Document preparing apparatus which automatically capitalizes characters at the head of a sentence

A document preparing apparatus capable of preparing a document in which small letters and capital letters are printed together, e.g. a document in English. The apparatus includes a decision circuit for deciding whether or not a character to be processed is at a head of a sentence, and a capitalizing circuit for capitalizing the character when the decision circuit decides that the character heads a sentence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a docment preparing apparatus capable of 
preparing a document in which uppercase characters and lowercase 
characters are printed together, e.g. a document in English. 
Today, various kinds of document processing apparatuses are available as 
typified by an electronic typewriter, a word processor and a data 
processor. Some of such apparatuses have a capability for preparing 
documents in English or like language in which uppercase characters and 
lowercase characters exist together and, traditionally, this capability is 
implemented with a so-called shift key for selecting either uppercase 
characters or lowercase characters and a shift lock key for setting up a 
shift lock condition. In an English document, for example, a sentence 
usually begins with an uppercase character. To start such a sentence with 
any of the prior art apparatuses, a person manipulates the shift key or 
the shift lock key to select an uppercase mode, then a key associated with 
a desired character, then the shift key or the shift lock key again to 
cancel the uppercase mode and select a lowercase mode instead, and then 
another key associated with a character to follow the uppercase letter. 
However, manipulating the shift key or the shift lock key every time a 
character at the head of a sentence is to be keyed in is troublesome and 
limits the operationability. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a document 
preparing apparatus which enhances operationability. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a generally 
improved document preparing apparatus. 
A document preparing apparatus of the present invention comprises a 
decision circuit for determining whether or not a character to be 
processed is at a head of a sentence, and a capitalizing circuit for 
capitalizing the character to be processed when the decision circuit 
determines that the character is at a head of a sentence. 
The capitalizing circuit comprise an instruction circuit for instructing 
validity/invalidity of the capitalizing processing. The capitalizing 
circuit may further comprise a circuit for effecting printout every time 
one character is entered or every time one line of characters are entered.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
While the document preparing apparatus of the present invention is 
susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending upon the 
environment and requirements of use, a substantial number of the herein 
shown and described embodiment have been made, tested and used, and all 
have performed in an eminently satisfactory manner. 
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a document preparing apparatus in 
accordance with the present invention is shown in a schematic block 
diagram. Generally, the apparatus is constructed such that a decision 
circuit A decides whether a character keyed in is at the head of a 
sequence and, if the result of the decision is positive, a capitalizing 
circuit B capitalizes the character. That is, a character at the beginning 
of a sentence is automatically capitalized. This allows one to prepare a 
document maintaining a lowercase mode, that is, eliminates the need for 
manipulating a shift key for each character with which a sentence begins, 
thereby enhancing operationability. 
Details of the illustrative embodiment will be described with reference 
made to FIGS. 2-15B. 
Referring to FIG. 2, an electronic typewriter to which the principle of the 
present invention is applied is shown. The electronic typewriter generally 
comprises a keyboard 1 adapted to enter various character data and control 
data, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 2 capable of displaying a part of one 
line of text, e.g., sixteen to twenty-six characters which are entered 
through the keyboard 1, and a printer 3 which uses a typewheel 58 shown 
schematically in FIG. 5. The typewriter is furnished with character scales 
5 and a control 6 which is manipulatable to adjust the luminance of the 
display 2. The printer 3 is provided with a paper guide 7. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the keyboard 1 has various keys arranged thereon. The 
keys include a group of alphanumeric keys, or A/N keys, 11 for entering 
character and graphic data which are imprinted on the key tops. The keys 
also include selection keys which comprise an operation select key 12, a 
keyboard select key 13, an autotyping select key 14, a print mode select 
key 15, a line end processing select key 16, a character pitch select key 
17, and a line pitch select key 18. 
