Patent Application
20180115800
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-209314 filed Oct. 26, 2016.
The present invention relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium and a device.
Operation screens of electronic devices such as printers, scanners, copy machines, facsimile machines, multifunctional peripherals (devices with the printer, scanner, and copy machine ions), kiosk terminals, and video devices that use graphical user interface (GUI) are in the mainstream. Not a few devices use touchscreens as operation screens. This type of device detects a user's touch operation on a display element displayed on an operation screen, controls the operation of each unit included in the device in accordance with the detected operation, and causes details displayed on the operation screen to transition (such as displaying a new display element).
In recent years, there are an increasing umber of devices that display in animation the transition of displayed details of the operation screen in accordance with a user operation. Animated displaying includes, for example, displaying in animation a banner displaying a message to a user such that the banner gradually rises appearing from the bottom end of the display screen. The screen transition displayed in animation is easy for the user to understand intuitively. Animated displaying also attracts the user's attention since it involves movement of the displayed details of the screen, and this also helps the user recognize the transition (switching) of the displayed screen. This point leads to a decrease in errors in user operations involved in the screen transition. For example, if the screen transitions when a user tries to touch a button on the screen, the user may not recognize the transition and touch a different button after the transition, resulting in an operation error. This type of operation error becomes less likely to occur by displaying in animation the screen transition to make it easier for the user to recognize the screen transition.
However, animated displaying involves a predetermined play time, during which the user is unable to perform the next operation. Therefore, animated displaying is one of the causes of an extended operation time for the user to operate the device.
Displaying all screen transitions in animation makes it easier for the user to recognize them, but involves an increase in the operation time of the device, if all screen transitions are displayed without using animation, the time for operating the device becomes shorter, but the user may have difficulty understanding the screen transitions.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium storing program causing a computer to execute a process. The process includes: detecting a notification target state that is a state of a device including a sensor or a processing mechanism, the state requiring notification to a user, on the basis of a signal from the sensor or the processing mechanism; upon detection of the notification target state, applying control to display in animation a transition from a state in which a display element for notifying the user of the notification target state is not displayed on an operation screen of the device to a state in which the display element is completely displayed on the operation screen; and to display a second display element in response to a user operation on a first display element displayed on the operation screen, the second display element corresponding to the user operation, applying control to promptly display the second display element on the operation screen in response to the user operation.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
Referring to
A display device 10 is a device that displays display information for a user interface of the device. In this example, a screen of the display device 10 is a touchscreen that detects a position on the screen that a user's finger or the like contacts (touches).
A screen display manager 12 generates display information for a user interface screen in the GUI format, which receives an instruction for operating the device, and supplies the display information to the display device 10, and the display device 10 displays the supplied display information. The user interface screen is referred to as an operation screen. The operation screen includes display elements such as the background, one or more windows, one or more icons, one or more menus, and one or more buttons. The screen display manager 12 detects a user operation on a display element within the operation screen on the basis of a signal indicating a touched position from the display device 10 (touchscreen), notifies a controller 14 of an instruction indicated by the user operation, and updates the displayed details of the operation screen in accordance the user operation.
The controller 14 controls each processing mechanism 16 in the device to execute processing corresponding to a user operation input. The controller 14 receives notifications from the individual processing mechanisms 16, such as feedback or the operation state including the occurrence of an error, and grasps the state of the processing mechanisms 16 at all times on the basis of the notifications.
Sensors 18 for detecting the state of the individual units of the device are provided in the device. The sensors 18 are types of sensors suitable for detecting the state of the individual to-be-monitored targets. For example, when the device is a multifunctional peripheral, examples of the sensors 18 provided in the print mechanism, which is one of the processing mechanisms 16, include a paper detection sensor provided at each portion of a paper transport path, a sensor that detects the remaining amount of paper on a paper feed tray, and a sensor that detects the remaining amount of toner of each color. The controller 14 detects the state of a portion corresponding to each sensor 18 from a signal sent from the sensor 18.
