JP2000218877A - Printing control method, printing control apparatus, medium with printing control program recorded and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing control method, a printing control apparatus, a medium with a printing control program recorded and a printing apparatus whereby a data transmission amount can be reduced by compressing printing image data. SOLUTION: A band unit of a page frame buffer of a printer 50 is obtained. Printing image data divided by the band unit is generated. A capacity of the page frame buffer of the printer 50 can be small and, a use efficiency for a RAM can be improved. Since the printing image data is transmitted after compressed by a data compression process, a data transmission amount between a computer 10 and the printer 50 can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control method, a print control device, a medium on which a print control program is recorded, and a printing device. In particular, the present invention executes predetermined data processing on print data to convert print image data. The present invention relates to a print control method, a print control device, a medium on which a print control program is recorded, and a printing device for generating and inputting the generated print image data to execute printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer is connected as a peripheral device of a computer serving as a printer host via a predetermined interface cable, and when a print job is executed in the computer, print image data generated from print data accompanying the print job. Is transferred to the printer.
Then, the printer executes printing based on the transferred print image data. Here, there are two methods for transferring the print image data from the computer to the printer. First, print data associated with a print job is rasterized by a predetermined line unit by a printer driver on the computer side to generate print image data, and the print image data corresponds to a band unit of a page frame buffer provided in the printer. And transfer it to the printer. Second, print data associated with the print job is rasterized by a predetermined line unit by the printer driver on the computer side to generate print image data, and the print image data corresponds to the band unit of the page frame buffer provided in the printer Then, the print image data is compressed by a predetermined compression method and transferred to the printer.

[0003]

The above-described method of transferring print image data to a printer has the following problems. In the former, a plurality of print image data generated in a predetermined band unit is sequentially transferred to the printer, so that the amount of print image data to be transferred increases. When the printer sequentially stores the transferred print image data in a page frame buffer provided therein, the printer generates, for each band, link data in which the print image data related to the transferred band is linked. When rendering the print image data, the link data is sequentially expanded to restore the print image data in band units, and printing is performed based on the restored print image data. Therefore, when the rasterization direction of the print data is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer on the printer side on the computer side, each print image data rasterized and corresponding to each band is transferred to the printer and stored in the page frame buffer. In this case, all the bands are involved, and link data in which the same print image data is linked in each band is generated. That is, print image data corresponding to a band unit to be transferred to the printer stores print image data over a plurality of bands. Therefore, since all the print image data must be linked to each band, the capacity of the page frame buffer is increased, and the use efficiency of the memory for storing the page frame buffer is reduced.

[0004] In the latter case, since the print image data corresponding to a predetermined band is rasterized in a predetermined line unit and then transferred to a printer, the data amount of the transferred print image data can be reduced. become. On the other hand, on the printer side, after the transferred compressed data is decompressed, the print image data is linked to each band of the page frame buffer to generate link data, so that the processing load increases. Similarly to the former, when the rasterizing direction of the print data is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer on the printer side on the computer side, link data linking the print image data restored in each band is generated. There is a problem that the capacity of the page frame buffer is increased and the use efficiency of the memory for storing the page frame buffer is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and generates printing image data divided in a band direction of a page frame buffer of a printing apparatus, so that the printing apparatus can control printing images included in each band. It is possible to generate link data composed only of data, and the capacity of the page frame buffer for storing the link data is reduced, thereby reducing the load on the memory for storing the page frame buffer. Another object of the present invention is to provide a print control method, a print control device, a medium recording a print control program, and a printing device capable of reducing the data transfer amount by compressing the print image data.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus which generates and transmits predetermined print image data to a printing apparatus connected via a data transfer path. A print data inputting step of, when a print job is executed, inputting print data accompanying the print job, and generating print image data in page units based on the print data; and When the rasterizing direction of the page-based print image data generated in the process is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printer, the rasterized print image data is divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer. And a print image data division transfer step of transferring the print image data to the printer.

In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, the print control method includes a print data input step and a print image data division transfer step, and when a print job is executed by a system or an application,
The print image data generated by performing predetermined data processing on the print data accompanying the print job is transferred to the printing apparatus. Further, the printing apparatus includes a page frame buffer for storing the transferred print image data in page units, sequentially stores and renders the print image data at a predetermined timing, and executes printing. The page frame buffer is divided into a plurality of bands, a direction in which the band is divided is referred to as a band direction, and one band is referred to as a band unit. In such a case, when the print job is executed by the system or the application program, the print data input process inputs the print data accompanying the print job. Here, the print data generated by the system or application is
The page unit is divided into a plurality of pages, and is randomly transferred to the print data input step. Therefore, in the print data input step, the input plurality of randomly divided print data are sequentially input, and are arranged to generate print image data in page units.

In the print image data division transfer step, the print image data is rasterized in predetermined line units. If the rasterizing direction is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printer, the rasterized print image data is transferred to the printing apparatus while being divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer. In the present embodiment,
A configuration of dividing in the band direction is adopted. Therefore, this band direction may be the band unit described above,
A plurality of band units may be divided into one block and may be changed as appropriate.

