JP2012120009A - Image processing system and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing system and a program which can reduce possibility that a lack of a region of a storing portion in which an image formed on a recording medium is stored occurs compared to a conventional case.SOLUTION: A plotting output portion 36 sequentially plots images corresponding to divided printing object information on a plurality of pieces of divided printing object information based on printing object information and outputs the plotted image to a video memory 22. The plotting output portion 36 re-plots at least one of the images which are already plotted and are outputted to the video memory 22 by the smaller number of gradations rather than that of gradations in the case of plotting to overwrite and output it to the video memory 22 when an information amount in a space of the video memory 22 in the case of plotting is smaller than the information amount of the video memory 22, which is required for storing the plotted image when the image corresponding to un-plotted divided printing object information is plotted with the predetermined number of gradations during plotting of the image corresponding to the divided printing object information.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a program.

  There is a printing apparatus that prints out an image written in a storage unit such as a video memory. Patent Document 1 discloses an image processing apparatus that has image memories with different resolutions and selects an image memory to be written according to the type of page description language (PDL) data. In Patent Document 2, the storage capacity or development time of a drawing object is determined, the band memory area and the storage area of the drawing object are rearranged, and the resolution or gradation of the drawing object is reduced. A print control apparatus is disclosed that continues to develop a band image via a band area in which a drawing object having a reduced resolution or a lower gradation is reduced in volume and rearranged. Patent Document 3 discloses a printer control apparatus that determines the number of gradations from the amount of image data and the capacity of an internal memory, converts the image data into the number of gradations, and then stores the data in the internal memory.

JP-A-5-342314 JP-A-9-190301 JP 10-76714 A

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and a program that can reduce the possibility that an area shortage of a storage unit that stores an image formed on a recording medium will occur.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an image processing apparatus, a print target information acquiring unit that acquires print target information representing a target to be printed, and an area in which an image corresponding to the print target information is arranged. For each of a plurality of pieces of divided print target information based on the print target information associated with different areas obtained by dividing the image, images corresponding to the divided print target information are sequentially drawn, and the drawn images are stored on the recording medium. A drawing output means for outputting to a storage means for storing an image formed on the image, wherein the drawing output means draws the image according to the divided print target information when the drawing is performed. The amount of information in the free area of the means is larger than the amount of information in the storage means required for storing the drawn image when an image corresponding to undrawn divided print target information is drawn with a predetermined number of gradations. In this case, at least one of the images already drawn and output to the storage means is redrawn with a gradation number smaller than the gradation number at the time of drawing and is overwritten and output to the storage means. That's what it meant.

  A second aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the drawing output unit stores the memory at the time of drawing when drawing an image according to the divided print target information. The amount of information in the free area of the means is smaller than the amount of information in the storage means required for storing the drawn image when an image corresponding to undrawn divided print target information is drawn with a predetermined number of gradations. In this case, among the images already drawn and output to the storage means, the image having the highest number of gradations at the time of drawing is redrawn and overwritten and output to the storage means.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the drawing output unit draws an image according to the divided print target information when the drawing is performed. When the amount of information in the free area of the storage means is smaller than the amount of information in the storage means required for storing the drawn image when drawing an image corresponding to undrawn divided print target information in two gradations , At least one of the images already drawn and output to the storage means is redrawn with the number of gradations smaller than the number of gradations at the time of drawing and overwritten to the storage means Is.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the drawing output unit stores an image corresponding to each piece of divided print target information in the storage unit. If the number of gradations in which each image is rendered after output is different, the divided print target information other than the image rendered in the smallest number of gradations in which each image is rendered The image corresponding to the above is redrawn with the smallest number of gradations and is overwritten and output to the storage means.

  Invention of Claim 5 is a program, Comprising: The printing object information acquisition means which acquires the printing object information showing the object to be printed, each divided | segmented the area | region where the image according to the said printing object information is arrange | positioned For each of a plurality of pieces of divided print target information based on the print target information, which are associated with different areas, an image corresponding to the divided print target information is sequentially drawn, and the drawn image is formed on a recording medium. The computer functions as a drawing output unit that outputs to a storage unit that stores an image to be stored. When the drawing output unit draws an image according to the divided print target information, the storage unit at the time of drawing The storage means required for storing the drawn image when an image corresponding to the unprinted divided print target information is drawn with a predetermined number of gradations. Is smaller than the number of tones, and at least one of the images already drawn and output to the storage means is redrawn with the number of gradations smaller than the number of tones at the time of drawing and the storage is performed. It is to be overwritten to the means.

