JP2000181666A - Method for expanding image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image expanding method which performs modifier processing of printing data according to copy modifier data in a short time. SOLUTION: Printing data transmitted from a host computer 1 and its copy modifier data are respectively stored in a printing data storing part 22 and a copy modifier data storing part 23. A data converting part 24 converts the printing data and the copy modifier data into intermediate data. The intermediate data of the copy modifier data are stored in a copy modifier data buffer 25, and the intermediate data of the printing data are inserted into an intermediate buffer 26. An image expanding part 27 expands the intermediate data formed on the buffer 26 to bitmap data on a page memory 28. A print I/F 29 transfers the bitmap data on the memory 28 to a print engine 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image developing method for partially modifying print data using copy-modified data (sometimes expressed as spot carbon) and developing the data into bitmap data. In particular, the present invention relates to an image developing method that can modify print data with copy modification data in a short time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a part of print data is modified using copy modification data, a host device such as a host computer prints the modification contents of the print data as copy modification data before sending the print data. Send to the device in advance. The printing apparatus stores the received copy modification data, and stores the contents of the position of the print data subsequently input, which is indicated by the copy modification data,
Similarly, qualify with the contents specified by the copy qualification data.
The above-described copy modification is often used to obtain a plurality of printed materials having different modification positions and modification contents from the same print data, for example, when printing a form.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a data transfer procedure between a host computer and a printing apparatus in the case of obtaining three copies of printed materials having different decoration positions and decoration contents from the same print data.

[0004] First, the host computer sends copy modification data to the printing apparatus. In the copy modification data, the modification positions and the modification contents for the three copies are registered. Next, the host computer sends a copy number [1] to indicate that it is the first copy of print data, and further sends the print data.

[0005] Upon receiving the print data of the first copy from the host computer, the printing apparatus converts the copy modification data stored in a coded state into intermediate format data (hereinafter, referred to as intermediate data). The intermediate data is interpreted to modify the predetermined area of the print data of the first copy.

[0006] Similarly, when the printing apparatus receives the copy number [2] and the print data from the host computer to indicate that it is the second copy of print data, it reads out the copy modification data again and converts it into intermediate data. Converted,
The print data of the second copy is modified by interpreting the intermediate data. When the copy number [3] indicating the third copy and the print data are received, the copy modification data is read again, converted into intermediate data, and the intermediate data is interpreted to modify the print data of the third copy. I do.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned prior art, since the copy modification data must be converted into intermediate data every time the print data is modified, there is a problem that the time required for the copy modification becomes long. . further,
In the above-described prior art, since the same print data is converted into intermediate data for each copy, there is a problem that the time required for copy modification becomes long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image developing method which solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and makes it possible to modify print data with copy modification data in a short time.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention modifies the same print data with a plurality of copy modification data to create a plurality of print data, and converts each print data. The image developing method for developing into bitmap data is characterized in that the following procedure is provided.

(1) Receiving copy modification data in which the modification contents of a plurality of parts are registered, converting the copy modification data into intermediate data and storing the same, and receiving print data modified by the copy modification data For the unit area on the print data for which the copy qualification is not specified, the print data is converted into intermediate data, and for the unit area on the print data for which the copy qualification is specified, the print data is converted to the intermediate data. It is modified with intermediate data of the stored copy modification data, and the intermediate data of each of the modified pages is developed into bitmap data.

(2) receiving copy modification data in which the modification contents of a plurality of parts are registered, converting the copy modification data into intermediate data and storing the same, and receiving print data modified by the copy modification data; For unit areas on print data for which copy qualification is not specified in any part,
The print data is converted to intermediate data, and for a unit area on the print data for which copy modification is specified in any part, the print data is converted to intermediate data and the stored copy modification data is stored. For the unit area on the print data for which the copy modification is specified, the intermediate data of the print data and the intermediate data of the copy modification data are collectively managed as intermediate data relating to the unit area. When converting intermediate data of a unit area in which copy modification is specified in a part to bitmap data, in a part in which copy modification is not specified, the intermediate data of the print data is selected and converted, and the copy modification is performed. Is designated, and the intermediate data of the decoration data is selected and converted.

