Patent ID: 7551297

Claim:
An image processing apparatus having an operation panel, comprising: a medium interface formed on a first surface of the operation panel and configured to insert therein a portable medium storing data; a medium cover having a panel section fixed to the first surface of the operation panel and a cover section movably attached to the panel section, the cover section being configured to close for covering the medium interface and to open for exposing the medium interface; a detector provided on the first surface of the operation panel and configured to generate a detection result indicating an open or close state of the medium cover; a processor coupled to the operation panel configured to control a reading operation for reading the data from the portable medium based on the detection result and to generate a notification when the detection result indicates that the medium cover is in the open state; a notifying device configured to output the notification generated by the processor to a user when the detection result indicates that the medium cover is in the open state; and an input device provided on a second surface of the operation panel and configured to input an instruction from the user, wherein when the detection result indicates that the medium cover is in the open state, the processor is further configured to interrupt the reading operation until the instruction from the user is input.