That is, when the rasterizing direction of the print image data generated in the print data input step is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus, each print generated by rasterizing in a predetermined line unit. The image data, when stored in the page frame buffer of the printing device, pertains to all bands. In order to prevent generation of link data including each print image data in each band unit, each rasterized print image data is divided in the band direction in which the page frame buffer is divided. Therefore, each band can store only the print image data included in its own band, and the capacity of the page frame buffer can be reduced, and the memory for storing the page frame buffer can be efficiently used. Can be used

For example, in the print image data division transfer step, five lines of print image data rasterized in predetermined line units are generated, and the size of each print image data is 5 MB, and the page frame buffer is in 5 band units. And transfer to a printing device. In such a case, link data linking 5 lines of 5 MB of print image data in each band is generated and stored, so that the link data stored in each band is 5 MB * in total.
5 lines = 25 MB. On the other hand, when the print image data of 5 MB is divided into five bands, the print image data of one band becomes 1 MB. Each band stores link data obtained by linking 5 lines of the 1 MB print image data, so that the total link data stored in each band is 1 MB * 5 lines = 5 MB. It can be seen that the data amount can be reduced to one fifth of the data amount.

Next, an example in which the rasterizing direction of the print image data generated in the print data input step and the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus are different will be described. Here, a case is considered in which print data associated with a print job by a system program or an application program has a print area that forms a rectangle with long upper and lower sides, and this print area is printed on A4 paper. With respect to the above-described print data, print image data rasterized on the basis of a predetermined line unit in a direction separating short sides is generated. The direction separating the short side is the rasterizing direction. On the other hand, when printing the print image data by the printing apparatus, the vertical direction of the A4 sheet is the sheet unloading direction, and thus the band direction is perpendicular to the unloading direction. Therefore, the direction which divides the long side of the A4 sheet is the band direction. As described above, the case where the rasterizing direction is the direction of dividing the short side of the A4 paper and the band direction is the direction of dividing the long side of the A4 paper corresponds to the case where the rasterizing direction and the band direction are different.

The print image data division transfer step includes:
When the print image data generated by the rasterization is divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus, the band unit to be divided must be obtained by a predetermined method. As a specific realization method of this acquisition method, a parameter indicating the size of a band unit stored in a predetermined area in advance may be acquired, or the size of the band unit may be obtained by inquiring of a connected printing apparatus. May be. As an example of the former, the invention according to claim 2 is the printing control method according to claim 1, wherein the print image data division transfer step includes a step of storing a band of a page frame buffer provided in the printer and stored in a predetermined area in advance. The unit is read and acquired, and the print image data rasterized by the acquired band unit is divided. In the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, in the print image data division transfer step, the band unit of the page frame buffer included in the printer, which is stored in a predetermined area in advance, is read and obtained, and the print unit is obtained. The print image data rasterized by the band is divided. That is, when the print image data is transferred to the printing apparatus, the band unit stored in the predetermined area is read out, divided, and transferred to the printing apparatus. Here, the area for storing the band unit may be an area that can be read out during a predetermined process of the print image data division transfer process, and may be a hard disk or an EEPROM, or may be a ROM.
Or the like may be stored. Alternatively, band units of the page frame buffer in a plurality of printing apparatuses may be stored, and band units suitable for the connected printing apparatuses may be read.

As an example of the latter in which the print image data division transfer step acquires a band unit, the invention according to claim 3 is the print control method according to claim 1, wherein the print image data division transfer step includes: While inquiring and acquiring the band unit of the page frame buffer to the printing device at a predetermined timing,
The configuration is such that print image data rasterized by the acquired band unit is divided. In the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, in the print image data division transfer step, a band unit for dividing print image data generated by rasterization is acquired from the printing apparatus at a predetermined timing. In such cases,
Inquires the printing device about the band unit of the page frame buffer. Then, a response in band units to this inquiry is input, and the print image data rasterized by the input band units is divided. Here, the predetermined timing at which the printing device is inquired about the band unit may be the timing at which the printing device is connected, or may be the timing at which the printing data is input in the printing data input step, that is, the system program or the application program. It may be when a print job is executed. The present invention is not limited to these, and can be changed as appropriate such as the timing of changing the properties of the printing apparatus.

When the print image data generated by rasterization in the print image data division transfer step is divided in band units, the divided print image data is transferred to the connected printing apparatus every time the divided print image data is generated. Alternatively, the print image data may be spooled in page units and then sequentially transferred to the printing apparatus at a predetermined timing. As an example of the latter, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to any one of the first to third aspects, the print image data division transfer step includes converting the print image data divided by a band unit into a page. It is configured to include a print image data spooling step of spooling in units. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the print image data spooling step, the print image data generated by rasterizing in the print image data division transfer step is divided to reproduce a page image in page units. The print image data is spooled as described above. Then, when spooling of a predetermined amount of print image data is completed, the print image data is transferred to the printing apparatus. Here, the predetermined amount to be spooled and transferred to the printing apparatus may be in units of pages as described above, or when the area to be spooled becomes full before the page units are spooled, this full amount is used. At this time, the data may be transferred to the printing apparatus.

