Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Memory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-11
2002-09-10
Couso, Jose L. (Department: 2621)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Memory
C358S001140, C358S001150, C358S001170, C358S002100, C382S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06449058
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a memory resource of a predetermined capacity and communicable capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus through a predetermined communication medium. The invention also relates to an information processing apparatus communicable capable of communicating with such a printing apparatus, as well as to a printing system which has both a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus of the types stated above. The invention in its further aspect pertains to a data processing method for use in such a printing apparatus, information processing apparatus or a printing system having both the printing and information processing apparatuses. The invention also is concerned with a storage medium storing a computer-readable program implementing such a data processing method.
Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a printing apparatus which receives printing information from an information processing apparatus through a predetermined communication medium and which has a memory resource divided into a plurality of band area in which the received printing information is image-developed so as to be printed, and relates also to such an information processing apparatus, as well as to a printing system which has the combination of such printing apparatus and information processing apparatus. Furthermore, the invention pertains to data processing methods which are suitable for use in such printing apparatus, information processing apparatus or printing system. The invention also is concerned with a storage medium which stores a computer-readable program to be used in such a printing system.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In general, a page printer employed in a printing system of the type specified above deals with data on page basis. To this end, the page printer has a bit map memory of a size corresponding to one page of data. Document data sent from a host computer is dot-developed on this bit mp memory, and the printing is performed in accordance with the dot patterns developed on the one-page bit map.
This type of printing system is necessarily expensive, due to the use of the bit map memory, the size of which must be large enough to accommodate one-page data, at the least. Under this circumstance, a method has been proposed in which one-page size is divided into a plurality of bands, e.g., 16 bands. According to this method, the document data transmitted from a host computer is converted into intermediate codes so as to be handled on a band basis. The intermediate codes in each band are developed in a band memory having a capacity corresponding to the size of a bit map memory for one band. The printing is performed based on the dot data read from the band memory.
It will be seen that this method requires at least two band memories: namely, it is necessary to arrange such that, while dot data is being read from one band memory for printing, the other band memory receives and develops the next band of dot data.
According to this method, it is possible to optimize the memory capacity which is necessary for the purpose of processing printing information, as will be understood from comparison between FIG.
11
A and
FIG. 11B
which show, respectively, memory resources allocation employed in the method in which the printing information is developed on a band basis and memory resource allocation employed in the method in which printing information is developed on a one-page size bit map memory.
It will be seen that, whilst the method employing a one-page size bit map memory requires a total memory capacity of 6.5 MB in order to perform printing at 600 dpi on a A-4 size sheet, as shown in
FIG. 11B
, the method which employs an intermediate code memory in combination with band memories requires only a small total memory capacity of 2 MB, which is less than ⅓ of that necessitated in the method which uses a one-page size bit map memory.
The method employing intermediate code memory in combination with band memories, however, suffers from the following problem. In the memory resource allocation shown in
FIG. 11B
, the memory area of 1 MB size is allocated for intermediate codes, on an assumption that the printing is performed at 600 dpi. However, this memory area easily overflows with data when numerous intermediate codes are required due to the complexity of document data, or when the whole page is occupied by image data, which requires 4 MB at 600 dpi printing on an A-4 size sheet. Consequently, the printing apparatus fails to print. This problem would be overcome if the size of the memory area is increased, but such a solution leads to a rise of the costs of the apparatus due to use of expensive memory resources.
Another problem encountered with page printer used in conventional printing apparatus is as follows. Basically, such a printer performs printing on a page basis, so that, once the printing is started, it is not allowed to stop the printing halfway, i.e., until the printing of the page is completed. Thus, the page printer has had to be equipped with a memory of a size large enough to accommodate dot image corresponding to data of one page.
The use of a memory having a large storage capacity raises the price of the page printer. In order to obviate this problem, a method referred to as “band processing” has been proposed in which the data contained in one page is divided into a plurality of bands, while a plurality of band memories are preserved in the memory resource of the page printer. In operation, printing is performed by alternately and repeatedly using the band memories such that, while printing is performed based on dot-developed image data read from one of the band memories, the next band data is dot-developed in the other band memory.
The described band processing of printing information, however, encounters the following problem. Namely, the printing system relying upon this processing method inherently has a risk that the printing may unexpectedly fail, when the dot development cannot be finished before the delivery of data to the printer engine, due to the complexity of the document, i.e., the presence of too many characters or presence of graphics command, or when the amount of data exceeds the size of the area allocated in the memory resource for printing. In addition, the printing also fails when a large volume of image data is inputted, because the size of the memory resource of the printer is too large to accommodate such a big volume of image data.
In the meantime, the method which employs a memory for storing full one-page dot image is inevitably expensive, due to the use of such a memory having a large size. In addition, this type of method is disadvantageous in that the throughput of the printer is reduced due to the fact that development of one-page document data cannot be performed until the delivery of the whole dot data of the preceding one page to the printer engine is completed. For instance, when the page-based document data delivered to the page printer contains such a command as to cause the printer to draw a vertical line from the top to the bottom of a page, vacant areas are formed in the bit map of the memory. However, it is not allowed to developed the next page data until the vertical line data is delivered to the printer engine, despite the presence of such vacant areas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-described problems of the known arts, by providing in its first to fifteenth aspects an improved printing apparatus, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, a data processing for use in a printing apparatus or printing system, and a storage medium storing a computer-readable program.
According to the invention, printing information from a host computer as an information processing apparatus is converted into intermediate code information so as to enable printing on band basis, and the intermediate code info
Couso Jose L.
Desire Gregory
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