JP4978556B2 - Image processing apparatus, printing system, and program - Google Patents

Description

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

  An image processing apparatus that performs parallel processing of print image generation by a plurality of RIPs (Raster Image Processors) by analyzing PDL (Page Description Language) of print data and creating print data obtained by dividing a job into pages is known (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

The image processing apparatus of Patent Document 1 recognizes the data portion and the data control portion of the print data by analyzing the print data described in PDL, divides the data portion in units of pages, and divides the divided data. Each piece of new print data created by copying and assigning the data control part corresponding to each part is processed in parallel in different RIPs. This shortens the time required for print image generation processing. Note that the process of generating a print image by RIP is also referred to as rasterization.
JP-A-8-297560

An object of the present invention, images processing device is to provide a printing system, and a program.

  In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides the following image processing apparatus, printing system, and program.

[1] A plurality of image generation means for generating image information for each page of print data at a first processing speed, and a second print processing speed when the image information is printed on a recording material by the printing means. A printing speed storing means for storing the processing speed, a print data dividing means for dividing the print data into a plurality of divided print data in units of pages, and a first divided print cut out from the print data by a first number of pages. A second number of pages different from the first number of pages from the first time required by the image generation means to process the data and the remaining divided print data from which the first divided print data is cut out the second of said image generating means RIP initialization time is calculated based on a difference of the second time required to process and a page processing time divided print data, a plurality of the divided mark cut out by The image processing apparatus characterized by having a determining means to be used in the division number and the determination of the number of each page of data.

[ 2 ] The image processing apparatus according to [ 1 ], wherein the determination unit uses the number of pages having a difference of 1 as the first and second page numbers.

[ 3 ] The image processing apparatus according to [ 2 ], wherein the determination unit uses 1 and 2 as the first and second page numbers.

[ 4 ] A plurality of image generating means for generating image information for each page of the print data at a first processing speed, a printing means for printing the image information on a recording material at a second processing speed, and the printing Print data dividing means for dividing the data into a plurality of divided print data in units of pages, and the image generating means required to process the first divided print data cut out from the print data by the first number of pages. 1 time and processing the second divided print data cut out by the second page number different from the first page number from the remaining divided print data from which the first divided print data was cut out. said image generating means second RIP initialization time and a page processing time calculated based on the difference of time required, using the division number and the determination of the respective number of pages of a plurality of said divided print data Printing system; and a decision unit.

[ 5 ] The printing system according to [ 4 ], wherein the determination unit uses the number of pages having a difference of 1 as the first and second page numbers.

[ 6 ] The printing system according to [ 5 ], wherein the determination unit uses 1 and 2 as the first and second page numbers.

[ 7 ] A plurality of image generation means for generating image information for each page of print data at a first processing speed, and a print processing speed when the image information is printed on a recording material by the printing means. A print speed storage means for storing the second processing speed, a print data dividing means for dividing the print data into a plurality of divided print data in page units, and a first cut out from the print data by the first number of pages. A second time different from the first number of pages from the first time required by the image generation means to process the divided print data and the remaining divided print data from which the first divided print data is cut out. RIP initialization time and one page processing time calculated based on the second time difference required by the image generating means to process the second divided print data cut out by the number of pages Program for functioning as a determining means to be used in the division number and the determination of the respective number of pages of a plurality of said divided print data.

According to the present invention, an image processing apparatus, a printing system, and a program can be provided .

  Embodiments of an image processing apparatus, a printing system, and a program according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Configuration of printing system)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  When print data 3 having print contents of a plurality of pages in which PDL is defined for each page is input, the print system 1 generates image information based on the print contents and PDL set for each page of the print data 3 And an IOT 25 and an IOT management unit 24 as printing units that perform printing based on image information output from the image processing unit 2 and generate a printed matter 5. Although the print data 3 is input from the outside, the print data 3 may be stored and provided with a storage unit inside.

  The print data 3 is information for arranging set text, images, and the like based on the PDL that defines the print settings, and has an independent PDL for each page. The printed matter 5 is an output paper surface printed on the IOT 25 based on image information generated from the print data 3.

