JP2015018337A - Print execution controller, printing system, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print execution control technique controlling the execution of printing with respect to a printer, which is capable of printing a plurality of printing elements by freely combining a plurality of resolutions originally comprised by an operating system.SOLUTION: A print data acquisition section 101 executes each print instruction 105 (#1 to #N) according to each of a plurality of resolutions of print requirement data 104 with respect to a printer driver 103, and thereby acquires each piece of print data 106 (#1 to #N) which corresponds to the print requirement data 104 and corresponds to each resolution. A plural resolution mixed print data output section 102 selects and outputs, from the pieces of print data 106 including a resolution, from among the plurality of resolutions, associated with the type of a printing element, data for the type of each of a plurality of printing elements, thereby generates print data 107 which corresponds to the print requirement data 104 and in which the plurality of resolutions are mixed, and outputs the print data 107 to a printer corresponding to the printer driver 103.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print execution control apparatus, a print system, and a program for controlling execution of printing on a printer.

  Many printer devices support high-resolution printing because of the demand for high-quality printing, but the standard resolution (for example, 600 dpi (dot / inch)) and high resolution (for example, 1200 dpi) are set by the printer driver when printing is performed. The actual situation is that printing is performed by switching.

  Higher resolution (1200 dpi) gives a better overall print result. However, the high resolution processes four times the data compared to the standard resolution (600 dpi) and outputs it to the printer. This causes a decrease in printing speed and an increase in the load on the entire system due to an increase in the spool size. Occur. For this reason, printing at a high resolution is not always used, and the resolution normally used is generally 600 dpi, and this resolution is generally satisfactory for business use.

  However, the difference between the standard resolution (600 dpi) and the high resolution (1200 dpi) is obvious with respect to the quality of characters (fonts) that are familiar to us, and high quality is desired for the characters. Conversely, with regard to line drawings / graphics, necessary and sufficient quality can be obtained with standard resolution except for specific applications (design drawings, design drawings that require detailed line drawing expression, etc.).

  If the font data is stored on the host computer side and printing is performed using the font image at the time of printing, the print resolution and the character font resolution must match, and only the characters are printed at high resolution. I can't do it. For example, a printing system of Windows operating system ("Windows" is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries) sold by Microsoft Corporation in the US corresponds to this.

  Conventionally, a technique for displaying characters and other images at different resolutions by performing resolution or gradation conversion processing on the character or image image data is known (for example, patents). Techniques described in documents 1 to 8).

JP 2004-229160 A JP 2004-304404 A JP 2007-133757 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-020046 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-028262 JP 2008-035489 A JP 2008-230146 A JP 2009-027336 A

However, since the above-described conventional technology requires some conversion, for example, it is not possible to print character fonts having a plurality of resolutions originally provided in the operating system in combination with other image resolutions. Had.
In addition, it has a problem that it is difficult to obtain the character resolution that the user really needs.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable printing by freely combining a plurality of resolutions originally provided by an operating system for a plurality of printing elements.

  In one example, a print data acquisition unit that acquires each print data for each resolution corresponding to the print request data by issuing a print instruction to each of the plurality of resolutions of the print request data to the printer driver. For each print element type, by selecting and outputting the print element type data from the print data having one resolution among the multiple resolutions, the print request type data can be handled. And a multi-resolution mixed print data output unit that generates print data in which a plurality of resolutions are mixed and outputs the print data to a printer corresponding to the printer driver.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to print a plurality of print elements by freely combining a plurality of resolutions originally provided in the operating system.

It is a basic lineblock diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of this embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a general printing process. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a multi-resolution mixed printing process according to the present embodiment. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of a character data index table. It is a figure which shows the example of the raw data of each resolution produced | generated by this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the raw data with which the some resolution produced | generated and output by this embodiment were mixed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a print execution control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The print data acquisition unit 101 provides each print instruction 105 (# 1 to #N) with each of a plurality of resolutions of the print request data 104 to the printer driver 103, thereby corresponding to the print request data 104 and for each resolution. Print data 106 (# 1 to #N) are acquired.

