Operation console, electronic device and image processing apparatus provided with the operation console, and method of displaying information on the operation console

Abstract

On a touch-panel display of an image forming apparatus, which is divided to five areas, that is, a system area, a function selection area, a preview area, an action panel area and a task trigger area, pieces of information are displayed. Even if an operational mode is switched, the same or similar information is always displayed in the area arranged at the same position. In addition, when an input of a numerical value is requested, a group of keys of the same arrangement is displayed at the same position on the touch-panel display, regardless of the operational mode.

1 . An operation console provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:
 a display unit displaying information to be notified to a user;   a detecting unit, arranged on said display unit, for detecting a request of the user based on a position touched by a finger tip of the user; and   a display control unit displaying numerical information allowing the user for inputting, using said detecting unit, a numerical value as an instruction to said apparatus as the object of control, at the same position on said display unit even when display on said display unit is switched.   
     
     
         2 . The operation console according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said apparatus as the object of control operates in one operational mode selected by a user from a plurality of operational modes;   said display unit displays information corresponding to said selected operational mode; and   said display control unit displays said numerical information at the same position in each operational mode.   
     
     
         3 . The operation console according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said numerical information includes a plurality of aligned numeric keys; and   said display control unit displays said numeric keys in the same arrangement in each operational mode.   
     
     
         4 . The operation console according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said detecting unit detects a user's request for inputting a numerical value; and   said display control unit displays, in response to said request for inputting a numerical value, said numerical information at the same position, regardless of the position where said request for inputting a numerical value is detected.   
     
     
         5 . The operation console according to  claim 1 , wherein said display control unit erases display of said numerical information in response to completion of input of a numerical value as an instruction to said apparatus as the object of control. 
     
     
         6 . The operation console according to  claim 5 , wherein the completion of input is when a request for executing a process to said apparatus as the object of control is detected by said detecting unit. 
     
     
         7 . The operation console according to  claim 1 , wherein said display control unit displays at least one of the area for displaying the numerical information including a plurality of numeric keys and the numeric keys in the same size as before the display on said display unit is switched. 
     
     
         8 . The operation console according to  claim 1 , wherein said display unit and said detecting unit constitute a touch-panel display. 
     
     
         9 . An electronic device provided with the operation console according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . An image processing apparatus provided with the operation console according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A method of displaying information on an operation console provided on an apparatus as an object of control, comprising:
 the display step of displaying information to be notified to a user;   the detecting step of detecting, using a touch-panel arranged on said display panel, a request of the user based on a position touched by a finger tip of the user; and   the display control step of displaying numerical information allowing the user for inputting, using said touch-panel, a numerical value as an instruction to said apparatus as the object of control, at the same position on said display unit even when display on said display unit is switched.