JP2004185533A - Print control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively use a color processing cache in a color correction process and a color conversion process without stopping a printing process. <P>SOLUTION: The print control unit can cache generated printing data in a buffer area when carrying out a different color process with respect to display data, and the printing data which can be printed by a printing part is generated in the buffer area of predetermined volume. It is characterized by a configuration wherein a cache method determining part 212 calculates a buffer area to be secured for printing the printing data by a printer 230 and a buffer area needed by each cache means, buffer acquisition of the calculated buffer areas in the buffer area is attempted in accordance with determined acquisition priority, and enabling and disabling of cache with respect to each of a color correction processing means 214 and a color conversion processing means 215 is determined in accordance with an acquisition result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a print control apparatus that performs predetermined color processing on display data to generate print data that can be printed by a printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a print control device including a personal computer or the like, when printing created data with a connected printer, in order to create data unique to each printer, a printer driver stored in a memory means in the print control device includes: An image is subjected to image processing such as a color correction process for converting from a color space such as a CRT to a printer color space, a color conversion process for converting in a printer color space, and a quantization process, so that the image is optimal for a printer. It is common to send data.
[0003]
Among these image processes, the color correction process and the color conversion process have been speeded up by various methods because the process time affects the overall printing time. There is a color processing cache as a method. In this method, data after processing is stored, and when the same image is processed thereafter, the stored data is used instead of performing processing.
[0004]
Further, when printing is performed by a printer, demand for printing without using a PC is increasing. First, as a system that allows the user to easily and easily use the Internet, a WebTV (registered trademark) (service for connecting to the Internet using a television) system and a SetTopBox (a television attached to use an Internet connection or the like) are provided. Such as a terminal device) and a general television with an Internet function attached thereto. The demand for printing from these so-called PC-less (Non-PC (Non-PC devices)) systems to printers is also increasing.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, although the cache in the above-mentioned conventional example is effective as a means for speeding up, it requires an area for storing input and output, and a plurality of storage areas for improving efficiency. In some cases, it is not used in a data processing environment that is restricted by a storage area or memory that can be used as a cache.
[0006]
This is because the print processing itself may not be able to be executed due to the inability to secure a cache area at the time of executing the print processing. Therefore, the system always operates with the cache invalidated.
[0007]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to perform different color processing on display data and print data printable by a printing unit on a buffer area having a predetermined capacity. When generating the print data, in a print control device capable of caching the generated print data in the buffer area, a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data by a printing unit and each cache unit are required. A buffer area is calculated, an attempt is made to obtain a buffer on the buffer area in accordance with an obtaining priority determined for the calculated buffer area, and the validity and invalidity of a cache for each cache means are determined according to the obtained result. This makes it possible to stop the printing process on a device with a small number of buffers that can be used on a finite memory provided in the print control device main body. Ku, also aims to provide a color correction process and the printing control apparatus having excellent usability can be constructed efficiently can be used for the print data creation processing environment color processing cache in the color conversion process.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The print control apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.
[0009]
The present invention provides a plurality of color processing units (for example, a color correction processing unit 214 shown in FIG. 2) for performing different color processing on display data and generating print data printable by a printing unit on a buffer area having a predetermined capacity. , A color conversion processing unit 215), a plurality of cache units (for example, a color correction cache processing unit 2141 and a color conversion cache processing unit 2151 shown in FIG. 2) for caching print data generated by each color processing unit in the buffer area. A first buffer area calculation unit (for example, a cache method determination unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for calculating a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data by the printing unit, and each cache unit is required. A second buffer area calculating means (for example, a cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for calculating a buffer area; Priority determining means (for example, a cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for determining an acquisition priority for an area, and buffer acquisition for attempting to acquire a buffer on the buffer area in accordance with the acquisition priority determined by the priority determining means Means (for example, the cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) and cache determining means (for example, the cache method shown in FIG. 2) for determining whether the cache for each cache means is valid or invalid according to the result obtained by the buffer obtaining means. (Determination unit 212).
