App synchronized with lighted physical design element on document processing apparatus

A document processing apparatus has a physical design element on the exterior surface. The physical design element has lighting elements adapted to change color. An app is adapted to be supplied to an external computing device. The app causes a screen of the external computing device to display an icon matching the physical design element. The app is adapted to communicate with the document processing apparatus through the external computing device. The app is adapted to simultaneously change the appearance of the icon and the physical design element during different steps of document processing operations to keep the icon matching the physical design element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention is related to co-pending design application entitled “TRIANGULAR SCREEN ICON INCREASING IN SIZE”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/674,473 filed on Dec. 21, 2018, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Systems and methods herein generally relate document processing apparatuses and more particularly to apps synchronized with a lighted physical design element on document processing apparatus.

User friendliness is a hallmark of devices that have found success among customers. Historically, efforts to improve the user/machine interaction have been focused on the location, size, and tactile inputs of the screens, keyboards, and buttons on the device. For example, touchscreens can be used alone or can be used in combination with keyboards and/or hard buttons to accommodate a wide diversity of user input preferences.

Supplementing the machine's user interface with remote interfaces presented through websites and apps allows users of computers, smartphones, kiosks, etc., to bypass the user interface on the machine. The screens of such remote computerized devices present opportunities for flexibility of interface features that exceeds the displays that are physically connected to the device.

SUMMARY

Systems herein can include (among other components) a document processing apparatus, and a computer server adapted to supply an app to external computing devices through a computer network, etc. The document processing apparatus can include (among other components) a scanner, a printing engine, a network communication device, etc. The app is adapted to communicate with the document processing apparatus through the external computing device to perform document processing operations that operate the scanner, the printing engine, or the network communication device, without interacting with a user interface of the document processing apparatus.

The document processing apparatus also includes a physical design element that is on, or forms part of, the exterior surface of the document processing apparatus. The physical design element comprises lighting elements adapted to change color and the app causes the screen of the external computing device to display an icon matching the physical design element (the physical design element and the icon have the same color, shape, blink at the same rate, etc.).

Further, the app is adapted to simultaneously change the appearance of the icon and the physical design element during different steps of document processing operations to always keep the icon's appearance matching that of the physical design element (e.g., by keeping the icon and the physical design element the same color and/or by flashing or pulsing the icon and the physical design element in synchronization). Also, the different colors of the icon and the physical design element indicate different status conditions (e.g., error conditions, warning conditions, active processing conditions, and processing complete conditions).

In operation, the icon can be a triangle in one corner of the screen and one edge of the icon moves across the screen of the external computing device to increase the amount of the screen the icon occupies, and to indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus has performed on a document processing operation.

Methods herein provide a computer server adapted to supply an app to an external computing device through a computer network, etc. Once the app is installed and open/operating on the external computing device, these methods establish communications between the document processing apparatus and the app operating on the external computing device. The communications are established through components of the external computing device.

Again, the document processing apparatus has a physical design element on an exterior surface of the document processing apparatus. The physical design element has lighting elements adapted to change color. In methods herein, the app causes a screen of the external computing device to display an icon matching the color and shape of the physical design element.

Further, in these methods, the app causes the screen to simultaneously change the appearance of the icon and the physical design element during different steps of document processing operations to always keep the icon matching the physical design element (e.g., by keeping the icon and the physical design element the same color and/or by flashing or pulsing the icon and the physical design element in synchronization). Also, the different colors of the icon and the physical design element indicate different status conditions (e.g., error conditions, warning conditions, active processing conditions, and processing complete conditions). Again, the different colors of the icon and the physical design element indicate different status conditions.

Additionally, with these methods, the app causes the screen to move the edge of the icon across the screen of the external computing device to increase the amount of the screen the icon occupies to indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus has performed on a document processing operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, supplementing the machine's user interface with remote interfaces presented through websites and apps allows users of computers, smartphones, kiosks, etc., to bypass the user interface on the machine. While the user can provide all inputs through remote devices and skip interaction with the device's user interface, this can sometimes cause user confusion because the machine does not provide visual feedback regarding progress toward completion of processing operations; except possibly through indicators on the screen display, of which the user may be unaware or may be avoiding.