According to the above feature (1), copy modification data of a plurality of parts is stored as intermediate data, and when modifying the next modification area on the same part (page) or the modification area of another part, Since the intermediate data of the copy-modified data can be read and subjected to copy-modification, the procedure of converting the copy-modified data into intermediate data for each copy (page) as in the past is not required.

According to the above feature (2), for a unit area on print data for which copy modification is not specified in any copy (page), the print data is converted into intermediate data, and any copy (copy) is performed. For the unit area on the print data for which copy modification is specified, the print data is converted into intermediate data, and is modified with the intermediate data of the stored copy modification data. When converting the intermediate data of the unit area where is specified to bitmap data, the part where the copy modification is not specified selects and converts the intermediate data of the print data, and the part where the copy modification is specified Since the intermediate data of the decoration data is selected and converted, even when the intermediate data of a plurality of parts is created, the print data is copied only for the number of copies. All intermediate data can be created only by reading once without repeatedly reading.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image expanding apparatus 2 to which the image expanding method of the present invention is applied.

The main control section 20 controls main operations of the image developing apparatus 2. Input interface (I / F) 2
1 controls data transfer from the host computer 1. The print data and its copy modification data sent from the host computer 1 are stored in the print data storage unit 22 and the copy modification data storage unit 23, respectively. The data converter 24 converts the stored print data and its copy modification data into intermediate data.

The intermediate data of the copy modification data is stored in the copy modification data buffer 25, and the intermediate data of the print data is inserted into the intermediate buffer 26. Image developing unit 27
Expands the intermediate data formed on the intermediate buffer 26 into bitmap data on the page memory 28. The print I / F 29 transfers the bitmap data on the page memory 28 to the print engine 3.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the data structure of copy modification data according to the present embodiment. The number of designated copy modifications is registered in "number of copy entries". In the “start copy number” and the “end copy number”, the number of the start copy and the number of the end copy to be copy-modified are registered for each copy entry.
In the “number of line number entries”, the number of copy modifications specified in line units is registered. In the “start line number” and “end line number”, the line number of the first line and the line number of the last line to be copy-qualified are registered for each line number entry. In the “number of character string entries”, the number of copy modifications specified in character units is registered. "Character 1",
"Character 2"... "Character m-1" and "Character m" each have copy modifier characters registered.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this embodiment, the number of copies is three, each copy is one page, and the copy modification data is as shown in FIG. 4, and the first and third copies are designated with copy modification as shown in FIG. Only in the second part, as shown in FIG. 6, in the sixth to eighth lines, all five characters from the 12th to 16th digits are modified characters (symbols).
It is assumed that only one copy modification to be replaced with “*” is specified.

In such a configuration, when the print data and its copy modification data sent from the host computer 1 are stored in the print data storage unit 22 and the copy modification data storage unit 23, respectively, in step S1, the main control is executed. The unit 20 acquires one record (one line) of print data from the print data storage unit 22. In step S2, data of one byte (one character) is further acquired from the print data of one record. In step S3,
It is determined whether or not the one-byte data is control data. If the data is control data for designating a font size or the like, the control data is processed in step S4, and the process returns to step S2 to return to the next one. Get bytes of data.

If it is determined in step S3 that the one-byte data is other than the control data, that is, print data such as characters and symbols, in step S5, the data is copied to one of the characters in the line corresponding to the current record. Determines if a qualification has been specified. Here, if the print data of the first character, that is, the character "A" in the seventh column of the fourth row (FIG. 5) has been obtained in step S2, a character designated for copy modification is displayed in the fourth row. Does not exist, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the data conversion unit 24 converts the print data of the character “A” into intermediate data and inserts it into the intermediate buffer 26. In step S15, the presence or absence of the next 1-byte data is determined. In this embodiment, since print data of each character "B", "C",... Exists, the process returns to step S2.

Similarly, the character "B" in the fourth column and the eighth column,
For the character "C" at the ninth digit in the same row, and the character "N" at the twentieth digit in the same row, the print data for each character is converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26 in step S6. When the process of step S6 is completed for the character "N", it is determined in step S15 that the next one byte does not exist, and the process proceeds to step S16. In this case, it is determined that the next one line (one record) exists, and Return to S1.

