DE2062384A1 - Device for selecting ver different character shapes in a printer with several printing character sets - Google Patents

Description

Patent attorneys

Dr.-Ing. V.-iiiielaReichel
Dipi-Ing. Wol ^ ang Mchel

6 Frankiuri a. M. 1
Park street 13

6506

GSlNfERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Schenectady, N.Y /, VStA

Device for selecting different character shapes in the case of a printer with several printing character sets

The invention relates to a device for selecting of different character forms in a printer with several printing character sets, in the case of the numbers that are to be printed Discrete characters or character positions in the character sets represent, store, and compare numbers with the types of corresponding characters or character positions display discreetly when these types are cyclically brought into all conceivable possible pressure positions.

In the field of printing it is known to use various symbols, representation swe is en for characters, fonts or character sets for the production of printed matter can. The problem always arises of how to get a large number of different characters quickly Can achieve access. In some systems odor plants will This problem is solved by having within a normal character set only a few special characters are provided. With other printing systems, the printed characters or Type sets exchanged, all printing elements with different ones

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be replaced. The first proposed solution is inadequate because there are none in terms of the different ways of representation Flexibility exists. The second proposed solution, however, has the disadvantage that the replacement of the type sets is time consuming. This solution is therefore not suitable for high-speed printers.

The present invention is particularly concerned with printers which print parts of a line or an entire line at a time based on signals received from a remote station. This also includes printers that are controlled by hand keys or electronic computers. There are already printers and photocomposing machines known which can store a large number of selectable characters. By using fast moving pressure rollers or belts, on the surfaces of which the printing elements or types are attached, it is possible to print a complete line on the recording medium within a single work cycle. In order to select the particular character to be printed, a signal that represents this character discretely is fed to the printer and stored there. When the type assigned to the character then appears in the assigned print position, the character is printed out.

It has been found that you normally get a maximum. *. Number of alphanumeric characters, character combinations, figures, Punctuation marks etc. required. A complete set of these printing elements forms a type set or printing character set. Additional Sentences with different writing forms or modes of representation form additional printing character sets. It is now possible provide a discrete command signal for the selection of each discrete print character element. However, if you have the Print character elements, for example, in two corresponding If you can combine type sets, you can reduce the number of discrete command signals by using a. two-part command used. Such a command contains a first part, which identifies the type set, and a second part

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Part that identifies the character. The invention is now concerned with printers that respond to such commands and several Have type sets.

The present invention is preferably applied to a printer according to German laid-open specification 1 928 081 (US patent application No. 734 501). The printing device according to the cited laid-open specification improves the conventional line printer. The known device includes a data storage unit ^0, the less stores data as necessary for an entire row, and yet prints out an entire row within a predetermined time interval. A particular embodiment of this printer has a running belt with numerous flexible arms or fingers, each of which carries a type of a particular character at one end. The type running belt is attached to a drive device which rotates about parallel axes so that the running belt with the types can run between the recording or recording means and a plurality of print hammers which are arranged along a line to be printed opposite the surface of the recording means. With respect to a fixed predetermined point on the printer, the position or location of each character is determined by the fact that "the passage of a particular character at this point is detected and recorded. A counter is then driven at a speed proportional to the character rotation speed. The recording means can at least mentally divided into numerous, separate columns, each representing a possible character position. Each character v / is represented by a discrete number. The numbers assigned to the characters to be printed are stored as input or input data. If the on the When the characters attached to the belt pass each column position, a circuit compares the column position with the stored input data to determine whether or not a character should be printed at that particular position on the conveyor belt and the oak to be printed at this position,

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the print hammer is actuated at this column position, and hit the type on the recording medium.

In order to control this printer, one can generate and use binary signals synchronous with the movement of the belt. In the device according to the laid-open specification mentioned, a binary counter is used which is synchronized with the movement of the belt and which registers successive whole numbers at the same speed as the characters r ..; i pass through successive columns. The integer registered at any particular time is the number of the character that appears in a predetermined column position at that time. This integer is used together with the input data to derive a control signal that actuates the appropriate print hammer at a suitable time and prints the selected character in the desired column.

The printer described in the cited laid-open specification generates a special type set start signal in a photoelectric manner, if the first character has a special position or position in relation to the recording or registration pin achieved. If you are on a single type running belt instead a single type set attaches several type sets ;, the photoelectric device must have separate type satellite signals when the first character of each type set reaches the particular position. The generation of special type set signals However, at the beginning of each type set is laborious and time-consuming, since you have specially trained type arms or type fingers must recognize and detect on the belt.

The object of the invention is to overcome these difficulties and to provide an improved multi-type set control device to accomplish. In particular, one should be responsive to Ferusignale Control device are created, aie enables switching from a first to a second type set and vice versa.

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This object is achieved in the device according to the invention described above in that means after receipt add a predetermined number indicating the character set to each stored character number of a first identification signal to whom the character to be printed or the character position belongs, and that further means in accordance with the character set, whose characters are available for printing at a particular time, a corresponding predetermined number to those Add numbers that discreetly represent the types.

Preselected signals are used to change from one type set to another. A particular application example of the invention is a belt printer on which Running belts are attached to at least two type sets that continuously all possible print positions on a recording medium are presented. According to the invention, the special type set that is currently offered to the recording medium is displayed discreetly, and the particular type set to be used for printing is also displayed discreetly such that a comparison between these discrete display signals takes actual control of the printing process .

Furthermore, according to the teaching according to the invention, a printer can be built with several type sets, in which after receipt a special signal, which indicates a special type set, all characters of this type set appearing in print position to be printed.

According to the invention, there is thus a control device for selecting type sets in printers with several type sets created based on signals that identify the type set in question and the desired character, optionally Print characters of the type set selected from the numerous type sets. The device required for this can be a Contain data memory which contains the character to be printed, also a type set selection device, which is based on the type set-

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selection signals responds to diskrec the stored data to modify and in this way to display the desired type set, further facilities that generate data that the printable characters and their positions at any given time, and comparators that display the stored Compare data with the generated data to control the printing of the desired character.

In a printer constructed according to the invention with a plurality of type sets, the characters to be printed are thus identified by discrete Figures shown. The characters that can be printed or the characters currently available for printing are indicated by corresponding Figures shown. A special identifier is assigned to each type set. This identifier will be used to calibrate the number of printable " added. In order to be able to print the characters of a special type set, facilities are available which the input data, that represent the desired characters, modify them with the special identifier.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference to figures.

Fig. 1 shows as a block diagram the structure of a printer,

in which the type set selection device according to the W invention is used.

Fig. 2 shows as a block diagram an embodiment of a control device constructed according to the invention to select different typesets or fonts.

In Fig. 1, a control device for a printer according to the German Offenlegungsschrift 1 928 081 is shown. The present FIG. 1 corresponds to FIG. 4 in the above-mentioned laid-open specification. The control device shown therein for a printer is a preferred application example for a font selection device designed according to the invention fig. ^

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The device shown includes an input memory 43-, which receives character commands as input data in the form of a number, each corresponding to a character to be printed. Of the Input memory 43 stores the entered number of characters, so that it can be compared to numbers that are different Mark on the printer belt. A column counter and storage unit 44 registers a numerical one Display of the desired column position of each input character stored in the input memory 43. A write-in synchronization unit 45 controls the storage and use of the data in units 43 and 44.

The input data entered into such a device is either information that is stored on a recording medium should be printed, for example alphanumeric characters, punctuation marks, etc., or special command signals, for example carriage return, line feed, inserting and ejecting a print character set, etc. The special or special command signals are used to program the printed matter or to cause the device to perform special functions. The present invention is primarily concerned with the command signals "push out" and "insert", which are used to denote a particular sentence or select a special font for the characters to be printed. According to the one used in the United States of America Norm "Standard Code for Information Interchange" (ASCII) represent the binary numbers 1 to 32 special commands and the binary numbers 33 to 126 print characters. According to this standard, the binary number 14 means pushing out and the binary number 15 means pushing in. It is assumed that in the device according to the above-mentioned patent application and in the present device the data signals fed to the various units are in binary-coded form. One can for example use a 7-bit code where every bit is weighted.

The finger counter 40 registers a "number that one on a given position in the device

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is arranged. This is a binary counter that is initially set to a number that corresponds to the first character. corresponds in a type set. This setting is carried out on receipt of the start of a type set signal which can be generated once for each complete revolution or each complete cycle of the belt. The characters are arranged on the belt in a '..' corresponding to the code used, in such a way that successive characters are assigned to successive numbers which are each an integer greater than the number just preceding. The finger counter 40 is therefore incremented by an integer each time a new character appears at the predetermined position. The number registered by the counter therefore always corresponds to the relevant character.

The input memory 43 and the column counter and storage unit 44 are both capable of storing data cit representing a predetermined number of characters and their desired positions or positions. For comparison with the number registered in the finger counter 40, this data is continuously circulated in order to ensure the appropriate juxtaposition. of the mark on the belt and the desired column. When this determination is made, printing is carried out and the input data is deleted and replaced with new data.

As already explained in the laid-open specification 1 928 081 is, the number registered in the finger counter 40 and that registered in the column counter and storage unit 44 are registered Number is fed to an adder 41, which adds dze numbers in series for each character and generates a summation signal which with the number of characters stored in the input memory 43 is compared. For each column number that is added to a particular finger count, a particular suinniation signal is generated which supplies character position information for a particular character at a particular column position.

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The comparator 42 serially compares one character at a time a sufficiently high speed that all data. characters stored in the circulating input memory 43 can be compared during a period of time that a symbol attached to the belt requires, to get from any given column to an adjacent column. If the comparison is positive, will a signal generated. and fed to a column decoder 46, which in conjunction with a display of the column counter and Storage unit 44 causes the associated print hammer of the printing mechanism to be controlled to produce the desired character to print.

As a result of the addition of the output signals of the finger counter 40 and the column counter and storage unit 44 often arise Numbers that are outside the code range for the characters to be printed, that is, outside the range 33 through 126. If For example, the character »whose code is 42 is to be printed in column 70, the printing character is used in the first column coded with 105. The addition of the output signals of the finger counter 40 and the unit 44 then results the number 175. In one figure of the above-mentioned disclosure document and in the accompanying text on friction, the use a circuit is explained which modifies all outputs of the adder 41 which fall outside the range of the print character code, to generate appropriate corresponding numbers within the range.

In Fig. 2, the individual components of the input memory 43 and the finger counter 40 are shown in more detail. Furthermore, the memory and control blocks are shown which, according to the invention, serve to facilitate the selection and use of various Control type sets or fonts. The input memory 43 contains a parallel-series shift register 50 and a memory unit 52. These units are connected to one another via a line 62, an erase gate 51, a line 63- and a line 64 connected. These interconnections allow the content of the memory to be stored as a function of

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Clock pulses (not shown) can be circulated. For: the output signal of the finger counter 40 is fed to a Parallol Soriwii shift register 53. This output signal is forwarded in series to the adder 41 in order to add it to the output signal of the column counter and storage unit 44. The write-in synchronization unit 45 and the pait counter and storage unit 44 are shown in the same way as in FIG. 1.

A data input or data entry shown in FIG. Unit 100 feeds the input data assigned to the print characters to input memory 43 via lines 61. Further the data input unit 100 supplies the special command signals insert SI and eject SO via lines 102 and 103. The data input unit 100 is a decoding unit that is selectively responsive to the input data information and data for the characters to be printed to the input memory as well as special command data to corresponding units of the control device gives away. The signal insert or the SI signal indicates that for the characters subsequently received the first type set or the first printed character form is to be used during the push out signal or the SO signal indicates that the second type set or the second font should be used for the following characters. At the Receipt of the SI signal on line 102, a type set selection flip-flop 101 is set. The set output signal of the type set selection flip-flop 102 sets the eighth stage of the parallel-series shift register 50 via a line 104. If the eighth stage of the parallel-series shift register is in its 1 state, this means that the SI signal has been received has been and that the first set of tapes or the first step is in the form should be used. If the second type set is to be used, the SO signal is sent via line 103 to the Type set selection flip-flop 101 issued to reset it. The reset output signal of the flip-flop 101 resets the eighth stage of the shift register 50 so brings it into the O-state.

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The type selection flip-flop 101 modifies in a discrete manner the character input data to display the desired type set. It is also necessary to keep the in print position at all times to identify the type set located. For this purpose, a second type record flip-flop shown in FIG. 2 is used 110 made aware. The finger counter 40 speaks to the Count signals on line 34 to indicate the number that will appear in a given column position Sign corresponds. According to the ASCII standard, in which the first 33 characters (including 0) are not characters to be printed, the finger counter 40 begins when a start type record signal is received on the line 37 with a count of 33. For every further counting pulse received via line 34 is counted Finger counter further by a whole number until it reaches a count of 126. The finger counter sits on it automatically back to 33. The output signals at the stages of the finger counter 40 are shown in parallel with the parallel-series shift register 53, which converts this information into serial bits, which are then transmitted via an output line 77 the adder 41 are supplied. The function of the second selection flip-flop 110 is the output of the finger counter to modify to indicate which type set is is in the print position. This is achieved in that the second type set flip-flop is set when the finger counter reaches a count that indicates the end of the first type set, i.e. when a count is reached from 126.

