Electronic cash register and method for defining print characters

Claim 1

An electronic cash register comprising: a keyboard having indicia keys including numeral keys, first to fourth function keys and department keys; mode setting means having a registration mode and a program mode; dot printing means for executing a printing operation in accordance with a received dot pattern having dots placed in lines forming a matrix of rows and columns; first memory means for storing a plurality of character codes to designate selected characters and storing a plurality of character patterns representing, respectively, a plurality of said selected characters, each stored character pattern being formed with said lines of dots forming a matrix of rows and columns; second and third memory means; and data processing means for, when the mode setting means is set in said registration mode, generating sales data in response to a key operation in said keyboard and storing it into said second memory means, reading out a character pattern from said first memory means in accordance with said sales data and supplying it to the dot printing means, and when the mode setting means is set in said program mode, said data processing means storing data which is generated by operating said indicia keys and said first function key into said third memory means as character code data, storing line address data which is generated by operating the indicia keys and said second function key, storing into the third memory means a character pattern which is produced by operating selected ones of the indicia keys to each of which has been assigned a unique identity corresponding to only one dot in at least one of said lines of the matrix of rows and columns, and reading out the character pattern stored in said third memory means in response to the operation of said fourth function key and storing said character pattern into a memory area in said first memory means that is designated by the character code data stored in the third memory means.

Claim 12

A method of printing dot matrix type characters comprising the steps of: providing a keyboard having indicia keys including numeral keys, first to fourth function keys, and department keys; storing in a first memory means a plurality of character codes to designate selected characters, and storing a plurality of character patterns representing, respectively, a plurality of said selected characters, each stored character pattern being formed of dots placed in lines forming a matrix of rows and columns; providing second and third memory means; setting an operating mode into one of a registration mode and a program mode; when the printing mode is set, generating sales data in response to key operation in said keyboard and storing it into said second memory means, reading out a character pattern from said first memory means in accordance with said sales data and supplying it to a dot printing means for executing a printing operation in accordance with the character patterns read out from the first memory means; and when the program mode is set, storing data which is generated by operating said indicia keys and said first function key into said third memory means as character code data, storing line address data which is generated by operating the indicia keys and said second function key, assigning the position of each dot in each of said lines of a matrix of rows and columns an identity corresponding to one of the indicia keys, storing into the third memory means a character pattern including identities produced by operating selected ones of the indicia keys, and reading out the character pattern stored in said third memory means in response to the operation of said fourth function key, and storing said character pattern into a memory area in said first memory means that is designated by the character code data stored in the third memory means.

Claim 13

A method of printing dot matrix type characters comprising the steps of: providing a keyboard having indicia keys including numeral keys, first to fourth function keys, and department keys; storing in a first memory means a plurality of character codes to designate selected characters, and storing a plurality of character patterns representing, respectively, a plurality of said selected characters, each stored character pattern being formed of dots placed in lines forming a matrix of rows and columns; providing second and third memory means; setting an operating mode into one of a registration mode and a program mode; when the printing mode is set, generating sales data in response to key operation in said keyboard and storing it into said second memory means, reading out a character pattern from said first memory means in accordance with said sales data and supplying it to a dot printing means for executing a printing operation in accordance with the character patterns read out from the first memory means; and when the program mode is set, storing data which is generated by operating said indicia keys and said first function key into said third memory means as character code data, storing line address data which is generated by operating the indicia keys and said second function key, assigning the position of each dot in each of said lines of a matrix of rows and columns an identity corresponding to one of the indicia keys, storing into the third memory means a character pattern including identities produced by operating selected ones of the indicia keys, and reading out the character pattern stored in said third memory means in response to the operation of said fourth function key, and storing said character pattern into a memory area in said first memory means that is designated by the character code data stored in the third memory means.