Print processing apparatus

• US 6,219,149 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Seki, Noriaki, Wada, Yoshinori, Hirata, Kazutaka, Onozawa, Yuji, Nagao, Takashi, Ishikawa, Hiroshi, Kawata, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, DOUGLAS Q
• Application Number:
  US09/050,361
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.17, 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.9, 358/1.11, 358/1.18
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1857 involving parallel processing in the same printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0014 Transforming the printer input data into internal codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0062 combining generic and host data, e.g. filling a raster

Abstract

A print processing apparatus realizes high speed processing of input data which includes various types of drawing objects such as images, graphics and characters. In the apparatus, input data generated by an input data generating unit is converted into intermediate data in an intermediate data generating element. An intermediate data order controlling element rearranges intermediate data pieces based on overlap therebetween and classifies them into groups, in each of which the data pieces can be processed in parallel. A group ID indicating a group for parallel processing, a hardware configuration ID and so on are assigned to the intermediate data piece. A rasterizing unit receives configuration data from a configuration data administering element, if necessary, in accordance with the hardware configuration ID assigned to the intermediate data piece, and rewrites a function of a reconfigurable rasterizing element under the control of the reconfiguration controlling element. The rasterizing unit rasterizes the intermediate data into dot data and provides it to an outputting unit.

Claims

1. A print processing apparatus that rasterizes a first print data, described by a predetermined printer command language representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into a second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, and outputs the completed image based on the second print data, comprising:

an inputting element that inputs the first print data, the first print data including a plurality of drawing objects;

a judging element that judges whether there is overlap among at least two of the drawing objects included in the first print data;

a converting element that rearranges the plurality of drawing objects based on at least one of a result of judgment by the judging element and a content of the first print data and converts the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format including hardware configuration information;

a hardware element comprising;

a plurality of configurable processing components that can reconfigure to a type of drawing object based on the hardware configuration information included with the intermediate data;

a reconfiguration controller component; and

a switching component that controls a flow of input data and output data of each of the plurality of configurable processing components, the reconfiguration controller component setting a mode of the switching component and a function of at least one of the plurality of configurable processing components corresponding to the hardware configuration information included in the intermediate data, wherein the hardware element receives the intermediate data from the converting element and rasterizes the data into the second print data; and

an outputting element that outputs the completed image based on the second print data rasterized by the hardware element.

2. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the converting element rearranges the plurality of drawing objects so that the objects which can be rasterized in parallel by the hardware element appear successively.

3. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the hardware element executes parallel rasterization with at least one processing module containing a plurality of functional blocks.

4. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the functional blocks are the same.

5. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of functional blocks is different from the other functional blocks.

6. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the converting element rearranges the plurality of drawing objects so that the number of times the mode of the switching component and the function of at least one corresponding module is changed, is reduced.

7. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the converting element maintains the order of arrangement of the plurality of drawing objects which have been judged to have overlap by the judging element.

8. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the judging element judges whether there is overlap among the plurality of drawing objects by using bounding boxes, each circumscribing the drawing object.

9. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the converting element rearranges the plurality of drawing objects in a page or in a band generated by dividing a page into units, each including a plurality of scanning lines.

10. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hardware element can change a plurality of functional blocks in the processing module partially or as a whole.

11. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hardware element omits changing of the mode of the switching component and the function of at least one corresponding module in the case where the hardware configuration information in the intermediate data of the predetermined format is the same as that in the data received immediately before.

12. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hardware element includes a field-programmable gate array.

13. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of processing modules is a plurality of operation devices.

14. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the converting element further comprises a hardware component that has a plurality of processing modules and a switching part controlling a flow of input data and output data of each of the plurality of processing modules, wherein the hardware component sets a mode of the switching part and a function of at least one processing module corresponding to the mode of the switching part, and wherein at least part of the process executed by the converting element is executed by the hardware component in the converting element.

15. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hardware element executes rasterization by pipeline processing of a plurality of functional blocks in the processing module.

