next, since the user must be informed of the recovery from the recovery, the failure recovery message is in the second order. For example, the message is "Please press the start button" displayed after clearing the jam.
And the like. The message display is continued until the start button or the all clear button is pressed.

If there is no request to display the two messages, a normal machine status message is displayed.

The priority of the messages displayed on the second and third lines of the main message area can be defined as follows.

This message is displayed when the user can perform a certain operation to make it possible to make a copy. For example, "Please replenish paper" or "Replenish toner" Message, "Please close the front door", "Please call for service", "Please insert the tray completely", "Sorta bin is full", etc. are displayed. The message display is continued until the message content is satisfied.

Function overlap message This message is displayed when there is a conflict between the selected modes, for example, automatic paper selection and automatic magnification. Will continue to be displayed until a display request is issued. Examples of the message include "the document and paper orientation are different" and "automatic magnification cannot be used for automatic paper selection".

Override message This message is a feedback message to the user when the previous selection is changed to eliminate the function duplication. For example, when moving from the marker editing path to the business editing path, "Business editing" is displayed. Is displayed, and when the diagnostic mode is entered, "diag mode is in progress" is displayed. When the interrupt button is pressed, "interrupting" is displayed. Since the override message is a feedback message for the user's selection, a timeout occurs after a predetermined time has elapsed.

Prohibition Message As described above, when the pop-up is open, the pop-up open button and the passway button are disabled. However, as long as it is displayed on the screen, there is a possibility that the user will press it, and a prohibition message is prepared for that case, for example,
A message such as "Please select after closing the popup" is displayed. The prohibition message is deleted when there is a request to display a message with a higher priority or due to a timeout.

Warning message This is a light warning message as described above, which can be copied but draws the user's attention for a while.

Run message This message is displayed when copying is started, and displays the number of copies set, the number of copies, and the like. Although it has been described above that the run frame is displayed when the start button is pressed to start copying, the run message is displayed when the above-described run frame is not adopted. It should be noted that the run message is deleted when copying is completed or when a display request for a message with a higher priority is issued.

Blank message This means that nothing is displayed. That is, if there is no message to be displayed, nothing is displayed.

(B) Instruction message The instruction message indicates the operation method and assists the user's operation.
22 In the lower left corner of the edit path screen as shown in Fig.
And the pop-up screen are displayed in the lower left corner area indicated by A in FIG. 21 (b).

Note that the instruction message displayed in the pop-up screen is preferably conversational. That is, in the case of the color popup shown in FIG. 22 (b) as an example, first, for example, "Please set the area, color, and type of screen" is displayed. Please set the type of net. "And, when the color is set, guide the operation such as" Please set the type of net. " An operation can be performed.

(II-13) Editing Area Display Method When performing a desired editing function, it may be necessary to set to which area or point of the document the editing function is applied. For example, when performing trimming, masking, color conversion, coloring, etc., it is necessary to indicate which area of the document is to be edited, and when inserting a logo, or converting the color or When a color to be converted is specified on a document, a point on the document must be specified. In marker editing, the area is set by drawing a closed curve directly on the manuscript using a marker pen of a predetermined color, but in business editing, freehand editing and creative editing, the area and point setting are This is performed using an edit pad.

When setting an area or a point, it is very important to know which position on the document has been set, what size the area has been set, and which point has been specified. For example, if an area or point is incorrectly set, it must be set again.However, since the set area or point is not displayed on the edit pad, the user must restart from the beginning. You need to take action. That is, the user has to continue trial and error until a desired area or point can be set. In addition, especially when many areas or points are set for one document, it is necessary to determine how many areas and points are set and what editing functions are applied to each area. It was inconvenient to remember everything. In order to avoid such a situation, the coordinates of the set area and the like are usually left as a memo or the like, but it is clear that the usability is extremely poor.

Therefore, in the UI of this copier, the area or point set on the edit pad is displayed on the screen of the display device so that the user can intuitively recognize the area or point set by the user. is there.

(A) Significance of Bitmap Area Consider how to display an area or a point set on the edit pad. As described above, the color CRT is used for the UI of this copier. However, since the display of the pathway, pop-up, soft button, and message described above is performed by the tile method, the area and the point are displayed. At first glance, the display method is unified if the tile method is adopted, so it is convenient at first glance, but the area is set to any size and any position on the edit pad, and the point is also set to any position, so If these are to be displayed in a tile system, a large number of patterns must be prepared so as to be able to correspond to any area and any point, and a huge memory capacity is required. It is also possible to display areas and points without increasing the capacity only by providing a certain amount of rectangular pattern, point pattern, etc. However, the points cannot be displayed, and the user may be confused. This is because the area and the point are not meaningful information unless they are displayed as set on the edit pad as much as possible.

Therefore, a bitmap method is adopted for displaying the area and the point. This is the bitmap area.

(B) Display Position of Bitmap Area FIG. 40 is a pop-up screen for coloring business editing. The bitmap area A is displayed near the upper left of the display screen. Of course, other positions may be used, and the display location of the bitmap area can be set arbitrarily. However, as can be seen from FIG. 40, not only the area or point is displayed, but also the editing function applied to the area or point It is necessary to display a button for parameter setting so that the parameter setting can also be performed on the same screen, but if the parameter setting can be performed while referring to the displayed area or point, Since it is convenient to clearly recognize what parameters are set, they are displayed near the upper left as shown in the figure. That is, when a right-handed user is considered, as can be easily understood from FIG. 15 (a), the right side of the screen is hidden by the arm and is difficult to see, so that it is not preferable to display the bitmap area on the right side. It is. In addition, since it is clear that the upper side is easier to see than the lower side of the screen, it is displayed on the upper left side. Therefore, for a left-handed user, it is preferable that the bitmap area be displayed on the upper right side, contrary to FIG. 40, so that the display position can be switched.

As described above, the bitmap area is displayed at a predetermined position on the display screen when an editing function that requires setting of an area and / or a point is selected in business editing and creative editing.

(C) Size of Bitmap Area The shape of the bitmap area needs to be similar to the shape of the edit pad. Otherwise, the area, point position, and size set on the edit pad cannot be displayed at the correct relative position.

The CCD line sensor used in the copying machine of the present invention is 3
Because it has a length of 05 mm, A3 size, 14 × 11 in the United States
It is possible to copy originals up to the size. Therefore, the size of the edit pad is set to be horizontal so that originals of these sizes can be accommodated as shown in FIG. 41 (a).
It is 432mm long and 297mm long. Therefore, the aspect ratio of the bitmap area is set to be approximately equal to the aspect ratio value of the edit pad. Will be assigned in units of 41
As shown in Fig. (B), 27 tiles horizontally (217 pixels),
Ten vertical tiles (160 pixels) are allocated. However, since this size is vertically longer than the edit pad, only 151 pixels are used vertically and the remaining 9 pixels are not used. Thus, the aspect ratio of the bitmap area can be made substantially equal to the aspect ratio of the edit pad.

(D) Display Mode of Bitmap Area In the bitmap area, if the set area or point can be displayed, the mission can be sufficiently achieved, and thus, the monochrome display is performed. Of course, it is possible to display the bitmap area in color. For example, an area to be subjected to color conversion is displayed in red, and an area to be colored is displayed in green. For example, if the area is displayed in color, it can be intuitively understood and expected to be easy to see. As a color, the bitmap R indicated by 537 in FIG. 18
Since three AMs are required, and hardware for overwriting the bitmap area on the tile display is also required, and an increase in cost cannot be avoided, the monochrome display is used. There are two types of black and white display: a white display on a black background and a black display on a white background. The following description will be made on an example of a black display on a white background.

By the way, depending on the editing function, there are those that specify points such as logos and paint 1, and those that specify areas such as coloring, etc. In addition, rectangles are set in the area by designating two diagonal vertices There are those that do and those that draw freeforms. Therefore, these figures are displayed in the bitmap area, but the selection of states and non-selection states described below are defined for the display of the area and points.

(B) Point display mode First, the case of points is as follows.

If, for example, the logo insertion is selected in the business editing pathway shown in FIG. 22 (a), a transition is made to a pop-up screen shown in FIG. 22 (c), and a bitmap area A is displayed together with buttons for parameters to be set. You. Therefore,
When a document (not shown) is placed on the edit pad 524 as shown in FIG. 42 (a) and a point for inserting a logo is designated, a corresponding position in the bit map area is displayed as shown in FIG. 42 (b). A black and white pattern 700 of 10 pixels vertically and horizontally is displayed. This is the point selection state. When the necessary parameters shown in FIG. 22 (c) are set in this state and the save / close button is pressed, all the conditions necessary for inserting the logo are set, and the point display becomes white as shown in FIG. 42 (c). The pattern changes to a blank pattern 701. This is a non-selected state. By distinguishing between the display of the selected state and the display of the non-selected state in this way, the point is a point for which parameter setting is currently requested or a point for which parameter setting has already been completed. Can be easily recognized.

The reason why the pattern indicating the points is 10 pixels vertically and horizontally is to make it easier to see. In other words, the point indicated by the edit pad is a point, so it is preferable that the displayed point is small. Actually, it is possible to display one pixel, but it is necessary that the point be recognized by the user. As described above, it is necessary to distinguish between the selected state and the non-selected state.

(B) Display mode of rectangular area The rectangular area is as follows. Now, for example,
If coloring is selected in the business editing pathway shown in FIG. 22 (a), a pop-up shown in FIG. 22 (b) opens, and a bitmap area A is displayed together with parameter buttons. Here, a document (not shown) is placed on the edit pad 524 and an area to be colored is set. To set a rectangular area, a rectangular area as shown in FIG. What is necessary is just to point out two diagonal vertices P and Q.
As a result, the corresponding position in the bitmap area is
43 A rectangular pattern 70 painted black as shown in FIG.
2 is displayed. This is an area selection state, and indicates that parameter setting is currently requested. In this state, if the color and the density, which are the coloring parameters, are set and the save / close button is pressed, the display of the rectangular area becomes the 43rd.
It changes like a white pattern 703 as shown in FIG.
This is a non-selection state, and it can be understood that the parameter setting has been completed by changing to this display.