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus and its peripheral devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 1, a print control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a print control apparatus 101 having a printer driver including a function of the present invention described later, a storage area 105, an input device 103, a CRT 102, and a printer. 104 is provided.
[0013]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the print control apparatus 101 and the printer 104 illustrated in FIG.
[0014]
The print control device 210 shown in FIG. 2 includes a printer driver 211, a data transmission unit 219, a storage area 220, and the like.
[0015]
In the printer driver 211, there are a cache method determination unit 212, a print image acquisition unit 213, a color correction processing unit 214, a color conversion processing unit 215, a quantization unit 216, and a print data creation unit 217.
[0016]
On the other hand, the printer 230 shown in FIG. 2 includes a data receiving unit 231, a data printing unit 232, and the like. The print control device 210 and the printer 230 are connected by an interface such as UBS, parallel, and network.
[0017]
The color correction processing unit 214 includes a color correction processing unit 2140 and a color correction cache processing unit 2141. The color conversion processing unit 215 includes a color conversion processing unit 2150 and a color conversion cache processing unit 2151. I do.
[0018]
More specifically, in the printer driver 211, first, as a pre-process, a cache method determining unit 212, which will be described later, determines whether to use a cache for color processing and color conversion.
[0019]
Next, when the actual printing process is started, the print image obtaining unit 213 obtains an image to be printed, and executes the color correction processing unit 214 on the main image. The color correction processing unit 214 includes a color correction processing unit 2140 and a color correction cache processing unit 2141. If the color correction cache is invalid, or if the target pixel is not cached even if the color correction cache is valid, the color correction processing unit 214 Execute
[0020]
Next, the color conversion processing unit 215 includes a color conversion processing unit 2150 and a color conversion cache processing unit 2151, and performs processing in the same manner as in the case of color correction. The data that has passed through the color conversion processing is subjected to error diffusion processing and dither processing by a quantization unit 216, converted into quantized data that can be handled by a printer, and converted to printer print data by a print data creation unit 217. Later, it is transmitted to the printer via the print data output unit 218.
[0021]
The color correction cache processing unit 2141 and the color conversion cache processing unit 2151 store and use a cache table described later in the storage area 220.
[0022]
On the other hand, the data receiving unit 231 in the printer 230 receives the data transmitted from the data transmitting unit 219 in the print control device 210 and performs printing using the data printing unit 232. The above is the detailed description of the operation processing in the hardware relating to the present print control apparatus.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data processing state by the printer driver 211 illustrated in FIG.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 3, the print image is divided as a plurality of lines of source data in the main scanning direction. The source data is N-bit RGB data for each pixel, and is converted into M-bit R′G′B ′ data via the color correction processing unit 2140.
[0025]
The color correction processing unit 2140 is a process for converting a value in a device space other than an output printer such as a CRT into a color reproduction space in the printer 230. For this conversion, an interpolation process or the like, which is a commonly known technique, is used.
[0026]
Next, the M-bit R'G'B 'data is converted to L-bit CMYK data via the color conversion processing unit 2150. The color conversion processing unit 2150 converts the RGB data into a color space such as CMYK, which is a print color of the printer 230, and also uses an interpolation process or the like, which is a commonly known technique, for this conversion.
[0027]
The converted L-bit CMYK data is converted into K-bit CMYK data optimal for the printer 230 using a quantization processing unit 216 such as an error diffusion process and a dither process. And transmitted to the printer 230.
[0028]
4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining a cache processing state in the color correction cache processing unit 2140 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 corresponds to data registration processing in the cache table TA1, and FIG. This corresponds to a process of retrieving data from the table TA1. Note that the cache table TA1 includes identification information (ID), RGB values, and R'G'B 'values.
[0029]
In FIG. 4, N-bit RGB data is converted into M-bit R'G'B 'data by the above-described color correction processing. At the time of this processing, as shown in FIG. 4, a cache area is secured on the storage area 220, and the RGB values before processing and the R'G'B 'values after processing are stored. Thus, registration in the cache table TA1 is performed.
