JPH061010A - Control method for image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the processing capability for an image recording device for processing a page descriptor. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of bit map development sections (3,4) for developing a recording data composed of a source program of page descriptor into a corresponding bit map data are provided, and bit map development processes for a plurality of pages (in this case, 2 pages) are carried out to shorten the recording time of recording data file. Recording copies are record output from one single printer engine (PEG1 or PEG2).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is connected to a plurality of host devices, receives a recording data file expressed in a page description language from these host devices, temporarily accumulates the recording data files, and stores the accumulated recording data files. The present invention relates to a control method for an image recording apparatus that interprets contents, converts the contents into corresponding bitmap data, outputs the bitmap data to a print engine, and records and outputs a corresponding image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printer device for recording and outputting an image with high resolution, such as a laser beam printer device, is sometimes connected to a local area network or the like and shared by a plurality of host devices.

By the way, since a page printer such as a laser beam printer uses bit map data for one page as recording data, it records an image or a document in which display of graphic characters is modified in various ways. In this case, the amount of recording data to be transferred to the laser beam printer becomes very large, and therefore the time for data transfer when transferring the recording data to the laser beam printer via the local area network is very large. However, there is a problem in that the processing capacity of the entire system is reduced.

Therefore, the laser beam printer is provided with an interpreter function of a page description language having an extremely large number of display modification functions, and the source of the page description language is used as recording data to be transferred from the host device to the laser beam printer. By using the data, the data amount of the recording data transferred via the local area network is suppressed, and the processing capability of the entire system is improved, which is in practical use.

[0005]

However, such a conventional device has the following disadvantages.

That is, since the page description language interpreter function takes a relatively long time to develop the source data into bitmap data, it takes a long time for the user of the host device to obtain a printed matter of the designated file. That caused the inconvenience.

In order to eliminate such inconvenience, for example, a plurality of laser beam printers having a page description language interpreter function are connected to one local area network, and the plurality of laser beam printers are separately provided. It is conceivable to transfer the recorded data of the page (source data of the page description language), but in this case, the user of each host device needs to specify the distribution of the recorded data to each laser beam printer device. At the same time, it is necessary to put together printed matter that has been recorded and output to each laser beam printer device.
It is very inconvenient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control method for an image recording apparatus capable of efficiently obtaining a recorded image.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is connected to a plurality of host devices, receives a recording data file expressed in a page description language from the host devices, accumulates the data once, and accumulates the accumulated recording data. In a method of controlling an image recording apparatus that interprets the contents of a file, converts it into corresponding bitmap data, outputs the bitmap data to a print engine, and records and outputs the corresponding image, interprets the page description language described above. A plurality of bit map expanding means for converting into corresponding bit map data are provided, and the data of each page of the accumulated recording data file is output to each of the plurality of bit map expanding means, and the bit map formed by the bit map expanding means. The data is output to the same printer engine in page order.

Further, the recording data files connected to a plurality of host devices are received from these host devices and are stored once, and the contents of the accumulated recording data files are interpreted and dealt with. In the control method of the image recording apparatus for converting the bitmap data into the bitmap data, outputting the bitmap data to the print engine and recording and outputting the corresponding image, the page description language is interpreted and converted into the corresponding bitmap data. A plurality of bit map expanding means are provided, and the data of each page of the accumulated recording data file is output to the plurality of bit map expanding means, respectively, and the bit map data formed by these bit map expanding means are paged to the same printer engine. Outputs in order, but multiple recorded data files are accumulated It is obtained so as to select a recording data file according to a predetermined priority order. Also,
As the bit map expanding means, it is preferable to use an interpreter means of the page description language.

[0011]

Therefore, the data of each page of one recording data file is distributed to a plurality of bit map expanding means, and the bit map expanding means converts the record data of each page in parallel to bit map data. , The time required for conversion into bitmap data can be shortened. Further, since each image is recorded and output from the same printer engine, it is possible to reduce the time and effort required for the user of the host device to align the pages, and the usability is improved.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a data processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In this data processing system, three host devices HST1, HST2 and HST3 and one printer server device PSV are connected to a local area network LA.
It is configured by connecting via N.

Further, the printer server PSV is provided with, for example, two printer engines PEG1 and PEG2 which are image recording and outputting mechanisms of a laser beam printer.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the printer server PSV.

In the figure, the system control section 1 carries out an operation control process of each section of the printer server apparatus PSV and a data transmission procedure executed between the system control section 1 and the host apparatuses HST1, HST2 and HST3 via the local area network LAN. The data storage device 2 is for performing control processing such as processing, and the data storage device 2 uses the host devices HST1, HST2, HST via the local area network LAN.
It is for accumulating the recording data and the like received from No. 3.

The bit map expanding units 3 and 4 have an interpreter function of a predetermined page description language and convert the recording data into corresponding bit map data. The local area network interface circuit 5 is a local area network LAN. For connecting to.

The system control unit 1, the data storage unit 2, the bit map expansion units 3 and 4, and the local area network interface circuit 5 are connected to a system bus 6, and data between these respective elements are transferred. The exchange is performed via this system bus 6.

Here, this printer server device PSV
However, since it has an interpreter function of the page description language, the host devices HST1, HST2, HST3 output the source data of the page description language as the recording data.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the bit map expanding section 3. The bitmap expansion unit 4 also has the same configuration as the bitmap expansion unit 4.

In the figure, a CPU (central processing unit) 1
1 is an interpreter function process of a page description language executed by the bitmap expansion unit 3, a printer engine PEG
1 for executing a recording operation command processing, data exchange processing with the system control unit 1, etc., and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12
It stores a control program for various processes executed by the CPU 11 and various data necessary for executing the control program. The RAM (random access memory) 13 is a work area for the CPU 11 and the printer engine PEG1. It is for configuring a page memory or the like for accumulating one page of bitmap data to be output to.

The system bus interface circuit 14 is
The printer interface circuit 15 is for connecting to the system bus 6, and the printer interface circuit 15 includes a printer engine PEG1.
For connecting to.

CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM
13, the system interface circuit 14, and the printer interface circuit 15 are connected to an internal bus 16, and data is exchanged between these respective elements via the internal bus 16.

FIG. 4 shows an example of processing executed by the printer server PSV.

First, the printer server device PSV receives a print request command output from any of the host devices HST1, HST2, HST3 via the local area network LAN, or stores a print waiting file. Waiting until the state is reached (NO loop of judgments 101 and 102).

Any of the host devices HST1 and HST
2, the print request command output from HST3 is received, and when the result of determination 101 is YES, the print data transferred from the host devices HST1, HST2, and HST3 is received, and the received data is recorded data. Stored as a file in the data storage device 2 (Process 1
03).

When the recording data file is stored in the data storage device 2, at least one of the bit map developing units 3 and 4 is used at that time to check whether a printing operation can be performed (decision 104). The result of judgment 104 is YE
When S is reached, the recording process for recording and outputting the image of the recording data file accumulated at that time is started (process 105), and the standby state is restored.

When the result of the judgment 104 is NO, the recording data file accumulated at that time is added to the end of the print waiting file queue (process 10).
6) Return to the standby state. Here, the print waiting file queue is for storing files in the print waiting state.

If one or more recording data files are registered in the print queue file queue and the result of determination 102 is YES, at least one of the bit map expansion units 3 and 4 is used at that time. Then, it is checked whether the printing operation can be performed (decision 107).

When the result of the judgment 107 is YES, the recording process for recording and outputting the image of the recording data file registered first in the print waiting file queue is started (process 108), and the recording process is executed. The passed recording data file is deleted from the print queue file queue (step 109), and the standby state is restored. When the result of determination 107 is NO, the state immediately returns to the standby state.

FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7 show an example of the recording process executed by the printer server apparatus PSV.

First, at that time, it is checked whether or not both of the bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 can be used (decision 201). When the result of judgment 201 is YES,
The value of the counter i for managing the pages to be recorded and output is initialized to 1 (process 202), the recording data of the i-th page is transferred to the bitmap expansion unit 3, and the expansion request of the recording data transferred at that time is requested. Is instructed to the bitmap expansion unit 3 (process 203).

As a result, the bitmap expansion unit 3 is
A predetermined page description language interpreter process is applied to the print data received at that time to form the bitmap data of the print image of the i-th page, and when the bitmap data of the page is formed, the printer engine PE
The G1 recording / outputting process is activated, and the bitmap data is output to the printer engine PEG1 to print out the recorded image of the page. Also, the bitmap expansion unit 3 uses the printer engine PEG.
When the recording output operation No. 1 is started, the system control unit 1 is notified of the end of the operation.

Then, the value of the counter i is incremented by 1 (step 204), and it is checked whether or not the record data of the i-th page is stored (decision 205). When the result of judgment 205 is N, this recording operation is ended.

When the result of determination 205 is YES, the print data of the i-th page is transferred to the bit map expanding section 4, and a request for expanding / returning the print data transferred at that time is instructed to the bit map expanding section 4. (Process 2
06).

As a result, the bitmap expansion unit 4 is
A predetermined page description language interpreter process is applied to the recording data received at that time to form bitmap data of the recording image of the i-th page, and when the bitmap data of the page is formed, the system control unit 1 is notified. On the other hand, the bitmap data is transferred.

In this way, the bit map expansion section 3,
When the operation of No. 4 is started, it waits for the end of the operation to be notified from the bitmap expansion unit 3 (process 207) and for the bitmap data to be transferred from the bitmap expansion unit 4 (process 208). Further, the bitmap data transferred from the bitmap expansion unit 4 is temporarily stored in the data storage device 2.

When the reception of the bitmap data transferred from the bitmap expanding section 4 is completed, the bitmap data for one page at that time is transferred to the bitmap expanding section 3 and the recording transferred at that time is also transferred. A data recording request is issued to the bitmap expansion unit 3 (process 209).

As a result, the bit map expanding section 3 outputs the bit map data received at that time to the printer engine PEG1, thereby recording and outputting the recorded image of the page. Also, the bitmap expansion unit 3
When the recording output operation of the printer engine PEG1 is activated, the system control unit 1 is notified of the end of the operation.

When the system control unit 1 transfers the received data from the bitmap expansion unit 4 to the bitmap expansion unit 4, the system control unit 1 waits until the operation completion is notified from the bitmap expansion unit 3 (process 210).

When the operation completion is notified from the bit map expanding section 3, the value of the counter i is increased to 1 (process 21).
1), it is checked whether or not the record data of the i-th page is stored (decision 212). When the result of determination 212 is NO, this recording operation is ended. When the result of judgment 212 is YES, it is checked whether or not one or more recording data files are registered in the print waiting file queue (decision 213). When the result of judgment 213 is NO, bitmap expansion is continued. Part 3, 4 of 2
Since one is available, the process returns to step 203 to execute the recording operation for the next page.

When the result of the determination 203 is YES, the use of the bitmap expansion unit 4 is terminated and the system state is notified to enable execution of the recording operation of the print waiting file (process 214). ).

Then, the print data of the i-th page is transferred to the bit map expanding section 3, and a request for expanding the print data transferred at that time is instructed to the bit map expanding section 3 (process 215). Waits until the end of operation is notified (step 216).

Then, the value of the counter i is incremented by 1 (process 217) and it is checked whether or not the record data of the i-th page is stored (decision 218). When the result of determination 218 is NO, this recording operation is ended.

When the result of the judgment 218 is YES, it is checked whether or not the bit map developing unit 4 is in a usable state at that time (decision 219). When the result of determination 219 is NO, the process returns to step 215, and the recording operation for the next page is executed. When the result of determination 218 is YES, the process returns to step 203, and the recording operation using the bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 is executed.

When another recording file data recording operation is being performed and the result of judgment 201 is NO, bitmap expansion using the bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 that are free at that time is performed. It is secured as part a (process 220), and the value of the counter i is initialized to 1 (process 221).

Then, the print data of the i-th page is transferred to the bit map expanding section a, and a request for expanding the print data transferred at that time is instructed to the bit map expanding section a (process 222). Waits until the end of the operation is notified (process 223).