  According to the first and fifth aspects of the present invention, compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided, the possibility of the occurrence of a shortage of the storage unit in which the image formed on the recording medium is stored is reduced. Can do.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the image formed on the recording medium is redrawn with respect to the image having the highest number of gradations at the time of drawing among the images already drawn and output to the storage means. Can be avoided.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, even when an image corresponding to undrawn divided print target information is drawn with two gradations, when an area shortage of the storage means occurs, the drawing is already performed and output to the storage means By redrawing at least one of the recorded images with the number of gradations smaller than the number of gradations at the time of drawing, it is possible to prevent an area shortage of the storage unit in which the image formed on the recording medium is stored Can do.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the number of gradations of the image corresponding to the divided printing target information is different, the smallest gradation among the number of gradations of the image corresponding to the divided printing target information The number of gradations of the image corresponding to the divided print target information is equal to the number.

It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the image processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows an example of the function implement | achieved by the image processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the paper medium on which the image based on printing object information was printed. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the process performed with the image processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the setting of the gradation number of each band image. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the setting of the gradation number of each band image. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the setting of the gradation number of each band image. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the setting of the gradation number of each band image.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, a control unit 12, a storage unit 14, a communication unit 16, and a printing unit 18. These elements are connected via a bus.

  The control unit 12 is a program control device such as a CPU, for example, and operates according to a program installed in the image processing apparatus 10. The storage unit 14 is, for example, a storage element such as a ROM or a RAM. The storage unit 14 stores a program executed by the control unit 12. The storage unit 14 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 12. The communication unit 16 is a communication interface such as a LAN card, and transmits / receives information to / from an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer connected via communication means such as the Internet or a LAN. The printing unit 18 prints a recording medium such as a paper medium. In the present embodiment, the printing unit 18 forms an image on a recording medium such as a paper medium based on information input from the control unit 12, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the storage unit 14 included in the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, at least a spooler memory 20 and a video memory 22.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of functions realized by the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, a print target information acquisition unit 30, an intermediate language data generation unit 32, a gradation number determination unit 34, a drawing output unit 36, and an image formation unit 38. , Including. In the present embodiment, for example, the print target information acquisition unit 30 is realized mainly by the control unit 12 and the communication unit 16. The image forming unit 38 is realized mainly by the printing unit 18. Other elements are realized mainly by the control unit 12.

  These elements are realized by causing the image processing apparatus 10 to execute a program installed in the image processing apparatus 10 that is a computer. This program is supplied to the image processing apparatus 10 via a computer-readable information storage medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, or via communication means such as the Internet.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper medium (printing paper medium 40) on which an image based on print target information received from the information processing apparatus is printed. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment prints an image based on print target information received from the information processing apparatus on a paper medium for each page. In this embodiment, an image is rendered (rendered) in units of rectangular areas (band areas R) obtained by dividing an area (page) in which an entire image corresponding to print target information corresponding to one page is arranged (banding). It is processed. In the example of FIG. 3, ten band regions R (first band region R (1) to tenth band region R (10) in order from the top of the page) are shown in one page. Hereinafter, an image drawn in the band region R is referred to as a band image.

  Here, an example of the flow of processing performed by the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. In the present processing example, for example, the spooler memory 20 stores in advance gradation number information indicating the number of gradations (for example, 8 in the present processing example). Further, in the present processing example, the spooler memory 20 has a minimum value indicating the minimum number of gradations of the image drawn in the present processing example (for example, 2 in this processing example, that is, 2 gradations = 1 bit). The gradation number information is also stored in advance. In this processing example, the number of band regions R is n.

  First, the print target information acquisition unit 30 outputs, for example, an image or character that is output from an information processing apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus 10 and is a print target described in a page description language (PDL). Information (in this embodiment, for example, PDL data) is acquired, and the acquired print target information is output to the spooler memory 20 (S101). In this processing example, the print target information acquisition unit 30 acquires, for example, print target information corresponding to one page, and outputs the acquired print target information to the spooler memory 20.

  Then, the intermediate language data generation unit 32 interprets the print target information stored in the spooler memory 20, generates intermediate language data (for example, a display list in this embodiment), and generates the generated intermediate language data. Is output to the video memory 22 (S102). The intermediate language data is, for example, data serving as a basis for executing the banding process. Further, the intermediate language data is composed of a plurality of elements associated with the band region R, for example. Further, the elements of the intermediate language data are ordered by being connected by a pointer or the like. Hereinafter, the element of the intermediate language data associated with the mth band region R (m) is referred to as the mth element.

