Image generation-output control apparatus, method of controlling image generation-output control apparatus, and storage medium

A method of controlling an image generation and output operation by using an image generation-output control apparatus in an image processing system based on an instruction received from a server in the image processing system, the server communicable with a first image forming apparatus of a first type and a second image forming apparatus of a second type which is different from the first type in the image processing system, the server to generate first image drawing information which includes first raster data, the method comprising:

• generating second image drawings information which includes second raster data by using raster generation circuitry having substantially same raster generation as the raster generation of the server, based on output target image information and image processing data;
• instructing the second image forming apparatus to perform an image forming operation based on the generated second image drawing information;
• storing, in a memory, said image processing data applicable to an image processing to be performed for outputting the target image using the second image forming apparatus;
• first determining, using the raster generation circuitry, whether to operate in a pass-through mode in which the server performs part of image processing steps and the raster generation circuitry performs a remainder of the image processing steps or not to operate in the pass-through mode;
• operating in the pass-through mode when the raster generation circuitry determines to operate in the pass-through mode;
• and
• second determining whether a difference occurs between the first image drawing information, generated by the server, and the second image drawing information generated by the raster generation circuitry when the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information are generated from the same output target image information,
• wherein
• the second determining indicates that the difference occurs between the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information when settings for the raster generation circuitry and settings of the raster generation of the server are different, and
• when the second determining indicates that the difference occurs,
• the method further comprises third determining that one or more image processing items of the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information have the difference between the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information, and
• the server instructs the raster generation circuitry to perform the image forming operation using the second image forming apparatus based on the first image drawing information at least for the one or more image processing items having the difference between the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information.

An image generation-output control apparatus for use in an image processing system for controlling an image generation and output operation based on an instruction received from a server in the image processing system, the server communicable with a first image forming apparatus of a first type and a second image forming apparatus of a second type which is different from the first type in the image processing system, the server to generate first image drawing information which includes first raster data, the image generation-output control apparatus comprising:

• raster generation circuitry having substantially same raster generation as the raster generation of the server, the raster generation circuitry being configured to
• generate second image drawing information which includes second raster data based on output target image information and image processing data;
• instruct the second image forming apparatus to perform an image forming operation based on the generated second image drawing information;
• and
• determine whether a difference occurs between the first image drawing information, generated by the server, and the second image drawing information generated by the raster generation circuitry when the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information are generated from the same output target image information, wherein
• when the raster generation circuitry determines that the difference occurs,
• the raster generation circuitry is further configured to determine that one or more image processing items of the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information have the difference between the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information, and
• the server instructs the raster generation circuitry to perform the image forming operation using the second image forming apparatus based on the first image drawing information at least for the one or more image processing items having the difference between the first image drawing information and the second image drawing information.