Patent US3582897A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3582897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Printer control system
Assignee: Momentum Systems Corp
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Filing: 1967-10-16
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Granted: 1971-06-01
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Expires: 1987-10-16
Abstract
Abstract A telecommunications line-printer employs a segmented line print control and data buffering system wherein the serially received data and format control characters are temporarily stored in data groups corresponding to segments of a print line. Each group is scanned during printout operations until all data in the group have been printed. A switching matrix connects hammer driver circuits only to hammers in the line segment being printed, thus conserving hardware by time-sharing the drivers. Each data group has a control character defining format control operations, which operations are executed before printing of the group begins. In ordinary circumstances, each format control character occurring at the input opens a new data group to receive the next data characters, regardless of whether the previous group was completely filled. However, in ''''short line'''' situations memory is conserved by not closing the group until it is full and the rate of extraction of data from the memory is increased by temporarily suspending the performance of format operations. This preserves real time printing while insuring against loss of input data. In short-line situations, received format control characters are ignored by the format control means and instead trigger the printing of a special character indicating that a format operation was deleted.
Inventors
- 👤 Lynn W Marsh Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
In a printer for printing message characters on a document, said characters being serially transmitted to said printer along with print format command characters, the combination comprising: a plurality of message memories for storing transmitted message characters prior to the printing thereof; a control memory; first control means for applying transmitted message characters to a first of said message memories; means responsive to a transmitted print format command character for causing said first control means to apply the nexttransmitted message characters to a second of said message memories; and entry means for entering a predetermined control character corresponding to said print format command character into said control memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a printer for printing message characters on a document, said characters being serially transmitted to said printer along with print format command characters, the combination comprising: a plurality of message memories for storing transmitted message characters prior to the printing thereof; a control memory; first control means for applying transmitted message characters to a first of said message memories; means responsive to a transmitted print format command character for causing said first control means to apply the nexttransmitted message characters to a second of said message memories; and entry means for entering a predetermined control character corresponding to said print format command character into said control memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The combination set forth in claim 1 further comprising: message readout means operable to read said message characters out of said second message memory for printing on said document; and second control means operable just prior to said message readout means for reading said control character out of said control memory and for initiating a corresponding print format control operation whereby said message characters are printed on a selected portion of said document.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
The combination set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of groups of print elements adapted to print said message characters in a plurality of zones arranged in a line across said document; additional control memories whereby there is a control memory corresponding to each said message memory; overrun means for detecting the filling of a message memory with message characters to be printed in the last zone of said line; means responsive to said overrun means for generating a control character representative of the first zone of said line; and means also responsive to said overrun means for causing said first control means to apply the next-transmitted message characters to a second message memory and for entering said control character into the control memory corresponding to said second message memory.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said generated control character is further representative of a document feed operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination set forth in claim 1, further comprising: test means for periodically determining the number of message memories available to receive transmitted message characters; and means responsive to said test means for causing said first control means to apply said next-transmitted message characters to said first message memory when the number of available message memories is below a predetermined quantity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination set forth in claim 5, further comprising: means responsive to an indication from said test means that the number of available message memories is below said predetermined quantity for generating a special message character in response to a transmitted print format command character; and means for applying said special message character to said first message memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
212 words
The combination set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of print elements adapted to print the data stored in said message memories; message memory address means included in said first control means for generating, in response to a transmitted print format command character representative of a tab operation, a sequence of message memory addresses; print zone means responsive to said address means for generating code characters relating each said memory address to one of said print elements; tab storage means for storing a predeterminEd memory address-code character combination representative of a predetermined print element; means for comparing the outputs of said address means and said print zone means with the contents of said tab storage means and for generating a match signal upon an equal comparison; additional control memories whereby there is a control memory corresponding to each said message memory; and means responsive to said match signal for causing said first control means to apply the next-transmitted message character to a storage position in said second message memory corresponding to said memory address stored in said tab storage means and for causing a control character corresponding to said code character stored in said tab storage means to be applied to the control memory corresponding to said second message memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination set forth in claim 2, further comprising: document feeding means; and means included in said second control means for actuating said feeding means when the control character readout of said control memory corresponds to a print format command character representative of a document feeding operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
The combination set forth in claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of groups of print elements adapted to print, in predetermined print zones on said document, the message characters stored in said message memories; actuation means for selectively energizing said groups of print elements a group at a time; and means included in said second control means for energizing a selected group of said print elements when the control character readout of said control memory corresponds to a print format command character representative of said group of print elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a printer for printing message characters on a document, said characters being serially transmitted to said printer along with line feed format command characters, the combination comprising: a plurality of message memories for storing transmitted message characters prior to the printing thereof; a plurality of control memories corresponding to said message memories; input means for loading transmitted message characters into said message memories in a predetermined sequence and for loading a line feed control character into one of said control memories in response to each said transmitted line feed format command character; memory readout means for effecting printing of said stored message characters on said document and for effecting feeding of said document in accordance with said stored line feed control characters; and means for inhibiting the loading of said line feed control characters into said control memories when the capacity of said message memories to store new message characters is reduced to a predetermined level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a printer for printing message characters on a document, said characters being serially transmitted to said printer along with line feed format command characters, the combination comprising: a plurality of message memories for storing transmitted message characters prior to the printing thereof; a plurality of control memories corresponding to said message memories; input means for loading transmitted message characters into said message memories in a predetermined sequence and for loading a line feed control character into one of said control memories in response to each said transmitted line feed format command character; memory readout means for effecting printing of said stored message characters on said document and for effecting feeding of said document in accordance with said stored line feed control characters; and means for inhibiting the loading of said line feed control characters into said control memories when the capacity of said message memories to store new message characters is reduced to a predetermined level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination set forth in claim 10, further comprising: means operable in response to operation of said inhibit means for automatically entering a line feed control character into one of said control memories when a message character is stored for printing in the last print position of a line on said document.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-31 | 1974-11-30 | 1975-06-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-31 | 1978-11-30 | 1979-06-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-31 | 1982-11-30 | 1983-06-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |