Printer Driver Preview Control via Print Processor Interposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print systems using Microsoft Windows OS face challenges in efficiently previewing high-quality print images with minimal memory usage, particularly when multiple applications print, as they require large memory capacity and do not support re-printing from spool files, leading to incongruent user experiences.
Innovation Solution
A print control apparatus and method that temporarily saves intermediate data to generate image data and control preview displays, using a printer driver to manage print page data and preview image files, allowing for efficient previewing with reduced memory usage and compatibility with the OS, even when re-printing from spool files.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the host computer analyzes a print command and generates a print image, then accurate print image data can be obtained, but the image data size increases in proportion to the printer resolution, requiring a large-capacity memory area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the image generation function from the host computer and relocates it to the printer device. The host computer only transmits print commands and receives preview images, while the printer's image generation unit creates the actual print images. This extraction resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for large memory capacity at the host computer while maintaining accurate print image generation capability at the printer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a network as an intermediary between the host computer and the printer. The host computer sends print commands through the network to the printer, and receives preview images back through the network. This intermediary approach allows the host computer to avoid storing large image data while still achieving accurate print image generation and preview functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a plurality of application programs print, then multiple print operations can be performed, but a plurality of previewers are activated in accordance with the respective print operations, consuming excessive memory capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple previewer functions into a single shared previewer resource. Instead of activating separate previewers for each application program, the system uses one previewer that can serve multiple print operations. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining multi-application printing capability while significantly reducing memory consumption from having multiple duplicate previewer instances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the previewer a universal resource that can handle preview requests from multiple different application programs. The single previewer is designed to be multi-functional, serving various print operations from different applications without requiring separate instances. This universality resolves the contradiction by enabling multi-application support while minimizing memory usage through resource sharing.
3Ease of operation
If the printer driver activates the previewer in synchronism with the start of printing by an application program, then the preview function can be realized, but the application program does not create any print image, causing the previewer to merely consume memory capacity without displaying accurate print image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the image generation responsibility from the application program and assigns it to the printer's image generation unit. The application program only needs to initiate printing, while the printer creates the actual print image. This extraction resolves the contradiction by ensuring that accurate print images are generated regardless of whether the application program creates them, while the previewer only consumes memory when actual image data needs to be displayed.
Data Source
AI summary
Compatibility with an operating system is maintained, and a high-quality print image is efficiently previewed with a simple arrangement and small memory area. A printer driver program executed by a host computer (15) which controls the operation of a printer (7) adopts a processing arrangement in which a print processor (5) is interposed between a preview request from a previewer (8) and generation of image data by a printer graphic driver (6). This processing arrangement causes the printer graphic driver (6) to create image data for a preview display. The created image data is transferred to the previewer (8) in accordance with an instruction from the print processor (5).