DE3505480A1 - Method, in a typewriter or similar machine, for an automatic repeat stroke of a character already printed, and a device for carrying out the method - Google Patents

Abstract

After the printing unit in a processor-controlled typewriter or similar machine has been set to a character already printed on a recording carrier, the type carrier is to be automatically reset for a repeated printing stroke of this character and the printing stroke is to be carried out for example with the interposition of a deletion tape. In order also to permit this function with a multi-line text without requiring a special organisation of the store, the character codes, together with values relating to the horizontal position in the line and instruction codes for vertical increments of the recording carrier together with their increment count and a direction identifier, are stored in a data memory in the sequence in which they are input. After an instruction for repeated performance of a printing stroke for a character is input, the data memory is searched through, starting from the end, for stored vertical increments, the increments are computed one against the other in a direction-dependent fashion until the result is zero and only the character horizontal positions stored in the store previously, and after a possible further vertical increment, are compared with the horizontal actual position of the printing unit. As soon as agreement is detected, the associated character code is read out, the type carrier is set and the type strokes are carried out.

Description

OLYMPIA WERKE AG _ £ _ T1 / 02 / Mz / z i e / PE 1999

ANR: 1 003 97 6 February 14, 1985

Procedure in a typewriter or similar machine for one automatic re-cutting of an already printed character and device for carrying out the process.

The invention relates to a method in the preamble of Claim 1 specified type.

It is known for typewriters or similar machines after resetting of the printing unit along an already printed line or partial line to the position of a character and actuation a special key, e.g. B. a so-called correction key, the type bearing the character again to the discount bring. For this purpose, from the memory, in which the characters already printed are stored in coded form, the code of the character to be rejected after pressing the special one The key is read out, the type carrier is set to the character to be cut off, and the type is imprinted triggered. Interposition of an erasing tape causes the character is erased on the recording medium, while e.g. B. the interposition of the ribbon has the consequence that the Characters are reprinted and a bold print is thereby achieved. The use of a horizontal counter that keeps the horizontal Step movement of the printing unit counts, so that the controls of the machine inform about the position of the printing unit at all times is, makes it possible to find the character to be cut off again in the memory in a simple manner by e.g. the number of backward steps of the printing unit is counted and a corresponding number of those contained in the memory Characters starting from the end are skipped.

This known method is based on the re-cutting of characters within the last line written. Around

repeat a character on another line previously written to bring to the tee, it is necessary with the known machines, to move the recording medium in the vertical direction until the printer is above the desired line and then to move the printing unit in the horizontal direction over the character to be cut off again. Then it is enough no longer pressing a special button, e.g. B. the correction key to an automatic imprint with the interposition to trigger an erasure tape; Rather, it must be ensured by entering a command that the erase tape at a discount is inserted, and then the corresponding character key must be pressed in a further input, so that an adjustment of the type carrier to this character and the discount of the type carrier take place.

The invention is based on the object with the solution according to the known prior art given limitation to an automatic setting of a type carrier and knocking off a to remove characters already printed and saved only for characters of the last line written.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the in claim 1 specified procedure solved. The advantages of the invention exist

in particular that the operation of the machine is simplified j;

and thus the risk of incorrect operation and the writing I

work is accelerated. This advantage arises from the fact that ji

for the rejection of characters in other than the last yy

Line the same steps must be carried out as for the character jj

the last line. Ij

Ij. Another advantage is to be seen in the fact that the text memory of the j

Machine no special - such as a line by line - organizational!

sation needs to be subjected. The codes of the entered ji

Rather, characters are displayed consecutively in the order in which they are entered, likewise the command codes for vertical steps of the recording medium entered into memory. As a result, the best possible utilization of the memory is achieved because none Storage spaces remain unoccupied, as is inevitable in an organization that obeys fixed rules.

Another advantage is that the memory search to find the character to which the printing unit for a Reprint has been set, does not need to check all stored characters, but only those of the line indicated by the position of the printing unit. This speeds up the search process so that there are no Waiting times arise and the machine control is only busy with the search work for a short time.

With the still claimed facility for performing the Process is also a structure created in a simple Way enables the circuitry implementation of the method. Thereafter, circuit arrangements are used that are available inexpensively in integrated form or whose function can also be represented by a microprocessor with the aid of appropriate program routines.

Further advantages of the invention emerge from the following Embodiment described with reference to the figures. Show it

Figure 1 is a block diagram,
Figures 2 to 5 flow charts and

FIG. 6 shows a representation on a recording medium.

