Improved content-addressed text search apparatus for a text processing system

Claim 2

For use in a text processing system having a text storage for storing strings of text representative codes, said codes being related to actuations of a keyboard apparatus and including at least one set of plural codes that correspond to an apparently similar printing operation as regards a printed document, content-addressed text search appararatus characterized in that it comprises: operator actuatable means for indicating an interval when an address string of codes from said keyboard is to be recognized; means, responsive to said operator actuable means, for storing, as an address code string, codes generated during said interval; and search logic means for identifying an addressed location in text storage, said search logic means including means for sequentially accessing codes from text storage, means for comparing said text storage codes to said text address code string, whereby a location for stored text, that is apparently similar to the address code string from a document appearance standpoint, is identified.

Claim 3

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said comparing means includes means for identifying codes from said set in said stored text and in said address code string and for converting such codes, for comparison purposes, to a predefined common code for the set.

Claim 4

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 2 wherein there are several sets of codes that correspond to apparently similar printing operation and each such set is converted to a corresponding common code.

Claim 5

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 3 wherein one set corresponds to the upper and lower case period and another corresponds to the upper and lower case comma.

Claim 6

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said set corresponds to various printer operations that shift the print point without producing a printed character.

Claim 7

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 5 wherein means is provided for converting all adjacent codes that correspond to print point shifts without printing to a single space code for comparison purposes.

Claim 8

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein means is provided for identifying carrier return codes in the stored text and for limiting the individual comparisons to the address code string to occur for code portions of the stored text that immediately follow carrier returns.

Claim 9

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there is provided direction defining means for permitting an operator selection to cause the search in the stored text to be toward a leading end thereof.

Claim 10

Content-addressed text search apparatus for use in a text processing system having storage for at least one coded text string, printing means for responding to signals to perform operations including the positioning of a print point along a line and the printing of indicia on a medium, and keyboard apparatus that includes keys that are operator actuatable to produce codes representing printing operations, there being at least one set including plural keyboard codes that correspond to confusingly similar printing operation, said content-addressed text search apparatus being characterized in that it comprises: means for defining an address code string based on a sequence of key actuations; first converting means including means for sequentially accessing said text string codes from said storage, means for detecting members of said set and means for converting detected set members to a predetermined common code for the set; second converting means including means for sequentially accessing address string codes, means for detecting members of said set, and means for converting detected set members to said common code for the set; and means for comparing the text string codes as modified by said first converting means with the address string codes as modified by said second converting means to locate a position in the text string where a match occurs.

Claim 11

Content-addressed text search apparatus for use in a text processing system having storage for at least one coded text string, printing means for responding to signals to perform operations including the positioning of a print point along a line and the printing of indicia on a medium, and keyboard apparatus that includes keys that are operator actuatable to produce codes representing printing operations, there being at least one set including plural keyboard codes that correspond to confusingly similar printing operation, said content-addressed text search apparatus being characterized in that it comprises: means for defining an address code string based on a sequence of key actuations; first converting means including means for sequentially accessing said text string codes from said storage, means for detecting members of said set and means for converting detected set members to a predetermined common code for the set; second converting means including means for sequentially accessing address string codes, means for detecting members of said set, and means for converting detected set members to said common code for the set; and means for comparing the text string codes as modified by said first converting means with the address string codes as modified by said second converting means to locate a position in the text string where a match occurs.

Claim 12

Content-addressed text search apparatus according to claim 9 wherein one set of codes includes codes that cause a shift in print position without printing and the common code for that set is a single space code.

Claim 13

Content-addresses text search apparatus according to claim 9 wherein means is provided for operator selection of the direction in said text string for the sequential accessing by said first and second converting means.