JP5297627B2 - Symbol input device, image forming apparatus, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a symbol input device. In this specification, “symbol” includes characters other than Hiragana characters, Katakana characters, Kanji characters, numerals, and alphabet characters, for example, Greek characters and Roman characters.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a symbol input device for inputting symbol information to an electronic apparatus such as an image forming apparatus or a television, a device described in Patent Document 1 below is known. The symbol input device described in the following Patent Document 1 is provided with two types of software keyboards for character input (for example, for hiragana character input) and symbol input, and the other input on one software keyboard. By displaying frequently used character or symbol keys, the switching operation of the software / keyboard is reduced, and the operability is improved.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-3199

  By the way, since there are a large number of symbols, when all the symbols are displayed in a list as described in Patent Document 1, a key indicating a symbol desired by the user must be found from the displayed list. There is a problem that it takes a considerable time to input a symbol, and a quick symbol input operation cannot be performed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides a symbol input device, an image forming apparatus, and an electronic apparatus that can find a desired symbol in a short time and can perform a rapid symbol input operation. It is for the purpose.

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.
That is, the present invention provides, as a first solving means related to the symbol input device, a display unit that displays an operation button in which a symbol is assigned and the assigned content is displayed, and an operation on the operation button is detected and operated. A symbol input device comprising: an operation detection unit that outputs a signal; and a control unit that performs display control of the display unit and identifies a symbol operated based on an operation signal of the operation detection unit, When the control unit receives an operation signal of a first operation button to which a plurality of the symbols are comprehensively assigned, a plurality of second operations in which one of the symbols is individually assigned. A part of the buttons is overlaid on the first operation button or displayed in a matrix in the vicinity of the first operation button, and further dragged to the second operation button displayed at the end of the row or column . Operation signal is input Once, means that, to sequentially additionally displayed in whole or in part by the row or column unit among the plurality of second operation button in the adjacent position of the second operation buttons displayed in the direction of the drag operation Is adopted.

  In addition, the present invention employs, as a second solving means related to the symbol input device, a means in which the control unit displays the second operation buttons in a matrix in the first solving means.

Further, according to the present invention, as a third solving means relating to the symbol input device, in the first or second solving means, the control unit is configured to assign the second operation button to which a symbol having a high user input frequency is assigned. Means for sequentially displaying the additional display from the second operation button assigned with a symbol having a high input frequency by a user except for the symbol assigned to the displayed second operation button. adopt.
According to the present invention, as a fourth solving means related to the symbol input device, in the third solving means, the control unit measures the input frequency of the user and performs the second operation based on the measurement result. A method of displaying a button is adopted.

Furthermore, the present invention employs a means of providing any one of the first to fourth symbol input devices as a solving means related to the image forming apparatus.
Further, the present invention employs a means of providing any one of the first to fourth symbol input operation devices as a solution means relating to an electronic device.

  According to the present invention, the symbol input device includes a display unit, an operation detection unit, and a control unit, and when the control unit receives an operation signal of the first operation button, A part of the first operation button is overlapped with the first operation button or displayed in the vicinity of the first operation button, and all or a part of the plurality of second operation buttons are placed adjacent to the second operation button displayed in the drag operation direction. Since the additional display is sequentially performed, it is possible to easily and quickly grasp the second operation button additionally displayed by moving the viewpoint in the drag operation direction. Therefore, by continuously grasping the second operation buttons that are additionally displayed by the drag operation, a desired symbol can be found in a short time and a quick symbol input operation can be performed.

  In addition, since the control unit displays a plurality of second operation buttons in a matrix, it is very easy and quick to move the viewpoint in one direction of the row or column after moving the viewpoint in the dragging direction. Two operation buttons can be grasped. Therefore, it is possible to further shorten the time required to find a desired symbol and to perform a more rapid symbol input operation.

  In addition, since the control unit performs primary display and additional display from the second operation button to which a symbol having a high input frequency of the user is assigned, the second operation button having a high probability that the user desires is displayed immediately after the operation is started. Thus, it is possible to increase the possibility that a desired symbol can be found immediately. Therefore, the time required to find an operation button to which a desired symbol is assigned can be made relatively short, and a rapid symbol input operation can be performed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the multifunction peripheral A according to the present embodiment. The multifunction machine A has functions as a printer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, and a copying machine. As shown in the drawing, the operation display unit 1, the image reading unit 10, the image storage unit 20, the image processing unit 30, and the printing unit. 40, a communication unit 50, and a main control unit 60.

  The operation display unit 1 includes an operation key 2, a touch panel 3, and an operation display control unit 4. The operation display unit 1 functions as a man-machine interface that associates the user with the multifunction peripheral A, and the user operates the operation display unit 1. This causes the multifunction peripheral A to execute a user-desired operation. The operation display unit 1 will be described in detail later.

  The image reading unit 10 is a document automatically fed by an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) or an image of a document placed on a platen glass (document image) based on a control command input from a main control unit 60 described later. Is read by the line sensor and converted into image data (original image data), and the original image data is output to the image storage unit 20.

  The image storage unit 20 is a semiconductor memory, a hard disk device, or the like, stores the document image data based on a control command input from the main control unit 60, reads the document image data, and outputs the document image data to the image processing unit 30. .

  The image processing unit 30 performs various types of image processing (for example, image processing corresponding to enlargement / reduction printing) on the document image data based on a control command input from the main control unit 60 to be described later, and the document image data Is converted into image data in the printing format of the printing unit 40 and output to the printing unit 40. When the image reading unit 10 reads a color document, the document image data input from the image storage unit 20 to the image processing unit 30 is RGB image data (color image data) corresponding to the three primary colors of light. 30 represents such RGB image data as image data corresponding to the printing format of the printing unit 40, for example, YMCK image data, that is, Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black) as reference colors. And output to the printing unit 40.

  The printing unit 40 prints a document image based on the image data in the printing format input from the image processing unit 30 on the printing paper fed from the paper cassette based on the control command input from the main control unit 60. To do. The printing unit 40 is a tandem printing device in which, for example, four developing devices corresponding to the reference color toner are arranged on the secondary transfer belt, and based on the YMCK image data input from the image processing unit 30. The original image is printed in color on printing paper.

  The communication unit 50 communicates with an external multifunction device, a facsimile machine, or a PC (Personal Computer) using a LAN (Local Area Network) or a telephone line under the control of the main control unit 60. That is, the communication unit 50 has both a communication function compliant with a LAN standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and a communication function compliant with a facsimile standard such as G3. For example, the communication unit 50 can send and receive e-mails.

  The main control unit 60 exchanges various signals with the MPU (Micro Processing Unit), the main body internal memory, the operation display unit 1, the image reading unit 10, the image storage unit 20, the image processing unit 30, the printing unit 40, and the communication unit 50. The interface circuit etc. which performs are provided. The main control unit 60 controls the overall operation of the multifunction peripheral A based on a control program stored in advance in the main body internal memory and an operation instruction input from the operation display unit 1. The main control unit 60 transmits and receives various signals to and from the operation display control unit 4 of the operation display unit 1 in a predetermined communication format, thereby grasping and controlling the operation state of the operation display unit 1.

Next, the operation display unit 1 will be described in detail.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the operation display unit 1. The operation display unit 1 includes an operation key 2, a touch panel 3, and an operation display control unit 4 (see FIG. 1).
The operation key 2 is physically provided in the operation display unit 1 as a hardware key. For example, a power key 2a, a copy start key 2b, a clear key 2c for canceling the operation content, and a numeric keypad for inputting instructions regarding numbers. 2d etc. correspond to this. The operation key 2 outputs an operation signal of each operation key to the operation display control unit 4 when pressed by the user.

