This disclosure relates to peripheral devices and, more particularly, to systems and methods for setting and/or selecting various parameters on a peripheral device.
Peripheral devices, such as all-in-one print devices (AlOs), multi-function peripherals (MFPs), printers, scanners, facsimile machines and the like, have become commonplace in the home and office environment and may be used to perform a wide variety of tasks. As used herein, “peripheral device” refers to a stand-alone device or a device connected to a computer, a host, a network, a server or the like.
MFPs typically provide printing, copying, scanning and/or facsimile capabilities in a single device. Typically, MFPs incorporate two basic components: a scanner component and a print engine. The scanner may convert physical documents and images into electronic data, and the print engine may convert electronic data into physical documents or images. Printing and scanning may be performed on an MFP utilizing just one component of the device (i.e., the scanner for scanning or the print engine for printing), while copying may be performed utilizing both components (i.e., the scanner may scan the document and the print engine may generate copies based upon the scanned data).
Peripheral devices, such as MFPs, typically include various user-selectable parameters. The selectable parameters may include color, contrast, darkness, number of copies, scale factor, output format (e.g., PDF and JPEG), input format (e.g., size, orientation and one or two-sided), destination email address, destination facsimile number or the like. The print device may set the parameters to various default values. Alternatively, a user may customize one or more parameters prior to initiating a job.
Customizing the parameters typically requires the manipulation of several menu options. Therefore, repeating a job may require a user to remember and select the same parameters, which may be inconvenient, tedious and time consuming.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for quickly and easily selecting and setting various parameters on a print device.
In one aspect, a peripheral device may include a processor adapted to generate a list, the list including at least one job previously performed by the device, a user interface in communication with the processor and adapted to display the list and a storage medium in communication with the processor and adapted to store the list such that when the device performs a new job, the processor updates the list to include the new job.
In another aspect, a method for setting operating parameters for a new job on a peripheral device may include generating a list of jobs previously performed by the device, wherein each of the previously performed jobs includes at least one set parameter, updating the list when the device performs a job and displaying the list on a user interface.
In another aspect, a method for setting operating parameters for a new job on a peripheral device is provided and may include setting at least one parameter on the device, performing a first job based upon the set parameter, storing the first job in a storage medium and, prior to performing the new job, displaying the first job on a user interface.
Other aspects will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
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The user interface 14 may provide the user with a way to communicate with the processor 12 (
Accordingly, prior to initiating a job, a user may select and set various parameters as desired. The parameters not customized may be left at the default settings. Once the desired parameters are set, the user may initiate the job, and the device 10 may perform the job according to the set parameters.
In one aspect, the parameter settings of previous jobs may be stored such that they may be recalled prior to initiating subsequent jobs, thereby allowing a user to select a previously used parameter setting quickly and easily. In one aspect, the previously used parameter settings may be stored in the storage medium 20 of the device 10. In another aspect, the previously used parameter settings may be stored in the storage medium 34 of the server 30. In another aspect, the previously used parameter settings may be stored on various devices (not shown) that are connectable to the auxiliary port 22, such as a memory disk, a USB memory stick or the like.
In one aspect, the device 10 may display a list of previously performed jobs 28, including the previously used parameter settings, by way of the user interface 14, as shown in
In one aspect, the list 28 may include a list of all previously performed jobs. In another aspect, the list 28 may include the last N number of jobs (e.g., N=about 1 to about 20). The jobs may be listed by date, wherein the most recent job is at the top of the list. For example, the parameter settings of the last 7 jobs are displayed in
In one aspect, the list 28 may be compiled for a specific user or a group of users (e.g., administrators). For example, each user of the device 10 (
In another aspect, the list 28 may include previous parameter settings for all users of the device 10.
Accordingly, when a user begins a new job on the device 10, the device 10 may display data pertaining to previous parameter settings, such as the list 28 shown in
Although various aspects of the subject peripheral device have been shown and described, it should be understood that they have been presented by the way of example only, and not limitation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary aspects.
The public is hereby placed on notice that any patent that may issue on this application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.