Printing Apparatus Having a Memory for Storing Composite and Printed Character Information for Subsequent Erasure

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a printer suitable for use in an electronic typewriter having an automatic correction function.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many types of electronic typewriters have an automatic correction function for automatically correcting a printed character. For example, such a typewriter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,846. In such a typewriter, character information is stored in a line buffer memory (such as memory 40 shown in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,846) for the automatic correction function, and the content of the memory is retrieved as required to effect the correction. No character key need be depressed since a correction key need only be depressed to correct the printed character. This system is very convenient to an operator but has the following problem.

For example, assuming that a fraction "1/2" is to be printed. After "1" has been printed in superscript, a dash "--" is printed. In this case, information on the printed "1" stored in the line buffer memory LB (such as memory 40 shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,846) is deleted from the line buffer LB and information on the dash "--" is substituted therefor as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B). Accordingly, when the characters representing the printed fraction are to be erased, all of the characters of the fraction cannot be erased by one correction key depression but rather must be erased one character at a time by manual operation or other means. This erasing operation is very troublesome and time-consuming.

When a composite character such as "Y" is to be printed, "Y" is printed and then "=" is overprinted. In this case, character information on the printed "Y" stored in the line buffer LB is deleted when "=" is printed and character information on "=" is substituted therefor. As a result, it is not possible to simultaneously erase the characters "Y" and "=" of the composite character "Y" by depression of the correction key, and the non-erased character must be erased by other means. Again, this erasing operation is trouble-some and time-consuming.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus capable of erasing a composite character by one correction key depression.

When character information is stored in the line buffer memory, print information on a print pitch of a string of characters already printed and a character form (e.g. character with underline or Gothic character, etc.) are necessary to represent each character printed. In the character information and the print information (pitch and form) are paired and stored in the line buffer memory as fixed length information, it may be acceptable when the print information frequently varies. Normally, however, the print information does not vary frequently and only the character information varies. Accordingly, it is desirable that a printer store the print information in the line buffer memory as variable length information so that the required capacity of the line buffer memory, that is the amount of line buffer storage needed, is reduced and the line buffer memory is effectively utilized.

It is, therefore, a second object of the present invention to provide a printer which utilizes a limited capacity line buffer memory in a very effective manner.

FIG. 1 illustrates in steps A through C the processing of character information in a line buffer memory of a prior art printer;

FIG. 2 shows a control block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates in steps A through C the processing of character information in a line buffer memory utilized in the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows in steps A and B the contents of the line buffer memory;

FIG. 6 shows a control block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows in steps A through E a sequence of print examples and corresponding contents of the line buffer memory; and

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10A and 10B show flow charts for the operations of the first, second and third embodiments, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows a block circuit diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. KB denotes a keyboard which has numeric keys "0"-"9", a dash key "--", a superscript key SPK, a subscript key SBK, a correction key CK and other character keys CHK and control keys CTK.

CPU denotes a central processing unit and PRT denotes a printer having a print head H having an erasing mechanism ER and a motor M for feeding a print paper P vertically. The print head H is moved from left to right to print characters. The CPU has a register S for storing a distance of vertical movement of the print paper P, a flag F for identifying printing or erasing, and a register C for storing the character information. LB denotes a line buffer memory such as the memory 40 shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,846, which stores information on the printed character, and WKM denotes a working memory for substituting the character information in the line buffer memory LB.

The operation of the present embodiment to print "1/2" will now be described. FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of this operation.

When the correction key CK has not been depressed and when the superscript key SPK is depressed, the motor M is rotated to move the print paper P downward by a distance corresponding to one half of a line and the CPU stores the distance of movement SC1 into the register S as shown in the branch 2 of FIG. 8. When the character key "1" is next depressed, the CPU stores the character information 1 into the register C and writes the contents of the registers C and S into the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 3(A) and in branch 3 of FIG. 8. The printer PRT prints "1" and immediately thereafter the motor M moves the print paper P upward by one half of line pitch to restore it to the original position. The print head H is moved to the next print position and the registers C and S are cleared again as shown in branch 3 of FIG. 8. Then, the print head H is returned to the print position of "1" and the key representing the dash character " --" is depressed. The CPU stores the character information -- (dash) into the register C and the printer PRT prints "--" as shown in branch 3 of FIG. 8. The CPU updates the content of the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 3(B) by using the working memory WKM and clears the register C. In FIG. 3(B), "(" and ")" are special codes which indicate that a plurality of character information are present in the same printing position and "(" indicates the beginning of the information and ")" indicates the end of the information. After a "--" has been printed, the print head H is again returned to the print position of "1" and the subscript key SBK is depressed. Then the motor M is rotated to move the print paper P upward by one half of line pitch. The CPU stores the distance of movement SC2 into the register S.