The block diagram shown in Figure 1 of an inventive Typewriter merely indicates the understanding of the invention required elements. Via a collecting line 6 are a keyboard 1, a printing unit 2 and a control processor 3, a program memory 4 and a data memory 5 having control unit 7 connected to one another. The control unit 7 is formed by a microprocessor control of the machine, why the assemblies involved in the control function, such as B. the below mentioned counters, comparison devices, Intermediate memory can be represented by program routines and corresponding registers.

The printing unit 2 has, among other things, a platen 8, from which, in a known manner, a recording medium 9 is step-by-step in the vertical direction upwards (arrow direction A) or downwards (Arrow direction B) can be moved. As a drive for this a step-by-step controllable motor 10 is used. A printing unit 11, which has a rotatable type disk as type carrier 12, is from another Moior 13 that can be controlled step-by-step Can be moved horizontally in the direction of arrows C and D. The type carrier 12 carries on radially arranged flexible spokes the printing type set along an outer diameter, so that in a known manner, not shown in detail, by means of a rotary setting of the type carrier 12 and the interposition of an ink ribbon, a selected printing type is imprinted by a hammer can be. By horizontal displacement of the printing unit 11 and the respective setting of the type carrier 12 on the Characters to be printed can thus be printed next to one another on the recording medium 9, the characters of a text line, while by vertically shifting the recording medium 9 Lines of text can be arranged one below the other. Furthermore

If the printing unit 11 has an erasure tape 19, which on the basis of a corresponding command instead of the ink tape (not shown) raised in a known manner and placed between the type of type carrier 12 to be printed and the recording carrier 9 can be brought. One on the recording medium 9 already This measure causes the printed character to be removed when the erasing tape 19 is inserted again again removes that either the erasing tape 19 removes the dye of the character from the recording medium by a corresponding adhesive property 9 peeled off or covered with an overcoat.

The keyboard 1 has in addition to a character keypad 14, with the the characters to be printed can be entered, various function commands keys, of which here only one key 15 for the upward displacement of the recording medium 9, one key 16 for the downward shift of the recording medium 9, a key 17 for the left shift of the printing unit 11, a space key 18 for the right shift of the printing unit 11 and a discount command key 24 (delete key) are shown.

The flow chart in FIG. 2 shows the basic functional sequence when entering characters by means of the character keypad 14 of the keyboard 1. The actuation of a character key results in that the code of the associated character is stored in the data memory 5. The horizontal (column) position of the printing unit 11 is taken from a horizontal counter 21, and the position value is also stored in the data memory 5 following the character code. At the same time becomes the type carrier 12 rotated until the character to be printed is in the printing position, and the tee is cut with the interposition of the ribbon executed. After the print has been made, the printing unit 11 is moved in the direction of arrow D into the next print position, the counter reading of the horizontal counter 21 by the Value 1 is increased.

The horizontal counter 21 is so with the Horizonta1 movement of the Printing unit 11 operatively connected that it is able to display the current actual position of the printing unit 11 in each case. To this Purpose he is in the extreme left edge position of the printing unit 11 with the lowest value, z. B. the value 1, set, and each from the printing unit 11 executed step to the right in the direction of arrow D has the increase of the count by the value 1 to Episode. Correspondingly, the displacement of the printing unit 11 to the left in the direction of arrow C causes the counter reading for every step is decreased by the value 1.

If characters are entered in the manner described above by actuating the keys in the character keypad 14, then in successive Storage locations alternate between the character code and the respective horizontal position in the order of entry and the imprint are stored on the recording medium 9. Is, according to the flow chart of Figure 3, by actuation commanded the space key 18 to shift the printing unit 11 to the right in the direction of the arrow D without imprinting a character, so causes the control unit 7 that the printing unit 11 accordingly moved and the horizontal counter 21 is increased and thus updated. In the data memory 5, the space is not stored because the associated with the stored character codes Position information automatically includes the space.

