Scalable vector graphics print driver

• US 6,992,782 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, William, Yardumian, Richard Krikor
• Primary Examiner(s): WALLERSON, MARK E
• Application Number:
  US09/661,387
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.2, 358/2.1, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 358/462, 358/464, 358/299, 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/1.13, 358/401, 358/442, 358/452, 382/295, 382/298
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1209 resulting in adapted or bridged legacy communication protocols, e.g. emulation, protocol extension
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1244 Job translation or job parsing, e.g. page banding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

The present invention addresses the foregoing problems and concerns a print driver executable on a user'"'"'s personal computer and responsive to a print option selection from any application program, generates output that conforms to a standardized markup language format.

Claims

1. A print driver executable on a user'"'"'s personal computer responsive to a selection of a print option from any application program, the print driver being stored on a memory medium readable by the user'"'"'s personal computer, the print driver comprising:

computer-executable code configured to receive output from an application program; and

computer-executable code configured to generate print output from the application program output, the print output conforming to a scalable vector graphics (SVG) language, which is a standardized device independent output format,

wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate the print output further comprises computer-executable code configured to convert absolute coordinate values to SVG dimensions which indicate physical lengths using a width and height viewbox designation in the print output in accordance with physical dimensions of an output medium and a desired resolution.

2. A print driver according to claim 1, wherein the application program output comprises Graphic Device Interface (GDI) commands.

3. A print driver according to claim 1, wherein the scalable vector graphics (SVG) language permits a hierarchy of elements, wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate print output further comprises:

computer-executable code configured to track a state change associated with a hierarchical level defined in the application program output and determine when to include the state change in the print output.

4. A print driver according to claim 1, wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate print output further comprises:

computer-executable code configured to cache at least one path element in the application program output and generate a corresponding path element in the print output when a paint path element is encountered in the application program output.

5. A print driver according to claim 1, wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate print output further comprises:

computer-executable code configured to embed image data within an element definition of the print output.

6. A method executable by a print driver executing on a user'"'"'s personal computer and responsive to a selection of a print option from any application program, the method comprising:

a receiving step to receive output from an application program; and

a generating step to generate print output from the application program output, the print output conforming to a scalable vector graphics (SVG) language, which is a standardized device independent output format,

wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate the print output further comprises computer-executable code configured to convert absolute coordinate values to SVG dimensions which indicate physical lengths using a width and height viewbox designation in the print output in accordance physical dimensions of an output medium and a desired resolution.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the application program output comprises Graphic Device Interface (GDI) commands.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the scalable vector graphics (SVG) language permits a hierarchy of elements, wherein generating print output further comprises:

tracking a state change associated with a hierarchical level defined in the application program output and determine when to include the state change in the print output.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein generating print output further comprises:

storing at least one path element in the application program output and generating a corresponding path element in the print output when a paint path element is encountered in the application program output.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein generating print output further comprises;

converting absolute coordinates to physical lengths using a width and height viewbox designation in the print output.

11. A method according to claim 6, wherein generating print output further comprises:

embedding image data within an element definition of the print output.

12. A computer-readable memory medium in which computer-executable process steps are stored, the process steps for execution by a print driver and responsive to a selection of a print option from an application program, the process steps comprising:

a receiving step to receive output from an application program; and

a generating step to generate print output from the application program output, the print output conforming to a scalable vector graphics (SVG) language, which is a standardized device independent output format,

wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate the print output further comprises computer-executable code configured to convert absolute coordinate values to SVG dimensions which indicate physical lengths using a width and height viewbox designation in the print output in accordance with physical dimensions of an output medium and a desired resolution.

13. A computer-readable memory medium according to claim 12, wherein the application program output comprises Graphic Device Interface (GDI) commands.

14. A computer-readable memory medium according to claim 12, wherein the scalable vector graphics (SVG) language permits a hierarchy of elements, wherein the generating step to generate print output further comprises:

a tracking step to track a state change associated with a hierarchical level defined in the application program output and determine when to include the state change in the print output.

15. A computer-readable memory medium according to claim 12, wherein the generating step to generate print output further comprises:

a storing step to store at least one path element in the application program output and generating a corresponding path element in the print output when a paint path element is encountered in the application program output.

16. A computer-readable memory medium according to claim 12, wherein the generating step to generate print output further comprises:

a converting step to convert absolute coordinates to physical lengths using a width and height viewbox designation in the print output.

17. A computer-readable memory medium according to claim 12, wherein the generating step to generate print output further comprises:

an embedding step to embed image data within an element definition of the print output.

18. A print driver executable on a user'"'"'s personal computer responsive to a selection of a print option from any application program, the print driver being stored on a memory medium readable by the user'"'"'s personal computer, the print driver comprising:

computer-executable code configured to receive output from an application program; and

computer-executable code configured to generate print output from the application program output, the print output conforming to a scalable vector graphics (SVG) language, which is a standardized device independent output format,

wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate the print output further comprises computer-executable code configured to convert absolute coordinate values to SVG dimensions in accordance with physical dimensions of an output medium and a desired resolution, and computer-executable code configured to cache at least one path element in the application program output and generate a corresponding path element in the print output when a paint path element is encountered in the application program output.

19. A print driver according to claim 18, wherein the application program output comprises Graphic Device Interface (GDI) commands.

20. A print driver according to claim 18, wherein the scalable vector graphics (SVG) language permits a hierarchy of elements, wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate print output further comprises:

computer-executable code configured to track a state change associated with a hierarchical level defined in the application program output and determine when to include the state change in the print output.

21. A print driver according to claim 18, wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate print output further comprises:

computer-executable code configured to embed image data with an element definition of the print output.

22. A method executable by a print driver executing on a user'"'"'s personal computer and responsive to a selection of a print option from any application program, the method comprising:

a receiving step to receive output from an application program; and

a generating step to generate print output from the application program output, the print output conforming to a scalable vector graphics (SVG) language, which is a standardized device independent output format,

wherein the computer-executable code configured to generate the print output further comprises computer-executable code configured to convert absolute coordinate values to SVG dimensions in accordance with physical dimensions of an output medium and a desired resolution, and computer-executable code configured to cache at least one path element in the application program output and generate a corresponding path element in the print output when a paint path element is encountered in the application program output.