JP2004174756A - Layout processor and processing method, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance throughput in image formation or printing when an image is generated or printed based on a document described by a structured tag language, e.g. XHTML. <P>SOLUTION: A layout processor and an image generating means are provided. The layout processor comprises a means for analyzing a document described by a structured tag language and extracting an object constituting an image, a means for determining the coordinate position in the image of each object, and a means for determining the order of respective objects when they are arranged in a specified direction based on the coordinate position of each object and outputting the information of each object including the coordinate position according to that order. The image generating means generates a partial image for an area on this side in the specified direction of the coordinate position included in the object information in the receiving order thereof. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for analyzing a document described in a structured tag language to generate an image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When an image is generated (for example, printed) based on a document described in a structured tag language such as XHTML or the like, first, the document is analyzed and objects (drawing elements: text, image, line, etc.) constituting an image to be printed are first analyzed. ) Is extracted (analysis task), then the objects are laid out for each page to determine the coordinate position in the image (layout task), and printing is performed based on the coordinate position of each object (print task). A framework is adopted (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-91726 [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer supporting XHTML or the like often adopts a configuration in which a layout task transfers a coordinate position of an object to a print task in accordance with an appearance order (extraction order) of objects in a document.
[0004]
However, the appearance order (extraction order) of the objects in the document does not always match the printing order of the objects in the print task. For example, when tags such as position, margin, counter, line-height, and img are present, the document contains Thus, a situation may occur in which objects appearing later are printed first on the page.
[0005]
Therefore, in the above-described conventional configuration, there is a problem that the printing task cannot determine the printing order of the objects in page units unless the printing task has acquired the coordinates of all the objects in the page. This means that image generation and printing cannot be started until the coordinates of all objects have been acquired for each page, which has been a major factor in lowering the throughput of printing and the like.
[0006]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem and improve the throughput of printing and the like.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The layout processing apparatus of the present invention analyzes a document described in a structured tag language, extracts an object constituting an image, determines a coordinate position of each object in an image, and coordinates of each object. Object information output means for determining the order in which the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction based on the position, and outputting information of each object including the coordinate position according to the order.
[0008]
By using the layout processing device having such a configuration, when an image is generated based on the output result of the layout processing device, the region up to the coordinate position of the received object information operates as if the content of the image is determined. It becomes possible. As a result, it is possible to partially generate an image in advance for an area where the image content is determined without waiting for the information of all objects constituting the image to be received, thereby increasing the throughput relating to the image generation. Can be improved.
[0009]
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: the layout processing apparatus according to the present invention; and an image generating unit that generates an image based on the object information received from the object information output unit, wherein the image generating unit receives the object information. It is characterized in that partial images are sequentially generated for an area in the predetermined direction before the coordinate position included in the object information.
[0010]
According to this configuration, the image generating unit can operate assuming that the area up to the coordinate position of the received object information has determined the content of the image. As a result, it is possible to partially generate an image in advance for an area where the image content is determined without waiting for the information of all objects constituting the image to be received, thereby increasing the throughput relating to the image generation. Can be improved.
[0011]
In addition, since the object information and images used for generation can be managed in units generated partially, the buffer use efficiency can be greatly improved, and the memory required for the buffer can be reduced. Thus, costs and the like can be suppressed.
[0012]
The image forming apparatus according to the present invention further includes a layout processing apparatus according to the present invention, instruction means for outputting a command for designating an image by designating a coordinate position, and the instruction based on the object information received from the object information output means. Image generation means for partially generating an image up to a coordinate position specified by a command from the means, wherein the instruction means outputs the object information already output by the output means, or the output means outputs next. The command is output by specifying a coordinate position included in the object information.
[0013]
According to such a configuration, the image generating unit can partially generate an image in advance of an area up to the coordinate position designated by the instruction command without waiting for receiving information on all objects forming the image. This makes it possible to greatly improve the throughput related to image generation.
[0014]
Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention receives, from the layout processing system, object information including a coordinate position in accordance with the order in which the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction, and generates an image based on the information. An image forming apparatus configured to generate partial images of an area in a predetermined direction before a coordinate position included in the object information in the order in which the object information is received.