As described above, by defining the selected state and the non-selected state also in the rectangular area, it is possible to easily recognize whether or not the parameter setting for the area has been completed. In addition, since the display of the selected state and the non-selected state is performed in the same manner for the point and the area, if the user understands the display mode of the point or the area, the user can guess the display mode of the area or the point. The operation can be performed with a feeling.

Note that the CPU555 (FIG. 19) can recognize the position of the edit pad with an accuracy of 1 mm, so that it is possible to set a small area. It is necessary to prescribe the minimum size of the rectangular area display in consideration of distinctive display. The minimum size can be arbitrarily specified, but in the present invention, 3 mm is set on the edit pad.
Even if the area is set to a size of × 3 mm or less, the size of the displayed area does not become smaller than about 12 pixels corresponding to 3 mm.

The above is the description of an example in which one area is set. Next, a case in which a plurality of areas are set will be described. Now, for example, when the coloring is selected in the creative editing, a transition is made to the screen of FIG. 44 (a). Therefore, when two points P and Q are designated by using the edit pad, an area 705 having P and Q as diagonals is selected and displayed at the corresponding position in the bitmap area A as shown in FIG. You. When red and a predetermined density pattern are selected as parameters and the enter button B is pressed, the area 705 is in a non-selected state as shown in FIG. 44 (c). Next, when two points R and S are designated by the edit pad to set the second area, R and S are diagonally positioned at the corresponding positions in the bitmap area A as shown in FIG. Is displayed in a selected state. Then, when a yellow and a predetermined density pattern are selected as parameters and the enter button B is pressed, the area 706 is in a non-selected state as shown in FIG. 44 (e). This allows the two regions to be colored with different colors. It is clear that the same can be done for three or more regions.

As can be seen from FIG. 44 (e), when the areas are overlapped with each other, the outline of each area is displayed in a transparent form when not selected.

The above description is an example in which different regions are colored with different colors. The display mode when two regions are colored with the same color is as follows.

First, when one area 707 is set, the area 707 becomes the 44th area.
It is displayed in a selected state as shown in FIG. Subsequently, when another area 708 is set, the area 708 is also displayed in a selected state, and the bitmap area A is displayed as shown in FIG. 44 (g). That is, the two areas 707 and 708 both indicate that parameter setting is required.
Then, for example, when blue and a predetermined density pattern are selected and the enter button B is pressed, as shown in FIG. 44 (h), the areas 707 and 708 are both in a non-selected state, indicating that the parameter setting is completed. Obviously, the same display mode is obtained when the same editing function is applied to three or more areas.

The above is the description of the display mode of the rectangular area.
Next, a case where an area and a point are displayed on the bitmap area will be described. Since a plurality of editing functions can be set for one original in the creative editing, it is necessary to provide a rule for displaying an area and a point on a bitmap area.

For example, in color conversion, a conversion color and / or a color to be converted can be set at points on a document.
Specifically, when a point is selected on the From side and the To side in FIG. 23 (g), the conversion color and the conversion target color can be set to the color of the point specified on the document. However, in this case, only the set area is displayed in the bitmap area, and the point is not displayed. This is for the following reason. Now, Fig. 45 (a)
It is assumed that the logo insertion is set at a predetermined position 709 as shown in FIG. At this time, it is clear that the point 709 is in the non-selected state. Next, if an area 710 is set on the edit pad to perform color conversion at a predetermined position on the document, the area 710 is selected in the bitmap area A as shown in FIG. 45 (b). Will be displayed. Then, it is assumed that the color to be converted is designated by a point on the document, and the converted color is designated by a palette. At this time, if a point 711 of the color to be converted is displayed, a point 709, an area 710, and a point 711 are displayed in the bitmap area A as shown in FIG. 45 (c). However, when such a display is performed, which is the point of logo insertion,
Since it is not possible to distinguish which point is the color designation point, the user is confused. Also,
Even if the points of the converted color and the color to be converted are displayed, the points are displayed in a size of 10 pixels square as described above, so it is difficult to confirm which color on the document is designated. For the above reasons, the point and the area are displayed only when the editing function with the point instruction and the editing function with the area instruction are selected.
When the editing function with the instruction of both the area and the point is selected, only the area which is the main information is displayed, and the point is not displayed.

 The above is the display mode regarding the rectangular area.

(C) Display mode of free-form area Next, the display mode of the free-form area will be described.

The setting of the free-form area is possible only by freehand editing. Therefore, when the freehand editing pathway is selected, only a free-form area can be set, and a rectangular area cannot be set by specifying two points.

Now, there are two methods for setting the free-form area. The first method is to draw an arbitrary closed curve 712 on the edit pad 524 as shown in FIG. 46 (a), and the second method is to draw an appropriate interval as shown in FIG. 46 (b). It is a method of pointing the point with.

