JP2009177492A - Image processor and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor and image processing method for shortening the time until print data produced in a page description language including a print range designation are printed. <P>SOLUTION: The image processor 1 causes a plotter section to perform printing on the basis of print data produced in a page description language including a print range designation, and includes: a page description language processing means 14 which acquires the print range designation, divides the print data into a portion corresponding to pages within the print range and a portion corresponding to pages outside the print range based on an instruction representing a page division included in the print data, and discards the portion corresponding to the pages outside the print range from the print data; a drawing function presenting means 15 for drawing the print data; and a control means 12 which causes the plotter section to print the drawn print data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for performing printing based on print data generated in a page description language.

  For example, in a multifunction peripheral or printing apparatus as an example of an image processing apparatus, when a user (user) requests printing from an application such as word processing software or spreadsheet software, a page description language (Page Description Language) that can be interpreted by the multifunction peripheral or the printing apparatus. : After printing data is generated in (PDL), printing is performed based on the printing data.

  PDL is a language for mainly describing information related to page description for printing and information related to drawing. PostScript (PS), Printer Control Language (PCL), RPCS (Refined Printing) There are various types such as Command Stream). Therefore, in order to cope with various PDLs, multifunction devices and printing apparatuses have an interpretation mechanism (interpreter) corresponding to each PDL and a mechanism for calling each interpreter.

In addition, print data generated by PDL is widely used in which information related to job control is added to the head of PDL by a job description language (Printer Job Language: PJL) (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). reference). PJL is a relatively simple format and ASCII format data, so many vendors have extended their own and used as job processing languages for their multifunction devices and printing devices.
JP 2006-192811 A JP 2006-215644 A JP 2000-132347 A

  For example, in PJL, a print range (print page) of print data generated by PDL can be specified. When printing print data in which the print range is specified by PJL (PJL setting), the multi-function peripheral or printing device uses the PJL module added from the PJL added to the print data generated by PDL to the print range (print page). To get. MFPs and printing devices analyze PDL-generated print data with a PDL module that supports PDL, draw a page within the print range to the drawing function providing module in response to a page output request, and then print it on the plotter unit, etc. It was.

  By the way, in a conventional multifunction device or printing apparatus, even if a page is outside the print range, print data generated by PDL is analyzed by a PDL module corresponding to PDL, and a page discard request is sent to the rendering function providing module. Had to be done.

  Therefore, the conventional multifunction peripherals and printing apparatuses have a problem that even if there are few pages in the printing range, for example, all the print data generated by the PDL must be analyzed by the PDL module. Especially when there are a few pages in the printing range in the second half, it takes time until the pages in the printing range are analyzed by the PDL module, and it takes time for the pages in the printing range to be printed by the plotter. There was a problem of hanging.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of shortening the time until print data generated in a page description language including a print range specification is printed. Objective.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus that causes a plotter unit to perform printing based on print data generated in a page description language including a print range specification, and includes a print range included in the print data Obtaining the designation, and dividing the print data into a portion corresponding to a page within the print range and a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range based on an instruction representing a page break included in the print data, and from the print data Page description language processing means for discarding a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range, a rendering function providing means for rendering the print data where the portion corresponding to a page outside the print range is discarded, and the rendered print data And a control means for printing on the plotter unit.

  The present invention also relates to an image processing method of an image processing apparatus for causing a plotter unit to perform printing based on print data generated in a page description language including a print range specification, the print range specification included in the print data The print data is divided into a portion corresponding to a page within the print range and a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range based on an instruction representing a page break included in the print data, and printing is performed from the print data. A page description language processing step for discarding a portion corresponding to a page outside the range, a drawing function providing step for rendering the print data where the portion corresponding to a page outside the print range is discarded, and the rendered print data And a control step for printing on the plotter unit.

  In addition, what applied the component, expression, or arbitrary combination of the component of this invention to a method, an apparatus, a system, a computer program, a recording medium, a data structure, etc. is also effective as an aspect of this invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of shortening the time until print data generated in a page description language including a print range specification is printed.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the following embodiments with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a multifunction peripheral is described as an example of an image processing apparatus. However, any image processing apparatus having a printing function may be used.

  FIG. 1 is a module configuration diagram of a multifunction machine according to the present embodiment. 1 includes an operating system (OS) 10, a service layer 11, a GPS module 12, a PJL module 13, a PS3 module 14, a PR module 15, a DI module 16, and other PDL modules 17 and 18. is there. In the module configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the PS3 module 14, the PR module 15, and the DI module 16 are PS interpreters.

  The OS 10 is a general-purpose operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), and includes a plurality of modules forming the service layer 11, a GPS module 12, a PJL module 13, a PS3 module 14, a PR module 15, a DI module 16, and other PDL modules. 17 and 18 are executed in parallel as processes.

  The service layer 11 interprets a request from the GPS module 12, generates a hardware resource acquisition request such as a plotter unit, manages one or a plurality of hardware resources, and arbitrates the acquisition request. Have.

  The GPS module 12 is a module that performs access to the service layer 11. The PJL module 13 is a module that processes a print control language at the job level. The PS3 module 14 is a module that processes Postscript 3 (PS). The PR module 15 is a module that provides a drawing function. The DI module 16 is a module for accessing the printer environment. The other PDL modules 17 and 18 are modules for processing other PDLs.

  Here, in order to facilitate understanding of the multifunction device 1 of the present embodiment, an example of printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in a conventional multifunction device will be described. The PS data including the print range designation (PJL setting) refers to data in which the print range (print page) of the print data generated by the PS is designated by PJL (PJL setting).

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a job procedure for printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in a conventional multifunction peripheral. In step S1, the reception buffer stores PS data including print range designation (PJL setting).

  In step S2, the GPS module 12 determines whether PJL data is added to the PS data stored in the reception buffer. Since the PJL data is added to the PS data stored in the reception buffer, the GPS module 12 activates the PJL module 13. In step S3, the PJL module 13 analyzes the PJL command of the PJL data added to the PS data, and acquires the PJL setting value.

  In step S4, the PJL module 13 stores the acquired PJL setting value in the printer information area of the GPS module 12. After the process of step S4 or when it is determined that no PJL data is added to the PS data stored in the reception buffer in step S2, the GPS module 12 proceeds to step S5, and the PS data is stored in the reception buffer. It is determined whether or not. Since the PS data is stored in the reception buffer, the GPS module 12 activates the PS3 module 14.

  In step S6, the PS3 module 14 acquires the PJL setting value from the printer information area of the GPS module 12 via the DI module 16. In step S7, the PS3 module 14 analyzes the PS data acquired from the reception buffer. In step S8, the PS3 module 14 determines whether the output command is in PS data.

  Here, the output command is a command that represents a page break and is a command that represents the end of a page. If there is an output command, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S9, acquires the print range from the PJL setting value, and determines whether the page (processed page) specified by the output command is outside the print range.

  If the processed page is out of the print range, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S10 and requests the PR module 15 to discard the page. Therefore, the PR module 15 does not draw the processing page. If the processed page is within the print range, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S11 and requests the PR module 15 to output a page. Accordingly, the PR module 15 draws a processing page and makes a print processing request to the GPS module 12. In response to the print processing request, the GPS module 12 causes the plotter unit to print via the service layer 11.

  The processing in steps S7 to S11 is repeated until the processing page or the end of the PS data. If the processing in steps S7 to S11 is repeatedly performed for the processing page or the end of the PS data, or if there is no output command in step S8, the processing of the job shown in FIG.

  If it is determined in step S5 that data other than PS data is stored in the reception buffer, the GPS module 12 activates another PDL module 17 or 18 corresponding to the PDL data stored in the reception buffer, The other PDL module 17 or 18 is caused to execute processing.

  In the job processing shown in FIG. 2, PS data must be analyzed by the PS3 module 14 and a page discard request must be made to the PR module 15 even if the processing page is out of the print range.