Then, the value of the counter i is incremented by 1 (process 224) and it is checked whether or not the record data of the i-th page is stored (decision 225). When the result of determination 225 is NO, this recording operation is ended.

When the result of the judgment 225 is YES, it is checked whether or not the two bit map developing units 3 and 4 are both usable at that time (decision 226). When the result of the judgment 226 is NO, the process returns to the process 222 and the recording operation of the next page is executed. When the result of determination 226 is YES, the process returns to step 203, and the recording operation using the bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 is executed.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the operation executed by the bit map expanding units 3 and 4.

First, the bit map expansion units 3 and 4 monitor whether any command is received from the system control unit 1 (NO loop of decision 301). When the command is received from the system control unit 1, it is checked whether it is a deployment request (decision 302).

When the result of determination 302 is YES, the print data transferred from the system control unit 1 is received and stored in the RAM 13 (process 303). Next, it is checked whether or not the command at that time includes a return request (decision 304), and when the result of decision 304 is YES, the flag FLG is set (process 305),
When the result of determination 304 is NO, the flag FLG
Is reset (process 306).

Then, a predetermined page description language interpreter process is applied to the recording data for one page accumulated at that time to form the bitmap data of the page, and the bitmap data is stored in the RAM 13. The data is accumulated in the set page memory (process 307, NO loop of determination 308).

When the bit map data for one page is formed and the storage in the page memory is completed, it is checked whether or not the flag FLG is set at that time (decision 30).
9). When the result of determination 309 is YES, the bitmap data accumulated in the page memory is transferred to the system control unit 1 (process 310) and the process returns to determination 301.

When the result of determination 309 is NO, the recording operation of the printer engine PEG1 (or printer engine PEG2) is started, and the bitmap data accumulated in the page memory is printed by the printer engine PEG1 (or printer engine). Transfer to PEG2) (process 311) and print engine PEG1
A recording operation for one page (or printer engine PEG2) is started. Then, the system control unit 1 is notified that the operation is completed (process 312), and the process returns to the determination 310.

When the command received from the system control unit 1 is a recording request and the result of determination 302 is NO, the bitmap data for one page transferred from the system control unit 1 at that time is written. It is received and accumulated in the page memory (NO loop of processing 313 and judgment 314).

When one page of bitmap data has been stored in the page memory, the printer engine P
The recording operation of EG1 (or printer engine PEG2) is started, and the bitmap data accumulated in the page memory is transferred to printer engine PEG1 (or printer engine PEG2) (process 315).
Printer engine PEG1 (or printer engine P
The recording operation for one page of EG2) is started. Then, the system control unit 1 is notified that the operation is completed (process 316), and the process returns to the determination 301.

With the above configuration, the printer server PSV
Receives a print request command from any of the host devices HST1, HST2, HST3 via the local area network LAN and receives a print data file, the print data file is stored in the data storage device 2.

At this time, when the bit map expanding units 3 and 4 are in a usable state, the recording process for recording the recording data file received at that time is started.

Here, when both of the bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 are in the usable state, the expansion request command is output to the bitmap expansion unit 3 and the recording data of the first page is expanded into the bitmap. Forwarded to part 3,
The expansion / return request command is output to the bitmap expansion unit 4, and the recording data of the second page is transferred to the bitmap expansion unit 4.

As a result, the bit map expanding section 3 applies a predetermined page description language interpreter process to the first page of print data received at that time to form the bit map data of the first page of the print image. Then, when the bitmap data of the first page is formed, the recording and outputting process of the printer engine PEG1 is started, and the bitmap data is printed by the printer engine PEG1.
1 to output the recorded image of the first page. Further, when the bitmap output unit 3 activates the recording output operation of the printer engine PEG1, it notifies the system control unit 1 of the operation end.

At the same time, the bit map expansion unit 4
Applies a predetermined page description language interpreter process to the recording data of the second page received at that time to form the bitmap data of the recording image of the second page, and outputs the bitmap data of the second page. Once formed, the bitmap data is transferred to the system controller 1.