[0015]
According to this configuration, the image forming apparatus can operate assuming that the area up to the coordinate position of the received object information has determined the content of the image. As a result, it is possible to partially generate an image in advance for an area where the image content is determined without waiting for the information of all objects constituting the image to be received, thereby increasing the throughput relating to the image generation. Can be improved.
[0016]
Preferably, the order in which the images are arranged in the predetermined direction is an order in which print images are generated or an order in which print images are printed on a recording medium.
[0017]
Preferably, the generation of the image by the image generation means includes generation of a print image in an image buffer and / or printing on a recording medium.
[0018]
A layout processing method according to the present invention analyzes a document described in a structured tag language, extracts objects constituting an image, determines a coordinate position of each object in an image, and coordinates of each object. An object information output step of determining an order when the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction based on the position, and outputting information of each object including a coordinate position according to the order.
[0019]
Further, the image forming method of the present invention analyzes a document described in a structured tag language and extracts objects constituting an image, a step of determining a coordinate position in the image for each object, a step of An object information output step of determining an order when each object is arranged in a predetermined direction based on the coordinate position, and outputting information of each object including the coordinate position according to the order; and object information output by the object information output step. An image generation step of generating an image based on the object information, in the order in which the object information is received, generating a partial image for a region in the predetermined direction before the coordinate position included in the object information. Features.
[0020]
A program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute each step of the layout processing method or the image forming method according to the present invention. The program of the present invention can be installed or loaded on a computer through various recording media such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, and a semiconductor memory, or via a communication network.
[0021]
In this specification, “means” does not simply mean physical means, but also includes a case where functions of the “means” are realized by software. Further, the function of one “means” may be realized by two or more physical means, or the functions of two or more “means” may be realized by one physical means.
[0022]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the printer 1 according to the present embodiment.
[0023]
The printer 1 includes a paper feed mechanism 10 for feeding paper into the printer, a print engine 11 for printing, and a power mechanism 2 including a paper discharge mechanism 12 for discharging paper to the outside of the printer. The print engine 11 includes a paper feed mechanism, a carriage mechanism, a print head, and the like.
[0024]
As the print engine 11, various print engines such as an ink-jet printer and a thermal transfer printer, which correspond to a serial printer that prints in one-character units, a line printer that prints in one-line units, and the like can be used.
[0025]
The power mechanism 2 is controlled by the CPU (processor) 13, the ROM 14, the RAM 15, the LCD panel and LCD controller 16, a wireless communication interface (such as a Bluetooth IF) 17, a wired communication interface 18, and the like. The information processing unit 3. The CPU 13 is configured to be able to access each of the units 14 to 18 via an internal bus, and to transmit data from a terminal device such as a digital camera or a host device such as a personal computer via the wireless communication interface 17 and / or the wired communication interface 18. In accordance with the received print job, the power mechanism 2 is controlled to actually perform a printing operation (hereinafter, a device that transmits a print job is referred to as a client device).
[0026]
The configuration and operation of the power mechanism unit 2 and the information processing unit 3 are basically the same as the configuration and operation of the conventional printer. For example, the printer 1 receives a document (including a CSS file) described in a structured tag language such as XHTML as a print job (reception task), analyzes the received task, and extracts an object constituting an image ( An analysis task), a function of determining the coordinate position of each object in the image (layout task), and executing printing based on the object information including the coordinate position (print task).
[0027]
However, the layout task of the printer 1 determines the coordinate positions of the objects, and then determines the order in which the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction (for example, the sub-scanning direction when printing) based on the coordinate positions of the objects. It differs from the conventional configuration in that it has a function of determining and outputting information of each object including the coordinate position to the print task in accordance with the order.
[0028]
FIG. 2 shows a main functional configuration diagram of the information processing unit 3. As shown in the figure, the information processing unit 3 includes a receiving system 20, a layout system 30, and a printing system 40. The receiving system 20 includes a receiving unit 21, a receiving buffer 22, and the like. The layout system 30 includes an analyzing unit 31, a layout determining unit 32, an object information output unit 33, and the like. It comprises an object information receiving unit 41, an image generating unit 42, a print control unit 43, an object information storage buffer 44, an image buffer 45, and the like.
