Method of image processing that ensures effective resource data search

A network-communications-enabled image forming device, comprising:

• a storage unit having a cache memory;
• a page-description-language (PDL) reading unit, enabled for reading, in a PDL print job network-received from a computer, extensible markup language describing sheet layout and rendering commands, and for rendering the PDL print job into a printer raster-image processor scheme using, as rendering information, resources shared by the rendering commands, the resources being held in dictionaries either in a package in the PDL print job, or in the storage unit;
• one or more processors;
• and
• a non-transitory data storage storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image forming device to perform functions comprising
• the PDL reading unit reading a data file in a predetermined page description language, the data file including a command configured to request, as requested resource data, resource data for reproducing pages in the PDL print job, the command including a search key,
• the PDL reading unit chaining a plurality of pieces of resource data in each of a plurality of the PDL resource dictionaries,
• loading the chained plurality of pieces of resource data in each of the plurality of resource dictionaries in the cache memory, the chained plurality of pieces of resource data each including a unique key,
• the PDL reading unit searching the requested resource data from the chained pieces of resource data using the search key for matching the unique key of the requested resource data one by one along the chain in both directions from a starting piece of resource data,
• labeling each of the plurality of pieces of resource data based on a history of the matching, and
• the PDL reading unit, using an array data structure, storing and managing a plurality of latest keys that were not found in previous resource dictionary searches if resource dictionary has more resources than a predefined threshold, and
• the PDL reading unit rendering the PDL print job into a printer raster-image processor scheme, wherein
• the PDL reading unit searching includes the PDL reading unit starting searches from the array if the array exists, in which the latest keys that were not found in previous resource dictionary searches are stored, and the PDL reading unit searching includes the PDL reading unit determining the starting piece of resource data in the chained plurality of pieces of resource data based on the history.

For a network-communications-enabled image forming device including a storage unit having a cache memory, a page-description-language (PDL) reading unit, enabled for reading, in a PDL print job network-received from a computer, extensible markup language describing sheet layout and rendering commands, and for rendering the PDL print job into a printer raster-image processor scheme using, as rendering information, resources shared by the rendering commands, the resources being held in dictionaries either in a package in the PDL print job, or in the storage unit, and one or more processors, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause in the image forming device:

• the PDL reading unit to read a data file in a predetermined page description language, the data file including a command configured to request, as requested resource data, resource data for reproducing pages in the PDL print job, the command including a search key;
• the PDL reading unit to chain a plurality of pieces of resource data in each of a plurality of the PDL resource dictionaries;
• loading of the chained plurality of pieces of resource data in each of the plurality of resource dictionaries in the cache memory, the chained plurality of pieces of resource data each including a unique key;
• the PDL reading unit to search the requested resource data from the chained pieces of resource data using the search key for matching the unique key of the requested resource data one by one along the chain in both directions from a starting piece of resource data;
• labeling of each of the plurality of pieces of resource data based on a history of the matching;
• the PDL reading unit, using an array data structure, to store and manage a plurality of latest keys that were not found in previous resource dictionary searches if resource dictionary has more resources than a predefined threshold;
• and
• the PDL reading unit to render the PDL print job into a printer raster-image processor scheme;
• wherein
• the PDL reading unit being caused to search includes the PDL reading unit starting searches from the array if the array exists, in which the latest keys that were not found in previous resource dictionary searches are stored, and the PDL reading unit being caused to search includes the PDL reading unit determining the starting piece of resource data in the chained plurality of pieces of resource data based on the history.