FIG. 7 shows a fourth example created as described above.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of intermediate data for one record of a row, wherein “byte size” indicating the total number of bytes;
“X-direction position function code (FC)” specifying the coordinates related to the direction and its value “(X)”, “Y-direction position FC” specifying the coordinates related to the Y-direction and its value “(Y)”, and printing The font index FC and its value "(1)", which means that a font of a character or the like to be specified, the "character code FC" which means the start of a character code entry, and the number of bytes of the character code following "Byte size", each character "A" to be printed,
"B", "C"... "N" character codes.

Returning to FIG. 3, in step S1, the print data of the sixth line is obtained for one record, and
In step S5, when the character "A" of the seventh digit, which is the first character in the same row, is acquired, in step S5, the current (the sixth
It is determined that there is a character for which copy modification is specified in line (line), and the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, it is determined whether or not copy modification is specified for the current digit.
Since the character “A” of the seventh digit is not specified, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the copy modification in progress flag is referred to. In this case, since the copy modification in progress flag is off, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the character "A" is converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26.

Similarly, the characters "B" in the sixth column and the eighth column,
With respect to the character "C" at the ninth digit of the same line, the character "E" at the eleventh digit of the same line also converts the print data of each character into intermediate data and inserts it into the intermediate buffer 26.

Thereafter, in step S2, the first row 6
When the two-digit character "F" is obtained, the process proceeds to step S7 via step S5. Here, since copy modification is specified for the character "F", the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, it is determined whether or not the intermediate format of the copy modification data "*" has already been created. Since the intermediate format has not been created at first, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the copy modifier character "*" is converted into intermediate data and stored in the copy modifier data buffer 25.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the structure of the intermediate data of the copy modification data. The font index FC "for designating a font of a character or the like to be printed, its value" (1) ", and the character code “Character code FC” indicating the start of the entry, “byte size” indicating the number of bytes of the following character code, and the character code of the modifier character “*” to be printed are registered. In the embodiment, since copy modification is specified for five digits from the twelfth digit to the sixteenth digit, five modification characters “*” are also registered.

In step S10, the intermediate data of the stored copy-qualified data is read out and stored in the intermediate buffer 26.
Insert FIG. 9 shows the storage contents of the intermediate buffer 26 at the time point created as described above, and is the next to the character codes of the characters "A", "B", "C", "D", and "E". Contains the original characters "F", "G", "H",
In place of the character codes "I" and "J", five character codes of the modifier character "*" are registered.

In step S11, the copy modification data processing flag is set, and the copy modification end digit number is set. In this embodiment, since the copy modification is specified up to the 16th digit, “16” is set as the copy modification end digit number.

Next, in step S2, the sixth row first
When the three-digit character "G" is obtained, the process proceeds to step S7 via step S5. Since the copy modification is started not one digit but the current digit, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the in-copy-modification-data processing flag is referred to. Here, it is determined that the copy has been set, and the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, it is determined whether or not there is a copy modification that ends at the current digit.
Since up to six digits have been specified, the process returns to step S2 via step S15.

Thereafter, when the character codes of the characters "H" and "I" are obtained in step S2, the above-described processing is repeated, and the last character "J" to be subjected to copy modification is obtained.
When the character code of is acquired, the process proceeds to step S1.
From 3, the process proceeds to step S <b> 14, and the copy modification data processing flag is reset.

Next, in step S2, the sixth row, first row
When the characters “K”, “L”, “M”, “N” of seven or more digits are obtained, the data of each character is changed in step S6 in the same manner as in “A”, “B”,. The data is converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26. FIG. 10 shows the intermediate data of the print data of the sixth line created as described above, and includes the characters “F”, “G”, “H”, “I”,
Five modifier characters “*” are registered in place of “J”, and the character codes of the original characters are registered as they are in other positions.

When the processing for the first page is completed as described above and it is determined in step S16 that the next row (one record) does not exist, the same processing is repeated from step S1 for the second page. It is. However, the first
Since the intermediate data of the copy-qualified data is already stored in the copy-qualified data buffer 25 by the copy-qualification process on the page, the process always jumps from step S8 to step S10 on the second and subsequent pages, and the copy-qualified data Is not converted to intermediate data.