16. A print processing apparatus that rasterizes a first print data, described by a predetermined printer command language representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into a second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, and outputs the completed image based on the second print data, comprising:

an inputting element that inputs the first print data;

a judging element that judges whether there is overlap among a plurality of drawing objects included in the first print data;

a converting element that converts the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format, including hardware configuration information, based on at least one of a result of judgment by the judging element and a content of the first print data;

a hardware element comprising;

a plurality of configurable processing components that can reconfigure to a type of drawing object based on the hardware configuration information included with the intermediate data;

a reconfiguration controller component; and

a switching component that controls a flow of input data and output data of each of the plurality of configurable processing components, the reconfiguration controller component setting mode of the switching component and a function of at least one configurable processing components corresponding to the hardware configuration information included in the intermediate data, wherein the hardware element receives the intermediate data from the converting element and a rasterizes the data into the second print data; and

an outputting element that outputs the completed image based on the second print data rasterized by the hardware element.

17. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the converting element converts the first print data, including a plurality of successive drawing objects judged to have no overlap by the judging element, into data of a format including hardware configuration information, which identifies at least one processing module for rasterizing the plurality of drawing objects in parallel.

18. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein the hardware element executes parallel rasterization with at least one processing module containing a plurality of functional blocks.

19. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein the functional blocks are the same.

20. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of functional blocks is different from the other functional blocks.

21. A print processing apparatus that rasterizes a first print data, described by a predetermined printer command language representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into a second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, and outputs the completed image based on the second print data, comprising:

an inputting element that inputs the first print data;

a converting element that rearranges the drawing objects included in the first print data based on a content of the first print data and converts the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format that includes hardware configuration information;

a hardware element comprising;

a plurality of configurable processing components that can reconfigure to a type of drawing object based on the hardware configuration information included with the intermediate data;

a reconfiguration controller component; and

a switching component controlling a flow of input data and output data of each of the plurality of configurable processing components, wherein the reconfiguration controller component sets a mode of the switching component and a function of at least one of the plurality of configurable processing components corresponding to the hardware configuration information included in the intermediate data, and wherein the hardware element receives the data from the converting element and rasterizes the data into the second print data; and

an outputting element that outputs the completed image based on the second print data rasterized by the hardware element.

22. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein the converting element omits the hardware configuration information from the converted data of the predetermined format in the case where the hardware configuration information in the converted data is the same as that in the data converted immediately before.

23. A print processing apparatus, comprising:

an inputting element that inputs a print data, the print data including drawing objects representing at least one of a character, graphics and an image and described by a precedeterminated printer command language;

a determining element that determines a drawing region of the drawing object included in the print data;

a converting element that divides the drawing region, based at least on the drawing region determined by the determining element and a content of the print data, and converts the print data into conversion data including hardware configuration changing information which is set corresponding to the divided drawing region;

a hardware element comprising;

a reconfiguration controller component;

a processing component that changes its configuration in accordance with a type of drawing object in accordance with the hardware configuration changing information included in the conversion data, and rasterizes the conversion data; and

an outputting element that outputs the conversion data rasterized by the hardware element.

24. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein the converting element divides the drawing region based on an area of the drawing object.

25. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein the converting element divides the drawing region by adding data indicating a drawing region to the conversion data.

26. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the converting element divides the drawing region into band units by adding data indicating a band region to the conversion data.

27. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein the converting element divides the drawing region by dividing the drawing object into units.

28. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the units are band units.

29. The print processing apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein the hardware element further comprises a clipping component that draws the drawing object only in a divided region.

30. A print processing apparatus comprising:

an inputting element that inputs print data, the print data including drawing objects representing at least one of a character, graphics and an image, and described by a predetermined drawing command;

a converting element that divides the drawing object based on a content of the print data, and converts the print data into conversion data including hardware configuration changing information which is set corresponding to the divided drawing object;

a hardware element that changes its configuration in accordance with the hardware configuration changing information included in the conversion data, and rasterizes the conversion data; and

an outputting element that outputs the conversion data rasterized by the hardware element.