Regardless of which method is used for setting the free-form region, unlike the rectangular region, it is necessary to first perform interpolation to form a closed curve. In the case of setting by the above-mentioned second method, it is clear that a closed curve will not be obtained unless interpolation is made between points, but interpolation may be necessary also in the case of the above-mentioned first method. That is, when a closed curve is drawn on the edit pad, there is no problem if the start point P and the end point Q always match as shown in FIG. 46 (c), but there is no mark on the edit pad. In some cases, the start point P does not coincide with the end point Q as shown in FIG. 46 (d), and interpolation is required. Since interpolation cannot be performed until after the operation of the edit pad is completed, the user first notifies the machine that the free-form drawing operation has been completed. Since all instructions are performed by button operations, the user presses any button. As the button, a new button for determining a free form may be provided during the freehand editing pathway, or an appropriate button may be used. In this UI, a free-form determination button is provided as a button for determining a free-form, and interpolation is performed on condition that the free-form determination button is pressed to determine a closed curve. For example, after the operation of the edit pad is completed, the bit map area is displayed as shown in FIG.
When the free-form determination button is pressed while the curve 713 is displayed, the start point P and the end point Q are connected by a straight line 714 as shown in FIG. 46 (e), and a closed curve is formed. Moreover, the five points as Figure 46 with the edit pad (f) P ₁ ~P ₅
Is pressed and the free-form determination button is pressed, the points are interpolated with a straight line, and the
A polygon as shown in FIG. Since a method of interpolating between two points with a straight line is well known, details thereof are omitted.

In this manner, the free-form area is determined. At this time, the free-form area is displayed in white as in the non-selected state described above.

After the free-form area is determined, it is necessary to indicate an inner point of the free-form area. This is because the editing cannot be performed unless the range in which the predetermined editing function is performed is defined. For this purpose, the user indicates an inner point of the free-form area on the edit pad. Now, assume that two ellipses 715 and 716 have been determined as shown in FIG. 46 (h), for example. At this time, when one point inside the area X in the figure is designated, the range of the area X is filled with black and selected as shown in FIG. 46 (i). The point designated at this time is displayed in white as shown in the figure. In the state of FIG. 46 (i), parameter setting is requested for the area X. When a predetermined parameter is set and the save / close button is pressed, the editing function and the parameter are defined in the area X. Will be.

The display mode of the free-form area has been described above. However, since the operation for setting the free-form area involves the work of determining the closed curve or the polygon, it takes more time than setting the rectangular area. . However, by setting the display mode of the bitmap of the free-form area to be similar to the bitmap display mode of the rectangular area as described above, the setting of the freeform area should not be confused.

(E) Correction of Area / Point The above is a general description when registering an area and / or a point. Hereinafter, correction of an area and a point will be described.

Various edits are possible by using the edit pad, and a highly original image can be created.However, since the area and point designation by the edit pad may be incorrect, the size, position, It is important to be able to correct the position of the point. This is because if the mistake cannot be corrected, the operability is rather poor.

(B) Canceling an area or point To cancel an area or point, press the area cancel button or point cancel button in the popup.

For example, if the user designates up to three points P, Q, and R in order to set two areas with the coloring pop-up shown in FIG.
As shown in the above, both the rectangle 717 formed by the first two points P and Q and the third designated point R are displayed in a selected state. When the area cancel button C is pressed in this state, the point R is canceled and is deleted from the bitmap area A. Next, when the area cancel button is pressed once again, the area 717 is canceled and is deleted from the bitmap area A. As described above, the area and the point in the selected state can be canceled by pressing the area cancel button or the point cancel button. The order of cancellation may be an input order, or may be, for example, an order from upper left to lower right based on coordinates, but the input order is employed here.

However, once the enter button is pressed, the area and the point where the editing function and the parameter are defined are not canceled even if the area cancel button or the point cancel button is pressed. For example, as shown in FIG. 47 (b), it is assumed that a new area 719 is set when an already defined area 718 exists. At this time, the area 719 is displayed in the selected state in the bitmap area A. If the user presses area cancel in this state, the area 719 can be canceled, but the area 718 cannot be cancelled.

Use the collection function to cancel unselected areas and points. 22nd
As shown in FIGS. 23 (a) and 23 (a), a collection button is arranged on the business editing pathway and the creative editing pathway, and the area and points can be canceled by the collection function. it can. Specifically, it is as follows. Now, consider a case where three areas are registered in the creative editing and one of the areas is to be canceled. In this case, first, the collection button is pressed on the screen of FIG. Then, the screen transits to the screen in FIG. 47 (c). In the bitmap area A of this screen, three registered areas 720, 721, and 722 are displayed, and among these areas, the default area 720 is selected, and the other areas 721, 722 are selected. It is in the selected state.
In this case, the default region will be described as the first registered region, but it is clear that the region may be based on the coordinate position. Here, if it is desired to cancel the area 720, the area / cancel button 725 may be pressed, and the area 720 is deleted from the bitmap area A. However, if the area 722 is to be canceled, the scroll button 723 or 724 is pressed. Press area 722
Is selected. By pressing the up button 723, the areas can be selected in the order of registration, and by pressing the down button 724, the areas can be selected in the reverse order. By such an operation, when the area 722 is selected, the area /
When the cancel button 725 is pressed, the area 722 is canceled and is deleted from the bitmap area A.

