JPH045553B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a character string of a predetermined length, that is, one
The present invention relates to a typewriter having a function of automatically erasing words, phrases, lines, etc.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-210482 describes a typewriter capable of erasing words. With this typewriter, if the typist moves the carriage to the position of one of the characters that make up the word he or she wishes to erase and then operates the word erase key, the carriage will automatically move to the last position of the word. Erasing is started after the first character is moved, and the erasing operation is automatically stopped when erasing of the first character is completed. Also, if you need to erase multiple words, move the carriage to the last word of the multiple words and repeat the operation of the word erase key as many times as the number of words to be erased. , the typewriter repeats the word erasing operation for the number of operations and then stops.

Further, typewriters having a function of erasing one character column in response to a single key operation are already known.

In this way, a typewriter that automatically erases a character string of a predetermined length, such as one word, one phrase consisting of a plurality of words, or one line, can efficiently perform typing work.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in conventional typewriters, once the erasing operation has started, it has not been possible to stop the erasing operation. After the erasing operation has started, the typist may realize that there was an error in specifying the character string to be erased.
The erasing operation will be repeated automatically until all the character strings specified before starting the erasing operation are erased, so wait until characters that do not actually need to be erased are erased before entering the key again. The problem arose that it had to be done.

In addition, in order to type efficiently, it is desirable to input the data to be printed after the erasure is completed using the keypad while the erasure is being performed automatically as described above. In the case of an incorrect input, conventional typewriters have had the problem of having to wait for printing based on the incorrect data to be performed, and then erasing the printed character string again.

With this background in mind, the present invention is capable of automatically erasing a character string of a predetermined length, and even if the erasing operation has started, if the typist notices an error, the erasing operation can be stopped. The present invention has been made in order to obtain a typewriter which is capable of erasing entered data if the key input made during automatic erasing is erroneous.

Means for Solving the Problems To this end, the present invention, as shown in FIG.
a keyboard equipped with a large number of character keys and function keys; (b) a storage means for storing data input from the keyboard; (c) a printing device for printing characters corresponding to data input from the keyboard; d) By starting the operation in response to the operation of an erasure start command key provided on the keyboard and sequentially erasing the characters printed on the printing paper by the printing device based on the data stored in the storage means, one or more words or one
A typewriter including an erasing device for erasing character columns constituting a row, the storage means is provided with an input buffer for storing data input from the keyboard while the erasing device is in operation, and the keyboard is provided with an input buffer for storing data input from the keyboard while the erasing device is in operation. An erasure abort control means which is provided with a command key and causes the erasing device to abort the erasing operation in accordance with the operation of the erasure abort command key even while the erasing device is in the process of erasing a character string; A clear control means is provided for clearing the input buffer in accordance with the operation of the input buffer.

Functions and Effects Therefore, in the typewriter according to the present invention, one or more words or one word printed on printing paper in response to the operation of the erasure start command key.
Even after the erasing of character columns constituting a row has started, if the erasure abort command key is operated, the erasing operation is aborted. If the typist notices that there is an error in the specification of the character string to be erased, he can cancel the erasure at any time. As a result, unnecessary erasure and key input operations for restoring the erased character can be reduced, and the efficiency of typing work can be improved. Particularly, when erasing is performed using an erasing ribbon, the effect of avoiding wasteful consumption of the erasing ribbon can also be obtained.

Furthermore, when the erasure abort command key is operated, the input buffer is automatically cleared. Therefore, if the typist makes an error in key input while automatic erasing is in progress, he or she can clear the erroneous data by operating the erasure abort command key. Thus, it is no longer necessary to wait for the currently running automatic erasure to finish and for the erroneous data to be printed, and then to erase the printed characters again, which also improves the efficiency of typing work. Effects can be obtained.

Note that even if the key input by the typist while automatic erasing is in progress is correct, this data will be cleared by operating the erasure abort command key, but this data will be cleared after the typist erases the character row. If you are planning to print and there is an error in specifying the character string to be erased,
Usually it has to be changed.

Therefore, the data to be printed after erasing the character string input by the typist during erasing operation is
It is desirable that the flag be cleared at the same time as the erase operation is stopped. Even if the key input made by the typist during the erasing operation is incorrect or correct, the data is cleared as soon as the erasing operation is stopped, thereby improving work efficiency.

Embodiment FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of a typewriter that is an embodiment of the present invention.
2, with a printing mechanism 14 and an erasing mechanism 1 at the rear.
It is equipped with 6.