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the operation select key 12 is manipulatable to 
selectively set up a store mode for filing a format, a text and phrases in 
an internal text memory 104, a delete mode for deleting a format, a text 
and phrases stored in the internal text memory 104, and a print mode for 
printing out data in a usual typewriter mode. The keyboard select key 13 
is adapted to select either one of two symbols such as symbols "+" and "q" 
which are imprinted at the right and left of the same key, such as the key 
32 shown in FIG. 3. The autotyping select key 14 is for selecting an 
automatic underlining function. The print mode select key 15 is for 
selecting a particular printing method, i.e., a type mode in which 
characters are printed out one character at a time as in an ordinary 
typewriter without being displayed in the display 2, and a display mode in 
which characters are printed out one line at a time while being displayed 
in the display 2. To print out characters in the display mode, carriage 
return key 21 may be depressed. The line end processing select key 16, 
shown in FIG. 3 is for selecting a normal function which starts a new line 
when the carriage return key 21 is depressed as in a traditional 
typewriter, an automatic carriage return, or auto-CR, function which 
automatically starts a new line when a space key 20 or a hyphen key 31 is 
depressed in a hot zone, and a justify function which responsive to 
manipulation of the hyphen key 31 starts a new line after proportionally 
spacing words and aligning the line end with the right margin position. 
The keyboard 1 further includes function keys which are the above-mentioned 
space key 20, the carriage return key 21, a shift key 22, a shift lock key 
23, a backspace key 24, an express backspace key 25, a halfspace key 26, a 
relocation key 27, a correction key 28, a code key 29, an enter/stop key 
30, and other various function keys which are not shown or described. 
The functions of major ones of such function keys will be outlined. The 
shift key 22 sets up an uppercase mode, while the shift lock key 23 locks 
the case mode to the uppercase mode. The backspace key 24 moves a carriage 
(shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) one bit to the left and, in a display mode, moves 
a cursor 34, shown in FIG. 3 in the display 2 one bit to the left. The 
express backspace key 25 moves the carriage 57 to the left margin position 
of the current line without starting a new line and, in a display mode, 
moves the cursor 34 in the display 2 to the leading end of a word or that 
of the line. The halfspace key 26 moves the carriage 57 1/2" to the right 
and, in a display mode, moves the cursor 34 in the display 2 one bit to 
the right. 
The relocation key 27 moves the carriage 57 to the last typing position 
and, in a display mode, moves the cursor 34 in the display 2 to the end of 
the character which was entered last and, in a store mode, moves the 
cursor 34 to the end of the text. The correction key 28 commands deletion 
of an entered character and, while a display mode is selected by the print 
mode select key 15 (during display mode operation), deletion of a 
character being displayed. The code key 29, shown in FIG. 3 is usable for 
executing various kinds of function codes, and the enter/stop key 30 for 
setting up various functions, filing, calling, interrupting and resuming 
printout of a filed document. The coe key 29 and the "L" key of the A/N 
key group 11 in combination (code key+L key) selectively function to set 
up and cancel an automatic uppercase, or capitalize, function (automatic 
uppercase mode) which automatically capitalizes a character which stands 
at the head of a sentence. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an essential part of a mechanical arrangement 
of the printer 3 is shown. A platen 42 is rotatably supported by a pair of 
frame members 41, a paper wrapping around the platen 42. A line feed motor 
43 is rigidly mounted on one of the frames 41 and implemented with a 
stepping motor. The motor 43 drives the platen 42 via a motor gear 44, an 
idle gear 45, gear 46 and a platen gear 47 so that the platen 42 
automatically feeds the paper. The platen 42 is provided at both ends 
thereof with knobs 48 which are operable to manually load an unload the 
paper. A paper bail 54 with bail rollers 53 is positioned in front of the 
platen 42 in a pivotally moveable manner and constantly urged toward the 
platen 42. 