(B) Correction of area / point Correction of an area, that is, correction of the position, size, and position of a point can also be performed using the collection function.

For example, when the area / cancel collection button 726 is pressed on the screen of FIG. 47 (c), the area 720 currently selected can be corrected. Specifically, when the area / cancel collection button 726 is pressed on the screen shown in FIG. 47 (c), a pop-up shown in FIG.
Can be changed. That is, the area 72
To move the right side of 0 to the right by 3 mm from the current position, press the up button 7 until “3” is displayed on the indicator 729.
Press 22. To move the right side of the area 720 to the left side of the current position, the user presses the down button 728 until a desired value is displayed on the indicator 729. The same applies to the left side, upper side, and lower side of the area 720. Therefore, the area 72
To move the entire position to the right by 3 mm without changing the size of 0, use the up button 727 to move the right side
mm, and then press the up button 730 until "3" is displayed on the indicator 731 to see that the left side should be moved 3 mm to the right from the current position. This is the same in the vertical direction. If it is desired to correct the size or position of the area 721, use the up button 723 or the down button 724 on the screen shown in FIG.
It is clear that the above operation can be performed after the 721 is selected.

By performing the above operation to correct the size or position of the area, and pressing the save / close button 732, the fourth
Returning to the screen of FIG. 7 (c), at this time, the area 720 is displayed in the selected size at the corrected position with the corrected size. In other words, the size and position of the area do not change during correction on the screen of FIG. 47 (d), but change on condition that the area is determined by the save / close button. This is because rewriting the bitmap RAM during correction requires a large hardware load and takes time.

The above is the description of the area. The same applies to the point. When the point is set and the area / point collection button is pressed, the screen is changed to a screen shown in FIG. 47 (e). On this screen, all the registered points are displayed, the point to be corrected, 733 in the figure, is displayed in a selected state, and the other points are displayed in a selected state. On this screen, the position of the point can be corrected by the scroll buttons 735 and / or 736, as in the case of the area. Also, after the point position is corrected, the point is displayed at the corrected position only when the save / close button is pressed and the screen returns to the previous screen.

With the collection function, it is also possible to change the editing function and parameters applied to the area.

Function change on the screen of Fig. 47 (c)
Pressing the button will open a popup, for example, 48th
The screen changes to a screen as shown in the figure. In this screen, area 72
0 is displayed in the bitmap area A in a selected state, the button of the editing function provided in the area 720 is being selected, and the other buttons are in a selectable state. Now, for example, assuming that the area 720 is trimmed, the trim button is set to a selected state, and the other buttons are set to a selectable state. That is, in the screen shown in FIG. 47 (c), by selecting a desired area with the scroll button and pressing the function change button, the editing function applied to the area can be confirmed.

When the user wants to change the editing function for the area 720 from trim to coloring on the screen shown in FIG. 48, he only has to press the mask button. As a result, the trim button is in a selectable state, the coloring button is in a selected state, a pop-up is opened, and parameters can be set. Pressing the save / close button after selecting the color and density pattern in the pop-up returns to the screen of FIG. 48, and pressing the save / close button on the screen of FIG. 48 returns to the screen of FIG. 47 (c). When the save / close button is pressed on the screen, the screen returns to the screen shown in FIG. This means that the editing function applied to the area 720 has been changed.

It will be clear that the above description is similar for the points.

(F) System Configuration Although the display mode and correction of the area and the points have been described above, here, the system configuration for performing the above-mentioned display, that is, the hardware and software, is the software shown in FIG. And FIG. 17,
This will be described with reference to the hardware shown in FIGS.

The coordinate data output from the edit pad is taken into the edit pad interface module 512 in FIG. The edit pad interface module 512 is stored in the CPU 555 of FIG. 19, where a rectangular area is created based on the coordinates of two points, and in freehand editing, interpolation between the end point and the start point is performed. Interpolation and the like are executed, and processing for displaying the selected state of the area and the point and the selected state is performed, thereby creating bitmap data. In performing these processes,
Since the edit pad interface module 512 is notified of information on the currently selected pathway and editing function from the master controller 518 via the system UI 517, for example, if freehand editing is selected, the free-form area When the logo is selected, the coordinates input from the edit pad are determined to be the coordinates of the point, and when coloring, color conversion, etc. are selected, the first two input points are used. The coordinates are determined to be the coordinates of a diagonal point of the rectangular area, and a predetermined process is performed.

The bitmap data created by the CPU 555 includes an interface 561, a driver 562, and a receiver 54 shown in FIG.
9. DMA (direct memory access) controller 540 transferred via subsystem interface 548
Is written to the bitmap RAM 537 under the control of.

Reading of the bitmap data written in the bitmap RAM 537 is performed as follows. Drawing of an image on the CRT is performed under the control of the CRT controller 533. That is, since the CRT controller 533 recognizes the current position of the CRT electron beam, when the CRT electron beam is in a predetermined bitmap area,
The bitmap data is read from the bitmap RAM 537 by notifying the A controller 540. DMA
The bitmap data read by the controller 540 is supplied to the shift register 545. The shift register 545 switches between the video data supplied from the character generator 544 and the bitmap data and guides the data to the multiplexer 546. At the display position of the bitmap area, the bitmap data and the video signal from the character generator are displayed. Of the CRT controller 533
, Only the bitmap data is passed and guided to the multiplexer 546. During the other periods, the video data from the character generator 544 is guided to the multiplexer 546. This allows
A bitmap area is formed at a predetermined position on the screen of the color CRT.

