Intelligent electronic word processor with plural print wheels and tables used to identify displayed characters supported by designated print wheels

Abstract

An electronic word processor comprises a memory storing print data, a print wheel, and a check circuit for checking whether the type of the print wheel is suitable for printing out the print data. In the second form, the processor may store word data accompanied with hyphenate data in a selected group of words. In the third form, the processor may comprise a message memory for storing message sentences, and a modification circuit for modifying the message data. In the fourth form, the processor may comprise a control circuit featured in that one or more specific letters can be retrieved and replaced by one or more new letters in the unit of chapter.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A word processor system comprising:

memory means for storing print data;

a plurality of different types of print wheel wheel means for printing out the print data;

designation means for designating one type of print wheel means among the plurality of types of print wheel means for printing out the print data;

table means for storing a plurality of character information tables each of which includes information regarding characters supported by a different one of the plurality of types of the print wheel means;

control means coupling to said table means for identifying characters supported by the type of print wheel means designated by said designation means by referring to the character information table corresponding to the type of print wheel means designated; and

display means coupling to said table means and said control means for displaying all characters supported by the system and for indicating the characters supported by the type of print wheel means designated.

2. The word processor system as recited in claim 1, wherein said display means comprises a screen divided into two sections, a first of said two sections displaying at least a portion of the print data and a second of said two sections displaying all the characters supported by the system, the characters supported by the type of print wheel means designated having contrasting shading in the second section.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a word processing machine and, more particularly, to an intelligent word processer.

Conventionally, a word processing machine or processor is provided with a printer with a daisy wheel for printing out characters. The number of the characters to be provided by a single kind of crown or daisy wheel is limited. Further, any other type of characters may be needed other than those presented by a specific type of crown or daisy wheel.

In such a case, to inform the presence of a specific type of character other than those of the operatively coupled crown or daisy wheel, the word processor prints out a space or any other alternative other than those of the operatively coupled crown or daisy wheel by neglecting the character information. Otherwise, it must stop at any specific character other than those of the print wheel operatively coupled, so that the operator's instruction is awaiting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic word processing machine being prepared to print out any specific character other than those of an operatively coupled print wheel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic word processor for checking whether a presently coupled printing head has characters corresponding to inputted characters.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic word processor for automatically hyphenating words when printing out them.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic word processor for selecting a message to be outputted to inform the operator of a specific condition requesting the operator's instruction.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic word processor for utilizing data of running heads and footnotes in defining a specific zone in the unit of chapter in which a search and replacement function is accomplished.

Briefly described, in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a word processor is characterized by comprising memory means for storing print data, print wheel means for printing out the print data, and check means for checking whether the type of the print wheel means has a suitable print wheel for printing out the print data.

In accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the word processor comprises memory means for storing spelling data, the memory means further storing hyphenate data for some selected words comprising some or more letters, and print means for automatically printing out the word data automatically together with the hyphenate data.

In accordance with the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, the word processor comprises message sentence means for storing message sentences telling system questions, and modification means for changing the message sentences.

In accordance with the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the word processor comprises letter selection means for selecting and inputting one or more letters to be retrieved and replaced, chapter selecting means for selecting and defining a sentence region in the unit of chapter in which the one or more letters are retieved, and retrieval means responsive to said chapter selection means for retrieving the one or more letters and replacing them with new one or more new letters.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are a plan view of a keyboard of a word processor according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B) are an illustration of a table of character codes;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a word processor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a table for explaining a relation between characters and modes according to the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a table for explaining character styles according to the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an example of a display in a display screen according to the first preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are an illustration of a table showing different characters used for the first preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 13(A), 13(B), 13(C), and 13(D) are an illustration of a table of characters used for the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a circuit of a word processor according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a configuration of a spelling and hyphenate information dictionary connected in the circuit of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a drawing of a format of a dictionary for storing specific words;

FIG. 17 is a drawing of a data format of the dictionary of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a word processor according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 19(A) and 19(B) are drawings of a data format of message data used for the circuit of FIG. 18;

FIGS. 20, 21, and 22 are drawings for a structure of storage of data in the third preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 23, 26 are a drawings of displayed formats in a display in accordance with the third preferred embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a drawing of a configuration of inputted data for the third preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 25(A), 25(B), and 25(C) are illustrations for explaining a modification of a message in the third preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 27, 28, and 29 are drawings of a storage data of specific message sentences used for the third preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 30 and 31 are drawings of a displayed picture in a display according to the third preferred embodiment;

FIG. 32 is a drawing of a structure of a file used in a word processor according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a drawing of a page of a book containing contents, the chapters, and pages used for the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 34 is a drawing of a page containing a running head title in the fourth preferred embodiment;

FIG. 35 is a drawing of a data format representative of running head titles in the data file in the fourth preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 36 is a flow chart of the operation of the word processor according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are a keyboard for a word processor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In accordance with the principle of the present invention, as apparently shown in FIG. 1, some key switches in the keyboard have indefinite instructions.

FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B) are character codes used for the keyboard of FIG. 1. The operator can select the key switches to freely correspond to the character codes by control codes.

FIG. 2 relates to a keyboard for English. FIG. 3 is a keyboard for German. FIG. 4 is a keyboard for French.

According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, code information is inputted from the keyboard and the inputted information is assumed to be position information for selecting the key switches positions rather than the character information. Based on the position information, a memory is provided for serving as a parameter table to translate the position information into the character information, so that any subsequent word processing is accomplished.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a circuit of the word processor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The circuit of the word processor of FIG. 6 comprises an input/display device 1, a first register 2, a first table 3, a second register 4, a memory 5, a second table 6, an output device 7, and a control unit 8.

The input/display device 1 is provided for inputting the position information into the first register 2. The position information is applied to select character and word information to be inputted into the memory 5. The position information represents the position or positions of an actuated key switch or switches. The device 1 serves to display on its cathode-ray tube (CRT) the information from the first table 3 and the second table 6.

The first register 2 is provided for storing the position information from the input/display device 1. The first table 3 is provided for storing the code information used for translating the position information in the first register 2 into the character information set by the operator, and storing information representative of a type of printing means such as a daisy wheel, crown, or the like.

The second register 4 is provided for storing the character information as selected by the first register 2 and the first table 3.

The memory 5 is provided for storing the character information processed by the input/display device 1, the two registers 2 and 4, and the first table 3. Further, it appropriately communicates with the second table 6 in order to detect which type of printing means of the second table 6 should be operated, thereby checking how to prevent the output operation of the output device 7 from stopping.

FIGS. 13(A) through 13(D) are information of the second table 6. The table 6 serves to check the character data in the memory 5.

The output device 7 outputs the information as stored and edited by the memory 5. The control unit 8 is provided for controlling the data communication between the circuit elements 1 through 7.

The operator operates the word processor as follows: Before processing the words, the operator modifies the data in the first table 3. A conventional key interface is operated to provide the position information for shift-in, shift-out, the alphanumeric characters, and Japanese "katakana", and information whether the control or the ALT function keys are operated. In response to these items of information, some character code is introduced into a location in the first table 3.

More particularly, with reference to FIG. 7, conditional flags 1 are provided for representing that when each of the normal, control, and ALT modes is selected, the code table of either FIG. 5(A) or 5(B) should be used. Conditional flags 2 are used to switch on or off each item of the character information present in the print wheel selected by the second table 6. The wheel is operated in response to the operator's instruction. When the print wheel as coupled to the output device 7 is special, the corresponding bit of the conditional flags 2 is on. When some characters absent in the ON condition are to be selected, such an operation is assumed to be irregular, so that an indication is provided such as a buzzer or "prompt" information outside.

In FIG. 7, the conditional flags 1 are unchanged, as long as a key relating to "00H" of the position code is operated, a code corresponding to "52H" can be outputted. "H" designates a hexadecimal notation. If the conditional flag 1 is "000000", character information for "e" can be outputted because "52H" in the position information "00" is selected regardless of the selection of either the normal mode or the control mode or the ALT mode. If the conditional flag 1 is "000100", "e" can be outputted in both the normal mode and the ALT mode, but in the control mode the character information of "<" is outputted. If the position information is "FF" and the conditional flag 1 is "00", character information "S" is outputted in the normal mode and character information "T" is outputted in the control mode, and character information "u" is outputted in the ALT mode.

The operator can enable the display screen to display the items of the character information which can and cannot be used in response to the input instructions. As shown in FIG. 9, the CRT display is divided into two portions. In the upper CRT portion, the presently inputted characters are displayed while in the lower display portion all the characters presently supported by the word processor in which the characters corresponding to the print wheel as presently coupled to the processor are reversed as designated in shaded areas in FIG. 9.

Further, according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to check which print wheel should be operatively coupled to the word processor depending on the style of the words. This check can be done before the inputted words are to be printed. That result can be displayed in the CRT display. As shown in FIG. 8, the word style to be printed out is preliminarily selected, including the character pitch and the middle class. Before starting the print out operation, the operator's instruction is awaited. Based on such information, a message is displayed indicating which print wheel should be used to reduce the number of replacing a plurality of print wheels as much as possible. The right column of the table of FIG. 8 is a group of characters. The contents of "Elite" are illustrated in FIG. 10, "Courier" is illustrated in FIG. 11, and "Pica" is shown in FIG. 12.

