Electronic device and information providing method that provide assistance to user's operation on how to use electronic equipment

Provided is an electronic equipment facilitating a search for setting items associated with items to be set. The display management circuit manages to cause the display circuit to display a first setting item connected with various settings and an advanced setting menu associated with the first setting item. The operation receiving circuit receives an operation of the first setting item or the advanced setting menu. The uncertain operation detecting circuit detects an uncertain operation of the first setting item by confirming that no setting is conducted in the advanced setting menu, and a process is returned to the first setting item. The display management circuit manages to cause the display circuit to display the first setting item and a second setting item associated with the first setting item based on a detected result of the uncertain operation of the first setting item.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-157962 filed on Aug. 1, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an electronic equipment and an information providing method suitable for providing assistance to a user's operation on how to use the electronic equipment.

For example, an image forming apparatus includes a MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) such as a printer, a multifunction printer, and a multifunction machine. In the image forming apparatus, when a user is unfamiliar with a setting operation of printing a document or the like, it sometimes happens that the user takes much time to do so.

As an apparatus for providing assistance to a user unfamiliar with such an operation, there has been proposed a guidance display apparatus designed to guide an operating procedure. If a divergence calculated from a user operation series to a command execution and a shortest operation series in executing the command is greater than a specific value, the apparatus determines that a user has lost in operation. Then, an execution command corresponding to an uncertain operation series determined to be having a high similarity on the basis of the user operation series and the uncertain operation series is extracted as a predicted command. Then, the apparatus displays guidance information indicating an operation series corresponding to the predicated command.

SUMMARY

An electronic equipment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprising: a display circuit; a display management circuit that manages to cause the display circuit to display a first setting item associated with various settings and an advanced setting menu associated with the first setting item; an operation receiving circuit that receives an operation of the first setting item or the advanced setting menu; and an uncertain operation detecting circuit that detects an uncertain operation of the first setting item by confirming that no setting is conducted in the advanced setting menu and a process is returned to the first setting item; wherein the display management circuit manages to cause the display circuit to display the first setting item received by the operation receiving circuit and a second setting item associated with the first setting item based on a detected result of the uncertain operation of the first setting item detected by the uncertain operation detecting circuit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an electronic equipment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanyingFIG. 1toFIG. 5. In this context, it should be noted that an electronic equipment to be described later is an image forming apparatus that is a MFP (Multifunction Peripheral), such as a printer, a multifunction printer, and a multifunction machine.

As shown inFIG. 1, an image forming apparatus100includes a control part101, an operation part110, a display part111, a scanner part112, a printer part113, a FAX part114, and an I/F (interface)115. The control part101is a circuit that controls the whole operation of the image forming apparatus100based on programs stored in a ROM. The control part101includes a communication management part102, a display management part103, an operation receiving part104, an uncertain operation detecting part105, a setting information management part106, an image forming part107, and a memory108.

The communication management part102is a circuit that receives a print job or the like containing a print request and print data from a client terminal via the I/F115. The display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the contents associated with settings of a copy, a printer, a scanner, and a FAX. The details thereof will follow later. The operation receiving part104receives a setting operation of the copy, the printer, the scanner, and the FAX or the like by the operation part110.

The uncertain operation detecting part105is a circuit that detects a user's uncertain operation in various setting menus displayed on the display part111. The uncertain operation detecting part105confirms, for example, that a user performs as it is a setting operation returning to an original item without setting a next setting item, though the user moves from an optional setting item to the next setting item associated with the optional setting item. Thereby, the uncertain operation detecting part105detects an uncertain operation. In this context, the return operation means that a back button240to be described later is operated. The setting information management part106is a circuit manages, for example, a first lower layer setting menu, a second lower layer setting menu associated with the first lower layer setting menu, and an attribute of the first lower layer setting menu. They are connected with function setting, and the details thereof will follow later.

The image forming part107is a circuit that applies, for example, image processing to print data from a client terminal. The image processing is rasterization, for example. The memory108stores print data or the like from the client terminal. The memory108stores the print data from the client terminal. Further, the memory108also stores the contents connected with settings of the copy, the printer, the scanner, and the FAX to be described later.

