KR19990014971A - How to Display the Functions of the All-in-One - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention displays the entire menu displaying the functions of the multifunction apparatus connected to the PC as a whole on the monitor of the PC, and the functions being performed while the functions to be performed are selected and performed among these displayed functions, functions that can be performed in parallel, and cannot be performed in parallel The present invention relates to a method of displaying the functions of the all-in-one to distinguish and display the functions. By displaying the overall menu of the all-in-one functions, the user can easily know the various functions performed in the all-in-one and use them simultaneously while the selected function is performed. It is also possible to easily recognize and select other functions that can be performed, so there is an advantage in using the multifunction device efficiently.

Description

How to Display the Functions of the All-in-One

The present invention relates to a method of displaying various functions of a multi-function peripheral (MFP) as a whole. More specifically, the function of a multifunction device connected to a personal computer (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'PC') as a whole of a PC The present invention relates to a method of displaying on a monitor and distinguishing functions that can be performed in parallel with a function being performed while a function to be performed is selected and performed among these displayed functions.

In general, a multifunction device is a multifunctional terminal that is a combination of office automation devices such as facsimile, printer, scanner, copier, etc., which existed as a single unit, in one complex device. The data read, transfer, print and copy functions are performed. As the multifunction device has various functions, various functions may be independently performed, and multiple operations may be performed while another function may be performed during the execution of one function.

Recently, in displaying the functions of the all-in-one, a method of displaying on the monitor of a PC by using a PC driver built in the PC connected to the all-in-one is displayed on the LCD panel provided in the operating panel. Presented. Bidirectional communication is required in this PC and compound period, so 1284 protocol is used for this. Data to perform commands or functions from the PC are received by the MFP, and the status of the MFP is transmitted from the MFP to the PC to monitor it. Will be displayed on. Here, in driving the PC driver to control the multifunction apparatus from the PC and displaying it on the monitor, functions that can be performed in the multifunction apparatus are not displayed on the monitor as a whole. For example, if an indication of one function such as a print function is displayed on the monitor by driving a PC driver, an indication of the copy function, which is another function, is displayed on the display window provided on the operation panel of the multifunction apparatus itself. Thus, the present multifunction apparatus is configured with a display window on the operation panel to display functions that cannot be displayed on the monitor.

By the way, in the method for displaying the functions of the conventional multifunction device as described above, even if the conventional multifunction device is displayed by driving a PC driver, the function of the conventional multifunction device does not display a menu of the overall functions. In order to operate directly in the multifunction device in order to use the problem that is inconvenient to use.

In addition, many functions can be performed, but only the optional functions are displayed on the monitor, so users who do not know how to use them cannot use multiple functions without knowing which functions can be performed simultaneously. There was a problem that can not be efficiently operated in using the multifunction of the multifunction device can perform.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of displaying a function that can be performed in a multifunction apparatus on a monitor of a PC connected to the multifunction apparatus as a whole.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a method for distinguishing and displaying a function being performed while a function selected on the monitor is performed, a function that can be performed in parallel, and a function that cannot be performed in parallel. have.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a multifunction apparatus according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying a function of a multifunction apparatus according to the present invention on a monitor of a connected PC.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

100: multifunction machine 110: control unit

120: memory 130: operation panel

140: sensor unit 150: scanner

160: printer 170: modem

180: LIU 190: PC interface

200: PC 210: input / output port

220: PC driver 230: central processing unit

300: monitor

A feature of the present invention for achieving the above objects is a method of displaying a function of a multifunction device by driving a PC driver embedded in a PC: a multi-function menu for displaying the entire function of the multifunction device by driving the PC driver A first displaying step displayed on the monitor of the PC connected to the; Performing a function selected from the entire menu displayed in the first display step; And a second display step of displaying a function which is performed in the performing step, a function that can be performed in parallel with the function that is being performed, and a function that cannot be performed in parallel, are distinguished from each other.

In the above-described feature of the present invention, it is preferable that the entire menu is displayed as an icon or a display window.

In addition, the performing function, the parallel function and the non-parallel function are displayed in different predetermined colors.

In addition, the current function is displayed so that a predetermined color flashes.

Hereinafter, a method of displaying the function of the multifunction apparatus according to the present invention on a monitor of a PC will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a schematic block diagram of a multifunction apparatus and a PC connected to the multifunction apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention.

The overall configuration and operation is as follows.

In the multifunction apparatus 100, the controller 110 controls the overall multifunction apparatus 100 according to a program of a set mode.

The memory 120 accesses or stores data received through a public line network or program data, protocol data, text data, voice data, and the like, received from the public line network under the control of the controller 110.

The operation panel 130 is configured with key metrics including a plurality of numeric keys and function keys for setting functions on the menu, and provides the controller 110 with key data generated according to the key operation.

The sensor unit 140 detects a state of each part according to the operation of the multifunction apparatus 100, such as detecting a remaining amount of recording paper or inserting a document, and provides the sensor 110 to the controller 110.

When the transmission or copy mode of original data is set to perform a fax function or a copy function, the scanner 150 scans an inserted document under the control of the control unit 110, converts the document into image data, and then controls the control unit 110. To send.

The printer 160 prints the fax data received through the public line network, the original data scanned from the scanner 150, and the print data transmitted from the PC 200 on the recording paper under the control of the control unit 110.

The modem 170 modulates and outputs the output data inputted from the controller 110 under the control of the controller 110, and digitally outputs the analog signal input from the public line network through the Line Interface Unit (LIU) 180. Demodulate to transmit to the control unit 110.

The LIU 180 forms a communication path between the public line network and the modem 170 under the control of the controller 110 to interface the signal from the public line network with the signal of the modem 170.

