US3630336A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Proportional spacing printer incorporating word underscore control
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1970-04-15
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Granted: 1971-12-28
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Expires: 1990-04-15
Abstract
Abstract A proportional spacing typewriting system incorporating electronic logic to control forward and reverse printer escapement in accordance with the width of characters printed. A secondary medium is utilized to record keyed characters and also to control printing. Printer backspacing is effected by reading a previously recorded character from the secondary medium corresponding to the character representation immediately preceding the print point in order to determine the escapement value of that character and thereafter by controlling the reverse escapement of the printer by a corresponding amount. Word underscore control logic recognizes interword characters and causes the printer to reverse escape over a complete word so that underscore characters can thereafter be printed under the previously printed characters of the word. The control logic insures that the underscore characters so printed properly align with the rightmost portion of the last character of the underscored word by causing the printer to backspace a proper amount immediately prior to printing the last underscore character. A special word underscore code is recorded on the secondary medium when the keyed characters are recorded. The code can thereafter be recognized on subsequent playout to effect word underscore operations. Additional logic recognizes sequences of backspace codes and underscore codes on the medium as a word underscore operation during playout. Special error control circuits facilitate operator control and understanding of system operations.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl F Johnson
- 👤 William R Mccray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:20
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J3/00; B41J3/44; B41J3/50; B41J29/00; B41J29/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
311 words
A proportional spacing serial printer system comprising: serial input means for supplying a serial stream of coded character representations to be printed and control functions to be executed; escapement control means responsive to coded character representations in said serial stream for defining an escapement increment for each coded character representation proportional to the width of a corresponding character symbol representation; determining means responsive to said escapement control means for determining the escapement increment of a word of adjacent coded character representations in said serial stream; word backspace control means responsive to a predetermined coded control function in said serial stream for supplying a reverse escape control signal; a proportional spacing serial printer comprising a printing means responsive to said serial stream of coded character representations for sequentially printing character symbol representations corresponding to each coded character representation on a document medium, escapement means responsive to said escapement control means for effecting relative motion between the printing means and the document medium in a first printing direction after each character symbol representation has been printed by said printing means, the relative distance travelled corresponding to the escapement increment defined by the escapement control means, reverse escapement control means responsive to said reverse escape control signals and to said determining means for effecting relative moTion between the printing means and the document in a second direction opposite said first direction over a previously printed word the relative distance travelled corresponding to the escapement increment defined by the determining means; and overstrike means responsive to the completion of said relative motion in said second direction for supplying a number of a preselected character representation code to said serial stream, said number of codes supplied corresponding to the number of the corresponding character symbol representation required to place at least one such character symbol representation adjacent each character symbol representation of said previously printed word.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
311 words
A proportional spacing serial printer system comprising: serial input means for supplying a serial stream of coded character representations to be printed and control functions to be executed; escapement control means responsive to coded character representations in said serial stream for defining an escapement increment for each coded character representation proportional to the width of a corresponding character symbol representation; determining means responsive to said escapement control means for determining the escapement increment of a word of adjacent coded character representations in said serial stream; word backspace control means responsive to a predetermined coded control function in said serial stream for supplying a reverse escape control signal; a proportional spacing serial printer comprising a printing means responsive to said serial stream of coded character representations for sequentially printing character symbol representations corresponding to each coded character representation on a document medium, escapement means responsive to said escapement control means for effecting relative motion between the printing means and the document medium in a first printing direction after each character symbol representation has been printed by said printing means, the relative distance travelled corresponding to the escapement increment defined by the escapement control means, reverse escapement control means responsive to said reverse escape control signals and to said determining means for effecting relative moTion between the printing means and the document in a second direction opposite said first direction over a previously printed word the relative distance travelled corresponding to the escapement increment defined by the determining means; and overstrike means responsive to the completion of said relative motion in said second direction for supplying a number of a preselected character representation code to said serial stream, said number of codes supplied corresponding to the number of the corresponding character symbol representation required to place at least one such character symbol representation adjacent each character symbol representation of said previously printed word.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
177 words
The proportional spacing serial printer system set forth in claim 1 further comprising: accumulating means responsive to the overstrike means for accumulating an escapement value of said number of codes supplied by the overstrike means, said value of said supplied code being determined prior to said code being placed in said serial data stream; compare means responsive to said accumulating means and to said determining means for providing an output signal when the value of said accumulating means exceeds the determined escapement increment and for defining the difference value between said value and said increment; said reverse escapement control means being responsive to said compare means for effecting relative motion between the printing means and the document medium in said second direction, the relative distance travelled corresponding to the difference value defined by the compare means; said printing means being responsive to said compare means and to said reverse escapement control means for printing the character symbol representation corresponding to the last supplied preselected character code after the completion of said relative motion in said second direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The proportional spacing serial printer system set forth in claim 1 further comprising: sequence recognition logic means responsive to said serial stream for recognizing a sequence of backspace function codes followed by at least one predetermined character code in said serial stream and for supplying a reverse escape control signal in response thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
The proportional spacing serial printer system set forth in claim 3 further comprising: backspace control means responsive to said serial stream for recognizing a sequence of backspace function codes followed by a non predetermined character code in said serial stream for defining a number of fixed escapement increments corresponding to the number of backspace function codes in said sequence; said reverse escapement control means being responsive to said backspace control means for effecting relative motion between the printing means and the document medium in said second direction, the relative distance travelled corresponding to the fixed escapement increment times the number of said increments defined by said backspace control means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
156 words
The proportional spacing serial printer system set forth in claim 1 wherein: said serial input means is responsive to said reverse escape control signal to supply a previously supplied sequence of coded character representations and control functions to be executed in reverse sequence; said printing means is responsive to said reverse escape control signal to inhibit printing of coded character representations thereafter supplied by said serial input means; said determining means being responsive to said reverse escape control signal and to said serial input means for determining the sequentially presented coded character representation corresponding to the first character of a word of characters and for providing a halting signal in response thereto for halting said input means; said reverse escapement control means being further responsive to said escapement control means, said relative distance travelled corresponding to the sum of escapement increments defined By said escapement control means for each of said previously supplied coded character representation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The proportional spacing serial printer system set forth in claim 5 further comprising: error detection means responsive to said serial input means for supplying an error signal for each incorrectly supplied coded character representation; said determining means being responsive to said error signal for providing said halting signal.
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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) | 1974-12-27 | 1975-06-28 | 1975-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-27 | 1979-06-28 | 1979-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-27 | 1983-06-28 | 1983-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |