User interface processing method and image processing apparatus

1 . A user interface processing method for executing processing related to a user interface in an image processing apparatus including an operation device which accepts an operation and a display device which displays information, the user interface processing method comprising:

executing, by a processor, setting screen control for causing the display device to display a screen that is selected from a plurality of setting screens according to an operation to the operation device toward a user authenticated by user authentication processing, the user being one of a plurality of users, the plurality of setting screens including information related to an operation for setting processing to be executed by the image processing apparatus regarding each of a plurality of functions of the image processing apparatus;

recording, by the processor, operation history information indicating a history of operations to the operation device that corresponds to the plurality of setting screens for each of the users regarding each of the plurality of functions, in a nonvolatile storage device;

determining, by the processor, a learning level for each of the plurality of functions for each of the users based on the operation history information; and

executing, by the processor, guidance screen control for causing the display device to display a screen that is selected from a plurality of guidance screens according to an operation to the operation device toward the user authenticated by the user authentication processing, the plurality of guidance screens presenting explanatory information on each of the plurality of functions,

wherein the processor incorporates information on the learning level for each of the plurality of functions that corresponds to the user authenticated by the user authentication processing into at least one of the plurality of guidance screens.

2 . The user interface processing method according to claim 1 , comprising:

deriving, by the processor, a number of operations for each of the plurality of functions based on the operation history information; and

determining, by the processor, the learning level for each of the plurality of functions according to the number of operations for each of the plurality of functions.

3 . The user interface processing method according to claim 2 , comprising:

incorporating, by the processor, information on an operation date and time indicating a date and time at which an operation to the operation device has been made into the operation history information;

deriving, by the processor, for each of the plurality of functions, an operation interval which is an interval of a plurality of operation dates and times corresponding to a series of a plurality of operations for setting one processing to be executed by the image processing apparatus based on the operation history information; and

correcting, by the processor, the learning level for each of the plurality of functions according to the operation interval for each of the plurality of functions.

4 . The user interface processing method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, an ambiguity level for each of the plurality of functions for each of the users according to the operation interval for each of the plurality of functions; and

transmitting, by the processor, when the plurality of functions include a specific function in which a number of the users having the ambiguity level exceeding a reference level, exceeds a reference number, advice information related to the specific function to a destination corresponding to each of the users having the ambiguity level exceeding the reference level via a communication device.

5 . The user interface processing method according to claim 2 , comprising:

incorporating, by the processor, information on an operation date and time indicating a date and time at which an operation to the operation device has been made into the operation history information;

deriving, by the processor, a zero-operation time for each of the plurality of functions for each of the users based on the information on the operation date and time; and

correcting, by the processor, the learning level for each of the plurality of functions according to the zero-operation time for each of the plurality of functions.

6 . The user interface processing method according to claim 2 , comprising:

when operations corresponding to the plurality of setting screens include a hesitation operation that instructs cancel or return of a setting of the processing to be executed by the image processing apparatus,

deriving, by the processor, for each of the plurality of functions, a number of hesitation operations that is a number of the hesitation operations that have been made when performing a series of setting operations for setting one processing to be executed by the image processing apparatus, based on the operation history information; and

correcting, by the processor, the learning level for each of the plurality of functions according to the number of hesitation operations for each of the plurality of functions.

7 . The user interface processing method according to claim 6 , comprising:

determining, by the processor, an ambiguity level for each of the plurality of functions for each of the users according to the number of hesitation operations for each of the plurality of functions for each of the users, and

transmitting, by the processor, when a number of the users having the ambiguity level exceeding a reference level, exceeds a reference number regarding a specific function out of the plurality of functions, advice information related to the specific function to a destination corresponding to each of the users having the ambiguity level exceeding the reference level via a communication device.

8 . The user interface processing method according to claim 1 , comprising:

determining, by the processor, an overall learning level obtained by integrating the learning level for each of the plurality of functions for each of the users; and

incorporating, by the processor, information on the overall learning level that corresponds to the user authenticated by the user authentication processing into at least one of the plurality of guidance screens.

9 . An image processing apparatus, comprising:

an operation device which accepts an operation;

a display device which displays information;

a processor which realizes the user interface processing method according to claim 1 ; and

an image processing portion which executes image processing set by the operation to the operation device.