JP2001293936A - Image information processor and method of processing image information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve logical calculation processing among pixels by rasterization in a small region even when a print command is represented by intermediate data. SOLUTION: An image information processor 1 comprises a data extracting means 25 that extracts data in relation to an image element existing in a logical calculation processing region from a data memory means 24 when an image- plotting instruction received from an image forming device 10 requires the logical calculation processing, a rasterizing means 27 that executes only the rasterization of the data in the region extracted by the data extracting means 25, and an ROP processing means 28 that executes the required logical calculation processing by using the data rasterized by the rasterizing means 27.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is capable of interpreting an image drawing command created by an image creating device such as an application program running on a computer by an image output device such as a printer for outputting the image. The present invention relates to a drawing information processing apparatus and a drawing information processing method for converting the data into intermediate data and transmitting the converted data to an image output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of computer technology,
Using a variety of application programs (hereinafter abbreviated as "AP") on a computer to draw characters and graphics, and to print out the drawn content using a printer connected to the computer. Widely used.

[0003] When the contents created on a computer are printed out by a printer, a printer driver operating on the computer is usually started by a print instruction from the AP. Then, the printer driver converts the drawing command generated by the AP into a print command that can be interpreted by the printer, and transfers the print command to the printer, while following the print instruction from the AP. The printer that has received the print command sequentially interprets the print command and converts the print command into a raster, thereby executing print output on paper.

At this time, the drawing command generated by the AP is transmitted to an operating system (Operating System) of the computer.
stem; hereinafter abbreviated as "OS"). Representative examples of the drawing module include GDI (Graphics Device Interface, a trademark of Microsoft Corporation, USA) and QuickDraw (a trademark of Apple Inc., USA).

[0005] These drawing commands include characters to be drawn, figures (graphics), bitmap images (photos and the like).
For each image element (drawing object), different ones are prepared. When a plurality of image elements are drawn at overlapping positions, a logical operation code for instructing a method of superimposing a previously drawn image element and a newly written image element is prepared as attribute information of a drawing command. Have been. Therefore, a device driver such as a printer driver, that is, a device driver for controlling a graphics device such as a printer or a display, interprets these logical operation codes and performs superposition according to the method indicated in the codes. It needs to be processed.

[0006] Such a logical operation for superposition is generally known as so-called ROP (Raster Operation) processing. The ROP process includes an arbitrary color image (hereinafter, referred to as a “destination image”) stored in a drawing destination memory, a bitmap image of an image element to be newly drawn therein (hereinafter, referred to as a “source image”),
Further, in some cases, this is a logical operation between bits using a pattern image that defines a fill pattern of the image element. The user uses a graphical user interface (Graphical User Interface; hereinafter abbreviated as “GUI”) of the AP to perform logical product (AND: a) and logical sum (OR: OR) on bitmap data between these images.
o), exclusive OR (XOR: x), inversion (NOT:
It is possible to specify a logical operation such as n). Moreover, a desired drawing result can be obtained by combining these logical operations. Also, this step of obtaining a desired drawing result can be automatically performed by the AP instead of the user's direct operation using the GUI. When the type of the logical operation is expressed in the reverse Polish format, for example, DPa indicates that a logical product of the destination image and the pattern image is taken. Inevitably, the result is the pixel state of the new destination image in memory.

As is apparent from the above description,
Since these ROP processes assume a raster device such as a display, it is assumed that the previously drawn image element has already been rasterized in the memory. This is exactly the same in a printer, and a logical operation needs to be performed between rasterized data.

However, in the case of a printer, the printer driver receives a drawing command issued from the AP and converts it into a print command that can be interpreted by the printer. Not necessarily. Moreover, there is no guarantee that they will be kept in memory. As the print command, an edge list having information on the start point and the end point of the edge constituting the outline of each image element, a character, a figure,
There are intermediate data such as a page description language (hereinafter abbreviated as “PDL”) in which each image element such as a bitmap image can be freely controlled, and bitmap data in which all image elements are rasterized. Therefore, if the print command is bitmap data, there is no problem because all image elements are rasterized, but if the print command is intermediate data, rasterization of image elements is necessary for ROP processing. Become.

Conventionally, ROP processing when a print command is intermediate data is performed as described below. For example, as an example of a case where the ROP process has already been completed at the stage of a print command output by the printer driver, as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-309917, the entire page or the number of pages within the printer driver is determined. In some cases, ROP processing is performed after rasterizing image elements for the entire band divided into such blocks. Also, as an example of performing the ROP processing on the printer side that has received the print command instead of the printer driver, in a printer that temporarily holds the received print command in an intermediate data format such as an edge list, the page unit or the band unit is used. ROP processing is performed after the intermediate data is rasterized.

[0010]

An advantage of the printer driver receiving the drawing command from the AP generating intermediate data as a print command is that the data amount is smaller than that of bitmap data. . This becomes very noticeable in the case of a color printer, that is, in the case of performing processing on a color image.

However, when the print command is intermediate data as in the above-described prior art, RO
If the intermediate data in the page or band is rasterized in page units or band units in order to perform the P processing, the advantage is completely lost. That is, since the amount of data increases due to rasterization, much time is required for processing in the printer driver, data transfer to the printer, processing in the printer, and the like.

[0012]

The present invention is a drawing information processing apparatus devised to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is, the drawing information processing apparatus according to the present invention converts a drawing command of an image created by an image creating apparatus operating on a computer into intermediate data that can be interpreted by an image output apparatus that outputs the image. A command acquisition unit for sequentially receiving a drawing command from the image creation device, and an image specified by the drawing command received by the command acquisition unit. An instruction analyzing means for determining whether or not a request for a logical operation between a pixel constituting an element and a pixel constituting another image element is provided, and the instruction analyzing means does not require a logical operation processing When determined, a data generation unit that converts the drawing command received by the command acquisition unit into intermediate data for outputting an image element specified by the drawing command; A data storage means for storing storing intermediate data converted by the serial data generating means, when said instruction analyzing means determines that a request for the logical operation,
Data extraction means for extracting data on image elements existing in an area where the logical operation processing is required from the data storage means, and rasterizing means for rasterizing only the data in the area extracted by the data extraction means When,
ROP processing means for executing logical operation processing required by the drawing command received by the instruction acquisition means using the data after rasterization by the rasterizing means; A data transmission unit for transferring the rasterized data and the intermediate data of the image element existing outside the area to the image output device for each predetermined unit.

[0013] The drawing information processing method according to the present invention comprises:
Drawing information for converting an image drawing command created by an image creating device operating on a computer into intermediate data that can be interpreted by an image output device that outputs the image, and transferring the intermediate data to the image output device A processing method, comprising sequentially receiving a drawing command from the image forming apparatus, wherein the received drawing command performs a logical operation process between a pixel forming an image element specified by the drawing command and a pixel forming another image element. Is determined, and if the result of the determination is that the logical operation processing is not required, the received drawing command is converted to an intermediate image for drawing the image element specified by the drawing command. If it is converted into data and stored, and if the result of the determination is that the logical operation processing is required, the image element existing in the area where the logical operation processing is required is determined. All of the data is extracted from the stored data and is rasterized, and using the data after the rasterization, a logical operation process requested by the received drawing command is executed, and the logical operation is performed. Rasterized data of the processed area and intermediate data of image elements existing outside the area are transferred to the image output device for each predetermined unit.

In the drawing information processing apparatus having the above configuration and the drawing information processing method having the above procedure, if the received drawing command requests a logical operation process between pixels (a so-called ROP process), the processing is requested. Rasterization is performed only for the area. That is, outside the requested area,
Do not rasterize and leave the intermediate data. for that reason,
Even when the requested logical operation is performed, the data amount does not increase more than necessary.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A drawing information processing apparatus and a drawing information processing method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] Here, the drawing information processing apparatus according to the first, second, fourth and sixth aspects and the invention according to the tenth, eleventh, thirteenth and fifteenth aspects will be described. The drawing information processing method will be described.