The second table 6 stores the many items of information of FIGS. 8, 10, 11, and 12. The input/display device 1 can be operated to change the information in the second table 6 in the same manner as in the first table 3.

According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, as stated above, the word processor can check whether it is provided with the print wheel with the printing characters corresponding to the input characters. It is possible that this check is done upon inputting the input characters. Otherwise, after preparing and inputting the words or during storing the words, it is detected which printing wheel, including the print wheel as presently coupled and not coupled, can print out the current input characters. Therefore, the print out operation cannot be prevented.

In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the word processor is equipped with an automatic-hyphenate function. The automatic-hyphenate function is referred to as the function in which a word bridging two lines is automatically hyphenated in the first line. It may be possible all the words are stored with hyphenate information. However, it is rather disadvantageous that all the words are accompanied with the hyphenate information. For example, "ahead" can be hyphenated as "a-head", but this is not a preferable hyphenate form.

According to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, only a selected group of words each having predetermined letters or more, preferably, six or more are accompanied with hyphenate information to compress the data memory. Hyphenate-position information is added to the words each having 6 letters or more in addition to its spelling information.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a circuit of a word processor according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The word processor 1 comprises an input device 11, a memory 12, an output device 13, a spelling and hyphenate information dictionary 14, and a controller 15.

The input device 11 is provided for inputting spelling information into the memory 12. Preferably, it may be a keyboard, a tablet input apparatus, an optical character recognition (OCR) or the like.

The memory 2 is provided for storing the spelling information from the input device 11. It may be a core memory, an integrated circuit (IC) memory or the like.

The output device 13 is provided for outputting the contents and the edited results of the memory 12. It may be a printer, a display, or the like.

The spelling and hyphenate information dictionary 14 is provided for storing the spelling information corresponding to the words as stored in the memory 12 and hyphenate information corresponding to the words each having six or more letters. It may be a read only memory (ROM).

The controller 15 is provided for controlling the operation of all the circuit elements.

FIG. 15 shows a structure of the spelling and hyphenate information dictionary 14. It contains index locations I and spelling and hyphenate data memories J. The index locations I storing the number of the words are provided with letter-number classification locations each consisting of first-letter classification locations. In the letter-number classification locations are provided for storing the number of the words depending on their total letter number, 1-letter words, 2-letter words, 3-letter words, 4-letter words, . . . 8-letter words, and so on. Each letter-number locations are further divided into the first-letter locations storing the number of the words according to their first letters, "A", "B", "C", . . . , "X", "Y", and "Z". In FIG. 15, the letter-number locations are 1-letter location, 2-letter location, and 8-letter locations from the top. Each first-letter location is labelled with its initial letter of "A", "B", "C", . . . , "X", "Y", and "Z".

Further, the spelling and hyphenate information data locations J are provided for storing the spelling data and the hyphenate information data. The locations J comprise memories J1, J2, . . . , and J8. In each location, each of the second and the subsequent letters is converted into 5-bit data. The following TABLE shows the bit conversion correspondence.

                  TABLE I
    ______________________________________
           Character
                   Data
    ______________________________________
           A       00001
           B       00010
           C       00011
           D       00100
           E       00101
           G       00111
           H       01000
           I       01001
           J       01010
           K       01011
           L       01100
           M       01101
           N       01110
           O       01111
           P       10000
           Q       10001
           R       10010
           S       10011
           T       10100
           U       10101
           V       10110
           W       10111
           X       11000
           Y       11001
           Z       11010
           '       11011
    ______________________________________
     (The last term is an apostrophe.)

                  TABLE II
    ______________________________________
    No.                Word
    ______________________________________
    1                  AM
    2                  AN
    3                  ALL
    4                  ARM
    5                  PLAN
    6                  PLAY
    7                  DELICATE
    8                  DELIVERY
    ______________________________________

• Inventors
  Saito, Keizo;
• Assignee
  Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Osaka, JP)
• Published
  Apr-6-1993
• Current US Classes:
  400/70
  400/83
  715/531
• Application #
  688700
• International Classes
  G06F 015/403
• Field of Search
  395/600 395/100 400/639.1 400/642 400/903 400/144.2 400/202 400/470 400/3 400/7 400/64 400/171 400/70 400/83 340/709 340/711 340/792 340/723 364/519 364/419
• Examiner
  Lee; Thomas C.
• US Patent References:
  4092729
  4197022
  4281938
  4382702
  4451899
  4481577
  4555773
  4584648
  4624591
  4686649
  4742485
  4745561
  4768164