US 8,139,252 B2Granted

Image forming system and image forming method

AssigneeKonica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.

InventorsTakeo Morohashi, Michio Osada, Masatsugu Kouguchi

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Abstract

There is described an image forming system, which makes it possible to speedily implement the reprinting operation, and to alleviate the burden of the printer controller. The system includes a printer controller to parse a print job described in a Page Description Language so as to generate image data; and an image forming apparatus, configured separately from the printer controller, to implement a printing operation based on the image data. The printer controller applies a first processing to the print job so as to generate multi-value image data and transmits the multi-value image data to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus applies a second processing to the multi-value image data, received from the printer controller, so as to generate processed image data, serving as printable image data based on which a reproduced image can be directly printed, and implements the printing operation based on the processed image data.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An image forming system, comprising:

a printer controller to parse a print job described in a Page Description Language so as to generate image data;
and
an image forming apparatus, configured separately from the printer controller, to implement a printing operation based on the image data;
wherein the printer controller is provided with:
a first processing section to apply a first processing to the print job so as to generate multi-value image data;
and
a transmitting section to transmit the multi-value image data to the image forming apparatus;
and
wherein the image forming apparatus is provided with:
a receiving section to receive the multi-value image data transmitted by the transmitting section;
a second processing section to apply a second processing to the multi-value image data so as to generate processed image data, serving as printable image data based on which a reproduced image can be directly printed;
an image outputting section to implement the printing operation based on the processed image data
wherein the printer controller is further provided with:
a first storage section to store the print job;
while the image forming apparatus is further provided with:
a second storage section to store the multi-value image data;
and
a control section to determine whether or not a reapplication of the first processing is necessary for a reprinting operation, based on a changed content of a job ticket correlated to the multi-value image data, when the reprinting operation is instructed;
and
wherein, when determining that the reapplication of the first processing is not necessary, the control section reads out the multi-value image data from the second storage section, makes the second processing section apply the second processing to the multi-value image data, and then, makes the image outputting section implement the printing operation based on the processed image data generated by the second processing section;
and
wherein, when determining that the reapplication of the first processing is necessary, the control section sends a request for retransmitting multi-value image data, regenerated corresponding to the changed content of the job ticket, to the printer controller.

19 more elements

An image forming method to be employed in an image forming system that comprises:

a printer controller to parse a print job described in a Page Description Language so as to generate image data;
and an image forming apparatus, configured separately from the printer controller, to implement a printing operation based on the image data, the image forming method, comprising:
applying a first processing to the print job so as to generate multi-value image data in the printer controller;
transmitting the multi-value image data to the image forming apparatus;
applying a second processing to the multi-value image data, received from the printer controller, so as to generate processed image data, serving as printable image data based on which a reproduced image can be directly printed, and implementing the printing operation based on the processed image data, in the image forming apparatus;
storing the print job in the printer controller;
storing the multi-value image data in the image forming apparatus;
and
determining whether or not a reapplication of the first processing is necessary for a reprinting operation, based on a changed content of a job ticket correlated to the multi-value image data, when the reprinting operation is instructed, in the image forming apparatus;
and
wherein, when determining that the reapplication of the first processing is not necessary, the image forming apparatus reads out the multi-value image data stored in advance, applies the second processing to the multi-value image data, and then, implements the printing operation based on the processed image data;
and
wherein, when determining that the reapplication of the first processing is necessary, the image forming apparatus sends a request for retransmitting multi-value image data, regenerated corresponding to the changed content of the job ticket, to the printer controller.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/105,080Filed 17 Apr 2008
Priority: JP 2007-21132914 Aug 2007
Published: US 2009/0046316 A119 Feb 2009
Granted: 20 Mar 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H04N 1/32486
Using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter: storage for making a plurality of copies or reproductions
G06F 3/1212
Improving printing performance: achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start
G06F 3/1244
Print job management: job translation or job parsing, e.g. page banding
G06F 3/1267
Print job management: job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing