Print Server Raster Processing for Wide Format Printer Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing systems face issues where image forming apparatuses, especially wide-format printers, cannot perform printing due to a lack of capability to process specific file formats or specifications, leading to unreliable printing operations.
Innovation Solution
A print server system that determines whether the assigned image forming apparatus is speed-oriented or not, and accordingly performs or assigns raster image processing, transmitting either rasterized or original data to ensure reliable printing by selecting the appropriate processing location between the print server and the printer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the image forming apparatus performs its own raster image processing, then processing speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates when the apparatus lacks capability to process specific file formats
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a print server as an intermediary between the client and the image forming apparatus. The print server performs raster image processing on PDL data and converts it to a format suitable for the target printer. This mediator approach allows the image forming apparatus to receive pre-processed data it can reliably handle, while still achieving fast output since the rendering work is done beforehand by the print server.
2Reliability
If the print server performs raster image processing, then reliability is improved by ensuring compatibility, but processing speed deteriorates due to additional processing step
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary raster image processing by the print server before data transmission to the image forming apparatus. By performing the computationally intensive PDL rasterization in advance on the print server, the system ensures compatibility and reliability for diverse file formats, while the actual printing phase at the image forming apparatus becomes faster since it only needs to execute the already-rendered data without complex processing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the image forming apparatus processes original file formats directly, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases to support multiple file formats
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex file format processing and raster image processing functionality from the image forming apparatus and relocates it to the print server. This allows the image forming apparatus to maintain simplicity by only handling standardized raster data formats, while the print server assumes the burden of supporting diverse PDL formats and conversion logic, thus reducing device complexity at the printer while maintaining adaptability through the server's conversion capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a print server connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network includes: a print-command acquisition unit that acquires a print command containing designation of one of the image forming apparatuses as a printing-assigned apparatus and designation of to-be-printed data; a determining unit that determines whether or not the printing-assigned apparatus is a speed-oriented apparatus; a raster image processing unit that, when the printing-assigned apparatus is not the speed-oriented apparatus, obtains rasterized data by performing raster image processing on the to-be-printed data written in a page description language; and a transmitting unit that, when the printing-assigned apparatus is not the speed-oriented apparatus, transmits the rasterized data to the printing-assigned apparatus, but when the printing-assigned apparatus is the speed-oriented apparatus, transmits the to-be-printed data to the printing-assigned apparatus.