Patent Application
20080074293
A description is provided with reference to the drawings of an input apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention applied to an image forming apparatus (multifunction equipment) taken as electronic equipment.
As shown in
The shape, configuration, and function, etc. of the multifunction equipment 1 is by no means limited to the example shown in the drawings. Installation of optional equipment, etc. such as, for example, a sorter, is also by no means hindered.
As shown in
The display screen 9 and the operation section 10 combine operation functions for carrying out various settings such as paper size setting, concentration setting, double-sided printing setting, or intensity setting, etc., during utilization of copy functions, etc. according to the function of the multifunction equipment 1. The control and audio output relating to the operations for these various functions is controlled by a control circuit board (control circuit) 18 incorporated in the apparatus body 2.
Furthermore, the numeric keypad 12 may be allocated to function as single digits of Arabic numerals, 50 Japanese syllabury lined up in groups, voiced sounds and prolonged sounds, etc., alphabetical characters, etc., and other symbols at, for example, each key 0 to 9. For example, Arabic numeral “1”, kana of “a”, “i”, “u”, “e”, “o”, and alphabetical characters of “A”, “B” and “C” may be allocated to key 1 as one type of numeric and character function.
As a result, for example, in the event of depressing a “fax” key of the function select keys 11 and utilizing a panel switch function displayed at the display screen 9 so as to select quick dial registration mode. etc., each of the keys “0” to “9” may function as numerals when inputting a facsimile number of a destination for quick dial registration, and each of the keys “0” to “9” may function as characters (kana input function/alphabetical character input function) when inputting a name for a destination for quick dial registration.
Furthermore, this input information is displayed on the display screen 9, and can be switched over between converting to kanji, inputting kana or inputting alphabetical characters as necessary.
The following is a description with reference to the flowchart of
In step S1, the control circuit 18 monitors whether or not audio output mode is selected. When audio output mode is selected, step S2 is advanced to. When audio output mode is not selected, monitoring continues in step S1.
Furthermore, an audio output mode that is useful for the visually impaired, etc. is selected by depressing the setting key 16 for an extended duration. Speech such as “audio output mode selected” is then outputted by the audio output section 17. Moreover, it is also possible to provide a backlight at the back surface of the setting key 16 and illuminate the backlight or to arrange an indicator such as an LED directly in front of the setting key 16 and illuminate this indicator in such a manner as to enable confirmation that the audio output mode is selected. In addition, selection of audio output mode is arbitrary and may be automatically switched using registration of a user card, etc., selection utilizing a panel switch function of the display screen 9, or an audio output mode selection key may be separately provided. It is also possible to provide unevenness at the surface in order to make it easy to be aware of the presence of the setting key 16.
In addition to outputting speech for function keys used in common such as for the numeric keypad 12 shown below when the audio output mode is being executed, the audio output described above is also possible when a dedicated key such as a function select key 11 is depressed.
Moreover, a publicly known common operation is effective when the numeric keypad 12 is depressed in a state where audio output mode is not selected and this is, therefore, not described here.
In step S2, the control circuit 18 monitors whether or not any key of the numeric keypad 12 as operation keys is depressed. When any key of the numeric keypad 12 is depressed, step S3 is advanced to. When none of the keys of the numeric keypad 12 are depressed, observation continues in step S2.
In step S3, the control circuit 18 outputs speech corresponding to a function allocated to the numeric keypad 12 that is pressed from the audio output section 17 and step S4 is advanced to.
In step S4, the control circuit 18 monitors whether or not the setting key 16 is depressed. When the setting key 16 is depressed, step S5 is advanced to. When the setting key 16 is not depressed, step S6 is advanced to.
In step S5, when the setting key 16 is depressed, the control circuit 18 executes processing taking the operation key depressed just previously in step S2 (operated by a person) as a key depressed to select a function.
In step S6, the control circuit 18 returns to step S2 taking the operation key depressed in step S2 as a temporarily pressed key.
Character functions for “a”, “i”, “u”, “e”, and “o” are allocated to one key 1 of the numeric keypad 12. When this character function is selected, by depressing key 1 a first time, speech for “a” is outputted from the audio output section in step S3. When the setting key 16 is then depressed in step S4, functioning as “a” is selected (executed). Furthermore, when the decide key 16 is not depressed in step S4, “a” is made effective temporarily using the audio output of “a” in step S3. When the operation key pressed a second time in step S2 is key 1, functioning as “a” is cancelled and functioning as “i” is selected.
During this time, in the second time of step S2, when, for example, key 2 is depressed, the operation of key 1 the first time becomes invalid.
When the same key 1 is depressed on condition that the decide key 16 has not been depressed, functions for “a”→“i”→“u”→“e”→“o”→“a”→“i”→ . . . are sequentially selected each time depressing, with speech for “a”→“i”→“u”→“e”→“o”→“a”→“i” . . . being sequentially outputted from the audio output section 17 each time.
Furthermore, when key 1 is depressed after the setting key 16 is depressed, this key 1 is recognized as being a newly operated key.
In this way, in the operation section 10 of the present invention, an allocated function is switched to each time the same key of the numeric keypad 12 is depressed with the audio output mode selected. Speech corresponding to this function is then outputted from the audio output section 17 and the immediately previous function is confirmed when the setting key 16 is depressed. It is, therefore, possible to make decisions together with function switching through a small number of key operations, and it is possible to confirm operations using audio output (every time an operation key is depressed).
Therefore, when speech is outputted only when the setting key 16 is operated, then the inconvenience where an error in operation is only recognized for the first time when, for example, the setting key 16 is depressed in a state where “o” is selected after key 1 has been depressed five times in error, where it was actually desired to select “ko” by depressing key 2 five times, is avoided.
The control circuit 18 is arranged in such a manner that a directly preceding operation with processing different than processing during depressing of another operation key in step S2 that passed through step S6 is not cancelled, as a result of allocating an operation key (for example, “#” key, etc.) when a voiced sound, etc. is selected as a special key.
This therefore maintains versatility such as providing “ba” when the “#” key is depressed once with the “ha” key selected, and providing “pa” when depressed twice. Furthermore, audio output takes place from the audio output section 17 even for “ba” and “pa” during this time.
In the above embodiment, a description is provided of application of an input apparatus of the present invention to an image forming apparatus (multifunction equipment) as electronic equipment. However, general application is also possible to parts of electronic equipment or to numeric keypads that are connectable to electronic equipment (computers, etc.) provided that a plurality of operation keys such as for the numeric keypad 12 is provided and operation functions are provided in such a manner that a plurality of functions is allocated to each operation key.
Moreover, in addition to switching over functions every time depressing takes place, it is also possible for functions of the numeric keypad 12 to be switched every predetermined time (for example, one second) as a result of prolonged depressing, with setting also being possible so as to provide audio output every time of switching.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-260080 | Sep 2006 | JP | national |
