Computer connectable with a printer, computer-readable storage medium, and printing method with data generation time reduction capability

• US 8,917,411 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Miyata, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): PACHOL, NICHOLAS C
• Application Number:
  US12/748,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1234 Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting G06F3/1261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters

Abstract

A computer connectable with a printer includes an application unit that outputs first data, an interface that generates second data based on the first data, and a driver unit. The driver unit includes a generating unit, a determining unit, and a reducing unit. The generating unit generates third data based on the second data. The printer prints an image corresponding to the third data. The determining unit determines whether or not the image corresponding to the third data should be printed by the printer. The reducing unit reduces at least one of a first time period required to generate the second data and a second time period required to generate the third data, if the determining unit determines that the image corresponding to the third data should not be printed by the printer.

Claims

1. A computer connectable with a printer, the computer comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device storing;

an application program, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to launch an application;

an interface program, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to launch an interface to perform;

outputting a print start command in response to a printing-related command received from the application in which operation to start printing is performed;

outputting a setting change command and a first print settings in accordance with the printing-related command received from the application after outputting the print start command;

issuing a drawing command after outputting the setting change command and the first print settings, the drawing command being issued in accordance with a second print settings when the first print settings is converted into the second print settings, the drawing command being issued in accordance with the first print settings when the first print settings is not converted;

outputting the drawing command;

transmitting a page end command to a printer driver in response to the printing-related command received from the application after outputting the drawing command; and

transmitting a print end command to the printer driver in response to the printing-related command received from the application after outputting the page end command; and

a printer driver program, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to launch the printer driver, after the print start command is received from the interface, to perform;

determining whether or not a print cancel condition for canceling print according to the print start command is met;

storing print cancel information in response to determination that the print cancel condition is met without reporting to the application that the print cancel condition is met; and

converting the first print settings inputted from the interface into the second print settings if the print cancel information is stored when the setting change command is received, a first time period required for the interface to issue the drawing command corresponding to the first print settings being longer than a second time period required for the interface to issue the drawing command corresponding to the second print settings;

wherein the printer driver program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to launch the printer driver, after the first print settings is converted into the second print settings, to perform;

skipping a drawing process according to the drawing command if the print cancel information is stored when the drawing command is received from the interface;

skipping an output process of a drawing result to the printer if the print cancel information is stored when the page end command is received from the interface; and

displaying a cancellation message if the print cancel information is stored when the print end command is received from the interface unit.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable on a computer connectable with a printer, the computer including a processor configured to function as:

an application unit based on an application program; and

an interface unit based on an interface program,

wherein the interface unit is configured to perform;

inputting a print start command to a printer driver unit in response to a printing-related command received from the application unit in which operation to start printing is performed;

inputting a setting change command and a first print settings to the printer driver unit in accordance with the printing-related command received from the application unit after inputting the print start command;

issuing a drawing command after inputting the setting change command and the first print settings, the drawing command being issued in accordance with a second print settings when the first print settings is converted into the second print settings by the printer driver unit, the drawing command being issued in accordance with the first print settings when the first print settings is not converted;

inputting the drawing command to the printer driver unit;

transmitting a page end command to the printer driver unit in response to the printing-related command received from the application unit after inputting the drawing command; and

transmitting a print end command to the printer driver unit in response to the printing-related command received from the application unit after inputting the page end command;

wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to launch the printer driver unit, after the print start command is received from the interface unit, to perform;

determining whether or not a print cancel condition for canceling print according to the print start command is met;

storing print cancel information in response to determination that the print cancel condition is met without reporting to the application unit that the print cancel condition is met; and

converting the first print settings inputted from the interface unit into the second print settings if the print cancel information is stored when the setting change command is received, a first time period required for the interface unit to issue the drawing command corresponding to the first print settings being longer than a second time period required for the interface unit to issue the drawing command corresponding to the second print settings;

wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to launch the printer driver unit, after the first print settings is converted into the second print settings, to perform;

skipping a drawing process according to the drawing command if the print cancel information is stored when the drawing command is received from the interface unit;

skipping an output process of a drawing result to the printer if the print cancel information is stored when the page end command is received from the interface unit; and

displaying a cancellation message if the print cancel information is stored when the print end command is received from the interface unit.

3. The instructions according to claim 2, further causing the computer to perform executing the drawing process according to the drawing command and the output process of the drawing result to the printer according to the drawing command if the print cancel information is not stored when the drawing command is received from the interface unit.

4. The instructions according to claim 3, wherein the converting converts the first print settings into the second print settings each time the interface unit inputs the first print settings after the determination that the print cancel condition is met,

wherein the executing executes the drawing process according to the drawing command each time the interface unit inputs the drawing command after the determination that the print cancel condition is not met,

wherein the skipping drawing process skips the drawing process according to the drawing command when the interface unit inputs the drawing command after the first print settings is converted into the second print settings in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met, and

wherein the executing executes the output process of the drawing result to the printer in response to information indicating drawing completion inputted from the interface unit after the drawing process is executed.