The print image data divided in band units of the page frame buffer of the printing apparatus in the print image data division transfer step is transferred to the printing apparatus although the amount of print image data per one becomes small. The total data amount of the print image data is the same as the case where the print image data generated by rasterizing in a predetermined line unit is sequentially transferred. Here, it is preferable to compress the print image data divided in band units and transfer the compressed print image data to the printing apparatus because the data amount can be reduced. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the print image data dividing and transferring step compresses the divided print image data by a predetermined method. The configuration includes a data generation step. In the invention according to claim 5 configured as described above, the compressed data generating step includes:
The print image data divided in band units generated in the previous step in the print image data division transfer step is compressed by a predetermined method. Here, the predetermined method of executing the compression is not particularly limited as long as it is a method capable of restoring the compressed print image data on the side of the printing apparatus to which the compressed print image data is transferred.

As described above, while performing predetermined data processing on print data associated with a print job generated by a system program or an application program to generate print image data, the print image data is transmitted to a connected printing apparatus. The transfer method is not necessarily limited to the method, and it can be easily understood that the method functions as a substantialized print control device by incorporating a step of executing the print control method. Therefore, the invention according to claim 6 performs predetermined data processing on print data associated with a generated print job to generate print image data, and transfers the print image data to a connected printing apparatus. A print control device, wherein when a print job is executed, while inputting print data accompanying the print job,
Print data input means for generating print image data in page units based on the print data, a rasterizing direction of the print image data in page units generated by the print data input means, and a band of a page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus When the directions are different, a print image data division transfer unit that transfers print image data generated by rasterization to the printing apparatus while dividing the print image data in the band direction of the page frame buffer is provided. That is, there is no difference in that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the print control method and is effective as a print control device that is realized by applying the print control method.

By the way, predetermined data processing is performed on print data associated with a print job generated by such a system program or application program to generate print image data, and the print image data is transmitted to a connected printing apparatus. The concept of the present invention is not limited to this, and may include various aspects, such as a case where a print control device for transferring data exists alone and a case where the print control device is incorporated in a certain device. Therefore, it can be changed as appropriate, such as software or hardware. Therefore, as an embodiment of the idea of the present invention, predetermined print processing is performed on print data associated with the generated print job to generate print image data, and transfer the print image data to a connected printing apparatus. In the case of software for a print control device, the software naturally exists on a recording medium on which such software is recorded, and it must be said that the software is used.

As one example, the invention according to claim 7 performs a predetermined data process on print data associated with a generated print job to generate print image data while generating print image data. A medium on which a print control program for transferring data is recorded, wherein when a print job is executed, print data associated with the print job is input and print image data for each page is generated based on the print data. When the rasterizing direction of the page-based print image data generated in the data input step and the print data input step in the page is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus, the print image data generated by the rasterization is converted to the page. The printing device is divided while dividing in the band direction of the frame buffer. It is constituted comprising a print image data division transfer step of transferring.

Of course, the recording medium may be a magnetic recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or any recording medium to be developed in the future. Also, the duplication stages of the primary duplicated product, the secondary duplicated product, and the like are equivalent without any question. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the case where the present invention is used even when the supply is performed using a communication line. further,
The concept of the present invention is not completely different even when part is software and part is realized by hardware, and part is stored on a recording medium and read as needed as needed. Such a form may be adopted.

The present invention is also applied to a printing apparatus which is connected to the above-described print control apparatus, inputs predetermined print image data, and executes predetermined data processing to execute printing. Then, claim 8
According to the invention, when the rasterizing direction of the print image data generated by the connected printing host and the band direction of the page frame buffer are different, the rasterized print image data is divided into the band direction of the page frame buffer. A printing apparatus for inputting print image data compressed by a predetermined method, wherein the compressed print image data transferred from the print host is stored in a predetermined position of a page frame buffer divided in bands. Print image data storage means for storing, print data restoration / reproduction means for restoring compressed print image data stored in the print image data storage means based on predetermined timing, and reproducing page frame data; Restored by print data restoration / reproduction means It is constituted comprising the page image data printing means for performing printing based on the reproduced page image data with the.

