Rendering and outputting non-standard colorant

A method for enabling overlay printing, comprising:

• accepting identification of a document for output via a print operation;
• accepting identification of overlay data for use in the print operation;
• converting the overlay data into grayscale data;
• generating a page description language document including data from the document divided into standard colorspace channels and an overlay colorspace channel, the overlay colorspace channel made up of the grayscale data and identified by a colorspace keyword associated with a specific overlay colorant;
• rendering the standard colorspace channels in standard buffers as directed by the page description language document;
• identifying the overlay colorspace channel using the colorspace keyword within the page description language document;
• rendering the overlay colorspace channel in an overlay buffer;
• and
• completing the print operation by outputting the contents of the standard buffers using standard colorants and the overlay buffer using the overlay colorant.

A system, comprising:

• a print driver for:
• accepting identification of a document for output via a print operation;
• accepting identification of overlay data for use in the print operation;
• converting the overlay data into grayscale data;
• generating a page description language document including data from the document divided into standard colorspace channels and an overlay colorspace channel, the overlay colorspace channel made up of the grayscale data and identified by a color name keyword associated with a specific overlay colorant;
• and
• a multifunction peripheral device for:
• rendering the standard colorspace channels in standard buffers as directed by the page description language document;
• identifying the overlay colorspace channel using the colorspace keyword within the page description language document;
• rendering the overlay colorspace channel in an overlay buffer;
• and
• completing the print operation by outputting the contents of the standard buffers using standard colorants and the overlay buffer using the overlay colorant.