  As is well known, the touch panel 3 is provided with a transparent surface pressure sensor such as a resistive film type on the display surface of the display panel, and the user designates an operation button displayed on the display panel by the operation display control unit 4. When the pressure is pressed, the planar pressure sensor outputs an operation signal indicating the pressed position (pressed coordinate) to the operation display control unit 4.

The operation display control unit 4 is a control device that controls the operation keys 2 and the touch panel 3 under the control of the main control unit 60, and includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an internal memory, the operation keys 2, the touch panel 3, and the main touch panel 3. An interface circuit that exchanges various signals with the control unit 60 is provided.
This operation display control unit 4 is based on the operation display control program stored in the internal memory of the operation display control unit 4 according to the control command input from the main control unit 60, and the types of operation buttons to be displayed on the touch panel 3 Set the layout. Then, the operation display control unit 4 determines which operation button or operation key 2 has been operated based on an operation signal input from the operation key 2 or the touch panel 3, and uses the main control unit 60 as a user operation instruction. Output to.

Here, the operation signal input from the touch panel 3 to the operation display control unit 4 is a signal indicating the press coordinates on the touch panel 3 by the user as described above. The operation display control unit 4 presets a recognition area (coordinate range) corresponding to the position of various operation buttons displayed on the touch panel 3 for each operation button, and an operation input from the recognition area and the touch panel 3. It is determined whether any one of the operation buttons has been operated by comparing the pressed coordinates indicated by the signal.
The operation display control unit 4 can discriminate between a drag operation in which the user presses the touch panel 3 and then presses and slides with a finger, and a normal touch operation. Regarding operation signals input during the drag operation, The determination is made based on the pressed coordinates of the drag operation end position without performing the determination.

On the touch panel 3, a plurality of operation buttons to which various functions are assigned are displayed in a predetermined layout by the operation display control unit 4. In addition, when a predetermined operation instruction is input from the user, Under the control of the operation display control unit 4, an e-mail creation screen (character / symbol input screen) is displayed.
That is, the touch panel 3 and the operation display control unit 4 constitute a symbol input device 5 (see FIG. 1) that functions when an e-mail is created or an address is input.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an e-mail creation screen displayed on the touch panel 3 described above.
In the e-mail creation screen, a plurality of character selection buttons 6 are provided by the operation display control unit 4 on the right side of the screen, and a mail text field 9 on which the input characters are displayed is provided from the left side of the screen to the center right side. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the character selection buttons 6 are substantially rectangular operation buttons displayed by the operation display control unit 4, and 12 are displayed on the touch panel 3. These character selection buttons 6 are arranged in four rows and three columns, and four character selection buttons 6 to which the characters “a”, “ka”, “sa”, and “ta” are assigned respectively. In the second row (center), four character selection buttons 6 to which the characters “na”, “ha”, “ma”, and “ya” are respectively assigned are displayed in the second column (center). Four character selection buttons 6 to which the respective characters or symbols “line”, “wa” line, “turbid point, semi-turbid point”, and “symbol” are assigned are provided in the third column (right side). Each character selection button 6 has a character “A” in the assigned character, a semi-voice point, and a “symbol” indicating a symbol in the display area of each character selection button 6.

  Here, the character selection button 6 to which “symbol” is assigned is particularly referred to as a character selection button 6k. For the character selection buttons 6 other than the character selection button 6k, the operation display control unit 4 employs a so-called multi-tap method, that is, a method of inputting characters based on the number of times the same character selection button 6 is pressed. .

The symbol input method is not based on the multi-tap method described above, but employs a method in which a list of operation buttons to which symbols are assigned is displayed and a symbol is input by selecting and operating the operation buttons.
Specifically, when an operation signal based on pressing of the character selection button 6k is input, the operation display control unit 4 turns the plurality of symbol input buttons 7 into the character selection buttons 6k as shown in FIG. Overlaid and displayed in the vicinity.