  The image processing apparatus 2 receives the print data 3 as a print job, and counts the number of pages of the print data 3. The job management unit 10 receives the print data 3 from the job management unit 10 and divides the print data 3 in units of pages. A parallel RIP 13 as image generation means for parallel processing of image processing by a plurality of RIPs; an RIP management means 12 for managing the parallel RIP 13; and an image buffer for temporarily storing image information generated in the parallel RIP 13 15 and image buffer management means 14 for managing the image buffer 15.

  The image processing apparatus 2 also includes a job information management table 17 that stores information about the print data 3 acquired by the job management unit 10, a job division management unit 18 that serves as a determination unit that manages the job division unit 11, and a RIP. The management unit 12 includes a divided job information management table 19 that stores information about pages to be processed.

  The image processing apparatus 2 also stores a maximum RIP number storage unit 20 that stores the maximum number of processes that can be processed simultaneously in the parallel RIP 13 and a printing speed storage that stores the processing speed (second processing speed) of the IOT management unit 24. IOT speed storage means 21 as means, RIP page number calculation means 22 for calculating the number of pages being rasterized in the parallel RIP 13, and print waiting page number calculation for calculating the number of pages waiting for IOT transmission in the image buffer management means 14 Means 23.

  The job information management table 17, the divided job information management table 19, the maximum RIP number storage unit 20, and the IOT speed storage unit 21 of the image processing apparatus 2 temporarily store information provided in the image processing apparatus 2. It is stored on a memory (not shown), and the image buffer 15 is stored on a dedicated memory. The other means of the image processing apparatus 2 and the parallel RIP 13 are processed on a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in the image processing apparatus 2.

  2A to 2C are schematic diagrams illustrating configuration examples of a job information management table, a divided job information management table, and an image buffer management table according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the job information management table 17 is a table set when executing job processing for the print data 3 received by the job management means 10, and is assigned to the job. A job ID, a job initialization time indicating the initialization time of the divided job calculated by the job division management unit 18, a one-page RIP time indicating a time required for RIP per page calculated by the job division management unit 18; The total number of pages indicating the number of pages included in the print data 3 counted by the job management unit 10 and the number of undivided pages indicating the number of undivided pages given the same value as the total number of pages as an initial value.

  The divided job information management table 19 is a table set when executing the processing of the divided job accepted by the RIP management unit 12 and is given when executing the job for the print data 3 accepted by the job management unit 10. The job ID associated with the job ID in the job information management table 17, the divided job ID assigned to the job divided by the dividing unit, and the number of pages included in the divided job calculated by the job dividing management unit 18. , The final divided job flag given when the number of undivided pages in the job information management table 17 is 0 or less, and the RIP management means 12 indicates the status of the divided job and indicates “During RIP” , “Waiting for IOT transmission” or “End of IOT transmission”, and RIP management Having a RIP end time and indicating the time at which rasterization is completed in RIP start time and, parallel RIP13 the stage 12 indicates the time that has transmitted the divided job to the parallel RIP13.

  The image buffer management table 16 is a table that is set when divided jobs are rasterized in the parallel RIP 13 and image information is output for each page. The job ID inherited from the divided job information management table 19, the divided job ID, The image ID given to the image information stored in the image buffer 15, the buffer attribute indicating the storage destination and storage size of the image information in the image buffer 15, and the paper set in the image information stored in the image buffer 15 Print attributes indicating size, double / single side setting, post-processing, etc., final page flag set when the image information stored in the image buffer 15 is the final page, and image information stored in the image buffer 15 Indicates the status of “RIP in progress” and “Waiting for IOT transmission” Or and a status selected from either "IOT transmission end".

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of each data processed in the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The print data 3 has page data 30a to 30d for each page. Each of the page data 30a to 30d includes PDL and inserted text data and image data. For example, the page data 30a is on page 1, the page data 30b is on page 2, and the page data 30c is on page 3. The page data 30d corresponds to page n.

  The image information 400 </ b> A to 400 </ b> N is created, for example, by extracting n pages of extracted data 300 from the print data 3 as a divided job by the job dividing unit 11 and rasterizing in the parallel RIP 13. Further, the printed materials 500A to 500N are output when the image information 400A to 400N is printed in the IOT 25.

(Operation)
Hereinafter, operations of the image processing apparatus, the printing system, and the program according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The image processing apparatus 2 receives the print data 3 as a job and temporarily stores it in a memory (not shown) provided in the image processing apparatus 2. The job management unit 10 inputs the received job information to the job information management table 17 and inputs the job to the job division unit 11.