31. A print processing apparatus that rasterizes a first print data, described by a predetermined printer command language representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into a second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, and outputs the completed image based on the second print data, comprising:

an inputting element that inputs the first print data, the first print data including a plurality of drawing objects;

a judging element that judges whether there is overlap among at least two of the drawing objects included in the first print data;

a removing element that removes the overlap when it is judged that there is the overlap among the drawing objects by the judging element;

a converting element that rearranges the drawing objects from which the overlap is removed by the removing element and the drawing objects judged to have no overlap by the judging element based on at least a content of the first print data and converts the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format including hardware configuration information;

a hardware element comprising;

a plurality of configurable processing modules that can reconfigure to a type of drawing object based on the hardware configuration information included with the intermediate data;

a reconfiguration controller component; and

a switching component that controls a flow of input data and output data of each of the plurality of configurable processing modules, the reconfiguration controller component setting a mode of the switching component and a function of at least one of the plurality of configurable processing modules corresponding to the hardware configuration information included in the intermediate data, wherein the hardware element receives the intermediate data from the converting element and rasterizes the data into the second print data; and

an outputting element that outputs the completed image based on the second print data rasterized by the hardware element.

32. A method of rasterizing a first print data, described by a predetermined printer command language representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into a second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, and outputting the completed image based on the second print data, comprising:

inputting the first print data including a plurality of drawing objects;

determining whether there is overlap among at least two of the drawing objects included in the first print data;

rearranging the plurality of drawing objects based on the result of the determining step and the content of the drawing objects;

converting the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format, using a converting element, including hardware configuration information, based on at least on of a result of judgment by the judging element and a content of the first print data;

utilizing the hardware configuration information to configure at least one configurable processing component to a type of drawing object, by the use of a reconfiguration controller component;

controlling the flow of input data and output data of each of the at least one configurable processing components by the use of a switching component;

rasterizing the intermediate data into second print data corresponding to the hardware configuration information; and

outputting an image based on the second print data.

33. A method of rasterizing first print data, described by a predetermined printer command language representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, and outputting the completed image based on the second print data, comprising:

inputting the first print data;

determining, using a judging element, whether there is overlap among a plurality of drawing objects included in the first print data;

converting the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format including hardware configuration information, based on at least one of a result of the determining step and a content of the first print data using a converting element;

utilizing the hardware configuration information to configure a configurable processing component to a type of drawing object using a reconfiguration control element;

rasterizing the intermediate data, using the configurable processing element, into second print data corresponding to the hardware configuration information; and

outputting the completed image based on the second print data.

34. A method of rasterizing a first print data, described by a printer command language, representing at least one of a drawing object that can be any of a character, graphics and an image, into second print data having a data structure for outputting a completed image, comprising:

inputting the first print data;

rearranging the drawing objects included in the first print data based on a content of the first print data;

converting the first print data into intermediate data of a predetermined format that includes hardware configuration information using a converting element;

utilizing the hardware configuration information to configure a configurable processing component to a type of drawing element; and

rasterizing the intermediate data, using the configurable processing element into second print data corresponding to the hardware configuration information.

35. A method of rasterizing print data, comprising:

inputting print data, the print data including drawing objects representing at least one of a character, graphics and an image and described by a predetermined drawing command;

determining the drawing region of the drawing object included in the print data, using a determining element;

dividing the drawing region based at least on the drawing region determined by the determining step and a content of the print data;

converting the print data into conversion data, the conversion data including hardware configuration changing information which is set corresponding to the divided drawing region, using a converting element;

changing the configuration of a hardware element to a type of drawing object, in accordance with the hardware configuration changing information included in the conversion data, using a reconfiguration controller element;

rasterizing the conversion data, using the hardware element; and

outputting the rasterized conversion data rasterized by the hardware element.

36. A method of rasterizing print data comprising:

inputting print data, the print data including drawing objects representing at least one of a character, graphics and an image and described by a predetermined drawing command;

dividing the drawing object, using a converting element based on a content of the print data;

converting the print data into conversion data, using the converting element, the conversion data including hardware configuration changing information which is set corresponding to the divided drawing object;

changing the configuration of a hardware element to a type of drawing object, in accordance with the hardware configuration changing information included in the conversion data, using a reconfiguration control element;

rasterizing the conversion data using the hardware element; and

outputting the rasterized conversion data.