[0030]
Next, when the cache table TA1 is used, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, when performing color correction processing on an arbitrary pixel, the cache table TA1 area is searched first, and the RGB values of the same pixel are already registered. In this case, the corresponding R'G'B 'value registered is obtained from the cache table TA1, and this result is used as a processing result instead of performing the color correction processing unit 2140, thereby obtaining the color correction processing unit. The processing result can be obtained without performing 2140.
[0031]
The above is an example of the cache processing in the print control apparatus. However, the present cache processing is an example, and the present invention is also effective for the cache processing using another buffer.
[0032]
Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a description will be given of a buffer acquisition priority determining method used by the cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG.
[0033]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display-to-print color space in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
[0034]
First, as shown in FIG. 6A, a reproducible color area that represents a color space reproducible on a monitor (for example, the CRT 102 shown in FIG. 1) is an area wider than that reproducible by the printer 230. ing.
[0035]
However, when printing is actually performed, data outside the area reproducible by the printer 230 may also be the target. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Needs to be redefined within the reproducible color area of. This is the color correction processing unit 2140.
[0036]
On the other hand, the processing shown in FIG. 6C is the color conversion processing unit 2150, which performs conversion within the reproducible color area of the printer 230. For example, although the monitor is represented in the RGB space, On the other hand, since the printer 230 is expressed in the CMYK space, space conversion is required, and this processing is executed.
[0037]
Due to the above processing difference, the color correction processing unit 2140 and the color conversion processing unit 2150 cause a difference in the number of target colors, and the color correction processing unit 2140 has a larger number of target colors.
[0038]
FIG. 7 shows the acquisition priority of the buffer used by each cache using this characteristic.
[0039]
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining a buffer acquisition priority used by the cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG.
[0040]
As described above, since the number of target colors is larger in the color correction process than in the color conversion process, the combination of the number of colors input to the process is larger than that in the color conversion process. If the number of target colors that can be registered in the cache for color correction processing and the cache for color conversion processing are the same, the possibility that the color conversion processing will hit the cache is higher.
[0041]
Therefore, by taking advantage of this characteristic, in the color conversion cache buffer and the color correction cache buffer, as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to position the acquisition priority of the color conversion cache buffer higher based on the hit ratio.
[0042]
On the other hand, in a buffer essential for the printing process, if this area cannot be secured, the printing process cannot be executed or continued. For this reason, it is possible to position the acquisition priority of this buffer highest. From the above, FIG. 7 shows the buffer acquisition priority.
[0043]
FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams illustrating an example of the determination of the cache method determination process performed by the cache method determination unit 212 illustrated in FIG. Hereinafter, FIG. 8 is an example theoretically possible, and FIG. 9 is an example in which selection is made according to the buffer acquisition priority shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the processing of the cache method determining unit will be described from the viewpoint of the used buffer amount.
[0044]
In FIG. In case 1, the available buffer amount is, for example, 800 KB, but the buffer amount required for the printing process is 1 MB, so that the printing process cannot be performed.
[0045]
No. In case 2, the available buffer amount is 1.2 MB, so the printing process can be executed, but the cache buffer amount for color correction and color conversion cannot be secured. Therefore, printing is performed without using a cache.
[0046]
No. 3 and No. In case 4, a buffer essential for the printing process and a cache buffer for either color correction or color conversion can be secured. In these cases, it is possible to perform processing with either cache available.
[0047]
Furthermore, No. In case 5, all buffers can be secured, and printing processing can be executed using a cache for color correction and color conversion.
[0048]
However, no. 3 and No. Since the case of No. 4 cannot be compatible, according to the priority of obtaining the color correction cache and the color conversion cache buffer shown in FIG. 7 described above, as shown in FIG. Case 4 will be selected.
[0049]
The above is the method for determining the buffer acquisition priority used by the cache method determination unit 212.
[0050]
Next, in the printing control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the processing in the cache method determination unit 212 in FIG. 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0051]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a first data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention, and corresponds to the data processing procedure by the cache method determination unit 212 illustrated in FIG. S601 to S610 indicate each step.
