JP2010012737A - Print control apparatus, printing system, plotting method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print control apparatus the performance of which can be improved while reducing the amount of a resource to be consumed and to provide a plotting method. <P>SOLUTION: A printer controller 20 being the print control apparatus includes: a plotting instruction determining part 26 which determines whether the plotted result to be predicted from image data is obtained by using the information on a plotting area and color information when an inputted plotting command is an image plotting command and which then determines whether the image plotting command can be converted into a graphic plotting command; and a plotting instruction converting part 27 for converting the ROP (raster operation) commands, parameters and image data constituting the image plotting command into the ROP commands, information on the plotting area and color information constituting the graphic plotting command when the plotting instruction determining part 26 determined that the image plotting command can be converted into the graphic plotting command. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides a print control device, a print processing system including the print control device, and a print control device that can perform drawing processing at a higher speed while obtaining a drawing result equivalent to the case of executing an input drawing command. The present invention relates to a drawing processing method to be executed and a device-readable program for realizing the method.

  When printing a document created using an application on a personal computer (PC) or the like, the layout information of the document is converted into an intermediate language called PDL (Page Description Language) by the driver. This intermediate language is a language for instructing a printer to print images such as characters and images.

  The intermediate language to be converted differs depending on the type of application or driver. For this reason, even if the layout information is the same, if the type is different, the drawing method is different, and a specific command is specified as a drawing command for realizing the drawing method. As a result, the designated drawing command is not necessarily the optimum drawing command that can be processed at the fastest speed. If the optimum drawing command is not designated, the drawing process takes time.

Therefore, in order to speed up the drawing process, a device that converts each drawing command into a gradation drawing command, expands a print drawing image on the page memory, and combines a plurality of graphic drawing commands into a gradation drawing unit. And a method have been proposed (see Patent Document 1). In the apparatus and method, when the drawing command is sequentially interpreted, if a command whose color changes in a continuous direction at the address of the page memory to be drawn by the command is interpreted as a command for gradation drawing, A plurality of graphic drawing commands for drawing a gradation are combined and converted into a gradation drawing command. As a result, it is possible to develop in the page memory with a smaller number of memory accesses as a drawing in which the horizontally long color does not change for each color, and the gradation can be drawn at high speed.
JP 2006-235855 A

  Drawing commands can be broadly divided into graphic drawing commands for drawing graphics such as rectangles and image drawing commands for drawing images such as photographs. In image drawing by an image drawing command, drawing is performed using image data. Since this image data needs to have a color value obtained by digitizing the color in units of pixels (pixels), even if all 1000 consecutive pixels in RGB 24 bits are the same color, each pixel has a color value. In this case, the size of the image data is 24000 bits (3000 bytes). In order to hold this image data, a 3000-byte memory area must be secured.

  In graphic drawing by the graphic drawing command, instead of using image data having color values in pixel units, the drawing area is represented by a start point or end point such as a rectangle, and if the area has the same color value, one pixel's worth Drawing is performed using only the color value as data and using the color value of one pixel. For this reason, in graphics drawing, the data size may be 24 bits (3 bytes) for one pixel, and a memory area of 3 bytes may be secured.

  Conventionally, when a graphic drawing command is received, graphic drawing is performed, and when an image drawing command is received, image drawing is performed. Therefore, graphic drawing processing with a small data size can be processed in a short time and with less resources. On the other hand, in an image drawing process with a large data size, the processing time is long and more resources are consumed. If the amount of resources required for processing can be reduced in drawing processing when an image drawing command is received, the amount of memory access can also be reduced, leading to improved performance.

  Therefore, it has been desired to provide an apparatus and a method that can perform processing in a short time and with a small amount of resources even in a drawing process when an image drawing command is received.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention can determine whether or not it can be converted into a graphic drawing command that can be processed with fewer resources when an image drawing command that requires more resources is received. In such a case, the drawing process is performed by converting the graphic drawing command. With this configuration, even when an image drawing command requiring a long processing time is received, drawing processing can be performed in a short time with a small amount of resources. Performance can be improved.