The above is the operation related to the bitmap data. Next, the flow of the button information will be described with reference to FIG. When registering and correcting areas and points, edit function buttons, parameter setting buttons, scroll buttons,
Enter button, area / cancel button, save /
Various buttons such as a close button intervene. The button information is first notified to the user control 941 via the communication line, and when the button interpretation 950 determines that the button is acceptable, the button information is currently used by the operation flow 960 of the user mode 942. The module corresponding to the pathway, in this case, is assigned to Business Edit 963 or Creative Edit 964. Now, assuming that the business edit is selected, the button information is distributed to the business edit 963, and from the business edit 963, all the information relating to the area and points such as area creation information, area correction, area deletion, coordinate registration, etc. Edit mode control 96
The area control 973 of No. 6 is notified. In the region control 973, which region is to be selected and which region is to be selected,
Processing such as how to change the size or position of which area is performed, and the result is saved as a database and notified to the edit pad control 965, and further displayed to the UI 943 via the display 954 and the CRT interface 955. Thus, the display as described above is performed.

(II-14) Audio Tone (Part of the Present Invention) (A) Necessity of Audio Tone As described above, the UI of the copying machine has been variously improved to improve operability. I have. For example, the soft button has four states defined during selection, selectable, unselectable, and invisible, so that the user can recognize the state of the soft button at a glance. But,
As long as the soft button is displayed even in the non-selectable state, it is conceivable that the non-selectable soft button is pressed, and an erroneous operation cannot be avoided. Also,
Even in the selectable state, an erroneous operation may occur. For example, the save / close button displayed in the popup is always in a selectable state, but if all the parameters to be set in the popup are pressed without being set, an erroneous operation is performed. When such an erroneous operation is performed, a predetermined warning message is displayed in a message area allocated to the first to third lines of the screen, but the user's attention is pressed when performing a button operation. In many cases, the user concentrates on the button to be tried and cannot see the entire screen. Therefore, even if the warning message is displayed, the user may not notice the operation, and the user may continue the operation without noticing the erroneous operation. .

In other words, the user must watch the entire screen in order to know whether or not the pressed soft button has been accepted, and if so, which operation has been erroneously performed. Room was left.

This is the same when an edit area and / or an edit point are set using the edit pad. When setting the edit area and / or edit point with the edit pad, a bitmap area is displayed on the display screen.
The set editing area and / or editing point are displayed, but it must be confirmed in the bitmap area whether or not the point specified by the edit pad has been accepted.

Further, the following may be considered. When the number of copies is small, the user rarely leaves the place until the copy is completed.
Often leaves the place. In this case, if a fault such as a jam occurs on the way, the machine is stopped and a fault message is displayed. However, the user cannot know whether the copying has been completed or the fault has occurred until the user looks at the screen.

As described above, whether the state is a soft button or a message is displayed, if the user appeals to the visual sense of the user, it is required that the user always look at the screen. Therefore, improvement has been desired.

Therefore, in the UI of the copying machine, an audio tone is adopted so that it is possible to judge whether the operation has been performed correctly or incorrectly by sound. By appealing to the user's hearing in this way, the operability can be further improved.

(B) Types of Audio Tones Next, how many types of audio tones should be prepared will be considered. First, it is clear that it is preferable to generate some audio tone when the pressed button is accepted. This is because it is possible to confirm that the correct button operation has been performed by listening to the audio tone. It is preferable that the same audio tone is generated even when the point specified by the edit pad is received. Although the operation of the button and the operation of the edit pad are different, they are the same in that the input data is accepted, so that the same audio tone is used. Therefore, even in the case of an erroneous operation, it is understood that some audio tone should be generated so as to confirm that the erroneous operation has been performed. But,
There are two types of erroneous operations. One is that an erroneous operation is caused by pressing a button in a selectable state, and the other is an erroneous operation caused by pressing a button in an unselectable state. Good tones. Further, when a fault occurs, some audio tone may be generated to notify the user. This is because, as described above, the user is not always unfamiliar with the machine.

The above is the audio tone related to the button operation in the normal copy mode. However, the copying machine according to the present embodiment can copy in the diagnostic mode. This is the customer simulation mode, but when copying using the customer simulation mode, to distinguish it from normal copying,
Try to generate different audio tones. This is because it becomes possible to confirm by hearing that the diagnostic mode is currently used.

In view of the above, a fault occurs when a point designated by a button or an edit pad is accepted, a soft button in a selectable state is erroneously operated, and a soft button in a non-selectable state is erroneously operated. In this case, the audio tone is generated for each of the five cases in the case of the diagnostic mode. Then, these four types of audio tones are made different in frequency and / or sounding pattern so as to be distinguished from each other.

Hereinafter, these audio tones will be specifically described.