[0029]
The information processing section 3 may include image processing (image decompression processing, size conversion processing, noise removal processing, and the like) included in a general printer, in addition to the above-described units.
[0030]
Each unit included in the information processing unit 3 is functionally realized by the CPU 13 executing an application program stored in the ROM 14 or the RAM 15. It is desirable that the CPU 13 executes a program for realizing each unit on the real-time multitask OS.
[0031]
The function means realized by executing the application program as described above can be grasped as a task (or a process). That is, the reception unit, the analysis unit, the layout determination unit, the object information output unit, the object information reception unit, the image generation unit, and the print control unit are respectively a reception task, an analysis task, and a layout determination task executed in the information processing unit 3. , An object information output task, an object information reception task, an image generation task, and a print control task. Hereinafter, "means" and "tasks" are collectively described as "tasks" unless it is particularly necessary to distinguish between them.
[0032]
The operation of each means will be described below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Note that each step (including partial steps without reference numerals) can be executed in an arbitrary order or in parallel without changing the processing contents.
[0033]
The reception task 21 receives a document described in, for example, XHTML from the client device via the network, and stores the document in the reception buffer 22.
[0034]
The analysis task 31 reads a document from the reception buffer, analyzes the document structure, and extracts objects (drawing elements; text, image, border, etc.) included in the document (S100). The analysis task 31 can be configured in the same manner as a conventional XHTML-compatible printer.
[0035]
The layout task 32 determines the coordinate position of each object constituting an image to be printed for each page based on the extracted object information and layout information (such as a CSS file) (S101).
[0036]
Here, a page is a generation unit (printing unit) of an image, and for example, in the case of printing on paper, corresponds to an image of one sheet.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 7, the coordinate position of the object has the origin at the upper left of the image (scanning start position), the right direction (main scanning direction) when printing, and the lower direction (sub scanning direction; paper). When the (feeding direction) is set to the + Y direction, the coordinates can be specified as the coordinates of the minimum rectangular area including the object.
[0038]
It should be noted that the layout task 32 can be configured in the same manner as that provided in a conventional XHTML-compatible printer.
[0039]
The object information output task 33 determines the order when each object is arranged in a predetermined direction for each page based on the coordinate position of each object constituting the image, and outputs information of each object including the coordinate position according to the order. The information is output to the information receiving means 40 (S102).
[0040]
Here, the order in which the print images are arranged in the predetermined direction is the order in which the print engineer 40 generates print images, or the order in which the print engine 11 prints on a recording medium such as paper. Therefore, in general, the predetermined direction is a downward direction (sub-scanning direction), and when the objects are arranged in a downward direction, the order of the upper vertex (upper left coordinate) closer to the origin among the four vertex coordinates of the object area is Or upper right coordinates) in the order of ascending downwards. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the order when the text object 100, the image object 101, the border object 102, the text object 103, and the image object 104 are arranged in the downward direction is 101, 100, 102, 103, 104. .
[0041]
Various well-known sorting algorithms can be used as the algorithm for determining the order. However, it suffices if the processing is for determining the order, and it is not always necessary to actually rearrange the order.
[0042]
In the case of a text object, the object information output by the object information output task 33 includes information such as a drawing command, font information (font type, size, color, etc.), character code, and coordinate position of the object. In the case of an image object, the information includes information such as a drawing command, a storage location of the image, an output size of the image, and a coordinate position of the object. In the case of a border object, the information includes a drawing command, a line type (solid line, broken line, etc.), color, thickness, coordinate position of the object, and the like.
[0043]
The object information reception task 41 monitors that object information has been sent from the object information output task 33 (S200), and when sent, stores it in the object information storage buffer 44 (S201).
[0044]
Next, the object information reception task 41 extracts a coordinate position (coordinates used as a reference when determining the output order) from the received object information and stores the extracted coordinates as image generation boundary coordinates (S202).
[0045]
Next, the object information reception task 41 determines whether or not all the object information for one page has been received (S203), and if received, initializes the image generation boundary coordinates to 0 and returns to S200 (S204). Otherwise, the process returns to S200.