  That is, according to the present invention, a print control apparatus that performs a drawing process using a drawing command, and when the input drawing command is the first drawing command that performs the drawing process based on the image data, the image data It is possible to convert the first drawing command to the second drawing command for performing drawing processing by giving color information to the drawing area by determining whether the drawing result predicted from the information is obtained from the information about the drawing area and the color information. A determination unit for determining whether or not conversion is possible, and when it is determined that conversion is possible, a first command constituting the first drawing command, parameters and image data, a second command constituting the second drawing command, and drawing It is possible to provide a print control apparatus including a conversion unit that converts information related to an area and color information.

  The determination unit can determine whether or not the first drawing command can be converted into the second drawing command with reference to the first command and the parameters constituting the first drawing command. The instruction can be a ROP command. ROP is a logical operation process performed when two raster images are superimposed, and the ROP command is a command for performing this process. The parameters include the image size of the image data, the color value of each pixel, and the scaling factor. The image size includes start point coordinates indicating a position where drawing is started, the number of pixels in the width direction, and the number of pixels in the height direction.

  The determination unit refers to the first command and the parameter, and when the color values of all the pixels in the area composed of the consecutive number of pixels or more in the image data are the same, the determination unit outputs the first drawing command to the second drawing Judge that conversion to command is possible. That is, it is determined that conversion is possible when pixels having the same color value are adjacent to each other by a specified number or more and form one region having the same color value. By converting the second drawing command so that each pixel does not have a color value and no memory access occurs for each pixel in the region composed of continuous pixels having the same color value in this way, Can reduce consumption and improve performance.

  The determination unit can include a parameter selection unit that selects a parameter, and the parameter selection unit can select one or more parameters according to the processing load of the processor that performs the drawing process. That is, when the processing load of the processor is small, for example, it is possible to determine whether conversion is possible by referring to all parameters and determining whether the conversion conditions are satisfied for all parameters. When is large, for example, it is possible to determine whether conversion is possible by referring to only one parameter and determining whether the conversion condition is satisfied for the parameter. As a result, an excessive load is not applied to the processor, and a decrease in performance can be suppressed and printing can be performed at high speed.

  The conversion unit converts an ROP (Raster Operation) command as a first instruction into an ROP command as a second instruction. The printer control language (PCL) ROP does not give a color value to the graphic. Therefore, in order to give a color value to a drawing result obtained by graphic drawing, conversion is made into an ROP command that can give a color value of color information.

  Further, the conversion unit divides the drawing area into a plurality of areas according to the color values included in the image data, and a plurality of first commands, parameters, and image data constituting the first drawing command correspond to each area. The second command constituting the second drawing command, information on the drawing area, and color information can be converted. When the color value of the image data is divided into two, each color is converted into information such as the color value and the coordinates of the start point and end point of the area, and the first command is converted into two second commands.

  In this case, the determination unit can detect a plurality of regions in accordance with the color values included in the image data and determine that the first drawing command can be converted into the second drawing command. Although the color values included in the image data are different, two or more regions having the same color value in the rendering result predicted from the image data can be regarded as the same region, and the first rendering command can be converted into the second rendering command. It can be determined that there is. As a result, the same area is regarded as one area, and the area can be converted into one second drawing command. As a result, the resource consumption can be further reduced, and the performance can be further improved.

  In addition, when the determination unit determines that conversion is possible, the print control apparatus executes drawing processing based on the converted second drawing command, and when the determination unit determines that conversion is not possible, the normal first drawing A drawing process by a command can be executed.

  According to the present invention, it is also possible to provide a print processing system that includes a host device that inputs a drawing command, a printing device that receives drawing-processed data and executes print processing, and the above-described print control device. .

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drawing processing method that is executed by a print processing apparatus using a drawing command. In this method, the determination unit converts the first drawing command to the second drawing command. The step of determining whether or not conversion is possible, and the conversion unit, the first command constituting the first drawing command, the parameter and the image data, the second command constituting the second drawing command, the information about the drawing area and the color information Converting to.

  Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a program that can be read by a print processing apparatus for realizing the above drawing processing method, and also a recording medium that can be read by a print control apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a print processing system including a printer controller which is an embodiment of a print control apparatus of the present invention. The print processing system receives a PDL and a host PC 10 that includes an application for creating a document to be printed and a driver that converts layout information of the document into PDL when printing the document created by the application, A printer controller 20 that performs drawing processing and a printer engine 30 that receives the data subjected to drawing processing and performs printing are configured.