[0052]
In step S601, the cache method determination unit 212 first calculates a buffer amount necessary for printing other than the cache, and sets this value as i. Note that this buffer amount is the sum of all buffer amounts necessary for the printing process.
[0053]
Next, in step S602, an attempt is made to acquire the buffer amount i calculated in step S601. This is because the buffer amount i is the buffer having the highest priority according to the above-described priority.
[0054]
Here, if the buffer amount i cannot be obtained, the process proceeds to the end process, and the print process is stopped. This is because the buffer amount i is a buffer amount essential for printing, and if it cannot be obtained, printing cannot be continued.
[0055]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S602 that the buffer can be acquired, a buffer is acquired, and the process advances to step S603 to calculate a buffer amount necessary for the color conversion cache, and the value is set as a buffer amount j.
[0056]
Similarly, in step S604, the buffer amount required for the color correction cache is calculated, and the calculated value is set as the buffer amount k, and the process proceeds to step S605.
[0057]
In step S605, an attempt is made to acquire the buffer amount j necessary for the color conversion cache having the second highest priority according to the above-described priority, and if the buffer amount j can be acquired, the process proceeds to step S606. , The color conversion cache is validated, and the process proceeds to step S608.
[0058]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S605 that the buffer amount j cannot be obtained, the process proceeds to step S607, in which the color conversion cache is invalidated, and similarly, the process proceeds to step S608. The use form of the color conversion cache is determined as described above.
[0059]
Next, in step S608, an attempt is made to obtain the buffer amount k required for the color correction cache calculated in step S604. Note that the value of the buffer amount k is the buffer with the lowest priority. If it is determined that the buffer amount k has been obtained, the color correction cache is validated in step S609, and the process of the cache method determination unit ends.
[0060]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S608 that the color correction cache cannot be obtained, the color correction cache is invalidated in step S610, and the process of the cache method determination unit ends.
[0061]
The above is the processing of the cache method determination unit 212. According to the situation where a buffer cannot be obtained by this processing, the operation states of the caches for color conversion and color correction can be independently specified.
[0062]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the second data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention, and corresponds to the processing procedure by the color correction cache processing unit 2141 and the color conversion cache processing unit 2151 shown in FIG. . In addition, S901 to S904 indicate each step.
[0063]
First, in step S901, it is checked whether or not the cache determined by the cache method determination unit 212 in FIG. 2 is available. If it is determined that the cache is available, the process proceeds to step S902, and if not, it is determined that the cache is not available. If it is determined, the process proceeds to step S904.
[0064]
In step S902, a search is actually performed in the cache table to determine whether or not the same pixel data has already been cached in the cache name (cache hit). The process advances to step S903 to obtain a processing result from the cache table, and ends the processing.
[0065]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S902 that the same pixel data is not cached in the cache, the process proceeds to step S904, similar to step S901, where an actual color correction process is performed, a process result is obtained, and the process is performed. finish.
[0066]
In the present embodiment, the color correction cache processing unit 2141 of the color correction processing unit 214 and the color conversion cache processing unit 2151 of the color conversion processing unit 215 execute this processing together, so that the cache can be cached according to the availability of the cache. Execute
[0067]
According to the above-described embodiment, by acquiring the color processing cache buffer in accordance with the amount of the buffer that can be acquired, even in an environment such as a NonPC device having a small available buffer area, the print processing can be performed without stopping the processing. The processing speed can be increased by efficiently using the color processing cache in the correction processing and the color conversion processing.
[0068]
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of storage contents of a storage medium in which the data processing procedures shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are recorded as a program.
[0069]
The storage medium of the present invention includes storage contents such as volume information 1201, directory information 1202, and program execution file 1203.
[0070]
Hereinafter, the configuration of a data processing program that can be read by the print control apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to a memory map shown in FIG.
[0071]
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by the print control device according to the present invention.
