Multifunction peripheral with template registration and template registration method

Abstract

In a display unit, a setting check key for checking present set contents is displayed together with a setting screen such as a basic screen for performing various basic settings. In a case where a user indicates a setting check key displayed in the setting screen, the display unit displays a template registration key for registering the present set contents as a template together with a setting check screen displaying the present set contents. In a case where the template registration key is indicated, processing is executed to register the present set contents as the template.

1. A multifunction peripheral to perform various types of processing based on set contents, the peripheral comprising:
 a display unit which displays a screen; 
 an operation unit which inputs information; 
 a memory which stores information indicating the set contents as a template; 
 a first display control unit which displays various setting screens in the display unit; 
 a setting unit which performs setting based on setting information input by the operation unit, in a state in which the setting screen is displayed by the first display control unit; 
 a second display control unit which displays, in the display unit, a template registration key to register the set contents as the template together with a setting check screen displaying the set contents input by the operation unit; and 
 a template registration unit which registers the set contents displayed in the setting check screen as the template in the memory, in a case where the second display control unit indicates the template registration key in the setting check screen displayed in the display unit, 
 wherein the first display control unit displays, in the display unit, a setting check key to check present set contents together with the setting screen to input various set contents, and 
 the second display control unit displays the setting check screen and the template registration key in the display unit, in a case where the first display control unit inputs the setting check key displayed in the display unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The multifunction peripheral according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation unit is constituted of a touch panel which detects a portion touched in a display screen of the display unit, and
 the second display control unit displays, in the display unit, the template registration key as an icon selectable by the touch panel as the operation unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The multifunction peripheral according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a template call key which instructs calling of the template stored in the memory and which is different from the template registration key, 
 wherein the setting unit performs the setting based on the set contents stored as the template in the memory, in a case where the template call key is indicated. 
 
     
     
       4. The multifunction peripheral according to  claim 3 , wherein the operation unit is constituted of a touch panel which detects a portion touched in a display screen of the display unit,
 the template call key is constituted of a hardware key disposed separately from the display unit and the operation unit, and 
 the second display control unit displays, in the display unit, the template registration key as an icon selectable by the touch panel as the operation unit. 
 
     
     
       5. A multifunction peripheral having a display unit, an operation unit, and a memory, the peripheral comprising:
 first display control means for displaying various setting screens in the display unit; 
 setting means for performing setting based on setting information input by the operation unit in a state in which the setting screen is displayed by the first display control means; 
 second display control means for displaying, in the display unit, a template registration key to store present set contents as a template together with a setting check screen displaying the present set contents; and 
 template registration means for storing the set contents of the setting check screen displayed in the display unit as the template in the memory, in a case where the second display control means indicates the template registration key displayed by the display unit, 
 wherein the first display control means displays, in the display unit, a setting check key to check the present set contents together with the setting screen to input various settings, and 
 the second display control means displays the setting check screen and the template registration key in the display unit, in a case where the first display control means inputs the setting check key displayed in the display unit. 
 
     
     
       6. The multifunction peripheral according to  claim 5 , wherein the operation unit is constituted of a touch panel which detects a portion touched in a display screen of the display unit, and
 the second display control means displays, in the display unit, the template registration key as an icon selectable by the touch panel as the operation unit. 
 
     
     
       7. The multifunction peripheral according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a template call key which instructs calling of the template stored in the memory and which is different from the template registration key, 
 wherein the setting means performs the setting based on the set contents stored as the template in the memory, in a case where the template call key is indicated. 
 
     
     
       8. The multifunction peripheral according to  claim 7 , wherein the operation unit is constituted of a touch panel which detects a portion touched in a display screen of the display unit,
 the template call key is constituted of a hardware key disposed separately from the display unit and the operation unit, and 
 the second display control means displays, in the display unit, the template registration key as an icon selectable by the touch panel as the operation unit. 
 
     
     
       9. A method of registering a template for use in a multifunction peripheral having a display unit, an operation unit, and a memory, the method comprising:
 displaying various setting screens in the display unit; 
 performing setting based on setting information input by the operation unit in a state in which the setting screen is displayed by the display unit; 
 displaying, in the display unit, a template registration key to store present set contents as a template in the memory together with a setting check screen displaying the present set contents; and 
 storing the set contents of the setting check screen displayed in the display unit as the template in the memory, in a case where the template registration key is indicated, 
 wherein the displaying of the setting screen comprises displaying, in the display unit, a setting check key to check the present set contents together with the setting screen to input various settings, and 
 the displaying of the template registration key comprises displaying the setting check screen and the template registration key in the display unit, in a case where there is input the setting check key displayed together with the setting screen in the display unit. 
 
     
     
       10. The template registering method according to  claim 9 , wherein the operation unit is constituted of a touch panel which detects a portion touched in a display screen of the display unit, and
 the displaying of the template registration key comprises displaying, in the display unit, the template registration key as an icon selectable by the touch panel as the operation unit. 
 
     
     
       11. The template registering method according to  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral further comprises a template call key which instructs calling of the template stored in the memory and which is different from the template registration key, and
 the setting comprises performing the setting based on the set contents stored as the template in the memory, in a case where the template call key is indicated. 
 
     
     
       12. The template registering method according to  claim 11 , wherein the operation unit is a touch panel which detects a portion touched in a display screen of the display unit,
 the template call key is a hardware key disposed separately from the display unit and the operation unit, and 
 the displaying of the template registration key comprises displaying, in the display unit, the template registration key as an icon selectable by the touch panel as the operation unit. 
 
     
     
       13. An image forming apparatus having configurable settings that can be set by a user and registered as a template, comprising:
 an operation panel having a touch panel;   a non-volatile memory; and   a template registration unit configured to display on the touch panel a first user interface that displays all of the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user and a template registration key, and a second user interface that includes icons representing storage locations in the non-volatile memory in any one of which the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user can be stored,   wherein the template registration unit is configured to detect a selection of one of the icons and to store the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user as a template in a storage location in the non-volatile memory corresponding to the selected icon.   
     
     
       14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the icons include a first icon corresponding to an empty storage location and a second icon corresponding to a used storage location. 
     
     
       15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a touch panel control unit configured to display a key by which a template registration process can be initiated. 
     
     
       16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first user interface further displays a template cancel key, by which the template registration process can be cancelled. 
     
     
       17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a template call key by which the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus stored in the non-volatile memory can be retrieved. 
     
     
       18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the template registration unit configures the image forming apparatus in accordance with the retrieved configurable settings. 
     
     
       19. In an image forming apparatus having configurable settings that can be set by a user and stored as a template, a method of registering a template to be used in operating the image forming apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as they are changed in accordance with user selections;   displaying all of the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user and a template registration key;   displaying storage locations in any one of which the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user can be stored;   receiving a selection of one of the storage locations; and   storing the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user in the selected storage location.   
     
     
       20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the storage locations are displayed as icons. 
     
     
       21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the icons include a first icon conesponding to an empty storage location and a second icon corresponding to a used storage location. 
     
     
       22. The method according to claim 19, wherein a key to cancel the template registration process is displayed with the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set by the user and the template registration key. 
     
     
       23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a non-volatile memory unit, and the displayed storage locations correspond to storage locations in the non-volatile memory unit. 
     
     
       24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the storage locations in the non-volatile memory unit are displayed to a user for selection when a template call key is touched by the user. 
     
     
       25. A method of managing a template for an image forming apparatus having a touch panel, a volatile memory unit, a non-volatile memory unit, and configurable settings that can be set by a user and stored as a template in the non-volatile memory unit, the method comprising the steps of:
 setting the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus to operate in a certain manner, all of the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set being stored in the volatile memory unit and being displayed on the touch panel with a template registration key; and   touching the template registration key that is displayed on the display unit with all of the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus as set and selecting a storage location in the non-volatile memory unit, to store the configurable settings of the image forming apparatus in the selected storage location in the non-volatile memory unit.   
     
     
       26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of selecting includes:
 selecting one of a plurality of icons that are displayed on the touch panel,   wherein each of the icons represents a different storage location in the non-volatile memory unit.   
     
     
       27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of icons include a first icon corresponding to an empty storage location and a second icon corresponding to a used storage location. 
     
     
       28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first icon is selected. 
     
     
       29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the second icon is selected. 
     
     
       30. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of touching a key displayed on the touch panel of the image processing apparatus to initiate a template registration process. 
     
     
       31. The method according to claim 30, wherein a key to cancel the template registration process is displayed on the touch panel with the template registration key. 
     
     
       32. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of touching a key to recall a registered template.