When the intermediate data of each row is created as described above, each intermediate data is converted into bitmap data on the page memory 28 by the image developing unit 27, and then is converted via the print I / F 29. Print engine 3
Transferred to

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the copy-qualified data is converted into intermediate data and stored in the copy-qualified data buffer 25, and the copy-modified data of the intermediate data is stored in the next line, page or copy. Since the copy modification is performed by utilizing, the procedure for converting the copy modification data into the intermediate data every time as in the past is not required, and the processing is speeded up.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. In the above-described first embodiment, the print data of each line is converted into intermediate data for each copy, but in this embodiment,
In areas where copy modification is not specified in any copy, the print data is converted into intermediate data, and in areas where copy modification is specified in any copy, the print data is converted into intermediate data. At the same time, it is modified with intermediate data of the stored copy modification data.

When converting intermediate data of a unit area in which copy modification is designated in any one of the copies into bitmap data, selecting and converting intermediate data of print data in an area in which copy modification is not designated. However, in an area where copy modification is specified, intermediate data of the modification data is selected and converted.

In this embodiment, the number of copies is three,
Each copy is one page, and the copy modification data is as shown in FIG. 4. In the first and third copies, copy modification is not specified as shown in FIG. 5, and only the second copy is shown in FIG. It is assumed that the same copy qualification is specified.

In step S1, the main control unit 20 acquires one record of print data from the print data storage unit 22. In step S2, one byte of data corresponding to one character is further acquired from the one record of print data. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the one-byte data is control data. If the data is print data other than the control data, in step S5, copy modification is performed on any character in the line including the character. It is determined whether it is specified.

Here, if the first character data, that is, the character "A" in the fourth column and the seventh column (FIG. 5) has been obtained in step S2, copy modification is designated in the fourth line. Since there is no character, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the data conversion unit 24 determines that the character "A"
Is converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26.
In step S15, the presence or absence of the next 1-byte data is determined. In this embodiment, the process returns to step S2 in which data of characters "B", "C",.

Similarly, the characters "B" in the fourth column and the eighth column,
The character "C" at the ninth digit in the same row ... The character "N" at the twentieth digit in the same row is also converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26 in step S6. When the process of step S6 is completed for the last character "N" in the fourth line, it is determined in step S15 that the next byte does not exist, and the process proceeds to step S16, where the next one line (one record) is stored. It is determined that it exists, and the process returns to step S1. FIG.
Is a diagram showing the configuration of intermediate data for one record in the fourth row created as described above, which is the same as in the first embodiment.

Thereafter, in step S1, the print data of the sixth line is obtained, and in step S2, the character "A" of the seventh digit, which is the first character of the line, is obtained. At line 6), it is determined that there is a character for which copy modification is specified, and the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, it is determined whether or not copy modification has been designated for the current digit. Since the seventh digit character "A" has not been designated, the flow advances to step S12. In step S12, the copy modification in progress flag is referred to. In this case, since the copy modification in progress flag is off, step S6 is performed.
Proceed to. In step S6, the character "A" is converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26.

Similarly, characters "B" in the sixth column and the eighth column,
For the character "C" at the ninth digit in the same line, the character code "E" at the eleventh digit in the same line is also converted into intermediate data and inserted into the intermediate buffer 26. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the data structure of the intermediate data relating to the sixth line at the time, in which the intermediate data for each of the characters "A" to "E" in the first to fifth digits is created. I have.

After that, in step S2, the first row 6
When the two-digit character "F" is obtained, the process proceeds to step S7 via step S5. Here, since copy modification is specified for the character "F", the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, it is determined whether or not the intermediate format of the copy modification data "*" has already been created. Since the intermediate format has not been created at first, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the copy modifier character "*" is converted into intermediate data as in the first embodiment, and five of them are stored in the copy modifier data buffer 25.

In step S11, the copy modification data processing flag is set, and the copy modification end digit number is set. In this embodiment, since the copy modification is specified up to the 16th digit, “16” is set as the copy modification end digit number. In step S31, the print data of the character "F" obtained in step S2 is converted into intermediate data and stored. In step S32, the copy modification application flag is referred to. In this case, since the flag is in the OFF state, the process returns to step S2 via step S15.

