US 2002/0163665 A1 · Control of decentralized printing by printers

Abstract

The technique of the present invention ensures distributed printing with a favorable operatability within a sufficiently short time. The procedure of this invention first generates intermediate print data ([1]) and carries out the parallel rendering process by time sharing to sequentially convert page data on the first page of the intermediate print data into data adequate for the printers 60 to 80 ([2], [3], [4]). Transmission of final print data converted for the printer 60 to the printer 60 is carried out in parallel with the rendering process for the next printer 70. In a similar manner, transmission of converted final print data to the printer 70 and to the printer 80 is carried out in parallel with the rendering process for the next printer. The procedure then carries out the parallel rendering process to sequentially convert page data on the second page of the intermediate print data into data adequate for the printers 60 to 80 ([5], [6], [7]). The procedure subsequently carries out the parallel rendering process to sequentially convert page data on the third page of the intermediate print data into data adequate for the printers 60 to 80.

Claims66

Dependent claims

A distributed printing control apparatus comprising:

a data allocation module that divides print data, which is an object to be printed, by page and specifies information representing pages allocated to multiple printers;
and
a data output control module that outputs the print data in a distributive manner to the multiple printers according to the information specified by said data allocation module, said distributed printing control apparatus being capable of printing multiple copies of the print data according to a requirement,
wherein said data allocation module arranges pages included in each copy in a sequence of the pages, divides all the pages of the multiple copies into the number of the multiple printers specified as destinations of distribution, and allocates respective divisions to the multiple printers, and
said data output control module carries out the distributive output of the print data to the multiple printers in a substantially parallel manner, said data output control module converting the print data of each page, sequentially from a head page of each division, to a format suitable for each printer specified as the destination of distribution and then performing each distributive output.

2 more elements

A distributed printing control apparatus comprising:

a data allocation module that divides print data, which is an object to be printed, by page and specifies information representing pages allocated to multiple printers;
and
a data output control module that outputs the print data in a distributive manner to the multiple printers according to the information specified by said data allocation module,
wherein said data allocation module specifies number of pages to be allocated to each of the multiple printers, such that each specified set of pages are printed with an identical printer.

1 more element

A computer readable recording medium in which a computer program used in a distributed printing control apparatus is recorded, said computer program causing print data, which is an object to be printed, to be distributed to and printed with multiple printers, said computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of:

(a) dividing print data, which is an object to be printed, by page and specifying information representing pages allocated to multiple printers;
and
(b) outputting the print data in a distributive manner to the multiple printers according to the information specified by said function (a),
wherein said function (a) specifies number of pages to be allocated to each of the multiple printers, such that each specified set of pages are printed with an identical printer.

1 more element

A distributed printing control apparatus that controls distributed printing and comprises:

a printer specification module that specifies multiple printers as destinations of distribution;
and a distributive output module that outputs print data, which is an object to be printed, to the multiple printers specified by said printer specification module in a distributive manner,
said distributed printing control apparatus further comprising:
a condition setting module that causes a data input box for setting a predetermined condition relating to a printing performance of each printer to be displayed on a display device, receives input data into the data input box from an input device, and sets the predetermined condition based on the input data;
a printer performance information collection module that collects performance information with regard to the predetermined condition from each of the multiple printers specified by said printer specification module;
and
a data input restriction module that restricts the input data in the data input box according to the performance information of each printer collected by said printer performance information collection module.

4 more elements

A computer readable recording medium in which a computer program for controlling distributed printing is recorded, said computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of:

(a) specifying multiple printers as destinations of distribution;
(b) outputting print data, which is an object to be printed, to the multiple printers specified by said function (a) in a distributive manner,
(c) causing a data input box for setting a predetermined condition relating to a printing performance of each printer to be displayed on a display device, receiving input data into the data input box from an input device, and setting the predetermined condition based on the input data;
(d) collecting performance information with regard to the predetermined condition from each of the multiple printers specified by said function (a);
and
(e) restricting the input data in the data input box according to the performance information of each printer collected by said function (d).

3 more elements

A distributed printing control apparatus, comprising:

a first setting module that specifies multiple printers as destinations of distribution;
a second setting module that sets paper information with regard to paper used for printing;
and
a distribution control module that processes externally input print data based on the specification by said first setting module and the setting by said second setting module and outputs plural divisions of the print data, which satisfy the paper information, to the multiple printers specified as the destinations of distribution,
said distributed printing control apparatus supplying the plural divisions of the print data output from said distribution control module to the multiple printers via printer drivers provided for the respective printers,
said distributed printing control apparatus further comprising:
an information input module that receives information with regard to an unprintable area included in a paper area in each of the multiple printers specified by said first setting module;
and
a printable area computation module that computes a printable area in the paper area, which is printable with any of the multiple printers, from the information of the respective printers received by said information input module,
wherein said distribution control module comprises:
an area fitting module that causes the plural divisions of the print data to be fit to the printable area computed by said printable area computation module.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control of decentralized printing by printers

Life of this patent

Control of decentralized printing by printers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims66