JP3436656B2 - Print processing system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print processing system for printing print data transmitted from a host device,
In particular, the present invention relates to a technique that is effective when applied to a print processing system that combines document data of a plurality of pages into one page and performs printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various printing processes have been performed in which print data is transmitted from a host device to a printing device for printing. Document data of a plurality of pages is combined into one page in one of the printing processes. There is a multi-column printing for printing.

When performing the above-mentioned multi-column printing in a conventional print processing system, data received from a higher-level device is reduced by the printing device and bit-printed as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-7688. Store map data in memory,
Multiple pages are combined into one page and output.

As described above, in the case where the host device rasterizes the document data into bitmap data and transmits the bitmap data to the printing device for printing, for example, two pages of document data are combined into one page and printed. When outputting, the bitmap data for two pages is transmitted to the printing apparatus, so that the transmission time of the data is doubled. Further, the bitmap data received by the printing device must be reduced and stored in the memory, which increases the processing time until the received data is stored in the memory.

The page composition for composing a plurality of pages into one page is described in JP-A-7-125331 and JP-A-7-148990.
Similarly, the printing apparatus reduces the bitmap data. Further, in these printing devices, in order to shorten the storage time of bitmap data in the printing device,
The upper device does not compress the bitmap data, and the printing device does not decompress the compressed data.

[0006] A method of combining bitmap data of a plurality of pages by the host device when the bitmap data is created by reducing and rasterizing the document data by the host device is conceivable, but in this method, printing is performed on the same page. Reduction and rasterization of document data of multiple pages to output,
Since the bitmap data cannot be transmitted to the printing device until the process of combining the bitmap data of a plurality of pages is completed, the transmission of the bitmap data to the printing device is delayed.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the prior art,
When performing multi-column printing to print multiple pages of print data on one page, the host device rasterizes the print data into bitmap data, sends the bitmap data to the printer, and reduces the print data by the printer. However, there is a problem that the printing time is long due to the increase of the data transmission time from the host device to the printing device and the reduction processing time on the printing device side.

Further, in the prior art, when the host device combines the bitmap data of a plurality of pages and transmits it to the printing device, there is a problem that the transmission of the bitmap data to the printing device is delayed.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a technique capable of performing a printing process for reducing and combining a plurality of pages and printing them at high speed.

[0010]

According to the present invention, in a print processing system for performing print processing for combining print data of a plurality of pages into one page and printing the print data, a plurality of pages of print data to be combined into one page are processed by a host device. The bitmap data is reduced to create bitmap data, and the reduced bitmap data of a plurality of pages is combined with the bitmap data of one page by a printing device and printed.

In the print processing system of the present invention, the print data reducing means of the host device reduces print data of a plurality of pages to create bitmap data, and the reduced bitmap data is transmitted to the printing device by the transmitting means. .

The printing device receives the reduced bitmap data from the host device by the receiving means, combines the received bitmap data of a plurality of pages into the bitmap data of one page by the expanding means, and then converts the bitmap data into one page. The combined bitmap data is printed by the printing means.

As described above, according to the print processing system of the present invention, the host device creates data in which a plurality of pages are reduced and transmits the data to the printing device, and the printing device synthesizes the data of the plurality of pages into one page. Since printing is performed in advance, it is possible to perform a printing process for printing by reducing and combining a plurality of pages at high speed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a print processing system according to a first embodiment will be described in which column printing is performed in which document data of two pages of A4 size is combined with one page of A4 size and printed.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a print processing system of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, in the print processing system of this embodiment, the print data 120 of a plurality of pages is printed.
Is connected to a higher-level device 100 that reduces and rasterizes a plurality of pages, and a printing device 110 that receives reduced data 122 of a plurality of pages, creates combined data 125, and prints the combined data 125.

The host device 100 includes a CPU 101 for controlling the overall operation of the host device 100, a RAM 102 (random access memory) for loading print data 120 and a printer driver 121, and a keyboard for inputting a print processing instruction of the print data 120. 103 and print data 12
Display 104 displaying the contents of 0, etc., and HDD 1 storing print data 120 and printer driver 121
05 (hard disk drive) and reduced data 122
And an I / F 106 (interface) for transmitting the information to the printing apparatus 110.

In the RAM 102 of the host device 100, a plurality of pages of print data 120 to be combined into one page, a printer driver 121 for reducing and rasterizing the print data 120, and reduced data 122 and 1 output by the printer driver 121. The page number data 123 indicating the number of pages to be combined into a page is stored.

