JP4136505B2 - Information processing apparatus, information processing method, computer-readable storage medium, and program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and information processing method and a readable storage medium, and program computer having a driver drawing command to obtain the printer device converts processed can be processed print information from the operating system .
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, for example, a printer driver process that operates by being incorporated in an information processing apparatus receives a bitmap that does not depend on a device by a drawing command from an operating system (OS), and is simply enlarged or reduced in accordance with a transfer destination size. A bitmap with image processing such as reduction was copied.
[0003]
Also, there is a process of receiving compressed data by a drawing command from the OS, transferring the compressed data to the printer device at a high speed with a small size, and decompressing the compressed data at high speed using firmware in the printer device. is there.
[0004]
Furthermore, in recent years, a compression method that uses wavelet transform or the like and can specify a resolution at the time of decompression is becoming common.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventionally, a driver that implements a process for decompressing compressed data can decompress the compressed data only at a certain resolution, so that when the image is enlarged, the conventional simple enlargement process results in a low-accuracy image. There was a problem.
[0006]
In addition, when a compression method that can specify the resolution at the time of decompression is adopted by wavelet transform or the like, the decompression process requires two or three times the conventional processing, so the processing speed increases because the load on the central processing unit increases. There was a problem that it was significantly lowered.
[0007]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention, with respect to compressed image data, print the results freely reflecting the user's print output request high speed / high quality, etc. it is to provide an information processing apparatus and information processing method and computer-readable storage medium and a program that can be obtained.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides an acquisition means for acquiring a drawing command, a determination means for determining whether or not the drawing command acquired by the acquisition means is resolution-changeable compressed data, and is not a resolution-changeable compressed data by the determination means. If it is determined, the compressed data is decompressed, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the rendering command, sent to the transfer destination, and determined to be resolution-changeable compressed data by the determining means, and the high-speed mode is designated. If the compressed data is decompressed at a low resolution, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, sent to the transfer destination, and determined to be resolution-changeable compressed data by the discrimination means, and the high quality When the mode is specified, it has a processing means that acquires the resolution from the device information, decompresses the compressed data at a resolution suitable for the device, and sends it to the transfer destination It is characterized in.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system to which an information processing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention can be applied.
[0023]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) that reads a storage medium such as an FD, a CD-ROM, and an IC memory card in which the program and related data are stored from a medium reader 6 connected to the system. Information input from the input device 4 is processed by a system program or application program loaded from the auxiliary storage device (HD) 3 to the main storage device (RAM) 2 and output to the output device 5 or the printer 7.
[0024]
In this embodiment, the output device 5 is a display device such as a display, and is distinguished from the printer 7 that is originally included in the output device.
[0025]
The input device 4 is assumed to be composed of a keyboard, a pointing device, and the like. Further, the auxiliary storage device 3 may be configured by a hard disk or a magneto-optical disk, or may be configured by a combination thereof.
[0026]
Moreover, even if each device is connected via a network, this invention is not limited.
[0027]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the data processing module in the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, data related to the image processing control program stored in the storage medium and the storage apparatus is stored. This corresponds to an example in which the data is read into the central processing unit 1 and a print command is input from the input device 4 to send data to the printer 7 for printing.
[0028]
Note that both the application 22 and the driver 23 function under the control of the OS 21 in the main storage device 2.
[0029]
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the data processing state of the driver 23 shown in FIG. 2, in which the processing portion of the image driver is described in detail. Here, the image driver 23 means software that develops a bitmap on the host side such as a PC and transfers it to the printer 7 in accordance with a drawing command sent from the OS 21. In addition, D1-D11 shows each step.
[0030]
In FIG. 3, when a drawing command and compressed bitmap data are sent from the OS 21, the format of the compressed data is identified from the information in the drawing command (D1). Next, the compression / decompression process is entered (D2), including a compression method capable of converting the resolution (here, JPEG2000), and a plurality of decompression processing methods (JPEG2000, JPEG, TIFF, RLE, Wavelets) provided in advance in the driver. An appropriate one is selected from (D7 to D11) and developed into a bitmap (D3).
[0031]
The expanded bitmap is processed with respect to data that requires simple enlargement processing (D4), and then converted into a device bitmap by color conversion processing (D5) and 2 (n) value processing. (D6). When processing is completed for all drawing commands, the device bitmap is transferred to the printer 7.
[0032]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI that is displayed during printing that can be displayed on the output device 5 illustrated in FIG. 1, and corresponds to a setting screen related to graphic mode processing.