First, a schematic configuration of a drawing information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment and an image forming system using the drawing information processing apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of a drawing information processing apparatus and an image forming system according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the image forming system according to the present embodiment includes a drawing information processing apparatus 1 and an image forming apparatus 2, which are connected via an interface for transmitting and receiving a print command. They are connected by a transmission line.

The drawing information processing apparatus 1 includes, for example, a CPU
(Central Processing Unit) and a personal computer with built-in hardware such as a memory, etc., as well as an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display device such as a CRT, a hard disk and a CD.
-An external storage device such as a ROM is connected. Further, on the drawing information processing apparatus 1, a predetermined AP 10, a printer driver 20, and an OS (not shown) can operate.

The AP 10 creates an image composed of characters, figures, and the like in accordance with an instruction from a user who operates the input device, and creates a drawing command for drawing the image. That is, the AP 10 has a function as a drawing command generation unit 11 for generating a drawing command.

The printer driver 20 includes the image forming apparatus 2
Provided with the image forming apparatus 2
Is used to associate the data format used in the above with the drawing information processing apparatus 1. Specifically, AP
The print command is received from the printer 10, a predetermined process is performed on the draw command, a print command is generated, and the print command is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 2. To this end, the printer driver 20 includes a drawing command input unit 21, a drawing command analysis unit 22, a print command generation unit 23, a print command storage unit 24, a print command extraction unit 25, and an extracted print command division unit, as described in detail later. 26, a rasterizing unit 27, a ROP processing unit 28, and a print command transmitting unit 29.

The OS controls and manages the AP 10, the printer driver 20, and the hardware, input device, display device, external storage device, and the like included in the drawing information processing device 1.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 2 receives a print command sent from the drawing information processing apparatus 1 via a transmission path, and forms a visible image on a recording medium such as paper based on the received print command. Is what you do. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 2, the print command receiving unit 3
1 and functions as the image forming unit 32, and control hardware for controlling these functions.

Of these, the print command receiving unit 3
1 includes an interpreter unit that operates on the image forming apparatus 2. The interpreter unit interprets the drawing command included in the print command that has arrived at the image forming apparatus 2, and performs processing corresponding to each of a character, a figure, and an image according to the result of the interpretation.
2 is instructed.

The image forming section 32 includes an imager section,
It includes a renderer, a page memory, and a printer engine. The imager unit draws an image according to an instruction from the interpreter unit, and the renderer unit
The image drawn by the imager unit is rasterized, and the rasterized image is stored in a page memory. When a color image is formed, the renderer unit rasterizes an image for each of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) and stores the rasterized image in a page memory. And
The printer engine forms a visible image on a recording medium based on the rasterized data stored in the page memory. This printer engine may be one that forms an image by an electrophotographic method or one that forms an image by a laser method.

In the image forming system having such a configuration, when a user creates an image such as a document on the AP 10, the user can use a GUI to arbitrarily display image elements such as characters, graphics, and images on the screen. To place. At this time, these image elements may overlap each other,
It is possible to create a translucent state by specifying transparency. If the image element created in this way is to be printed out according to a user's instruction, A
P10 performs drawing using a drawing function of the OS, instead of a drawing command depending on the type of the image forming apparatus 2 (model of the output device). As a result, the AP 10 can perform device-independent drawing without strongly considering the output device. Therefore, the printer driver 20 that receives these drawing commands needs to generate device-dependent print commands and output those print commands to the image forming apparatus 2.

Here, generation of a print command by the printer driver 20 will be described. First, an outline of print command generation by the printer driver 20 will be briefly described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a print command generation procedure according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the generated print command.

As shown in FIG. 2, when a drawing command is sent from the AP 10, the printer driver 20 receives the drawing command at the drawing command input unit 21 (step 10).
1. Hereinafter, the steps are abbreviated as “S”), and after a rendering command analysis unit 22 analyzes a rendering command as described later (S102), a print command generation unit 23 sequentially generates a print command from the rendering command. Yes (S10
3). At this time, the print command generator 23 generates an edge list as a print command.

