IMAGE-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE-PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20090015864A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Kazuhide
• Granted Patent: US 8,472,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1212 achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

An object-data item optimized for print settings is acquired from an image-processing apparatus and/or another image-processing apparatus, and intermediate data including a combination of plural object-data items including the acquired optimized object-data item is generated. The generated intermediate data is converted into bitmap data generated in pages so that intermediate data optimized for the print settings can be used in arbitrary objects. Therefore, printing and outputting can be performed by using the intermediate data with increased speed.

Claims

1. An image-processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to input print-setting data and print-target-file data;

a first acquisition unit configured to acquire intermediate data corresponding to the input print-setting data from an external device for at least one object-data item included in the input print-target-file data; and

a print-processing-execution unit configured to execute print processing by, at least, generating print data by using the intermediate data acquired for the object data by the first acquisition unit.

2. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second acquisition unit configured to acquire intermediate-file data including intermediate data generated in objects from the external device; and

a write unit configured to write link information in the intermediate-file data acquired by the second acquisition unit, the link information indicating at least one of a transmission source and a transmission destination of the intermediate-file data,

wherein the first acquisition unit acquires intermediate data generated in objects, the intermediate data corresponding to the input print-setting data, from an external device identified by the link information.

3. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the link information is meta data.

4. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print-processing-execution unit combines plural intermediate-data items generated in objects, generates print data by using the combined intermediate-data items, and executes the print processing.

5. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a generation unit configured to generate intermediate data in objects, the intermediate data corresponding to the input print-setting data; and

a storage unit configured to associate the intermediate data generated in the objects by the generation unit with print-setting information indicating print settings corresponding to the intermediate data, and to store the intermediate data and the print-setting information in a storage medium,

wherein the print-processing-execution unit executes the print processing by generating the print data by using the intermediate data generated in the objects, the intermediate data being acquired by the first acquisition unit, and the intermediate data generated in the objects, the intermediate data being stored by the storage unit.

6. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the print-setting information is meta data.

7. An image-processing method comprising:

inputting print-setting data and print-target-file data;

acquiring intermediate data corresponding to the input print-setting data from an external device for at least one object-data item included in the input print-target-file data; and

executing print processing by, at least, generating print data by using the intermediate data acquired for the object data.

8. A computer storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for causing the computer to execute an image-processing method, the method comprising:

inputting print-setting data and print-target-file data;

acquiring intermediate data corresponding to the input print-setting data from an external device for at least one object-data item included in the input print-target-file data; and

executing print processing by, at least, generating print data by using the intermediate data acquired for the object data.