US 6,476,925 B2 · System and method for printing a document having merged text and graphics contained therein

Abstract

A system and method of printing documents having merged text and graphics is presented which overcomes the Z-order problem of merging text and graphics on a raster printer and which enhances printing performance. The system and method analyze a location of the text and graphics elements to be printed to determine if and where any potential merging problems exist. In these regions, the system and method selectively redraws the text as part of the merged bitmap graphic. The remainder of the text on the document is printed with device resident fonts, either directly or through downloading the device font, if possible. This greatly enhances printing performance. If the text information is not supported or supportable by a device font, the text elements are drawn as bitmaps to be printed by the printer.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of printing a computer generated document by a raster printer, comprising the steps of:

dividing at least a portion of the document into a plurality of regions;
analyzing a content of the document to determine in which regions are to be printed text elements and bitmap graphics;
identifying regions having both text elements and bitmap graphics to be printed therein;
redrawing the text elements in regions identified as also having bitmap graphics as part of the bitmap graphic in that region;
sending the text elements to an output buffer for transmission to the raster printer;
and
sending the bitmap graphics to a bitmap buffer for transmission to the raster printer.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/002,803Filed 4 Dec 2001 · division

Priority

21 Sep 1998

Published

US 2002/0039198 A14 Apr 2002

Granted

5 Nov 2002

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06K 15/02
Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printers: using printers
G06K 15/181
Input data handling means: receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
G06K 15/1852
Generation of the printable image: involving combining data of different types
G06K 2215/0011
Accepting output data; Preparing data for the controlling system: characterised by a particular command or data flow, e.g. Page Description…

System and method for printing a document having merged text and graphics contained therein

Life of this patent

System and method for printing a document having merged text and graphics contained therein

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11