Sony Corporation

Yoshio Hayashi

Toshio Sakurai

Kouji Aoyagi

Makoto Ibuka

Koichi Higeta

Tusnehiro Kashima

A portable word processor incorporates a keyboard for typing-in data relating to a textual document, a microprocessor for processing the data, and a microcassette recorder for storing each page of the textual data when typing of the page is complete. A half-line character display is situated on an operating panel of the word processor above the keyboard. The microprocessor includes a text buffer memory having a capacity corresponding to one page, favorably 1800 characters or 66 lines. A cassette recorder interface is included to control operation of the cassette during transfer of textual data from the text buffer memory for storage on the microcassette tape, and transfer of the data to the text buffer memory from the tape for editing and revision of the textual document. The microcassette recorder can store pages of the textual data intermittently with voice recording, such as dictation, on the same tape.

Word processor

Keyboard apparatus, for example for a word processor comprises a standard alpha-numeric keyboard having an additional special key. On striking the spacer bar followed by a key corresponding to a letter and followed by the special key, the apparatus operates to print or to store for subsequent printing a predetermined complete word allocated to that particular letter. The words are predetermined according to their frequency of occurrence. For example, 'v' may correspond to 'very'. If the striking of the letter key has not been immediately preceded by striking of the spacer bar, then the apparatus operates to print or to store for subsequent printing a predetermined word ending allocated to that particular letter. For example, 'm' may correspond to 'ment'. The apparatus can also operate to incorporate capital letters where appropriate and to print or store for subsequent printing complete words in response to the non-alphabetic keys.

Growing community of inventors

Zushishi, Japan

Yoshio Hayashi