  The symbol input buttons 7 are operation buttons to which symbols are individually assigned, and are closely arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns. When the symbol input button 7 determines that a drag operation has been performed from the depression of the character selection button 6k to the symbol input button 7 in the end row or column, a new symbol input button is set so as to be adjacent to the end row or column. 7 are additionally displayed sequentially in units of rows or columns (see FIG. 4).

  That is, nine symbol input buttons 7 are primarily displayed in a state of being arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns, and when a drag operation is performed, the symbol input buttons 7 are additionally displayed so as to increase the row or column in the direction of the drag operation. It is what is done. Then, as described above, it is determined whether one of the symbol input buttons 7 has been operated based on the end position of the drag operation, that is, the pressed position (pressed coordinates) immediately before releasing the finger from the touch panel 3.

In addition, the operation display control unit 4 displays the symbol input buttons 7 from the ones assigned with symbols that are frequently input by the user. That is, in the primary display in which the symbol input buttons 7 are arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns, the nine symbol input buttons 7 each assigned with the first to ninth symbols having the highest input frequency are displayed and additionally displayed. The symbol input buttons 7 are also displayed in order according to the order of high input frequency.
The operation display control unit 4 determines whether the input frequency is high or low based on the ranking of each symbol, and each time the user inputs a symbol based on the factory default ranking stored in the internal memory. In addition, according to the measurement result obtained by measuring the number of times of input for each symbol, the order is changed to correspond to the change in the input frequency of the user.

  The mail text field 9 displays the created mail text, and when the character selection button 6 or the symbol input button 7 is operated to specify the characters or symbols, the mail text field 9 indicates the character input location of the mail text field 9. Characters or symbols are displayed on the cursor 9c.

  Next, the operation of the main part of the multifunction peripheral A will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 showing the character selection button 6 and the symbol input button 7 on the touch panel 3 during the operation of the main part, and the flowchart shown in FIG. This flowchart shows the process of the part (main part) related to the present invention among various processes executed by the operation display control unit 4 (more precisely, the MPU of the operation display control unit 4) based on the operation display control program. An excerpt.

  First, when the user presses the character selection button 6k, the operation display control unit 4 receives an operation signal from the touch panel 3 and determines that the character selection button 6k has been operated (step S1). For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the user presses the position P with a finger, the pressed coordinates indicated by the operation signal are within the recognition area of the character selection button 6k, and thus the character selection button 6k is operated. judge.

  Next, ranking information relating to a plurality of symbols assigned to the character selection button 6k is called from the internal memory in the operation display control unit 4 (step S2).

  Next, on the basis of the ranking information called in step S2, the nine symbol input buttons 7 assigned with the higher ranking symbols are displayed in a state of being arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the symbol input button 7 to which the symbol “?” Having the first input frequency is assigned is displayed over the character selection button 6k, and the symbols having the second to ninth input frequencies are displayed. The symbol input button 7 to which “☆”, “@”, etc. are assigned is surrounded by a rectangle around the symbol input button 7 “?” Having the highest input frequency. Display in an arrayed state (step S3).

Next, it is determined whether or not the user performs a drag operation (step S4).
If the determination in step S4 is “Yes”, that is, if it is determined that the user has performed a drag operation, the symbols displayed in the end row or column of the plurality of symbol input buttons 7 displayed in a matrix It is determined whether a drag operation has reached the input button 7 (step S5).

  If the determination in step S5 is “Yes”, that is, if it is determined that the drag operation has reached the end row or column of the symbol input button 7, the ranking information is called again from the internal memory (step S6). For example, when the drag operation is performed to the left from the position P and the drag operation is performed to the symbol input button 7 indicated by the symbol “(” (see FIG. 4C), the drag operation is performed to the end row. The ranking information is called again from the internal memory.

