Printing apparatus and module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11093194-B2
Application number	US-202016796316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2020
Priority date	Feb 22, 2019
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data; store the compressed image data into a memory; individually identify partial compressed data in the stored compressed image data, the partial compressed data corresponding to separate images; store the partial compressed data into the memory or store information identifying each of the partial compressed data, into the memory; a first creating processing for decompressing one of the partial compressed data and creating print data based on partial decompressed data obtained by decompressing the one partial compressed data; and a first output processing for outputting the created print data. The controller repeats the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of the partial compressed data. The printing apparatus performs printing based on the print data output in the first output processing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus, comprising:
a memory; and
a controller configured to execute:
a receiving processing in which the controller receives compressed image data as compressed data;
a first storing processing in which the controller stores the compressed image data into the memory;
an identifying processing in which the controller individually identifies a plurality of partial compressed data in the compressed image data stored in the memory, the plurality of partial compressed data corresponding respectively to a plurality of separate images obtained by dividing an image corresponding to one page, the controller being configured to obtain from the compressed image data, at least one of (i) a height value representing the number of pixels of the image corresponding to the one page in a height direction and (ii) a width value representing the number of pixels of the image corresponding to the one page in a width direction, the controller being configured to determine at least one of (a) a division height position, based on the obtained height value, representing a dividing position in the compressed image data at which the compressed image data are divided in the height direction and (b) a division width position, based on the obtained width value, representing a dividing position in the compressed image data at which the compressed image data are divided in the width direction;
a second storing processing in which the controller stores each of the plurality of partial compressed data into the memory or stores information identifying each of the plurality of partial compressed data, into the memory, the compressed image data being divided into the plurality of partial compressed data by the at least one of (a) the division height position and (b) the division width position;
a first creating processing in which the controller decompresses one partial compressed data of the plurality of partial compressed data and creates print data based on partial decompressed data obtained by decompressing the one partial compressed data; and
a first output processing in which the controller outputs the created print data,

the controller being configured to repeat the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of the plurality of partial compressed data,
the printing apparatus being configured to perform printing based on the print data output in the first output processing.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a printing unit configured to convey a sheet and print an image on the conveyed sheet from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed,
wherein the controller is configured to, in the first creating processing:
determine an order of printing of the plurality of separate images that are to be printed in order from the upstream side toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction; and
decompress the plurality of partial compressed data in the determined order of printing.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is configured to, in the identifying processing, identify the plurality of partial compressed data respectively representing the plurality of separate images created by dividing the image corresponding to the one page along a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction,
wherein the order of printing is an order of arrangement of the plurality of separate images from the upstream side toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction, and
wherein the controller is configured to, in the first creating processing, decompress the partial compressed data in the order of printing.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
create a plurality of storage areas in the memory, the plurality of storage areas corresponding to the number of the plurality of partial compressed data corresponding respectively to the plurality of separate images obtained by dividing the image; and
store the one partial compressed data into one of the plurality of storage areas, and

wherein the plurality of storage areas are created corresponding respectively to positions of the plurality of separate images respectively represented by the plurality of partial compressed data.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the compressed image data comprises header information, and
wherein the controller is configured to, in the identifying processing, identify (i) first partial compressed data containing (a) partial compressed data representing a first separate image among the plurality of partial compressed data and (b) division header information created from the header information, and (ii) second partial compressed data containing (c) partial compressed data representing a second separate image among the plurality of partial compressed data and (d) the division header information created from the header information.

6. The printing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the header information comprises at least one of a print setting and a resolution of the image corresponding to one page.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to, in the first creating processing:
create print data corresponding to the first separate image, based on the first partial compressed data; and
create print data corresponding to the second separate image, based on the second partial compressed data.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to execute the second storing processing, the first creating processing, and the first output processing when the partial compressed data has been identified in a first identifying processing as the identifying processing,
wherein the controller is configured to execute, when the partial compressed data has not been identified in the first identifying processing:
a reduced-size-page-data obtaining processing in which the controller reduces a size of the compressed image data while decompressing the compressed image data and obtains reduced-size page data that is size-reduced image data for one page;
a second creating processing in which the controller creates print data based on the reduced-size page data; and
a second output processing in which the controller outputs the print data created in the second creating processing.

9. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to execute a data-amount determining processing in which the controller determines whether a data amount of the compressed image data exceeds a memory threshold value stored in the memory,
wherein the controller is configured to execute the first storing processing, the identifying processing, the second storing processing, the first creating processing, and the first output processing when the controller determines that the data amount does not exceed the memory threshold value, and
wherein the controller is configured to execute, when the controller determines that the data amount exceeds the memory threshold value:
a reduced-size-page-data obtaining processing in which the controller reduces a size of the compressed image data while decompressing the compressed image data and obtains reduced-size page data that is size-reduced image data for one page;
a second creating processing in which the controller creates print data based on the reduced-size page data; and
a second output processing in which the controller outputs the print data created in the second creating processing.

10. The printing appar

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Tsugimura Koichi
• Hasegawa Wataru

Classifications

• G06K15/1817

  Buffers · CPC title

• G06F3/1297 Primary

  Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters · CPC title

• G06K15/102

  using ink jet print heads · CPC title

• G06F3/1247

  by conversion to printer ready format · CPC title

• G06K15/1865 Primary

  by compressing the rasterized print data · CPC title