[0046]
The image generation task 42 monitors that the image generation boundary coordinates are updated, and when the coordinates are updated, proceeds to S301 (S300).
[0047]
The image generation task 42 determines whether or not (lower coordinates of the area where the print image has been generated in the page) <(updated image generation boundary coordinates) holds (S301), that is, the updated image. It is determined whether there is an area (a non-generated area) in which the print image has not yet been generated in the area below the generation boundary coordinates, and if it is satisfied (there is an ungenerated area), the process proceeds to S302.
[0048]
The image generation task 42 reads necessary object information from the object information storage buffer 44, partially generates a print image for an ungenerated area, and stores the print image in the image buffer 45 (S302).
[0049]
Next, the image generation task 42 releases the object information stored in the object information storage buffer 44 for which print image generation has been completed from the buffer, and then returns to S300 (S303).
[0050]
The print control task 51 determines whether there is an unprinted print image in the image buffer 45, and if so, proceeds to S401 (S400).
[0051]
The print control task 51 executes a print control process (S401). For example, predetermined instructions (print request, paper feed request, paper feed / discharge request, etc.) are output to the print engine 11 and the like, and an unprinted print image is transferred from the image buffer 45 to the print engine 11, Printing on a recording medium such as paper is executed while controlling the print engine 11 (S401).
[0052]
Next, the print control task 51 releases, from the image buffer 45, the print image that has been printed out of the print images stored in the image buffer 45, and then returns to S400 (S402).
[0053]
As described above, in the present embodiment, based on the coordinate position of each object information, the print engineer 40 generates the print image in accordance with the order in which the print image is generated or the print engine 11 prints the image on a recording medium such as paper. Since the layout system 30 passes the object information to the printing section 40, the area up to the coordinate position of the received object information (the coordinates used as a reference when determining the output order) is the content of the image. Is determined, that is, the content of the image is not affected (does not overlap) by the object information received thereafter. As a result, in the printing system 40, a print image is partially generated in advance for an area where the image content is determined without waiting for reception of all the object information in the page, and the print image is generated in advance for the generated print image. As a result, printing can be partially performed on the recording medium, and the throughput of printing and the like can be greatly improved.
[0054]
In addition, since the print image can be partially generated within the page and printed on the recording medium, the object information used for generation and the print image itself can be managed in a partially generated unit instead of a page unit. Will be able to As a result, the use efficiency of the buffer can be greatly improved, the capacity of the memory required for the buffer can be reduced, and the cost and the like can be suppressed.
[0055]
(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be applied in various modifications.
[0056]
For example, in the above embodiment, the print task is configured to automatically generate a partial image. However, instead of such a configuration, the print task receives a partial image generation instruction and generates a partial image based on the instruction. It may be configured as follows.
[0057]
In this case, the printer 1 includes an instruction task (instruction unit) that outputs a command for instructing the print task to generate an image. Such an instruction task may be configured to also serve as the object information output task 33, for example, or may be provided separately from the layout system 20, as shown in FIG.
[0058]
The instruction task outputs the instruction command by designating the coordinate position (the coordinate used as a reference when determining the output order) included in the object information already output by the object information output task 33 or the object information to be output next. I do. For example, when the object information output task 33 sequentially outputs the object information for the objects A, B, and C, the instruction task specifies the coordinate position of the object A or B at the timing between AB and the timing at the timing between BC. , An instruction command can be output by designating the coordinate position of the object A, B or C. However, in order to further improve the throughput of printing or the like, the coordinate position included in the object information to be output next is specified so that the partial image can be generated at an earlier timing (at the timing between AB, the coordinate position of the object B is specified). It is desirable to specify the position and specify the coordinate position of the object C at the timing between BC).
[0059]
When the instruction task is provided as described above, the step of S201 (the step of extracting a coordinate position from the received object information and storing the coordinate position as the image generation boundary coordinate) is not necessary for the object information reception task 41. For the image generation task 42, instead of monitoring that the image generation boundary coordinates are updated, when an instruction command is received from the instruction task, necessary object information is read from the object information storage buffer 44, and the image generation task 42 is not updated. The processing is configured to partially generate an image up to the coordinate position specified by the instruction command in the area where is not generated.
