Patents by Inventor Howard C. Duncan, IV

Howard C. Duncan, IV has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5060154
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventor: Howard C. Duncan, IV.
  • Patent number: 4907900
    Abstract: A word-processing system or memory typewriter has the usual keyboard, input display and printer, including a correction ribbon for removing erroneous characters from a document held in the printer; together with a spelling dictionary stored within the memory, an error indicator activated upon entry of an incorrect word, and correction information and controls also stored in memory for amending the incorrect word into a trial word which matches one stored in the above-mentioned dictionary. For greater efficiency and ease of use by the operator, if the trial word is satisfactory when displayed, pressing the usual return key on the keyboard signals the system to print that trial word in place of the incorrect word on a printed document, only the erroneous characters being replaced so as to minimize use of the correction ribbon and the print ribbon in unnecessary removal and replacement of valid characters in the incorrect word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventor: Howard C. Duncan IV
  • Patent number: 4807181
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventors: Howard C. Duncan, IV, Donald T. Adams, R. William Gray
  • Patent number: 4797855
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventors: Howard C. Duncan, IV, R. William Gray, Joseph P. Battista
  • Patent number: 4783761
    Abstract: 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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventors: R. William Gray, Donald T. Adams, Howard C. Duncan, IV
  • Patent number: 4782464
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventors: R. William Gray, Donald T. Adams, Howard C. Duncan, IV