The printing mechanism 14 includes a platen 20 and a type wheel 2.
2. Hammer 24 and printing ribbon vibrator 2
6, etc., and one of the type characters supported at the tips of a number of radial arms of the type wheel 22 is stopped at the position of the hammer 24 by the rotation of the type wheel 22, and then the hammer 24 is activated to print. Predetermined characters (letters and symbols) are printed on a printing paper 30 supported by a platen 20 via a printing ribbon 28 raised to a printing height by a ribbon vibrator 26. type wheel 2
2. The hammer 24, printing ribbon vibrator 26, etc. are supported by a carriage (not shown);
By moving the carriage along the platen 20, the printing position on the printing paper 30 in the left and right direction is changed. Furthermore, the rotation of the platen 20 causes the printing paper 30 to be fed in the vertical direction, thereby changing the printing position in the vertical direction.

The erasing mechanism 16 includes an erasing ribbon vibrator that raises an erasing ribbon (not shown) to the printing height in place of the print ribbon 28. This erasing ribbon vibrator is a component of the printing mechanism 14, which is a platen 20, a type wheel 22, and a hammer 2.
Together with No. 4 and the like, it constitutes an erasing mechanism.

The keyboard 12 has character keys 4 for inputting alphanumeric characters, numbers, and various symbols.
0, a space key 42, a new line key 44, a shift key 46, a code key 48, a word erase key 50, an autocorrection key 52, a repeat key 54, a margin release key 56, and many other function keys. The functions of each of these function keys will be explained in detail later.

The control device for this typewriter is shown in FIG. The main components of the control device are CPU64, RAM66, and ROM6
8 and a bus 70, to which the keyboard 12 is connected as an input device.

The microcomputer 72 further includes a type wheel control circuit 80, a hammer control circuit 82, a carriage control circuit 84, a paper feed control circuit 86, a print ribbon feed control circuit 88, a print ribbon lift control circuit 90, and an erase ribbon lift control circuit 92. via a type wheel drive motor 100, respectively;
Hammer drive solenoid 102, carriage drive motor 104, platen drive motor 106, print ribbon feed motor 108, print ribbon lift solenoid 110, and erase ribbon lift solenoid 1
12 is sustained. The type wheel drive motor 100 rotates the type wheel 22 to position a predetermined type at the position of the hammer 24, that is, the printing position, and the hammer drive solenoid 102 operates the hammer 24. The carriage drive motor 104 moves the carriage in both forward and reverse directions via a gear train, a timing pulley, a timing belt, etc. (not shown), and the platen drive motor 106 moves the platen 20 in both forward and reverse directions through a gear train. It rotates. Print ribbon feed motor 1
Reference numeral 08 is a driving source for a printing ribbon feeding mechanism that feeds the printing ribbon 28 by an amount corresponding to the number of printed characters, and a printing ribbon lift solenoid 110 is a driving source for the printing ribbon vibrator 26. Additionally, the erase ribbon lift solenoid 112
is the driving source for the erasing ribbon vibrator that raises the erasing ribbon to the printing height, and also serves as the driving source for the erasing ribbon feeding mechanism. That is,
Each time the erasing ribbon is raised to the printing height position, the erasing ribbon feeding mechanism is activated in conjunction with the vertical movement of the erasing ribbon vibrator, and the erasing ribbon is fed one character at a time. .

The RAM 66 includes a key buffer 120 that stores key data input from the keyboard 12.
is provided. The key data input from the keyboard 12 is stored after the data already stored in the key buffer 120, and
CPU 6 sequentially starts from the first data according to the request of 4.
4. The RAM 66 is further provided with a one-line memory 122 that stores one line of printed character data and is cleared each time the line feed key 44 is operated. On the other hand, ROM68
The typewriter is provided with a program memory 130 that stores control programs for controlling the entire typewriter, including the programs shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 6.

The operation of this typewriter will be explained below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

At the same time as the power is turned on, step S1 in Fig. 4
(hereinafter simply referred to as S1; the same applies to other steps) is initialized, and then S2 is executed. The leading data is fetched from the key buffer 120, and it is determined in S3 whether the key data fetched is word erase data, and if it is word erase data.
S4 word erasure processing is performed, otherwise S5
Another process is performed and program execution returns to S2.

During execution of this main routine, the key input process shown in FIG. 5 is performed at interval interrupts. first,
In S6, it is determined whether or not any key on the keyboard 12 is being operated. If no key is being operated, the key input process ends, but if any key is not being operated. For example, S7 is executed to determine whether the word deletion flag is on. Since the word deletion flag is normally in an off state, the result of this determination is NO, and the key data is stored in the key buffer 120 in S8, and the key input process ends.

While the key data is stored in the key buffer 120 by the interval interrupt, S2 in Fig. 4 is executed, and normal printing processing is performed in S5. The word erase key 50 is operated. As a result, the word erase data is stored in the key buffer 120, and soon this word erase data is taken into the CPU 64 as S2 is executed. As a result, the determination result in S3 becomes YES, and the word deletion process in S4 is executed.