At the end of a line there is usually a line break, d. H. there are one or more vertical steps in the direction of the Arrow A executed from the recording medium 9, which a withdrawal of the printing unit 11 in the direction of arrow C follows. Furthermore can, especially when filling out forms, the recording medium 9 are also often shifted both in the direction of arrow A and arrow B before the printing unit 11 the end of the line is reached, d. H. the continuous input of characters can lead to the printing of the characters in different lines, without a return of the printing unit 11 to a left edge

would have taken place in between. The example of a typeface created in this way is shown in FIG. 6, where each χ represents a printed character and the vertical arrows indicate the execution of vertical steps. To enter the command for a vertical step, either the function command key 15 for an upward movement of the recording medium 9 in the direction of arrow A or the function command key 16 for a downward movement of the recording medium 9 in the direction of arrow B is operated. According to the flowchart of Figure 4, the actuation of the key 15 "upward movement ¹¹ " causes the motor 10 to execute a corresponding step. A vertical counter 20 in the control unit 7 is set with a value corresponding to the number of steps and the direction of movement is determined by a directional feature, for example by setting a two-value counter position of the vertical counter 20. If this vertical step input is followed by another vertical step input, the process described is repeated is triggered by pressing the button 16, leads to a corresponding displacement of the recording medium 9 and change in the vertical counter 20, but then the counter reading is reduced by the corresponding number of steps.

After several steps have been carried out, the vertical counter shows 20 i.e. the resulting number of steps and the resulting shifting direction starting from the last labeled line. Adjoins one or more vertical step inputs others, e.g. B. a character input, so on the next free memory space of the data memory 5, an identification code "Vertical" and then the vertical counter stand as well the directional feature is stored. The vertical counter 20 is set to zero. Be in the next storage location

then character codes and associated ones in the manner already described Position values for the horizontal position of the characters are stored. The addition of several consecutive vertical steps, as described above, has the advantage of that in the memory not every single shift to a corresponding number of memory locations but only the resulting one Shift needs to be saved once.

In the input example of FIG. 6, it is described in FIG Way first a number of characters have been entered in "leile 1, all in the order in which they are entered with the character code and Horizontal position in the data memory 5 have been stored. This is followed by an upward shift of the in the data memory 5 Recording medium 9 is stored by two steps, and the characters stored thereafter are printed out in line 3. the subsequent downward movement of the recording medium 9 has to output the following characters in line 2 and the last step in the downward direction again led to an expression of characters in line 1. Since the right edge was reached here, a printing unit retraction was also possible simultaneous upward displacement of the recording medium 9 by four steps are initiated, then the expression of further characters continued from about the middle of the fifth line. In the data memory 5 are continuous after completion of the character output described in the order in which they are entered, the codes of the characters together with their horizontal position value and vertical identification codes saved together with the number of steps and directional information.

Examples are given below with the aid of the flow chart in FIG for a character deletion on the expression shown in FIG. 6 to be written. Should z. B. after the printing unit 11

is reached on the far right in line 5, the character marked by a circle in line 5 is deleted, the operator then activates the printing unit 11 by actuating the function command button 17 moved to the left until the imprint position is above the character to be deleted. Then the discount command key (delete key: e) 24 is pressed, the one Search run in data memory 5, starting from the last one saved Information, triggers. Since the last piece of information does not contain a vertical step, all Character position codes in a comparator 22 of FIG Control unit 7 compared with the horizontal counter content, the yes reproduces the current actual position of the printing unit 11 and thus of the character to be deleted. As soon as the character position code matching the horizontal counter content on this Way is found, the associated character code is read out, the type carrier 12 is set to this character, the erase tape 19 raised, the type knocked off and the erasing tape 19 again lowered. In addition, the character code is stored in the data memory 5 turned off.

If, on the other hand, the character provided with a circle in line 3 should be deleted, the recording medium 9 would be actuated the key 16 by two steps down and the printing unit 11 by pressing the command key 17 over the to be deleted Characters have been moved. Since vertical steps in the data memory 5 should be registered, so the last place would be the stored Information is now a vertical shift in Downward direction noted by two steps. The memory search 1 triggered by actuation of the discount command key 24 opens thus first find the information about two vertical axes, whereupon the number of steps and the directional feature are written into a buffer memory 23 of the control unit 7. As long as there is now a non-zero in the buffer memory 23 Value is, the further memory scan is exclusively on saved vertical steps directed. The next in the present Example found (and using the identification code "Vertical"

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recognized as such) Vertikai veryitt indicates a downward movement of the recording medium 9 by four steps that are read out and, depending on the direction, with that contained in the buffer memory 23 Number of steps is offset. The remaining two steps as the settlement result are followed by the resulting Richtungsmerkma.l in turn stored in the buffer memory 23, and since the result did not yield the value zero, the memory search is continued after further vertical steps. as next, a single step of the recording medium 9 in FIG Downward direction and found a single step in the downward direction again during the further search process. Only if the clearing result shows the value zero. This value Zero is an indication that the last 5 following in memory Characters are in the line (line 3) in which the Printing unit 11 is up. As a result, the value zero now solves the above-described comparison function of the character position codes with the horizontal counter content, i.e. with the horizontal actual position of the printing unit 11. So a character position code with the content of the Hörizonta1 counter 21 matches, the character code is read out again, the type carrier 12 is set, the erasing belt 19 is raised and the type is knocked off. Then the erasing tape 19 is lowered and the Character code in data memory 5 deleted.