Rods 55 and 56 are each connected at opposite ends thereof to the frame 
members 41. A carriage 57 is mounted on parallel rods 55 an 56 to be 
movable parallel to the axis of the platen 42. Mounted on the carriage 57 
are a selection motor 59 which carries a cassette type wheel 58 therewith, 
a hammer mechanism 60 for hammering a type 58.sub.1, schematically shown 
in FIG. 4, of the type wheel 58, a ribbon cartridge 62 in which an ink 
ribbon 61 is received. The selection motor 59 comprises a stepping motor. 
A paper guide 64 is located at the front of the carriage 57 to guide a 
paper along the platen 42 in the event of insertion of the paper. For 
automatic paper insertion, the carriage 57 is moved to a substantially 
center position so that a paper may be guided by the paper guide 64. 
A space motor 67 which is also implemented by a stepping motor is mounted 
on a subframe member 66. A space gear 68 is rigidly mounted on an output 
shaft 69 of the space motor 67. A pulley 71 is rotatably supported by one 
end portion of the subframe member 66 and that of another subframe member 
66', while a guide pulley 72 is rotatably supported by the other end 
portion of the subframe members 66 and 66'. The pulley 71 is integrally 
formed with a gear 70 which is held in mesh with the space gear 68. A 
space wire 73 is passed over the pulley 71 and the guide pulley 72 and 
fixed at opposite ends to the carriage 57, so that the carriage 57 is 
movable parallel to the platen 42 driven by the space motor 67. If 
desired, the selection motor 59 and the space motor 67 may each be 
implemented by a servo motor or, when implemented by a stepping motor as 
described, may each be subjected to closed control. 
Referring to FIG. 6, a control arrangement built installed in the 
electronic typewriter is shown. The electronic typewriter controller, or 
ETW controller, 100 is made up of a microcomputer system which supervises 
the operation of the whole typewriter and serves both the functions of the 
decision circuit A and the capitalizing circuit B of FIG. 1, a text memory 
104 for storing a prepared text, and a format memory 105 for storing a 
text format. The microcomputer system mentioned above includes a central 
processing unit (CPU) 101, a read only memory (ROM) 102, and a random 
access memory (RAM) 103 usable as, for example, an input data memory 
adapted to store entered data. Also included in the ETW controller 100 are 
a keyboard interface 106 which governs data entry through the keyboard 1, 
transfer of turn on control data from the ETW controller 100 to 
light-emitting diodes (LED) which are provided in predetermined ones of 
the keys on the keyboard 1, etc. The keyboard interface 106 also serves 
the function of a buffer memory. Further included in the ETW controller 
100 are a display controller 107 for controlling the display 2, and a 
printer interface 108 for supervising exchange of print data, ready 
signals and others between the ETW controller 100 and the printer 3. 
Referring to FIG. 7, a control section built in the printer 3 is shown. The 
printer control section includes a master controller 112 which may be 
implemented by a microcomputer system, for example. The master controller 
112 fulfills the role of controlling various sections of the printer 3 
responsive to type code data (type information), space (carriage movement 
distance) data, line feed data and other various data produced by the ETW 
controller 100 as well as busy signals and others from various control 
circuits which will be described. Specifically, the master controller 112 
controls various printer sections by delivering the line feed data LFD 
indicative of an amount and a direction of rotation of the platen 42, 
space data SPD indicative of an amount and a direction of movement of the 
carriage 57, hammer pressure data HMD instructing a drive of the hammer 
mechanism 60 including the hammer magnet 60A and the hammer 60B, ribbon 
feed data RBD instructing a feed of the ink ribbon 61, and selection data 
SELD indicative of an amount and a direction of rotation of the type wheel 
58. 
A line feed controller 113 responds to line feed data LFD from the master 
controller 112 by delivering a drive pulse to a line feed driver 114 which 
then drives the line feed motor 43 by a required amount in a required 
direction. At the same time, the line feed controller 113 applies a line 
feed busy signal LFB to the master controller 112. A space controller 115 
responsive to space data SPD from the master controller 112 feeds a drive 
pulse to a space driver 116 to drive the space motor 67, thereby moving 
the carriage 57 by a required amount in a required direction. 
Simultaneously, the space controller 115 applies a space busy signal SPB 
to the master controller 112. A hammer controller 117 responsive to hammer 
pressure data HMD from the master controller 112 applies a drive pulse to 
a hammer driver 118 to drive a hammer magnet 60A, which is included in the 
hammer mechanism 60. The hammer magnet 60A in turn causes the hammer 60B 
to strike a type of the type wheel 58 with a required pressure. In the 
meantime, the hammer controller 117 applies a hammer busy signal HMB to 
the master controller 112. 
A ribbon controller 120 responsive to ribbon feed data RBD from the master 
controller 112 applies a drive pulse to a ribbon feed driver 121 to drive 
a ribbon feed motor 122, thereby feeding the ink ribbon 61 by a necessary 
amount. Further, a selection controller 123 responsive to selection data 
SELD from the master controller 112 delivers a drive pulse to a selection 
driver 124 to drive the selection motor 59. The motor 59 then rotates the 
type wheel 58 by a required amount in a required direction so that a type 
to print out desired data is brought into alignment with the hammer 
mechanism 60. The selection controller 123 applies a selection busy signal 
SELB to the master controller 112. 
The operation of the electronic typewriter having the above construction 
will be described with reference also made to FIGS. 8-15B. 
Referring to FIG. 8, responsive to a key input, the ETW controller 100 
determines whether or not the input data is a character code. If it is not 
a character code (inclusive of a character key after the depression of the 
code key 29), the ETW controller 100 sees if the key input is (code key 
29+"L" key) representative of setup/cancel of an automatic uppercase mode. 
If the result of the decision is "YES", the controller 100 decides whether 
or not a flag F.sub.0 which is to be set in an automatic uppercase mode is 
a ONE. If it is not a ONE, that is, if an automatic uppercase mode has not 
been selected, the controller 100 turns the flag F.sub.0 to a ONE to set 
up an automatic uppercase mode and, at the same time, turns a flag F.sub.1 
adapted to see if a character entered is the first letter input after the 
setup of an automatic uppercase mode to a ONE. If the flag F.sub.0 is a 
ONE, meaning that an automatic uppercase mode has been selected, the 
controller 100 resets the flag F.sub.0 to a ZERO to cancel the automatic 
uppercase mode and, at the same time, turns the flag F.sub.1 to a ZERO. 
Further, if the key input is not (code key 29+"L" key), the controller 100 
executes another function processing. 
Meanwhile if the key input is a character code, the controller 100 stores 
the entered character in the data buffer (RAM) 103 and enters into a 
character printout processing. 
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the character printout processing is shown. 
Generally, in English documents, a sentence ends with a period and the 
next sentence begins after a symbol, a space, and/or a carriage return. 
Therefore, the following characters may generally be regarded as those 
which appear at the beginning of a sentence: 
(1) character at the beginning of document; 
(2) character after period+space; 
(3) character after period+symbol+space; 
(4) character after period+space+symbol; 
(5) character after period+CR (carriage return); 
(6) character after period+symbol+CR; and 
(7) character after period+CR+symbol. 
Since a period is also usable as a decimal point, such a case has to be 
expected. 
Hence, the following procedure may be contemplated to decide whether a 
character to be processed is one which heads a sentence. Firstly, a 
character which is to be processed just after a period is in principle 
regarded as heading a sentence, while a result of decision is cancelled 
when a character appearing just after a period is other than a symbol, a 
space or a CR. Secondly, whether a combination of characters after a 
period belongs to any one of the combinations (1)-(7) stated above is 
determined. 