  Next, based on the ranking information called in step S6, the symbol input button 7 to which the next highest-ranked symbol is assigned after the already displayed symbol is determined to have been determined that the drag operation has been reached in step S5. It is additionally displayed in units of rows or columns so as to be adjacent to the row or column. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), three symbol input buttons 7 (the symbols 10th to 12th, which are placed next to the symbols of the input frequency 1st to 9th already displayed, are assigned) ( A character selection button row 7a composed of “*”, “*”, and “#”) is displayed so as to be adjacent to the three character selection buttons (“♪”, “(”, “)”) displayed in the end row.

Next, it is determined whether the drag operation has been completed (step S8).
If the determination in step S8 is “No”, that is, if the drag operation is continued, the determinations in steps S5 to S8 are repeated again. For example, as shown in FIG. 4D, when the drag operation is performed from the above symbol input button 7 “(” to “*” displayed on the left side, the drag operation is performed to the end column. It is determined that it has been broken (step S5), the ranking information is called again (step S6), and a symbol consisting of three symbol input buttons 7 ("$", "\", "man") whose input frequencies are 13th to 15th The selection button row 7b is additionally displayed at a position adjacent to the end row of the selection button.Similarly, as shown in FIG. If the drag operation is performed until “*”, it is determined that the drag operation has been performed to the end row (step S5), the ranking information is called again (step S6), and the input frequency is 16th to 20th. 5 symbol selection buttons row 7c ("→""←" ↑ ”,“ ↓ ”,“ ○ ”) are additionally displayed at adjacent positions in the end row, and are displayed above the symbol input button 7“ * ”as shown in FIG. If it is determined that the drag operation has been performed up to “←”, it is determined that the drag operation has been performed up to the end row (step S5), the ranking information is called again (step S6), and the input frequency is 20 Five symbol selection button rows 7d (“+”, “%”, “&”, “Δ”, “x”) from the first place to the 25th place are additionally displayed at positions adjacent to the end row.

  If the determination in step S8 is “Yes”, that is, if the drag operation has ended, it is determined which symbol input button 7 has been operated based on the pressed coordinates of the end position of the drag operation (step S9). . For example, as shown in FIG. 4 (f), when the drag operation is ended at the position Q, the pressed coordinate indicated by the operation signal is within the recognition area of the symbol input button 7 “←”. ”Is operated

  Next, the symbol (for example, symbol “←”) assigned to the symbol input button 7 determined in step S9 is displayed on the cursor 9c in the mail body column 9 (step S10), and the symbol input button 7 is deleted. (Step S11), the process ends.

When the determination in step S4 is “No”, that is, when the character selection button 6k is pressed and the finger is released from the touch panel 3 without sliding the finger, the pressed coordinate at that position is displayed. Based on this, an operation is determined (step S12). That is, in the next step S10, it is determined that an operation has been performed on the symbol input button 7 (symbol input button 7 displayed over the character selection button 6k) to which the first ranking symbol is assigned. .
If the determination in step S5 is “No”, it is determined whether the drag operation has ended (step S8).

  As described above, according to the multi-function device A, when the character selection button 6k to which a plurality of symbols are comprehensively assigned is pressed, a part of the symbol input buttons 7 to which the symbols are individually assigned is selected as the character selection button. The primary display is overlaid on or near 6k. When it is determined that the drag operation has reached the end row or column of the symbol input button 7, a new symbol input button 7 is set so as to be adjacent to the end row or column determined to have reached the drag operation. Additional display in rows or columns. As a result, it is possible to easily and quickly grasp the symbol button 7 additionally displayed by moving the viewpoint in the dragging direction. Therefore, by continuously grasping the symbol input buttons 7 that are additionally displayed by the drag operation, a desired symbol can be found in a short time and a rapid symbol input operation can be performed.

  In addition, since the symbol input buttons 7 are displayed in a matrix, the viewpoint is moved only in one direction of a row or a column formed by the newly displayed symbol input buttons 7 after the viewpoint is moved in the dragging direction. Thus, the symbol input button 7 can be grasped extremely easily and quickly. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the time required to find the symbol input button 7 to which a desired symbol is assigned, and to perform a more rapid symbol input operation.