The PC interface unit 190 transmits the fax data received through the public line network or the original data scanned by the scanner 150 to the PC 200 or sends information from the PC 200 under the control of the controller 110. It transmits to (100) and serves to interconnect with each other using a 1284 protocol for bidirectional communication so that the PC 200 and the multifunction apparatus 100 can communicate with each other.

Also, in the PC 200, the input / output port 210 interfaces the multifunction apparatus 100 and the PC 200.

The PC driver 220 stores a PC driving program so that the PC 200 can perform various functions, and in particular, the state of the multifunction apparatus 100 is displayed on the display window of the operation panel 130 provided in the multifunction apparatus 100 itself. Control to display on the monitor 300 of the PC (200). Here, the PC driver 220 for performing the present invention distinguishes and displays each part of the all-in-one device 100 and a function that is currently being performed, functions that can be performed in parallel, and functions that cannot be performed in parallel. It is composed of parts.

The central processing unit 230 generally controls the entire PC 200 and the connected peripheral devices.

The monitor 300 is controlled by the central processing unit 230 of the PC 200 to display a control state, an operation by an application program, and various functions of the connected multifunction apparatus 100.

Here, in the case of the multifunction apparatus 100, in which the display window is not provided in the operation panel 130, the PC driver of the PC 200 connected to the multifunction apparatus 100 may display the function of the multifunction apparatus 100 by the LCD display window and various operation keys. In addition to 220, when the PC driver 220 is driven, the state of the multifunction apparatus 100 may be changed by bidirectional communication through the PC interface unit 190 of the multifunction apparatus 100 and the input / output port 210 of the PC 200. The display function of the multifunction apparatus 100 may be substituted by displaying the monitor 300. The 1284 protocol is used for bidirectional communication between the PC 200 and the multifunction apparatus 100 to transmit data for command and execution from the PC 200, and the multifunction apparatus 100 performs a function execution state and the like in the multifunction apparatus 100. Bidirectional communication informing the PC 200 becomes possible.

2 is a flow chart illustrating an implementation method according to the present invention.

In order to perform the function of the multifunction apparatus 100, it is determined whether the PC driver 220 of the PC 200 connected to the multifunction apparatus 100 is driven (S1), and when the PC driver 220 is driven, the multifunction apparatus 100 and Since the connected PC 200 starts bi-directional communication through each PC interface unit 190 and the input / output port 210 using the 1284 protocol, it may be performed on the monitor 300 connected to the PC 200. A menu of all functions is displayed (S2). Here these functions are displayed as icons. From among these functions, a function to be performed is selected (S3), it is determined whether to start performing the function (S4), and if it is canceled, the process proceeds to the step of determining whether to end the use of the multifunction apparatus (S11). The command to perform the function is transmitted to the multifunction apparatus 100 under the control of the PC driver 220 to perform the function. While the function selected in the multifunction apparatus 100 is performed, the PC 200 requests the state information of the multifunction apparatus 100, and the multifunction apparatus 100 responds to the status request by checking the current function and the functions that can be performed in parallel. The response information is transmitted to the PC 200. The PC 200 displays the status of the functions of the multifunction apparatus 100 on the monitor 300 according to the status information that is responded, and the function being performed is displayed to change colors in the display menu of all functions (S5). When the function being performed is displayed, the functions that can be performed in parallel and the functions that cannot be performed in parallel are displayed in different colors distinguishing from the functions being performed (S6 and S7). If each of the above functions are distinguished and displayed, it is determined whether to select a function that can be performed in parallel with the function currently being performed (S8). If another function that can be performed in parallel is selected, another parallel function selected in step S8 is performed while the selected preceding function is performed (S9). Subsequently, it is determined whether the execution of all the selected functions is completed (S10), it is determined whether to terminate the use of the multifunction apparatus 100 (S11), and when the multifunction apparatus 100 is no longer used, driving of the PC driver is performed. The display is terminated so that the display disappears from the monitor 300, or the menu display step S2 displays the entire function again.

Therefore, by displaying various functions of the multifunction device on the monitor of the PC connected to the multifunction device, the multifunction provided in the multifunction device can be smoothly performed by displaying the current function of the multifunction device and other functions that can be performed in parallel with the multifunction device. It is.

After all, according to the method for displaying the function of the multifunction device according to the present invention, by displaying the overall menu of the multifunction device function on the monitor connected to the PC by driving the PC driver, it is possible to know the various functions performed in the multifunction device to be easily used by the user. There is an advantage to this.

In addition, even when the multifunction device is installed at a remote location or the display panel is not provided on the operation panel, the multifunction device can be controlled from the display menu on the monitor, and the function being performed in the entire menu displayed, functions that can be performed in parallel, and cannot be performed in parallel Functions are distinguished from each other so that other functions that can be performed in parallel while the selected function is performed can be easily recognized and selected, thereby effectively using the multifunction device.

Claims (5)

In the method of displaying the functions of the all-in-one by operating the personal computer driver built in the personal computer: A first display step of driving the personal computer driver so that an entire menu showing all the functions of the multifunction apparatus is displayed on a monitor of the personal computer connected to the multifunction apparatus; Performing a function selected from the entire menu displayed in the first display step; And And a second display step of displaying a function which is being performed in the performing step, a function that can be performed in parallel with the function that is being performed, and a function that cannot be performed in parallel, so as to be distinguished from each other. The method of claim 1, wherein the entire menu is How to display the functions of the all-in-one that are displayed as icons. The method of claim 1, wherein the entire menu is Function display method of the multifunction apparatus which adds and displays a display window. The method of claim 1, wherein the function being performed, the parallel function and the non-parallel function are: Function display method of the multifunction device to display in different predetermined colors. The method of claim 1, wherein the function currently being performed is A function display method of a multifunction apparatus for displaying a predetermined color to blink.