[0072]
Although not shown, information for managing a group of programs stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, a creator, and the like are also stored, and information dependent on the OS or the like on the program reading side, for example, a program is identified and displayed. Icons and the like may also be stored.
[0073]
Further, data dependent on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs on a computer or a program for decompressing a program to be installed when the program to be installed is compressed may be stored.
[0074]
The functions shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 in the present embodiment may be executed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when a group of information including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Things.
[0075]
As described above, the storage medium storing the program codes of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or the apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus stores the storage medium in the storage medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention is also achieved by reading and executing the program code thus obtained.
[0076]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0077]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, or the like may be used. it can.
[0078]
When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a part or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0079]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.
[0080]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications (including organic combinations of the embodiments) are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and those are excluded from the scope of the present invention. is not.
[0081]
While various examples of the present invention have been described with reference to embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited to the specific description herein, but rather include the following embodiments. Needless to say, this is also included. Hereinafter, Embodiments 1 to 20 will be described.
[0082]
[Embodiment 1]
A plurality of color processing means (for example, a color correction processing means 214 shown in FIG. 2 and a color conversion processing Means 215), a plurality of cache means (for example, a color correction cache processing unit 2141 and a color conversion cache processing unit 2151 shown in FIG. 2) for caching print data generated by each color processing unit in the buffer area, and the printing unit A first buffer area calculation means (for example, a cache method determination unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for calculating a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data, and a buffer area required by each cache means. The second buffer area calculation means (for example, the cache method determination unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) which performs Priority determining means (for example, a cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for determining an obtaining priority, and buffer obtaining means (attempting to obtain a buffer on the buffer area in accordance with the obtaining priority determined by the priority determining means) For example, a cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2 and a cache determining unit (for example, the cache method determining unit shown in FIG. 2) that determines whether the cache is valid or invalid for each cache unit according to the result obtained by the buffer obtaining unit. 212).
[0083]
[Embodiment 2]
The plurality of color processing means execute color processing using a cache when the cache is valid, and execute the color processing without using the cache when the cache is invalid. A print control device according to aspect 1.
[0084]
[Embodiment 3]
2. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition priority determining unit determines a priority of a buffer amount, a buffer for a color correction process, and a buffer for a color conversion process, which are necessary for a printing process.
[0085]
[Embodiment 4]
4. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition priority determining unit determines the priority of the color correction processing cache buffer and the color conversion processing cache buffer based on the hit ratio.
[0086]
[Embodiment 5]
A plurality of color processing means (for example, a color correction processing means 214 shown in FIG. 2 and a color conversion processing Means 215), a plurality of cache means (for example, a color correction cache processing unit 2141 and a color conversion cache processing unit 2151 shown in FIG. 2) for caching print data generated by each color processing unit in the buffer area, and the printing unit A first buffer area calculation means (for example, a cache method determination unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for calculating a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data, and a buffer area required by each cache means. The second buffer area calculation means (for example, the cache method determination unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) which performs Priority determining means (for example, a cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for determining an obtaining priority, and buffer obtaining means (attempting to obtain a buffer on the buffer area in accordance with the obtaining priority determined by the priority determining means) For example, a cache method determining unit 212 shown in FIG. 2 and a cache determining unit (for example, the cache method determining unit shown in FIG. 2) that determines whether the cache is valid or invalid for each cache unit according to the result obtained by the buffer obtaining unit. 212).
[0087]
[Embodiment 6]
The plurality of color processing means execute color processing using a cache when the cache is valid, and execute the color processing without using the cache when the cache is invalid. A printer driver according to aspect 5.
[0088]
[Embodiment 7]
6. The printer driver according to claim 5, wherein the acquisition priority determining unit determines the priority of a buffer amount, a buffer for a color correction process, and a buffer for a color conversion process, which are necessary for a printing process.
[0089]
[Embodiment 8]
8. The printer driver according to claim 5, wherein the acquisition priority determining means determines the priority of the color correction processing cache buffer and the color conversion processing cache buffer based on the hit ratio.