  Further, the symbol input button 7 to which the high-order symbol of the character ranking information is assigned is first displayed on or in the vicinity of the character selection button 6k, and among the symbols excluding the displayed symbols, the high-order symbol is displayed. Since the symbol input buttons 7 to which the various symbols are assigned are sequentially displayed in addition, the symbol input button 7 having a high probability that the user desires is displayed immediately after the start of the operation, and the possibility that the desired symbol can be found immediately. Can be increased. Therefore, the time required to find the symbol input button 7 to which the desired symbol is assigned can be made relatively short, and a rapid symbol input operation can be performed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, For example, the following modifications can be considered.

(1) In the above embodiment, the number of times a user's symbol is input is measured for each symbol, and the rank in the character ranking information is changed based on the measurement result. However, this is a feedback of the user's input result. As a result, the possibility that the desired symbol can be found immediately is further increased. Even if the symbol input button 7 is displayed based only on the predetermined ranking information, the desired symbol can be quickly displayed. You can increase your chances of being discovered.
(2) In the above embodiment, the symbol input buttons 7 to be additionally displayed are a part of all the symbol input buttons 7. However, when the number of symbol input buttons 7 that are not displayed is reduced, all of them are displayed. You may display.
(3) Further, in the above embodiment, the operation keys 2 and the touch panel 3 are controlled by the operation display control unit 4, but the operation display is performed by providing the main control unit 60 with the control function of the operation display control unit 4. The control unit 4 may be deleted. In this case, the touch panel 3 and the main control unit 60 constitute the symbol input device 5.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a multifunction device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the multifunction device A using a touch panel as an operation display device, or other than the image forming device. It can be applied to various electronic devices.
For example, an operation button to which characters are assigned on a television or the like may be displayed on a monitor, and a symbol input may be performed by operating the operation button with a pointing device. In particular, even users who are unfamiliar with the operation with few opportunities to input symbols on a screen displaying a video such as a television can find the desired symbol in a short time, making the user feel uncomfortable. Therefore, comfortable symbol input can be realized.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a multifunction peripheral A according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a top view of the operation display unit 1 of the multifunction machine A according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the e-mail preparation screen in the touch panel 3 of the multi-function device A which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the character selection button 6 and the symbol input button 7 during the principal part operation | movement of the multifunctional machine A which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 5 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the multifunction peripheral A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation display part 3 ... Touch panel (display part, operation detection part)
4. Operation display control unit (control unit)
5 ... Symbol input device 6 ... Character selection button 6k ... Character selection button (first operation button)
7. Symbol input button (second operation button)
A ... Multifunction device (image forming device, electronic device)

Claims (5)

A display unit for displaying operation buttons to which symbols are assigned and the assigned contents are displayed;
An operation detection unit that detects an operation on the operation button and outputs an operation signal;
A control unit that performs display control of the display unit and identifies a symbol operated based on an operation signal of the operation detection unit, and a symbol input device comprising:
The controller is
When an operation signal of the first operation button to which the plurality of symbols are comprehensively assigned is input, one of the plurality of second operation buttons to which one of the symbols is individually assigned. The part is overlapped with the first operation button or displayed in a matrix in the vicinity of the first operation button, and an operation signal for the drag operation is input to the second operation button displayed at the end of the row or column. Then, all or a part of the plurality of second operation buttons is sequentially displayed in a row or column unit at a position adjacent to the second operation button displayed in the direction of the drag operation. Symbol input device. The control unit causes the primary display to be performed from the second operation button to which a symbol having a high user input frequency is assigned, and the user has a high input frequency except for the symbol assigned to the displayed second operation button. The symbol input device according to claim 1 , wherein the additional display is sequentially performed from the second operation button to which the symbol is assigned. The symbol input device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit measures a user input frequency and displays the second operation button based on the measurement result. An image forming apparatus comprising the symbol input device according to claim 1 . An electronic apparatus comprising the symbol input device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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