  Therefore, in the job processing shown in FIG. 2, even if there are few processed pages in the print range, if there are many processed pages outside the print range, it takes time until the pages in the print range are printed by the plotter unit or the like. There was a problem. In particular, when there are a few processing pages in the printing range in the second half, it takes time until the processing pages in the printing range are analyzed by the PS3 module 14, and the processing pages in the printing range are printed by the plotter unit or the like. There was a problem that it took a long time. In view of this, the multifunction device 1 of this embodiment solves the above-described problems of the conventional multifunction device by the job procedure shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a job procedure for printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in the multifunction peripheral according to the present exemplary embodiment. In addition, since the process of step S21-S26 is the same as the process of step S1-6 of FIG. 2, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Proceeding to step S27, the PS3 module 14 performs a pre-parse process for analyzing an output command (copypage / showpage) that is a reserved word determined from PS data stored in the reception buffer. For example, the reserved word is inserted into the PS data as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an example of PS data in which a reserved word is inserted. The PS data in FIG. 4 represents an example in which the second and third pages are printed from a total of four processing pages. In the PJL portion 41, the second page that is the print start page and the third page that is the print end page are designated as the print range. The PS data portion includes output instructions (showpages) 42 to 45 which are reserved words.

  Output instructions (showpages) 42 to 45 are instructions representing the end of a page. By using the output commands (showpages) 42 to 45, the PS3 module 14 can specify processing pages from 1 to 4 pages.

  Proceeding to step S28 in FIG. 3, the PS3 module 14 increments the number of processed pages each time an output command (copypage / showpage) is found from the PS data stored in the reception buffer. In step S29, the PS3 module 14 determines the print start page from the PJL setting value, and discards the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page from the PS data stored in the reception buffer. For example, in the case of the PS data of FIG. 4, the PS3 module 14 discards the data portion corresponding to the first page.

  In step S30, the PS3 module 14 analyzes the PS data acquired from the reception buffer. Here, the PS data acquired by the PS3 module 14 from the reception buffer is obtained by discarding the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page. For example, in the case of the PS data of FIG. 4, the PS3 module 14 acquires PS data from which the data portion corresponding to the first page has been discarded from the reception buffer.

  In step S31, the PS3 module 14 determines whether the output command is in PS data. If there is an output command, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S32, acquires the print range from the PJL setting value, and determines whether the page (processed page) specified by the output command is outside the print range. Since the PS data acquired from the reception buffer is the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page is discarded, it is determined that the processing page is within the print range up to the page after the print end page. .

  If the processed page is within the print range, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S34 and requests the PR module 15 to output a page. Accordingly, the PR module 15 draws a processing page within the printing range and makes a print processing request to the GPS module 12. In response to the print processing request, the GPS module 12 causes the plotter unit to print via the service layer 11.

  If the processed page is out of the print range, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S33 and requests the PR module 15 to discard the page. Therefore, the PR module 15 does not draw a processing page outside the printing range.

  The processes in steps S30 to S34 are repeated until the process page or the end of the PS data. If the processing in steps S30 to S34 is repeated for the processing page or the end of the PS data, or if there is no output command in step S31, the processing of the job shown in FIG.

  If it is determined in step S25 that data other than PS data is stored in the reception buffer, the GPS module 12 activates another PDL module 17 or 18 corresponding to the PDL data stored in the reception buffer, The other PDL module 17 or 18 is caused to execute processing.

  In the job processing shown in FIG. 3, the PS3 module 14 analyzes the data portion corresponding to the processing page before the print start page out of the processing pages outside the print range from the PS data stored in the reception buffer. Therefore, the analysis of PS data for the discarded processing page and the page discard request are not required.

  Therefore, in the job processing shown in FIG. 3, even if there are many processing pages before the print start page, the processing pages within the print range are discarded, so that the time until the PS3 module 14 analyzes the processing page can be shortened. It is possible to shorten the time until a page within the print range is printed by the plotter unit or the like.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure for printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in the multifunction peripheral according to the present exemplary embodiment. When the reception buffer stores PS data including the print range specification (PJL setting), the GPS module 12 determines whether or not PJL data is added to the PS data stored in the reception buffer.

  Since the PJL data is added to the PS data stored in the reception buffer, the GPS module 12 proceeds to step S41 and activates the PJL module 13. The activated PJL module 13 analyzes the PJL command of the PJL data added to the PS data, and acquires the PJL setting value.

  In step S42, the PJL module 13 stores the acquired PJL setting value in the printer information area of the GPS module 12. The GPS module 12 determines whether PS data is stored in the reception buffer. Since PS data is stored in the reception buffer, the GPS module 12 proceeds to step S43 and activates the PS3 module 14.