  The host PC 10 includes a memory and HDD for storing applications and drivers, and a CPU that reads and executes the applications and drivers. In addition, the host PC 10 includes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, a communication interface for communicating with the printer controller 20, a display device for displaying a created document, a print layout, and the like.

  The printer engine 30 is a mechanical part that receives the data subjected to the drawing process from the printer controller 20 and actually performs printing. The rendered data is bitmap data composed of a collection of dots of each color. When the printer is a laser printer, the printer engine 30 charges the photosensitive drum, irradiates the laser, attaches toner, forms a toner image, transfers the toner image to the paper, fixes it, and applies it to the paper. Responsible for the process of printing.

  The printer controller 20 receives the PDL converted by the driver provided in the host PC 10 and temporarily spools the interpreter 21 that interprets the PDL and the commands and parameters that constitute the drawing command interpreted by the interpreter 21 as intermediate data. The intermediate data memory 22 to be stored (accumulated), the intermediate data temporarily spooled out from the intermediate data memory 22, the image drawing processing unit 23 that performs image drawing, the intermediate data from the intermediate data memory 22, and the graphic drawing A graphic rendering processing unit 24 to perform, and a page memory 25 for spooling data processed by each processing unit.

  The printer controller 20 further receives instructions, parameters, and the like analyzed by the interpreter 21, determines whether the drawing command input from the host PC 10 is an image drawing command that is a first drawing command, and uses the image drawing command. If it is determined that there is a drawing command determining unit 26 that determines whether the image drawing command can be converted into a graphic drawing command that is the second drawing command, and if it is determined that conversion is possible, the image drawing is performed. And a drawing command conversion unit 27 for converting a command into a graphic drawing command.

  The graphic drawing command converted by the drawing command conversion unit 27 is temporarily spooled until the converted command, parameters, etc. are sent to the intermediate data memory 22 as intermediate data and taken out by the graphic drawing processing unit 24. The intermediate data is used for drawing processing in the graphic drawing processing unit 24, and the drawn data is spooled in the page memory 25 until it is taken out by the printer engine 30.

  The intermediate data spooled in the intermediate data memory 22 is taken out in the spooled order and subjected to the drawing process, and the drawn data spooled in the page memory 25 is taken out in the spooled order and the printing process is performed. Is called.

  The printer controller 20 can include a processor and a memory, and the processing of the drawing command determination unit 26 and the drawing command conversion unit 27 is configured as a program, stored in the memory, and read and executed by the processor. Can be realized.

  Here, first, a conventional drawing process using an image drawing command and a graphic drawing command will be described with reference to FIGS. The drawing process using the image drawing command is performed by the image drawing processing unit 23 executing the image drawing command. At that time, the intermediate data is taken out from the intermediate data memory 22. The intermediate data includes image data having a color value for each pixel as shown in FIG. 2A and start point coordinates (a, b) The number of pixels in the width direction of the image data, the number of pixels in the height direction perpendicular to the width direction, and the scaling factors in the width direction and the height direction are included. The start point coordinates specify the drawing start position when drawing an image. For example, the pixel constituting the upper left corner of the paper when the print image is displayed is (0, 0), and the pixel of the paper is determined from that pixel. The number of pixels in the width direction can be determined as a, and the number of pixels in the height direction can be determined as b.

  When drawing processing is performed using an image drawing command, image data having a color value for each pixel is used, and thus many resources are consumed. In FIG. 2A, as a resource consumption amount, a memory for a data size obtained by multiplying the number of pixels in the width direction, the number of pixels in the height direction, and the bit depth is consumed. For example, if the number of pixels in the width direction is 15, the number of pixels in the height direction is 1, and the bit depth is 24 bits, the memory of 360 bits obtained by multiplying them is consumed. During drawing processing, memory access occurs in each pixel of image data, which affects performance. When the scaling factor is designated, it is necessary to perform scaling drawing in the image drawing processing unit 23, and this scaling drawing requires a fractional calculation process, which requires a lot of time.