Operation screens generated by the screen display manager 12 include, for example, a main menu screen that indicates a list of functions (processes) provided by the device, and function screens for setting one or more parameters of the individual functions. A screen displayed on the display device 10 transitions in accordance with an event serving as a trigger. Trigger events for a screen transition include a user operation, and device states detected by the controller 14 from signals from the processing mechanisms 16 and the sensors 18. For example, when the user presses (touches) a button indicating a copy function on the main menu screen displayed on the display device 10 of the multifunctional peripheral, the screen display manager 12 causes the operation screen displayed on the display device 10 to transition from the main menu screen to the function screen of the copy function. Alternatively, when the controller 14 detects that the remaining amount of toner of a certain color has become less than or equal to a warning threshold on the basis of a signal from the remaining-amount sensor of toner of that color, the controller 14 displays, within the operation screen being displayed by the display device 10, a display element such as a banner displaying a warning message that the toner's remaining amount has become low.
A “transition” of the operation screen displayed on the display device 10 includes various modes, such as the case where the entire operation screen switches to another operation screen (that is, the entire display area of the display device 10 switches from one screen to another), the case where the entirety of a portion of the operation screen excluding a portion that fixedly displays a particular display element switches from one display to another, the case where one or more new display elements are additionally displayed on the displayed operation screen, and the case where a display element within the displayed operation screen changes (such as when the display element disappears or a message indicated in the display element changes to another message).
In the exemplary embodiment, when a transition of the operation screen displayed on the display device 10 is one that corresponds to a user operation on the operation screen, the screen display manager 12 executes that transition by immediately switching the displayed details of the operation screen, instead of displaying the transition in animation. When a transition of the operation screen is one for notifying the user of a device state detected by the controller 14, the screen display manager 12 displays the transition in animation. Hereinafter, both cases will be described in detail.
(1) Screen Transition in Accordance with User Operation
When a transition of the operation screen is one that directly corresponds to a user operation, the screen display manager 12 immediately switches the displayed details of the operation screen from a pre-transition display state to a post-transition display state without using animation. That is, in this case, an operation screen displayed at a time point when an operation serving as a trigger for the transition immediately switches to a post-transition operation screen corresponding to the operation. In this case, because the user causes the screen to switch in response to his/her operation in order to progress work using the device, the shorter the time involved in the screen transition, the shorter the time involved in the work, which is beneficial for the user. The user is expected to grasp what kind of screen the post-transition screen will be in response to the operation, and it is considered that an operation error involved in the screen transition, such as a touching error, is less likely to occur even if the screen is immediately switched (that is, even if the screen transition is displayed without using animation, which takes time).
Here, the “immediate” switching of the operation screen refers to displaying a post-transition operation screen corresponding to a transition trigger (in this case, reception of a user operation) after an operation screen displayed at a time point when the trigger occurs, without displaying an animation representing the screen transition in between the pre-transition screen and the post-transition operation screen. A screen transition in which the displayed operation screen is immediately switched to a post-transition display state without displaying an animation in between is referred to as a “non-animated transition”. Meanwhile, a screen transition in which a display element to be newly displayed on the display device 10 is displayed in animation from a state where the display element is not displayed to a state where the display element is completely displayed is referred to as an “animated transition”. Note that a state in which a display element is “completely” displayed refers to a display state of the display element in which the transition is completed and the screen has entered a stationary display state.
A transition that directly corresponds to a user operation refers to a transition in the case where the operation and a display element newly displayed after the transition (this display element may be the entire operation screen newly displayed after the transition) have a predetermined one-to-one relationship. For example, this type of transition includes a case where, when the user presses a GUI button on the operation screen, a display element programmed to be called in response to pressing of the GUI button is newly displayed on the screen.
The copy screen 110 displays, although this is only exemplary, a start button 112 for giving an instruction to start copying, a number-of-copies field 114 indicating the number of copies, a numeric keypad 116 for inputting the number of copies displayed in the number-of-copies field 114, and a group of setting items 118 for displaying the values of individual setting items regarding copying and calling dialogues for changing the values. Although only one setting item 118 is displayed in the illustrated display state, other setting items 118 arranged below the displayed setting item 118 will also be displayed by scrolling the copy screen 110.
At the time of displaying a display element that directly corresponds to a user operation in response to the user operation, or instead of that “directly corresponding display element”, a different display element may be displayed on the display device 10. Such a “different display element” differs from one expected by the user to be displayed in response to a user operation. Accordingly, this different display element is displayed using an animated transition, instead of a non-animated transition.
For example, when the user presses the output color mode setting item 118 within the copy screen 110, normally a display element (such as a dialogue indicating choices of the mode) for receiving selection of the output color mode (such as monochrome or full colors) is displayed on the display device 10. At this point, if the amount of any color toner necessary for full-color printing is less than or equal to a threshold, to call the user's attention, a display element (such as a banner) for notifying the user of the fact that the remaining amount of the toner is low is displayed along with or instead of the display element for selecting the color mode on the display device 10. Although the display element indicating that the remaining amount of the toner is low is displayed in response to a trigger that is a user operation of pressing the output color mode setting item 118, the display element is not directly associated with the operation of pressing the setting item 118 (in other words, the display element is not expected by the user, who has pressed the setting item 118, to be displayed in response to pressing of the setting item 118). Therefore, the display element indicating that the remaining amount of the toner is low is displayed using an animated transition in order to call more attention of the user's.
Upon detection by the controller 14 of a predetermined device state serving as a notification target for the user (referred to as a “notification target state”; this corresponds to, for example, a state where something is wrong with a notification target) on the basis of signals from the processing mechanisms 16 and the sensors 18, the screen display manager 12 according to the exemplary embodiment performs a screen transition for notifying the user of the notification target state. This screen transition is performed by newly displaying, on the display device 10, a particular display element (referred to as a notification target element) for notifying the user of the occurrence of the notification target state. The notification target element may be an element such as a banner additionally displayed in a portion of the operation screen being displayed, or a notification screen covering the entire screen of the display device 10 (such as a screen displaying a message describing the state).
A screen transition in the case of newly displaying a notification target element is an animated transition. That is, the screen display manager 12 displays in animation a change of the screen from an operation screen immediately before the transition starts (the notification target element has not been displayed yet) to a state in which the notification target element is completely displayed (that is, a state of the operation screen after the transition is completed). The user's attention to such a notification target element not expected by the user to be displayed is called by taking time and displaying the notification target element in animation.
Note that the screen display manager 12 may be configured to receive no user operation on the operation screen from the start to the end of an animated transition in the case of displaying a notification target element. In doing so, an operation error such as a user, who is trying to touch a display element before the transition, touching a display element after the transition becomes less likely to occur. Here, a range in which no operation is accepted may be limited to a range where a notification target element is displayed.
An example of a process executed by the screen display manager 12 to realize the above-described screen transition will be described with reference to
The controller 14 monitors signals from the processing mechanisms 16 and the sensors 18 at all times. If a state that is necessary for the user to be notified of occurs in any portion of the device, the controller 14 detects this state, and sends information specifying the detected state to the screen display manager 12. The screen display manager 12 determines whether a notification of this information has arrived from the controller 14 (S10). On receipt of the information (the determination result in S10 is YES), the screen display manager 12 displays a notification target element notifying the user of the state indicated by the information on the display device 10 using an animated transition (S12).
The screen display manager 12 waits for the arrival of a signal indicating a touch operation performed by the user from the display device 10 (touchscreen). On receipt of a signal indicating a touch operation, the screen display manager 12 determines whether the operation indicated by the signal indicates an instruction to display a new display element on the screen (S14). If the determination result is YES, the screen display manager 12 displays that new display element on the screen of the display device 10 using a non-animated transition (that is, promptly displays the new display element without using an animation) (S16). If the determination result is NO, the screen display manager 12 again determines whether a state that is necessary for the user to be notified of occurs (S10).
