Patent Application
20060013609
This application is a utility version of Applicant's design patent application U.S. Ser. No. ______ filed ______ [Applicant's Docket No. DS/A3343].
The present disclosure is directed to user interfaces (UI's), and more specifically, to a touch-based machine UI including a programmable selected document service details content well that is useful for increasing user satisfaction and productivity.
A conventional reprographic machine is the office copier. Traditionally, the copier, in the office equipment context, refers to a light lens xerographic copier in that paper originals are in fact photographed. The images are focused on an area of a photoreceptor, that is subsequently developed with toner. The developed image on the photoreceptor is then transferred to a copy sheet that in turn is used to create a permanent copy of the original.
In recent years, however, there has been made available what is known as digital copiers or printing machines. In the most basic functions, a digital copier or printing machine performs the same functions as a light lens copier, except that includes a programmable controller for controlling its functions, and the original image to be copied is not directly focused on a photoreceptor. Instead, with a digital copier or printer, the original image is received, for example, from a personal computer (PC) work station, or storage media, or is scanned by a device generally known as a raster input scanner (RIS) that is typically in the form of a linear array of small photosensors. The controller further enables a wide range of image manipulation and processing capabilities.
The original image received as such is focused on the photosensors in the RIS. The photosensors convert the various light and dark areas of the original image to a set of digital signals. These digital signals are temporarily retained in a memory and then eventually are further processed, and manipulated/and or used as is with the aid of a user interface (UI) assembly, to operate the digital printing machine or copier when it is desired to print copies of the original. The digital signals may also be sent directly to the digital printing machine or copier without being stored in a memory. Typically, each such digital printing machine or copier.
Digital printing machines or copiers as such are currently being used in the market place of the general office environment. Usually such machines are used in this environment on a non-dedicated and casual basis, as well as by users of varying skill levels, including the most basic level. At the same time, such digital printing machines or copiers are also being used by highly skilled and experienced operators, in a dedicated manner, within the centralized reprographic departments (CRD's) of large corporations or in key operator Quick Printing Shops.
As disclosed for example in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,155, issued Oct. 22, 2002 to Martin, et al, it is known to provide a machine for example with dual selectable User Interfaces, each directed to a different skill level. However, currently the method within each level of User Interface for selecting Document Services (Copy, Fax, Scan to Email etc) on multifunction devices is not flexible enough to allow it to conform to a customers desired workflow, and some cases it fails to provide sufficient required information to users regarding the functionality details contained within each of the available services.
In addition, it is known for example, as is available on some WINDOWS operating systems, to anticipate the information needs of an application user, and pre-display such information or an outline for such information. Such anticipatory display is often unnecessary, or eventually becomes unnecessary, and so becomes a source of dissatisfaction. Even for those displays that provide a means for opting out, there is no easy or automatic means for re-accessing such information when required.
There is therefore a need for a machine optimized UI and a reprographic machine having same, for increasing user satisfaction and productivity on the same reprographic machine.
In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a touch-based machine User interface (UI) including (a) bar regions for displaying menu headings and command icons; (b) a UI work area; (c) a dedicated machine function selection pane within the UI work area including a series of selectable machine functions and function icons; (d) an associated controller connected to and controlling the series of selectable machine functions; (e) a programmable selected machine function details content well for displaying details and additional information associated with a selected one of the machine function icons; and (f) means for selectively customizing, for a user, the programmable selected machine function details content well from a display to a non-display mode, thereby enabling increased user satisfaction and user productivity on the multi-function machine
The following is a brief description of the drawings used to describe the present disclosure, and thus, these drawings are being presented for illustrative purposes only and thus should not limit the scope of the present disclosure, wherein:
The following is a detailed description of the present disclosure. In this description, the drawings have been utilized to illustrate the concepts of the present disclosure. In this description as well as in the drawings, like reference numerals indicate the same items or equivalent items.
Referring now to
In a typical scanning function, the operator would utilize the scanning device 102 to scan in the images from the original documents. This scanning device 102 may be a platen type scanner or may include a constant velocity transport system that moves the original documents across a stationary scanning device. Moreover, the scanning device 102 may also include a document handling system that is capable of placing the original documents, automatically, on the glass platen for scanning.
With respect to the printing functions, the printing module 104 would retrieve the proper paper from one of the multiple paper trays 112 or the high capacity feeder 116, render the desired image on the retrieved paper, and output the printed image to the finishing device 106 for further operations.