[0060]
In such a configuration, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the printing system 40 does not wait until all the object information in the page is received, and the printing area 40 partially precedes the area up to the coordinate position designated by the instruction command. A print image can be generated, and the generated print image can be partially printed on a recording medium in advance, thereby improving the throughput of printing and the like, improving the use efficiency of the buffer, and improving the memory required for the buffer. It is possible to reduce the capacity and the cost.
[0061]
Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the image generation task 42 determines that (the coordinates of the lower side of the area where the print image has been generated in the page) <(updated image generation boundary coordinates), that is, Each time a generation area is generated, a print image is partially generated. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, when (updated image generation boundary coordinates) − (lower coordinates of a print image generated area in a page)> (threshold) is satisfied, that is, the print image non-generation area has a certain size. In the case described above, the print image may be partially generated.
[0062]
Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the processing is configured on a page basis, such as determining the coordinate position of each object configuring the image for each page, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the present invention may be applied to a part of a page or a range of one or more pages.
[0063]
Finally, the present invention provides various types of information processing apparatuses (e.g., inkjet printers, label printers, etc.) having a function of forming an image based on a document described in a structured tag language, in addition to devices generally called printers. Copy machines, fax machines, handy terminals, etc.)
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a printer according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration diagram of an information processing unit according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a layout system.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an object information reception task.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an image generation task.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a print control task.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a coordinate position of an object.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration diagram of an information processing unit according to a modification.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 1 printer, 2 power mechanism section, 3 information processing section, 10 paper feed mechanism, 11 print engine, 12 paper discharge mechanism, 13 CPU, 14 ROM, 15 RAM, 16 LCD panel and LCD controller, 17 wireless communication interface, 18 wired Communication interface, 20 receiving system, 21 receiving means, 22 receiving buffer, 30 layout system, 31 analyzing means, 32 layout means, 33 object information output means, 40 printing system, 41 object information receiving means, 42 image generating means, 43 printing Control means, 44 object information storage buffer, 45 image buffer

Claims (9)

Means for analyzing a document described in a structured tag language and extracting objects constituting an image;
Means for determining a coordinate position in the image for each object;
Object information output means for determining an order when the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction based on the coordinate position of each object, and outputting information of each object including the coordinate position according to the order. Layout processing device. A layout processing apparatus according to claim 1,
Image generation means for generating an image based on the object information received from the object information output means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image generation unit generates a partial image in an area in the predetermined direction before a coordinate position included in the object information in the order in which the object information is received. A layout processing apparatus according to claim 1,
Instruction means for outputting a command for designating an image by designating a coordinate position;
Image generation means for partially generating an image up to a coordinate position designated by a command from the instruction means based on the object information received from the object information output means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instruction unit outputs the command by designating a coordinate position included in the object information already output by the output unit or the object information to be output next by the output unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the order in which the print images are arranged in the predetermined direction is an order in which print images are generated or an order in which print images are printed on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the generation of the image by the image generation unit includes generation of a print image in an image buffer and / or printing on a recording medium. An image forming apparatus that receives, from a layout processing system, object information including a coordinate position in accordance with an order when each object constituting an image is arranged in a predetermined direction, and generates an image based on the information.
An image forming apparatus for generating a partial image for a region in a predetermined direction before a coordinate position included in object information in the order in which the object information is received. Analyzing a document described by a structured tag language and extracting objects constituting an image;
Determining a coordinate position in the image for each object;
An object information output step of determining an order when the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction based on the coordinate position of each object, and outputting information of each object including the coordinate position according to the order. Layout processing method. Analyzing a document described by a structured tag language and extracting objects constituting an image;
Determining a coordinate position in the image for each object;
An object information output step of determining an order when the objects are arranged in a predetermined direction based on the coordinate position of each object, and outputting information of each object including the coordinate position according to the order;
An image generation step of generating an image based on the object information output by the object information output step,
The image forming method is characterized in that, in the image generating step, partial images are generated in a region in the predetermined direction before a coordinate position included in the object information in the order in which the object information is received. A program for causing a computer to execute the layout processing method according to claim 7 or the image forming method according to claim 8.

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