US 11,327,701 B2Granted

System and method for converting graphic files for printing

AssigneeESKO Software BVBA

InventorJohan Himpe

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A workflow method for creating a printed sheet from a graphics file and an associated job description. The graphics file and an associated job definition are received in a digital front end (DFE), and a raster imaging processor (RIP) in the DFE converts the graphics file from a native format to RIPped data and stores the RIPped data in digital storage. A print controller retrieves the RIPped data from the digital storage and streams the RIPped data as an output. A communication interface, connected to a screening engine processor, receives the streamed RIPped data and the job definition from the DFE and converts the streamed RIPped data to converted RIPped data having a format readable by the screening engine processor, and to pass information from the screening engine processor to the DFE.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system for printing a graphics file comprising image information having at least one variable component, the system comprising:

a digital front end (DFE) configured to receive the graphics file and an associated job definition;
a raster imaging processor (RIP) configured to convert the graphics file from a native format to RIPped data;
a communication interface configured to stream the RIPped data as an output, the RIPped data output segmented into a plurality of non-overlapping tiles, including a background matrix comprising a dense matrix of background RIPped data tiles and a foreground matrix comprising a sparse matrix of foreground RIPped data tiles;
and
a screening device comprising a communication interface connected to a screening engine processor, the communication interface configured to receive the streamed RIPped data and the job definition from the DFE and convert the streamed RIPped data to converted RIPped data having a format readable by the screening engine processor, and to pass information from the screening engine processor to the DFE;
and
wherein the screening device is configured to:
receive, via the communication interface, a first streamed background matrix of first background RIPped data tiles;
receive, via the communication interface, a first streamed foreground matrix of first foreground RIPped data tiles;
generate, via the screening image processor, a screened image from the first streamed background matrix and the first streamed foreground matrix;
instruct, via the communication interface, the RIP to free the first foreground matrix;
receive, via the communication interface, a one or more additional streamed foreground matrices of additional foreground RIPped data tiles;
convert, via the communication interface, each additional streamed foreground matrix to corresponding converted RIPped data having a format readable by the screening engine processor;
generate, via the screening image processor, a screened image corresponding to each of the additional streamed foreground matrices and the first streamed background matrix;
instruct, via the communication interface, the RIP to free each additional second foreground matrix;
and
instruct, via the communication interface, the RIP to free the first streamed background matrix.

14 more elements

A workflow method for creating a printed sheet from a graphics file and an associated job description, the method comprising:

(a) receiving the graphics file and an associated job definition in a digital front end (DFE);
(b) using a raster imaging processor (RIP) in the DFE, converting a background portion of the graphics file from a native format to background RIPped data;
(c) using the RIP in the DFE, converting a foreground portion of the graphic file from a native format to foreground RIPped data;
(d) storing the background and foreground RIPped data in digital storage;
(e) retrieving the background RIPped data and the foreground RIPped data from the digital storage, and streaming the background RIPped data as a dense matrix of background RIPped data tiles and the foreground RIPped data as a sparse matrix of foreground RIPped data tiles;
(f) outputting the associated job definition;
(g) receiving the streamed background RIPped data and the foreground RIPped data from the DFE in a communication interface of a screening device;
(h) using the communication interface, converting the streamed background RIPped data and the foreground RIPped data into a converted RIPped data format readable by a screening engine processor of the screening device;
(i) receiving, via the communication interface, a first streamed background matrix of first background RIPped data tiles;
(j) receiving, via the communication interface, a first streamed foreground matrix of first foreground RIPped data tiles;
(k) generating, via the screening image processor, a screened image from the first streamed background matrix and the first streamed foreground matrix:
(I) instructing, via the communication interface, the RIP to free the first foreground matrix;
(m) receiving, via the communication interface, one or more additional streamed foreground matrices of additional foreground RIPped data tiles;
(n) converting, via the communication interface, each additional streamed foreground matrix to corresponding converted RIPped data having a format readable by the screening engine processor;
(o) generating, via the screening image processor, a screened image from each of the additional streamed foreground matrices and the first streamed background matrix;
(p) instructing, via the communication interface, the RIP to free each additional second foreground matrix;
and
(q) instructing, via the communication interface, the RIP to free the first streamed background matrix.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/112,318Filed 4 Dec 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 20 Mar 2020
Published: US 2021/0294551 A123 Sep 2021
Granted: 10 May 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06F 3/1285
Specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure: remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
G06F 3/1206
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management: resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
G06F 3/1247
Job translation or job parsing, e.g. page banding: by conversion to printer ready format
G06F 3/1282
Specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure: high volume printer device

Family

Application62/992,594Us provisional application · filed 20 Mar 2020
US 2021/0294551 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Sep 2021
US 11,327,701 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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