As shown in FIG. 3, the edge list is a list in which the boundaries (contours) of the image elements specified by the drawing command on the scanning line are detected, and the coordinates of the start point and the end point are expressed as a list. is there. The area between the start and end points is
For text and graphics, the color used for filling is specified separately. In the case of an image, the drawing area is defined as an edge list, and image data to be pasted therein is specified separately.

When such an edge list is generated, in the printer driver 20, the print command storage unit 24 temporarily stores (spools) the edge list as intermediate data as shown in FIG. 2 (S104). Then, at the time when data of a predetermined output unit, for example, output unit such as each band or page which divides each page of the print document into a specific unit is prepared (S105), the print command transmission unit 29 of the printer driver 20 The output unit data is transferred to the image forming apparatus 2 as a print command (S106).

By the way, in the series of processes described above, A
From P10, a drawing command for requesting ROP processing for an overlap with a previously drawn image element may be issued. In order to respond to such a drawing command, the printer driver 20 determines whether the drawing command is a command for ROP processing when the drawing command analysis unit 22 analyzes the drawing command (S102). . This determination is made by the drawing command analysis unit 22 with reference to the attribute information included in the drawing command. Then, as a result of this determination, in the case of a drawing command that does not require the ROP processing, or a processing in which the ROP processing is simply overwritten, the print command generation unit 2
3 directly generates an edge list from the drawing command. However, when it is determined that the ROP processing is necessary, the printer driver 20 executes the requested ROP processing as described below (S200).

Next, the ROP process (the process of S200 in FIG. 2) performed by the printer driver 20, which is a feature of the present embodiment, will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the ROP processing according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the division of the print command, and FIG. 6 is an overview of the ROP processing according to the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows a specific example.

As shown in FIG. 4, the drawing command analyzing unit 22
When it is determined that the ROP processing is necessary, the area where the ROP processing is requested (hereinafter referred to as “R
OP region) is specified (S201). Usually R
Since the image data serving as the source image when performing the OP processing is rectangular, the ROP area in this case is also a rectangular area.

When the ROP area is specified, the print command extracting unit 25 then prints the print command storage unit 2
Then, an edge list included in the ROP area, that is, an edge list of image elements existing in the ROP area, is extracted from the edge list information already spooled in No. 4 (S202). Then, the print command extracting unit 25 determines whether or not both the start point and the end point of the edge are included in the ROP area in the extracted edge list. That is, the print command extraction unit 25
The entire image element related to the extracted edge list is ROP
It is determined whether it exists in the area (S203).

When both the start point and the end point of the edge are included in the ROP area, the entire image element relating to the extracted edge list exists in the ROP area. The list is rasterized (S204). As a result, a destination image for performing the ROP process is formed.

On the other hand, if at least one of the start point and the end point of the edge is outside the ROP area, the image element relating to the extracted edge list is out of the ROP area. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, a case where a rectangular translucent image 42 is superimposed on a linear graphic 41 and the case where the graphic 41 is larger than the translucent image 42 corresponds to this. I do. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, since the ROP area 43 has the same rectangular shape as the outer shape of the translucent image 42, a part of the graphic 41 protrudes from the ROP area.

Therefore, if at least one of the start point and the end point of the edge is outside the ROP area, as shown in FIG. 4, the edge list extracted by the print command extraction unit 25 is extracted by the extraction print command division unit 26 into the ROP area. The area is divided into an inner edge list and an outer edge list (S205). Then, the rasterizing unit 27 rasterizes only the inner edge list (S206, S20).
4). At this time, the outer edge list is spooled again in the print command storage unit 24 as intermediate data (S207, S208). As a result, a destination image is formed only inside the ROP area.

When all of the extracted edge lists are rasterized in this way, the ROP processing unit 28 specifies the destination image formed by the rasterization and the drawing command for which the ROP processing is requested. The source image, which is an image obtained by rasterizing the image elements to be processed, and a designated pattern image in some cases,
ROP processing is performed to overlap each other (S20)
9).

For example, consider a case in which a ROP process is required to superimpose a translucent image 51 as shown in FIG. 6A on the image element shown in FIG. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6B, the source image 52 at the time of performing the ROP processing becomes the translucent image 51. On the other hand, in the destination image 53 at the time of performing the ROP processing, since the ROP area has the same rectangular shape as the outer shape of the translucent image 51, of the image elements shown in FIG.
Only the portion existing in the ROP area is obtained. That is, after the extraction by the print command extraction unit 25 and the division by the extracted print command division unit 26,
Only the portion existing in the OP area is rasterized by the rasterizing section 27 to be a destination image 53.

As a result, when the ROP processing section 28 performs the ROP processing, the ROP processing section 28 obtains an ROP processed image 54 which is an image obtained by superimposing the source image 52 and the destination image 53. It will be. The image data of the post-ROP image 54 generated by the ROP processing is edge-listed as an image drawing command in the print command generation unit 23 and spooled in the print command storage unit 24. The print command storage unit 2
In FIG. 4, the edge list of the portion 55 existing outside the ROP area after the extraction of the destination image 53 as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the print command storage unit 24
When the data of the predetermined output unit is prepared in the print unit, the print command transmitting unit 29 specifies the edge list state of the output unit outside the ROP area and specifies the position of the ROP area in the ROP area. These are transferred to the image forming apparatus 2 as a print command in a state of an edge list for rasterizing and rasterized data corresponding to the image in the ROP area.

As described above, according to the drawing information processing apparatus 1 and the drawing information processing method executed by the drawing information processing apparatus 1 in this embodiment, when performing the ROP processing, rasterization is performed only within the ROP area. As a result, a destination image required for the ROP processing is obtained. That is, outside the ROP area,
Do not rasterize, leave the edge list. Therefore, even when ROP processing is requested, the RO
The P processing can be realized by rasterizing a smaller area, and rasterization in units of pages or bands is not required. Therefore, the amount of data output from the printer driver 20 can be reduced as compared with the related art. As a result, the time required for the processing in the printer driver 20, the data transfer to the image forming apparatus 2, the processing in the image forming apparatus 2, and the like are reduced, and as a result, the printing processing time of the entire image forming system is greatly reduced. Can be reduced to

In the drawing information processing apparatus 1 and the drawing information processing method of the present embodiment, an edge list, which is a kind of intermediate data, is generated as a print command to be transferred to the image forming apparatus 2. Therefore, even in the case of supporting a color image in particular, the data amount does not increase as in the case of bitmap data, and is very suitable for reducing the printing processing time of the entire image forming system. Become.

Further, the drawing information processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment
In the drawing information processing method, the extracted print command dividing unit 26 divides an image element that is out of the ROP area into the inside and outside of the ROP area. As a result, no matter what kind of ROP processing is performed, rasterization can be performed only in the ROP area. Is effective.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a drawing information processing apparatus according to the third and fifth aspects of the present invention and a drawing information processing method according to the twelfth and fourteenth aspects will be described. . However, here, differences from the above-described first embodiment will be mainly described.

The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the printer driver 20 generates a print command based on PDL instead of an edge list. That is, in the present embodiment, in the printer driver 20, when the drawing command input unit 21 receives a drawing command from the AP 10, the drawing command analyzing unit 22 analyzes the drawing command and then sequentially prints the print command generating unit 23. Generates a print command based on the PDL.

The print command used in the PDL includes a drawing command for expressing a character, a figure, an image, or the like at an arbitrary position in a page in an arbitrary order. That is, PD
The print command based on L is composed of a group of commands converted into PDL drawing commands that can freely control characters, figures, images, and the like. Note that there are many types of PDL, including, for example, PostScript by Adobe in the United States, and which type of PDL is used is predetermined for each model of the image forming apparatus 2. And

After the print command generation unit 23 generates a print command based on PDL, the print command storage unit 24 stores the print command based on the PDL as intermediate data, as in the case of the first embodiment. Temporarily spool in output units for each band or page. Then, when the data of the output unit is completed, the printer driver 20 outputs the print command to the image forming apparatus 2.