Referring to FIG. 9, a flowchart representative of the above-mentioned 
first decision processing is shown. When data (entered character) is read 
out of the data buffer (RAM) 103, the ETW controller 100 sees if the flag 
F.sub.0 is a ONE, meaning that an automatic uppercase mode has been 
selected. If F.sub.0 is not a ONE, that is, if an automatic uppercase mode 
has not been set, the controller 100 executes printout processing for 
printing out the entered character. If F.sub.0 is a ONE, implying an 
automatic uppercase mode, the controller 100 determines whether the 
entered character is an English character. 
If it is an English character, the controller 100 determines whether a flag 
F.sub.2 indicative of whether a character heads a sentence, as will be 
described, is a ONE. If F.sub.2 is not a ONE, the controller 100 sees if 
the previously mentioned flag F.sub.1 is a ONE to thereby determine 
whether the entered character is the first character after the selection 
of an automatic uppercase mode. If F.sub.1 is not a ONE, the controller 
100 enters into the printout processing. If F.sub.1 is a ONE, showing that 
the entered character is the first English character after the selection 
of an automatic uppercase mode (character with which a sentence begins) 
then F.sub.1 is set to ZERO. Then the controller 100 performs shift lock 
case processing (change to a capital letter) and, then, the printout 
processing. Concerning ASCII codes, for example, such a change to an 
uppercase character will be accomplished merely by changing a bit b.sub.6 
of an input character code because a lowercase character and an uppercase 
character are the same as each other except for the particular bit 
b.sub.6, which is either a ONE or ZERO. When the flag F.sub.2 is a ONE, 
also showing that the entered character is one which heads a sentence, the 
controller 100 turns the flag F.sub.2 to a ZERO and, then, sequentially 
performs the capitallizing processing and the printout processing. 
On the other hand, if the entered character is not an English character, 
the controller 100 determines whether or not the character is a period 
with which a sentence ends. If the result is "YES", the controller 100 
decides that a sentence has ended there, then turns the flag F.sub.2 for 
capitalizing the next English character to a ONE, and then enters into the 
printout processing. If the character is not a period, the controller 100 
determines whether it is a space (SP) and, if the result is "YES", enters 
into the printout processing. If the character it not a space, the 
controller 100 sees if it is a symbol and, if the result is "YES", starts 
on the printout processing. If the character is not a symbol, the 
controller 100 determines whether it is a carriage return, hereinafter 
called CR, and, if the result is "YES", starts on the printout processing. 
If the character is not a space, hereinafter called SP, a symbol or a CR, 
the controller 100 sees if the flag F.sub.2 is a ONE and, if so, turns the 
flag F.sub.2 to a ZERO and then enters into the printout processing. In 
short, although the controller 100 responds to entry of a period by 
setting the flag F.sub.2 (F.sub.2 =1) to thereby capitalize the next 
character, it responds to a period, which is followed by a character other 
than a space, a symbol and a CR, by resetting the flag F.sub.2 to cancel 
the result of decision because that period is used as a decimal point or 
the like. 
Referring to FIG. 10, a flowchart demonstrating the previously mentioned 
second decision processing is shown. Where an entered character is an 
English character, the same procedure as that of FIG. 9 occurs. On the 
other hand, where the entered character is not an English character, the 
controller 100 determines whether it is a period or not and, if it is a 
period, sets the flag F.sub.3 to a ONE. If it is not a period, then the 
controller 100 sees if the flag F.sub.3 is a ONE. If it not a ONE, the 
controller 100 executes the printout processing and, if it a ONE, 
determines whether the entered character is a symbol or not. If it is a 
symbol, the controller 100 sets the flag F.sub.4 to a ONE and, if it not, 
decides whether the flag F.sub.4 is a ONE. 
If the flag F.sub.4 is a ONE, the controller determines whether the entered 
character is a space or a CR. If the character is a space or a CR, the 
controller 100 turns the flag F.sub.2 to a ONE and then each of the flags 
F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 to a ZERO. If it is neither a space nor a CR, the 
controller 100 starts on the printout processing. Such a procedure covers 
the previously mentioned occurrences (3) and (6), that is, when 
"period+symbol+space" or "period+symbol+CR" is entered, the controller 100 
turns the flag F.sub.2 to a ONE to capitalize the next English character. 
