Image-data transferring method, image forming device, image apparatus and image printing system

An image-printing system that is used between a text/image-supply apparatus and image-formation apparatus that are connected by a communication means and that performs transfer based on printing-description data in link-file format having a level structure and

• comprising on said text/image-supply apparatus side:
• a printing buffer that is operable to store said printing-description data;
• and
• a printer-control unit that is operable to transfer said printing-description data to the image-formation apparatus according to a request from said image-formation apparatus, and to transfer object data from a storage location to said image-formation apparatus according to an object-data-acquisition request from the image-formation apparatus;
• and
• comprising on said image-formation side:
• a judgment unit that is operable to recognize link information in the printing-description data that is transferred from said text/image-supply apparatus;
• and
• a data-transfer-request unit that is operable to send a request to said text/image-supply apparatus based on the link information recognized by said judgment unit to transfer object data that corresponds to that link information.

A text/image data-transfer method used between a text/image-supply apparatus and text/image-formation apparatus that are connected by a communication means and that performs transfer based on printing-description data in link-file format having a level structure and comprising:

• a step of transferring data, which specifies the highest-level printing-description data, from said text/image-supply apparatus to said image-formation apparatus;
• a step whereby said text/image formation apparatus sends a transfer request to said text/image-supply apparatus based on data that specifies said highest-level printing-description data to transfer said highest-level printing-description data;
• a step of transferring said highest-level printing-description data from said text/image-formation apparatus to said text/image-supply apparatus based on a request from said text/image-formation apparatus;
• and
• a step of acquiring data or file of an object corresponding to link information, when link information was detected in said highest level, only in units necessary for one rasterization process of said text/image-formation apparatus.

A text/image-printing system that is used between a text/image-supply apparatus and text/image-formation apparatus that are connected by a communication means and that performs transfer based on printing-description data in link-file format having a level structure and

• comprising on said text/image-supply apparatus side:
• a printing buffer that is operable to store said printing-description data and data of the object linked by said printing-description data;
• and
• a printer-control unit that is operable to transfer information specifying the highest-level printing-description data, and transfer said printing-description data to said text/image-formation apparatus according to a request from said image-formation apparatus, and to transfer object data from a storage location to said text/image-formation apparatus according to an object-data-acquisition request from the text/image-formation apparatus;
• and
• comprising on said image-formation side:
• a judgment unit that is operable to determine whether or not there is an object linked to the highest level of the printing-description data that is transferred from said text/image-supply apparatus;
• and
• a data-transfer-request unit that is operable to send an object-acquisition-request to said text/image-supply apparatus.

A text/image-printing system that is used between a text/image-supply apparatus and text/image-formation apparatus that are connected by a communication means and that performs transfer based on printing-description data in link-file format having a level structure and

• comprising on said text/image-supply apparatus side:
• a printing buffer that is operable to store said printing-description data and data of the object linked by said printing-description data;
• and
• a printer-control unit that is operable to transfer said highest-level printing-description data to said text/image-formation, and to transfer object data from a storage location or said printing buffer to said text/image-formation apparatus according to an object-data-acquisition request from the text/image-formation apparatus;
• and
• comprising on said image-formation side:
• a judgment unit that is operable to determine whether or not there is an object linked to the highest level of the printing-description data that is transferred from said text/image-supply apparatus;
• and
• a data-transfer-request unit that is operable to send an object-acquisition-request to said text/image-supply apparatus when said judgment unit detects said object.

A text/image-supply apparatus that transfers and supplies printing-description data that is in link-file format having a level structure and the object data that is linked by said printing-description data, and comprises:

• a transfer unit 1 that is operable to transfer information to a text/image-formation apparatus that specifies a storage location of the highest-level printing-description data;
• a transfer unit 2 that is operable to transfer said highest-level printing-description data according to a request from said text/image-formation apparatus;
• and
• a transfer unit 3 that is operable to transfer object data that is linked by link information in said highest-level printing-description data according to a request from said text/image-formation apparatus.