In this series of processing, a bitmap drawing command for requesting ROP processing for an overlap with a previously drawn image element may be issued. In this embodiment, too, a bitmap drawing command is issued. The processing is performed in substantially the same manner as in the case. That is, first, the drawing command analyzer 22 determines whether the drawing command is a command for requesting the ROP process.
In the case of a drawing command that does not require the ROP process or a process in which the ROP process is simply overwritten, a print command based on the PDL is generated by the print command generating unit 23 as it is. On the other hand, when it is determined that the ROP process is necessary, the drawing command analyzing unit 22 performs the ROP process based on the attribute information included in the drawing command.
Identify the area. Usually, since the image data serving as the source image is rectangular, the ROP area in this case is also a rectangular area.

When the ROP area is specified, the print command extracting section 25 then sends the print command storage section 2
Then, a print command included in the ROP area is extracted from the print commands stored in No.4. The extracted print command is output to the extracted print command dividing unit 26.
In, the image element included in the ROP area and the outer image element are divided, and only the inner image element is rasterized by the rasterizing unit 27 to form a destination image. The outer image element is stored in the print command storage unit 24 again as intermediate data. When all of the extracted print commands are rasterized, ROP processing is performed in the ROP processing unit 28 between the source image and, in some cases, the designated pattern image. The image data generated here is used to generate a print command as an image drawing command in the print command generation unit 23 and stored in the print command storage unit 24.

Therefore, also in this embodiment, the first
As in the case of the first embodiment, the rasterization is performed only in the ROP area, and the print command by the PDL is not rasterized outside the ROP area and remains as it is.
ROP processing can be realized by rasterizing a smaller area, which enables a reduction in data amount, a reduction in print processing time, and the like.

In this embodiment, as a print command to be transferred to the image forming apparatus 2, an instruction group based on PDL, which is a kind of intermediate data, is generated.
Therefore, even in the case of supporting a color image in particular, the data amount does not increase as in the case of bitmap data, and is very suitable for reducing the printing processing time of the entire image forming system. Become.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a drawing information processing apparatus according to the present invention and a drawing information processing method according to the present invention will be described. However, also here, differences from the above-described first or second embodiment will be mainly described.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the ROP area in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the ROP area specified by the drawing command analysis unit 22 is the first or second ROP area.
This is different from the embodiment. That is, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7B, when the image element specified by the drawing command for which the ROP process is requested from the AP 10 is not a rectangle but has another arbitrary shape 61, the drawing command analyzing unit 22 determines in FIG. As shown, the circumscribed rectangle 62 of the arbitrary shape is obtained, and the circumscribed rectangle 62 is set as a ROP area to be passed to the print command extraction unit 25. The circumscribed rectangle 6 at this time
2 may be obtained by using a known technique. Therefore, the description is omitted here.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the image element serving as the source image in the ROP processing is not a rectangle but another arbitrary shape, the circumscribed rectangle of the arbitrary shape is represented by R
This is an OP area. Therefore, no matter what kind of image element corresponds to the ROP processing, rasterization can be performed only in the ROP area. The print processing time is effectively reduced.

[Fourth Embodiment] Next, a drawing information processing apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention and a drawing information processing method according to a seventeenth aspect will be described. However, also here, differences from the above-described first, second, or third embodiment will be mainly described.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the ROP area in the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, a case where the print command extracting unit 25 extracts image data from the print command storage unit 24 when performing the ROP process will be described. Image elements such as photographs and ROP areas that have already undergone ROP processing (hereinafter collectively referred to as “images”) are already rasterized when spooled as print commands in the print command storage unit 24. ing.

Therefore, the print command storage unit 24
When the image spooled in the destination is used as the destination image, the rasterizing unit 27 does not need to perform rasterization again. However, since the image has already been rasterized, the entire image 71 to be extracted does not exist in the ROP area 72 as shown in FIG. Even in this case, the extracted print command dividing unit 26 does not perform the division. That is, the print command extraction unit 25 determines that even if only a part of the image 71 is included in the ROP area 72 specified by the drawing command analysis unit 22,
The extracted print command dividing unit 26 extracts the entire raster data without dividing the raster data of the image 71, and sets the extracted raster data as a destination image. The ROP area at this time is as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the circumscribed rectangle 73 of both the ROP area 72 specified by the drawing command analysis unit 22 and the entire extracted image 71 is newly specified.

As described above, in this embodiment, if the data to be extracted from the print command storage unit 24 represents a raster image, the entire raster image overlapping the ROP area is extracted. Therefore, even when the part other than the ROP area in the drawing command analysis unit 22 and the print command stored in the print command storage unit 24 overlap the area of the extracted image, Consistency can be maintained. Furthermore, usually, the division of rasterized image data often involves complicated processing, but extracting the entire raster image can solve the complexity. Further, since the raster image is already rasterized data, even if the entire raster image is extracted, there is no possibility that a large increase in data amount is caused.

However, instead of extracting the entire raster image as in this embodiment, a drawing information processing apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the present invention or a drawing information processing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention. It goes without saying that only a part of the raster image existing in the ROP area specified by the drawing command analysis unit 22 may be extracted. In this case, the processing is performed on the raster image in substantially the same manner as in the first, second, or third embodiment. That is, even in this case, it is possible to realize the ROP processing by rasterizing a smaller area than in the related art.

[0061]

As described above, according to the drawing information processing apparatus and the drawing information processing method of the present invention, even if a print command is represented by intermediate data, a logical operation process between pixels is performed. Can be realized by rasterizing a smaller area, so that the data amount can be reduced as compared with the related art, and the print processing time of the entire system can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a drawing information processing apparatus according to the present invention and an image forming system using the drawing information processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print command generation procedure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of a print command generated in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of a ROP process according to the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams showing a specific example of print command division according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an image element to be subjected to ROP processing, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a ROP area.

6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams showing a specific example of an outline of ROP processing according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 6A is a diagram showing image elements to be subjected to ROP processing, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a source image, a destination image, and FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating an image after the ROP processing, and FIG.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a specific example of a ROP area according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 7A illustrates an image element to be subjected to ROP processing, and FIG. FIG.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams showing a specific example of a ROP area according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 8A shows an image element to be subjected to ROP processing, and FIG. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Drawing information processing apparatus, 2 ... Image forming apparatus, 10 ... A
P, 20: printer driver, 21: drawing command input unit,
Reference numeral 22: drawing command analysis unit, 23: print command generation unit, 24: print command storage unit, 25: print command extraction unit, 26: extraction print command division unit, 2
7. Rasterizing unit, 28 ROP processing unit, 29 Print command transmitting unit

Claims (18)

