1. An antenna for generating an electromagnetic field, including a plurality of inductive cells parallel connected in a planar array and forming, in association with at least one capacitor, an oscillating circuit adapted to connect to a high-frequency excitation signal.
2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein all cells have identical inductance values.
3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein a natural resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit is chosen to approximately correspond to a frequency of the excitation signal.
4. The antenna of claim 1, connected in series with the at least one capacitor.
5. The antenna of claim 1, connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor.
6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each cell includes a winding having a number of turns, the number of turns selected based on a surface area of the planar array of cells.
7. A terminal for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic field for at least one transponder, including the antenna of claim 1.
8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the oscillating circuit has a natural resonance frequency and the at least one capacitor has a greater capacitance than would a capacitor included as part of an antenna of a same size and having a same natural resonance frequency but formed of a single inductive cell.
9. The antenna of claim 1, each inductive cell being formed by one or more coplanar and concentric turns.
10. The antenna of claim 9, the coplanar and concentric turns being of a hexagonal geometry.
11. The antenna of claim 10, the inductive cells of the antenna being of a hexagonal geometry and forming groups of seven inductive cells that share the at least one capacitor.
12. The antenna of claim 11, wherein the inductive cells of a group of seven inductive cells form connections with the terminals of the shared at least one capacitor on the back side of a printed circuit upon which the inductive cells are formed.
13. The antenna of claim 12, wherein each side of one inductive cell of the group of seven inductive cells is adjacent to a side of each of the other six inductive cells of the group of seven inductive cells.
14. The antenna of claim 11, the at least one capacitor being formed across a thickness of a printed circuit upon which the inductive cells are formed.
15. The antenna of claim 1, the antenna being part of an integrated circuit.
16. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive cells includes at least three inductive cells.
17. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the planar array includes at least two columns of inductive cells and at least two rows of inductive cells.
18. An antenna for generating an electromagnetic field, comprising a plurality of inductive cells electrically connected in parallel and arranged in a planar array;
wherein the plurality of inductive cells are operative to connect to a high frequency excitation signal.
19. The antenna of claim 18, further comprising at least one capacitor, such that the at least one capacitor and the plurality of inductive cells form, in combination, an oscillating circuit.
20. The antenna of claim 19, the at least one capacitor being formed across a thickness of a printed circuit upon which the inductive cells are formed.
21. The antenna of claim 18, each inductive cell being formed by one or more coplanar and concentric turns.
22. The antenna of claim 21, the coplanar and concentric turns being of a hexagonal geometry.
23. The antenna of claim 22, the inductive cells of the antenna being of a hexagonal geometry and forming groups of seven inductive cells that share the at least one capacitor.
24. The antenna of claim 23, wherein the inductive cells of a group of seven inductive cells form connections with the terminals of the shared at least one capacitor on the back side of a printed circuit upon which the inductive cells are formed.
25. The antenna of claim 24, wherein each side of a one inductive cell of a group of seven inductive cells is adjacent to a single side of each of the other six inductive cells of the group of seven inductive cells.
26. The antenna of claim 18, the antenna being part of an integrated circuit.
27. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the plurality of inductive cells includes at least three inductive cells.
28. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the planar array includes at least two columns of inductive cells and at least two rows of inductive cells.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
It is claimed:
1. A display control apparatus for image forming apparatus that features:
a first operation panel with which operators can select multiple functions of an image forming apparatus that has aforementioned multiple functions;
a second operation panel that is configured so that it can be loaded and unloaded freely tofrom the aforementioned image forming apparatus and with which operators can select aforementioned multiple functions;
a detection means to detect whether the second operation panel is loaded or not when the aforementioned image forming apparatus is turned on; and
a controlling means that controls items that are displayed on the first operation panel according to the result of detection by the aforementioned detection means.
2. A display control apparatus for image forming apparatus that features:
a first operation panel with which operators can select multiple functions of an image forming apparatus that has aforementioned multiple functions;
a second operation panel that is configured so that it can be loaded and unloaded freely tofrom the aforementioned image forming apparatus and with which operators can select aforementioned multiple functions;
a detection means to detect whether the second operation panel is loaded or not when the aforementioned image forming apparatus is turned on; and
a controlling means that controls the display items so that predefined display items are displayed on the aforementioned first operation panel when the aforementioned detection means determines that the aforementioned second operation panel is not loaded, and adding to the predefined display items, at least a mode button that can switch the display items on the second operation panel is displayed when the aforementioned detection means determines that the aforementioned second operation panel is loaded.
3. A method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus having a first, standard display device and a second, optional display device, the method comprising
testing if the second, optional display device is available
if the second, optional display device is available, then providing a first standard user interface to the first display device and an operation guidance interface to the second display device
if the second, optional display is not available, then providing a second standard interface to the first display device
wherein the first standard interface includes an option for the user to select a different interface and the second standard interface lacks an option for the user to select a different interface.
4. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein if a user selects the option for the different interface, then providing the different interface to the first display device and the second display device
5. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the different interface comprises an advanced interface.
6. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the advanced interface includes an option for the user to select a custom interface.
7. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 6 further comprising, if the user selects the option for the custom interface, then providing the custom interface to the first display device and the second display device.
8. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first standard interface and the second standard interface are substantially identical except for the option for the user to select a different interface.
9. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus which is really a bogus claim included amongst real claims, and which should be removed before filing; wherein the claim is included to determine if the inventor actually read the claims and the inventor should instruct the attorneys to remove the claim.
10. A method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus have a first display device and a second display device, the method comprising
providing a standard user interface to the first display device, the standard user interface including an option for the user to select an advanced interface
providing an operation guidance interface to the second display device
if a user selects the option for the advanced interface, then providing the advanced interface to the first display device and the second display device
11. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the advanced interface includes an option for the user to select a custom interface and the standard interface lacks an option for the user to select a custom interface.
12. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus of claim 11 further comprising, if the user selects the option for the custom interface, then providing the custom interface to the first display device and the second display device.
13. An image forming apparatus comprising
a first, standard display device
a controller
a control program having instructions for causing the controller to
test if a second, optional display device is available
if the second, optional display device is available, then provide a first standard user interface to the first display device and an operation guidance interface to the second display device
if the second, optional display is not available, then providing a second standard interface to the first display device
wherein the first standard interface includes an option for the user to select a different interface and the second standard interface lacks an option for the user to select a different interface.
14. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, the control program further having instructions for causing the controller to detect if a user has selected the option for the different interface, and if so then to provide the different interface to the first display device and the second display device
15. The image forming apparatus of claim 14, wherein the different interface comprises an advanced interface.
16. The image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein the advanced interface includes an option for the user to select a custom interface.
17. The image forming apparatus of claim 16, the control program further having instructions for causing the controller to detect if the user selects the option for the custom interface, and if so then to provide the custom interface to the first display device and the second display device.
18. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first standard interface and the second standard interface are substantially identical except for the option for the user to select a different interface.
19. An image forming apparatus comprising
a first display device
a second display device
a controller
a control program having instructions for causing the controller to
provide a standard user interface to the first display device, the standard user interface including an option for the user to select an advanced interface
provide an operation guidance interface to the second display device
determine if a user has selected the option for the advanced interface, and if so, then to provide the advanced interface to the first display device and the second display device.
20. The image forming apparatus of claim 19, wherein the advanced interface includes an option for the user to select a custom interface and the standard interface lacks an option for the user to select a custom interface.
21. The image forming apparatus of claim 20 further comprising, if the user selects the option for the custom interface, then providing the custom interface to the first display device and the second display device.
22. An image forming apparatus comprising
a first, standard display device
means for testing if a second, optional display device is available
means for providing a first standard user interface to the first display device and an operation guidance interface to the second display device if the second, optional display device is available
means for providing a second standard interface to the first display device if the second, optional display is not available
wherein the first standard interface includes an option for the user to select a different interface and the second standard interface lacks an option for the user to select a different interface.
23. The image forming apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for providing the different interface to the first display device and the second display device if a user selects the option for the different interface
24. The image forming apparatus of claim 23, wherein the different interface comprises an advanced interface.
25. The image forming apparatus of claim 24, wherein the advanced interface includes an option for the user to select a custom interface.
26. The image forming apparatus of claim 25 further comprising means for then providing the custom interface to the first display device and the second display device if the user selects the option for the custom interface.
27. The image forming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first standard interface and the second standard interface are substantially identical except for the option for the user to select a different interface.
28. An image forming apparatus comprising
a first display device
a second display device
means for providing a standard user interface to the first display device, the standard user interface including an option for the user to select an advanced interface
means for providing an operation guidance interface to the second display device
means for providing the advanced interface to the first display device and the second display device if a user selects the option for the advanced interface.
29. The image forming apparatus of claim 28, wherein the advanced interface includes an option for the user to select a custom interface and the standard interface lacks an option for the user to select a custom interface.
30. The image forming apparatus of claim 29 further comprising means for providing the custom interface to the first display device and the second display device if the user selects the option for the custom interface.