Print object converter, print object conversion method, and computer-readable recording medium for recording programs relating to print object conversion method

[0001] [Technical field to which the invention belongs] The present invention relates to print control that converts a print object into PDL data and outputs it to a printing device. [0002] [Conventional technology] The print object requested to be printed by the application software on the computer system is usually printed by the printing device via a printing program called a printer driver that controls the printing device. The reason why the printer driver is used in this way is that if the print object is sent to the printing device as it is for printing, the burden on the printing device becomes large. This printer driver first creates intermediate data from print objects. Next, from the intermediate data, PDL data described in the page description language (PDL) for instructing the print image is created, and the PDL data is output to the printing device. The printing device converts this PDL data into bitmap data and prints it. [0003] There is a prior art that determines the mode for converting the original image information from the intermediate data. This is a technique for creating an index from intermediate data, determining an image processing mode in consideration of image quality, and converting image information into image information suitable for the image processing mode provided in the printer (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-336438). Gazette). However, in this method, the resolution and the number of gradations of the image information are appropriately adjusted according to the performance of the printing device, and the image quality is maintained as much as possible. In addition, there is prior art related to expansion processing from PDL data. This generates a bitmap image based on the intermediate data, divides the bitmap image into a plurality of band areas, stores them in the band memory, and determines the number of lines developed over each band area to obtain the intermediate data. Based on this, it is a technique for reducing the load of expansion processing to each band memory (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-24863). However, this is a method of processing the bitmap data obtained by expanding the PDL data in the band memory, and reduces the burden of the expansion processing from the PDL data. [0004] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] It takes a considerable amount of time to print a print object requested to be printed by an application, and speeding up is required. One of the factors that take a long time to print the print object is that the print object itself has a huge amount of data due to the improvement of the resolution of the printing device. Another factor is that printing equipment that supports multiple PDLs is becoming widespread. When printing with such a printing device, it is necessary to select a PDL from a plurality of PDLs and create PDL data. Conventionally, the person who wants to print selects PDL, or the application side selects PDL. However, depending on the print object, if a PDL other than the predetermined PDL is selected, it may take extra time to create PDL data and print on a printing device. In addition, the PDL creation time may vary depending on the operating environment of the computer that creates the PDL data. Therefore, it is required to select the optimum PDL from a plurality of PDLs to shorten the printing time. [0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer driver that shortens the printing time. [0006] [Means for solving problems] The print object conversion device according to the present invention includes an intermediate data creation means for creating intermediate data from a print object requested for printing, and an intermediate data creation means. A classification table creation means for creating an object classification table from the print object in parallel with the creation of the intermediate data, A storage device that stores the intermediate data and the object classification table,<u style="single">Stored in the storage device</u>A PDL judgment means for selecting one PDL from a plurality of PDLs based on a PDL judgment table in which the object classification table and the operating environment of the computer are associated with a PDL to be selected from a plurality of PDLs. A PDL creation means for creating PDL data described by the selected PDL from the intermediate data, and With an output means for outputting the PDL data to a printing device It is characterized by having. [0007] Here, the page description language PDL (page description language) may be, for example, PostScript (trademark), PCL (trademark), LIPS (trademark), Interpress (trademark), or various other PDLs. [0008] The printing device may be any device that supports a plurality of page description languages PDL and can perform printing by expanding the input PDL data into bitmap data or the like. As such a printing device, for example, a laser printer or the like can be used. However, it is not limited to a laser printer, and any printing device that can print using PDL data can be used. [0010] Here, as the PDL determination table, one saved in the storage device in advance may be used. In addition, it may be created at any time whenever the connected printing device or operating environment is changed.<u style="single">Further, the object classification table in the PDL determination table may include at least one of a character string, a number of bitmap data, a number of arcs, a number of quadrangles, a number of straight lines, and a number of curves. Furthermore, the operating environment of the computer in the PDL determination table may include at least one of the number of CPU clocks, the amount of memory installed, the type of connection interface, and the type of printing equipment.