  For example, the print data acquisition unit 101 sends a print instruction with a first resolution (for example, 600 dpi) and a print instruction with a second resolution (for example, 1200 dpi) higher than the first resolution to the printer driver 103. Do each. Accordingly, the print data acquisition unit 101 acquires the first print data 106 (# 1) having the first resolution and the second print data 106 (# 2) having the second resolution.

  The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 selects and outputs the print element type data from the print data 106 having one resolution associated with the type of the plurality of resolutions for each type of print element. As a result, print data 107 corresponding to the print request data 104 and having a plurality of resolutions is generated and output to a printer corresponding to the printer driver 103.

  For example, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 selects and outputs character data from the first print data 106 (# 1) for character print elements, and second print data for print elements other than characters. Select and output data other than characters from (# 2). As a result, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 generates print data 107 corresponding to the print request data 104 in which the first resolution and the second resolution are mixed.

  In this case, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 may execute the following process. First, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 sequentially registers the character print element data in each of the first print data 106 (# 1) and the second print data 106 (# 2). A character data index process for assigning a number is executed. Next, in the first print data 106 (# 1), the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 is assigned the same registration number as the registration number assigned to the data for each character print element data. Data is acquired from the second print data 106 (# 2) and replaced with the data. Then, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 uses the replaced first print data as the print data 107 corresponding to the print request data 104 and mixed with the first resolution and the second resolution. Output to a printer corresponding to the driver 103.

  In the configuration described so far, the print data acquisition unit 101 describes each print data 106 (# 1 to #N) via the printer driver 103 as a page description language (hereinafter referred to as “PDL”) specific to the printer. May be acquired as data 106 in a format that can be printed by the printer described below (hereinafter referred to as “RAW data”) 106. Furthermore, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 describes, for each type of print element, the type of the print element from the print data 106 having one resolution among the plurality of resolutions associated with that type by PDL. By selecting and outputting the selected data, the RAW data 107 corresponding to the print request data 104 and having a plurality of resolutions mixed and described in PDL may be generated.

  More specifically, the basic configuration of the present embodiment has the following configuration.

  First, the application program 108 outputs print request data 104 by calling an application programming interface (hereinafter referred to as “API”) function of a graphic device interface (hereinafter referred to as “GDI”) 109 of the operating system.

  Next, based on the API function call 104, the GDI 109 outputs an enhanced metafile (hereinafter referred to as “EMF”) 112 corresponding to the print request data 104 to the spooler 110 of the operating system.

  Next, the print processor 111 reproduces the EMF 112 stored in the spooler 110.

  Next, the print processor 111 calls the print data acquisition unit 101. Thereby, the print data acquisition unit 101 executes the print data acquisition process 105 (#i) (0 ≦ i ≦ N) for each resolution (#i). In this process 105 (#i), the print data acquisition unit 101 renders the GDI 109 with the resolution (#i) in the printer device context of the printer driver 103 based on the playback instruction of the played record of the EMF 112. Let it be done. Corresponding to this, the print data acquisition unit 101 outputs the RAW data 106 (#i) having the resolution (#i) output by the printer driver 103 and described in PDL.

  Next, the print data acquisition unit 101 calls the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102. As a result, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit 102 generates RAW data 107 in which a plurality of resolutions are mixed and described in PDL corresponding to the print request data 104 and outputs it to the spooler 110.

  Here, for example, printing of a character font in a general operating system does not directly draw a font image, but registers a font image with a number such as an external character, and in the actual drawing, the character of that number is registered. Call and draw. According to the basic configuration of the present embodiment described above, for example, only the part for registering the font image is replaced with the PDL command of the second resolution (for example, 1200 dpi), for example, only the character has the second resolution, In other cases, printing at the first resolution (for example, 600 dpi) can be realized.

In the case of PDL having specifications that allow different resolutions to be mixed on the same page, it is also possible to directly draw a font image. However, with this method, every time a character is drawn, it is necessary to specify a change in resolution and a command to restore it, which can be a cause of trouble and trouble.
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, by changing the resolution of only the image to be registered, such as a character font, the entire drawing resolution can be processed while being fixed, so the complexity is reduced, the speed is improved by command processing, The effect can be expected to prevent defects.