The operation part110is a circuit that includes a touch panel, for example. The operation part10receives, for example, a touch operation in performing an operation connected with the settings of the copy, the printer, the scanner, and the FAX or the like to be described later.

The display part111is a circuit that displays the contents or the like connected with the settings of the copy, the printer, the scanner, and the FAX to be described later. Further, the display part111also displays a file setting of print data to be printed, a message to guide a login, and a file list of the print data a user can print.

The scanner part112is a circuit that inputs image data of a document read by an image sensor to the control part101. In other words, the scanner part112converts an image signal of the document from the image sensor into digital image data, and sequentially inputs the image data to the control part101.

The printer part113is a circuit that prints an image on a paper based on the image data output from the control part101. In other words, the printer part113forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum by a modulated laser beam based on the image data. In this connection, the image data is rasterized by and output from the control part101. Then, a toner image is formed from the electrostatic latent image developed by supply of toner, and is transferred on a paper.

The FAX part114is a circuit that transmits the image data output from the control part101to a destination facsimile through a telephone line. The FAX part114receives the image data from the destination facsimile and inputs the image data to the control part101. In other words, the FAX part114controls connection with the telephone line via a NCU (Network Control Unit). Then, the FAX part114compresses, modulates the image data output from the control part101, and transmits the image data to the destination facsimile.

Further, the FAX part114demodulates and decompresses the image data from the destination facsimile, and inputs the image data to the control part101while maintaining the connection with the telephone line via the NCU. The I/F115is connected to a network. The I/F115allows data transmission and reception among the client terminal, a data management server, and a portable terminal or the like.

In this connection, for a job of executing a copy function, image data is input from the scanner part112to the memory108. Then, the image data is output from the memory108to the printer part113. For a job of executing a print, image data rasterized by the image forming apparatus107is output to the printer part113. For a job of executing a scanner function, image data is input from the scanner part112to the memory108. Then, the image data is output from the memory108to the I/F115.

For a job of executing a facsimile transmitting function, image data is input from the scanner part112(or I/F115) to the memory108. Then, the image data is output from the memory108to the FAX part114. For a job of executing a facsimile receiving function, image data is input from the FAX part114to the memory108. Then, the image data is output from the memory108to the printer part113.

A description will next be made to a setting screen to be displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103with reference toFIG. 2.FIG. 2shows an outline in a case where a setting menu connected with a copy setting is displayed. Namely, for example, a function setting display area210and a setting information display area220are provided in a setting screen200displayed on the display part111. In this connection, portions surrounded by a dotted line indicate a setting menu display area220a. For example, a copy setting item211, a printer setting item212, a scanner setting item213, and a FAX setting item214or the like are displayed in the function setting display area210. It is to be noted inFIG. 2that the copy setting item211, the printer setting item212, the scanner setting item213, and the FAX setting item214are expressed simply as a copy211, a printer212, a scanner213, and a FAX214, respectively, for convenience of explanation. Nonetheless, each pair indicates the same thing and this holds true even in the following description.

For example, a document size setting item221, a paper setting item222, a copy density setting item223, a zooming in/out setting item224, a mixed document size setting item225, a document image quality setting item226, and a back button240are displayed in the setting menu display area220aof the setting information display area220. Among these, the document size setting item221, the paper setting item222, the copy density setting item223, the zooming in/out setting item224, the mixed document size setting item225, and the document image quality setting item226are a first lower layer setting menu associated with the copy setting item211. In other words, operating the copy setting item211displays these first lower layer setting menus on the setting menu display area220a. Further, operating each item of the these first lower layer setting menus displays a second lower layer setting menu to be described later on the setting menu display area220a. It is to be noted inFIG. 2that the document size setting item221, the paper setting item222, the copy density setting item223, zooming in/out setting item224, the mixed document size setting item225, the document image quality setting item226are expressed simply as a document size setting221, a paper setting222, a copy density222, a zooming in/out224, a mixed document size225, and a document image quality226, respectively, for convenience of explanation. Nonetheless, each pair indicates the same thing and this holds true even in the following description.