In the invention according to claim 8 configured as described above, when the rasterizing direction of the print image data generated by the connected printing host and the band direction of the page frame buffer are different, the printing apparatus performs rasterization. The print image data is divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer, the print image data compressed by a predetermined method is input, expanded in band units, and the print image data is printed on a predetermined print medium. . The predetermined line unit is controlled on the print host side, and the predetermined band unit is for dividing a page frame buffer included in the printing apparatus,
It is appropriately changed according to specifications based on the size of the storage area provided in the printing apparatus. Further, the print image data storage means stores the compressed print image data transferred from the print host at a predetermined position in a page frame buffer divided into bands. The print data restoration / reproduction means restores the compressed print image data stored in the print image data storage means by decompression based on a predetermined timing, and reproduces the page image data to be printed. . The page image data printing means prints the page image data restored and reproduced by the print image data restoration and reproduction means. Further, the predetermined timing may be a timing at which the print image data rasterized in the transferred predetermined line unit and divided and compressed in the band unit is stored in the page frame buffer in the page unit, The timing may be a timing at which the print image data input means inputs print image data including a predetermined control code included in the print image data and indicating that transfer is completed.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, print image data divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer of the printing apparatus is generated and transferred to the printing apparatus. Link data composed of only print image data can be generated. Further, by reducing the capacity of the page frame buffer for storing the link data, it is possible to reduce the load on the memory for storing the page frame buffer, and to compress the print image data to transfer the data. A print control method capable of reducing the amount can be provided. According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to acquire the band unit of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus with a simple configuration. Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to easily cope with a case where the connected printing device is replaced and the band unit of the page frame buffer changes. Further, according to the invention of claim 4, since the print data is spooled before being transferred to the printing apparatus, it is possible to perform a predetermined process on the spooled print image data. Furthermore, according to the fifth aspect of the invention, it is possible to reduce the amount of data to be transferred by compressing the print image data to be transferred to the printing apparatus.

Further, according to the invention according to claim 6,
By generating print image data divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer of the printing apparatus and transferring the generated print image data to the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus can generate link data including only the print image data included in each band. Becomes possible. Further, by reducing the capacity of the page frame buffer for storing the link data, it is possible to reduce the load on the memory for storing the page frame buffer, and to compress the print image data to transfer the data. A print control device capable of reducing the amount can be provided.
Further, according to the present invention, the print image data divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer of the printing apparatus is generated and transferred to the printing apparatus. Link data composed only of data can be generated. Further, by reducing the capacity of the page frame buffer for storing the link data, it is possible to reduce the load on the memory for storing the page frame buffer, and to compress the print image data to transfer the data. A medium in which a print control program capable of reducing the amount can be provided. Further, according to the invention according to claim 8, printing is performed by generating and transmitting compressed print image data that conforms to the band unit of the page frame buffer of the printing apparatus from the printing control apparatus side to the printing apparatus. It is possible to provide a printing apparatus which can reduce the memory load for storing the page frame buffer on the apparatus side and can store the compressed data format in the page frame buffer.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic flow of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the printing system includes a printer host and a printer. First, the configuration of the printer host and the printer will be described. FIG. 2 shows a typical personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) 10 for realizing a printer host.

The personal computer 10 is a central processing unit for the CP.
U11, and a CPU bus 1
2 and the secondary cache 13 and the data bus unit 1
4 and the system controller 15 are connected. In recent personal computers, the clock speed of the CPU bus 12 has been increased in order to improve the processing efficiency.
Are the data bus unit 14 and the system controller 15
Via the CPU 11. The memory 16 includes a ROM area such as a BIOS area and a RAM area.

Similarly, interfaces cannot be directly connected to the fast CPU bus 12, and a PCI bus 17 which is a general-purpose high-speed bus is provided by the data bus unit 14 and the system controller 15. This PCI
A common interface 18 for connecting a floppy disk is connected to the bus 17 together with communication interfaces such as a PS / 2 port, a parallel port, and a serial port that the personal computer 10 itself has. And a bus master 19 for connecting a CD-ROM and performing DMA transfer. A PCI device 21 can be directly connected to the PCI bus, and an ISA bus 23 which is an old general-purpose bus having a small data width is provided via an ISA bridge 22. An ISA device 24 is connected via the ISA bus 23. You can connect.

FIG. 3 shows peripheral devices for the personal computer 10, and a keyboard 25 and a mouse 26 are connected to PS / 2.
The printer 27 is connected to the common interface 18 via a parallel port, and the modem 28 is connected to the common interface 18 via a serial port. Scanner 29
Is connected to a PCI bus 17 via a SCSI card 21a as a PCI device 21. Various external devices can be connected to the SCSI card 21a, and a magneto-optical storage device 32 and the like can be connected. it can.
The display 31 is connected via the display controller card 21b, and is connected to the hard disk 19a.
And the CD-ROM drive 19 b are connected to the PCI bus 17 via the bus master 19.

Various devices are provided as the ISA device 24. If a PCMCIA card 24a is used, a PCMCIA card socket 33 can be connected, and a memory card 34 on which image data is recorded is mounted to input / output data. Becomes easier. The memory card 34 is a digital still camera 35, and it is easy to input data from another mobile personal computer or the like.
In addition to the above, an external display can be connected to the personal computer 10 via a video card, or a LAN card can be connected to a network, or connected to another external device via an infrared communication device. It is also possible to do. The above is the schematic configuration of the hardware of the personal computer system. On the premise of such hardware, software is executed on the personal computer 10 in the mode shown in FIG.

