Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided with a display device for displaying an operation guide to an operator, and a display controller for causing the display device to display an operation procedure comprised of a plurality of operations as the operation guide while automatically switching the respective operations in rotation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view in section mainly showing the construction of a composite apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the composite apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a screen display switching control of a display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen showing that copying is in process.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen in the event of an operation error caused by a sheet jam.

FIG. 6 is a transition diagram of display screens of the display device.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a transition diagram of display screens of the display device.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a third embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transition of display screens showing an operation procedure in the event of an operation error caused by a sheet jam.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the transition of display screens showing an operation procedure in the event of an operation error caused by a sheet jam, wherein already completed operations are displayed in a different color.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the transition of display screens showing an operation procedure in the event of an operation error caused by a sheet jam, wherein already completed operations are displayed in another display mode.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a fourth embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the transition of display screens showing an operation procedure in the event of an operation error caused by a sheet jam, wherein already completed operations are displayed in a different display mode.

FIG. 15 is a control block diagram of the composite apparatus carrying out screen display switching controls of fifth to eighth embodiments.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error.

FIG. 17 is a transition diagram of display screens showing an operation procedure in the event of an operation error caused by a sheet jam.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a display example of detailed explanation.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing the sixth embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 20 is a flow chart showing the seventh embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing the eighth embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

FIG. 22 is a control block diagram showing the composite apparatus carrying out a screen display switching control of a ninth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing the ninth embodiment of the screen display switching control of the display device in the event of an operation error in the composite apparatus.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: display portion for displaying an operation guide to an operator; anddisplay controller for causing the display portion to display an operation procedure comprised of a plurality of operation as the operation guide while automatically switching the respective operations in rotation.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the stage of the operation being displayed in the operation procedure when the display screens of the respective operations constituting the operation procedure are displayed.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display controller causes the stage of the operation being displayed in the operation procedure to be displayed by causing the display of the number of all the operations constituting the operation procedure and the order of the predetermined operation to be performed at the present moment by the operator in all the operations.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controller causes all the operations constituting the operation procedure to be displayed and causes the predetermined operation to be performed at the present moment by the operator to be displayed differently from the preceding and succeeding operations when the respective operations constituting the operation procedure are displayed.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising judging portion for judging whether or not the respective operations constituting the operation procedure have been completed by the operator, wherein the display controller causes all the operations constituting the operation procedure to be displayed and causes the operation judged to have been completed by the judging portion to be displayed differently from the other operations when the respective operations constituting the operation procedure are displayed.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising judging portion for judging whether or not the respective operations constituting the operation procedure have been completed by the operator, wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the operation guide by repeatedly reproducing the display screens of the respective operations constituting the operation procedure in rotation after changing the display format of the display screen showing the operation judged to have been completed by the judging portion to the one different from that of the other operations.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the operation guide by repeatedly reproducing the display screens of the respective operations constituting the operation procedure in rotation after causing the display format of the display screen showing the operation judged to have been completed by the judging portion to differ from that of the display screens of the other operations and deleting a display portion that became unnecessary for the guidance of the operator upon the completion of the operation.

8. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising instruction receiving portion for receiving an instruction to pause the display screen of the display portion from the operator, wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the operation guide by repeatedly reproducing the plurality of screens constituting the operation procedure at a predetermined speed in rotation, and causes the display portion to display the detailed explanation of the operation guided on the screen being displayed when a pause instruction is received if the pause instruction from the operator is received by the instruction receiving portion.

9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising judging portion for judging whether or not the respective operations guided by the operation guide have been completed by the operator is further provided, wherein the display controller resumes the repeated reproduction of the respective screens constituting the operation procedure if the operation guided on the screen being displayed is judged to have been completed by the judging portion when the detailed explanation is displayed on the display portion.

10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display controller resumes the repeated reproduction of the respective screens constituting the operation procedure from the screen showing the operation succeeding the one judged to have been completed if the operation guided on the screen being displayed is judged to have been completed by the judging portion when the detailed explanation is displayed on the display portion.

11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising judging portion for judging whether or not the respective operations guided by the operation guide have been completed by the operator, wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the detailed explanation on the operation guided on the screen being displayed if the pause instruction from the operator is received by the instruction receiving portion and the operation guided on the screen being displayed is judged not to have been completed by the judging portion.

12. An image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the display controller causes the screen being displayed to pause and to be displayed on the display portion without displaying the detailed explanation of the operation guided on the screen being displayed if the pause instruction from the operator is received by the instruction receiving portion and the operation guided on the screen being displayed is judged to have been completed by the judging portion.

13. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising instruction receiving portion for receiving an instruction to switch the display of the display portion to another screen from the operator, wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the operation guide by repeatedly reproducing the respective screens constituting the operation procedure at a predetermined speed in rotation, and switches the display of the display portion to another screen and sets a speed at which the another screen is switched to a next screen slower than the predetermined speed if an instruction to switch the display of the display portion to another screen is received by the instruction receiving portion.

14. An image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the display controller switches the display of the display portion to another screen and causes the another screen to be displayed as a still image if the instruction to switch the display of the display portion to another screen is received by the instruction receiving portion.

15. An image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein: the instruction receiving portion receives an instruction to switch the display of the display portion to the first preceding screen as the display switching instruction to switch the display to another screen, andthe display controller switches the display of the display portion to the first preceding screen and causes the first preceding screen to be displayed as a still image if the display switching instruction is received by the instruction receiving portion.

16. An image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein: the instruction receiving portion receives an instruction to switch the display of the display portion to the first screen of the operation procedure as the display switching instruction to switch the display to another screen; andthe display controller switches the display of the display portion to the first screen and causes the first screen to be displayed as a still image if the display switching instruction is received by the instruction receiving portion.

17. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: instruction input portion to which an instruction from the operator is inputted in a plurality of operation modes adapted by the operator; anddisplay screen discriminating portion for discriminating an instruction inputted to the instruction input portion and the display screen indicated by this instruction,wherein the display controller causes the display portion to display the operation guide by repeatedly reproducing the respective screens constituting the operation procedure at a predetermined speed in rotation, and switches the display of the display portion to the discriminated display screen if the display screen is discriminated by the display screen discriminating portion.

18. An image forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the display screen discriminating portion discriminates the display screen indicated by the instruction inputted in a predetermined operation mode as the first screen of the operation procedure if the predetermined operation mode is adapted at the instruction input portion by the operator.

19. An image forming apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising judging portion for judging whether or not the respective operations guided by the operation guide have been completed by the operator, wherein the display screen discriminating portion discriminates the display screen indicated by the instruction inputted in a predetermined operation mode as the screen showing the operation succeeding the one judged to have been completed by the judging portion if the predetermined operation mode is adapted at the instruction input portion by the operator.

20. An image forming apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising: first and second instruction input portions constituting the instruction input portion; andjudging portion for judging whether or not the respective operations guided by the operation guide have been completed by the operator,wherein the display screen discriminating portion discriminates the display screen indicated by the instruction inputted in a predetermined operation mode as the screen showing the operation succeeding the one judged to have been completed by the judging portion if the predetermined operation mode is adapted at the first instruction input portion by the operator and discriminates the display screen indicated by the instruction inputted in the predetermined operation mode as the first screen of the operation procedure if the predetermined operation mode is adapted at the second instruction input portion by the operator.