Patent ID: 8405616

Claim:
A user interface apparatus for a touch screen of a multi-function peripheral (MFP), the multi-function peripheral has at least two of a printing unit, a scanning unit, a copy unit and a facsimile unit, the user interface apparatus comprising: a mode selection input unit for receiving a selection regarding whether to enable a screen area division function which divides a screen area of the touch screen into a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones have input buttons for inputting job commands, the plurality of zones are functionally identical and logically separated each other such that the job commands are to be inputted to the plurality of zones separately and independently; a touch screen division unit for dividing the screen area of the touch screen into the plurality of zones, if the screen area division function is enabled by the received selection; and an allocation unit for allocating a plurality of user interface units to each of the plurality of zones, respectively, the plurality of user interface units inactivate a specific input button from among the job buttons of the plurality of zones while a job corresponding to the specific input button is being performed.