Electronic typewriter with spell checking and correction

• US 4,842,428 A
• Filed: 05/13/1987
• Issued: 06/27/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Suzuki, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/048,927
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 400/63, 400/74, 400/70, 400/98, 400/110, 400/697, 400/697.1
• US Class Current: 400/697
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation

Abstract

The present electronic typewriter comprises a memory for storing English sentences inputted into the electronic typewriter by operating its keyboard, a dictionary memory, in which data on plural English words are stored, and a spelling check control system. The typewriter is also provided with a checking execution key for checking the spelling of each English word of the English sentences stored in the memory. When the checking execution key is operated, a English sentence data stored in the memory are read out by the spelling check control means which judges the coincidence with those stored in the dictionary memory. If it is judged by the spelling check control means that the English words of the English sentences stored in the memory include a word not corresponding to any of the English word data stored in the dictionary memory, the printed position of the word on the printing paper is determined by a printed position detection means on the basis of the English sentence data stored in memory. A feed means and a carriage movement means are driven through the action of a drive control means on the basis of the printed position determined by the detection means, to guide a printing head to the printed position. Once all of the printed misspelled words have been corrected, the spelling correction confirmation mode is automatically cancelled.

Claims

1. An electronic typewriter comprising:

a keyboard for generating signals responsive to depressed keys, said keyboard including character keys for entering at least character data, a separating key for separating said character data entered by said character keys into words, and a confirmation key for generating a confirmation mode therefrom when an operator confirms the spelling of a word;

a dictionary memory for storing a plurality of word data corresponding to spellings of words;

at least one memory for storing words entered from said keyboard;

memory writing means for writing said words entered from said keyboard into at least one memory;

spelling check control means for reading out said words from said at least one memory and said word data from said dictionary memory, for comparing the spelling of each read word with said word data, and for determining a misspelled word if word data coincident with said spelling of each read word does not exist in said dictionary memory;

a counter for producing a count number of said misspelled words;

a printer for printing and erasing characters on a printing medium, said printer including feed means for feeding said printing medium and carriage drive means for guiding a printing head;

print control means for printing a character entered in accordance with depression of said character keys on said keyboard by driving said printer;

printed position detection means for determining respective printing positions of said misspelled words;

a work memory for storing said misspelled words and for storing said respective printing positions;

drive control means for generating said confirmation mode in accordance with depression of said confirmation key, for driving said carriage drive means in accordance with one of said stored printing positions to guide said printing head to said one of said stored printing positions and for driving said carriage drive means to guide said printing head to another stored printing position in response to depression of a pass key without erasure of the misspelled word at said one of said stored positions;

count control means for incrementing said count number upon determination of each of said misspelled words by said spelling check control means and decrementing the count number every time the printing head is driven to each of said stored printing positions in accordance with depression of said confirmation key or said pass key in the confirmation mode;

print correct means for erasing a printed word at a respective stored printing position, when said printing head is at said respective position, in accordance with depression of a correction executing key during the confirmation mode, and for printing a word newly entered by said character keys;

cancelling means for automatically cancelling the confirmation mode when said number of said counter is indicative that no printed misspelled words remain to be corrected;

display means responsive to said count number for displaying whether there is at least one printed misspelled word which remains to be corrected; and

to said cancelling means for automatically displaying whether said confirmation mode is cancelled; and

display control means for reading out a respective misspelled word corresponding to the printing head position from said word memory and for displaying said misspelled word on said display means during the confirmation mode.

2. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said print correct means includes means for printing said word newly entered on a blank resulting from said erasing.

3. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said print correct means includes means for printing said word newly entered by printing a character in accordance with every depression of the character key on said blank resulting from said erasing.

4. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said print correct means includes means for overwriting said word newly stored onto a respective misspelled word stored in said at least one memory.

5. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cancelling means cancels the confirmation mode when said count number becomes zero.

6. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means said count number.

7. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means includes an indicating light which is activated only during the confirmation mode.

8. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means displays a character message indicating whether any printed misspelled word remains to be corrected.

9. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display control means includes means for displaying said word newly entered on said display means during the confirmation mode.

10. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said print correct means includes means for printing said word newly entered and displayed on said display means in accordance with depression of the separating key during the confirmation mode.

11. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said display control means includes means for displaying both said misspelled word read out from said work memory corresponding to the printing head position and said word newly entered.

12. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one memory includes a text memory for storing words entered from said keyboard, and wherein said print correct means includes means for replacing a misspelled word in text memory with a word newly entered by means of said character keys.

13. The electronic typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive control means is responsive to said count number being indicative that no printed misspelled words remain to be corrected to drive said carriage drive means to position said printing head at the next printing position such that said printing head is located one space to the right of the end of the character queue printed on the printing medium.

14. An electronic typewriter comprising:

a keyboard for generating signals responsive to depressed keys, said keyboard including character keys for entering at least character data, a separating key for separating said character data entered by said character keys into words, and a confirmation key for generating a confirmation mode therefrom when an operator confirms the spelling of a word;

a dictionary memory for storing a plurality of word data corresponding to spellings of words;

at least one memory for storing words entered from said keyboard;

memory writing means for writing said words entered from said keyboard into said at least one memory;

spelling check control means for reading out said words from said at least one memory and said word data from said dictionary memory, for comparing the spelling of each read word with said word data, and for determining a misspelled word if word data coincident with said spelling of each read word does not exist in said dictionary memory;

a counter for producing a count number of said misspelled words;

a printer for printing and erasing characters on a printing medium, said printer including feed means for feeding said printing medium and carriage drive means for guiding a printing head;

print control means for printing a character entered in accordance with depression of said character keys on said keyboard by driving said printer;

printed position detection means for determining respective printing positions of said misspelled words;

a work memory for storing said misspelled words and for storing said respective printing positions;

drive control means for generating said confirmation mode in accordance with depression of said confirmation key, for driving said carriage drive means in accordance with one of said stored printing positions to guide said printing head to said one of said stored printing positions and for driving said carriage drive means to guide said printing head to another stored printing position in response to depression of a pass key without erasure of the misspelled word at said one of said stored positions;

said drive control means being responsive to said count number being indicative that no printed misspelled words remain to be corrected to drive said carriage means to position said printing head at the next printing position such that said printing head is located on space to the right of the end of the character queue printed on the printed medium;

count control means for incrementing said count number upon determination of each of said misspelled words by spelling check control means and decrementing the count number every time the printing head is driven to each of said stored printing positions in accordance with depression of said confirmation key or said pass key in the confirmation mode;

print correct means for erasing a printed word at a respective stored printing position, when said printing head is at said respective position, in accordance with depression of a correction executing key during the confirmation mode, and for printing a word newly entered by said character keys;

cancelling means for automatically cancelling the confirmation mode when said number of said counter is indicative that no printed misspelled words remain to be corrected;

display means responsive to said count number for displaying whether there is at least one printed misspelled word which remains to be corrected; and

to said cancelling means for automatically displaying whether said confirmation mode is cancelled; and

display control means for reading out a respective misspelled word corresponding to the printing head position from said word memory and for displaying said misspelled word on said displaying means during the confirmation mode.