  The job dividing unit 11 obtains the number of divided job pages obtained by dividing the job by passing the job ID to the job division managing unit 18. The job division management unit 18 refers to the maximum RIP number storage unit 20, the IOT speed storage unit 21, the in-RIP page number calculation unit 22, and the print waiting page number calculation unit 23, and determines the page number of the divided job.

  The job dividing unit 11 inquires of the RIP managing unit 12 whether or not the RIP can be generated in order to input the divided job divided from the job in the job dividing unit 11 to the parallel RIP 13. The RIP management unit 12 compares the number of RIPs activated in the parallel RIP 13 with the maximum RIP number storage unit 20, and responds that rasterization is possible when the number of activated RIPs is smaller, and rasterizes when the number is larger. Responds as impossible.

  When rasterization is possible, the RIP management unit 12 first registers the information of the divided job input from the dividing unit in the divided job information management table 19. Next, the RIP of the parallel RIP 13 is activated and a divided job is input.

  The parallel RIP 13 rasterizes the divided job for each page, and inputs the image information to the image buffer management unit 14 for each page. First, the image buffer management means 14 registers the input image information information in the image buffer management table 16. Next, the image information is stored in the image buffer 15.

  The IOT management unit 24 monitors the image buffer management unit 14, and the image information in which the image buffer management table 16 is registered as “waiting for IOT transmission” has a small ID in order of priority of job ID, divided job ID, and image ID. Obtained from the data and input the IOT 25 in the operating state. When the image information registered as “waiting for IOT transmission” does not exist for a certain period of time, the IOT 25 is put into a non-operating state. The IOT 25 prints the input image information and outputs a printed matter 5.

  The above operation is executed based on the job information management table 18, the divided job information management table 20, and the image buffer management table 14, and the job ID, divided job ID, and image ID are prioritized in the order of smaller IDs. It shall be executed from

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  After being received by the job management unit 10, the job dividing unit 11 divides the job into a plurality of divided jobs. For example, if the print data 3 has m pages, it is divided as divided jobs 300A, 300B,. The number of pages included in the divided jobs 300A, 300B,... 300C is determined by the job division management means 18, and the number of divisions and the number of pages included in each divided job can be arbitrarily set.

  Each divided job is simultaneously processed in the same number of parallel RIPs 13 as the number of divisions. That is, since the rasterization is shared as the number of divisions is increased, the time required for rasterization is shortened, but the burden on the parallel RIP 13 is increased. Further, the load on the parallel RIP 13 is reduced as the number of divisions is reduced, but the time required for rasterization is increased.

  5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing the operation of the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A shows the operation when the division number is set to the minimum, and shows the processing time of the parallel RIP 13 and the IOT 25 when the print data 3 is not divided. The parallel RIP 13 requires a rasterization time T _{m including} a RIP initialization time T _i and an m page processing time T _pm in order to rasterize a divided job including m pages. Also, rasterization speed from the rasterizing time _{T m} (first processing speed) m / _{T m} is calculated.

The RIP initialization time Ti is a time required for starting the parallel RIP 13 and is a time required for reading resources such as fonts and images set in the print data 3. The RIP initialization time T _i takes a certain time regardless of the number of pages of the divided job, and changes depending on the print data 3.

1 page processing time T _p1 is determined by the difference between the rasterization time T _m to process the divided jobs of m pages, the rasterizing time T _m-1 to process the divided jobs consisting of m-1 page. The RIP initialization time T _i is obtained by the difference between the rasterization time T _m for processing a divided job consisting of m pages and the time m × T _p1 obtained by multiplying the one page processing time T _p1 by m. .

In this embodiment, before the job dividing unit 11 divides the job, the divided job consisting of two pages and the divided job consisting of one page are taken out, and the divided job is rasterized in the parallel RIP 13 so that the RIP initialization time is obtained. T _i and one page processing time T _p1 are calculated. However, for example, since one page processing time varies between a page with many images and a page with only text, the configuration of each page of the print data 3 is configured so that there is no great variation in the one page processing time T _p1. It is assumed that this is the case.