Similarly, characters "G", "H", "I"
Is also converted into intermediate data in step S31 and stored. Step S
When the character code of the character "J" is acquired in step 2, it is determined in step S13 that the copy modification is completed at the current digit, and the flow advances to step S14 to set the copy modification data application flag. In step SS31, the print data of the character "J" is converted into intermediate data and stored.
In step S32, the copy modification application flag is referred to, and since it is in the ON state, the process proceeds to step S33. In step S33, copy decoration data application processing described below is executed.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the copy modification data application processing. In step S301, the copy modification start FC is inserted at the end of the intermediate data on the sixth row stored in the intermediate buffer 26. In step S302, the maximum copy number Cmax is "3" which is the total number of copies in this embodiment, the processing target copy number "S" is an initial value "1", and the processing target copy entry number "i" is an initial value "1". Is registered respectively.
In step S303, the copy modification start copy number “Si” whose copy entry number is the “i” th (here, the “1” th) (“2” in the present embodiment).
Is compared with the copy number S to be processed.

Here, the start copy number “Si” of the “i” th copy modification is smaller than the current copy number S to be processed, that is, the page specified by the copy number S to be processed (here, the first page). If copy modification is not specified for the current page (page), the process proceeds to step S304. In the present embodiment, since copy modification is not specified for the first page, the process proceeds to step S304.

In step S304, copy is performed with the start copy number as the processing target copy number S (= 1) and the end copy number as the "i" th copy modification start copy number Si-1 (here, "1"). The entry FC is inserted into the intermediate buffer 26. In step S305, the intermediate data of each character stored in step S31 is inserted into the intermediate buffer.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the structure of the intermediate data stored in the intermediate buffer 26 at that time.
Each character of the 12th to 16th digits to be subjected to copy modification "F",
The intermediate data of “G”, “H”, “I”, and “J” are the characters “A”,
It is linked next to the intermediate data of “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E”.

In step S306, the copy number S to be processed (here, "1") is updated to the start copy number Si (in this embodiment, "2") of the "i" th copy modification. In step S307, the current processing target copy number S is compared with the i-th copy modification start copy number Si. If they match, the process proceeds to step S308. If they do not match, a predetermined error process is performed in step S316. Execute. In step S308, the copy entry FC is inserted into the intermediate buffer 26 with the start copy number as S and the end copy number as the end copy number of the i-th copy modification. In step S309, i (=
1) Insert the intermediate data of the copy modification data into the intermediate buffer 26.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the structure of the intermediate data stored in the intermediate buffer 26 at that time.
Five modifier characters “*” inserted in the 12th to 16th digits are
Characters "A" to 6th to 11th digits not subject to copy modification
Intermediate data of “E”, 12th to 1st to be copy-modified
It is concatenated next to the six-digit intermediate data of the characters “F” to “J”.

In step S310, the copy number S to be processed (here, "2") is updated to the [[i] th copy modification end copy number] +1. Step S3
In step 11, the processing target copy entry number "i" is set to "1".
Only increment. In step S312, it is determined whether or not all the copy modification processes have been completed. If not, the process returns to step S303 to repeat the above processes. In this embodiment, since there is only one copy modification, the process immediately proceeds to step S313. In step S313, the copy number S to be processed is compared with the maximum copy number Cmax. If the copy number S to be processed is equal to or smaller than the maximum copy number Cmax, the process proceeds to step S314.

In step S314, the copy entry FC is inserted into the intermediate buffer with the start copy number set to "S" and the end copy number set to "Cmax". Step S31
In step 5, the intermediate data of the input data stored in step S31 is inserted into the intermediate buffer 26. Step S1
At 7, the copy modification end FC is inserted into the intermediate buffer 26. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 11 to clear the copy modification processing flag and the copy modification application flag.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the structure of the intermediate data stored in the intermediate buffer 26 at that time.
Five modifier characters "*" inserted in the 12th to 16th digits
Then, each character "F" to be expanded on the line on the third page
To "J" are concatenated.

Note that the characters "K" after the 17th digit,
"L", "M", and "N" are linked next to the intermediate data for each of the characters "F" to "J".
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the data structure of the intermediate data regarding the sixth line completed as described above. In the lines where copy modification is specified in any page, as in the sixth to eighth lines, FIG. , Intermediate data “F”, “G”, “H”, “I”, “J” for each page for which copy modification is not specified
And intermediate data “*” of copy-qualified data for a page for which copy-modification is specified are collectively managed as intermediate data relating to the row.