That is, a BIOS 42 is executed on the basis of the hardware 41, and an operating system 43 and an application 44 are executed on an upper layer. Basically, the operating system 43 accesses the hardware 41 via the BIOS 42 or directly,
The application 44 exchanges data with the hardware 41 via the operating system 43. For example, to read data from the hard disk 19a, access the hardware 41 via the operating system 43. In addition, various drivers for controlling the hardware 41 can be incorporated in the operating system 43, and the incorporated drivers execute various controls as a part of the operating system 43. Examples of the driver include a display driver for controlling display on an external display via a video card, and a printer 2.
A printer driver 43a for executing printing control to the printer 7 and the like are incorporated.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of a printer that performs printing in the printing system. This printer 5
Reference numeral 0 denotes a laser printer, which is connected to a parallel port of the personal computer 10 as a printer host, similarly to the printer 27 described above. The printer 50 is provided with an interface 51 for connecting to a parallel port of the personal computer 10, and sends and receives commands and print data by parallel communication. In the parallel communication in this printing system, since the performance of the printer 50 may be detected from the personal computer 10 side, an interface capable of executing bidirectional communication such as nibble, ECB, and EPP is provided instead of the one-way communication Centronics method. ing. Interface 51
Is connected to a DMA controller 52, and the DMA controller 52 is connected to a bus 56 in which a CPU 53, a ROM 54, and a RAM 55 are connected to each other. CPU53
Executes the printer control program written in the ROM 54. In the RAM 55, print pixel data indicating ON / OFF of dots is recorded corresponding to each pixel of a dot matrix to be printed. In the present embodiment, the RAM
The RAM 55 does not necessarily need to be able to hold one page of print image data, and the RAM 55 can be directly accessed via the DMA controller 52 so that data input and output can be performed in parallel. .

That is, when print pixel data is input from the personal computer 10, it can be written directly to the RAM 55 without going through the CPU 53. And RA
The print pixel data is read directly from M55 and sent out. The print pixel data read from the RAM 55 is input to the video controller 59 through the data decompression circuit 58 unless otherwise compressed, and the video controller 59 adjusts the timing. The video controller 59 is also designed so that timing adjustment can be critically performed because data input and output are performed in parallel. A video signal output from the video controller 59 is input to a post-processing circuit 61.
Post-processing unique to the hardware of the printer 50 centering on the print engine 62, such as conversion of the resolution corresponding to the resolution of the print engine 62 and adjustment of edge smoothing and gamma characteristics, is executed.

On the other hand, the transfer efficiency is improved or the RAM 55
Compression of print pixel data to reduce the
M55, and in this case, DMA
If the data is read directly through the controller 52, the data remains compressed. For this reason, the data decompression circuit 58 described above is interposed. When the compressed print pixel data is read, it is decompressed and output to the video controller 59. By connecting the personal computer 10 and the printer 50 with the parallel connection cable 70, a schematic flow showing the operation of the printer driver 43a and the printer 50 of the personal computer 10 when executing the printing process from the application 44 on the personal computer 10 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.

First, when the print processing is executed from the application 44, the operating system 43 is directly executed.
Outputs print data to the printer driver 43a according to a standard procedure. In response, the printer driver 43a is called from the operating system 43. Then, when the print image data of the bit image, which is the print data corresponding to the print operation in the application 44, is generated in the image data generation processing of step 110, the generated print image data is based on a predetermined line unit. Rasterize. next,
In step S120, the rasterizing direction and the printer 5
The band direction of the page frame buffer included in the RAM 55 of the CPU 55 is compared.
At 150, predetermined data processing is performed on the print image data. Generally, the print image data rasterized in step S110 in the band division process in step S130 is input, and each print image data is divided based on the band unit of the page frame buffer acquired in step S140. Then, in step S150, a data compression process is performed on the divided print image data based on a predetermined method. Then, the print image data generated by the division and compression is stored in a spool file.
The spool itself may use a standard function of the operating system, or may use an alternative to this. At the time when the print image data is spooled in the spool file in step 150, the print image data is generated in the order of the left and right main scanning directions and the upper and lower sub scanning directions from the upper left area to the lower right area of the printing paper. . That is, the paper area is divided into units for performing printing based on a predetermined rectangular area on the printing paper, and print data for at least one page is generated so as to be aligned from the upper left area to the lower right area. . The print image data is sequentially stored in the printer 50 in a predetermined order.
The printer 50 executes print output on a medium such as printing paper based on the print image data transferred in step S160.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the contents of this processing. In the figure, the printer driver 43a
An image data generation module 43a1, a spool file 43a2, and a transfer module 43a3 are provided. When the printer driver 43a inputs a print request and print data from the application 44, the image data generation module 43a1 inputs the print request and print data. Then, the image data generation module 43a1 performs steps S110 to S150.
Is performed, and the generated print image data is stored in the spool file 43a2 in step S150. Here, the print image data stored in the spool file 43a2 is transferred to the printer 50 by the transfer module 43a3. This transfer module 43a3
Is capable of performing bidirectional communication with the printer 50, and is capable of acquiring the status of the printer 50 and the like. From the above, generally, the print data is input, and the print image data of each page is generated. Therefore, the image data generation processing in step S110 constitutes a print data input step, and the generated print image data is To execute predetermined data processing,
Since the print image data to be transferred to 0 is generated, steps S120 to S150 constitute a print image data division transfer step.

