Apparatus and method for storing image data into memory

A method of storing image data, comprising:

• storing said image data, which is in a first data format, into a memory;
• making a first judgment, for each element of said image data, as to whether a respective data size of said each element in said first data format exceeds a respective data size of said each element in a second data format;
• making a second judgment, for each element of said image data, as to whether a total transformation time required to transform said each element in said first data format to said second data format exceeds a predetermined time limit, said predetermined time limit relating to a memory overrun time;
• and
• storing into said memory said each element using said second data format instead of said first data format when a result of at least one of said first judgment and said second judgment is affirmative;
• wherein said second data format comprises bit map data.

A device for storing image data for output, comprising:

• means for producing first data format image data based on function calls relating to original image data, said first data format image data pertaining to a band of an output area, said first data format image data defining image data to be stored;
• first judgment means for judging whether a respective size of said first data format image data exceeds a predetermined size threshold value;
• second judgment means for judging whether a respective first data format to second data format conversion time for said first data format image data exceeds a predetermined time threshold value;
• means for converting said first data format image data to second data format image data and for redefining said image data to be stored as said second data format image data, when at least one of said predetermined size threshold value and said predetermined time threshold value is judged to be exceeded;
• and
• means for storing said image data to be stored in a memory;
• wherein said second data format image data comprises bit map data.

A method for storing image data for output, comprising:

• producing first data format image data based on function calls relating to original image data, said first data format image data pertaining to a band of an output area, said first data format image data defining image data to be stored;
• making a first judgment as to whether a respective size of said first data format image data exceeds a predetermined size threshold value;
• making a second judgment as to whether a respective first data format to second data format conversion time for said first data format image data exceeds a predetermined time threshold value;
• converting said first data format image data to second data format image data, and redefining said image data to be stored as said second data format image data, when at least one of said predetermined size threshold value and said predetermined time threshold value is judged to be exceeded;
• and
• storing said image data to be stored in a memory;
• wherein said second data format image data comprises bit map data.