[0090]
[Embodiment 9]
A plurality of color processing means for performing different color processing on the display data and generating print data printable by the printing unit on a buffer area having a predetermined capacity; and printing data generated by each color processing means on the buffer area. A first buffer area calculating step of calculating a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data by the printing unit (FIG. 6). 10), a second buffer area calculation step for calculating the buffer area required by each cache unit (steps S603 and S604 shown in FIG. 10), and the acquisition priority for each buffer area is determined. A priority order determining step, and an obtaining priority determined by the priority order determining step. A buffer acquisition step of attempting to acquire a buffer in the buffer area (step S605 shown in FIG. 10) and a cache determination step of determining whether the cache is valid or invalid for each cache step according to the result of the buffer acquisition step ( 10. A print control method, comprising: steps S606 to S609) shown in FIG.
[0091]
[Embodiment 10]
The plurality of color processing means execute color processing using a cache when the cache is valid, and execute the color processing without using the cache when the cache is invalid. A print control method according to aspect 9.
[0092]
[Embodiment 11]
The print control method according to the ninth embodiment, wherein the obtaining priority determining step determines the priority of a buffer amount, a buffer for a color correction process, and a buffer for a color conversion process, which are necessary for a printing process.
[0093]
[Embodiment 12]
12. The print control method according to claim 9, wherein in the obtaining priority order determining step, the priority order of the color correction processing cache buffer and the color conversion processing cache buffer is determined based on the hit ratio.
[0094]
[Embodiment 13]
A plurality of color processing means for performing different color processing on the display data and generating print data printable by the printing unit on a buffer area having a predetermined capacity; and printing data generated by each color processing means on the buffer area. A first buffer area calculating step of calculating a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data by the printing unit (FIG. 10). , A second buffer area calculation step for calculating the buffer area required by each cache unit (steps S603 and S604 shown in FIG. 10), and a priority for determining the acquisition priority for each buffer area. In the order determining step, and in accordance with the acquisition priority determined in the priority order determining step, A buffer acquisition step of trying to acquire a buffer in the buffer area (step S605 shown in FIG. 10), and a cache determination step of determining whether the cache is valid or invalid for each cache step according to the result of the buffer acquisition step (FIG. 10. A data processing method for a printer dry, comprising: steps S606 to S609).
[0095]
[Embodiment 14]
The plurality of color processing means execute color processing using a cache when the cache is valid, and execute the color processing without using the cache when the cache is invalid. A data processing method for a printer driver according to aspect 13.
[0096]
[Embodiment 15]
The data processing of the printer driver according to the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the obtaining priority determining step determines the priority of a buffer amount, a buffer for a color correction processing cache, and a buffer for a color conversion processing cache required for a printing process. Method.
[0097]
[Embodiment 16]
16. The data processing method of a printer driver according to the thirteenth or fifteenth aspect, wherein in the obtaining priority determining step, the priority of the color correction processing cache buffer and the color conversion processing cache buffer is determined based on the hit ratio. .
[0098]
[Embodiment 17]
A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the print control method according to claim 9.
[0099]
[Embodiment 18]
A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the data processing method according to claim 13.
[0100]
[Embodiment 19]
A program for realizing the print control method according to any one of the ninth to twelfth embodiments.
[0101]
[Embodiment 20]
A program for realizing the data processing method according to any one of embodiments 13 to 16.
[0102]
In the above embodiment, a case where the print control device is configured as a printer driver is a good example.
[0103]
Then, the printer driver 211 performs color correction processing, color conversion processing, quantization processing, and the like on the print target data, and then transmits the data to the printer.
[0104]
Next, a color processing cache unit (color correction cache processing unit 2141 and color conversion cache processing unit 2151) as in the conventional example is provided for each of the color correction processing and the color conversion processing in the printer driver 211.
[0105]
Further, the color processing cache unit has a function of validating / invalidating the function at the time of executing the printing process. Further, since the cache unit is an additional unit for speeding up, it is assumed that the color correction process and the color conversion process can perform normal processes even when the cache unit is invalid.
