Operation console, image processing apparatus and display method

Abstract

In order to provide an operation console having superior operability and visibility, a touch-panel display includes a display panel displaying a copy mode basic screen image with virtual keys, and a touch-panel receiving an input operation to the virtual keys. On the copy mode basic screen image, a group of virtual ten keys for inputting the number of copies are displayed. When image data is input by a document reading unit, the touch-panel display causes a preview image based on the image data to be displayed with higher priority than the group of virtual ten keys, in the copy mode basic screen image.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An operation console for use in an image processing apparatus including an image input device for inputting image data, comprising:
 a touch-panel having a display screen,   a data input process device configured to execute a process for inputting image data using the image input device in response to an instruction to start input of image data;   an input receiving image display device configured to display, on the display screen, an input receiving image including an input key for receiving an operation input by a user;   a request receiving device configured to receive a request for displaying a preview image; and   a preview image display device configured to display, in response to reception of the request for displaying a preview image, a preview image of image data input by the image input device on the display screen with a priority higher than the input receiving image.   
     
     
         3 . The operation console according to  claim 2 , wherein the request receiving device receives the request for displaying the preview image by the instruction to start input of image data. 
     
     
         4 . The operation console according to  claim 2 , wherein the input receiving image display device includes a priority display device configured to display, in response to a prescribed operation by a user, on the display screen, the input receiving image with priority to the preview image in a state where a part of the preview image is being displayed;
 the request receiving device receives a request for displaying the preview image by a touch operation by the user on the preview image in the state where a part of the preview image is being displayed; and   the preview image display device displays, in response to reception of the request for displaying the preview image, the preview image on the display screen with priority to the input receiving image, so that the preview image as a whole is displayed.   
     
     
         5 . The operation console according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the image processing apparatus further includes an image output device configured to output an image based on image data input by the image input device; and   the input receiving image display device includes a ten-key display device configured to display a ten-key image used for inputting a parameter for setting of the image output device, as the input receiving image, on the display screen.   
     
     
         6 . The operation console according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an icon image display device, responsive to the preview image being displayed on the display screen with priority to the ten-key image, for displaying, in place of the ten-key image, an icon image requesting display of the ten-key image on the display screen with priority to the preview image, on the display screen.   
     
     
         7 . An image processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image input device for inputting image data; and   the operation console according to  claim 2  for operating the image input device.   
     
     
         8 . A display control method for controlling display of an operation console including a touch-panel with a display screen, used in an image processing apparatus including an image input device for inputting image data, comprising the steps of:
 displaying, on the display screen, an input receiving image including an input key for receiving an operation input by a user;   receiving a request for displaying a preview image of image data input by the image input device; and   in response to reception of the request for displaying a preview image, displaying, on the display screen, a preview image of image data input by the image input device with priority to the input receiving image.