If the character circled in line 1 is to be deleted, then causes the setting of the printing unit 11 to this character a storage of four vertical axes of the recording medium 9 following the information already stored in the data memory 5. The memory search after pressing the discount command key 24 finds these four downward-facing ones first Steps and then four upward steps, whereby the calculation result becomes zero. This will make the Position code comparison with the contents of the horizontal counter 21

- 1

triggered so that all in the right part of line 1 Characters are checked to see whether their positions match the actual horizontal position of the printing unit 11. There this is not the case, when the next stored vertical step is recognized, the system continues after further vertical steps searched until their allocation results in a value of zero again. In the subsequent comparison of the Character position codes with the contents of the auditory counter 21 now only the characters printed in the left part of line 1 are included, among those in the manner described above the character to be deleted is found and deleted.

Although in the description for the sake of simplicity at each trip a horizontal or vertical step is based on only one step in the respective counter and one feed step can, without changing anything in the concept of the invention, each step triggered by a corresponding key actuation also consist of several fine steps that the respective motor 10, 13 has to carry out. In this case there will be a corresponding number Control signals are applied to the motors 10, 13, and for the associated step counters and calculations, the number of Elementary steps of the respectively triggered feed step are used. The use of fine steps allows the provision of a setting tolerance in the sense of a further simplification of operation, if the printing unit is to be set to a character that has already been printed out for the purpose of a renewed mark-off. It is then z. B. possible, a character position read out from the data memory 5 for comparison not only with that in the horizontal counter 21 standing to compare the actual position of the printing unit 11 indicating value, but z. B. also with an or several deviating values that are about the size of a fine step next to the actual position of the printing unit 11. Would

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then such a value lying within a predetermined tolerance value to match the respective one Lead to an automatic correction of the Horizontal position of the printing unit 11 by means of a corresponding fine step shift triggered before the re-set type is discounted. By providing one Functional sequence, it is harmless if the operator of the machine does not press the printing unit 11 exactly over the erne-jt to be knocked off Character is set.

Claims (1)

OLYMPIA WERKE AG T1 / 02 / Mz / zie / PE 1999 ANR: 1 003 97 6 February 14, 1985 ¹ Claims Method in a processor-controlled typewriter or similar machine for automatically re-setting a type carrier and knocking off a character that has already been printed on a recording medium and the code of which is stored in a data memory, by entering a tee box after the printing unit has been positioned on the printed character is, in particular for erasing the character by means of an erasing tape, characterized in that the codes of the characters entered are continuously in the order in which they are entered together with a value indicating the horizontal position in the print line and command codes for the vertical very center of the recording medium (9) with the number of steps and the $ ■■ direction indicating values are stored in the data memory (5) and that after entering a discount command the * data memory (5) is searched starting from the back, the character positions with the horizontal position of the printing unit (11) for coincidence mood are checked, when a command code "Vertikai veryitt" is detected before a match is found, only command codes "Vertikaischritt" are searched for and the associated steps are offset against each other depending on the direction until the result is zero, and only the character positions previously stored in the data memory (5) again be checked for agreement with the horizontal position of the printing unit (11), the process is repeated if necessary. Until agreement is determined and then read out the associated character code, set the type carrier (12) and the discount is triggered. ORIGINAL INSPECTED Method _t according to Claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal distance between adjacent characters on the recording medium (9) consists of several fine distances and that a deviation resulting from the check for correspondence between the horizontal position of the printing unit (11) and a character position is within one at least one tolerance range amounting to a fine step, a correction of the horizontal position of the printing unit: (11) causes. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1 or 2, with a control processor, a program and a data memory and a horizontal counter for determination the number of horizontal steps of the printing unit and a vertical counter to determine the number of vertical shifting steps of the recording medium, characterized in that a comparison direction (22) for a comparison of stored character positions with the printing unit position indicated in the horizontal counter (21), a Device for direction-dependent offsetting of vertical steps (3), from which a signal can be removed if the result is zero, and a buffer (23) for one Storage of reads from the data memory (5) Vertical steps or remaining after offsetting Vertical steps and a value indicating the direction are provided.