Further, the IOT 25 requires a print processing time T _All to print a divided job composed of m pages processed in the parallel RIP 13 and converted into image information in page units. Generally, compared with the time for rasterizing one page in the parallel RIP 13, the time for printing one page in the IOT 25 is short (for example, about 1/10), and the rasterizing time T _m is dominant in the print processing time T _All. Thus, it is longer than the rasterization time T _m by a time α ₁ (time for the IOT 25 to print several pages). The print processing speed of the IOT 25 is stored in the IOT speed storage unit 21.

  That is, in the operation shown in FIG. 5A, the image information is intermittently input from the divided RIP 13, and the IOT 25 repeats the operating state and the non-operating state, so it cannot be said that it operates efficiently.

FIG. 5B shows the operation when the number of divisions is set to the maximum, and shows the processing time of the parallel RIP 13 and the IOT 25 when the print data 3 is divided into m divided jobs page by page. Each parallel RIP13, in order to rasterize the divided job consisting of one page, takes rasterization time _{T 1} consisting of RIP initialization time _{T i} and a page processing time _{T p1} Prefecture.

In addition, the IOT 25 requires a print processing time T _Device to print m divided jobs including one page processed by the m parallel RIPs 13 and converted into image information for each page. When m is sufficiently large, the time for printing the m pages in the IOT 25 is longer than the time for rasterizing one page at the same time in the m parallel RIPs 13, and the print processing time T _Device is larger than the one page processing time T ₁ . It becomes longer by α ₂ (time for the IOT 25 to print a page near m) (α ₂ > α ₁ ). However, when m is sufficiently large, T ₁ becomes shorter than T _m and T _Devide is shorter than T _All (T _Devide <T _All ).

  That is, in the operation shown in FIG. 5B, the IOT 25 operates efficiently because the image information is continuously input from the divided RIP 13. However, since the m-page job is divided by the division number m in the parallel RIP 13, the RIP initialization operation is duplicated m times, and it cannot be said that the operation is efficient.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The job division management means 18 first takes out a divided job consisting of two pages and a divided job consisting of one page before dividing the job by the job dividing means 11, and performs RIP initialization by rasterizing the divided jobs in the parallel RIP 13. Time T _i and one page processing time T _p1 are calculated.

Next, the job division management unit 18 divides, for example, a divided job consisting of 10 pages in the job division unit 11. A rasterization time T _k1 for rasterizing a divided job having RIP ₁ of 10 pages is obtained as T _i + 10 × T _p1 from the RIP initialization time T _i and the 1-page processing time T _p1 .

Processes the divided job of 10 pages in RIP _1, the time required image information to be processed result output to IOT25 to printing _{T k1} ', the image information is input to the IOT25 page by page from RIP ₁ Therefore, it is longer than T _k1 by a slight time α ₃ .

Since RIP ₂ only needs to end rasterization before IOT 25 finishes printing the image information input from RIP ₁ , the rasterization time T _k2 that can be used for rasterization in RIP ₂ is equivalent to T _k1 ′. . Therefore, the job division management unit 18 calculates the number of divided job pages that can be handled by the RIP ₂ by solving T _k1 ′ = T _i + β ₂ T _p1 to obtain β ₂ .

Similarly, the RIP ₃ only needs to end the rasterization before the IOT 25 finishes printing the image information input from the RIP _2, and therefore the rasterization time T _k3 that can be allocated to the rasterization in the RIP ₃ is T _k2 ′. It becomes equivalent. Therefore, the job division management unit 18 calculates the number of divided job pages that can be handled by the RIP ₃ by solving T _k2 ′ = T _i + β ₃ T _p1 to obtain β ₃ .

The job division management unit 18 similarly divides RIP _{4 and} subsequent pages until the number of undivided pages of the job is less than the calculated number of pages. Jobs less than the number of pages are input as they are to the parallel RIP 13 as divided jobs.

  By dividing the job as described above, the smallest number of job divisions in which the IOT 25 is always in operation is set.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the number of pages of the divided job processed in RIP ₁ is not limited to 10 pages, and an arbitrary number of pages may be set. The RIP initialization time T _i and the one-page processing time T _p1 may be set by the user without being calculated by the job division management unit 18.

