Prioritized data transfer through buffer memory in a digital printing system
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsSteven E. Chen, Michael C. Lacagnina
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for retrieving data representative of individual page images to be printed from a disk drive utilizes a priority system in which individual software entities within the printing apparatus compete for functional access to the hard-drive memory. Different elements, such as the decomposer, and other software entities within the control system are assigned priorities, and commands from the various elements and software entities are executed by the control system in order of the priority of their sources.
Claims10
An apparatus, operable via an operating system, for transferring page image data from a data source to printing hardware, comprising:
- a memory for retaining page image data;
- a marker, the marker being a software entity for conveying page image data to the printing hardware in real time, the marker being capable of outputting commands to the operating system for retrieving image data from the memory;
- a buffer manager, for determining, at a given time, whether page image data output from the data source should be sent to the memory or made immediately available to the marker;
- a second software entity capable of outputting commands to the operating system;
- and
- control means for assigning a priority to a command output by the marker, comparing the priority of a command output by the marker to a priority of a command output by the second software entity, and executing the command having a higher priority in said comparison, said comparison influencing whether the buffer manager sends page image data output from the data source to the memory or to the marker and having an effect of causing the buffer manager to submit page images to the marker at substantially regular time intervals and minimizing missed opportunities for printing a page image.
An apparatus, operable via an operating system, for transferring page image data from a data source to printing hardware, comprising:
- a memory for retaining page image data;
- a marker, the marker being a software entity for conveying page image data to the printing hardware in real time, the marker being capable of outputting commands to the operating system for retrieving image data from the memory;
- a buffer manager, for determining, at a given time, whether page image data output from the data source should be sent to the memory or made immediately available to the marker;
- a second software entity capable of outputting commands to the operating system;
- and
- control means for causing the operating system to not execute commands from the buffer manager or the second software entity unless all pending commands from the marker for retrieving image data from the memory have been executed;
- the control means having an effect of causing the buffer manager to submit page images to the marker at substantially regular time intervals and minimizing missed opportunities for printing a page image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.