  On the other hand, the drawing process by the graphic drawing command is performed by the graphic drawing processing unit 24 executing the graphic drawing command. At that time, intermediate data is taken out from the intermediate data memory 22, and the intermediate data includes the start point coordinates (a, b), the number of pixels in the width direction of the image to be drawn, and the like as shown in FIG. As the number of pixels in the height direction and color information, if the drawing area is a single color, only one color value is included. In this graphic drawing, since there is no image data, no memory access occurs, and there is no designation for performing variable magnification drawing, so no decimal arithmetic processing is performed. Therefore, resource consumption can be greatly reduced, and drawing processing can be performed in a short time.

  The drawing result is a figure represented by a monochromatic square having 15 pixels in the width direction and 15 pixels in the height direction as shown in FIG.

  A process for drawing the square shown in FIG. 2C using the drawing commands shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In step 300, the process is started. In step 310, the interpreter 21 receives a drawing command from the host PC 10. In step 320, the interpreter 21 interprets the received drawing command.

  When the received drawing command is an image drawing command, the interpreter 21 has the start point coordinates (a, b), the image data has 15 pixels in the width direction, 1 pixel in the height direction, and the color value in each pixel. Is a single color and is interpreted as an instruction to multiply the image data by 15 times in the height direction. On the other hand, when the drawing command is a graphic drawing command, the start point coordinates are (a, b), the number of pixels in the width direction is 15, the number of pixels in the height direction is 15, and the color value is a single color. Interpret as an instruction.

  In step 330, after interpreting the drawing command, the interpreter 21 sends parameters such as the start point coordinates and the number of pixels in the width / height direction as intermediate data to the intermediate data memory 22 and temporarily stores them in the intermediate data memory 22. Spool. Note that image data is spooled as intermediate data for image drawing commands and color information for graphic drawing commands. In step 340, the image drawing processing unit 23 and the graphic drawing processing unit 24 refer to the spooled intermediate data every time the drawing process is completed, take out the spooled data in the intermediate data memory 22, and perform the drawing process.

  The image drawing processing unit 23 takes out intermediate data including image data spooled in the intermediate data memory 22 and performs drawing processing. The graphic drawing processing unit 24 extracts the intermediate data including the color information spooled in the intermediate data memory 22 and not including the image data, and performs the drawing process.

  In step 350, the data drawn by the image drawing processing unit 23 and the graphic drawing processing unit 24 is output to the page memory 25 by each drawing processing unit 23, 24 and spooled in the page memory 25. The data spooled in the page memory 25 is referred to every time the printer engine 30 finishes the printing process, and is taken out in the spooled order and executed. If it is a laser printer, the photosensitive drum is charged, writing light is formed from the drawn data and irradiated to the photosensitive drum, the toner is attached to form a toner image, and the toner image is transferred to paper. Printing on paper is performed by fixing. The drawing process by the printer controller 20 ends when the data is spooled in the page memory 25 (step 360).

  Hereinafter, a drawing process by the printer controller 20 including the drawing command determination unit 26 and the drawing command conversion unit 27 shown in FIG. 1, which is an embodiment of the printing control apparatus of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to FIG. .

  The processing is started from step 400, and in step 410, the interpreter 21 receives a drawing command described in PDL from the host PC 10. Next, in step 420, the interpreter 21 interprets the received drawing command. The interpretation of the drawing command is the same as that described above. The image drawing command is interpreted to include the start point coordinates, image data, the number of pixels in the width / height direction, and the scaling factor. The graphic drawing command is It is interpreted as including the start point coordinates, the number of pixels in the width and height directions, and color information.

  In step 430, these parameters and the like are sent to the drawing command determination unit 26, and it is first determined whether the command is an image drawing command including image data. As a result of the determination, if it is determined that the command is an image drawing command, it is next determined whether it can be converted into a graphic drawing command. Details of this determination method will be described later.

  If it is determined in step 430 that the image drawing command can be converted into a graphic drawing command, image data or the like is sent to the drawing command conversion unit 27 in step 440, and the drawing command conversion unit 27 converts the image drawing command into a graphic drawing command. .

