Smith Corona Corp.

Howard C Duncan, Iv

R William Gray

Donald T Adams

Joseph P Battista

A word processing system or memory typewriter having a list of misused phrases together with alternative phrases for each misused phrase in the list and all stored in the memory. The memory includes a spelling Dictionary part and a phrase alert part which is responsive to the spelling dictionary part and including therein a list of alternative phrases both being available for comparison with the words and phrases being introduced into the system; a detection element for sensing entry of any phrase on the phrase alert list, a selectively enabled generator of a warning signal for the operator being activated in response to sensing entry of any of said phrases by said detection element; a first control responsive to pressing a discrete one of a depressible keys. The first control is operable to present in the display any phrase so detected along with alternative phrases therefore.

Electronic typewriter or word processor with detection and/or correction

A portable electronic typewriter having a memory incorporating a low-cost spelling-check dictionary and including a multi-character display. The typewriter is operable in a 'List' mode according to which the operator can call up display of a portion of the dictionary, sequentially in alphabetical order and one word at a time. The display consists of each stored word sharing an initial set, or 'string', of n characters (termed a 'template') defined by the operator via the keyboard of the typewriter. In a preferred version, when the typist becomes aware of uncertainty as to spelling, the List Mode may be initiated either before or after partial entry of the desired word. In particular, if the characters entered include an erroneous one, (the typist being alerted of this by an audible alarm, for example), initiation of the List Mode thereafter causes the string to be truncated just before the erroneous character. The resultant template is appropriate for entry into the word listing of the Dictionary and display of successive words (under control of the typist), all of them beginning with the previously defined characters. When the desired word appears on the display the typist can cause that word to be added replacingly to Memory and to the printed text.

Dictionary memory with visual scanning from a selectable starting point

A word-processing system or memory typewriter has the usual keyboard, input display and/or printer; together with a spelling dictionary stored within the memory, and an error signal generating device activated upon entry of an incorrect word. For greater efficiency and ease of use by the operator, the memory also stores several kinds of correction information--e.g., typographical correction, transposition reversal, phonetic substitutions, etc.--suitable for amending the incorrect word to display a trial word which matches one from the above-mentioned stored dictionary, the amending occurring by depression of a special key whenever entry of an incorrect word activates the error-signal device. Statistical control of selection of the class of correction information is provided, the order of utilization of the various classes depending upon the relative extent of the operator's prior successful usage of each class of information. If the trial word displayed is not satisfactory, the operator can depress the usual Index key 20I on the keyboard for presentation of yet another amended word matching the contents of the dictionary, and so on until the operator is satisfied with the one presented and signals the system to print that choice. If a match cannot be obtained with any of the information, the display indicates this fact to the operator.

Word processor having spelling corrector adaptive to operator error

A method and apparatus for adding a low-cost spelling check dictionary feature to document preparation systems such as portable electronic typewriters, the spelling check being performed on a character-by-character basis and an error signal emitted upon the earliest determination that an input character does not conform to that of any word listed in the dictionary. Semiconductor ROM is used for storage of the dictionary listing and for program control of the spelling check. Text compression methods are utilized to permit storage of large vocabularies (about 35,000 words) while minimizing the ROM capacity required (about 3 IC's of 256K bits each).

Spelling check dictionary with early error signal

A low-cost spelling-check dictionary apparatus for incorportation in a portable electronic typewriter. Semiconductor ROM is used for storage of the dictionary's word listing and for program control of the spelling check. Text compression methods are utilized to permit storage of large vocabularies (about 35,000 words) while minimizing the ROM capacity required (about 3 IC's of 256K bits each). In particular, the words are alphabetically arranged in a set of three interconnected tables together with extensions of the third table in highly compressed fashion. The tables verify the spelling order of the first three character inputs, while the extensions verify the fourth and subsequent inputs, if any. The tables have a first 'look-up structure' format, whereas the extensions are arranged in a different 'tree structure' type of format utilizing a 'Huffman code' for the characters.

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Marathon, NY, United States of America

Howard C Duncan, Iv