Hereinafter, each processing will be described in more detail.
FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of image data generation processing in which the printer driver 43a of the operating system 43 generates image data in step S110 when the print processing is selected by the application 44. When the print processing is executed from the application 44, the print data is directly output to a predetermined printer driver 43a according to a standard procedure for the operating system 43. In response to this, the printer driver 43a is called from the operating system 43, and if it is determined in step 111 that there is a print request, first in step 112, a spool file is prepared. The spool file is secured from a predetermined area of the hard disk 19a. In step 113, the print data generated by the application 44 is input and stored in the spool file. The spool itself may use a standard function of the operating system, or may use an alternative to this.

At the time when the print data is spooled, the print data is cut by the application 44 in various ways. That is, print data is not necessarily generated in the order of the main scanning direction in the left and right directions and the sub scanning direction in the upper and lower directions from the upper left area to the lower right area of the paper, and the print image exists based on an arbitrary rectangular area on the paper. The paper area is divided so as to make up for all the parts to be printed, and are sent out in an arbitrary order. Therefore, after the spool is completed, the printer driver 43
In step a, the spool files are organized in step 114, and image data is generated by aligning at least one page of print data from the upper left area to the lower right area. Then, in step S115, the aligned print image data is rasterized for each predetermined line. The steps up to here correspond to the image data generation processing of step 110.

This spool file 43a3 may be the same as the spool file 43a3 that stores the print image file subjected to the predetermined data processing in step S150. In such a case, predetermined data processing is performed on the spool files arranged in the image data generation processing in step S110 for each predetermined unit, and in step S150, the same area is updated after the data processing ends. Also, the spool file 43a3 of the image data generation process and the spool file 4a of step S150
3a3 may be set as another area, and after performing predetermined data processing on a predetermined area of the spool file 43a3 in step S114, the data may be stored in the spool file 43a3 in another area in step S150.

When the rasterized spool file 43a3 is generated, the rasterizing direction is compared with the band direction of the page frame buffer formed in the RAM 55 of the printer 50 in step S120.
If not, step S shown in the flowchart of FIG.
The processing of the band unit acquisition processing of 130 is executed. In the figure, when a print request is input by the image data generation module 43a1, the printer driver 43a sends a band unit acquisition command to the printer 50 from the transfer module 43a3 in step S200. Then, when this command is input, the printer 50 replies to the printer driver 43a a band unit for dividing the page frame buffer formed in the RAM 55 for storing the print image data transferred from the printer driver 43a. Here, the printer driver 43a determines in step S2
When this reply is input at 10, it is set as band unit data in a predetermined area. In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the band unit is inquired to the printer 50 is adopted. However, it is needless to say that the band unit is stored in a predetermined area in advance and set as the recorded band unit data. Is also good. In the present embodiment,
Although a configuration is employed in which the image data generation module 43a1 inquires the printer 50 at the timing of inputting a print request, the timing of acquiring the band unit of the printer 50 is not limited to printing, and the It may be at the time of connection to the computer 10 or at the timing of changing the attribute of the printer 50 by a predetermined method, and may be adopted as appropriate.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the contents of the band division processing in step S140. In the figure, the generation module 43a1 inputs the print data output from the application 44 in step S250, and inputs the band unit data set in a predetermined area by the band unit acquisition process in step S255. Next, in step S260, the print image data, which is the bit image data, undergoes a predetermined resolution conversion and is rasterized in predetermined line units. Then, in step S265, a color conversion process is performed on the rasterized data from RGB to CMYK,
In the subsequent step S270, a halftone process for converting CMYK gradation data into binary data is executed. In step 275, the band unit data set in step S210 is read, and the converted print image data is divided based on the band unit data. As a result, in step S280, the print image data is rasterized in a predetermined line unit and is divided into band units.

FIG. 10A shows print data output from the application 44.
Normally, the print data is rasterized in predetermined raster units in the rasterizing direction shown in FIG. 3, and after being subjected to predetermined data processing, is transferred to the printer 50 as print image data. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which print data is divided into four line units.
On the other hand, FIG. 10B shows a state where the printer 50 that has received the transferred print image data stores the print image data in the page frame buffer. In the present embodiment, an example in which the page frame buffer is divided into four bands 0 to 3 is shown. Here, the band is divided by a predetermined band unit so as to be orthogonal to the illustrated sheet unloading direction.