An example of the basic architecture of the digital machine 100 is illustrated as a block diagram in detail in
The digital machine 100 also includes a digital printing device 122 of the printing module 104 (
Since the digital machine 100 may be connected to a network including a PC work station (not shown), it includes a network interface 128 and an additional controller 130 that control the interrelationship between the various modules or stations on the digital machine 100 and the network.
In cases where the digital machine 100 is a multi-function machine, it would include, typically, a voice/data modem 132 and a telephone circuit board 134. Moreover, the digital machine may also include input/output drives 136 such as a floppy disc drive, a CD ROM drive, a tape drive, or other type of drive that can accept a portable memory device.
Referring now to
Referring in particular to
As illustrated in
As additionally illustrated in
As a default, or based on pre-programming to the display mode 210, the basic behavior of the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 is that as a user selects one of the icons 157A-F for one of the mutually exclusive machine document services 156A-F for example, the detailed information 162 displayed within the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 will automatically be updated to display detailed content for the one selected service. Such displayed detailed information or content 162 helps users understand the specifics of each function of the different machine documents services, as well as any special capabilities within each service. Using the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 as such, a user could quickly browse through all the various services available in order to make a decision on the best and most appropriate service for them.
Once the user has decided on the best and most appropriate service 156A-F, selection of its icon 157A-F will display the detailed information or content 162 on the selected service within the programmable selected machine function details content well 160. Then, after reading the displayed content 162, or being sure the user understands how to properly use the selected service, the user can directly close the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 by touching on the “OK” command button 165A in the bar region 158B of the content well 160. Selecting the “OK” command button 165A as such, closes the programmable selected machine function details content well 160, and presents a new dialog box (not shown) for the selected service 156A-F.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 appears recessed relative to a rest of the dedicated machine function or service selection pane 152 for enhancing and directing user attention to content 162 displayed therein. The series of selectable machine function icons 156A-F for example include a Copy icon, a Scan icon, and an email icon. The programmable selected machine function details content well 160 additionally displays a copy 157R of the selected one of the series of selectable machine function icons 157A-F within the programmable selected machine function details content well 160. The means or devices for selectively customizing the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 include a device 180 for reading and authenticating an operator identification, the controller 110, and the program 166, 200 as shown in
In one embodiment, the means or devices for selectively customizing the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 include reselection means 212 for programming the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 from a non-display mode 220 to a temporary display mode 210. In another embodiment, the means for selectively customizing the programmable selected machine function details content well 160 include means 214 for automatically programming of the programmable selected machine function details content well from a non-display mode to a temporary display mode if there is no activity for a pre-determined period of time following selection of one of the machine function icons.
The method or manner of working of the touch-based machine UI 150 of the present disclosure is illustrated for example in
In particular as illustrated in
The bar region 158A of the Service selection window or that 158B of the content well 160 as shown, contain command icons or buttons, for example an “OK” and a “Cancel” command icons. In operation, when the content well 160 is in the default display mode 210 and detailed information is displayed, the “Cancel” icon 163B, 165B will be displayed in the bar region in an off or unselectable state. As such it will appear grayed out and non-interactive. However, when the selection pane 152 is launched or returned to from a service content well 160, the “Cancel” button 163B will display a selectable state.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, one service selection icon may always be selected as a default service with the content well 160 in the default display mode 210, thus displaying detailed information 162 on the default service in the content well 160. For example, the “Copy” service selection function and icon” can be such a default service, and so the detailed service information content well 160 will be displaying the associated details content for the copying function. If the “copy” service function is that desired by the user, then selection or a single press and release of the “OK” button in the bar region 158A will launch the associated dialog for the “Copy” service. Optionally, instead of pressing and releasing the “OK” button, the user may reselect, for example, again press and release the currently selected button a second time (double pressing).
However, if instead, another or different service selection button is selected, that is pressed and released, it then replaces the default service and its icon becomes the selected icon. As such, a copy 157R of its icon as well as detail information content 162 about it will be displayed in the content well 160 when the content well 160 is in the display mode 210.
As can be seen, there has been provided a touch-based machine User interface (UI) including (a) bar regions for displaying menu headings and command icons; (b) a UI work area; (c) a dedicated machine function selection pane within the UI work area including a series of selectable machine functions and function icons; (d) an associated controller connected to and controlling the series of selectable machine functions; (e) a programmable selected machine function details content well for displaying details and additional information associated with a selected one of the machine function icons; and (f) means for selectively customizing, for a user, the programmable selected machine function details content well from a display to a non-display mode, thereby enabling increased user satisfaction and user productivity on the multi-function machine.
The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