  In step 450, the drawing command conversion unit 27 spools information related to a drawing area and color information necessary for graphic drawing processing as intermediate data in the intermediate data memory 22 after conversion. Thereafter, in step 460, the graphic drawing processing unit 24 takes out the spooled intermediate data from the intermediate data memory 22, performs graphic drawing processing, outputs it to the page memory 25 in step 470, spools it, and performs processing in step 480. finish. After the printing process is completed, the printer engine 30 sequentially extracts the drawn data spooled in the page memory 25 and executes the printing process.

  With reference to FIG. 5, the determination process performed in step 430 will be described in detail. In step 500, the determination process is started. First, in step 510, it is determined whether the drawing command is an image drawing command. Whether or not it is an image drawing command can be determined by whether or not image data is included as a result of interpretation by the interpreter 21.

  If it is determined in step 510 that the drawing command is an image drawing command, the process advances to step 520 to determine whether the ROP (Raster Operation) command constituting the drawing command is “0xCC”. Here, ROP is a logical operation process performed when two or more raster images (drawing objects) are superimposed. “0xCC” indicates that the result of rendering by logical operation processing is only the raster image (source) to be rendered.

  Since the PCL ROP does not have a color value in the graphic, the drawing result does not have a color value only in the source. In order to give a color value to a drawing result of graphic drawing, it is necessary to perform an AND operation on the pattern having the color value with the source. The and operation can be realized by the ROP3 command. Incidentally, the ROP3 command is a bit operation of a color value composed of a source, a rendering destination raster image (destination), and a pattern. In this step 520, it is determined whether or not the ROP command is “0xCC” in order to determine whether or not graphic drawing is possible by converting to the ROP3 command.

  If it is determined in step 520 that the ROP command is “0xCC”, the process advances to step 530 to determine whether the number of pixels in the width direction or height direction of the image data is one. When the number of pixels in the width direction or the height direction of the image data is 1, the color value of pixels continuously arranged in the height direction with respect to the width direction of the number of pixels 1, and the height value of the number of pixels of 1. There is a high possibility that the color values of pixels arranged continuously in the width direction are the same, and in this way, an area where pixels having the same color value are continuously formed can be drawn with fewer resources by graphic drawing. it can. Therefore, in step 530, it is determined whether the number of pixels in the width or height direction is one.

  If it is determined in step 530 that the number of pixels in the width direction or height direction of the image data is 1, the process proceeds to step 540, where it is determined whether the scaling factor of the image data is sufficiently large. Even if the scaling factor is 2 or 3, the resource consumption can be suppressed and the performance can be improved, but the effect becomes more remarkable as the scaling factor is larger. Therefore, in step 540, it is determined whether or not the scaling factor is sufficiently large such as 10 times or more.

  If it is determined in step 540 that the scaling factor is sufficiently large, it is determined in step 550 whether or not the color values of the image data are all the same. When the color values of the image data are all the same, the color values of pixels that are continuous in the width or height direction are the same. Thus, an area where pixels having the same color value are continuously formed can be drawn with fewer resources by graphic drawing. Therefore, in step 550, it is determined whether all the color values of the image data are the same.

  If it is determined in step 550 that all the color values of the image data are the same, the process proceeds to step 560, where it is determined that the image data can be converted into a graphic drawing command. In step 570, the process ends.

  In Steps 510 to 550, when the image drawing command is not used, when the ROP command is not “0xCC”, when the number of pixels in the width direction or the number of pixels in the height direction is not 1, If the scaling ratio is not sufficiently large, or if the color values of the image data are not all the same value, the process proceeds to step 570 without determining that the image drawing command can be converted into the graphic drawing command, and the process is terminated. . In this case, since it is not converted into a graphic drawing command, image data or the like is spooled in the intermediate data memory 22 as intermediate data, and the image drawing processing unit 23 takes out the intermediate data and performs drawing processing.

  If it is determined in step 560 that conversion is possible, the process proceeds to step 440 shown in FIG. 4, and processing for converting an image drawing command into a graphic drawing command is performed. In this case, information on the drawing area such as the start point coordinates and the number of pixels in the width / height direction is generated as parameters of the graphic drawing command, color information as a color value to be given to the pattern is generated, and the ROP command is set from “0xCC”. By converting to ROP3 command “0xFC”, it is converted into a graphic drawing command composed of information related to the drawing area, color information, and ROP3 command.

