Image forming apparatus for forming images from objects

A method of forming an image by an image forming system having an information processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus unit which forms an image represented by data of a specific format on a medium on the basis of the data, wherein the information processing apparatus executes:

• an extraction step of extracting a plurality of types of object from application data;
• a prediction step of predicting a plurality of rasterization time, each of which is for rasterizing one of the plurality of types of object extracted in the extraction step into data of a specific format;
• a conversion step of converting a type of object into another type of object, in accordance with the plurality of rasterization time predicted in the prediction step;
• a generation step of generating print data including the object extracted in the extraction step and the object converted in the conversion step;
• a transmission step of transmitting the print data generated in the generation step, and
• the image forming apparatus executes:
• a reception step of receiving the print data transmitted in the transmission step;
• a reconstruction step of reconstructing the plurality of types of object from the print data received in the reception step;
• a rasterization step of rasterizing the plurality of types of object by a plurality of rasterization units respectively, the plurality of types of object being reconstructed in the reconstruction step into data of the specific format;
• a composition step of compositing the data of the specific format corresponding to the object rasterized by the plurality of rasterization units in the rasterization step, to page data;
• and
• an image forming step of forming an image based on the data.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program that causes a computer to control an image forming apparatus having a reception unit, adapted to receive the print data transmitted by the transmission unit;

• a reconstruction unit, adapted to reconstruct the plurality of types of object from the print data received by the reception unit;
• a plurality of rasterization units, each of which is adapted to rasterize one of the plurality of types of object reconstructed by the reconstruction unit into data of the specific format;
• a composition unit, adapted to composite the data of the specific format corresponding to the object rasterized by the plurality of rasterization units, to page data;
• and an image forming unit, adapted to form an image based on the page data, the program causing the computer to execute:
• an extraction step of extracting a plurality of types of object from application data;
• a prediction step of predicting a plurality of rasterization time, each of which is for rasterizing one of the plurality of types of object extracted in the extraction step into data of a specific format;
• a conversion step of converting a type of object into another type of object, in accordance with the plurality of rasterization time predicted in the prediction step;
• a generation step of generating print data including the object extracted in the extraction step and the object converted in the conversion step;
• and
• a transmission step of transmitting the print data generated in the generation step.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• an extraction unit, adapted to extract a plurality of types of object from application data;
• a prediction unit, adapted to predict a plurality of rasterization time, each of which is for rasterizing one of the plurality of types of object extracted by the extraction unit into data of a specific format;
• a conversion unit, adapted to convert a type of object into another type of object, in accordance with the plurality of rasterization time predicted by the prediction unit;
• a generation unit, adapted to generate print data including the object extracted by the extraction unit and the object converted by the conversion unit;
• a transmission unit, adapted to transmit the print data generated by the generation unit.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit, adapted to form an image represented by data of a specific format on a medium on the basis of the data;
• a reception unit, adapted to receive, from an external apparatus, print data of each page containing object data representing each of a plurality of types of objects;
• a data rasterization unit having, for the respective types of objects, object conversion units, each of which is adapted to convert a single type of object into data of the specific format;
• a composition unit, adapted to composite data of the specific format corresponding to the object data converted by the plurality of object conversion units, to page data of the specific format containing the object data;
• and
• a control unit, adapted to input the page data composited by said composition unit to a subsequent processing unit for each page to use the page data for image formation by said image forming unit,
• wherein said data rasterization unit converts object data received by said reception unit into data of the specific format regardless of a break of each page containing the object data;
• wherein said control unit changes the single type of object to be converted by at least one of the object conversion units, and the plurality of object conversion units parallel-convert object data of one type into the data;
• and
• wherein said control unit executes the change in response to a switching instruction received from the external apparatus that sends the switching instruction in accordance with a data amount of object data to be converted by each of the object conversion units.