[0106]
At the time of execution of the printing process, first, a used buffer amount necessary for the printing process, a buffer amount required for the color correction processing cache, and a buffer amount necessary for the color conversion processing cache are checked in addition to the color processing cache. Next, priorities are determined for the plurality of buffers described above. The priority is such that the use buffer essential for the printing process is given the highest priority, so that the printing process can be executed even when another buffer cannot be secured.
[0107]
On the other hand, the priority of the color correction processing cache buffer and the color conversion processing cache buffer is determined in consideration of the hit rate of each cache.
[0108]
The color correction process converts data of a device having a larger space than the color reproduction space of a printer such as a CRT into space data for a printer, whereas the color conversion process is conversion within the color reproduction space of the printer. In the color conversion process, the number of combinations of target input data is reduced. For this reason, the probability of hitting the cache increases, so that the priority of the color conversion cache buffer is defined to be high.
[0109]
An attempt is made to reserve a buffer according to the above priorities. If the required buffer necessary for the printing process can be secured, the printing process is continued, and if not, the process is interrupted. Also, the cache buffer for color processing is operated with the cache valid when it can be secured, and invalidated when it cannot be secured.
[0110]
As a result, when the cache is invalid, it is possible to perform printing even if speeding up by the cache cannot be achieved.
[0111]
Further, in the method of securing a cache buffer for color processing, even if a buffer having a higher priority cannot be secured, an attempt is made to secure a cache buffer having the next highest priority.
[0112]
This is because when the amount of the low-priority cache buffer is smaller than the amount of the high-priority cache buffer, when the latter buffer can be secured, the cache is valid.
[0113]
By providing the above means or steps, the use / non-use of the color processing cache is determined at the time of execution even in an environment where the available storage area is small on the memory of the print control apparatus main body, and the processing can be speeded up. It is possible to provide a possible print control device.
[0114]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when performing different color processing on display data and generating print data that can be printed by a printing unit on a buffer area of a predetermined capacity, the generated print data is In a print control device that can be cached on a buffer area, a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data by a printing unit and a buffer area required by each cache unit are calculated, and the calculated buffer area is calculated. Attempts to acquire a buffer on the buffer area according to the determined acquisition priority, and determines the validity and invalidity of the cache for each cache means according to the acquisition result. Device with a small number of buffers that can be used without interrupting print processing, and in color correction processing and color conversion processing. An effect that the color processing cache can be constructed efficiently can be used for the print data creation processing environment.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus and peripheral devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a print control device and a printer illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data processing state by the printer driver illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a cache processing state in the color correction cache processing illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a cache processing state in the color correction cache processing illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display-to-print color space in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a buffer acquisition priority determining method used in the cache method determining unit shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a cache method determination process by a cache method determination unit illustrated in FIG. 2;
9 is a diagram illustrating a determination example of a cache method determination process performed by the cache method determination unit illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a first data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a second data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of storage contents of a storage medium in which the data processing procedure shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is recorded as a program.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by the print control device according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
210 Print control device
211 Printer Driver
212 Cache Method Determination Unit
213 Print Image Acquisition Department
214 color correction processing means
2140 Color correction processing unit
2141 Color correction cache processing unit
215 color conversion processing means
2150 Color conversion processing unit
216 Quantization unit
217 Print data creation unit
220 storage area
230 Printer

Claims (1)

A plurality of color processing means for performing different color processing on the display data and generating print data printable by the printing unit on a buffer area having a predetermined capacity;
A plurality of cache units for caching print data generated by each color processing unit on the buffer area;
First buffer area calculation means for calculating a buffer area to be reserved for printing the print data in the printing unit;
Second buffer area calculation means for calculating a buffer area required by each cache means,
Priority determining means for determining an acquisition priority for each buffer area;
A buffer acquisition unit that attempts to acquire a buffer on the buffer area according to the acquisition priority determined by the priority determination unit,
A cache determining unit that determines whether a cache is valid or invalid for each of the cache units according to a result obtained by the buffer obtaining unit;
A print control device comprising:

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