Print Support Program Compressing Raster Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The OS standard general-purpose print program lacks the function to compress image data, leading to delays in data transmission and the start of printing, as it does not support data compression.
Innovation Solution
A support program that compresses raster data on an information processing device before transmitting it to the printer, reducing the size of the print data and minimizing transmission delays, even if the general-purpose print program does not support data compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the OS standard general-purpose print program is used without a printer driver, then the printing process becomes simpler and more standardized, but the print program cannot compress image data, causing transmission delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a print program that acts as an intermediary between the OS standard general-purpose print program and the printer. This intermediate print program receives print data from the OS, compresses the image data using compression algorithms, and then transmits the compressed data to the printer. This mediator resolves the contradiction by adding compression capability without requiring the OS itself to be modified, thus maintaining simplicity while eliminating transmission delays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary compression to the image data before transmission to the printer. By compressing the image data in advance during the print preparation phase, the system reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, thereby preventing transmission delays before printing actually starts. This preliminary action ensures that when data transmission occurs, it is already optimized for speed
2Quantity of substance
If image data is transmitted without compression, then the transmission process is faster in terms of processing overhead, but the data size is large causing transmission delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of image data by applying compression algorithms that reduce the data size while preserving essential visual information. By transforming the image data from an uncompressed state to a compressed state, the system achieves smaller data quantities that can be transmitted more efficiently, directly addressing the contradiction between data size and transmission time
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a support program readable by a computer of an information processing device, the support program corresponding to a printer connected to the information processing device and supporting a general-purpose print program pre-installed in an operating system of the information processing device, the support program, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform: based on a print instruction being output from an application program installed in the information processing device and transferred to the general-purpose print program to cause the printer to perform printing, receiving intermediate image data according to the print instruction from the operating system; generating rasterized raster data based on the received intermediate image data; compressing the generated raster data; and transmitting print data based on the compressed raster data to the printer.