Therefore, until printed sheets start appearing on the output tray, users who are not attuned to, or want to skip interaction with, the user interface of a conventional document processing apparatus may not be provided feedback that progress is being made on a job they submitted remotely. Also, in locations with a high-density of document processing devices, a user may not know which device is processing their remotely submitted job because of this lack of feedback. This conventional lack of feedback relating to remotely submitted document processing jobs can result in document processing jobs being lost or abandoned, and/or to duplicate submission of the same job.

In view of such issues, the systems and methods herein provide apps synchronized with lighted physical design element on the exterior of document processing apparatus. Devices herein provide a signature brand emotive experience for users who submit document processing jobs through personal computers, mobile devices, smart phones, and tablets to provide a richer form of feedback.

Systems and devices herein supply feedback of different machine states utilizing different background colors on a lighted physical design element of the document processing device. For example, for printing or copying, the lighted physical design element may display a green color, while if there is a machine fault or jam, the color of the lighted physical design element might change to amber or red. Thus, by leveraging the power and technology of mobile devices and apps, systems and devices herein use the lighted physical design element to enhance the emotional feedback provided to the user beyond what the conventional systems offer.

In greater detail, as shown inFIGS. 1A-1G, systems herein can include (among other components) a document processing apparatus204, a computer server200adapted to supply an app300to an external computing device260(a device separate from the document processing apparatus204, such as smart phones, portable computers, stationary computers, tablets, kiosks, etc.) through a computer network202, etc. (also seeFIGS. 6-8, discussed in detail below). As is understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, applications, or “apps” for shorthand, are sets of instructions (such as software programs, etc.) that are automatically executable by a computer to cause devices to perform automated operations, such as document processing operations.

The document processing apparatus can include (among other components) a scanner232, a printing engine240, a network communication device214, etc. The app300is adapted to communicate (wirelessly) with the document processing apparatus204through components of the external computing device260to perform document processing operations that automatically operate the scanner232, the printing engine240, or the network communication device214, without necessarily interacting with the user interface212of the document processing apparatus204(again, seeFIGS. 6-8, discussed in detail below).

The document processing apparatus204also includes a physical design element that is part of, or is on, the exterior surface of the document processing apparatus204. The physical design element is identified in the drawings using identifiers250G,250P,250R,250W (e.g.,250(G,P,R,W, etc.)) to represent some of the different colors (e.g., green, pink, red, white, etc.) the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) may have. While some colors are used in examples herein, the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) can be any color.

To be more specific about some of the terms used herein, the “bottom” of the document processing apparatus204is adjacent the surface upon which the document processing apparatus rests (e.g., the floor, the ground, a platform, etc.) and the “top” of the document processing apparatus204is opposite the bottom. The physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) is on/at the top of the document processing apparatus204so that it is easily viewable. For example, the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) may be visible to the user when the user interface of the document processing apparatus204is not, or when the document processing apparatus204does not have a user interface, which allows the systems and devices herein to provide a form a feedback that conventional devices could not.

The physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) comprises lighting elements adapted to change color and the app300causes the screen262of the external computing device260to display a synchronized color icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) matching the shape and color of the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.). Thus, the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) have the same color and shape; and therefore, the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) is identified in the drawings using identifiers310G,310P,310R,310W (e.g.,310(G,P,R,W, etc.)) to represent some of the different colors (e.g., green, pink, red, white, etc.).

Further, the app300is adapted to simultaneously change the appearance of the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) during different steps of document processing operations to always keep the icon's310(G,P,R,W, etc.) appearance matching that of the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) (e.g., by keeping the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) the same color and/or by flashing or pulsing the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) in synchronization). Also, the different colors of the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) indicate different status conditions (e.g., error conditions, warning conditions, active processing conditions, and processing complete conditions).

More specifically,FIGS. 1A-1Gillustrate an example of using the systems and devices herein to perform a scan-and-send operation, which involves scanning an item or document and automatically sending a file containing the scanned image to an identified recipient. Thus,FIG. 1Aillustrates some sheets238inserted into the document hander (sheet feeder) of the scanner structure232. After a user open's the app300on their portable device260,FIG. 1Bshows a user establishing a communication session connection between the app300appearing on the screen262of the portable/remote device260. In item1A-1B, the physical design element250W is color that matches the exterior of the document processing apparatus204(e.g., generically identified as white, which represents all colors that match the corresponding exterior herein, or represents lights within the physical design element250W being off) because the corresponding icon does not yet appear on the screen262.

As shown inFIG. 1C, a screen display262is presented after the user has selected a menu option to choose the recipient of the scan from a contact list304, where the app300can include an icon310P and the app300can synchronize the color of the physical design element250P (both are pink in this example). Once the user has selected the scan recipient from the contact list304, as shown inFIG. 1D, the user is presented with a start icon (icon310G) that is green and the physical design element250G is similarly synchronized by the app300to also be green (and the lighting in both can blink/pulse in synchronization to provide more feedback).

Selection of the icon310G inFIG. 1Dcauses the scan operation to commence. As shown inFIGS. 1E-1F, in order to provide feedback that processing is occurring (when there may be no other visible indicators that processing is occurring) during scanning and data processing of the scanned images, the edge of the icon310G moves across the screen262of the external computing device260to increase the amount of the screen262the icon310G occupies. In the example shown the icons310(G,P,R,W, etc.) herein are right triangles that have the right angle located in the corner of the screen262; however, those ordinarily skilled in the art would understand that the physical design elements250G (G,P,R,W, etc.) and icons310(G,P,R,W, etc.) could be any shapes (e.g., rectangular, circular, multi-sided, etc.), as shown, for example, inFIG. 5. Note that whileFIG. 5illustrates some exemplary shapes for the physical design elements250G (G,P,R,W, etc.) and icons310(G,P,R,W, etc.), the physical design elements250G (G,P,R,W, etc.) and icons310(G,P,R,W, etc.) are not limited to such shapes, proportions, etc., but can be any shape including straight lines, curved lines, combinations of such items, etc. Using the triangle example, the edge that moves across the screen is the hypotenuse.

Again, here the lighting in both the physical design element250G and icon310G can blink/pulse in synchronization to provide the user more feedback that is different from feedback that would be provided through a user interface screen. Therefore, the synchronized appearance of the physical design element250G and icon310G indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus204has performed on a remotely submitted document processing operation.

As shown inFIG. 1G, when the scanning operation has been completed and the file has been sent to the identified recipient, the app300presents a complete display316on the screen262of the external computing device260. Because no icon is within the complete display316, the physical design element250W matches the color of the exterior of the document processing apparatus204(and is shown as “white” in the drawings).

In another example, shown inFIGS. 2A-2H, a user performs a print operation. Specifically,FIG. 2Aillustrates a document266that the user has selected to be on the screen262of the external computing device260. InFIG. 2B, the user selects a print option from a menu268, and inFIG. 2Cthe user selects the document processing apparatus204to perform the print job. Note that inFIGS. 2B-2C, the physical design element250W again is the color that matches the exterior of the document processing apparatus204(e.g., generically referred to herein as “white”) because the corresponding icon does not yet appear on the screen262.

InFIG. 2D, the app300causes the screen262to present a print display312.FIG. 2Dalso illustrates that the app300shows an icon310G that matches the physical design element250G. Again, both the icon310G and physical design element250G have the same color (green) are the same shape (triangle in this example) and can blink or pulse in synchronization to provide feedback to the user that the app300and document processing apparatus204are in communication and that the document processing operation is begin performed and is progressing.

As shown inFIGS. 2E-2F, in order to provide feedback that processing is occurring (when there may be no other visible indicators that processing is occurring) during printing and data processing of the print data, again the edge of the icon310G moves across the screen262of the external computing device260to increase the amount of the screen262the icon310G occupies. Again, here the lighting in both the physical design element250G and icon310G can blink/pulse in synchronization to provide more feedback. Therefore, the synchronized appearance of the physical design element250G and icon310G indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus204has performed on the printing operation shown in print display screen312.

As shown inFIG. 2G, when the printing operation has been completed, the app300presents a complete display316on the screen262of the external computing device260.FIG. 2Hshows the printed document264output from the document processing apparatus204. Because no icon is within the complete display316or when the document266is displayed, the physical design element250W matches the color of the exterior of the document processing apparatus204(and is shown as “white” in theFIGS. 2G-2H).