If the flag F.sub.4 is not a ONE, the controller 100 determines whether 
the entered character is a space or a CR and, if it is one of them, turns 
the flag F.sub.2 to a ONE and then the flag F.sub.3 to a ZERO. If the 
character is neither a space nor a CR, the controller 100 starts on the 
printout processing. This covers the occurrences (2 ), (4), (5) and (7), 
that is, when "period+space" or "period+CR" is entered, the controller 100 
turns the flag F.sub.2 to a ONE to capitalize the next English character. 
The procedures described so far will be discussed in relation to specific 
examples which are shown in FIGS. 11A-15B. The following description will 
concentrate to the processing described with reference to FIG. 9 by way of 
example. 
(1) FIGS. 11A and 11B 
A case is shown in which after an automatic uppercase mode has been set up 
(flags F.sub.0, F.sub.1 =ONE) characters "the head . . . " are entered in 
a small letter mode as shown in FIG. 11A. In this situation, since the 
initial character "t" is an English character and the first character 
after the selection of an automatic uppercase mode and since the flag 
F.sub.1 is a ONE, it is changed to a capital "T" and then printed out. The 
characters following the character "t" are printed out as they are partly 
because they are void of a period and partly because a space is processed 
as a space, that is, because the flag F.sub.2 is a ZERO and the flag 
F.sub.1 has already been reset to a ZERO at the time of entry of the 
character "t". As a result, the entered sentence is printed out as "The 
head . . . ", as shown in FIG. 11B. 
(2) FIGS. 12A and 12B 
A case is shown wherein, as shown in FIG. 12A, in an automatic uppercase 
mode the characters "the . . . an unexpected." (hereinafter referred to as 
a first sentence) is entered, followed by a "space" and then the 
characters "the head . . . " (hereinafter referred to as a second 
sentence) continuously (without starting a new line). In FIG. 12A, the 
"space" is represented by a phantom square (not printed out). The 
procedure associated with the characters before the ". (period)" of the 
first sentence is the same as the case shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. Since 
the period "." at the end of the first sentence is not an English 
character and is a period, the flag F.sub.2 is turned to a ONE and then 
the period "." is printed out. As a result, the first sentence is printed 
out as "The . . . an unexpected.", as shown in FIG. 12B. 
Then, the space which follows the first sentence is inserted as it is as 
represented by the phantom square. When the initial character "t" of the 
second sentence is entered after the space, it is determined to be an 
English character and, at this instant, the flag F.sub.2 has been turned 
to a ONE by the entry of the period of the first sentence. Hence, the 
character "t" at the head of the second sentence is printed out as a 
capital "T". Then, the characters which follow the initial "t" of the 
second sentence are printed out by the same procedure as the one applied 
to the first sentence. As a result, the second sentence is printed out as 
"The head . . . " as shown in FIG. 12B. 
(3) FIGS. 13A and 13B 
A case is shown in which in an automatic uppercase mode the characters "the 
. . . an unexpected." (hereinafter referred to as a first sentence) are 
entered, followed by a carriage return (CR) (indicated by a mark " " in 
FIG. 13A and not printed out) and then characters "the head . . . " 
(hereinafter referred to as a second sentence), as shown in FIG. 13A. In 
this case, too, the flag F.sub.2 is turned to a ONE upon entry of the 
period "." at the end of the first sentence, as previously discussed. 
Since the period "." is followed by the carriage return (CR), the flag 
F.sub.2 remains as a ONE. When the initial character "t" of the second 
sentence is entered after the carriage return, it is changed to a capital 
"T" and printed out because it is an English character and because the 
flag F.sub.2 is a ONE. The characters of the second sentence which follow 
the initial "t" are printed out by the same processing as applied to the 
first sentence. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13B, the first sentence is 
printed out as "The . . . an unexpected." and the second sentence as "The 
head . . . " 
(4) FIGS. 14A and 14B 
A case is shown wherein, as shown in FIG. 14A, in an automatic uppercase 
mode the words "we're dealing . . . dealer network." (hereinafter referred 
to as a first sentence), "space", and "the dealer . . ." (hereinafter 
referred to as a second sentence) are sequentially entered without 
starting a new line. Again, the flag F.sub.2 becomes a ONE when the period 
"." of the first sentence is entered. Since the characters which 
immediately follow the period "." of the first sentence are """ and a 
space, the flag F.sub.2 remains as a ONE. Hence, the initial character "t" 
of the second sentence which follows the space is printed as a capital "T" 
because it is an English character and because the flag F.sub.2 is a ONE. 
As a result, as shown in FIG. 14B, the first sentence is printed out as 
""We're dealing . . . dealer network."" and the second sentence as "The 
dealer . . . " 
(5) FIGS. 15A and 15B 
A case is shown wherein, as shown in FIG. 15A, in a lowercase mode the 
characters ". . . selling out product." (hereinafter referred to as a 
first sentence) are entered, followed by "space" and then the words 
""we're dealing . . . " (hereinafter referred to as a second sentence) 
continuously (without starting a new line). In this case, too, the flag 
F.sub.2 becomes a ONE when the period "." of the first sentence has been 
entered. The next characters which follow the period "." of the first 
sentence are a space and a symbol """, the flag F.sub.2 therefore 
remaining as a ONE. In this condition, when the character "w" has been 
entered after the symbol """ which heads the second sentence, it is 
printed out as a capital "W" because it is an English character and 
because the flag F.sub.2 is a ONE. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15B, the 
first sentence is printed out as ". . . selling out product." and the 
second sentence as ""We're dealing . . . " 
In any of the cases described above, when a period "." is entered as a 
decimal point in a sentence, the entry of the period "." turns the flag 
F.sub.2 to a ONE as previously stated. In this case, however, the decimal 
point "." is followed by a character other than a space and symbols 
(usually a numeral) so that the flag F.sub.2 which is then a ONE is turned 
to a ZERO. Therefore, even if an English character is entered afterwards, 
it is not regarded as heading a sentence and is printed out as a lowercase 
character because the flag F.sub.2 is a ONE. Meanwhile, to capitalize a 
particular character or characters in a sentence, the automatic uppercase 
mode may be cancelled and the shift key 22 or the shift lock key 23 
manipulated. 
As described above, the electronic typewriter in the illustrative 
embodiment decides whether a character to be processed is one which heads 
a sentence and, if so, automatically capitalizes it. This eliminates the 
need for manipulating the shift key 22 or the shift lock key 23 otherwise 
required to capitalize each character which leads a sentence, thereby 
enhancing operationability. 
While in the illustrative embodiment an automatic uppercase mode is 
selected and cancelled using the combination of (code key+"L" key), such a 
function may be assigned to any other combination of keys. 
Alternatively, an arrangement may be made such that when a predetermined 
key such as a shift key 22 or a shift lock key 23 is manipulated during 
automatic uppercase mode operation, the automatic uppercase mode is 
temporarily (by one character or until the same key is manipulated again) 
cancelled. Such will improve the operationability when one desires to 
capitalize a particular English character or characters in a sentence. 
Furthermore, although the present invention has been shown and described in 
relation to an English electronic typewriter, it is similarly applicable 
to German, French and other typewriters as well as to a document preparing 
and editing equipment (word processor) and other data processing equipment 
having a document preparing capability and document preparing equipment 
with an automatic translation capability. 
In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides a document 
preparing apparatus which achieves improved operationability. 
Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art 
after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing 
from the scope thereof.