When the intermediate data of each line is completed as described above, when the image developing unit 27 develops the intermediate data into bitmap data on the page memory 28, copy modification is designated as in the fourth and fifth lines. In a row that does not have any data, the intermediate data (FIG. 7) of the row is expanded as it is on any page.

On the other hand, in the case of the sixth to eighth lines in which copy modification is designated by copy, the intermediate data of one line (FIG. 1
7) to “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”
Select to expand to bitmap data. Also, the first
Regarding 2 to 16 digits, since copy modification is not specified for the first copy, “F”, “G”, “H”, “I”, “J” linked to the first half of the intermediate data are added. Select and expand to bitmap data. In the second copy, since copy modification is specified, 5 is linked to the intermediate data.
Select one of the modification data “*” and develop it into bitmap data. In the third copy, since the copy modification is not specified, "F",
“G”, “H”, “I”, “J” are selected and developed into bitmap data.

As described above, in this embodiment, the intermediate data of each line of all pages is shared, and one intermediate data is shared for the same line. Data for a page not specified and data for a page for which copy modification is specified are simultaneously created and managed as one piece of intermediate data. Therefore, even when the intermediate data for a plurality of pages is created, the intermediate data for all pages can be created only by reading once, without repeatedly reading the print data for the number of copies.

[0059]

According to the present invention, the following effects are achieved.

(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, the copy modification data is stored as intermediate data, and when modifying the next modification area on the same page or the modification area of another page, the copy modification data Can be read and subjected to copy modification, so that there is no need to convert copy-modified data into intermediate data for each page as in the past.

(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, for a unit area on print data for which no copy modification is specified in any copy, the print data is converted to intermediate data. On the other hand, for the unit area on the print data for which copy qualification is specified in one of the copies,
The print data is converted into intermediate data, and the print data is modified with intermediate data of the stored copy modification data. Then, when converting intermediate data of a unit area in which copy modification is specified in any one of the copies into bitmap data, in a copy in which copy modification is not specified, the intermediate data of the print data is selected and converted. In the copy in which the decoration is specified, the intermediate data of the decoration data is selected and converted. Therefore, even when the intermediate data for a plurality of copies (pages) is created, the print data is copied only as many times as the number of copies. Intermediate data for all pages can be created by reading only once without repeatedly reading.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure of copy modification data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing contents of copy modification data in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a print image of a page for which copy modification is not specified.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a print image of a page for which copy modification is specified.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart (part 1) of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart (part 2) of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the second embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing contents of intermediate data of a row in the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the operation of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Host computer, 2 ... Image development apparatus, 3 ... Print engine, 20 ... Main control part, 21 ... Input I / F, 2
2 print data storage unit 23 copy modification data storage unit 24 data conversion unit 25 copy modification data buffer 26 intermediate buffer 27 image development unit 28
Page memory, 29 ... Print I / F

Claims (2)

[Claims] An image developing method for modifying the same print data with copy modification data of a plurality of parts to create print data of a plurality of parts, and developing each print data into bitmap data, comprising: Receiving registered copy modification data, converting the copy modification data into intermediate data and storing the same, receiving and storing print data modified with the copy modification data, print data having no copy modification specified For the upper unit area, the print data is converted into intermediate data, and for the unit area on the print data for which copy modification is specified, the print data is modified with the intermediate data of the stored copy modification data. And developing the modified intermediate data of each page into bitmap data. 2. An image developing method for modifying the same print data with copy modification data of a plurality of parts to create print data of a plurality of parts, and developing each print data into bitmap data, comprising: Receives registered copy modification data, converts the copy modification data into intermediate data and stores it, receives print data modified with the copy modification data, and prints in which copy modification is not specified in any part For the unit area on the data, the print data is converted to intermediate data. For the unit area on the print data for which copy modification is specified in any part, the print data is converted to the intermediate data. Qualify with the intermediate data of the stored copy modification data, and specify the unit area on the print data for which the copy modification is specified. The intermediate data of the print data and the intermediate data of the copy modification data are collectively managed as intermediate data relating to the unit area, and the intermediate data of the unit area for which copy modification is specified in any part is converted into bitmap data. At the time of conversion, in the part where the copy modification is not specified, the intermediate data of the print data is selected and converted, and in the part where the copy modification is specified, the intermediate data of the modified data is selected and converted. An image development method characterized by the following.