Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclose a method for K-only (gray/black) object rendering in a high-speed color controller of a printing system. The method includes setting a flag to indicate selection of a K-only text and barcode print preference from a user of a print system, receiving one or more objects to be printed by the print system, the one or more objects including at least one of a text object and a barcode object, determining whether an input color space for the at least one text object and barcode object should be converted to K-only black ink, and rendering the at least one of the text object and the barcode object as K-only black ink if the input color space is determined to be converted to K-only black ink.

Abstract: A method and system for printing simple data utilizing a raster image processor in a computer system is disclosed. The raster image processor is configured for use with a complex data stream corresponding to at least one complex page description language. The method and system include embedding at least one control structure in the complex data stream. The control structure(s) are for informing the raster image processor of the simple data. The method and system also include converting the simple data into a printable format based on the at least one control structure and without using the complex page description language to convert a portion of the complex data stream corresponding to the simple data into the printable format. The method and system also include converting a remaining portion of the complex data stream into the printable format using the complex page description language.

Abstract: A command is provided as a means to instruct a printer to pre-rasterize and store presentation objects according to specified presentation parameters. The stored rasterized objects are available to the printer for use during printing when a print job is submitted to the printer which includes a presentation object already rasterized, saving significant processing at print time. The rasterized objects are stored with information identifying the object and the parameters used in the rasterization process and the printer is enabled to identify the appropriate rasterized object for inclusion in the print job. Objects may also be selected by a printer at print time as most closely matching the required parameters and then adjusted as needed at print time to completely conform with the requirements of inclusion in the job. This capability allows the printer to perform trimming-on-the-fly or other real-time operations while enjoying the time-saving benefits of a pre-rasterized object.

Abstract: A command is provided as a means to instruct a printer to pre-rasterize and store presentation objects according to specified presentation parameters. The stored rasterized objects are available to the printer for use during printing when a print job is submitted to the printer which includes a presentation object already rasterized, saving significant processing at print time. The rasterized objects are stored with information identifying the object and the parameters used in the rasterization process and the printer is enabled to identify the appropriate rasterized object for inclusion in the print job. Objects may also be selected by a printer at print time as most closely matching the required parameters and then adjusted as needed at print time to completely conform with the requirements of inclusion in the job. This capability allows the printer to perform trimming-on-the-fly or other real-time operations while enjoying the time-saving benefits of a pre-rasterized object.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclose a method for K-only (gray/black) object rendering in a high-speed color controller of a printing system. The method includes setting a flag to indicate selection of a K-only text and barcode print preference from a user of a print system, receiving one or more objects to be printed by the print system, the one or more objects including at least one of a text object and a barcode object, determining whether an input color space for the at least one text object and barcode object should be converted to K-only black ink, and rendering the at least one of the text object and the barcode object as K-only black ink if the input color space is determined to be converted to K-only black ink.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for saving and re-using lookup tables (LUTs) used in generating color data objects in a presentation/printing system. A data object is generated by a device or application having an associated input ICC profile and is transferred to a presentation device having one or more associated output ICC profiles. The data object is converted from its input color space to a color space of the presentation device based on calculated LUTs. Once calculated, the LUTs are saved in a memory of the presentation device to be re-used for processing of a subsequent data object. The saved LUTs are indexed using the object ID (OID) of the ICC output profile used to calculate the LUT. A subsequent data object may specify use of the same ICC output profile such that the previously calculated LUT may be retrieve and re-used to obviate the calculation burden to recalculate the LUT.

Abstract: In a windows environment, a plurality of computer program applications use a common look-up table to allocate colors. When the common look-up table is full, a mechanism must be provided to determine which colors will be stored in the common look-up table. Several alternatives exist; the order of the alternatives can be specified by the user or application program. A first alternative will attempt to allocate colors in the common look-up table with the true image colors called for by the program. A second alternative uses a reduced set (reduced number) of image colors so that they will fit in the common look-up table. The image colors are regenerated from the reduced set through a dithering or error diffusion algorithm. A third alternative is to find the color in the common look-up table which is mathematically closest to the image color. If these alternatives are not used, a new look-up table can be created.