(A) Select tone The audio tone is generated when a pressed button is received and a point designated by an edit pad is received, regardless of whether the button is a soft button or a hard button.

The select tone only needs to notify that the coordinates of the button or the edit pad have been accepted, and therefore, it is only necessary to emit a sound of a predetermined frequency once only for a short time. An example is shown in FIG. 49 (a). In FIG. 49 (a), 175m
A 984 Hz sound is generated during sec.

The reason why such a frequency is used as the select tone is as follows. That is, when the pressed button is received, the machine operation and the user's operation are performed normally, and the audio tone needs to be a sound that gives the user a sense of security.
We decided to use a frequency of about 1kHz that would be easy to hear and give a mellow feeling.

Buttons are accepted when a hard button is pressed, and a soft button is accepted when a button other than a scroll button is released from the button, and a scroll button is accepted when pressed. The select tone is generated when the hard button and the scroll button are pressed and when the other buttons are released.

In this manner, the select tone is generated each time the button is accepted. For example, the select tone is arranged without gaps like the color sensitivity button displayed in the color conversion popup shown in FIG. 23 (g). Soft buttons are shown as arrows in FIG. 49 (b).
When the button is continuously pressed from 750 to 751, if a select tone is generated every time the button is pressed, it may cause noise, so that it is generated only once.
This is the same for the scroll buttons. That is, by continuously pressing the scroll button, the parameter value can be continuously changed or the editing area and / or the editing point can be selected. However, at this time, it is troublesome that a select tone is generated every time the numerical value changes, It is made to occur only once.

(B) Fault tone This is an audio tone that is generated when a fault occurs and notifies the user of an emergency, so a relatively high-frequency sound normally used as a sound indicating an abnormal state. For a relatively long period of time. An example is shown in FIG. 49 (c). In this example, the 1968 Hz sound repeats on for 500 msec and off for 100 msec for 10 sec.

This allows the user to clearly recognize that a fault has occurred even when the user is away from the machine.

(C) Conflict tone This is an audio tone that is generated when a soft button in a selectable state is pressed and an erroneous operation is performed. For example, as shown in FIG. The pattern of 175 msec on and 20 msec off is repeated twice.

To use a frequency of about 1kHz as a conflict tone, even if it is an erroneous operation, you need only give a light warning because you pressed the button in the selectable state, so it is as easy to hear as the select tone, He decided to use a calm frequency and changed only the sounding pattern.

When the conflict tone is generated, there are the following cases.

When a pop-up is open, soft buttons may be displayed outside the pop-up. For example, FIG. 20 (b) is a view when a button of an arbitrary magnification is pressed in the basic feature pathway shown in FIG. 20 (a), and a color mode setting button is provided outside a magnification setting pop-up. It is displayed in a selectable state. In this case, the full color, three pass color, black, and red / black buttons do not open pop-ups, so they will work effectively when pressed in this state.
Since the single color button is a button that opens a pop-up, it is prohibited even in a selectable state. Therefore,
When the single color button is pressed on the screen of FIG.
Once the button is in the ON state, that is, in the selected state, when released, it is checked whether or not it can be accepted and it is made unacceptable, the display of the button returns to the selectable state,
A predetermined message is displayed and the conflict tone is generated.

Also, some buttons, such as the paper size selection buttons in FIG. 20 (b), which are partially overwritten by pop-ups, are displayed in a selectable state, but these buttons are also prohibited, so the same as described above. When the button is pressed, the button is once turned on, but when the button is released, the display of the button returns to a selectable state, a predetermined message is displayed, and the conflict tone is generated.

Furthermore, a conflict tone is also generated when the save / close button is pressed in a state where the setting of all parameters is not completed in the pop-up. This is because the save / close button is always selectable, but is prohibited until parameter setting is completed.

A conflict tone is also generated when another pop-up tab is pressed while a certain pop-up is open. For example, FIG. 20 (i) is a view showing a state in which a color balance popup is open, and a pathway tab which is a selection button of another pathway is displayed outside the popup. However, if the pathway is different, the mode category will be different,
In such a case, other pathway tabs are prohibited.
Therefore, if another passway tab is pressed while the pop-up is open, it is not accepted and a conflict tone is generated. For the same reason, when moving mutually exclusive pathways, a conflict tone is also generated when another pathway tab is pressed while a job in one pathway is not completed.

(D) Invalid tone This is an audio tone generated when a soft button in a non-selectable state is pressed.
As shown in FIG. 9E, the sound of 492 Hz is generated only once during 175 msec.

Since the soft buttons in the unselectable state are in a so-called "dead" state, if the soft button in the unselectable state is pressed, the soft button is in the "dead" state. We need to show that there is.
Therefore, the invalid tone is generally recognized as a dull sound, and a low tone of about 500 Hz, which is not active and not full of energy, is employed.

(E) Diag tone This is an audio tone generated when copying is performed using the customer simulation mode of the diagnostic mode. In this case, it is sufficient that a service person can understand. It can be generated in different ways.

