JP3800095B2 - Printer driver and print data generation method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer driver executed on a computer to generate print data to be supplied to a printer, and a print data generation method for generating print data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Some inkjet printers perform printing based on print data that does not include data related to lines that do not need to be drawn (lines in which all pixels are white pixels).
[0003]
The configuration and operation of such an existing printer driver 80 for an ink jet printer will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0004]
As shown in the figure, the printer driver 80 generates an imaging module that generates RGB image data of a printed material to be generated, and halftone data of each raster data in the RGB image data generated by the imaging module. Printing that does not include halftone data (hereinafter referred to as white halftone data) that does not require actual drawing (ink droplet ejection) based on the halftone module and the halftone data group generated by the halftone module And an output module for generating data. The raster data is RGB image data for one line. The halftone data is data (a set of ON / OFF data of dots of each color of the print head) that defines the drawing contents for one line of the print head in the inkjet printer. This halftone data is generated by converting each RGB pixel data constituting the raster data into halftone pixel data (ON / OFF data of each color ink that can be ejected by the print head) using a lookup table (LUT). ) Is done by converting to
[0005]
That is, the printer driver 80 determines whether each halftone data is white halftone data after printing halftone data for all raster data at the time of printing. The print data that does not include is generated.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As is apparent from the above description, the printer driver 80 performs processing for generating raster data (white raster data) that is not actually used during printing, in other words, wasteful processing.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printer driver and a print data generation method that can generate print data in a procedure that does not involve such wasteful processing as described above.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problem, the printer driver of the present invention indicates to a computer that each raster data is white with respect to a plurality of raster data representing the contents of printed matter to be generated. A determination step for determining whether or not the data is white raster data, and a halftone data generation step for generating halftone data by performing predetermined processing on each raster data determined not to be white raster data by this determination step And a print data generation step for generating print data including the halftone data group generated in the halftone data generation step and information indicating the position of the line in which each halftone data represents the drawing content. And the halftone data generation step depends on the judgment step. When it is determined that the raster data to be processed is not white raster data, a predetermined process is performed on the raster data to generate halftone data. When it is determined that there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, and there is no halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step Counts up the number of blank lines by “1”, and if there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, the halftone data and the number of blank lines at that time are printed. A second processing step of setting the number of blank lines to “1” after being supplied to the generation step Yes, the print data generation step treats the supplied number of blank lines as the number of continuous lines that do not need to be drawn immediately after the portion whose contents have been determined by the previous processing, and is supplied It is created so that some halftone data is treated as data relating to a continuous line located immediately after the continuous line that does not need to be drawn.
[0009]
That is, when the printer driver of the present invention is used, it is determined whether each raster data (image data for one line) is data that needs to generate halftone data, and the raster that needs to generate halftone data. Only the data is processed to generate halftone data. Therefore, if the printer driver of the present invention is used, it is determined whether each halftone data is white halftone data after the halftone data is generated because generation of halftone data may be omitted. Print data can be generated faster than existing printer drivers.
[0010]
When the printer driver according to the present invention is realized, a determination step for specifying a position where a non-white pixel first appears is adopted for raster data determined not to be white raster data. When generating halftone data for each raster data determined not to be, halftoning processing is performed only on data relating to the pixel group after the pixel at the position specified in the determination step in each raster data. The halftone data generation step to be performed can be employed.
[0011]
According to a printer driver that employs such steps as a determination step and a halftone data generation step, a certain amount of time is required for execution on a continuous white pixel group existing at the head of each line. Therefore, the generation of the print data is completed at a high speed because the halftoning process is not performed.
