Word spelling correlatively-storing method and its circuit

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 in which the following six types of connection data are used, that is to say: a first type (T) which represents a junction where a preceding chain may be followed by more than one alternative succeeding chain; a second type (⊦), which represents a said alternative succeeding chain which may follow a preceding chain, where the alternative chain is not the final alternative chain which may follow the preceding chain; a third type (L), which represents a said alternative succeeding chain which may follow a preceding chain, where the alternative chain is the final alternative chain which may follow the preceding chain; a fourth type (-), which represents a connection where a preceding chain must be followed by a succeeding chain without alternative succeeding chains; a fifth type (T), which represents a junction where a word may end with a preceding chain, or the preceding chain may be followed by more than one. alternative succeeding chains; and a sixth type (=), which represents a connection where a word may end with a preceding chain, or the preceding chain may be followed by a succeeding chain without alternative succeeding chains.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 in which the said chains are stored linearly and each item of said connection data is associated with a respective chain.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 in which each said item of connection data is associated with a chain which is a succeeding chain in the connection or junction represented by the connection data, connection data of the first and fifth types being (T, T ) associated with a said alternative succeeding chain which immediately follows the relevant preceding chain in the order of the said linear storage, connection data of the second and third types (⊦,L) being associated with said alternative succeeding chains which do not immediately follow the relevant preceding chain in the order of the said linear storage, connection data of the third type being associated with the last (in order of the said linear storage) alternative of a group of said alternatives, and the said succeeding chain in connections represented by data of the fourth and sixth types (-,=) always immediately following the relevant preceding chain in the order of the said linear storage.

Claim 8

An electronic memory device in which the spelling of a plurality of words is stored in accordance with the method of any one of the preceding claims.

Claim 9

An electronic memory device in which the spelling of a plurality of words is stored in accordance with the method of claim 3 or the method of claim 4 or claim 5 as dependant on claim 3, in which each said chain and its associated connection data are stored at corresponding locations in respective separate memory areas (1,2).

Claim 10

Apparatus for testing the spelling of an input word, comprising.an electronic memory device according to claim 6 or claim 7, the apparatus in use stepping through the chains stored in the memory device and input the word in unison and comparing them for as long as they match, and, if the chains stored in the memory device cease to match the word, using the said connection data to find alternative chains to replace the non-matching chain in the said comparison and resuming the said stepping in unison if an alternative chain is found which does match the input word, until either a. the end of the input word is reached and the connection data in the memory device designates the matching chain as a permitted word end, or b. the end of the input word is reached and the connection data in the memory device does not designate the matching chain as a permitted word end, or c. the input word and the compared chain do not match and no alternative chain is found, the apparatus providing an output in case a. indicating that the input word matches the spelling of a word stored in the memory device and providing an output in cases b. and c. indicating that the input word does not match the spelling of a word stored in the memory device.

Claim 11

A memory circuit for a word processing machine comprising: first means for storing correlation data between the letters of a first word and a second word selected; second means for storing the letters of the first word and the second word; each of the correlation data being alotted at each clearance between the letters; third means for inputting a word to detect whether the word is contained in the memory circuit or not; and control means responsive to said first means and said second means for enabling said first means and said second means to output the correlation data and the letters, respectively, to compose a full word so as to compare it with the word inputted by said third means.

Claim 12

A memory circuit for a word processing machine comprising: first means for storing correlation data between the letters of a first word and a second word selected; second means for storing the letters of the first word and the second word; each of the correlation data being alotted at each clearance between the letters; third means for inputting a word to detect whether the word is contained in the memory circuit or not; and control means responsive to said first means and said second means for enabling said first means and said second means to output the correlation data and the letters, respectively, to compose a full word so as to compare it with the word inputted by said third means.