  Also, there are many cases where it is desired to print at high speed or to print at a lower resolution. For example, in the case of print data for drawing a line or a dot of 1 dot, it is a case where 1 dot of 600 dpi is too small (thin) and difficult to recognize. In that case, printing is performed at 300 dpi, but the quality of the 300 dpi character font is significantly degraded. In particular, in the case of an outline font, it is difficult to express a small character of 10 points or less at 300 dpi. Even in such a case, by applying the method of the present embodiment, the entire printing can be performed at 300 dpi and only the characters can be printed at 600 dpi.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, not only characters and the others but also characters, graphics, and photographs can be freely combined with a plurality of resolutions originally provided by the operating system for a plurality of three or more types of printing elements. It becomes possible to print.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a printing system including a host computer 200 that realizes the functions of the embodiment of the print execution control apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and a printer apparatus 210.

  The host computer 200 includes a CPU 201, ROM 202, RAM 203, input device 204, output device 205, USB or LAN interface (hereinafter referred to as “USB / LAN I / F”) 206, external storage device 207, and portable recording medium 209. Is inserted into the portable recording medium drive device 208, and these are connected by a bus.

  The configuration of the host computer 200 shown in FIG. 2 is an example of a hardware configuration capable of realizing the functions of the embodiment of the print execution control apparatus of FIG. 1, and such a host computer 200 is not limited to this configuration. .

A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 controls the entire host computer 200. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 203 temporarily stores a program or data stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202 or an external storage device 207 (or a portable recording medium 209) when executing a program, updating data, or the like. This is a memory to store automatically.
The CUP 201 controls the entire host computer 200 by reading the program of each functional unit in FIG. 1 from the ROM 202 or the external storage device 207 (or the portable recording medium 209) to the RAM 203 and executing it.
The RAM 203 has a spool area for storing print data (print data 106 (# 1 to #N) or 107 in FIG. 1) processed in the present embodiment. This spool area is managed by the spooler 110 of FIG.

  The input device 204 is a device for a user to make various inputs to the host computer 200 when the application program 108 and the printer driver 103 in FIG. 1 are executed, and the output device 205 is, for example, confirmation at the time of input and execution data. It is a display apparatus which displays.

  The external storage device 207 is, for example, a hard disk storage device or a solid disk storage device, and stores program data and various data for realizing each functional unit in FIG.

  The portable recording medium driving device 208 accommodates a portable recording medium 209 such as an optical disk, SDRAM, or Compact Flash (registered trademark), and has an auxiliary role for the external storage device 207. In addition, the above various programs are installed.

  The USB / LAN I / F 206 is a device for connecting, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus), a LAN (Local Area Network), or a WiFi wireless communication line. The host computer 200 and the printer device 210 are also connected using this USB / LAN I / F 206.

  The printing system according to the present embodiment is realized by the CPU 201 executing a program having functions corresponding to the respective functional units in FIG. 1 realized by the flowchart in FIG. The program may be distributed by being recorded in, for example, the external storage device 207 or the portable recording medium 209, or may be acquired from a network such as a LAN or the Internet by the USB / LAN I / F 206.

  The printer apparatus 210 includes a CPU 211, ROM 212, RAM 213, USB / LAN I / F 214, printer engine interface (hereinafter referred to as “printer engine I / F”) 215, print control LSI 216, and printer engine 217, which are buses. It has the structure connected by.

  The configuration of the printer apparatus 210 shown in FIG. 2 is an example of the printer apparatus 210 that can implement the printing system of the present embodiment, and such a printer apparatus 210 is not limited to this configuration.

The CPU 211 controls the printer apparatus 210 as a whole. The RAM 213 is a memory that temporarily stores a program or data stored in the ROM 212 when executing a print control program, updating data, or the like.
The CUP 211 controls the entire printer apparatus 210 by reading a program for print control (not shown) from the ROM 212 to the RAM 213 and executing it.
The RAM 213 has an image memory area for storing print data transferred from the host computer 200 to the printer apparatus 210.

  The USB / LAN I / F 214 is a device for connecting a communication line similar to the USB / LAN I / F 206 in the host computer 200.