[0033]
The UI 400 is displayed on the output device 5 by the print command, and the user can designate the high speed mode 401 and the high quality mode 402 by the input device 4.
[0034]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a program module installation processing method that operates in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, an image processing method control program and related data are transferred to the computer PC via the flexible disk FD. Shows the state of loading.
[0035]
When this flexible disk FD is set in the medium reading device 6, the image processing control program and related data are read from the flexible disk FD under the control of the OS 21 and the basic I / O program read into the main storage device 2. When loaded into the main storage device 2, the operation becomes possible.
[0036]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a memory map of an image processing method control program readable by the information processing apparatus according to the present invention stored in the flexible disk FD shown in FIG.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, an image processing method control program file and an image processing method control program related data file for executing the processing shown in FIG. 8 to be described later are managed according to volume information and directory information. Yes.
[0038]
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a memory map of the main storage device 2 shown in FIG.
[0039]
As shown in FIG. 7, the image processing method control program stored in the flexible disk FD is loaded from the auxiliary storage device 3 to the main storage device 2 via the medium reading device 6.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, the image processing method control program file is read directly from the flexible disk FD into the main storage device 2 via the auxiliary storage device 3 and executed. May be saved in the auxiliary storage device 3 such as a hard disk (HD) from a storage medium such as the flexible disk FD and read into the main storage device 2 when executed.
[0041]
In addition to the FD and HD, the medium for recording the image processing method control program may be a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, an IC memory card, or the like. The image processing method control program can also be stored in the ROM.
[0042]
Hereinafter, the image print processing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0043]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of an image print processing procedure in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention. In addition, (S8-1)-(S8-12) show each step.
[0044]
First, when a command is input to execute printing from the input device 4, the OS 21 receives the message from the OS 21, driver 23, and application (FIG. 2) read from the auxiliary storage device 3 onto the main storage device 2. Receive. The OS 21 sends a print execution message to the currently active application 22.
[0045]
The application 22 converts the message into a command that can be recognized by the OS 21, and sends data to be printed or a message of the command. The OS 21 converts the command into a command that can be recognized by the driver 23 and sends a message.
[0046]
When a print command is sent to the driver 23, information about the device that performs printing is acquired (S8-1). Further, the mode specified at the time of printing by the user is acquired from the user interface (UI) module (S8-2).
[0047]
Next, a drawing command is received from the OS 21 (S8-3), and it is determined whether the drawing command includes compressed data whose resolution can be converted. If the compressed data is further included, the compressed data whose resolution can be changed at the time of decompression. (S8-4), if it is determined that the compressed data cannot be converted in resolution at the time of decompression, the compressed data is decompressed by an appropriate decompression method (S8-5), and the target size of the rendering command (drawing) The data is simply enlarged (to match the size of the transfer destination) to the size specified by the instruction (S8-8). Although not shown, when it is determined that the compressed data is not included, the data is simply enlarged to the target size of the rendering command (to match the size of the transfer destination) and directly transferred to the transfer destination. send.
[0048]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step (S8-4) that the compressed data format can be converted in resolution (for example, a compressed data format compressed by wavelet conversion), it is acquired in step (S8-2). The print mode is identified to determine whether it is the high speed mode or the high quality mode (S8-6). If the high speed mode is designated as the print mode, the compression data that can be converted in resolution is displayed at a low resolution. The data is decompressed (S8-7), and the data is simply enlarged to match the target size of the drawing command (to match the size of the transfer destination) (S8-8).
[0049]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step (S8-6) that the high quality mode is designated as the print mode, the device resolution information is referred to from the device information acquired in step (S8-1) (S8). -9).
[0050]
Then, compressed data that can be converted to a resolution at a resolution that matches or is close to the acquired resolution is decompressed (S8-10).
[0051]
Next, they are copied to the transfer destination (S8-11). All drawing commands are processed, and it is determined whether printing has ended (S8-12). If it is determined that printing has not ended, the process returns to step (S8-3), and if it is determined that printing has ended. Ends this processing.
[0052]
The above embodiment can be applied to both a band processing type binding printer and an unbinding printer.
[0053]
In the above embodiment, the case where the printer driver develops and transfers image data that can be directly printed by the printer has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to a configuration in which the printer driver transfers PDL data based on the page description language to the printer. Is applicable.