Further, the RIP initialization time T _i and the one-page processing time T _p1 may be recalculated by monitoring the processing status in each RIP. By doing this, it is possible to cope with variations in the RIP initialization time _Ti and the one-page processing time _Tp1 caused by the PDL for each page and the fonts and images used. The variation can also be accommodated by setting a larger number of pages to be used for calculating the RIP initialization time _Ti and the one-page processing time _Tp1 .

  The print processing speed of the IOT 25 may be calculated from the operation of the IOT 25 or may be acquired from the IOT 25 as a specification of the IOT 25. Further, the user may input.

  Further, for example, in a situation where there are a plurality of IOTs 25, for example, by preparing a plurality of printers, the plurality of IOTs 25 may perform print processing in parallel.

  In addition, the job management unit 10, the job division unit 11, the RIP management unit 12, the parallel RIP 13, the image buffer management unit 14, the job division management unit 18, the page number calculating unit 22 in RIP, and the printing used in the above embodiment. The waiting page number calculating means 23 may read the data from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM into a storage unit in the apparatus, or may download it from a server connected to a network such as the Internet to the storage unit in the apparatus. Moreover, you may implement | achieve part or all of the means used by the said embodiment by hardware, such as ASIC.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2A to 2C are schematic diagrams illustrating configuration examples of a job information management table, a divided job information management table, and an image buffer management table according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of each data processed in the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing the operation of the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing system, 2 ... Image processing apparatus, 3 ... Print data, 5 ... Printed material, 10 ... Job management means, 11 ... Job division means, 12 ... RIP management means, 13 ... Parallel RIP, 14 ... Image buffer management means, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 ... Image buffer, 16 ... Image buffer management table, 17 ... Job information management table, 18 ... Job division management means, 19 ... Division job information management table, 20 ... Process number storage means, 21 ... IOT speed storage means, 22 ... RIP page number calculating means, 23 ... print waiting page number calculating means, 24 ... IOT managing means, 25 ... IOT, 30a-30d ... page data, 300 ... extracted data, 300A to 300C ... divided job, 400A to 400N ... image Information, 500A-500N ... printed matter

Claims (7)

A plurality of image generation means for generating image information for each page of print data at a first processing speed;
A printing speed storage means for storing a second processing speed as a printing processing speed when the image information is printed on the recording material by the printing means;
Print data dividing means for dividing the print data into a plurality of divided print data in units of pages;
A first time required by the image generation unit to process the first divided print data cut out by the first number of pages from the print data, and the remaining division from which the first divided print data was cut out The RIP calculated based on the second time difference required by the image generating means to process the second divided print data cut out from the print data by the second number of pages different from the first number of pages. An image processing apparatus comprising: a determination unit that uses an initialization time and a one-page processing time for determining the number of divisions of each of the plurality of divided print data and the number of each page. Said determining means, said a first, second page number, image processing apparatus according to claim 1, the difference between them is characterized by using the number of pages is 1. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit uses 1 and 2 as the first and second page numbers. A plurality of image generation means for generating image information for each page of print data at a first processing speed;
Printing means for printing the image information on a recording material at a second processing speed;
Print data dividing means for dividing the print data into a plurality of divided print data in units of pages;
A first time required by the image generation unit to process the first divided print data cut out by the first number of pages from the print data, and the remaining division from which the first divided print data was cut out The RIP calculated based on the second time difference required by the image generation means to process the second divided print data cut out from the print data by the second number of pages different from the first number of pages. And a determining unit that uses the initialization time and the one-page processing time for determining the number of divisions of the plurality of pieces of divided print data and the number of each page. 5. The printing system according to claim 4 , wherein the determination unit uses a page number having a difference of 1 as the first and second page numbers. The printing system according to claim 5 , wherein the determination unit uses 1 and 2 as the first and second page numbers. Computer
A plurality of image generation means for generating image information for each page of print data at a first processing speed;
A printing speed storage means for storing a second processing speed as a printing processing speed when the image information is printed on the recording material by the printing means;
Print data dividing means for dividing the print data into a plurality of divided print data in units of pages;
A first time required by the image generation unit to process the first divided print data cut out by the first number of pages from the print data, and the remaining division from which the first divided print data was cut out The RIP calculated based on the second time difference required by the image generating means to process the second divided print data cut out from the print data by the second number of pages different from the first number of pages. A program for causing an initialization time and a one-page processing time to function as a determination unit used to determine the number of divisions of a plurality of the divided print data and the number of pages.

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