Print data transmitted from the spool area in the RAM 203 of the host computer 200 via the USB / LAN I / F 206 is transferred to the image memory in the RAM 213 via the USB / LAN I / F 214 in the printer device 210 under the control of the CPU 211. Written to the area. Thereafter, the print control LSI 216 transfers the print data written in the image memory area in the RAM 213 to the printer engine 217 via the printer engine I / F 215.
The printer engine 217 includes a printing mechanism, and prints print data transferred from the image memory area in the RAM 213 on a paper medium as described above.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a general printing process.

  First, when the application program performs printing, print request data is output to the GDI of the operating system by a call of the GDI API function by the application program processing (step S301 in FIG. 3).

  The GDI converts the API function call into the EMF format and outputs it to the spooler of the operating system (step S302 in FIG. 3).

  The spooler accumulates EMF format print data as a spool file, and recognizes and manages it as a print job (step S303 in FIG. 3).

  The print processor reproduces the EMF data stored in the spooler (step S304 in FIG. 3).

  The GDI draws on the printer device context of the printer driver based on the EMF record playback command (step S305 in FIG. 3).

  As a result, the DDI (Device Driver Interface) function of the printer driver is called, and the printer driver generates RAW data in a format that can be printed by the printer, based on the printer-specific PDL (step S306 in FIG. 3).

  The RAW data format file generated by the printer driver is output to the printer of FIG. 2 via the spooler (step S307 of FIG. 3).

  In the printer, print processing (processing for printing drawing data on paper) is performed, and printing is completed.

  In the general printing process described above, the printer driver can specify only a uniform resolution in the process of generating RAW data from EMF data. For example, only a character font cannot be output at a high resolution.

  The present embodiment solves this problem. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing print execution control processing according to this embodiment executed by the CPU 201 in the host computer 200 of FIG. This process is realized as a process in which the CPU 201 executes a print execution control program stored in the ROM 202. In the following processing, the numbers of the functional units in FIG. 1 are referred to as needed.

  First, when the application program 108 performs printing, the print request data 104 is output to the GDI 109 of the operating system by calling the API function of the GDI 109 by application program processing (step S401 in FIG. 4).

  The GDI 109 converts the API function call into the EMF 112 and outputs it to the spooler 110 of the operating system (step S402 in FIG. 4).

  The spooler 110 accumulates the print data of the EMF 112 as a spool file. (Step S403 in FIG. 4).

  The dedicated print processor 111 (corresponding to the print processor 111 in FIG. 1) reproduces the EMF data 112 stored in the spooler 110 (step S404 in FIG. 4).

In this embodiment, the dedicated print processor 111 performs dedicated high-resolution data acquisition processing (step S405 (# in FIG. 4) in parallel with normal printing processing (step S405 (# 1) in FIG. 4) at a resolution of 600 dpi in parallel with the normal printing processing (step S405 (# 1 in FIG. 4)). 2)) is started.
In FIG. 1, the normal printing process and the dedicated high resolution data acquisition process correspond to the print data acquisition process 105 (#i) (0 ≦ i ≦ 1) for each resolution (#i) executed by the print data acquisition unit 101. To do.

  In the normal printing process in step S405 (# 1), first, the GDI 109 is called. As a result, the GDI 109 performs drawing at a resolution of 600 dpi on the printer device context of the printer driver 103 (step S405-1 (# 1) in FIG. 4).

  By the above drawing, a device driver interface (Device Driver Interface, hereinafter referred to as “DDI”) function of the printer driver 103 is called. As a result, the printer driver 103 outputs the RAW data 106 (# 0) which has a resolution of 600 dpi and is described by PDL unique to the printer apparatus 210 of FIG. Step S405-2 (# 1)).

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the RAW data 106 (# 0) having a resolution of 600 dpi output by the normal printing process in step S405 (# 1).
The command 501 (# 1) specifies 600 dpi as the resolution of the printer engine 217 in FIG.
With the command 502 (# 1), 600 dpi is specified as the command resolution.
Reference numeral 503 (# 1) denotes an example of font image registration, in which a 600 dpi font image is registered.
In 504 (# 1), position information where a registered font image is drawn is designated.
In addition, many font images and graphic images are registered, but their description is omitted.

  In the dedicated high-resolution data acquisition process in step S405 (# 2), the GDI 109 is first called as in the normal printing process. As a result, the GDI 109 performs drawing at a resolution of 1200 dpi on the printer device context of the printer driver 103 (step S405-1 (# 2) in FIG. 4).

  With the above drawing, the DDI function of the printer driver 103 is called. As a result, the printer driver 103 outputs the RAW data 106 (# 1) which has a resolution of 1200 dpi and can be processed by the printer apparatus 210 described in PDL unique to the printer apparatus 210 of FIG. Step S405-2 (# 2)).

FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the RAW data 106 (# 1) having a resolution of 1200 dpi output by the dedicated high-resolution data acquisition process in step S405 (# 2). The data configuration format is almost the same as the RAW data 106 (# 2) having a resolution of 600 dpi in FIG. 5A, and only the resolution setting is different.
With the command 501 (# 2), 1200 dpi is designated as the resolution of the printer engine 217 of FIG.
With the command 502 (# 1), 1200 dpi is specified as the command resolution.
Reference numeral 503 (# 1) is an example of font image registration, in which a 1200 dpi font image is registered.
In 504 (# 1), position information where a registered font image is drawn is designated.
In addition, many font images and graphic images are registered, but their description is omitted.

  Since the printer driver 103 is originally designed on the assumption that a plurality of print processes are executed simultaneously, the normal print process multiple processes in step S405 (# 1) and the dedicated high-resolution data in step S405 (# 2). Simultaneous acquisition processing can be executed without any problem.

  The dedicated print processor 111 starts the character data index process of step S406 (# 1) after the normal printing process of step S405 (# 1) described above is completed. Similarly, the dedicated print processor 111 activates the character data index process in step S406 (# 2) after the normal printing process in step S405 (# 1) is completed.

  In the character data index processing in step S406 (# 1), the raw data 106 (#) with the resolution of 600 dpi having the data configuration example in FIG. 5A output by the processing of the printer driver 103 in step S405-2 (# 1). In 1), the registered image data of each character font is sequentially assigned a registration number, and the registered image data and other attribute information are provided on the RAM 203 of FIG. Register in the index table 601 (# 1).

  Similarly, in the character data index process in step S406 (# 2), RAW data with a resolution of 1200 dpi having the data configuration example in FIG. 5B output by the process of the printer driver 103 in step S405-2 (# 2). 106 (# 2), a registration number is sequentially given to the registered image data of each character font, and the registered image data and other attribute information are provided on the RAM 203 of FIG. Registered in the character data index table 601 (# 2). The character data index table 601 (# 2) has the same data structure as the character data index table 601 (# 1), but only the value of the registered image data is different. FIG. 6 shows registered image data of the RAW data 106 (# 1) having a resolution of 600 dpi.

  Next, when the two character data index processes in steps S406 (# 1) and S406 (# 2) in FIG. 4 are completed, the dedicated print processor 111 performs a process of replacing only the characters in step S407 in FIG. 4 with high resolution data. Run. In this process, the character data index generated on the RAM 203 in FIG. 2 in steps S406 (# 1) and S406 (# 2) for each character font registered image data in the RAW data 106 (# 1) with a resolution of 600 dpi. Tables 601 (# 1) and 601 (# 2) are referred to. Then, registration image data having a resolution of 1200 dpi to which the same registration number as the registration number assigned to the registered image data having a resolution of 600 dpi is acquired, and the 600 dpi data is replaced by the 1200 dpi data.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of resolution 600 dpi RAW data after the above replacement process is performed, corresponding to FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b).
As the resolution of the printer engine 217 in FIG. 2, 1200 dpi is designated as shown by 701 in FIG. 7 in order to print 1200 dpi characters.
As the command resolution selection shown as 702 in FIG. 7, a drawing resolution of 600 dpi is designated.
The font image registration indicated by reference numeral 703 in FIG. 7 is replaced with a 1200 dpi font image.
The position information where the registered font image 704 in FIG. 7 is drawn is the same as that in 504 (# 1) in FIG.

  The dedicated print processor 111 passes the resolution 600 dpi (character only resolution 1200 dpi) RAW data 107 (corresponding to the print data 107 in which a plurality of resolutions are mixed in FIG. 1) generated in step S407 as described above via the spooler 110. Then, it is output to the printer apparatus 210 in FIG. 2 (step S408 in FIG. 4).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the operating system can be applied to a combination of a plurality of print elements such as a character print element and other print elements without any change in the printer apparatus 210 of FIG. It is possible to print by combining a plurality of resolutions originally provided in the system.
Regarding the above embodiment, the following additional notes are disclosed.
(Appendix 1)
A print data acquisition unit that acquires each print data for each resolution corresponding to the print request data by performing each print instruction with each of a plurality of resolutions of the print request data to the printer driver;
For each print element type, by selecting and outputting the print element type data from the print data having one resolution among the plurality of resolutions associated with the type, the print request data is added to the print request data. A multi-resolution mixed print data output unit for generating print data corresponding to the plurality of resolutions and outputting the print data to a printer corresponding to the printer driver;
A printing execution control apparatus comprising:
(Appendix 2)
The print data acquisition unit issues a print instruction with a first resolution of the print request data and a print instruction with a second resolution higher than the first resolution to the printer driver, respectively. First print data having a resolution of 2 and second print data having the second resolution,
The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit selects and outputs character data from the second print data for character print elements, and for the print elements other than characters from the first print data other than the characters. By selecting and outputting data, print data in which the first resolution and the second resolution are mixed corresponding to the print request data is generated.
The print execution control apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein:
(Appendix 3)
The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit
In each of the first print data and the second print data, a character data index process is performed for sequentially assigning registration numbers to the data of the print elements of the characters,
In the first print data, for each character print element data, data having the same registration number as the registration number assigned to the data is obtained from the second print data and replaced with the data. The replaced first print data is output to a printer corresponding to the printer driver as print data corresponding to the print request data and in which the first resolution and the second resolution are mixed. To
The print execution control apparatus according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein
(Appendix 4)
The print data acquisition unit acquires the print data via the printer driver as data in a format that can be printed by the printer described in a page description language unique to the printer,
The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit outputs, for each type of print element, the type of the print element according to the page description language from the print data having one resolution associated with the type among the plurality of resolutions. Is a print data corresponding to the print request data and having a plurality of resolutions mixed, by which the printer described in the page description language can perform print processing. Generating the print data of
The print execution control device according to any one of appendices 1 to 3, wherein
(Appendix 5)
The application program outputs the print request data by calling an application program interface function of the graphic device interface of the operating system,
The graphic device interface outputs an extended metafile corresponding to the print request data to a spooler of the operating system based on the call of the application program interface function;
A print processor plays the enhanced metafile stored in the spooler;
When the print processor calls the print data acquisition unit, the print data acquisition unit performs the resolution for the graphic device interface based on the reproduction instruction of the reproduced record of the extended metafile for each resolution. Rendering the printer device context of the printer driver at the resolution, and correspondingly outputting the print data described in the page description language having the resolution output by the printer driver;
When the print data acquisition unit calls the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit corresponds to the print request data and the multiple resolutions are mixed and described in the page description language. Generating the print data and outputting it to the spooler;
The print execution control apparatus according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein
(Appendix 6)
The print execution control device according to any one of appendices 1 to 5,
An electronic device including an I / F connected to a printer that performs printing using the print data output to the spooler;
And a printer connected to the electronic device via the I / F.
(Appendix 7)
On the computer that controls the execution of printing,
A print data acquisition step of acquiring each print data for each resolution corresponding to the print request data by performing each print instruction with each of a plurality of resolutions of the print request data to the printer driver;
For each print element type, by selecting and outputting the print element type data from the print data having one resolution among the plurality of resolutions associated with the type, the print request data is added to the print request data. A plurality of mixed resolution print data output steps for generating print data corresponding to the plurality of resolutions and outputting the print data to a printer corresponding to the printer driver;

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Print data acquisition part 102 Multiple resolution mixed print data output part 103 Printer driver 104 Print request data 105 Print data acquisition process, Print instruction 106 Print data for each resolution 107 Print data with multiple resolutions mixed 108 Application program 109 GDI ( Graphic device interface)
110 Spooler 111 Print Processor 112 EMF (Enhanced Meta File)
200 Host computer 201, 211 CPU (central processing unit)
202, 212 ROM (read only memory)
203, 213 RAM (Random Access Memory)
204 Input device 205 Output device 206, 214 USB / LAN I / F (USB or LAN interface)
207 External storage device 208 Portable recording medium driving device 209 Portable recording medium 210 Printer device 215 Printer engine I / F (printer engine interface)
216 Print Control LSI
217 Printer engine 601 Character data index table

Claims (7)

A print data acquisition unit that acquires each print data for each resolution corresponding to the print request data by performing each print instruction with each of a plurality of resolutions of the print request data to the printer driver;
For each print element type, by selecting and outputting the print element type data from the print data having one resolution among the plurality of resolutions associated with the type, the print request data is added to the print request data. A multi-resolution mixed print data output unit for generating print data corresponding to the plurality of resolutions and outputting the print data to a printer corresponding to the printer driver;
A printing execution control apparatus comprising: The print data acquisition unit issues a print instruction with a first resolution of the print request data and a print instruction with a second resolution higher than the first resolution to the printer driver, respectively. First print data having a resolution of 2 and second print data having the second resolution,
The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit selects and outputs character data from the second print data for character print elements, and for the print elements other than characters from the first print data other than the characters. By selecting and outputting data, print data in which the first resolution and the second resolution are mixed corresponding to the print request data is generated.
The print execution control apparatus according to claim 1. The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit
In each of the first print data and the second print data, a character data index process is performed for sequentially assigning registration numbers to the data of the print elements of the characters,
In the first print data, for each character print element data, data having the same registration number as the registration number assigned to the data is obtained from the second print data and replaced with the data. The replaced first print data is output to a printer corresponding to the printer driver as print data corresponding to the print request data and in which the first resolution and the second resolution are mixed. To
The printing execution control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing execution control apparatus is a printing execution control apparatus. The print data acquisition unit acquires the print data via the printer driver as data in a format that can be printed by the printer described in a page description language unique to the printer,
The multi-resolution mixed print data output unit outputs, for each type of print element, the type of the print element according to the page description language from the print data having one resolution associated with the type among the plurality of resolutions. Is a print data corresponding to the print request data and having a plurality of resolutions mixed, by which the printer described in the page description language can perform print processing. Generating the print data of
The printing execution control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The application program outputs the print request data by calling an application program interface function of the graphic device interface of the operating system,
The graphic device interface outputs an extended metafile corresponding to the print request data to a spooler of the operating system based on the call of the application program interface function;
A print processor plays the enhanced metafile stored in the spooler;
When the print processor calls the print data acquisition unit, the print data acquisition unit performs the resolution for the graphic device interface based on the reproduction instruction of the reproduced record of the extended metafile for each resolution. Rendering the printer device context of the printer driver at the resolution, and correspondingly outputting the print data described in the page description language having the resolution output by the printer driver;
When the print data acquisition unit calls the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit, the multi-resolution mixed print data output unit corresponds to the print request data and the multiple resolutions are mixed and described in the page description language. Generating the print data and outputting it to the spooler;
The printing execution control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: A print execution control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5;
An electronic device including an I / F connected to a printer that performs printing using the print data output to the spooler;
And a printer connected to the electronic device via the I / F. On the computer that controls the execution of printing,
A print data acquisition step of acquiring each print data for each resolution corresponding to the print request data by performing each print instruction with each of a plurality of resolutions of the print request data to the printer driver;
For each print element type, by selecting and outputting the print element type data from the print data having one resolution among the plurality of resolutions associated with the type, the print request data is added to the print request data. A plurality of mixed resolution print data output steps for generating print data corresponding to the plurality of resolutions and outputting the print data to a printer corresponding to the printer driver;
A program for running