</u>[0012] The print object conversion method according to the present invention includes an intermediate data creation step for creating intermediate data from a print object requested for printing, and an intermediate data creation step. In parallel with the creation of the intermediate data, a classification table creation step of creating an object classification table from the print object, and A storage step for storing the intermediate data and the object classification table in a storage device,<u style="single">Stored in the storage device</u>A PDL judgment step of selecting one PDL from a plurality of PDLs based on a PDL judgment table that associates the object classification table and the operating environment of the computer with a PDL to be selected from a plurality of PDLs. A PDL creation step for creating PDL data described in the selected PDL from the intermediate data, and With the output step to output the PDL data to the printing device It is characterized by having. [0013]<u style="single">The object classification table in the PDL determination table may include at least one of a character string, a number of bitmap data, a number of arcs, a number of quadrangles, a number of straight lines, and a number of curves. Further, the operating environment of the computer in the PDL determination table may include at least one of the number of CPU clocks, the amount of memory installed, the type of connection interface, and the type of printing equipment.</u>[0015] A computer-readable recording medium for recording a program for causing a computer to execute the print object conversion method according to the present invention includes an intermediate data creation step of creating intermediate data from a print object requested to be printed. In parallel with the creation of the intermediate data, a classification table creation step of creating an object classification table from the print object, and A storage step for storing the intermediate data and the object classification table in a storage device,<u style="single">Stored in the storage device</u>A judgment step of selecting one PDL from a plurality of PDLs based on a PDL judgment table in which the object classification table and the operating environment of the computer are associated with a PDL to be selected from a plurality of PDLs. A PDL creation step for creating PDL data described in the selected PDL from the intermediate data, and With the output step to output the PDL data to the printing device Record a program for causing a computer to execute a print object conversion method characterized by having. [0016] Here, as the recording medium for recording the program, for example, a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic tape, a flexible disk, or a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or a CD-R, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor storage device such as a ROM or EEPROM. Etc. can be used. [0018] Further, the computer-readable recording medium for recording the program for causing the computer to execute the print object conversion method according to the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium for recording the program, and the PDL determination table.<u style="single">The object classification table in</u>Is characterized by including at least one of a character string, a number of bitmap data, a number of arcs, a number of quadrangles, a number of straight lines, and a number of curves. [0021] [0021] Further, the computer-readable recording medium for recording the program for causing the computer to execute the print object conversion method according to the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium for recording the program.<u style="single">Of the computer in the PDL determination table</u>The operating environment is characterized by including at least one of the number of CPU clocks, the amount of memory installed, the type of connection interface, and the type of printing equipment. [0022] BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a general printing system 10. As shown in FIG. 1, in the printing system 10, an input device 5, a display device 6, a storage device 7, and a printing device 8 are usually connected to the computer 4. This computer 4 is composed of CPU1 and ROM2 and RAM3 connected to CPU1. Further, the application software is usually read from ROM 2 or storage device 7 into RAM 3. The print request of the print object from the application is transmitted from the CPU 1 to the printing device 8 and printed by the printing device 8. Here, the storage device may be a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a non-volatile semiconductor storage device, or the like. Further, the input device 5 may be, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, or the like. The display device 6 may be, for example, a CRT, a liquid crystal display device, or the like. [0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the print object conversion process 20 in the print object conversion device according to the embodiment of the present invention. The print object conversion process 20 includes an intermediate data creation unit 24, a classification table creation unit 26, a storage device 28, a PDL judgment unit 30, a judgment table (PDL judgment table) 32, PDL creation units 34a and 34b, and an output unit 36. Consists of. [0025] The operation of the print object conversion process 20 will be described in detail below. In the print object conversion process 20, first, the print object requested to be printed is received from the application 22. Next, the intermediate data creation unit 24 creates intermediate data from this print object. Table 1 shows an example of this intermediate data. [0026] [table 1]<img file="JP4337246B2_D0001.tif" />[0027] Next, the classification table creation unit 26 creates an object classification table from print objects in parallel with the intermediate data creation in the intermediate data creation unit 24. This object classification table includes, for example, at least one of the number of character strings, the number of bitmap data, the number of arcs, the number of quadrangles, the number of straight lines, the number of curves, and the like. The items in the object classification table are not limited to the above items. Table 2 shows an example of this object classification table. [0028] [Table 2]<img file="JP4337246B2_D0002.tif" />[0029] The created intermediate data and the object classification table are stored in, for example, the storage device 28. [0030] Next, the PDL determination unit 30 compares the object classification table and the operating environment of the computer with the PDL determination table 32 prepared in advance, and selects one PDL from a plurality of PDLs. First, the PDL determination unit 30 acquires the object classification table stored in the storage device 28 and the operating environment of the computer 4. Table 3 shows an example of the operating environment of this computer. [0031] [Table 3]<img file="JP4337246B2_D0003.tif" />[0032] Next, Table 4 shows an example of the PDL judgment table 32. [0033] [Table 4]<img file="JP4337246B2_D0004.tif" />[0034] Here, the PDL judgment table in Table 4 will be described. This PDL judgment table is a table with N rows in total. In addition, among the items in each column, the number of character strings to the number of curves corresponds to the object classification table, and the number of CPU clocks to the type of printing device corresponds to the operating environment of the computer. And the PDL type corresponding to the condition of each line is shown at the right end. When selecting one PDL from multiple PDLs, the PDL type shown at the right end is selected when the conditions of the object classification table and operating environment all meet the conditions of any row. For example, PDL2 is selected because each condition of the object classification table in Table 2 and the operating environment of the computer in Table 3 corresponds to the condition in the nth row in Table 4. [0035] If the item in each column of the PDL judgment table includes at least one of the number of character strings, the number of bitmap data, the number of arcs, the number of rectangles, the number of straight lines, and the number of curves as items corresponding to the object classification table Good. It is preferable that the items in each column of the PDL determination table further include at least one of the number of CPU clocks, the amount of memory installed, the type of connection interface, and the type of printing device corresponding to the operating environment of the computer. Further, the PDL judgment table is not limited to the table format shown in Table 4, and may be a conditional branch type table. In addition, the PDL judgment table may be prepared in advance, or may be newly created each time the operating environment changes. Further, the PDL judgment table may be saved in a storage device in addition to ROM and RAM. [0036] Next, since the selected PDL is PDL2, the PDL2 creation unit 34b creates the PDL data described in PDL2 from the intermediate data. Next, the output unit 36 outputs this PDL data to the printing device 38. [0037] Under this condition, the total time of the PDL data creation time by the selected PDL2 and the printing time on the printing device 38 is the shortest, so that printing can be speeded up. It should be noted that the PDL judgment unit 30 can select the case where only the object classification table is used as the judgment target and the operating environment of the computer is not the judgment target. In this case, the printing time on the printing device 38 can be shortened. [0038] Further, the print object conversion device may be provided inside the computer 4 or the printing device 8 in the printing system 10 shown in FIG. 1, or may be provided as a device different from these. Further, it may be realized not only by hardware but also by software. [0039] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a print object conversion method executed on a computer when the print object conversion method is realized as a printer driver as an embodiment of the present invention. This print object conversion method will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. &lt;Step 0: S0&gt; (not shown) First, in the print request receiving step S0, the print request of the print object 101 is received from the application. This print request is made, for example, by calling the entry function of the printer driver directly from the application or through the interface of the operating system OS. &lt;Step 1: S1&gt; In this intermediate data creation step S1, intermediate data is created from the print object 101. &lt;Step 2: S2&gt; In this classification table creation step S2, an object classification table is created from the print object 101. This step 2 is performed in parallel with the execution of step 1 for creating the intermediate data. &lt;Step 3: S3&gt; In this storage processing step S3, the intermediate data created in step 1 and the object classification table created in step 2 are stored in the storage device. If the print object 101 is in a file format, its identifier and attributes may be stored in a storage device. &lt;Step 4: S4&gt; In this PDL judgment step S4, the object classification table, the operating