Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Akio Niki

Hidetake Tanaka

Toshiya Ogawa

Osamu Kuramochi

Kazuo Uchimura

Koichi Tsuruoka

A printer capable of operating in a bidirectional printout mode by converting a print code to pattern data and using a print head in which print elements are arranged in a plurality of arrays. A buffer control is provided for controlling in a ring structure entry and retrieval of pattern data into and out of an image buffer. A detachable font cassette stores the pattern data and data associated with print configurations. A pattern data store stores print pattern data in blocks for each of the print element arrays.

Dot matrix printer control and storage device

Character data is entered into a cathode ray tube display device from a keyboard or from a tape reader or the like selected by a key on the keyboard. The data is stored in a main memory inside the display device and simultaneously displayed on the cathode ray tube for composing and editing. An auxiliary memory is disposed between the display device and output devices such as tape punches so that data may transferred from the main memory of the display device into the auxiliary memory, and the data may be transferred from the auxiliary memory to the output devices while new data is being entered into the display device. Selected characters on the display, such as capitals, may be emphasized by displaying a dotted or solid line above or below the character or slanting the character. A cursor controlled by the keyboard is displayed on the cathode ray tube to indicate the position for entry or editing of data. Warning means are provide to give an indication when the cursor reaches the end of the display. The character keys on the keyboard are used for entering alphanumeric data and symbols, and a subset of the character keys arranged in a 'tens key' configuration like a hand calculator keyboard are used for entering both alphanumeric data and the 'tens key' functions constituted by digital numbers and mathematical operators. The 'tens key' keys are enabled to produce the 'tens key' functions and the other character keys inhibited by a selector key on the keyboard. The display may be divided into variable length fields by means of field marks or characters. Data may be inserted at a given point and following data shifted toward the end of the display. A field mark, allowing easy right justification of character sets utilizing the insertion function, terminates the insertion operation when the rightmost character of the set reaches the field mark. A delete function is also provided, in which a selected character is deleted and the following characters shifted toward the beginning of the display to fill inthe blank space created by the deletion of the character. When a field mark is disposed between the deletion location and the end of the display, characters following the field mark will not be shifted.

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Tokyo, Japan

Akio Niki