  Proceeding to steps S44 and S45, the activated PS3 module 14 acquires environment variables such as PJL set values from the printer information area of the GPS module 12 via the DI module 16. In step S46 and S47, the PS3 module 14 acquires the PS data stored in the reception buffer via the DI module 16.

  Proceeding to step S48, the PS3 module 14 performs a pre-parse process for analyzing an output command (copypage / showpage) that is a reserved word determined from the acquired PS data. The PS3 module 14 determines the print start page by the pre-parse process, and discards the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page from the PS data stored in the reception buffer.

  The PS3 module 14 analyzes the PS data in which the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page is discarded. Then, the PS3 module 14 determines whether it is within the print range for each processing page. In step S49, the PS3 module 14 requests the PR module 15 to output a processing page within the print range, and requests the PR module 15 to discard the processing page outside the print range.

  When the page output is requested from the PS3 module 14, the PR module 15 renders the processing page for which the page output is requested. In step S50, the PR module 15 sends a print processing request to the GPS module 12. Upon receiving the print processing request, the GPS module 12 causes the plotter unit to print via the service layer 11. When a page discard is requested from the PS3 module 14, the PR module 15 does not draw the processing page for which the page discard is requested.

  In step S 51, the PR 15 receives the print processing result from the GPS module 12. In step S52, the PR 15 transmits the processing result for the page output or page discard request to the PS3 module 14.

  Hereinafter, the processes of the GPS module 12, the PJL module 13, and the PS3 module 14 will be described in order based on flowcharts.

(GPS module 12)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing procedure of the GPS module. In step S61, PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) is stored in the reception buffer.

  In step S62, the GPS module 12 determines whether PJL data is added to the PS data stored in the reception buffer. If the PJL data is added to the PS data, the GPS module 12 proceeds to step S63 and activates the PJL module 13. In step S64, the GPS module 12 causes the activated PJL module 13 to perform PJL command analysis of the PJL data, and acquires the PJL setting value. The PJL module 13 stores the acquired PJL setting value in the printer information area of the GPS module 12.

  Following step S64 or when it is determined in step S62 that PJL data has not been added to the PS data, the GPS module 12 proceeds to step S65, and PDL data (PS data, etc.) stored in the reception buffer. And whether or not there is a valid PDL module corresponding to the PDL data.

  If there is a valid PDL module, the process proceeds to step S66, where the GPS module 12 activates the valid PDL module, and then ends the processing shown in FIG. If there is no valid PDL module, the process proceeds to step S66, where the GPS module 12 does not change from the currently activated PDL module, and ends the processing shown in FIG.

(PJL module 13)
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing procedure of the PJL module. In step S71, the PJL module 13 performs PJL command analysis of the PJL data added to the PS data. In step S72, the PJL module 13 determines whether a print range designation command is included in the PJL data.

  If a print range designation command is included, the PJL module 13 proceeds to step S73, and determines whether the print range designation is correct. An example where the print range specification is not correct is a case where a page after the print end page is specified as the print start page.

  If the print range designation is correct, the PJL module 13 proceeds to step S74, stores the print range designation in the printer information area of the GPS module 12, and ends the processing shown in FIG.

  If it is determined in step S72 that the print range designation command is not included, or if it is determined in step S73 that the print range designation is not correct, the PJL module 13 ends the processing shown in FIG. .

(PS3 module 14)
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example showing the processing procedure of the PS3 module. In step S81, the PS3 module 14 acquires the PJL setting value (print start page, etc.) from the printer information area of the GPS module 12 via the DI module 16, and the PS data in which the pages before the print start page are discarded. And merge. In step S82, the PS3 module 14 initializes the number of processed pages to zero.

  Proceeding to step S83, the PS3 module 14 performs a pre-parse process for analyzing an output command (copypage / showpage) that is a reserved word determined from PS data stored in the reception buffer.

  Proceeding to step S84, the PS3 module 14 increments the number of processed pages every time an output command (copypage / showpage) is found from the PS data. In step S85, the PS3 module 14 determines the print start page from the acquired PJL setting value, and discards the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page from the PS data stored in the reception buffer.

