JPH04214577A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer an image forming device composed of a setting means by which an operator can easily set a value such as the number of copies or the number of printing sheets. CONSTITUTION:This device is constituted so that until the number of digits of a set value reaches the maximum number of digits which a display means can show, the carry-over display is carried out at each input value and successive value is inputted in such a condition that the display means displays a set value with the maximum number of digits which the display means can show, the previous displayed number is cleared to display the values from a new numeral. Since a new value can be set when the number of digits exceeds the maximum display number, the setting of a value and an operation for alteration are facilitated. Also, since the display system which an operator can easily understand can be realized and the operability is improved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses such as so-called copying machines and printers, and more particularly to setting means for an operator to set the number of copies or prints to be made in the apparatus.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in such an image forming apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4, an operation panel 1 for setting the number of copies, prints, etc. is provided on one side of the image forming apparatus. There is. The operation panel 1 includes a first display section 2 consisting of a 7-segment LED, liquid crystal display, etc. that displays the copying magnification or printing magnification in text, and a 7-segment LED, liquid crystal display, etc. that numerically displays the number of copies or prints. a second display section 3, a group of input keys 4 for specifying the type of paper to be copied or paper to be printed, a group of light emitting diodes 5 arranged next to each input key 4 and displaying the pressed input key with light; A group of input keys 6 for inputting a copy magnification or a print magnification, a numeric keypad 7 for inputting the number of copies or prints, an execution key 8 for instructing execution of copying or printing, and the like are provided. Then, by pressing any one of the input key group 4, a desired size of copying paper or printing paper is specified, and an input key with a "+" mark is used to increase the specified magnification, and the specified magnification is decreased. Specify the magnification by pressing the input key marked with a "-" as appropriate, then specify the number of copies or prints using the numeric keypad 7, and then press the execution key 8 to make the specified copy or print. be able to.

0003

However, in such conventional image forming apparatuses, the operation for specifying the number of copies or prints may be complicated. To explain this problem, for example, for a device that can specify the number of sheets up to a maximum of three decimal digits, if the operator presses the numeric keypad for "1" when the initial setting value is 0, as shown in Figure 5. If "1" is displayed in the lowest digit of the display as shown in (a), and then the numeric keypad for "2" is pressed, the display moves to the middle digit of the display as shown in Figure 5(b). “1
” is carried forward, “2” is displayed in the lowest digit, and if you press the numeric keypad for “3”, the screen shown in Figure 5 (c
), "1" is carried forward to the most significant digit of the display section, "2" is carried forward to the middle digit, and at the same time, "3" is displayed in the least significant digit. If the execution key is pressed in the state shown in Fig. 5(a), only one copy will be made, and if the execution key is pressed in the state shown in Fig. 5(b), 12 copies will be made. Fifth
If the execution key is pressed in the state shown in Figure (c), 123 copies will be made. Also, if you press the numeric keypad number "4" in the state shown in Figure 5(c), the numbers "1", "2", and "3" will be higher overall as shown in Figure 5(d). Shifting to the digit, "1" overflows and at the same time "4" enters the lowest position, so "2", "3", and "4" are displayed. Similarly, if you press the ``5'' numeric keypad, the display will appear as shown in Figure 5(e), and if you then press the ``6'' numeric keypad, the display will appear as shown in Figure 5(f). In this way, the number entered first represents the higher digit, and when specifying 10 or more sheets, the key input is performed in order from the higher digit. However, for example, Fig. 6(a)
As shown in Figure 6(b), if you want to change the setting to 7 images when 123 images are set, first press the "0" numeric keypad.
Enter “0” in the least significant digit as shown in
" by pressing the numeric keypad, enter "0" in the middle digit and the lowest digit as shown in Figure 6(c), and then press the "
6(d) by pressing the numeric keypad "0".
As shown in Figure 6(e), set all digits to zero (the display disappears when all digits are 0), and finally press the ``7'' numeric keypad to display ``7'' as shown in Figure 6(e). It is necessary to do so. Also, according to another change procedure, Fig. 7(a)
In the setting state, first press the "0" numeric keypad to enter "" in the lowest digit as shown in Figure 7(b).
By inputting "0" and then pressing the "0" numeric keypad, "
By inputting "0" and then pressing the "7" numeric keypad, the "3" in the most significant digit will overflow and become "7" in the least significant digit. Display only the . As described above, in conventional image forming apparatuses, changing the number of sheets is extremely complicated. The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having an input means with better operability.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides an input means for inputting the number of copies or prints in one-digit increments, and a numerical value inputted from the input means at the lowest digit. A display means capable of displaying a multi-digit numerical value within a predetermined maximum number of digits by sequentially shifting from the digit to the upper digit, and copying or printing the number displayed on the display means. In the image forming apparatus, if the numerical value displayed on the display means is less than the maximum number of digits, each time a numerical value is input from the input means, the entire numerical value is shifted one digit from the lower digit to the upper digit. , carry up by displaying the latest value in the lowest digit, and when the displayed value on the display means reaches the maximum number of digits, if you enter the next value from the input means, all digits on the display means will be displayed. After erasing the numerical value, the numerical value is displayed again starting from the least significant digit.

[0005]

[Operation] According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention having such a configuration, a new numerical value is input again when the maximum number of digits that can be displayed is reached, so each time a numerical value is input, the digits are simply Compared to the conventional case of increasing the value, numerical value settings can be changed easily and in a short time, and operability can be improved.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the schematic structure of the display means of the present invention will be explained based on FIG. In Figure 1, 10
is a display section consisting of a 7-segment LED or liquid crystal display having a multi-digit display function, and is provided on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus. 11 is "0" or "1"
A numeric keypad section consisting of input keys, and a display section 10.
are arranged in parallel. Display on display section 10 and numeric keypad section 11
Each input key is controlled by an operation panel control section indicated by a dashed line in the figure. That is, when the operator presses any input key on the numeric keypad section 11, the register (referred to as A register) 14 temporarily holds the numerical data in synchronization with the press timing, and then transfers it to the judgment section 13. Judgment part 1
3 performs the processing described later on the numerical data transferred from the A register 14 to form display data to be displayed and transfers it to the display drive unit 12. The display drive unit 12 then displays a display corresponding to the display data. The display unit 10 is made to perform this. Further, the flag register 15 is used when the determination unit 13 performs arithmetic processing when forming display data in a method related to the present invention. The central control section 16 is provided to control the operation of the image forming apparatus main body, that is, the entire copying operation and printing operation, and when the execution key on the operation panel is pressed, the central control section 16 controls the apparatus main body according to instructions from the judgment section 13.

Next, the operation of the operation panel control section will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. The judgment unit 13 has a built-in microcomputer, and operates while judging various conditions by processing a computer program converted into firmware. First, when one input key of the numeric keypad section 11 is pressed by the operator, the main program is interrupted while the numerical data input to the A register 11 is held, and a subroutine for display control is started. In step 100, the determination unit 13 selects the flag register 15.
Reads the flag data FLAG and determines whether it is "1" or "0". Here, if FLAG=0, it is determined that the flag is not set and the process proceeds to step 110, and if FLAG=1, it is determined that the flag is present and the process proceeds to step 120. In step 110, the numerical value of each digit displayed on the display section 10 is carried up by one digit overall, and the numerical data of the A register 14 is placed in the lowest digit, so that the old numerical data is It is processed so that the upper digit becomes the upper digit and the newly input numerical data becomes the lower digit. That is, the display data C preset in the judgment unit 13
OUNT corresponds to the numerical value on the display unit 10, and new display data COUNT is formed by carrying out the carry and adding newly input numerical data to this display data COUNT. And step 1
At step 30, the contents of the display data COUNT are displayed on the display unit 10. For example, in the case of the display unit 10 that can display a maximum of three decimal digits, when "1" is displayed in the middle digit and "2" is displayed in the lowest digit, press the input key "
If “3” is input, the display on the display unit 10 will be changed from the top to the top by the processing in steps 110 and 130.
1", "2", and "3", and a display of "123" is realized. On the other hand, when the process moves from step 100 to step 120, the display data COUNT is replaced with the numerical data of the A register 14. In other words, the display data COUNT simply becomes the lowest numerical data without carrying out processing such as carrying.Therefore, in step 130
When this process is performed, the most recently input one-digit numerical value is displayed at the lowest position of 1 on the display unit 10. for example,
Display section 1 that can display up to three decimal digits
In the case of 0, press the input key with "1" displayed in the most significant digit, "2" in the middle digit, and "3" in the least significant digit.
If "4" is input, the display section 10 will display "4" only at the lowest position by the processing in steps 120 and 130.
Thus, the display of "4" is realized. It should be noted that the remaining two digits are not "0" and are not displayed. That is, in step 100, display data COUNT is determined by determining flag data FLAG.
When the number of digits M is equal to the maximum number of displayable digits N of the display unit 10 (FLAG=1), the display data COUNT
If the number of digits M of the display data COUNT is smaller than the maximum number of digits N that can be displayed on the display unit 10 (FLA
G=0) is caused to perform processing such as carry. The flag data FLAG is then set in steps 140-160. First, in step 140, display data CO
The magnitude relationship between UNT and preset constant data X is determined. The constant data
2) is X=10, and in the case of 3-digit display (i.e. N=3) is
=100, and is generally set to the relationship X=10N. If COUNT ≧ , COUN
If T < X, the number of digits M of display data COUNT
is equal to the maximum number of digits N that can be displayed on the display unit 10, the process moves to step 150, and the flag data FLAG is set to "1".
Set to . When the above processing is completed, the processing returns to the main routine again. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing how the display on the display section 10 changes by performing the process shown in FIG. 2. For example, if the set number of copies or prints is zero (FIG. 2(a)), press "1" from the numeric keypad 11.
As shown in the same figure (b), “
1" will be displayed. If you then enter "2", the same figure (
c) “12” is displayed as shown in . If "3" is then inputted, "123" is displayed as shown in FIG. 3(d). In the state shown in FIG. 4(d), the flag data is set to FLAG=1. Next, when "4" is input, flag data FLAG=1 is determined, so "
4" is displayed, and the flag data is set to FLAG=0. Next, if you enter "5", "45" will be displayed, as shown in (f) in the same figure, and if you further enter "6", , as shown in (g) of the same figure, "456" is displayed and the flag data is set to FLAG=1. and,
Next, if you enter "7", as shown in the same figure (h),
“7” is displayed. In this way, in this embodiment, it is prohibited to set a numerical value exceeding the maximum number of digits that can be displayed on the display section, and if the maximum number of digits is exceeded, the numerical value is set again from the 1's digit. Therefore, if you want to change the set number, you will need to display the numbers in all digits and then input the desired number. Conventionally, carry processing is performed each time a value is entered, so when changing the set number, enter the number "0" several times to clear all digits to "0". The operations were complicated and difficult to understand. On the other hand, this embodiment does not require such time and effort, and the movement of the display is easy to understand intuitively, so the operability is improved.

[0008]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when the maximum number of digits that can be displayed is reached, a new numerical value is input again, so the carry is simply increased each time a numerical value is input. Compared to the conventional case, numerical value settings can be changed easily and in a short time, and operability can be improved.

[0009]

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display control section according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the process shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a conventional operation panel.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation example of a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another operation example of the conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing still another operation example of the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

10;Display section 11; Numeric keypad section 12; Display drive unit 13; Judgment department 14;A register 15; Flag register 16; Central control unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An input means for inputting the number of copies or prints one digit at a time, and a predetermined maximum number by sequentially shifting the numerical value input from the input means from the lowest digit to the highest digit. In an image forming apparatus that is equipped with a display means capable of displaying a numerical value of multiple digits within the number of digits and that copies or prints the number displayed on the display means, the numerical value displayed on the display means is the largest digit. If the number is less than a number, each time a numerical value is input from the input means, the entire numerical value is shifted one digit from the lower digit to the upper digit, and the latest numerical value is displayed in the lowest digit to increase the carry. , When the next numerical value is input from the input means when the displayed numerical value of the display means has reached the maximum number of digits, the display will erase all digits of the display means and then display the numerical value again from the lowest digit. An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising a control means.