By adopting the audio tone as described above, the user can check whether a button has been accepted, if there is an erroneous operation, and the content thereof, and whether or not a fault has occurred, so that the operability can be further improved. It can be improved.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned frequency is merely an example to the extent that it gets tired, and it goes without saying that it can be set arbitrarily. Further, it is preferable that the volume can be arbitrarily adjusted by the user. Therefore, in this copying machine, the volume can be adjusted by the tool path way. About four adjustment stages, large, medium, small and audio tone release, are sufficient. Although the frequency of the audio tone can be adjusted, for example, when multiple copiers are lined up, if the audio tone of each copier is different, it only gives the user embarrassment, so the frequency is fixed. It is good to do.

(C) Software Software for generating an audio tone will be described with reference to FIG.

The information of the pressed button and the coordinate information of the point designated by the edit pad are notified to the button interpretation 950 via the CRT interface 995 in FIG. 31 (b), and the coordinates designated by the button or the edit pad are determined. A check is made to see if it is acceptable. Then, the button information and the coordinate information are notified to the user mode 942 operation flow 960, and it is determined whether or not the button can be selected, and the button is allocated to the module corresponding to the currently used pathway. For example, if creative editing is currently performed, the button information and coordinate information are notified to the creative editing 964, the copy mode set here is interpreted, and the copy mode is further changed by each module of the edit mode control 966. A command to be executed is created and finally stored in a database (not shown).
Therefore, when it is determined that selection is possible by the operation flow 960,
A command to generate a select tone is generated by the edit mode control 966, and the command is notified to the display 954, and a more detailed command for actually generating the select tone is generated. The tone generation device shown in (a) is notified and a select tone is generated.
If it is determined in the operation flow 960 that selection is impossible, it is further determined whether a button in a selectable state or a button in an unselectable state is pressed, and the edit mode control 966 is accordingly performed. A command for generating a conflict tone or an invalid tone is created, and a more detailed command for generating the audio tone is created on the display 954 based on the command, and the sounding device is notified. .

When a fault occurs, the machine monitoring 953 is notified from the SYS947 via the SYS interface 956, and the fault is registered. So, the machine monitor 953 displays 9
Notify 54 of a command to issue a fault tone. As a result, a fault tone is generated by the sounding device.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the data processing device of the present invention, when a button in a non-selectable state is selected, a different audio tone is generated according to the non-selectable content. Therefore, the user can clearly know the contents that cannot be selected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a data processing device according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a color copying machine to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware architecture, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a software architecture, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship between the system and another remote, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a module configuration of the system, FIG.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the imaging unit, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a video signal processing circuit, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an outline of a module configuration of the IPS, FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the F / P, FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the M / U, and FIG.
The figure schematically shows the structure of the F / P, and the F / P, M / U and I
Diagram showing the relationship with IT, Fig. 14 is a UI using a display
Figure 15 shows an example of setting the mounting angle and height of the UI, FIG. 16 shows a module configuration of the UI, and FIG. 17 shows a hardware configuration of the UI , 18th
Figure shows the configuration of the UICB, FIG. 19 shows the configuration of the EPIB, FIG. 20 shows a configuration example of the basic copy path,
FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a marker editing pathway,
Figure 22 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the business editing pathway,
The figure shows a configuration example of the creative editing pathway,
FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a tool path way, FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a soft button, FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a screen transition of a basic copy, and FIG. 27 is a screen transition of an added feature. FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a screen transition of marker editing, FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a screen transition of business editing, FIG.
Figure shows the screen transition of creative editing, Figure 31 is
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a software module of SYSUI, and FIG.
2 is a diagram showing one configuration example of the soft button, FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating the inset synthesis, FIG. 34 is a diagram showing the shape and size of the soft button, and FIG. 35 is a selectable state and selection of the soft button FIG. 36 is a diagram showing an impossible state, FIG. 36 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a soft button, FIG. 37 is a diagram showing an example of how to open a pop-up, and FIG. 38 is a diagram showing a transition of a pop-up display of a film projector FIG. 39 is a diagram showing an example of a special pop-up, FIG. 40 is a diagram explaining a display device of a bitmap area, FIG. 41 is a diagram explaining the size of a bitmap area, and FIG. 42 is a display of points FIG. 43 is a diagram illustrating a display mode of a rectangular area, FIG. 44 is a view illustrating a display mode in a case where a plurality of areas are set, and FIG. 45 is a bitmap area indicating areas and points. Indicates the mode when displaying on , FIG. 46 is a diagram for explaining a display mode of a free-form region, FIG. 47 is a diagram for explaining correction of a region and a point, FIG. 48 is a diagram for explaining a function change of a region and a point, and FIG. FIG. 50 is a diagram showing types of tones, and FIG. 50 is a diagram showing a conventional UI. 1 ... operating means, 2 ... first determining means, 3 ... second determining means, 4 ... controlling means, 5 ... sounding means.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An operation means comprising a plurality of buttons for setting processing contents and the like, a first judgment means for judging whether or not selection by the button is possible when the button is pressed, and a first judgment means Second determining means for determining the content of the non-selection when the button is determined to be unselectable; control means for outputting different control signals according to the non-selectable content determined by the second determining means; And a sound generating means for generating different audio tones in response to a control signal output from the control means.