In such a case, the print image data generated from the print data is assumed to be L100 to L400, and the amounts of the data are as follows: print image data L100 = 16 Mbytes, print image data L200 = 12 Mbytes, print image data L300 = 8 Mbytes, Image data L
When 400 = 4 Mbytes, when the print image data L100 to L400 are transferred to the printer 50,
As shown in FIG. 10B, the data is sequentially stored so as to relate to all the bands 0 to 3 along the sheet unloading direction. Therefore, the capacity of the page frame buffer is 40 Mbytes * 4 = 16
It is 0 MB. This is because the print image data generated from the print data output from the application 44 as shown in FIG.
When C is present, it is stored in the page frame buffer in the state shown in FIG. Here, in each of the bands 0 to 3, the print image data L1
Since the print engine 62 cannot reproduce the figures A, B, and C without referring to all the data 00 to L400, the bands 0 to 3 must store the print image data L100 to L400, respectively. That is because it must be done.

FIG. 12A shows a case in which print data output from the application 44 is rasterized in units of four lines and divided into units of four bands to generate print image data. Therefore, L1001 to L100 are used as print image data.
4, L2001-L2004, L3001-L300
4, L4001 to L4004 are generated.
Here, for easy understanding, the size of the print image data divided in units of four bands is the print image data L
1001 to L1004, L2001 to L2004, L3
001 to L3004 and L4001 to L4004 are considered to be the same. For example, the print image data L10
01 to L1004 = 4 Mbytes, L2001 to L200
4 = 3 Mbytes, L3001 to L3004 = 2Mbytes, L4001 to L4004 = 1Mbytes, and the total size of the print image data L1001 to L1004 corresponds to the print image data L100 shown in FIG.
6 Mbytes, and print image data L2001 to L2
The total of the size of 004 corresponds to the print image data L200 and is 12 Mbytes.
The total size of the print image data L4001 to L4004 is 4 Mbytes corresponding to the print image data L400, and the total size of the print image data L4001 to L4004 is 8 Mbytes.

On the other hand, FIG. 12B shows the printer 50 which has received the print image data L1001 to L4004.
Indicates a state in which the print image data L1001 to L4004 are stored in the page frame buffer. In the present embodiment, an example in which the page frame buffer is divided into four bands 0 to 3 is shown. In such cases,
When the print image data L1001 to L4004 are transferred to the printer 50, as shown in FIG. 12B, the print image data L1001, L2001, L3001, and L1001 correspond to one area obtained by dividing the bands 0 to 3 into four.
L4001 is stored. Therefore, the capacity of band 0 is
4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 10 Mbytes. Bands 1 to 3 also have a capacity of 10 Mbytes, so the capacity of the page frame buffer is 40 Mbytes in total. That is, the print data is generated by dividing the print data into band units of the page frame buffer of the printer 50 by the band division processing shown in FIG.
0 enables the amount of print image data stored in the page frame buffer to be reduced. The data transfer amount between the computer 10 and the printer 50 is also 16
It becomes possible to reduce from 0 Mbytes to 40 Mbytes. Here, in order to reduce the data transfer amount, a method of converting the print image data L100 to L400 into compressed data and transferring the data to the printer 50 is also conceivable. However, in such a case, when storing the compressed print image data in the page frame buffer, it is necessary to restore the compressed print image data before storing the print image data.

As described above, the print data output by the application 44 is rasterized by a predetermined line unit to reduce the data amount of the print image data stored in the page frame buffer by the printer 50, and is also converted by a predetermined band unit. , And becomes print image data to be transferred to the printer. In step S150, a data compression process is performed on the print image data, and the data amount is further reduced, and
Transfer to FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the contents of the data compression processing. In the figure, print image data rasterized in step S300 and divided in band units is input.
In step S305, the print image data is compressed based on a predetermined method. Thereby, step S310
Generates print image data to be transferred to the printer 50. Then, in step S315, the print image data is stored in a predetermined area of the spool file 43a2. In step S300, the print image data L
In order to sequentially input L4004 from 1001, it is determined in step S320 whether or not the print image data L4004 has been input. If input has been performed, the data compression process ends.

FIG. 14 shows the data format of the print image data L1001 to L4004 stored in the spool file 43a3. In the figure, print image data L1001 to L4004 include data areas D100 to D100.
D104, and a bitmap drawing command is stored in the data area D100.
Drawing command data for drawing the bitmap data stored in 1001 to L4004 is stored. Therefore, the printer 50 executes printing based on the drawing command data. The data area D101 stores the compressed data of the print image data compressed by the data compression processing. In the data area D102, a start point for printing the print image data is stored as coordinate data, and in the data area D103, coordinate data of a relative end point of the print image data from the start point is stored. Is stored. When storing the transferred print image data in the page buffer, the printer 50 detects bands 0 to 3 including these coordinate data while referring to the coordinate data of the start point and the end point, and corresponds thereto. It is stored in a predetermined position of the band. The data area D104 stores a compression format in the data compression process, and reads out this compression format to restore the compressed data in the data area D101. Therefore, when printing is performed based on the drawing command data, the printer 50 determines the size of the print image data from the start point and the end point, and prints the restored print image data.