The details of this word deletion process are shown in FIG. First, after the word deletion flag is turned on in S9, it is determined in S9' whether or not there is a character at the position of the carriage. In Figure 7, if the carriage is in the position represented by a triangle and the space at that position is represented by a rectangle, then there is no character at the position of the carriage, and the determination result of S9' is The answer will be NO.
Therefore, in S10, it is determined whether the position of the carriage is within the movement area from the left character. In a typewriter, the carriage is automatically moved one pitch to the right after each character is printed, so if the judgment result in S10 is YES, the character is printed immediately to the left of the carriage. , if NO, the left side of the carriage is a space.

If there is a space to the left of the carriage,
In S11, it is determined whether or not movement of the carriage to the left is prohibited. As shown in FIG. 7, if the left side of the carriage position is a space, the determination result in S10 is NO and S11 is executed. When the carriage position is at the left margin indicated by the broken line, even if the word erase key 50 is operated, unless the margin release key 56 is operated, the printout will be printed with a space to the left of the left margin. In many cases, it is better not to erase words that are printed to the left of the left margin.Conversely, if the word erase key 50 is operated with the carriage in the position shown in FIG. Because it is often better to erase even if
This is why S11 is provided. In the case of FIG. 7, the determination result in S11 is YES, S12 is executed, the word deletion flag is returned to the OFF state, and the word deletion process ends without actually performing word deletion. On the other hand, in the case of Figure 8
If the determination result in S10 is YES, normal deletion processing is performed and the word abc is deleted. Further, if the word erase key 50 is operated with the carriage in the position shown in FIG. 9, the determination result in S10 will be NO and S11 will be executed, but since this determination result is also NO, S13 will be executed. The carriage is moved one character to the left. Therefore, if the word erase key 50 is operated again after that,
The determination result in S10 is YES, and deletion processing is performed to delete the word abc. Also, with the carriage in the position shown in Figure 10, press the word erase key 5.
If 0 is operated, the judgment result of S9' becomes YES,
S14 is executed and the word abc is deleted.

This deletion of word abc is performed as follows. First, S14 is executed to erase the character c at the end of the word abc. One line memory 122
The type wheel drive motor 100 is operated based on the data stored in the type wheel 22, and the type c on the type wheel 22 is moved to the print position, and the erase ribbon is raised to the print height by the action of the erase ribbon lift solenoid 112. He was lifted up,
Furthermore, the hammer 24 is actuated by the action of the hammer drive solenoid 102, and the character c is erased. In addition, normally the carriage is 1
The above operation is performed after moving the carriage to the left by the character, but if the judgment result of S9' is YES and S14 is executed, the same operation is performed without moving the carriage. be exposed.

Next, S15 is executed, but since the result of this determination is usually NO, in S16 it is determined whether the position of the carriage is within the movement area of the left character, that is, whether the left side of the carriage is a space. It is determined whether or not. Here, it is not a space but character b, so the judgment result of S16 is
YES, S14 is executed again and character b
will be deleted. After character a is erased by repeating this operation, the judgment result of S16 is
Since the answer is NO, S17 is executed. It is determined whether the first data in the key buffer 120 is repeat-on data, but if only the word erase key 50 has been operated, the determination result is NO, and the subsequent S18 Since the determination result in S19 is also NO, the word deletion flag is returned to the OFF state in S12, and the deletion of one word is completed.

On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 9, while the word abc is being erased with the operation of the word erase key 50, the repeat key 54 is pressed.
If the operation continues even after erasing the word abc, the erasure of the word hij will start, and if the repeat key 54 is released while the word hij is being erased, the word hij will be erased.
The erasing operation will automatically stop after erasing hij.
This operation will be explained below.

If the repeat key 54 is pressed while erasing the word abc, repeat-on data is stored in the key buffer 120. Therefore, when the erasure of the word abc is completed, the determination result in S16 becomes NO, and if S17 is executed, the determination result becomes YES, and the repeat flag is turned on in S20. Next, in S19, it is determined whether or not the repeat flag is on, but the result of this determination is, of course, YES, and the program execution returns to S9'.
At this time, since the carriage is in the position where character a was printed, the judgment results of S9' and S10 are NO, and the judgment result of S11 is also NO, so the above-mentioned S13, S15, S16, and S14 are executed. character j is deleted. In other words, erasure of the word hij is started.

Repeat key 54 after starting to erase this word hij
When the pressing operation is released, repeat-off data is stored in the key buffer 120 accordingly. Therefore, if S17 is executed after erasing the first character h of the word hij, this determination result will be
If the result is NO, the judgment result of the subsequent S18 is
YES. Therefore, after the repeat flag is turned off in S21, S19 is executed, but the result of this determination is of course NO, and the word deletion flag is returned to the off state in S12.
The word deletion process ends.