Herein, the document size setting item221is operated in setting a size of a document to be read by the scanner part112. The paper setting item222is operated in setting a paper on which image data read by the scanner part112is printed by the printer part113. The copy density setting item223is operated in setting density of a document to be read by the scanner part112.

The zooming in/out setting item224is operated in setting a magnification ratio or a reduction ratio of a document to be read by the scanner part112. The mixed document size setting item225is operated in setting reading of a document having a different size at one time by the scanner part112. The document image quality setting item226is operated in setting an image quality of a document to be read by the scanner part112. The back button240is operated in returning from a current display state to a former display state.

A description will next be made to an outline of setting information managed by the setting information management part106. In this connection,FIG. 3shows what is related to the copy setting item211. The setting information managed by the setting information management part106is stored in the above-mentioned memory108. Further, the setting information managed by the setting information management part106serves, for example, as a first lower layer setting menu associated with function setting, a second lower layer setting menu associated with the first lower layer setting menu, and an attribute of the first lower layer setting menu. The attribute is connected with the first lower layer setting menu.

FIG. 3Ashows a case where the document size setting advanced menu221athat is the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the document size setting item221that is the first lower layer setting menu. The document size setting advanced menu221ais displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when the document size management setting item221is operated. As mentioned above, the document size setting item221is operated in setting a size of a document to be read by the scanner part112. An attribute connected with the document size setting item221of the first lower layer setting menu is set to “read”.

FIG. 3shows a case where the paper setting advanced menu222athat is the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the paper setting item222that is the first lower layer menu. The document setting advanced menu222ais displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when the paper setting item222is operated. As mentioned above, the paper setting item222is operated in setting a paper on which image data read by the scanner part112is printed by the printer part113. An attribute connected with the document setting item221of the first lower layer setting menu is set to “output”.

FIG. 3Cshows a case where the copy density advanced setting menu223athat is the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the copy density setting item223that is the first lower layer setting menu. The copy density advanced setting menu223ais displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when the copy density setting item223is operated. As mentioned above, the copy density setting item223is operated in setting density of a document to be read by the scanner part112. An attributed connected with the copy density setting item223of the first lower layer setting menu is set to “output”.

FIG. 3Dshows a case where the zooming in/out advanced setting menu224athat is the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the zooming in/out setting item224that is the first lower layer setting menu. The zooming in/out advanced setting menu224ais displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when the zooming in/out setting item224is operated. As mentioned above, the zooming in/out setting item224is operated in setting a magnification ratio or a reduction ratio of a document to be read by the scanner part112. An attributed connected with the zooming in/out setting item224of the first lower layer setting menu is set to “read”.

FIG. 3Eshows a case where the mixed document size advanced setting menu225athat is the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the mixed document size setting item225that is the first lower layer setting menu. The mixed document size advanced setting menu225ais displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when the mixed document size setting item225is operated. As mentioned above, the mixed document size setting item225is operated in setting reading of a document having a different size at one time by the scanner part112. An attribute connected with the mixed document size setting item225of the first lower layer setting menu is set to “read”.

FIG. 3Fshows a case where the document image quality advanced setting menu226athat is the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the document image quality setting item226that is the first lower layer setting menu. The document image quality advanced setting menu226ais displayed on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when the document image quality setting item226is operated. As mentioned above, the document image quality setting item226is operated in setting an image quality of a document to be read by the scanner part112. An attribute connected with the document image quality setting item226is set to “read”.

In this connection, inFIG. 3AtoFIG. 3F, only the first lower layer setting menu and the second lower layer setting menu are shown as a setting menu associated with the copy setting item211. However, in some cases, there exists a third lower layer setting menu or the like associated with the second lower layer setting menu, but illustration and description thereof are omitted for brevity's sake.

InFIG. 3, an outline of a setting menu associated with the copy setting item211and an attribute associated with the first lower layer setting menu is shown. A setting menu and an attribute associated with the printer setting item212, the scanner setting item213, and the FAX setting item214are also managed by the setting information management part106in the same way as the above.