  Then, the gradation number determination unit 34 sets the value of the variable m to 1 (S103). Then, the gradation number determination unit 34 checks whether or not the value of the variable m is (n + 1) (S104). If not (n + 1) (S104: N), the intermediate language data in which the information amount (size) of the free area of the video memory 22 is the number of gradations indicated by the gradation number information stored in the spooler memory 20 It is confirmed whether or not the information amount (size) of the video memory 22 required for holding the band image represented by the elements after the m-th element is larger (S105).

  If this is the case (S105: Y), the drawing output unit 36 uses the tone number indicated by the tone number information stored in the spooler memory 20 to display the band image represented by the mth element of the intermediate language data as a video. Drawing is output to the memory 22 (S106). In the processing shown in S106, the drawing output unit 36 specifically, for example, data indicating the number of gradations indicated by the gradation number information stored in the spooler memory 20, and each pixel in the band region R. Is output to the video memory 22 indicating gradation values such as RGB values at the above-described number of gradations. Then, the gradation number determination unit 34 increments the value of the variable m by 1 (S107), and executes the processes after S104.

  When the condition shown in S105 is not satisfied (S105: N), the gradation number determination unit 34 stores the gradation number indicated by the gradation number information stored in the spooler memory 20 in the spooler memory 20. It is confirmed whether or not the minimum gradation number indicated by the minimum gradation number information is present (S108). If it is not the minimum number of gradations (S108: N), the gradation number determination unit 34 reduces the gradation number indicated by the gradation number information stored in the spooler memory 20 to half (S109), and S105. The following process is executed again.

  When the number of gradations is the minimum (S108: Y), the gradation number determination unit 34 identifies at least one band image with the highest gradation number among the already drawn band images (S110). Then, the band image specified in the processing shown in S110 stored in the video memory 22 is updated to an image drawn with the minimum number of gradations indicated by the minimum number of gradations information stored in the spooler memory 20. If the information amount (size) of the free area of the video memory 22 including the free area of the video memory 22 to be released in the case of the above is the minimum number of gradations, the band image represented by the elements after the mth element of the intermediate language data It is confirmed whether or not the amount of information (size) of the video memory 22 required for holding is larger than (S111). Otherwise (S111: N), the image processing apparatus 10 outputs an error message to the information processing apparatus and ends abnormally. If that is the case (S111: Y), the drawing output unit 36 re-draws the image redrawn with the minimum number of gradations based on the corresponding intermediate language data for the band image specified in the processing shown in S110. (The band image stored in the video memory 22 is updated to an image redrawn with the minimum number of gradations based on the corresponding intermediate language data), and at the minimum number of gradations, the intermediate language data The band image represented by the m-th element is drawn and output to the video memory 22 (S112). Specifically, for example, the drawing output unit 36 updates the data indicating the number of gradations output to the video memory 22 to the data indicating the minimum number of gradations, and converts the data indicating the gradation values to the band. For each pixel in the region R, the data is updated to data indicating gradation values such as RGB values at the minimum number of gradations. Then, the gradation number determination unit 34 increments the value of the variable m by 1 (S113), and executes the processes after S104.

  In the process shown in S104, when the value of the variable m is (n + 1), the image forming unit 38 acquires a band image for one page drawn in the video memory 22, and uses the band image as a paper medium. (S114). In this way, the process of forming the band image for one page on the recording medium is completed.

  In the above processing example, when the rendering output unit 36 renders and outputs the band image represented by the mth element of the intermediate language data to the video memory 22, the area of the video memory 22 occupied by the mth element of the intermediate language data. May be released. Then, the image processing apparatus 10 may treat the released area of the video memory 22 as a part of the free area of the video memory 22.

  5A, 5B, and 5C are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of setting the number of gradations of each band image by processing performed by the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. In this example, first, band images are drawn with the number of gradations 8 for the first band region R (1) and the second band region R (2). A band image is drawn with the number of gradations of 4 for the third band region R (3), the fourth band region R (4), the fifth band region R (5), and the sixth band region R (6). . Then, a band image is drawn with the number of gradations 2 for the seventh band region R (7) and the eighth band region R (8) (see FIG. 5A above). Then, when drawing the band image of the ninth band region (9), the empty region becomes insufficient, and the band images of the first band region R (1) and the second band region R (2) are the band images having two gradations. (See FIG. 5B), the band image is drawn with the number of gradations 2 for the ninth band region R (9) and the tenth band region R (10) (see FIG. 5C).

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

  For example, in the process shown in S111 described above, the tone number determination unit 34 is an image in which the band image specified in the process shown in S110 stored in the video memory 22 is drawn with half the number of tones. The amount of information (size) of the free area of the video memory 22 including the free area of the video memory 22 that is released when it is updated is represented by elements after the mth element of the intermediate language data at the minimum number of gradations. The process of confirming whether or not the information amount (size) of the video memory 22 required for holding the band image is exceeded may be repeatedly executed until this condition is satisfied. When the condition is satisfied, the band image stored in the video memory 22 is redrawn based on the corresponding intermediate language data for the band image specified by the processing shown in S110 with the number of gradations. You may make it update to an image.

  Further, for example, before the process shown in S114, the tone number determination unit 34 confirms whether there is a band image whose tone number has been changed by the process shown in S113. May be. If there is a band image that is not drawn with the lowest number of gradations (the minimum number of gradations) among the number of gradations of the band image, the band image stored in the video memory 22 is associated. You may make it update to the image redrawn by the above-mentioned minimum gradation number based on intermediate language data. FIG. 6 shows the number of gradations of each band image after the above-described redrawing process with the minimum number of gradations is performed in the situation where the number of gradations of each band image is set as shown in FIG. 5C. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting of. In the example of FIG. 6, the band image is drawn with the number of gradations 2 that is the minimum number of gradations for all band images.

  Further, for example, the storage unit 14 may include a hard disk drive. Note that the above-described specific numerical values and character strings are examples, and are not limited to these numerical values and character strings.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image processing apparatus, 12 Control part, 14 Storage part, 16 Communication part, 18 Printing part, 20 Spooler memory, 22 Video memory, 30 Print target information acquisition part, 32 Intermediate language data generation part, 34 Tone number determination part 36 Drawing output unit, 38 Image forming unit, 40 Printing paper medium.

Claims (5)

Print target information acquisition means for acquiring print target information representing a target to be printed;
Each of a plurality of pieces of divided print object information based on the print object information, which is associated with different areas obtained by dividing an area in which an image corresponding to the print object information is divided, sequentially corresponds to the divided print object information. Drawing output means for drawing an image and outputting the drawn image to a storage means for storing an image formed on a recording medium;
When the drawing output unit draws an image according to the divided print target information, the amount of information in the free area of the storage unit at the time of drawing is divided printing that has not been drawn with a predetermined number of gradations. When the amount of information is smaller than the amount of information stored in the storage means required for storing the drawn image when the image corresponding to the target information is drawn, at least one of the images already drawn and output to the storage means , Redrawing with the number of gradations smaller than the number of gradations at the time of drawing, and overwriting to the storage means,
An image processing apparatus. When the drawing output unit draws an image according to the divided print target information, the amount of information in the free area of the storage unit at the time of drawing is divided printing that has not been drawn with a predetermined number of gradations. If the amount of information is smaller than the amount of information stored in the storage means required for storing the drawn image when the image corresponding to the target information is drawn, among the images already drawn and output to the storage means, Redrawing the image with the highest number of gradations and overwriting the storage means;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. When the drawing output unit draws an image corresponding to the divided print target information, the amount of information in the free area of the storage unit at the time of drawing corresponds to the non-drawn divided print target information in two gradations. If the information amount of the storage means required for storing the drawn image is smaller when the drawn image is drawn, at least one of the images already drawn and output to the storage means Redrawing with the number of gradations smaller than the number of gradations at the time and overwriting to the storage means,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. If the number of gradations in which each image is rendered differs after the image corresponding to each divided print target information is output to the storage unit, the rendering output unit renders the gradation in which each image is rendered The image corresponding to the divided print target information other than the image drawn with the smallest number of gradations among the numbers is redrawn with the smallest number of gradations and overwritten and output to the storage unit.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. Print target information acquisition means for acquiring print target information representing a target to be printed;
Each of a plurality of pieces of divided print object information based on the print object information, which is associated with different areas obtained by dividing an area in which an image corresponding to the print object information is divided, sequentially corresponds to the divided print object information. Draw an image, and cause the computer to function as a drawing output unit that outputs the drawn image to a storage unit that stores an image formed on a recording medium.
When the drawing output unit draws an image according to the divided print target information, the amount of information in the free area of the storage unit at the time of drawing is divided printing that has not been drawn with a predetermined number of gradations. When the amount of information is smaller than the amount of information stored in the storage means required for storing the drawn image when the image corresponding to the target information is drawn, at least one of the images already drawn and output to the storage means , Redrawing with the number of gradations smaller than the number of gradations at the time of drawing, and overwriting to the storage means,
A program characterized by that.

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