Efficiently scheduled multiple raster image processors

• US 20020163664A1
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiery LLC
• Original Assignee: Electronics For Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Sugano, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,816,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1217 achieving reduced idle time at the output device or increased asset utilization
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1857 involving parallel processing in the same printing apparatus

Abstract

A method of printing multi-page documents with multiple raster-image processors (RIP'"'"'s), the method comprising the steps of profiling the command stream complexities and resource dependencies of a series of pages to be printed. Then, associating a profile of the command stream complexities and resource dependencies of a series of pages to be printed with a printing command stream. And dispatching individual raster-image processor jobs for each of the pages to be printed to particular RIP'"'"'s according to the profile. The step of dispatching is preferably such that the complexity estimates and the dependency list are used to minimize idle times for the RIP'"'"'s. A further step of collecting is done in which the individual outputs of each raster-image processor are recombined into a page-ordered sequence for a print engine.

Claims

1. A printing system, comprising:

a plurality of raster-image processors (RIP'"'"'s) for converting page description language commands into a bitmap for a printer engine;

a profiler for receiving multiple-page print requests from a computer application program and operating system, and providing a complexity estimate of the command language stream for each print-page and a dependency list of any inter-print-page resources; and

a scheduler connected to receive said complexity estimates and said dependency list, and able to dispatch individual print-page raster-image processor jobs to particular RIP'"'"'s depending on said complexity estimates and said dependency list.

2. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a page manager connected to receive finished raster-image processing jobs from each of the RIP'"'"'s in whatever order they are completed, and then able to output such in an original page order.

3. The printing system of claim 1, wherein:

the scheduler is such that said complexity estimates and said dependency list are used to minimize idle times for the RIP'"'"'s.

4. The printing system of claim 1, wherein:

the profiler is such that it includes an application program interface (API) that is used to provide detailed profile information to the scheduler in a print command stream.

5. The printing system of claim 1, wherein:

the profiler is connected to a printer driver through an application program interface (API), and thereby provides a profile information to the scheduler in a print command stream.

6. A method of printing multi-page documents with multiple raster-image processors (RIP'"'"'s), the method comprising the steps of:

profiling the command stream complexities and resource dependencies of a series of pages to be printed;

associating a profile of the command stream complexities and resource dependencies of a series of pages to be printed with a printing command stream; and

dispatching individual raster-image processor jobs for each of said pages to be printed to particular RIP'"'"'s according to said profile.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step of dispatching is such that said complexity estimates and said dependency list are used to minimize idle times for the RIP'"'"'s.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

collecting the individual outputs of each raster-image processor and recombining them back into a page-ordered sequence for a print engine.