[0013]
In the print data generation method of the present invention, with respect to a plurality of raster data representing the contents of the printed matter to be generated, each raster data is white raster data indicating that all pixels are white. A halftone data generation step for generating halftone data by performing predetermined processing on each raster data determined not to be white raster data by the determination step, and the halftone data generation A halftone data including a print data generation step for generating print data including the halftone data group generated in the step and information indicating the position of the line representing the drawing contents of each halftone data. The generation step determines that the raster data is not white raster data by the determination step. If it is determined that the raster data is white raster data by the first processing step of generating halftone data by performing predetermined processing on the raster data and the determination step, the print data It is determined whether there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the generation step. If there is no halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, the number of blank lines is incremented by “1”. If there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, the halftone data and the number of blank lines at that time are supplied to the print data generation step, and then the number of blank lines is set. Including a second processing step of “1”, and a print data generation step is supplied. The number of white lines is treated as the number of continuous lines that do not need to be drawn immediately after the part whose contents have been determined by the processing so far, and some supplied halftone data are drawn. This method is a step that is handled as data relating to a continuous line located immediately after a continuous line that does not need to be performed.
[0014]
In other words, the print data generation method of the present invention is a method in which print data is generated by the same procedure as the print data generation procedure in the computer in which the printer driver of the present invention is executed. Therefore, if this print data generation method is used, print data not including halftone data that does not require actual drawing can be generated at a higher speed than in the prior art.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the printer driver 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a program installed in a host computer 60 that uses an inkjet printer 50. The printer driver 10 is provided to the user by a form recorded on a portable recording medium 20 such as a CD-ROM or by downloading from a website (not shown).
[0017]
Further, the printer driver 10 of the present embodiment includes an imaging module, a halftone module, and an output module, as with the existing printer driver 80 (see FIG. 5) already described. However, the halftone module included in the printer driver 10 generates halftone data in a different procedure from the halftone module included in the printer driver 80.
[0018]
More specifically, the halftone module performs the halftone data generation process whose procedure is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as RGB image data (hereinafter referred to as band unit image data) generated for each band by the imaging module. To generate halftone data for one page.
[0019]
That is, the halftone module that has started processing a certain band-unit image data first acquires the first raster data (one-line RGB image data) in the band-unit image data as the processing target raster data (step). S101).
[0020]
Next, the halftone module acquires the first (or next) pixel data in the processing target raster data (step S102), and the pixel data is white pixel data indicating that the pixel is white. Whether or not (step S103).
[0021]
Then, if the acquired pixel data is white pixel data (step S103; YES), the halftone module determines whether or not the processing for all the pixel data in the processing target raster data has been completed (step S103). S104). Then, when the processing for all the pixel data in the processing target raster data is not completed (step S104; NO), the halftone module returns to step S102, and the next pixel data in the processing target raster data. It is checked whether or not is white pixel data.
[0022]
When pixel data that is not white pixel data (hereinafter referred to as non-white pixel data) is found while repeating such processing (steps S102 to S104) (step S103; NO), halftone The module executes processing for generating halftone data from the processing target raster data (step S105). At this time, the halftone module performs an actual halftoning process only on the pixel data group after the found non-white pixel data (process for converting RGB pixel data into halftone pixel data with reference to the LUT). The pixel data group (that is, the white pixel data group) preceding the found non-white pixel data is converted into halftone pixel data representing white.
[0023]
After the process of step S105 is completed, the halftone module determines whether the number of halftone data that has not yet been passed to the output module (hereinafter referred to as unprovided halftone data) has reached a predetermined number. Is determined (step S106). If the number of unprovided halftone data has not reached the specified number (step S106; NO), the halftone module determines whether the processing of raster data for one band has been completed (step S106). S111), and if the processing of raster data for one band has not been completed (step S111; NO), from step S101 on the next raster data in the band-unit image data being processed. Execute the process.
[0024]
On the other hand, if the number of unprovided halftone data is a specified number (step S106; YES), the halftone module passes the specified number of raster data and the number of blank rasters to the output module and then outputs the number of blank rasters. Is performed (step S107). The number of blank rasters passed to the output module in step S107 is information indicating the total number of continuous white raster data existing before the raster data group handed over to the output module at the same time. Note that the change (count) of the number of blank rasters is performed in step S110 (FIG. 3) described later. Although not shown in the flowchart, the halftone module sets the number of blank rasters to “0” or the band unit image at the start of the halftone data generation process for the band unit image data related to the head portion of the page. It is initialized to a value indicating the data start position (the number of lines existing between the band unit image data and the head of the print area).
[0025]
If the non-white pixel data cannot be found even after performing the processing of steps S102 to S104 up to the final pixel data in the processing target raster data (step S104; YES), the halftone module has left unprovided halftone data. It is determined whether or not (FIG. 3: Step S108). Then, when the unprovided halftone data remains (step S108; YES), the halftone module passes the unprovided halftone data and the number of blank rasters to the output module, and then sets the number of blank rasters to “ A process of changing to 1 ″ (step S109) is performed. Thereafter, the halftone module executes the processing after step S111 (FIG. 2). On the other hand, when there is no unprovided halftone data (step S108; NO), the halftone module increments the number of blank rasters by “1” (step S110), and then executes the processing after step S111.
[0026]
When the processing of steps S101 to S110 is completed for one band of raster data (step S111; YES), the halftone module determines whether unprovided halftone data remains (step S112). If not (step S112; NO), the halftone data generation process for the band-unit image data to be processed is immediately finished.
[0027]
If unprovided halftone data remains (step S112; YES), the halftone module passes the unprovided halftone data and the number of blank rasters to the output module, and then sets the number of blank rasters to “0”. After performing the process (step S113), the halftone data generation process for the band-unit image data to be processed ends.
[0028]
On the other hand, when the output module included in the printer driver 10 receives the number of blank rasters and some (less than the specified number) halftone data from the halftone module, It is stored in a buffer (one storage area of the memory) secured and managed by itself. At this time, the output module treats the number of blank rasters passed from the halftone module as the number of continuous lines that do not need to be drawn behind the line whose contents are determined by the previous processing. Some raster data passed from the halftone module is handled as data relating to a group of lines located immediately after a continuous line that does not need to be drawn. In short, based on the number of blank rasters passed from the halftone module, the output module grasps from which line the halftone data group passed at the same time is data relating to the line group.
[0029]
Then, the output module generates print data including the halftone data group stored in the buffer, that is, the non-white halftone data group together with the position information thereof, and supplies the print data to the inkjet printer 50.
[0030]
As described above, the printer driver 10 is based on a halftone module that does not pass white halftone data to the output module and a halftone data group (non-white halftone data group) passed from the halftone module. And an output module that generates print data without checking whether each halftone data is white halftone data.
[0031]
Therefore, if this printer driver 10 is used, when the conventional printer driver 80 is used, the print data generated by the procedure schematically shown in FIG. 4A is shown in FIG. 4B. It is generated by the procedure schematically shown.
[0032]
That is, in the conventional printer driver 10, as shown in FIG. 4A, after halftone data is generated for all raster data, each raster data is white halftone data or non-white halftone. Whether or not the data is data has been checked. In the printer driver 10, as shown in FIG. 4B, whether or not each raster data is non-white raster data that requires generation of halftone data. Is checked, halftone data is generated only for non-white raster data.
[0033]
The check whether the raster data is white raster data or non-white raster data is completed in about the same time as the check whether the halftone data is white halftone data or non-white halftone data. Therefore, in the end, if this printer driver 10 is used, the generation of white halftone data is omitted and the amount of data passed to the output module is reduced. ) Generation of print data is completed. Therefore, if this printer driver 10 is used, it is possible to print a printed matter with few portions that actually require drawing at a particularly high speed.
[0034]
<Deformation>
The printer driver 10 described as an embodiment of the present invention is a program for the ink jet printer 50 installed in a computer, but the implementation method of the present invention is not limited to the above. For example, the printer driver 10 may be modified for a printer other than the ink jet printer 50. Further, the present invention may be realized by manufacturing an expansion board mounted on a computer that executes the same procedure as that of the printer driver 10. Alternatively, the present invention may be realized by being performed on the printer side by software.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
By using the printer driver and the print data generation method of the present invention, print data that does not include halftone data can be generated at a high speed, so that it is possible to print a printed matter with few portions that actually need to be drawn at a particularly high speed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a usage pattern of a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of halftone data generation processing executed by a halftone module included in the printer driver according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of halftone data generation processing executed by a halftone module included in the printer driver according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a difference between a print data generation procedure (B) by a printer driver according to an embodiment and a print data generation procedure (A) by a conventional printer driver.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a print data generation procedure by a conventional printer driver.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer driver 20 Portable recording medium 50 Inkjet printer 60 Host computer

Claims (4)

A printer driver for generating print data and supplying it to a printer,
On the computer,
A determination step for determining whether or not each raster data is white raster data indicating that all pixels are white with respect to a plurality of raster data indicating the contents of the printed matter to be generated;
A halftone data generation step of generating halftone data of each raster data by performing a predetermined process on each raster data determined not to be white raster data by this determination step;
A print data generation step of generating print data including the halftone data group generated in the halftone data generation step and information indicating a position where each halftone data represents the drawing content;
The halftone data generation step includes:
A first processing step for generating halftone data by performing the predetermined processing on the raster data when it is determined by the determination step that the raster data is not white raster data;
When it is determined in the determination step that certain raster data is white raster data, it is determined whether there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, and the process proceeds to the print data generation step. If there is no halftone data that has not been supplied, the number of blank lines is incremented by “1”. If there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, A second processing step in which the number of blank lines is set to “1” after the halftone data and the number of blank lines at that time are supplied to the print data generation step.
The print data generation step includes
Handles the number of supplied blank lines as the number of consecutive lines that do not need to be drawn immediately after the portion whose contents have been determined by the previous processing, and also handles some of the supplied halftone data. A printer driver characterized in that it is a step of handling as data relating to a continuous line located immediately after a continuous line that does not need to be drawn. For the raster data determined not to be white raster data, the determination step specifies the position of the first pixel that is not white,
In the halftone data generation step, when generating halftone data of each raster data determined not to be white raster data by the determination step, the position of the position specified in the determination step in each raster data is generated. The printer driver according to claim 1, wherein the halftoning process is performed only on data relating to a pixel group after the pixel. A print data generation method for generating print data used for printing,
A determination step of determining whether or not each raster data is white raster data indicating that all pixels are white for a plurality of raster data representing the contents of the printed matter to be generated;
A halftone data generation step of generating halftone data by performing predetermined processing on each raster data determined not to be white raster data by this determination step;
A print data generation step for generating print data including the halftone data group generated in the halftone data generation step and information indicating the position of the line in which each halftone data represents the drawing content;
The halftone data generation step includes:
A first processing step for generating halftone data by performing the predetermined processing on the raster data when it is determined by the determination step that the raster data is not white raster data;
When it is determined in the determination step that certain raster data is white raster data, it is determined whether there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, and the process proceeds to the print data generation step. If there is no halftone data that has not been supplied, the number of blank lines is incremented by “1”. If there is halftone data that has not been supplied to the print data generation step, A second processing step in which the number of blank lines is set to “1” after the halftone data and the number of blank lines at that time are supplied to the print data generation step.
The print data generation step includes
Handles the number of supplied blank lines as the number of consecutive lines that do not need to be drawn immediately after the portion whose contents have been determined by the previous processing, and also handles some of the supplied halftone data. A print data generation method characterized in that it is a step of handling as data relating to a continuous line positioned immediately after a continuous line that does not need to be drawn. For the raster data determined to be not white raster data, the determining step specifies the position of the first pixel that is not white,
In the halftone data generation step, when generating halftone data of each raster data determined not to be white raster data by the determination step, the position of the position specified in the determination step in each raster data is generated. The print data generation method according to claim 3, wherein the halftoning process is performed only on data relating to a pixel group after the pixel.

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