5. The instructions according to claim 4, further causing the computer to perform:

changing a first post-process settings included in the first print settings inputted from the interface unit into a second post-process settings that allows the printer driver to skip a post-process of the drawing result;

executing the post-process of the drawing result according to the first post-process settings in response to the information indicating drawing completion inputted from the interface unit, after the determination that the print cancel condition is not met and execution of the drawing process; and

skipping the post-process of the drawing result, when the interface unit inputs the information indicating drawing completion after the first post-process settings is changed into the second post-process settings in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met,

wherein the executing output process executes the output process of the post-processed drawing result in response to the execution of the post-process of the drawing result, after the determination that the print cancel condition is not met, execution of the drawing process, and input of the information indicating drawing completion from the interface unit.

6. The instructions according to claim 5, wherein the changing changes the first post-process settings to add additional data to the drawing result into the second post-process settings not to add the additional data to the drawing result in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met.

7. The instructions according to claim 6, wherein the changing changes the first post-process settings to add watermark data to the drawing result into the second data not to add the watermark data to the drawing result in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met.

8. The instructions according to claim 6, wherein the changing changes the first post-process settings to add header/footer data to the drawing result into the second post-process settings not to add the header/footer data to the drawing result in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met.

9. The instructions according to claim 5, wherein the changing changes the first post-process settings to perform color conversion on the drawing result into the second post-process settings not to perform the color conversion on the drawing result in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met.

10. The instructions according to claim 5, wherein the changing changes the first post-process settings to perform collating on the drawing result into the second post-process settings not to perform the collating on the drawing result in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met.

11. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the determining determines that the print cancel condition is met in response to acquirement of information indicating that a maximum allowed number of sheets has been printed after the interface unit inputs the print start command.

12. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the determining determines that the print cancel condition is met in response to acquirement of information indicating that printing on the printer is impossible from the printer after the interface unit inputs the print start command.

13. The instructions according to claim 2, further causing the computer to perform displaying a print preview in response to the print start command inputted from the interface unit,

wherein the determining determines that the print cancel condition is met in response to a print cancel operation performed by a user after the print preview is displayed.

14. The instructions according to claim 2, further causing the computer to perform displaying a fax number input window in response to the print start command inputted from the interface unit,

wherein the determining determines that the print cancel condition is met in response to a fax transmission cancel operation performed by a user after the fax number input window is displayed.

15. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the determining determines that the print cancel condition is met in response to detection that a confidential document is being printed after the interface unit inputs the print start command.

16. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the converting converts the first print settings indicating a first printing resolution into the second print settings indicating a second printing resolution lower than the first printing resolution in response to the determination that the print cancel condition is met.

17. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the converting converts the first print settings indicating a first number of color into the second print settings indicating a second number of color smaller than the first number of color.

18. A printing method executable on a computer connectable with a printer, the computer including a processor configured to function as:

an application unit based on an application program;

an interface unit based on an interface program; and

a printer driver unit based on a printer driver program,

wherein the interface unit is configured to perform;

inputting a print start command to the printer driver unit in response to a printing-related command received from the application unit in which operation to start printing is performed;

inputting a setting change command and a first print settings to the printer driver unit in accordance with the printing-related command received from the application unit after inputting the print start command;

issuing a drawing command after inputting the setting change command and the first print settings, the drawing command being issued in accordance with a second print settings when the first print settings is converted into the second print settings by the printer driver unit, the drawing command being issued in accordance with the first print settings when the first print settings is not converted;

inputting the drawing command to the printer driver unit;

transmitting a page end command to the printer driver unit in response to the printing-related command received from the application unit after inputting the drawing command; and

transmitting a print end command to the printer driver unit in response to the printing-related command received from the application unit after inputting the page end command;

the printing method, after the printer driver unit receives the print start command from the interface unit, comprising;

determining whether or not a print cancel condition for canceling print according to the print start command is met;

storing print cancel information in response to determination that the print cancel condition is met without reporting to the application unit that the print cancel condition is met;

converting the first print settings inputted from the interface unit into the second print settings if the print cancel information is stored when the setting change command is received, a first time period required for the interface unit to issue the drawing command corresponding to the first print settings being longer than a second time period required for the interface unit to issue the drawing command corresponding to the second print settings;

the printing method, after the first print settings is converted into the second print settings, comprising;

skipping a drawing process according to the drawing command if the print cancel information is stored when the drawing command is received from the interface unit;

skipping an output process of a drawing result to the printer if the print cancel information is stored when the page end command is received from the interface unit; and

displaying a cancellation message if the print cancel information is stored when the print end command is received from the interface unit.