[0054]
In addition, the compressed data format whose resolution can be changed at the time of decompression is a compression format using DCT (discrete cosine transform) such as JEPEG, and the size of the DCT at the time of compression is (N × N), and at the time of decompression By setting the size of the IDCT to (P × P) (where N ≠ P), resolution conversion can be performed at the time of decompression. "Compressed data format".
[0055]
Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made based on the spirit of the present invention, and they are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.
[0056]
The configuration of a data processing program that can be read by the information processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the memory map shown in FIG.
[0057]
Although not particularly illustrated, information for managing a program group stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, creator, etc. is also stored, and information depending on the OS on the program reading side, for example, a program is identified and displayed Icons may also be stored.
[0058]
Further, data depending on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs in the computer, and a program for decompressing when the program to be installed is compressed may be stored.
[0059]
The functions shown in FIG. 8 in the present embodiment may be performed by the host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when an information group including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Is.
[0060]
As described above, a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium in the storage medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by reading and executing the programmed program code.
[0061]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0062]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, an EEPROM, or the like is used. it can.
[0063]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) or the like running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0064]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the case where the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0065]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to this onset bright, with respect to compressed image data, high-speed / print result that reflects the user's print output request quality, etc. The freely print data transfer processing can be obtained freely An environment where people can do it.
[0066]
Therefore, when the user designates the high quality option or the high-speed option, there is an effect that the print result desired by the user can be obtained at high speed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system to which an information processing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention can be applied.
2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a data processing module in the information processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a data processing state of the driver shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI displayed when executing printing that can be displayed on the output device illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a program module installation processing method that operates in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention;
6 is a diagram showing a memory map of an image processing method control program that can be read by the information processing apparatus according to the present invention and that is stored in the flexible disk shown in FIG. 5;
7 is a diagram showing a memory map of the main storage device shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an image print processing procedure in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Central processing unit 2 Main storage device 7 Printer 21 OS
22 Application 23 Driver

Claims (4)

An acquisition means for acquiring a drawing command;
Determining means for determining whether or not the rendering command acquired by the acquiring means is resolution-changeable compressed data;
When it is determined by the determination means that the compressed data is not variable in resolution, the compressed data is decompressed, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and sent to the transfer destination.
If it is determined by the determination means that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-speed mode is designated, the compressed data is decompressed at a low resolution, and the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and is transferred to the transfer destination. Send,
Processing for obtaining the resolution from the device information, decompressing the compressed data at a resolution suitable for the device, and sending it to the transfer destination when the discrimination means discriminates that the compressed data is variable in resolution and the high quality mode is designated. Means,
An information processing apparatus comprising: An acquisition step for acquiring a drawing instruction;
A determination step of determining whether or not the drawing command acquired by the acquisition step is resolution-changeable compressed data;
If it is determined in the determination step that the compressed data is not resolution-changeable, the compressed data is decompressed, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and sent to the transfer destination
When the determination step determines that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-speed mode is specified, the compressed data is decompressed at a low resolution, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and the transfer destination is set. Send,
When the determination step determines that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-quality mode is designated, the process obtains the resolution from the device information, decompresses the compressed data with a resolution suitable for the device, and sends it to the transfer destination Steps,
An information processing method characterized by comprising: An acquisition step for acquiring a drawing instruction;
A determination step of determining whether or not the drawing command acquired by the acquisition step is resolution-changeable compressed data;
If it is determined in the determination step that the compressed data is not resolution-changeable, the compressed data is decompressed, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and sent to the transfer destination.
When the determination step determines that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-speed mode is specified, the compressed data is decompressed at a low resolution, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and the transfer destination is set. Send,
When the determination step determines that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-quality mode is designated, the process obtains the resolution from the device information, decompresses the compressed data with a resolution suitable for the device, and sends it to the transfer destination Steps,
The computer-readable storage medium which recorded the program for making a computer perform. An acquisition step for acquiring a drawing instruction;
A determination step of determining whether or not the drawing command acquired by the acquisition step is resolution-changeable compressed data;
If it is determined in the determination step that the compressed data is not resolution-changeable, the compressed data is decompressed, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and sent to the transfer destination
When the determination step determines that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-speed mode is specified, the compressed data is decompressed at a low resolution, the decompressed data is expanded to the target size of the drawing command, and the transfer destination is set. Send,
When the determination step determines that the compressed data can be changed in resolution and the high-quality mode is designated, the process obtains the resolution from the device information, decompresses the compressed data with a resolution suitable for the device, and sends it to the transfer destination Steps,
A program that causes a computer to execute.

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