When the print image data is input, the printer 50 sequentially writes the print image data in the page frame buffer of the RAM 55. And step 17
0 is executed. The print output process is
As shown in FIG. 15, the DMA controller 52 reads out the print image data stored in the page frame buffer of the RAM 55 in step 350 and sends it out to the video controller 59. In step S355, the DMA controller 52 adjusts the timing and sends it to the post-processing circuit 61. And the data area D101
Is decompressed based on the compression format of the data area D104, and is changed to data corresponding to the print engine 62. Then, at step 365, the data area D
With reference to the 100 bitmap drawing entry data, the start point of the data area D102, and the end point of the data area D103, the print engine 62 applies toner to predetermined recording paper to generate a printed matter.

The positioning of the various programs described above has been described in accordance with the flow of processing. However, since a plurality of devices execute at the same timing, they are actually realized in various modes. Further, each program may be executed independently, or may be a part of another program. Furthermore, it is also possible to replace software processing with hardware processing, and in this sense, the term module refers to means common to both software and hardware.

As described above, by acquiring the band unit of the page frame buffer of the printer 50 and generating the print image data divided in the band unit, the capacity of the page frame buffer of the printer 50 is reduced, and the capacity of the RAM 55 is reduced. The utilization efficiency can be improved, and the print image data is compressed by the data compression process and transferred to the printer 50. Therefore, the data transfer amount between the computer 10 and the printer 50 can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing processing contents of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a personal computer in the printing system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a connection state of a peripheral device to a personal computer in the printing system.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of software of a personal computer.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a printer.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic internal configuration of a printer driver 43a.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an image data generation process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of band unit acquisition processing.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of band division processing.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the rasterization of print data and the storage state of print image data.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific state of rasterizing print data and storing print image data.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a storage state of print data and print image data divided in band units.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a data compression process.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a data format of print image data.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a print output process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Computer 43a Printer Driver 43a1 Generation Module 43a2 Spool File 43a3 Transfer Module 50 Printer

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A print control method for generating and transferring predetermined print image data to a printing apparatus connected via a data transfer path, wherein when a print job is executed, printing accompanying the print job is performed. A print data input process for generating print image data in page units based on the print data while inputting data; a rasterizing direction of the print image data in page units generated in the print data input process; and the printer. A print image data dividing and transferring step of transferring the rasterized print image data to the printer while dividing the rasterized print image data in the band direction of the page frame buffer when the band direction is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer. Print control method. 2. The print control method according to claim 1, wherein the print image data division transfer step reads and acquires a band unit of a page frame buffer included in the printer stored in a predetermined area in advance. A print control method, wherein the print image data rasterized by the acquired band unit is divided. 3. The print control method according to claim 1, wherein the print image data division transfer step inquires and acquires a band unit of a page frame buffer from the printing apparatus at a predetermined timing. A print control method, comprising dividing print image data rasterized by an acquired band unit. 4. The print control method according to claim 1, wherein the print image data dividing and transferring step includes spooling the print image data divided in band units in page units. A print control method comprising a spooling step. 5. The print control method according to claim 1, wherein the print image data division transfer step includes a compression data generation step of compressing the divided print image data by a predetermined method. A printing control method, comprising: 6. A print control apparatus for executing predetermined data processing on print data associated with a generated print job to generate print image data and transferring the print image data to a connected printing apparatus. A print data input unit for generating print image data in page units based on the print data while inputting print data accompanying the print job when the print job is executed; and When the rasterizing direction of the print image data in page units is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus, the print image data generated by the rasterization is divided into the band directions of the page frame buffer, And a print image data division transfer unit for transferring. Printing control device. 7. A print control program for executing predetermined data processing on print data associated with a generated print job to generate print image data and transferring the print image data to a connected printer. A print data input step of generating print image data in page units based on the print data while the print data is input when the print job is executed, the print data input step including: When the rasterizing direction of the print image data of the page unit generated in the step is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer provided in the printing apparatus, the print image data generated by the rasterization is divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer, Print image data division transfer And a recording medium storing a print control program. 8. When the rasterizing direction of print image data generated by a printing host to be connected is different from the band direction of the page frame buffer, the rasterized print image data is divided in the band direction of the page frame buffer. A printing apparatus for inputting print image data compressed by a predetermined method, wherein the print image data compressed from the print host is stored in a predetermined position of a page frame buffer divided in bands. Print image data storage means for storing, print data restoration and reproduction means for restoring compressed print image data stored in the print image data storage means based on predetermined timing, and reproducing page image data; Restored by print data restoration and playback means And a page image data printing means for executing printing based on the reproduced page image data.