environment of the computer, and the PDL judgment table prepared in advance are compared, and one PDL is selected from a plurality of PDLs. First, the object classification table saved in the storage device and the operating environment of the computer are acquired. In this PDL determination step S4, the PDL type when the above conditions are met is selected on the PDL determination table, but the PDL type may be selected by the conditional branch format instead of the table format. When this print object conversion method is realized as a printer driver, the printer driver may be specified for each printing device, and the printer driver may correspond to a plurality of printing devices. &lt;Step 5: S5&gt; In this PDL data creation step S5, PDL data 107 in which the intermediate data is described by the PDL selected in step 4 is created. &lt;Step 6: S6&gt; In this output step S6, the created PDL data 107 is output to the printing device 109. &lt;Step 7: S7&gt; (not shown) In this printing step S7, the PDL data is expanded and processed by the printing device 109, converted into bitmap data, and the bitmap data is printed. [0040] In this print object conversion method, the optimum PDL can be selected from a plurality of PDLs in the PDL determination step S4. By creating PDL data from the intermediate data of the print object 101 by this selected PDL, the PDL data creation time and the printing time on the printing device 109 can be optimized, and printing can be speeded up. In other words, the balance between the load on the computer and the load on the printing device 109 can be optimized to speed up printing. [0041] As another aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, there is a computer-readable recording medium for recording a program for causing a computer to execute a print object conversion method. [0042] The program recorded on this recording medium is executed on a computer to execute the print object conversion method. This print object conversion method may be executed every time a print request is made by the application, or a program for executing this print object conversion method may be incorporated in the system in advance to function. The execution format in which the program that executes the print object conversion method is incorporated in the system and is made to function is the execution format as the above-mentioned printer driver. An execution format in which printing is performed by incorporating it into the system in this way is preferable. [0043] Here, as the recording medium for recording the program, for example, a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic tape, a flexible disk, or a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or a CD-R, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor storage device such as a ROM or EEPROM. Etc. can be used. [0044] In a computer-readable recording medium that records a program related to this print object conversion method, the optimum PDL can be selected from a plurality of PDLs by executing this program on a computer. By creating PDL data from the intermediate data of the print object by this selected PDL, the PDL data creation time and the printing time on the printing device can be optimized, and printing can be speeded up. In other words, the balance between the load on the computer and the load on the printing device can be optimized to speed up printing. [0045] [Effect of the invention] As described in detail above, according to the print object conversion device according to the present invention, the optimum PDL can be selected from a plurality of PDLs according to the type of print object and the operating environment of the computer. As a result, the balance between the load on the computer and the load on the printing device can be optimized, and printing can be speeded up. [0046] According to the print object conversion method according to the present invention, the optimum PDL can be selected from a plurality of PDLs according to the type of print object and the operating environment of the computer. As a result, the balance between the load on the computer and the load on the printing device can be optimized, and printing can be speeded up. [0047] According to a computer-readable recording medium for recording a program related to the print object conversion method according to the present invention, by executing the program related to the print object conversion method on a computer, the type of print object and the operating environment of the computer can be determined. , You can select the most suitable PDL from multiple PDLs. As a result, the balance between the load on the computer and the load on the printing device can be optimized, and printing can be speeded up. [Simple explanation of drawings] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing system. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a print object conversion process in the print object conversion device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation concept of a print object conversion method according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols] 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 computer 5 Input device 6 Display device 7 Storage device 8 Printing equipment 10 Printing system 20 Print object conversion process 22 Application 24 Intermediate Data Creation Department 26 Classification table creator 28 Storage device 30 PDL Judgment Unit 32 Judgment Table (PDL Judgment Table) 34a PDL1 Creator 34b PDL2 Creator 36 Output 38 Printing equipment 101 Print Object 102 Intermediate Data Creation Step (S1) 103 Classification table creation step (S2) 104 Amnestics Step (S3) 105 PDL Judgment Step (S4) 106 PDL creation step (S5) 107 PDL data 108 Output step (S6) 109 Printing equipment