In another example, the screen display manager 12 may perform the following control, instead of dynamically determining the relationship between the arrival of a signal from the controller 14 or the display device 10 and a display element to be newly displayed in accordance with that signal, and determining whether to display the screen transition in animation, as illustrated in the procedure of the process illustrated in
In yet another example, if each display element in a program representing the screen display manager 12 is called by a user operation, the display element may be programmed as a non-animated transition element; and if each display element is called accordance with a device state, the display element may be programmed as an animated transition element. In this case, if a display element in the program is called in accordance with a user operation on the display device 10 or a device state whose notification is sent from the controller 14, the screen display manager 12 realized by executing the program may execute a program of that display element. If the executed display element is a non-animated transition display object, the display element is displayed on the screen using a non-animated transition. If the executed display element is programmed as an animated transition display object, the display element is displayed on the screen using an animated transition.
Next, modifications will be described.
In one modification, if a display element to be newly displayed on the display device 10 in accordance with a trigger includes an element receiving an operation from the user (referred to as an operation reception element), the screen display manager 12 displays that display element using an animated transition. By enabling the user to more easily recognize the appearing of the new display element using an animated transition, an operation error becomes less likely to occur. That is, if the new display element is promptly displayed using a non-animated transition in such a case, an operation error that the user, who is trying to touch a display element before the transition, actually touches an operation reception element in the new display element becomes likely to occur. In contrast, if a display element including an operation reception element is displayed using an animated transition, it becomes easier for the user to recognize the transition, and such an operation error becomes less likely to occur.
After animated displaying of the banner 130 at the time of its appearance ends and the banner 130 completely appears, if the user touches a portion other than an erase button 132 (a rectangle enclosing x) within the banner 130, a detailed progress screen 140 illustrated in
In the example illustrated in
Another modification will be described with reference to
In this modification, if a display element to be newly displayed on the display device 10 is a display element that does not receive an operation from the user (such as a display element that simply provides information), the screen display manager 12 displays that display element using a non-animated transition. Even if the user does not recognize the transition and touches a new display element after the transition thinking that there is a button before the transition, because that display element does not receive an operation from the user, no operation error occurs.
An operation screen 150 illustrated by way of example in part (a) of
Although the case of turning off the power has been described above by way of example, for example, to display a preview screen (a screen where an image simulating a print result in the case of printing a document is displayed on the display device 10), since the preview screen includes no operation reception element, control may be applied to display the preview screen using a non-animated transition.
Although the example illustrated in
Although the exemplary embodiment and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these are only exemplary. For example, the following mode may be included in the scope of the present invention.
For example, one such example is a mode in which the screen display manager 12 displays a display element to be displayed in direct association with a user operation using a non-animated transition, and displays other display elements using an animated transition. Display elements other than those in direct association with user operations are often not expected by the user to be displayed; thus, displaying these display elements using an animated transition enables the user to more easily recognize these display elements. In another example, the screen display manager 12 may display a display element reporting a device state using an animated transition, and may display other display elements using a non-animated transition.
In the above examples, as a mode of animated transition, an animation in which a display element gradually appears in the operation screen from the end portion of the operation screen while sliding has been illustrated. However, as is apparent to those skilled in the art, an animated transition in the exemplary embodiment and the modifications may be represented using other modes of animation, such as a mode in which a to-be-displayed display element that is transparent becomes gradually less transparent and finally becomes opaque.
Information processing performed by a user interface (UI) mechanism of the above-illustrated device is realized by, for example, causing a computer to execute a program representing the above-described functions. Here, the computer includes, as hardware, a circuit configuration in which a microprocessor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a controller that controls a memory (primary storage) such as a random-access memory (RAM) and a read-only memory (ROM) and a secondary storage device such as a flash memory, a solid-state drive (SSD), or a hard disk drive (HDD), various input/output (I/O) interfaces, and a network interface that applies control for connections with a network such as a local area network (LAN) are connected via a bus. A program describing the details of processing of these functions is saved on the secondary storage device such as a flash memory via a network or the like, and installed on the computer. The program stored on the secondary storage device is read out to the RAN and executed by the microprocessor such as a CPU, thereby realizing the above-illustrated function module group.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-209314 | Oct 2016 | JP | national |