[Claims] An image output device that converts an image drawing command created by an image creating device operating on a computer into intermediate data that can be interpreted by an image output device that outputs the image, and converts the intermediate data into intermediate data. A command processing unit for sequentially receiving a drawing command from the image creation device, and the drawing command received by the command obtaining unit constitutes an image element specified by the drawing command. Command analysis means for determining whether or not a request is made for a logical operation between a pixel and a pixel constituting another image element; and when the command analysis means determines that the request does not require a logical operation, A data generation unit configured to convert the drawing command received by the command acquisition unit into intermediate data for outputting an image element specified by the drawing command; Data storage means for storing intermediate data after the conversion by the stage, and when the instruction analysis means determines that the logical operation processing is requested, the image element existing in the area where the logical operation processing is required Data extracting means for extracting the data from the data storage means, rasterizing means for rasterizing only the data in the area extracted by the data extracting means, and using the data after rasterization by the rasterizing means, ROP processing means for executing logical operation processing required by the drawing command received by the acquisition means; rasterized data of an area on which logical operation processing has been performed by the ROP processing means; and image elements existing outside the area. Data transmission means for transferring the intermediate data of the image data to the image output device for each predetermined unit. Drawing information processing apparatus according to symptoms. 2. The intermediate data generated by the data generating means comprises a list having information on a start point and an end point of an edge constituting an outline of an image element specified by a drawing command. 1. The drawing information processing apparatus according to 1. 3. The drawing information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate data generated by the data generation means includes a group of instructions described in a predetermined type of page description language. 4. When a start point and an end point of an edge exist both inside and outside a region where a logical operation process is performed, information on the edge is divided and only a portion existing in the region is determined. 3. The drawing information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an edge information dividing unit for causing the data extracting unit to extract. 5. When an image element specified by an instruction described in a page description language exists over both inside and outside a region where logical operation processing is performed, an instruction relating to the image element is divided, 4. The drawing information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising edge information dividing means for causing the data extracting means to extract only a portion existing in the area. 6. The data extracting means according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the image element specified by the drawing command is an area for performing a logical operation process requested by the drawing command.
6. The drawing information processing apparatus according to 2, 3, 4, or 5. 7. The data extracting means according to claim 1, wherein a circumscribed rectangle of the image element specified by the drawing command is set as an area for performing a logical operation requested by the drawing command. Or the drawing information processing apparatus according to 5. 8. When the data to be extracted from the data storage means represents a raster image, the data extracting means extracts the entire raster image overlapping with the region for performing the logical operation processing. Claims 1, 2,
The drawing information processing apparatus according to 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. 9. When the data to be extracted from the data storage means represents a raster image, the data extracting means extracts only a portion of the data which overlaps a region where a logical operation process is performed. Claim 1,
8. The drawing information processing apparatus according to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. 10. An image drawing command created by an image creating device that operates on a computer is converted into intermediate data that can be interpreted by an image output device that outputs the image.
A drawing information processing method for transferring the drawing command to the image output device, wherein the drawing command is sequentially received from the image creating device, and the received drawing command includes a pixel constituting an image element specified by the drawing command and another pixel. It is determined whether or not a request for a logical operation with the pixels constituting the image element is made. If the result of the determination is that the logical operation is not requested, the received drawing command is determined by the drawing command. The specified image element is converted into intermediate data for drawing and stored and stored. If the result of the determination is that the logical operation processing is required, the logical element exists in the area where the logical operation processing is required. The data on the image element to be extracted is extracted from the data already stored and rasterized, and the rasterized data is used. Performing logical operation processing, and transferring the rasterized data of the area subjected to the logical operation processing and intermediate data of image elements existing outside the area to the image output device in predetermined units. Drawing information processing method. 11. The drawing information according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate data comprises a list having information on a start point and an end point of an edge constituting an outline of an image element specified by the drawing command. Processing method. 12. The drawing information processing method according to claim 10, wherein said intermediate data comprises a group of instructions described in a predetermined type of page description language. 13. When the start point and the end point of an edge exist both inside and outside a region where logical operation processing is performed, information on the edge is divided and only a portion existing in the region is determined. The drawing information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the drawing information is extracted. 14. When an image element specified by an instruction described in a page description language exists both inside and outside a region where logical operation processing is performed, an instruction relating to the image element is divided, 13. The drawing information processing method according to claim 12, wherein only a portion existing in the area is extracted. 15. A drawing information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the area where the logical operation processing is performed has a shape of an image element specified by a drawing command requesting the logical operation processing. Method. 16. An area in which a logical operation process is performed is a circumscribed rectangle of an image element specified by a rendering command requesting the logical operation process.
15. The drawing information processing method according to 3 or 14. 17. When the data to be extracted represents a raster image, the entire raster image overlapping with the region to be subjected to the logical operation processing is extracted. , 15 or 16. 18. When the data to be extracted represents a raster image, only a portion of the data which overlaps with a region where a logical operation process is performed is extracted. 14. The drawing information processing method according to 14, 15, or 16.