  In step S86, the PS3 module 14 analyzes the PS data acquired from the reception buffer. Here, the PS data acquired by the PS3 module 14 from the reception buffer is obtained by discarding the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page. In step S87, the PS3 module 14 acquires the print range from the PJL setting value, and determines whether the page (processed page) specified by the output command is out of the print range. Since the PS data acquired from the reception buffer is the data portion corresponding to the page before the print start page is discarded, it is determined that the processing page is within the print range up to the page after the print end page. . If the processed page is within the print range, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S89 and requests the PR module 15 to output a page. If the processed page is out of the print range, the PS3 module 14 proceeds to step S88 and requests the PR module 15 to discard the page.

  Progressing to step S90 following step S88 or S89, the PS3 module 14 increments the number of processed pages. The processing in steps S86 to S90 is repeated for the number of PS data processing pages whose pages before the print start page are discarded, and then the processing shown in FIG. 8 ends.

  In the process of the PS3 module 14 shown in FIG. 8, the analysis is performed after the data portion corresponding to the process page before the print start page among the process pages outside the print range is discarded from the PS data. PS data analysis and page discard requests are not required.

  Therefore, in the process shown in FIG. 8, even if there are many process pages before the print start page, the process page within the print range is discarded, so that the time until the process page within the print range is analyzed by the PS3 module 14 can be shortened. It is possible to shorten the time until the inner page is printed by the plotter unit or the like.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the example in which the data portion corresponding to the processing page before the print start page among the processing pages outside the print range has been described has been described. However, the data portion corresponding to the processing page after the print end page has been described. You may make it discard. Further, the processing shown in FIG. 8 may be ended when the processing in steps S86 to S90 for the processing page in the print range is completed.

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

1 is a module configuration diagram of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a job procedure for printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in a conventional multifunction peripheral. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a job procedure for printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in the multifunction peripheral according to the present exemplary embodiment. It is a block diagram of an example of PS data in which a reserved word is inserted. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure for printing PS data including print range designation (PJL setting) in the multifunction peripheral according to the present exemplary embodiment. It is an example flowchart showing the processing procedure of the GPS module. It is a flowchart of an example showing the processing procedure of the PJL module. It is an example flowchart showing the processing procedure of the PS3 module.

Explanation of symbols

1 MFP 10 Operating system (OS)
11 Service Layer 12 GPS Module 13 PJL Module 14 PS3 Module 15 PR Module 16 DI Module 17, 18 Other PDL Module

Claims (8)

An image processing apparatus that causes a plotter unit to perform printing based on print data generated in a page description language including a print range specification,
A portion corresponding to a page within the print range and a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range based on an instruction representing a page break included in the print data, obtained by specifying a print range included in the print data A page description language processing means for discarding a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range from the print data;
A drawing function providing means for drawing the print data in which a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range is discarded;
An image processing apparatus comprising: control means for printing the drawn print data on the plotter unit.   The page description language processing means discards, from the print data, a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range that precedes the first page within the print range among portions corresponding to pages outside the print range. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The print range specification is described in a job description language,
The control unit analyzes the print data stored in the reception buffer, and activates a job description language processing unit according to the job description language and a page description language processing unit according to the page description language. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the command representing a page break included in the print data is a reserved word of an output command representing the end of a page. 5. An image processing method of an image processing apparatus for causing a plotter unit to perform printing based on print data generated in a page description language including a print range specification,
A portion corresponding to a page within the print range and a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range based on an instruction representing a page break included in the print data, obtained by specifying a print range included in the print data A page description language processing step for discarding a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range from the print data;
A drawing function providing step of drawing the print data in which a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range is discarded;
And a control step for causing the plotter unit to print the drawn print data.   The page description language processing step discards, from the print data, a portion corresponding to a page outside the print range before a first page within the print range among portions corresponding to pages outside the print range. The image processing method according to claim 5. The print range specification is described in a job description language,
The control step analyzes the print data stored in the reception buffer and activates a job description language processing unit corresponding to the job description language and a page description language processing unit corresponding to the page description language. The image processing method according to claim 5 or 6.   The image processing method according to claim 5, wherein the command representing a page break included in the print data is a reserved word of an output command representing the end of a page.

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