A description will be made to a display example of a setting screen on the display part111under the control of the display management part103when a user's uncertain operation is detected by the uncertain operation detecting part105. In this connection,FIG. 4is a display example showing a situation as follows. For example, inFIG. 4, the document size setting advanced menu221ais displayed on the display part111by operating the document size setting item221. However,FIG. 4shows a case where no setting is conducted in the document size setting advanced menu221a, and then a process is returned to the setting screen shown inFIG. 2, for example.

First, as shown inFIG. 4, the zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, the mixed document size setting item225, and the document size setting item221are displayed in the setting menu display area220aof the setting information display area220. Herein, as shown inFIG. 3, an attribute connected with settings of these items is each set to “read”. In other words, the document size setting advanced menu221ais displayed on the display part111by operating the document size setting item221whose attribute connected with the settings is set to “read”. However, there are times when no setting is conducted in the document size setting advanced menu221a, and the back button240is operated, for example. In this case, a process returns to the setting screen shown inFIG. 2, for example. Thereby, a user's uncertain operation is detected by the uncertain operation detecting part105. As a result, the another zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, and the mixed document size setting item225, each attribute being set to “read”, are simultaneously displayed, in addition to the document size setting item221.

However, the another zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, and the mixed document size setting item225are displayed at a position easy to more attract a person's attention than the document size setting item221. This is due to a high possibility that a user tends to set items other than the document size setting item221. Herein, the position easy to more attract a person's attention is a position defined in consideration of human characteristics. In other words, the position is defined on the basis of human's behavior that when plural items are vertically arranged side by side, a human is prone to see the items “from left to right” and “from top to bottom”.

Alternatively, the another zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, and the mixed document size setting item225may be displayed in lighting or be displayed in color. This contributes to separately display the items from the document size setting item221in which an uncertain user's operation is occurred.

FIG. 4shows an uncertain user's operation in the document size setting item221. However, the same thing holds true as above even for the document setting item222, the copy density setting item223, the zooming in/out setting item224, the mixed document size setting item225, and the document image quality setting item226. In other words, items having the same attribute are displayed, which are connected with settings in which an uncertain user's operation is detected.

A description will be made to display processing by the image forming apparatus100with reference toFIG. 5. The description will be made by taking the following case as an example. First, the first lower layer setting menu is displayed by an operation of the copy setting item211. Thereby, the document size setting item221of the first lower layer setting menu is operated to display the document size setting advanced menu221aof the second lower layer setting menu. However, no setting is conducted in the document size setting advanced menu221aand a process returns to the setting screen200shown inFIG. 2.

First, the control part101determines whether a selective operation of the copy setting item211is received or not by the operation receiving part104. If the copy setting item211is not selected (step S101: No), a process is placed in a wait state until the copy setting item211is selected. Otherwise, if the copy setting item211is selected (step S101: Yes), a process proceeds to step S102.

The display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the first lower layer setting menu shown inFIG. 2in the setting menu display area220aof the setting information display area220. As mentioned above, the first lower layer setting menu is connected with the copy setting item211. The first lower layer setting menu contains the document size setting item221, the paper setting item222, the copy density setting item223, the zooming in/out setting item224, the mixed document size setting item225, and the document image quality setting item226.

The control part101determines whether an operation of the document size setting item221of the first lower layer setting menu is received or not by the operation receiving part104. If the operation of the document size setting item221is not received (step S103: No), a process is placed in a wait state until the operation of the document size setting item221is received. Otherwise, if an operation of the document size setting item221is received (step S103: Yes), a process proceeds to step S104.

The display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the second lower layer setting menu shown inFIG. 3in the setting menu display area220aof the setting information display area220. As mentioned above, the second lower layer setting menu is connected with the first lower layer setting menu. The second lower layer menu contains the document size setting advanced menu221a, the paper setting advanced menu222a, the copy density advanced setting menu223a, the zooming in/out advanced setting menu224a, the mixed document size advanced setting menu225a, and the document image quality advanced setting menu226a.

The control part101determines whether a setting is conducted or not in the document size setting advanced menu221a. If the setting is conducted in the document size setting advanced menu221a(step S105: Yes), a process proceeds to step S106. Otherwise, if no setting is conducted in the document size setting advanced menu221a(step S105: No), a process proceeds to step S107.

The control part101controls to cause the scanner part112to read a document based on the settings in the document size setting advanced menu221a.

The uncertain operation detecting part105determines whether a process is returned or not from a setting screen on which the document size setting advanced menu221ais displayed to a setting screen on which the first lower layer setting menu shown inFIG. 2is displayed. If the process is not yet returned to the setting screen on which the first lower layer setting menu is displayed, a process proceeds to step S105. Otherwise, if a process is already retuned to the setting screen on which the first lower layer setting menu is displayed, a user's uncertain operation is detected by the uncertain detecting part105and a process proceeds to step S108.

The setting information management part106searches a setting item having the same attribute as that of the document size setting item221of the first lower layer setting menu based on a detected result by the uncertain operation detecting part105. in this case, since an attribute of the document size setting item221is set to “read”, a search is made to the zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, the mixed document size setting item225, each having the same attribute. Then, a process proceeds to step S109.

The display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the document size setting item221whose attribute searched by the setting information management part106is set to “read”. Additionally, the display management part103also manages to cause the display part111to simultaneously display the another zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, the mixed document size setting item225. In this case, as mentioned above, the another zooming in/out setting item224, the document image quality setting item226, the mixed document size setting item225are displayed at a position easy to more attract a person's attention than the document size setting item221.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu) associated with various settings and the advanced setting menu (second lower layer setting menu) associated with the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu). The operation receiving part104receives an operation of the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu) or the advanced setting menu (second lower layer setting menu). The uncertain operation detecting part105detects an uncertain operation of the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu) by confirming that no setting is conducted in the advanced setting menu (second lower layer setting menu), and a process is returned to the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu). Then, the display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu) received by the operation receiving part104and the second setting item (first lower layer setting menu) associated with the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu) on the basis of a detected result of an uncertain operation of the first setting menu (first lower layer setting menu) by the uncertain operation detecting part105. This facilitates a search for the setting items associated with items to be set. Accordingly, the present embodiment enables a problem of taking much time for setting to be successfully solved.

Further, the setting information management part106manages the first lower layer setting menu associated with function setting that is the first setting item or the second setting item, the second lower layer setting menu that is the advanced setting menu, and an attribute of the first lower layer setting menu. The setting information management part106searches the another first lower layer setting menu having the same attribute as that of the first lower layer setting menu received by the operation receiving part104on the basis of a detected result by the uncertain operation detecting part105. The display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the first lower layer setting menu received by the operation receiving part104and the another first lower layer setting menu having the same attribute as that of the first lower layer setting menu.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the display management part103manages to cause the display part111to display the second setting item (first lower layer setting menu) associated with the first setting item (first lower layer setting menu) at a top side or at a left side with respect to the first setting item. Accordingly, as mentioned above, the setting items associated with items to be set can be arranged at a position easy to more attract a person's attention.

To be more specific, the guidance display apparatus in the above-mentioned typical case can provide guidance for an operation procedure to a command execution, based on a user's situation. For this reason, the guidance display apparatus enables even a user unfamiliar with a setting operation to be operated while confirming guidance information.

Nevertheless, the guidance information by such guidance display apparatus is provided only for items to be set. On the contrary, guidance information associated with the items to be set is not displayed. For this reason, there remains as yet a problem that a user who searches the setting items associated with the items to be set takes much time for setting.

In contrast, according to the electronic equipment and the information providing method of the present disclosure, they facilitate a search for the setting items associated with the items to be set. Accordingly, they allow the problem of taking much time for setting to be successfully solved.

While in the present embodiment, the descriptions are made by giving an example where the electronic equipment of the present disclosure is applied to the image forming apparatus100, not necessarily limited thereto, it goes without saying that the present disclosure may also be applied to other electronic equipments having various setting items, such as a car navigation system, a PC (Personal Computer), and a portable terminal.