  In this way, it is determined whether or not conversion to a graphic drawing command is possible. If conversion is possible, conversion to a graphic drawing command eliminates the need to spool image data in the intermediate data memory 22, and image scaling processing can be performed. Thus, drawing processing can be performed with fewer resources, and performance can be improved as compared with image drawing.

  In the process for determining whether or not the graphic drawing command shown in FIG. 5 can be converted, whether the ROP command is “0xCC”, the number of pixels in the width / height direction of the image data is 1, or the image data is changed. It is determined whether all the parameters and the ROP command satisfy the conversion condition of whether the magnification is large or the color values of the image data are all the same. If all the conditions are satisfied, it is determined that conversion is possible. These processes are not a problem when the processing capacity of the processor performing the drawing process has a sufficient margin, that is, when the processing load on the processor is small. However, when there is no margin in the processing capacity of the processor, that is, when the processing load on the processor is large, if all these determinations are made, the processor is burdened, the processing time increases, and the performance decreases.

  Therefore, instead of determining whether all parameters and ROP commands satisfy the conversion condition, determine some of the parameters, and if some of the parameters are satisfied, determine that conversion to a graphic drawing command is possible Can do. Specifically, the processing capability of the processor is determined by determining whether the number of pixels in the width / height direction of the image data is 1, whether the scaling factor of the image data is large, or whether the color values of the image data are all the same. If some of them are selected and all of the selected items are satisfied, it is determined that conversion is possible.

  This selection can be performed by providing a parameter selection unit. When starting the determination, the parameter selection unit acquires the processing load of the processor monitored by a monitoring unit such as a performance monitor as load information, and the load Some of the parameters can be selected according to the processing load obtained from the information. The parameter selection unit can be provided in the drawing command determination unit 26, and the selected parameter is used for determining whether the drawing command determination unit 26 satisfies the conversion condition. For example, when the processing load is 90%, only one conversion condition is set, when it is 80%, two conversion conditions are set, and when it is 70%, it is set to determine whether the three conversion conditions are satisfied. You can select based on your settings.

  So far, the case where the image data is a single color has been described. However, in the present invention, even when the image data is divided into a plurality of colors, the image drawing command is converted into the graphic drawing command, and the image drawing is performed by the image drawing command. Can obtain the same rendering result and improve the performance. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, it can be realized by converting an image drawing command into a plurality of graphic drawing commands corresponding to colors.

  In FIG. 6, when the image drawing command is interpreted, the start point coordinates are (a, b), the number of pixels in the width direction is 8 for each color, the number of pixels in the height direction is 1, and the scaling factor is 1 in the width direction and 15 in the height direction, and the image data is a color value indicating green for eight pixels continuous in the width direction from the start point coordinates, and a color indicating black for the following eight pixels. Value.

  The drawing command determination unit 26 can determine that conversion to a graphic drawing command is possible when the color values of all the pixels in an area composed of a predetermined number or more of consecutive pixels in the image data are the same. In FIG. 6, it is necessary to convert the ROP command included in the image drawing command into the ROP3 command. The number of pixels in the height direction is 1, and eight consecutive pixels in the width direction have the same color value. Since the magnification is 15 which is sufficiently large, the color values of all the pixels in the region composed of continuous pixels in the image data are the same, and the drawing command determination unit 26 determines that conversion to a graphic drawing command is possible.

  The drawing command conversion unit 27 divides the drawing area into two areas according to the color values included in the image data, and for each area, information such as the coordinates of the start point and end point of the area, and the number of pixels in the width and height directions. And color information are generated, converted into ROP3 commands, and converted into graphic drawing commands.

  In FIG. 6, since the colors are two, they are converted into two graphic drawing commands. One includes the coordinates of the starting point (a, b), the number of pixels in the width direction is 8, the height is 15, and the color information includes a color value indicating green, and the other is the starting point coordinates ( a + 8, b), the number of pixels in the width direction is 8, the height is 15, and the color information includes a color value indicating black.