The printing apparatus 110 controls the overall operation of the printing apparatus 110, a RAM 112 for loading the reduced data 122 and the expansion section 124, and a ROM 113 (read only memory) for storing control programs and the like.
An HDD 114 that stores data necessary for processing in the expansion unit 124 and printing processing; an operation panel 115 that operates the printing apparatus 110;
CHA 116 (channel adapter) received from the I / O adapter 1 that sends the composite data 125 to the printing unit 118
17 and composite data 1 that combines multiple pages into one page
And a printing unit 118 that prints 25 on a printing sheet. A storage device such as an EEPROM (rewritable ROM) may be used instead of the HDD 114.

In the RAM 112 of the printing apparatus 110, reduced data 122 of a plurality of pages reduced by the higher-level apparatus 100.
And a rasterizing unit 124 that concatenates the raster data of each page of the reduced data 122 to create the synthetic data 125, and the synthetic data 125 output by the rasterizing unit 124.

The printer driver 121 of the print processing system of this embodiment corresponds to a print data reducing means for reducing the print data 120 of a plurality of pages to be combined into one page to generate reduced data 122. The I / F 106 is The reduced data 122 corresponds to a transmission unit that transmits the reduced data 122 to the printing apparatus 110.

Further, the CHA 116 corresponds to a receiving means for receiving the reduced data 122 that has been reduced from the higher-level device 100, and the expansion section 124 converts the reduced data 122 of a plurality of pages received from the higher-level device 100 into one page of composite data. The printing unit 118 corresponds to a developing means to be combined with 125,
It corresponds to a printing unit that prints the combined data 125 that is combined on one page.

Printer driver 121 of host device 100
The expansion unit 124 of the printer 110 is stored in a recording medium such as an FD (propppy disk), and the RAM 102 and the HDD 105 of the host device 100, the RAM 112 and the HDD 114 of the printer 110, or the EEP from the recording medium.
It is supposed to be read into a ROM or the like. A medium other than FD may be used as the recording medium.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the multi-column printing process of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, in the multi-column printing process of the present embodiment, the A4 size 2 indicated by “A” and “B” is used.
This represents a process of reducing and rasterizing the document data 201 and 202 of a page, transmitting it to the printing apparatus 110, and printing it on one page.

Printer driver 12 on upper device 100
1 is the page size of the document data 201 and 202,
For example, 70% is calculated as a reduction rate from the paper size to be actually printed out and the page number data 123 indicating the number of pages to be combined into one page, and the document data 20 for two pages is calculated.
Bitmap data 211 and 212 in which 1 and 202 are reduced to 70% and developed into bitmaps, and the bitmap data 211 and 2 are reduced to the size at the time of synthesis
12 is transmitted to the printing apparatus 110.

At this time, the page number data 123 is added to the beginning of the transmission data, and the page number data 123 and the bitmap data 211 and 212 are transmitted to the printing apparatus 110 in this order.

The printing device 110 receives the bitmap data 211 and 212 transmitted from the higher-level device 100, reads the received bitmap data 211 and 212 one raster at a time by the rasterizing unit 124, and synthesizes the combined data 125.
Will be stored as.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of the combining process of the bitmap data 211 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, in the combining process of the bitmap data 211 of the present embodiment, the process of storing the bitmap data 211 of the first page as the combined data 125 is represented, and the bitmap data 211 of the first page is stored. When doing so, the storage of the synthetic data 125 starts from the beginning of the memory area. 1
Every time one page of bitmap data 211 for one raster is stored, the memory area for one raster of the bitmap data for the second page 212 is emptied and the process of storing the next raster is repeated for one page. The bitmap data 211 for one page is sequentially stored as the composite data 125.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of the combining process of the bitmap data 212 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, in the combining process of the bitmap data 212 of the present embodiment, the process of storing the bitmap data 212 of the second page as the combined data 125 is shown, and the bitmap data 212 of the second page is stored. In doing so, the data is stored for each raster in the memory area vacated when the bitmap data 211 for one page is stored.

At this time, in the same way as when the bitmap data 211 of the first page is stored, the bitmap of the first page is stored so that the raster section storing the bitmap data 211 of the first page does not store the data. Map data 211
The bitmap data 212 is stored as the synthetic data 125 while leaving the memory area in which is stored.

In this way, the data obtained by concatenating one raster of the bit map data 211 and 212 of the first page and the second page is obtained as the data of one raster of the composite data 125 which is actually printed. Is stored.

As described above, the bitmap data 211 and 212 are sequentially stored as the composite data 125, and when all the bitmap data 211 and 212 can be stored, the content of the composite data 125 is transmitted to the printing unit 118.