When the character key "2" is next depressed, the CPU stores the character information 2 into the register C and writes the contents of the registers C and S into the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 3(C) and in branch 3 of FIG. 8. The printer PRT prints the character "2" and the motor M moves the print paper P downward by one half of line pitch and the print head H is moved to the next print position. The CPU then clears the registers C and S. A method for erasing the fraction comprising the superscript and the subscript printed in the manner described above is now explained. Erasure occurs in response to depression of the correction key CK as shown in Branch 1 of FIG. 8.

The print head H is first positioned to a character group to be erased and the correction key CK is depressed. The CPU looks up the line buffer memory LB to retrieve the information on the printed character group under the print head H as shown in branch 1 of FIG. 8. In the example shown in FIG. 3(C), the CPU first retrieves the special code ")" from the line buffer memory LB, stores the character information 2 in the register C and stores SC2 in the register S, and sets the flag F. Then, the motor M of the printer PRT is rotated to move the print paper P by the distance corresponding to the content stored in the register S so that the print head H is positioned to the print position of "2". Then, the printer PRT erases the printed character "2" and the motor M is rotated in the opposite direction by the distance corresponding to the content of the register S and then the contents of the registers C and S are cleared.

The character information -- (dash) is then stored in the register C and the printer PRT erases the character "--" as shown by branch 1 of FIG. 8. Then, the character information 1 and SC1 are stored in the registers C and S, respectively, and the printer PRT erases the printed character "1" in the same manner as described above. Then, the contents of the registers C and S are cleared.

After the characters corresponding to the character information between "(" and ")" in the line buffer memory LB have been deleted, the CPU clears the flag F and clears all information on the fraction characters in the line buffer memory LB again as shown in branch 1 of FIG. 8. In this manner the fraction characters comprising the superscript and the subscript are completely erased and the information thereon stored in the line buffer memory LB are also completely cleared.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. KB denotes a keyboard which has character keys, a correction key CK and other character keys and control keys (some of which are not shown). PRT denotes a printer which has a print head H controlled by a central processing unit CPU. The CPU has a register C for storing character information supplied from the keyboard KB and a flag F. LB denotes a line buffer memory similar to the one shown in the first embodiment and WKM denotes a working memory.

The operation of the present embodiment to print a composite character will now be described. FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of this operation.

For example, when the correction key CK has not been depressed but when a composite character "Y" is to be printed, a character key "Y" on the keyboard KB is first depressed as shown in branch 2 of FIG. 9. The CPU stores character information Y in the register C and writes the character information Y in the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 5(A). The printer PRT prints the character "Y" and immediately thereafter the print head H is moved to the next print position.

Then, the print head H is moved back to the print position of "Y" and a character key "=" is depressed. The CPU stores character information = in the register C in the same manner as described above and writes "(Y=)" in the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 5(B) by using the working memory WKM all as shown in branch 2 of FIG. 9.

The symbols "(" and ")" indicate that a plurality of character information are present at the same print position, and "(" indicates the beginning of the character information and ")" indicates the end of the character information. The printer PRT prints "=" so that the composite character "Y" is printed as shown in FIG. 4.

Operation of the present embodiment for erasing the composite character "Y" will now be explained again with reference to FIG. 9.

The print head H is positioned on the character to be erased and the correction key CK is depressed as shown in branch 1 of FIG. 9. The CPU sets the flag F and looks up the line buffer memory LB to retrieve the information on the printed character under the print head H.

In the example of the composite character "Y", the content of the line buffer memory LB shown in FIG. 5(B) is referred and when the special code ")" is retrieved, the character information on the next character "=" is stored in the register C as shown in branch 1 of FIG. 9. Since the flag F has been set, the printer PRT erases the printed character "=" in the manner shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,846.

Then, the character information Y is stored in the register C. The print head H is not moved and the printed character "Y" is erased. When the special code "(" is retrieved, the flag F is cleared and the character information Y= as well as () in the line buffer memory LB are cleared as shown in branch 1 of FIG. 9.

In this manner, a sequence of erase operations for the composite character are effected automatically by one correction key depression.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention. KB denotes a keyboard which has numeric keys and character keys CHK as well as control keys CTK and a slide switch PS for changing a print pitch and a slide switch FS for changing a print form. CPU denotes a central processing unit which has a register C for storing character information, a pointer PTR which points to an address of the character information stored in the line buffer memory LB corresponding to a print head H of a printer PRT, a register FM1 for storing the print form information from the slide switch FS, a register FM2 for storing the print form information for the character information stored in the line buffer memory LB pointed to by the pointer PTR, a register TP1 for storing the print pitch information from the slide switch PS, a register TP2 for storing the print pitch information for the character information stored in the line buffer memory LB pointed to by the pointer PTR, and a register R for storing distance information SP from a center of a print head H to a center of the character printed on the left of the print head H and closest to the print head H (or left end of a print paper P if the printed character is not present on the left of the print head H). When the print head H is positioned at the center of the printed character, the register R stores "0".

FIG. 7 shows printing examples in the present embodiment and the corresponding contents of the line buffer memory LB. The operation is now explained with reference to FIG. 7 and to the flow chart of FIGS. 10A and 10B.

In an initialization step when a power supply is turned on, the CPU stores the print pitch information from the slide switch PS on the keyboard KB and the print form information from the slide switch FS into the registers TP1 and TP2 and the registers FM1 and FM2, respectively, and stores the distance information SP1 from the left end of the print paper P to the print head H into the register R as shown in branch 1 of FIG. 10A. The contents of the registers FM2 and TP2 are written into the line buffer memory LB as F1 and P1, respectively, as shown in FIG. 7(A). The pointer PTR then points to an address of D0. The address D0 indicates the beginning of the line and it also indicates the left end of the print paper P. It is assumed that the slide switch PS is set to P1 and the slide switch FS is set to F1.

Under this condition, when a key "A", for example, on the keyboard KB is depressed, the CPU stores the character information A in the register C and compares an escapement amount derived from the print pitch information P1 in the register TP1 with the distance information SP1 in the register R, and if they are not equal, stores the distance information SP1 of the register R and the character information of the register C in the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 7(B) as shown in branch 2 of FIGS. 10A and 10B. The pointer PTR then points to an address at which the character information A is stored. The printer PRT prints the character "A" and then the register C is cleared. The print head H is moved rightward by the escapement amount derived from the print pitch information P1 in the register TP1, and the distance of movement is stored in the register R.

When keys "B" and "C" on the keyboard KB are then depressed, the escapement amount derived from the print pitch information P1 in the register TP1 is equal to the distance information in the register R and hence only the character information B and C are stored in the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 7(C). When the slide switch PS for changing the print pitch is slid from position P1 to position P2 and a key "D" is depressed, the pitch information P2 from the slide switch PS is stored in the register TP1 and the character information D is stored in the register C. Since the escapement amount derived from the pitch information P2 of the register TP1 is not equal to the distance information in the register R, the content of the register R is written in the line bufer memory LB as SP2 as shown in FIG. 7(D). The contents P1 and P2 of the registers TP2 and TP1 as well as the character information D of the register C are written in the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 7(D) in order to indicate the change of the print pitch information.

The printer PRT prints the character "D" and the print head H is moved by the escapement amount derived from the content P2 of the register TP1. The distance of movement is stored in the register R.

It is now assumed that the slide switch FS for changing the print form is slid from F1 to F2 to change the print form to characters with underline, and keys "E" and "F" are depressed. The print form information from the slide switch FS is stored in the register FM1, and the contents of the registers FM1 and FM2 are written in the line buffer memory LB as F1 and F2, as shown in FIG. 7(E). The pointer PTR is incremented to point to the address at which the character information F is stored.

The printer PRT prints the characters "E" and "F" in accordance with the print form (with underline) specified by the register FM1, and the print head H is moved to the next print position in accordance with the print pitch information P2. The distance of movement is stored in the register R. When the print form is set to F1 and the print pitch is set to P1 and a key "G" is depressed, the information are stored as shown in FIG. 7(E) in the same manner as described above.

An operation for moving the print head H in the reverse direction to a character position to be corrected when the correction is required and is described below.

When the character "A" shown in FIG. 7(D) is to be corrected from the printing position of the character "D", the print pitch P2, . . . in the line buffer memory LB are sequentially pointed by the pointer PTR and decoded. The print pitches P2 and P1 are sequentially stored in the register TP2. Thus, the register TP2 stores at this step, and holds the information P1. Then, SP2 is decoded and the head H is moved leftward by the distance corresponding to SP2. Thus, the print head H is exactly moved from the position of the character "D" to the position of the character "C". Thereafter, the print head H is moved to the character positions C.fwdarw.B.fwdarw.A in accordance with the print pitch P1 stored in the register TP2. Then, SP1 is read and the print head H is returned to the start position of the line. P1 and F1 at the left end of the line buffer memory LB are used when the print head H is moved rightward for the correction operation if the print head H has inadvertently been moved leftward too much.

By providing the print pitch information, for example, P1 on the opposite sides of the character information like P1, D0, SP1, A, B, C, SP2, P1 in the line buffer memory LB as shown in FIG. 7(D), the correction operation can be effected during the movement of the print head H in either direction. Another example is shown in FIG. 7(E) by P2, D, F1, F2, E, F, SP3, F2, F1, P2. In FIG. 7(D), since the print format does not change, only the leftmost F1 is stored. In FIG. 7(E), F1--F1 and F2--F2 are stored as shown.

As described hereinabove, according to the present invention, the character information on the composite character consisting of two or more characters is stored, and when the correction key is depressed, the composite character is deleted based on the stored composite character information. Thus, the composite character is automatically deleted in a very short time by one correction key depression and hence the efficiency of operation is significantly improved.

Furthermore, since the print form information and the print pitch information are stored but not for each character, the required capacity of the line buffer memory, that is the amount of line buffer storage needed, is reduced and the line buffer memory can be effectively utilized. In automatic correction, a large volume of correction information can be stored in the line buffer memory so that a wide range of automatic correction can be made for the printed character.