  The drawing command determination unit 26 divides a region composed of pixels having the same number of continuous color values in the image data as one region, but the regions divided by the color values of the image data are different from each other. Even if it has a value, if the color value in the rendering result predicted from the image data is the same, two or more regions having the same color value in the rendering result can be regarded as one region . For this reason, one or more graphic drawing commands that include color values in the drawing result predicted from the image data as color information are not converted into two or more graphic drawing commands for those two or more regions. Can be converted to This is because the drawing result is the same even if drawing is performed assuming that it is one area.

  In the image data, the number of pixels is not limited to 1 in the height direction, but may be in the width direction as shown in FIG. Even when the width direction is set to 1, an equivalent result can be obtained by the same method as described above, and the performance can be greatly improved as compared with the case where image drawing is performed.

  Note that the image data does not have to have one of the number of pixels in the width direction or the height direction, and may have two or more pixels in the width direction or the height direction. In this case, the number of pixels in the width direction and the height direction is the same, and the blocks are made of squares that all have the same color value, and the number of blocks in the width direction or the height direction is used as a parameter. Thus, an equivalent result can be obtained. For example, the block may be composed of 100 pixels with 10 pixels in the width direction and 10 pixels in the height direction.

  Even if the image data consists of two colors, the interpreter 21 has the start point coordinates (a, b) for one color and the number of pixels in the width direction is m1 ×. m ′, the corresponding number of pixels in the height direction is n1 × n ′, the start point coordinates (a + m1 × m ′, b + n1 × n ′), and the number of pixels in the width direction are m2 × m ′. , The corresponding number of pixels in the height direction is n2 × n ′, and for another color, the start point coordinates (a + m1 × m ′, b), the number of pixels in the width direction is m2 × m ′, The corresponding number of pixels in the height direction is n1 × n ′, the start point coordinates (a, b + n1 × n ′), the number of pixels in the width direction is m1 × m ′, and the corresponding height direction It is interpreted that the number of pixels to n2 × n ′.

  The ROP command included in the image drawing command in this case is an ROP2 command other than “0xCC”. However, since there are continuous pixels having the same color value and there are more than the designated number, the ROP command can be converted into a graphic drawing command. The image drawing command can be converted into four graphic drawing commands by determining and dividing into four regions composed of continuous pixels having the same color value.

  After determining that the drawing command is an image drawing command, the drawing command determining unit 26 determines whether the drawing command is an ROP2 command, and divides the area into four areas from the contents interpreted by the interpreter 21. It is determined whether the scaling factor of the image data is sufficiently large, it is determined whether all the color values of the image data in the area are the same, and if all satisfy the condition, it is determined that the image data can be converted into a graphic drawing command.

  The drawing command conversion unit 27 generates information related to the area required for each graphic drawing command and color information of the area from the image data, the starting point coordinates, the number of pixels in the width / height direction, and the scaling factor, Convert to one graphic drawing command. These four graphic drawing commands are executed by the graphic drawing processing unit 24, so that the same result as that obtained when the image drawing processing unit 23 executes the image drawing command to perform image drawing can be obtained. The performance can be improved as compared with the case of performing image drawing.

  Although the present invention has been described with the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, and the like may occur to those skilled in the art. It can be changed within the range that can be done, and any embodiment is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the effects of the present invention are exhibited. The processing by the drawing command determination unit 26 and the drawing command conversion unit 27 can be configured as a program and can be executed by the print control apparatus. This program can be provided by being stored in any medium that can be read by the apparatus, and can be provided by being stored in a flexible disk, MD disk, SD card, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or the like. .

1 is a diagram illustrating a print processing system including a printer controller that is an embodiment of a print processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. The figure which illustrated the drawing result obtained by using the image drawing command in the case of a single color, the graphic drawing command corresponding to it, and those commands. The flowchart figure which showed the conventional drawing process. The flowchart figure which showed the drawing process containing the determination of a drawing command, and a conversion process. The flowchart figure which showed the determination and conversion process of the drawing command. The figure which illustrated the drawing result obtained by using the image drawing command in the case of 2 colors, the graphic drawing command corresponding to it, and those commands. The figure which illustrated the drawing result obtained by using the image drawing command of another embodiment in the case of a single color, the graphic drawing command corresponding to it, and those commands. The figure which illustrated the drawing result obtained by using the image drawing command of another embodiment in the case of 2 colors, the graphic drawing command corresponding to it, and those commands.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Host PC, 20 ... Print control apparatus, 21 ... Interpreter, 22 ... Intermediate data memory, 23 ... Image drawing process part, 24 ... Graphic drawing process part, 25 ... Page memory, 26 ... Drawing command determination part, 27 ... Drawing Command conversion unit, 30 ... printer engine