The printing unit 118 actually prints the content of the composite data 125 transmitted from the developing unit 124 on one sheet of paper, and thus the document data 2 for two pages of A4 size.
Since 01 and 202 can be combined and printed on a sheet of A4 size page, multi-column printing can be realized.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the reduction ratio of page synthesis and the synthesis result of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the page combining reduction rate and the combining result of this embodiment represent an example of a process of combining various print data 120 into one page, and FIG. FIG. 5B shows the reduction rate and the combination result when the page print data 120 is combined into one page, and FIG. 5B shows the reduction rate and the combination result when the four page print data 120 is combined into one page.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the host device 100 of the print processing system of this embodiment, the page size of the print data 120 to be combined into one page and printed, the paper size to be actually printed out, and the print data 120. Page number data 12
By calculating the reduction ratio of the print data 120 based on 3, it is possible to reduce and rasterize the print data 120 of a plurality of pages other than the two pages to create the reduced data 122.

In the printing apparatus 110, the print data 1 to be combined with the paper size to be actually printed out and printed on one page is printed.
By receiving the 20 page number data 123 and the upper level device 100, the size of one raster of the reduced data 122 of each page is obtained.

The expansion unit 124 of the printing apparatus 110 combines one raster of the reduced data 122 of the first page with the combined data 125.
After that, the process of vacating the memory area of the composite data 125 by the raster size of another page and storing the next raster is repeated for one page.

Next, the expanding unit 124 stores one raster of the reduced data 122 of the second page in the memory area reserved for the first page, and then the memory area of the composite data 125 for the raster sizes of other pages. Is repeated and the process of storing the next raster is repeated for one page.

By repeating this processing for the page number data 123 of the print data 120 to be combined and printed on one page, the print data 120 of a plurality of pages can be combined on one page of the paper to be actually printed, By printing this combined data 125, a plurality of pages can be printed on one page of the paper to be printed out.

As described above, according to the print processing system of this embodiment, the host device creates data in which a plurality of pages have been reduced and transmits the data to the printing device, and the printing device sends one page of data of a plurality of pages. Since they are combined and printed, the printing process of reducing and combining a plurality of pages and printing can be performed at high speed.

(Second Embodiment) In the second embodiment, columnar printing is performed in which document data of A4 size two pages is compressed and sent to a printing apparatus to be combined into one A4 size page for printing.
The print processing system will be described.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the print processing system of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, in the print processing system of this embodiment, the print data 120 of a plurality of pages is printed.
Device 100 for reducing and rasterizing and compressing
And the composite data 12 from the compressed data 601 of a plurality of pages.
5 is connected to a printing device 110 that prints and prints.

The host device 100 of the print processing system of this embodiment has a printer driver 121 for reducing and rasterizing the print data 120 of a plurality of pages, and the printing device 110 has a printer driver 121.
Decompression circuit 6 for decompressing compressed data 601 compressed by
Has 00.

In the RAM 102 of the host device 100, print data 120 of a plurality of pages for column printing, a printer driver 121 for reducing and rasterizing the print data 120 and compressing it, compressed data 601 output by the printer driver 121, and Page number data 123 indicating the number of pages to be combined into one page is stored.

In the RAM 112 of the printer 110, a plurality of pages of compressed data 601 reduced, rasterized and compressed by the higher-level device 100 and the raster data of each page of the compressed data 601 are linked to create a composite data 125. The expansion unit 124 and the synthetic data 125 output by the expansion unit 124 are stored. The other configuration of the print processing system of this embodiment is the same as the configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an outline of the multi-column printing process with compression according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in the multi-column printing process with compression according to the present embodiment, two pages of A4 size document data 201 and 2 indicated by “A” and “B” are used.
02 represents a process of reducing and rasterizing, compressing, transmitting to the printing apparatus 110, and printing on one page.

Printer driver 12 on host device 100
1 is the page size of the document data 201 and 202,
For example, 70% is calculated as a reduction rate from the paper size to be actually printed out and the page number data 123 indicating the number of pages to be combined into one page, and the document data 20 for two pages is calculated.
1 and 202 are reduced to 70% to create data expanded into a bitmap.

Next, the data that has been reduced and expanded into a bitmap is subjected to, for example, MH (Modified Huffman) compression and MMR (M
The compressed data 701 and 702 are created by compressing using a compression method such as odified Modified Read), the page number data 123 is added to the head of the transmission data, and the page number data 123 and the compressed data 701 and 702 are stored in this order. It is transmitted to the printing device 110.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an outline of composition of the compressed data 701 and 702 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, in the synthesis of the compressed data 701 and 702 of this embodiment,
Two pages of compressed data 701 and 7 on the printer 110
02 shows the order in which 02 is combined, and the printer 110
Then, the compressed data 701 transmitted from the host device 100
And 702, and the received compressed data 701 and 7
02 is stored in the expansion unit 124 as the combined data 125.

At this time, 1 of the compressed data 701 and 702
The compression unit is stored as the composite data 125, the stored address is set to the compressed data storage address 711, and the stored compressed data length is set to the compressed data length setting table 7.
Set to 12.

Thereafter, compressed data 701 and 70 for 123 pages of page number data indicating the number of pages to be combined into one page.
While storing 2 for each compressed data, the start address and the compressed data length for all the compressed data are set in the compressed data storage address 711 and the compressed data length setting table 712, and all the compressed data for the page number data 123 70
1 and 702 are stored, and the decompression circuit 600 stores the compressed data storage address 711 and the compressed data length setting table 71.
Enter 2.

The decompression circuit 600 receives the input compressed data storage address 711 and the compressed data length setting table 71.
From 2, the compressed data 701 and 702 of the first and second pages are read out, decompressed into bitmap data, and transmitted to the printing unit 118.

At this time, the decompression circuit 600 sets the first page 1
Bitmap data obtained by decompressing the raster compressed data 701 and the first raster compressed data 702 of the second page.
Print part 1 by concatenating the decompressed bitmap data
Send to 18.

After that, the bitmap data obtained by expanding the compressed data 701 and 702 of the first and second pages is linked and transmitted to the printing unit 118 repeatedly.
As described above, two pages of compressed bitmap data are combined and printed in columns on one page of the paper to be actually printed out.

In the same manner, it is also possible to combine compressed bitmap data for the print data 120 of a plurality of pages other than two pages and perform column printing on one page.

As described above, according to the print processing system of the present embodiment, the host device creates data in which a plurality of pages have been reduced and sends the data to the printing device, and the printing device converts the data of a plurality of pages into one page. Since they are combined and printed, the printing process of reducing and combining a plurality of pages and printing can be performed at high speed.

Although the present invention has been specifically described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention. Is.

[0057]

According to the present invention, data of a plurality of pages is reduced by a higher-level device and transmitted to a printing device, and the printing device synthesizes and prints data of a plurality of pages into one page. It is possible to perform high-speed print processing for printing by reducing and combining pages.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a print processing system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a multi-column printing process according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a combining process of bitmap data 211 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of a combining process of bitmap data 212 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reduction rate of page synthesis and a synthesis result according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic configuration of a print processing system according to a second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an outline of a multi-column printing process with compression according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an outline of composition of compressed data 701 and 702 according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 ... Higher-level device, 101 ... CPU, 102 ... RAM,
103 ... Keyboard, 104 ... Display, 105 ...
HDD, 106 ... I / F, 110 ... Printing device, 111 ...
CPU, 112 ... RAM, 113 ... ROM, 114 ... H
DD, 115 ... Operation panel, 116 ... CHA, 117 ...
I / O adapter, 118 ... Printing unit, 120 ... Print data, 121 ... Printer driver, 122 ... Reduced data,
123 ... Page number data, 124 ... Expansion section, 125 ... Combined data, 201 and 202 ... Document data, 211 and 212 ... Bitmap data, 600 ... Expansion circuit, 60
1 ... Compressed data, 701 and 702 ... Compressed data, 71
1 ... Compressed data storage address, 712 ... Compressed data length setting table.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Masaru Okada, 810 Shimoimaizumi, Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture Office Systems Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-4-334474 (JP, A) JP-A-9 -26865 (JP, A) JP 2-190078 (JP, A) JP 2-233063 (JP, A) JP 62-117468 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl) . ⁷ , DB name) B41J 21/00 B41J 5/30 G06F 3/12

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A print processing system for performing print processing of combining print data of a plurality of pages into one page and printing the page, reducing print data of a plurality of pages to be combined into one page in page units to create bitmap data. An upper device having print data reducing means for transmitting the reduced bitmap data to a printing device for each page for combining the reduced bitmap data, a receiving device for receiving the reduced bitmap data from the upper device, and an upper device One layer of reduced data received from the device
After storing the raster, only the raster sizes of other pages are stored.
A developing unit for synthesizing the bitmap data of multiple pages into the bitmap data of one page by storing the next raster by leaving the memory area, and printing for printing the bitmap data synthesized on the one page. And a printing device having a means. 2. The printing system according to claim 1,
The printing means is characterized in that the transmitting means of the host device compresses the created bitmap data and sends it to the printing device, and the expanding means of the printing device synthesizes the received data into the bitmap data while expanding it. Processing system.