Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a generation unit configured to generate image data to be used to print an image on a print medium based on a print job transmitted from a host;
• a first image processing unit configured to generate first print data by performing image processing on part of the image data generated by the generation unit, and store the first print data in a first memory;
• a second image processing unit configured to generate second print data by performing image processing on a remaining part of the image data, and store the second print data in a second memory;
• a first transfer unit configured to transfer the first print data from the first memory to the second memory;
• a second transfer unit configured to transfer the first print data and the second print data stored in the second memory to a third memory;
• and
• a print control unit configured to generate print data to be output for printing on the print medium by a printing unit, based on the first print data and the second print data stored in the third memory,
• wherein the first memory comprises two buffers, one of the two buffers is used for generating the first print data, and the other buffer is used for transferring the first print data to the second memory,
• the second memory comprises a plurality of buffers, one of the plurality of buffers is used for generating the second print data, another buffer of the plurality of buffers is used for receiving the first print from the first memory, and still another two buffers of the plurality of buffers are used for transferring the first print data and the second print data to the third memory,
• the first image processing unit and the first transfer unit are formed by an ASIC,
• the second image processing unit and the second transfer unit are formed by another ASIC, and
• the generation unit and the print control unit are implemented by a processor.