Image forming apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an operation display unit, a display range registration unit, an icon registration unit, and a display control unit. In the operation display unit, an icon for selecting an image forming apparatus operation is displayed. In the display range registration unit, information on a display range of the icons displayed on the operation display unit is registered. In the icon registration unit, information on a display position of the icon on the operation display unit is registered. In the display control unit, a movement button for moving the icon based on the information on the display range which is registered in the display range registration unit is displayed when the icon is selected. In the display control unit, the information on the display position which is registered in the icon registration unit is updated when the movement button is pressed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an operation display panel configured to display a plurality of icons for selecting an operation of the image forming apparatus; and   a display control unit configured to:
 store
 display position information that indicates a plurality of display positions on the operation display panel for displaying the icons and 
 icon registration information that associates the display positions with the icons; 
 
 when one of the icons is selected, display a plurality of movement buttons on the operation display panel depending on the display position of the selected icon; 
 when one of the movement buttons is pressed, display the selected icon at a new display position and update the icon registration information so that the selected icon is associated with the new display position; and 
 update the display of the movement buttons on the operation display panel depending on the updated display position of the selected icon. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the display control unit is configured to cause a movement button pointing in a direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved, to be disabled based on the display position information.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the display control unit is configured to change a shape of the movement button pointing in the direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved, based on the display position information.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the display control unit is configured to use a gray scale image for the movement button pointing in the direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved, based on the display position information.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the display control unit is configured not to display a movement button pointing in a direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved, when the display position information indicates that the selected icon cannot be moved from its current position to the direction.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the display position information indicates a total number of icons displayed on the operation display panel in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the display position information further indicates a total number of icons displayed on the operation display panel in a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the display position information further indicates a total number of pages for displaying the icons on the operation display panel.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the display position information further indicates whether a scroll operation is allowed on the operation display panel.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the movement buttons comprise:
 a first button having an up-pointing arrow; 
 a second button having a down-pointing arrow; 
 a third button having a left-pointing arrow; and 
 a fourth button having a right-pointing arrow. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method carried out by an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:
 displaying on an operation display panel a plurality of icons for selecting an operation of the image forming apparatus;   when one of the icons is selected, displaying a plurality of movement buttons on the operation display panel depending on a display position for the selected icon stored in icon registration information;   when one of the movement buttons is pressed, displaying the selected icon at a new display position and updating the icon registration information so that the selected icon is associated with the new display position; and   updating the display of the movement buttons on the operation display panel depending on the updated display position of the selected icon.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein a movement button pointing in a direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved is disabled based on display position information indicating a plurality of display positions on the operation display panel for displaying the icons.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein a shape of the movement button pointing in the direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved is changed based on the display position information.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein a gray scale image is used for the movement button pointing in the direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved, based on the display position information.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein a movement button pointing in a direction in which the selected icon is not capable of being moved is not displayed when the selected icon cannot be moved from its current position to the direction.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the image forming apparatus stores display position information that indicates a total number of icons displayed on the operation display panel in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the display position information further indicates a total number of icons displayed on the operation display panel in a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the display position information further indicates a total number of pages for displaying the icons on the operation display panel.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the display position information further indicates whether a scroll operation is allowed on the operation display panel.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the movement buttons comprise:
 a first button having an up-pointing arrow; 
 a second button having a down-pointing arrow; 
 a third button having a left-pointing arrow; and 
 a fourth button having a right-pointing arrow.