FIG. 3Ashows a screen display330presented after the user has selected a menu option to choose 3D-to-2D-to-3D processing operations, where the app300can include an icon310G and the app300can synchronize the color of the icon310G and the physical design element250G (both are green in this example). Once the user has selected the scan icon310G, as shown inFIG. 3B, an item272(e.g., ball or other 3D item) can be 3D scanned in the scanner232(and the lighting in physical design element250G provides more feedback that the scan is underway).

In a similar manner to that discussed above, as shown inFIG. 3C, during scanning and data processing of the scanned images, the edge of the icon310G moves across the screen262of the external computing device260to increase the amount of the screen262the icon310G occupies. Again, here the lighting in both the physical design element250G and icon310G can blink/pulse in synchronization to provide more feedback. Therefore, the synchronized appearance of the physical design element250G and icon310G indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus204has performed on the 3D-to-2D-to-3D processing operation.

As shown inFIG. 3D, when the 3D-to-2D-to-3D processing operation has been completed, the app300presents a 3D-to-2D-to-3D display372on the screen262of the external computing device260. The 3D-to-2D-to-3D display372includes elements such as a glyph or quick-reference (QR) code that allows users to reference network storage locations to retrieve files that can be printed or imported into other applications in either 2D format or 3D format. Because no icon is within the 3D-to-2D-to-3D display372, the physical design element250W matches the color of the exterior of the document processing apparatus204(and is shown as “white” in the drawings).

While the previous discussion shows how just a few of many different processing operations steps can provide a greater amount of user feedback,FIGS. 4A-4Cprovide an example of how additional user feedback can be supplied for many different machine status conditions. Specifically,FIG. 4Ashows how an error condition can be presented in a copy display374of the app300. The error condition in this example is a toner cartridge needing replacement where, rather than a green icon, instead a red icon310R is presented on the display262by the app300. Correspondingly, the physical design element250R is also red, and can blink/pulse in coordination with the red icon310R.

FIG. 4Billustrates an error detail screen376that can specify details about the machine status (where a magenta cartridge needs replacement); andFIG. 4Ccan include additional details378, such as where/how such a replacement may be obtained. Note that as with the previous examples, as long as the red icon310R is displayed, the physical design element250R is also red, and can blink/pulse in coordination with the red icon310R.

FIG. 6is flowchart illustrating exemplary methods herein. In item100, these methods provide a computer server adapted to supply an app to an external computing device through a computer network, etc. Once the app is installed and open/operating on the external computing device, in item102these methods establish communications between the document processing apparatus and the app operating on the external computing device. The communications are established in item102through the external computing device.

Again, the document processing apparatus has a physical design element on an exterior surface of the document processing apparatus. The physical design element has lighting elements adapted to change color. In item104, the app causes a screen of the external computing device to display an icon matching the color and shape of the physical design element.

Further, in item106the app causes the screen to simultaneously change the appearance of the icon and the physical design element during different steps of document processing operations to always keep the icon matching the physical design element (e.g., by keeping the icon and the physical design element the same color and/or by flashing or pulsing the icon and the physical design element in synchronization). Also, the different colors of the icon and the physical design element indicate different status conditions (e.g., error conditions, warning conditions, active processing conditions, and processing complete conditions). Again, the different colors of the icon and the physical design element indicate different status conditions.

Additionally, with these methods, in item108, the app causes the screen to move the edge of the icon across the screen of the external computing device to increase the size of the icon and the amount of the screen the icon occupies to indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus has performed on a document processing operation.

As shown inFIG. 7, exemplary systems and methods herein include various computerized devices200,204located at various different physical locations206. The computerized devices200,204can include print servers, printing devices, personal computers, etc., and are in communication (operatively connected to one another) by way of a local or wide area (wired or wireless) network202.

FIG. 8illustrates a computerized device200, which can be used with systems and methods herein and can comprise, for example, a server, a personal computer, the external computing device260, etc. The server200/external computing device260includes a controller/tangible processor216and a communications port (input/output)214operatively connected to the tangible processor216and to the computerized network202external to the server200/external computing device260. Also, the server200/external computing device260can include at least one accessory functional component, such as a graphical user interface (GUI) assembly212. The user may receive messages, instructions, and menu options from, and enter instructions through, the graphical user interface or control panel212.

