US3764994A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Serial printer with bi-directional drive control
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1971-10-18
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1991-10-18
Abstract
Abstract A serial printer having a print element capable of printing in both directions across a print form, means for pre-analyzing a succeeding line of print on the form following a preceding line of print to determine the end positions of the succeeding line of print, and means for causing the print element to move from the last position printed on the preceding line of print to the closer end position of the succeeding line of print so that printing of the succeeding line of print may take place beginning from said closer end print position of the succeeding line of print. One embodiment includes hardware for causing the printing element to so move to the closer end print position of the succeeding print line, and another embodiment utilizes a general purpose computer so programmed that this movement of the print element can take place. Means is also provided for causing the print element to move at a faster speed than printing speed if the print element traverses more than five spaces in reaching the closer end print position of the succeeding print line or if a print line includes more than five consecutive blank spaces.
Inventors
- 👤 E Brooks
- 👤 D Lewis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/09; B; B41; B41J; B41J19/00; B41J19/14; B41J19/142; B41J2/00; B41J2/22; B41J2/23; B41J2/235; B41J2/24; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer capable of bidirectional printing using relative motion between the medium upon which printing is to be effected and a printing element, comprising: means for causing relative motion between said medium and said printing element so that printing ends at an end print position in a first line of print, means for analyzing the succeeding line of print to determine which end of the succeeding line of print is closer to said end print position of said first line of print, means for causing relative movement between said printing element and said printing medium to align said printing element with the end position of said succeeding line of print on said printing medium which is closer to said end position of said first line of print, and means for then printing said succeeding line of print with relative motion between said printing medium and printing element starting at the print position in said succeeding line which is closer to said end position of said first line of print.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer capable of bidirectional printing using relative motion between the medium upon which printing is to be effected and a printing element, comprising: means for causing relative motion between said medium and said printing element so that printing ends at an end print position in a first line of print, means for analyzing the succeeding line of print to determine which end of the succeeding line of print is closer to said end print position of said first line of print, means for causing relative movement between said printing element and said printing medium to align said printing element with the end position of said succeeding line of print on said printing medium which is closer to said end position of said first line of print, and means for then printing said succeeding line of print with relative motion between said printing medium and printing element starting at the print position in said succeeding line which is closer to said end position of said first line of print.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer capable of bidirectional printing using a printing element which is moveable with respect to a form on which printing is to be effected, comprising: means for moving said printing element so that printing on said form ends at an end print position in a first line of print, means for analyzing the succeeding line of print to determine which end of the succeeding line of print is closer to said end print position of said first line of print, means for moving said printing element to the end position of said succeeding line of print which is closer to said end position of said first line of print, and means for then printing said succeeding line of print starting at the print position in said succeeding line of print to which said printing element has been so moved.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer capable of bidirectional printing using a printing element which is moveable with respect to a form on which printing is to be effected, comprising: means for moving said printing element so that printing on said form ends at an end print position in a first line of print, means for analyzing the succeeding line of print to determine which end of the succeeding line of print is closer to said end print position of said first line of print, means for moving said printing element to the end position of said succeeding line of print which is closer to said end position of said first line of print, and means for then printing said succeeding line of print starting at the print position in said succeeding line of print to which said printing element has been so moved.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 2, said analyzing means including comparison means for determining the difference between said end position in said first line of print and one of the end positions in the succeeding line of print and including also a second comparison means for determining the difference between said end position in said first line of print and the other of said end positions of the succeeding line of print.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 3, said analyzing means and said comparison means being contained in general purpose computer which is programmed so as to carry out the analyzing and comparison functions as aforesaid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 2, said analyzing means including a head location register for recording the position of said printing element, a left position register for recording one of the end print positions of said succeeding print line, a right position register for recording the other end position of said succeeding print line, comparison means for determining the difference in the contents of said head location register and said left position register, and comparison means for determining the differences in contents beTween said head location register and said right position register.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 2, said analyzing means including a head location register for recording the position of said printing element, a left position register for recording one of the end print positions of said succeeding print line, a right position register for recording the other end position of said succeeding print line, counting means for registering the difference in content between the head location register and said left position register, counting means for registering the difference in content between the head location register and said right position register, and means for comparing the contents of said two counting means, said means for moving said printing element being under the control of said comparing means to determine in which direction said printing element is to be moved.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 5, said analyzing means including said comparison means being contained in a general purpose computer which is programmed so as to carry out the analyzing and comparison functions as aforesaid and which has a store for storing information, said right and left position registers being contained in said store.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 2, and including means for driving said printing element across said form at a low speed and a high speed, means for determining whether the number of print positions said printing element is to be moved toward said closer end of said succeeding line of print is greater than a predetermined number of print positions, and means controlling said slow and fast speed drive means so that said printing element is moved at a high speed if the number of print positions the printing element moves to said closer end position is greater than said predetermined number of print positions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 8, said determining means including counting means for indicating the number of print positions said printing element must traverse in order to move from said end print position in said first line of print to the end of said succeeding line of print at which printing begins and comparison means for determining whether the contents of said counting means is greater than said predetermined number of print positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 9, said counting means and said comparison means being contained in a general purpose computer which is programmed so as to carry out the counting and comparison functions as aforesaid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer which prints using relative motion between the medium upon which printing is to be effected and a printing element, comprising: means for causing relative motion between said medium and said printing element as the printing element is effective to print a print line, means for analyzing the line being printed to determine if it contains more than a predetermined number of contiguous spaces or print positions into which no characters are to be printed, means for driving said medium and printing element with respect to each other either at a relatively fast or slow speed, and means under the control of said analyzing means so as to cause said driving means to drive said printing medium and printing element relative to each other at a fast speed if the number of spaces exceeds said predetermined number and at a slow speed if the number of spaces does not exceed said predetermined number.