Patent ID: 8516371
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A guidance information providing system comprising an image forming device and a guidance information providing device, wherein the image forming device (i) has a plurality of functions, (ii) sequentially displays a plurality of operation screens on a display panel by switching, and (iii) receives a user operation on each of the operation screens, the user operation being performed for one of the switching and execution of a function, and the operation screens including screens customized by a user of the image forming device, and the guidance information providing device includes: a processor; a storage storing a plurality of switching information pieces in correspondence with the customized screens, each switching information piece indicating switching from a corresponding customized screen to another customized screen to be displayed in response to a user operation received on the corresponding screen; a communicator operable to obtain a user specification of a desired customized screen on which a user operation is received for execution of a function desired by the user in the functions and output guidance information to the image forming device; a route generator operable to generate route information with reference to the stored switching information pieces, the generated route information indicating a display order of customized screens to be sequentially displayed between a current customized screen on the display panel and the desired customized screen; a controller operable to select, from among the stored switching information pieces, a switching information piece indicating switching from the current customized screen to a next customized screen to be displayed according to the display order indicated by the generated route information; and a guidance generator operable to generate the guidance information with use of the selected switching information piece, the guidance information indicating an operation method for the user to switch the current customized screen to the next customized screen.