In this typewriter, multiple words can be erased by erasing one word printed on the printing paper as described above or by repeating word erasing, or one word stored in the one-line memory 122 can be erased. Characters for a line are erased, but the typist can stop the erasing operation during this erasing. Furthermore, even if a word is being erased, it is possible to start operating other keys such as the character key 40 after the repeat key 54 is released; however, if this key operation is made by mistake, Data in key buffer 120 can also be cleared. These points will be explained below.

When it becomes necessary to stop the erasing operation as described above or to clear the data in the key buffer 120 that was input during word erasing, the autocorrection key 52 is operated. As a result, the determination result in S22 in FIG. 5 becomes YES, and S23 is executed to clear the key buffer 120. Further, in S24, the cancellation flag is turned on. If the cancel flag is turned on, the determination result in S15, which is executed every time one character is erased in FIG. 6, becomes YES, and the word erase flag is turned off in S12, and the word erase Processing is aborted.

If it is necessary to completely erase the word whose erasure has been canceled in this way, the word erase key 50 can be operated again. If erasing is canceled, since there are characters on the left side of the cartridge, the determination result in S10, which is executed in response to the operation of the word erase key 50, will be YES, and S14 and subsequent steps will be executed to erase the remaining characters. It will be done.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the word erase key 50 functions as an erase start command key for instructing the start of word erasure, and the repeat key 54 functions as an erase repeat command key. . However, it is also possible to have a single key serve as both the erase start command key and the erase repeat command key. For example, if the word erase key 50 is pressed for only a short period of time, it can function as an erase start command key, and if it continues to be pressed, it can function as an erase repeat command key. . Furthermore, although the auto-correction key 52 functions as the erasure abort command key, another key or a combination of a plurality of keys may function as the erasure abort command key.

Further, in the above embodiment, the area of the ROM 68 in which the program for executing S2, S3, and S5 in FIG. 4 is stored, the CPU 64 for executing the program, and the printing mechanism 14 constitute the printing device, S9, S9' in Figure 6 of ROM68,
The area storing programs for executing S10, S14, S15, S16, and S12, the CPU 64 for executing the programs, and the erasing mechanism 16 constitute an erasing device. However, the printing mechanism is not necessarily limited to one that prints by type; it may also be one that prints using a dot matrix printing head or a pen writing mechanism, and the erasing mechanism should also be compatible with these printing mechanisms. can do. In addition, the erasing device was
As described in Publication No. 210482, if the erasure start command key is operated while the carriage is in the middle of a word, the carriage is automatically moved to the end of the word and word erasure begins. It is also possible to make it a thing. Furthermore, it is also possible to change the program for printing and erasing.

Further, in the above embodiment, the one-line memory 122 and the key buffer 120 constitute the storage means, and in particular, the key buffer 12
0 functions as an input buffer. Also, S15, S12, S22 and S24 of ROM68
The area in which the program for executing the program is stored and the CPU 64 for executing the program constitute the erasure abort control means.
The area storing the program for executing S23 and the CPU 64 for executing the program constitute the clear control means, but it is of course possible to change these programs.

Although not illustrated in detail, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typewriter which is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control device thereof. FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are flowcharts showing only parts of the control program stored in the ROM shown in FIG. 3 that are closely related to the present invention. Figures 7 and 8
9 and 10 are diagonal diagrams for explaining the operation of the typewriter. 12: keyboard, 14: printing mechanism, 16: erasing mechanism, 20: platen, 22: type wheel,
24: Hammer, 26: Printing ribbon vibrator,
28: Printing ribbon, 40: Character key, 4
2: Space key, 44: New line key, 46: Shift key, 48: Code key, 50: Word erase key, 52: Auto correction key, 54:
repeat key.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A keyboard equipped with a large number of character keys and function keys, a storage means for storing data input from the keyboard, and a printing device for printing characters corresponding to data input from the keyboard. , The operation is started in response to the operation of an erasure start command key provided on the keyboard, and the characters printed on the printing paper by the printing device are sequentially erased based on the data stored in the storage device. one or more words or one
A typewriter including an erasing device for erasing character columns constituting a row, wherein the storage means is provided with an input buffer for storing data input from the keyboard while the erasing device is in operation; Even when a stop command key is provided and the erasing device is in the middle of erasing the character string,
Erasure abort control means for causing the eraser to abort the erasing operation in response to the operation of the erasure abort command key, and clear control means for clearing the input buffer in response to the operation of the erasure abort command key. A typewriter that is capable of canceling erasure and clearing input buffers.