When the system control unit 1 receives the bitmap data of the second page from the bitmap expansion unit 4,
The received bitmap data is temporarily stored in the data storage device 2. When the accumulation of the bitmap data of the second page is completed, the bitmap expansion unit 3 is requested to record, and the bitmap data of the second page accumulated at that time is transferred to the bitmap expansion unit 3.

As a result, the bit map expanding section 3 outputs the bit map data of the second page received at that time to the printer engine PEG1.
The recorded image of the page is recorded and output. Further, when the bitmap output unit 3 activates the recording output operation of the printer engine PEG1, it notifies the system control unit 1 of the operation end.

In this way, the recorded image of the first page and the recorded image of the second page are recorded and output from the same printer engine PEG1.

Further, the system control unit 1 requests the bitmap expansion unit 3 to expand the recording data of the odd page until the recording output of all the pages of the recording data file to be recorded and output at that time is completed, and the odd number of the recording data is output. The recorded image of the page is recorded and output from the printer engine PEG1.

At the same time, a request is made to expand / return the even-numbered page recording data to the bitmap expansion unit 4, the bitmap data corresponding to the recording data is received from the bitmap expansion unit 4, and the received even-page The bitmap data is requested to be recorded in the bitmap expansion unit 3, and the recorded image of the even page is recorded and output from the printer engine PEG1.

Therefore, thereafter, the recorded images of the odd page and the even page are the same printer engine PE.
The recording is sequentially output from G1.

A recording data file that is being recorded and output at that time (hereinafter referred to as the preceding recording data file)
Of the print data file (hereinafter, referred to as a print data file) by receiving a print request command from any of the host devices HST1, HST2, and HST3 before the print output of all pages of
When a subsequent recording data file is received), the subsequent recording data file is stored in the data storage device 2.
Further, at this time, since the subsequent recording data file cannot be recorded and output, the subsequent recording data file is registered in the print waiting file queue.

Further, in the processing process for recording and outputting the previous recording data file, it is detected that there is a print waiting file at the timing after the recording and outputting of any even page is completed. , The use of the bit map developing unit 4 is terminated, and the system is notified. In addition, the processing process for recording and outputting the previous recording data file continues to execute the recording and outputting operation of the previous recording data file using only the bitmap expansion unit 3 thereafter.

On the other hand, when the processing process recording and outputting the previous recording data file notifies the end of the use of the bitmap expanding section 4, at that point, the bitmap expanding section 4
Since other processing processes can be used, the system activates the recording process for recording and outputting the subsequent recording data file.

Therefore, in the recording process, the expansion request command is output to the bitmap expansion unit 4 and the recording data for one page is transferred to the bitmap expansion unit 4.

As a result, the bitmap expansion unit 4 applies a predetermined page description language interpreter process to the recording data for one page received at that time to form the bitmap data of the recording image for one page. Then, when the bitmap data of the page is formed, the recording output process of the printer engine PEG2 is started, and the bitmap data is output to the printer engine PEG21, whereby the recording image for one page is recorded and output. Further, when the bitmap output unit 4 activates the recording output operation of the printer engine PEG2, the bitmap expansion unit 4 notifies the system control unit 1 of the end of the operation.

Then, the system control unit 1 sequentially requests the bitmap expansion unit 4 to expand the recording data for one page until the recording output of all the pages of the recording data file after the recording output is completed. Then, the print images of the print data file thereafter are sequentially printed by the printer engine P.
Record output from EG2.

Further, when the recording operation of the previous recording data file is completed at the stage before the recording and outputting of the later recording data file is completed and the bit map expanding section 3 becomes usable, thereafter, The image recording operation is executed by using the bit map expanding section 3 and the bit map expanding section 4.
However, at this time, the operations of the bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 are controlled so that the recording operation of the printer engine PEG2 continues.

That is, the system control unit 1 requests the bitmap expansion unit 4 to expand the recording data of the odd pages until the recording output of all the pages of the recording data file after the recording output is completed, The recorded image of the odd page is recorded and output from the printer engine PEG2.