Claims (20)

A print control apparatus that performs drawing processing using a drawing command,
When the input drawing command is a first drawing command for drawing processing based on image data, it is determined whether a drawing result predicted from the image data is obtained from information about a drawing area and color information. A determination unit for determining whether or not the first drawing command can be converted into a second drawing command for giving the color information to the drawing area and performing drawing processing;
When it is determined that conversion is possible, the first command constituting the first drawing command, the parameters and the image data, the second command constituting the second drawing command, the information relating to the drawing region, and the color A printing control apparatus comprising: a conversion unit that converts information.   2. The determination unit according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the first drawing command can be converted into the second drawing command with reference to the first command and the parameter constituting the first drawing command. The printing control apparatus described.   The print control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parameters include an image size of the image data, a color value of each pixel, and a scaling factor.   The determination unit determines that the first drawing command can be converted into the second drawing command when the color values of all the pixels in the region composed of the consecutive number of pixels or more in the image data are the same. The printing control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The determination unit includes a parameter selection unit that selects the parameter, and the parameter selection unit selects one or more of the parameters according to a processing load of a processor that performs the drawing process. The print control apparatus according to any one of the above.   The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit converts an ROP (Raster Operation) command as the first instruction into an ROP command as the second instruction.   The conversion unit divides the drawing area into a plurality of areas according to color values included in the image data, and each of the first command, the parameter, and the image data constituting the first drawing command The print control device according to claim 1, wherein the print control device converts the second command constituting the plurality of second drawing commands corresponding to the region, information about the drawing region, and the color information.   The determination unit determines that two or more regions having the same color value in a rendering result predicted from the image data are the same region, and the first rendering command can be converted into the second rendering command. The printing control apparatus according to claim 7.   The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the determination unit determines that conversion is not possible, the drawing process by the first drawing command is executed.   A print processing system, comprising: a host device that inputs a drawing command; a printing device that receives drawing-processed data and executes print processing; and the print control device according to claim 1. A drawing processing method executed by a print processing apparatus using a drawing command,
When the input drawing command is a first drawing command for drawing processing based on image data, it is determined whether a drawing result predicted from the image data is obtained from information about a drawing area and color information. Thereby determining whether or not the first drawing command can be converted into a second drawing command for giving the color information to the drawing area and performing drawing processing;
When it is determined that conversion is possible, the first command constituting the first drawing command, the parameters and the image data, the second command constituting the second drawing command, the information relating to the drawing region, and the color A drawing processing method including the step of converting into information.   The step of determining determines whether or not the first drawing command can be converted into the second drawing command by referring to the first command and the parameter constituting the first drawing command. The drawing processing method described in 1.   The drawing processing method according to claim 12, wherein the parameters include an image size of the image data, a color value of each pixel, and a scaling factor.   In the determining step, the first drawing command can be converted into the second drawing command when the color values of all the pixels in the region composed of the consecutive number of pixels or more in the image data are the same. The drawing processing method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, which is determined.   The determining step includes a step of selecting the parameter, and the selecting step selects one or more of the parameters according to a processing load of a processor that performs the drawing process. The drawing processing method according to claim 1.   The drawing processing method according to claim 11, wherein, in the converting step, an ROP command as the first instruction is converted into an ROP command as the second instruction.   In the converting step, the drawing area is divided into a plurality of areas according to color values included in the image data, and the first command, the parameter, and the image data constituting the first drawing command are: The drawing processing method according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein conversion is performed into the second command constituting the plurality of second drawing commands corresponding to each region, information on the drawing region, and the color information.   In the determining step, two or more regions having the same color value in a rendering result predicted from the image data are set as the same region, and the first rendering command can be converted into the second rendering command. The drawing processing method according to claim 17, wherein the determination is made.   The drawing processing method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of executing a drawing process by the first drawing command when it is determined that the conversion is not possible.   A program readable by a print control apparatus for executing the drawing processing method according to any one of claims 11 to 19.

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