The input/output device214is used for communications to and from the server200/external computing device260and comprises a wired device or wireless device (of any form, whether currently known or developed in the future). The tangible processor216controls the various actions of the computerized device. A non-transitory, tangible, computer storage medium device210(which can be optical, magnetic, capacitor based, etc., and is different from a transitory signal) is readable by the tangible processor216and stores instructions that the tangible processor216executes to allow the computerized device to perform its various functions, such as those described herein. Thus, as shown inFIG. 8, a body housing has one or more functional components that operate on power supplied from an alternating current (AC) source220by the power supply218. The power supply218can comprise a common power conversion unit, power storage element (e.g., a battery, etc.), etc.

FIG. 9illustrates a computerized device that is a printing device204, which can be used with systems and methods herein and can comprise, for example, a printer, copier, multi-function machine, multi-function device (MFD), etc. The printing device204includes many of the components mentioned above and at least one marking device (printing engine(s))240operatively connected to a specialized image processor224(that is different from a general purpose computer because it is specialized for processing image data), a media path236positioned to supply continuous media or sheets of media from a sheet supply230to the marking device(s)240, etc. After receiving various markings from the printing engine(s)240, the sheets of media can optionally pass to a finisher234which can fold, staple, sort, etc., the various printed sheets. Also, the printing device204can include at least one accessory functional component (such as a scanner/document handler232(automatic document feeder (ADF)), etc.) that also operate on the power supplied from the external power source220(through the power supply218).

The one or more printing engines240are intended to illustrate any marking device that applies a marking material (toner, inks, etc.) to continuous media or sheets of media, whether currently known or developed in the future and can include, for example, devices that use a photoreceptor belt or an intermediate transfer belt, or devices that print directly to print media (e.g., inkjet printers, ribbon-based contact printers, etc.).

Thus, as noted above, the app causes the screen of the external computing device to display an icon matching the physical design element (the physical design element and the icon have the same color, shape, blink at the same rate, etc.).

Thus, as explained above, the app300, when executed by the processor216/224, is adapted to simultaneously change the appearance of the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) during different steps of document processing operations to always keep the icon's310(G,P,R,W, etc.) appearance matching that of the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.). Also, the different colors of the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) and the physical design element250(G,P,R,W, etc.) indicate different status conditions (e.g., error conditions, warning conditions, active processing conditions, and processing complete conditions) of the various document processing operations that the app300is causing (when being executed by the processor216/224) the document processing device204and the server200/external computing device260to automatically perform. Again, the icon310(G,P,R,W, etc.) can be a triangle, etc., in one corner of the screen and one edge of the icon moves across the screen of the external computing device260to increase the amount of the screen the icon occupies, and to indicate the amount of progress the document processing apparatus has performed on a document processing operation.

While some exemplary structures are illustrated in the attached drawings, those ordinarily skilled in the art would understand that the drawings are simplified schematic illustrations and that the claims presented below encompass many more features that are not illustrated (or potentially many less) but that are commonly utilized with such devices and systems. Therefore, Applicants do not intend for the claims presented below to be limited by the attached drawings, but instead the attached drawings are merely provided to illustrate a few ways in which the claimed features can be implemented.

The terms printer or printing device as used herein encompasses any apparatus, such as a digital copier, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, multi-function machine, etc., which performs a print outputting function for any purpose. The details of printers, printing engines, etc., are well-known and are not described in detail herein to keep this disclosure focused on the salient features presented. The systems and methods herein can encompass systems and methods that print in color, monochrome, or handle color or monochrome image data. All foregoing systems and methods are specifically applicable to electrostatographic and/or xerographic machines and/or processes.

In addition, terms such as “right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower”, “under”, “below”, “underlying”, “over”, “overlying”, “parallel”, “perpendicular”, etc., used herein are understood to be relative locations as they are oriented and illustrated in the drawings (unless otherwise indicated). Terms such as “touching”, “on”, “in direct contact”, “abutting”, “directly adjacent to”, etc., mean that at least one element physically contacts another element (without other elements separating the described elements). Further, the terms automated or automatically mean that once a process is started (by a machine or a user), one or more machines perform the process without further input from any user. Additionally, terms such as “adapted to” mean that a device is specifically designed to have specialized internal or external components that automatically perform a specific operation or function at a specific point in the processing described herein, where such specialized components are physically shaped and positioned to perform the specified operation/function at the processing point indicated herein (potentially without any operator input or action). In the drawings herein, the same identification numeral identifies the same or similar item.