Job ticket conflict resolution for print jobs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10891086-B2
Application number	US-201916291330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2019
Priority date	Mar 4, 2019
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments described herein manage conflicts between media descriptions in a print job, and media descriptions in a job ticket associated with the print job. One embodiment comprises a print controller. The print controller identifies a logical page having an unmodifiable media attribute, directs a Raster Image Processor (RIP) of the print controller to rasterize the logical page based on the unmodifiable media attribute, and modifies the raster data generated by the RIP for the logical page based on a media attribute specified in a job ticket for the logical page.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a print controller, comprising:
a Raster Image Processor (RIP); and
a controller configured to identify a logical page comprising a Page Description Language (PDL) and having an unmodifiable media attribute, wherein the unmodifiable media attribute for the logical page prevents a modification of a presentation of the logical page prior to rasterizing the logical page,
the controller is configured to process a job ticket to determine that the logical page has a media exception, wherein the media exception comprises a conflict between the unmodifiable media attribute for the logical page and a media attribute specified in the job ticket for the logical page,
the controller is configured, responsive to the logical page having the media exception and the unmodifiable media attribute, to direct the RIP to rasterize the logical page based on the unmodifiable media attribute by interpreting the PDL, and to modify raster data generated by the RIP for the logical page based on the media attribute specified in a job ticket for the logical page to resolve the media exception for the logical page.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system further includes a user interface,
the controller is configured to notify an operator using the user interface in response the logical page having the media exception and the unmodifiable media attribute.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is configured to direct the RIP to interpret the PDL of the logical page based on an operating parameter of the RIP, to determine that the operating parameter has been modified in response to interpreting the PDL of logical page, and to determine that the logical page has the unmodifiable media attribute in response to determining that the operating parameter has been modified.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the PDL of the logical page comprises PostScript,
the operating parameter comprises a Current Transformation Matrix (CTM) for the RIP.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the controller, to determine that the logical page has the unmodifiable media attribute, is configured to:
generate a custom CTM for the logical page based on a difference between the unmodifiable media attribute and the media attribute specified in the job ticket for the logical page;
direct the RIP to interpret the PDL of logical page using the custom CTM;
determine that the RIP has overwritten the custom CTM during interpretation of the PDL of the logical page; and
determining the logical page has the unmodifiable media attribute in response to the custom CTM being overwritten.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is configured to transmit the modified raster data to a destination,
the system further comprises:
at least one print engine configured to receive the modified raster data, and to mark at least one colorant onto a medium based on the modified raster data to generate at least a portion of a printed output for the print job.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the PDL of the logical page comprises PostScript,
the unmodifiable media attribute comprises at least one PostScript layout instruction and at least one PostScript procedure that enforces a Current Transformation Matrix (CTM) specified for the logical page.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the unmodifiable media attribute maps coordinates specified by the PDL into output device coordinates to implement at least one of scaling, rotation, and translation of a print image.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is configured, responsive to the logical page having the media exception and not having the unmodifiable media attribute, to modify the presentation of the logical page based on the media attribute in the job ticket prior to rasterizing the logical page, and to direct the RIP to rasterize the logical page with the modified presentation by interpreting the PDL.

10. A method, comprising:
identifying a logical page of a print job comprising a Page Description Language (PDL) and having an unmodifiable media attribute, wherein the unmodifiable media attribute for the logical page prevents a modification of a presentation of the logical page prior to rasterizing the logical page;
processing a job ticket to determine that the logical page has a media exception, wherein the media exception comprises a conflict between the unmodifiable media attribute for the logical page and a media attribute specified in the job ticket for the logical page;
rasterizing, responsive to the logical page having the media exception and the unmodifiable media attribute, the logical page based on the unmodifiable media attribute by interpreting the PDL; and
modifying raster data generated for the logical page based on a media attribute specified in a job ticket for the logical page to resolve the media exception for the logical page.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
notifying an operator in response to the logical page having the media exception and the unmodifiable media attribute.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
interpreting, by a Raster Image Processor (RIP), the PDL of the logical page based on an operating parameter of the RIP;
determining that the operating parameter has been modified in response to interpreting the PDL of the logical page; and
determining that the logical page has the unmodifiable media attribute in response to the operating parameter being been modified.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the PDL of the print job comprises PostScript,
the operating parameter comprises a Current Transformation Matrix (CTM) for the RIP.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
determining that the logical page has the unmodifiable media attribute further comprises:
generating a custom CTM for the logical page based on a difference between the unmodifiable media attribute and the media attribute specified in the job ticket for the logical page;
directing the RIP to interpret the PDL of logical page using the custom CTM;
determining that the RIP has overwritten the custom CTM during interpretation of the PDL of logical page; and
determining the logical page includes the unmodifiable media attribute in response to the custom CTM being overwritten.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the unmodifiable media attribute maps coordinates specified by the PDL into output device coordinates to implement at least one of scaling, rotation, and translation of a print image.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
modifying, responsive to the logical page having the media exception and not having the unmodifiable media attribute, the presentation of the logical page based on the media attribute in the job ticket prior to rasterizing the logical page; and
rasterizing, in response to modifying the presentation, the logical page with the modified presentation by interpreting the PDL.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to:
identify a logical page of a print job comprising a Page Description Language and having an unmodifiable media attribute, wherein the unmodifiable media attribute for the logical page prevents a modification of a presentation of the logical page prior to rasterizing the logical page;
process a job ticket to determine that the logical page has a media exception, wherein the media exception comprises a conflict between the unmodifiable media attribute for the logical

Assignees

• Coulter Justin J
• Ward David
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Coulter Justin J
• Ward David

Classifications

• G06F3/1206

  resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type · CPC title

• G06F3/1205 Primary

  resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets · CPC title

• G06F3/1255 Primary

  Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities · CPC title

• G06F3/1247

  by conversion to printer ready format · CPC title

• G06F3/1288

  in client-server-printer device configuration · CPC title