In the previous type set selection devices, each type set was selected by generating a special type set start signal identified on the basis of the detection of a special geometric formation on the first finger each type set. This is not necessary in the present invention. It is rather the case that the finger counter 40, as soon as it registers a number which represents the last character of a type set, it is automatically reset via a line 111 will. At the same time, a line 112 is a

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Set signal to the set input of the second type set flip-flop "", 10 transmitted. When the flip-flop 110 is in the set state. at'i /..- det, it indicates that the second type set is available for printing. The set flip-flop 110 sets the eighth bit of the parallel-series shifter 53 via a line 113 in a similar manner to that which happened in the parallel-series shift register 50 of the input memory 43. In this way, the data indicating the characters in print has been modified to reflect the type set position in the same way that the input character data has been modified. \: e rm now, the comparator 42 makes a comparison, produces only the sign of the correct type set has a coincidence and the associated necessary hammer drive signal corresponding to the memory and hammer drive unit is fed to the 47th

When the end of the second type set is reached, the start signal of the next type set occurs again on line 37 on. This signal is fed to the reset output of the second type set flip-flop 110 via the line 114. Thereupon this flip-flop is reset. At the same time, the eighth stage of the parallel-series shift register is via a line 115 53 reset.

If the characters of the second type set or the second font are in the reference or in the first column position and if the characters of the first type set or the first font are in a higher-numbered column position or vice versa, devices must be provided which modify the output of the adder 41 so that a comparison can be carried out can be carried out. The modification circuit provides for each type set such addition output signals that the various characters stored in the input memory 43 in can be appropriately compared. To this end, reference is again made to the above-mentioned laid-open specification 1 928 081 (US-Anraeldunr, · Serial No. 734 501), in which appropriate circuits are shown. In the present case, ec is necessary

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to generate two groups of adder output signals, since two Type sets are available. There are numerous arrangements for this, which are familiar to the person skilled in the art.

The individual type sets do not need to be of the same length. Furthermore, the number of characters is per type set or per Written form is not limited. Although the embodiment of the invention is described on the basis of two type sets, there can be more than two type sets.

If the basic structure of the control device according to the invention is changed, changes in the structural units can also be made be connected. For example, it is known to put marking data or additional numbers in the eighth bit position of the parallel-series shift register 50 of the input memory to prevent that after receiving an end-of-line signal Characters are printed before switching to the new line. If in the basic structure such changes are made, you can apply the present invention anyway, by the fact that the shift register is equipped with a further stage.

In the exemplary embodiment according to the invention, it is a question of a belt printer in which at a certain time individual parts of a line can be printed. However, the teaching according to the invention is not limited to such printing devices. For example, the invention can also be used to great advantage in roller or drum printers. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the use of binary counters and similar arrangements. Others can too Memory arrays and other basic control devices can be used.

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Claims (4)

Claims (J \ . Means for selecting different character f orinon in a printer with several printing character sets, with cor numbers that represent the characters to be printed or character positions in the character sets discretely, stored and compared with numbers that are the types of corresponding characters or display character positions discretely, if these types are cyclically brought into all possible print positions, characterized in that means (101) upon receipt of a first identification signal each add a predetermined number to the stored character number, which indicates the character set to which the character to be printed is added or the character position belongs, and that further means (110) in accordance with the character set whose characters are to be are available for printing at a particular time, add a corresponding predetermined number to those numbers which represent the types discreetly. 2. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the numbers representing the characters to be printed are stored in a binary shift register (50), that the numbers representing the types are generated in a binary counter (40) and that the means representing add the predetermined number to the stored character numbers, contain a flip-flop (110) which responds to the identification signal and then sets a stage of the binary shift register. 1 09827 / U08 bad original 3. Device according to claim 2, d a d u r c h g e k e η η ζ e i c h η e t, that the binary counter is initially triggered by a signal (on the line 37), which is generated at the beginning of the first character set, is set to a number that represents the character whose Type with respect to the recording medium appears at a predetermined point that the binary counter then shows its count modified if successive types appear at this point to represent the ^ correct, and that the binary counter at the end of the first character set is automatically reset to this number. 4. Device according to claim 3,
characterized in that the further means includes a flip-flop (110) which is responsive to the automatic reset of the binary counter and then adds said predetermined number to each successive output of the binary counter until the end of the second character set occurs. BATHROOM 1 0 9 R? 77 U 0 8 Blank page