At the same time, a request is made to expand / return the even-numbered page recording data to the bitmap expansion unit 3, the bitmap data corresponding to the recording data is received from the bitmap expansion unit 3, and the received even-page The bitmap data is requested to be recorded in the bitmap expansion unit 4, and the recorded image of the even page is printed by the printer engine PEG21.
Record output from.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the recording data of one recording data file is converted into the corresponding bitmap data using the two bitmap expanding units 3 and 4, so that the recording data file The time required to complete the recording output of can be greatly reduced.

Further, since the recording originals of one recording data file are recorded and output from the same printer engine PEG1, PEG2, it is possible to save the trouble of collecting printed matter of the same recording data file.

When a recording request for another recording data file is made during the recording operation for one recording data file,
Since the two bitmap expansion units 3 and 4 are allocated to the recording operation of each recording data file, the user of the host device HST1, HST2, HST3 system which has made a recording request for the subsequent recording data file is made to wait. The time can be shortened and the usability of the system is improved.

By the way, in the above-described embodiment, the printer server device is provided with two bitmap developing units and two printer engines. However, the number of bitmap developing units and the number of printer engines are the same. It is not limited to However, even if the printer engine is provided more than the bitmap expansion unit, the effect is not so expected. Further, if the bitmap expansion unit is configured as a unit and can be appropriately added to the printer server device, the system function can be effectively improved.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the recording priority of the recording data file is set in the order of reception of the printer server device, but this priority can be set appropriately. For example, the one that has a large amount of recorded data in the order of incoming calls is recorded first, according to the priority set in the host device, according to the priority set in the recorded data file, or the user who requested recording (or, According to the priority of the user who created the recording data file).

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of host devices are connected to one print server device via the local area network, but the connection form with this host device is not limited to this. .

[0085]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The data of each page of one recording data file is distributed to a plurality of bitmap expansion means, and the recording data of each page is converted into bitmap data in parallel by these bitmap expansion means. The time required for conversion can be shortened. Further, since the respective images are recorded and output from the same printer engine, it is possible to reduce the time and effort required for the user of the host device to align the pages, and to improve the usability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a data processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a printer server device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a bitmap expansion unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a printer server device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of an example of a recording process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another part of the recording process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing still another part of an example of the recording process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a bitmap expansion unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 system control unit 2 data storage device 3, 4 bit map expansion unit

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 14, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief description of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a data processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a printer server device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a bitmap expansion unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a printer server device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of an example of a recording process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another part of the recording process.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing still another part of an example of a recording process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a bitmap expansion unit.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 system control unit 2 data storage device 3, 4 bit map expansion unit

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

[Fig. 2]

[Figure 3]

[Figure 4]

[Figure 5]

[Figure 6]

[Figure 7]

[Figure 8]

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A recording data file which is connected to a plurality of host devices and which is expressed in a page description language is received from these host devices and is temporarily stored, and the contents of the stored recording data files are interpreted and dealt with. In the control method of the image recording apparatus for converting the bitmap data into the bitmap data, outputting the bitmap data to the print engine and recording and outputting the corresponding image, the page description language is interpreted and converted into the corresponding bitmap data. A plurality of bit map expanding means are provided, and the data of each page of the accumulated recording data file is output to the plurality of bit map expanding means, respectively, and the bit map data formed by these bit map expanding means are paged to the same printer engine. A method for controlling an image recording apparatus, which comprises outputting in sequence. 2. Connected to a plurality of host devices, receiving a recording data file expressed in a page description language from the host devices, temporarily accumulating it, and interpreting the contents of the accumulated recording data file to deal with it. In the control method of the image recording apparatus for converting the bitmap data into the bitmap data, outputting the bitmap data to the print engine and recording and outputting the corresponding image, the page description language is interpreted and converted into the corresponding bitmap data. A plurality of bitmap expansion means are provided, and the data of each page of the stored recording data file is output to each of the plurality of bitmap expansion means, and the bitmap data formed by the bitmap expansion means is paged to the same printer engine. Output in order, but when multiple recorded data files are stored, A method for controlling an image recording apparatus, comprising selecting a recording data file according to a predetermined priority order. 3. The control method for an image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bitmap expansion means is an interpreter means for the page description language.