Method and apparatus for selecting print stategy for optimal performance
AssigneePeerless Systems Corporation
InventorSTEPHEN SCHWARTZ
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system which a) analyzes data to be printed, as well as the capabilities, characteristics, and resources available taking into account initial processing performed on a “host” system, transferring of the data stream to the printer over a communications link , and receiving of the data and performing additional processing as required to deliver the data to a print engine for printing; and b) distributes the processing in an optimal way between the host and the printer so as to best achieve the desired result. By moving processing to the host or to the printer, a page can be processed and printed faster. Further, an entire document can be printed faster by such distribution on a page by page, or selected portions of a page basis.
Claims2
A method for processing a data stream for printing on a printing device comprising the steps of:
- a) analyzing the data stream to be printed, and the capabilities, characteristics, and resources of a host system which performs initial processing of the data stream;
- b) transferring the data stream to the printing device, said printing device adapted to perform final processing of the data stream;
- and
- c) selectively distributing the initial and final processing between the host and the printing device utilizing the analysis performed by step a).
A system for processing an input data stream for printing on a printing device comprising:
- a page description language driver including i) a mechanism adapted to analyze the data stream to be printed, and the capabilities, characteristics, and resources of a host system which performs initial processing of the data stream, ii) a mechanism adapted to generate a page description language data stream from said input data stream, and iii) a mechanism adapted to selectively send said page description language data stream to one of said printer and a next processing stage, said page description language driver for coupling to said printing device and said next processing stage;
- wherein said next processing stage selectively produces one of an intermediate form and device ready pixels from said page description language data stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.