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer which prints using relative motion between the medium upon which printing is to be effected and a printing element, comprising: means for causing relative motion between said medium and said printing element as the printing element is effective to print a print line, means for analyzing the line being printed to determine if it contains more than a predetermined number of contiguous spaces or print positions into which no characters are to be printed, means for driving said medium and printing element with respect to each other either at a relatively fast or slow speed, and means under the control of said analyzing means so as to cause said driving means to drive said printing medium and printing element relative to each other at a fast speed if the number of spaces exceeds said predetermined number and at a slow speed if the number of spaces does not exceed said predetermined number.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus for controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 11, said analyzing means being contained in a general purpose computer which is programmed so as to cause said means under the control of said analyzing means to function as aforesaid.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of controlling a serial printer comprising the steps of: completing a line of print with rElative movement between the medium upon which printing is done and a printing element so that the printing element is last effective at the end of the print line, determining the difference in print positions between said print line end and the two end positions of a succeeding line of print, moving said printing medium and print head relative to each other so that the print head is positioned at the closer one of the end positions of said succeeding line of print, and causing said printing element to print said succeeding line of print beginning at said closer one of said end positions of said succeeding line of print.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of controlling a serial printer comprising the steps of: completing a line of print with rElative movement between the medium upon which printing is done and a printing element so that the printing element is last effective at the end of the print line, determining the difference in print positions between said print line end and the two end positions of a succeeding line of print, moving said printing medium and print head relative to each other so that the print head is positioned at the closer one of the end positions of said succeeding line of print, and causing said printing element to print said succeeding line of print beginning at said closer one of said end positions of said succeeding line of print.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of controlling a serial printer comprising the steps of: completing a line of print with a printing element moving in one direction to an end of the line of print, determining the difference in print positions between said end position of said first line of print and the two end positions of succeeding line of print, moving said printing element from said end position of said first line of print to the closer one of the end positions of said succeeding line of print, and causing said printing element to print said succeeding line of print beginning at said closer one of said end positions of said succeeding line of print.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of controlling a serial printer comprising the steps of: completing a line of print with a printing element moving in one direction to an end of the line of print, determining the difference in print positions between said end position of said first line of print and the two end positions of succeeding line of print, moving said printing element from said end position of said first line of print to the closer one of the end positions of said succeeding line of print, and causing said printing element to print said succeeding line of print beginning at said closer one of said end positions of said succeeding line of print.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method of controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 14, said difference being determined by recording the present printing position of said printing element, recording the two end positions of said succeeding line of print, and determining the difference in the recorded counts of the present position of the printing element and the two end printing positions at the ends of said succeeding line of print.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
106 words
A method of controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 14, and including: comparing the difference in print positions between said end position of said first line of print and the closer one of said two end positions of the succeeding line of print to a predetermined count, and moving said printing element from said end position of said first line of print to the closer end position of said succeeding line of print at a relatively fast speed if this difference is greater than said predetermined count and at a relatively slow speed if this difference is not greater than said predetermined count.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of controlling a serial printer which includes a printing medium upon which printing is to be effected and a print element movable with respect to each other so that the print element is effective to print in lines on the printing medium, comprising: analyzing an upcoming line of print to determine whether or not it contains more than a predetermined number of contiguous spaces or print positions into which no characters are to be printed, causing said printing element to print said line of print, and driving said printing medium and print element at fast or slow speeds with respect to each other as spaces in said print line are being traversed by said printing element when the printing element is printing said line, said fast or slow speeds respectively being so effective when there are a predetermined number or more of said spaces or less than said predetermined number of spaces in the print line being printed by said print element.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of controlling a serial printer which includes a printing medium upon which printing is to be effected and a print element movable with respect to each other so that the print element is effective to print in lines on the printing medium, comprising: analyzing an upcoming line of print to determine whether or not it contains more than a predetermined number of contiguous spaces or print positions into which no characters are to be printed, causing said printing element to print said line of print, and driving said printing medium and print element at fast or slow speeds with respect to each other as spaces in said print line are being traversed by said printing element when the printing element is printing said line, said fast or slow speeds respectively being so effective when there are a predetermined number or more of said spaces or less than said predetermined number of spaces in the print line being printed by said print element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of controlling a serial printer as set forth in claim 17, said printing medium constituting a print form and said printing element being movable with respect to said form for printing, said analyzing being accomplished by utilizing a general purpose computer which is programmed to analyze the upcoming line of print as aforesaid.
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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) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |