Abstract: A layout apparatus lays out a document by referencing personal information registered on a per user basis. Even if no particular print setting is input for a print job by a user, excellent prints customized for each user are thus provided.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a first processing unit for executing color conversion processing and halftoning processing of data before composition processing of data, a second processing unit for executing color conversion processing and halftoning processing of data after composition processing of data, and a selector for selecting one of the first and second processing units.

Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method thereof which, in a case where drawing data represented by an RGB space satisfies a predetermined condition, perform a compensation of color that converts a pixel value of image data in an MCYK color space into a predetermined value, and in accordance with information for designating whether or not to use color conversion for each respective object included in the drawing commands, select whether to perform normal conversion processing for converting the drawing data of the RGB color space into a pixel value in the MCYK space or to perform color compensation conversion processing, and convert the pixel data from RGB to MCYK.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus accurately and automatically determines whether a page to be printed out or rendered is a color page or a monochrome page. In order to efficiently output the page, color/monochrome determination is performed to the page by examining all the pixels forming a bitmap image based on the bitmap image and an attribute bitmap image.

Abstract: A layout apparatus lays out a document by referencing personal information registered on a per user basis. Even if no particular print setting is input for a print job by a user, excellent prints customized for each user are thus provided.

Abstract: Color converters are often implemented as hardware due to being required to perform high-speed processing; however, the scale of hardware of a color converter that corresponds to five or more colors becomes large and its cost rises. Since acquisition of a color converter that corresponds to four colors is easy, it is desirable to provide for the handling of five or more colors effectively using a four-color color converter. Thereby, when converting RGB image data into CMYKLcLm image data, a color converter, which almost simultaneously color-converts RGB into CMYK, executes RGB to LcLm color conversion and then executes RGB to CMYK color conversion. Then, the color conversion result is held in memory and CMYKLcLm image data is generated.

Abstract: The present invention operates in a printing apparatus capable of carrying out printing by switching between a mode using a set of toners for four colors Y, M, C, and K and a mode using a set of toners for six colors including the four primary colors, light cyan, and light magenta. Specifically, when a page layout included in “Page Layout” set items is set for N (N>1) sheet/page, printing is determined to be carried out in the 4 color mode to set a print specification in a job ticket for the 4 color mode. If a plurality of page units are printed within one page, each page unit is contracted when printed. Accordingly, it is often difficult to perceive printed image quality when observing the image. Thus, even if the 6 color mode is set, printing is controlled to be carried out in the 4 color mode.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a first processing unit for executing color conversion processing and halftoning processing of data before composition processing of data, a second processing unit for executing color conversion processing and halftoning processing of data after composition processing of data, and a selector for selecting one of the first and second processing units.

Abstract: If a drawing section does not support the alpha blending drawing, or the bit depth of a first bitmap image is less than that of the alpha blending value, the alpha blending drawing is unavailable. To solve the problem even in such cases, a data processing method for a print controller and drawing controller, which is provided with a drawing section for executing drawing according to an input drawing command to a first bitmap image and a drawing process specifying section for performing alpha blending specification (transparency degree specification) for executing drawing according to an input object as a drawing command to the first bitmap image, includes an alpha value replacing section for replacing the alpha blending specification with area information corresponding to an alpha value and a drawing command converting section for converting the drawing command into another drawing command for performing a process corresponding to the area information.

Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method thereof which, in a case where drawing data represented by an RGB space satisfies a predetermined condition, perform a compensation of color that converts a pixel value of image data in an MCYK color space into a predetermined value, and in accordance with information for designating whether or not to use color conversion for each respective object included in the drawing commands, select whether to perform normal conversion processing for converting the drawing data of the RGB color space into a pixel value in the MCYK space or to perform color compensation conversion processing, and convert the pixel data from RGB to MCYK.

Abstract: The present invention operates in a printing apparatus capable of carrying out printing by switching between a mode using a set of toners for four colors Y, M, C, and K and a mode using a set of toners for six colors including the four primary colors, light cyan, and light magenta. Specifically, when a page layout included in “Page Layout” set items is set for N (N>1) sheet/page, printing is determined to be carried out in the 4 color mode to set a print specification in a job ticket for the 4 color mode. If a plurality of page units are printed within one page, each page unit is contracted when printed. Accordingly, it is often difficult to perceive printed image quality when observing the image. Thus, even if the 6 color mode is set, printing is controlled to be carried out in the 4 color mode.

Abstract: An image region is designated based upon object information possessed by image information and the designated image region is subjected to encoding that is different from that of other regions, thereby making it possible to raise the encoding efficiency of the overall image. Specifically, a drawing object is discriminated based upon object information that accompanies the drawing object, the drawing object is developed and rendered as an image, and a prescribed image region of the image is designated based upon object information that corresponds to the drawing object that has been developed and rendered. After the bits of image data of the prescribed image region have been shifted up, the image data of the prescribed image region and image data other than the prescribed image region are encoded at different compression ratio, respectively.

Abstract: A layout apparatus lays out a document by referencing personal information registered on a per user basis. Even if no particular print setting is input for a print job by a user, excellent prints customized for each user are thus provided.

Abstract: Color converters are often made to be hardware due to being required to perform high-speed processing, however, the scale of hardware of a color converter that corresponds to five or more colors becomes large and its costs rises. Since acquisition of a color converter that corresponds to four colors is easy, it is desirable to correspond five or more colors effectively using a four-color color converter. Thereby, when converting RGB image data into CMYKLcLm image data, a color converter, which almost simultaneously color-converts RGB into CMYK, executes RGB to LcLm color conversion and then executes RGB to CMYK color conversion. Then, the color conversion result is held in memory and CMYKLcLm image data is generated.

Abstract: Compressed data having as rendering commands region designation data that designates a region of an image, and a parameter for designating image quality of that region is input, and the input compressed data is expanded by an expansion module. A first rendering module develops first bitmap data based on the input rendering commands, and stores it in a BM1 memory. A second rendering module generates attribute information corresponding to respective pixels of the first bitmap data on the basis of attribute information of intermediate data. A conversion module can switch the conversion process by switching parameters in accordance with the attribute information upon converting the first bitmap data into second bitmap data.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image encoding method and apparatus, and particularly has as its object to satisfactorily control the amount of encoded image data. In order to achieve this object, according to this invention, there is disclosed a technique for sequentially controlling the code amounts in accordance with accumulated code amount information and accumulated encoded area information, so that variable-length codes of an image fall within a predetermined memory capacity in a single pass. More specifically, in an image processing apparatus having a compression processor (15) for compressing input image information, and a memory (16) for storing encoded data by the compression processor (15), a code amount controller (14) calculates a reference code amount on the basis of the input image information, and controls the encoding condition of the compression processor (15) on the basis of the calculated reference code amount.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image encoding method and apparatus, and particularly has as its object to satisfactorily control the amount of encoded image data. In order to achieve this object, according to this invention, there is disclosed a technique for sequentially controlling the code amounts in accordance with accumulated code amount information and accumulated encoded area information, so that variable-length codes of an image fall within a predetermined memory capacity in a single pass. More specifically, in an image processing apparatus having a compression processor (15) for compressing input image information, and a memory (16) for storing encoded data by the compression processor (15), a code amount controller (14) calculates a reference code amount on the basis of the input image information, and controls the encoding condition of the compression processor (15) on the basis of the calculated reference code amount.

Abstract: If a drawing section does not support the alpha blending drawing, or the bit depth of a first bitmap image is less than that of the alpha blending value, the alpha blending drawing is unavailable. To solve the problem even in such cases, a data processing method for a print controller and drawing controller, which is provided with a drawing section for executing drawing according to an input drawing command to a first bitmap image and a drawing process specifying section for performing alpha blending specification (transparency degree specification) for executing drawing according to an input object as a drawing command to the first bitmap image, includes an alpha value replacing section for replacing the alpha blending specification with area information corresponding to an alpha value and a drawing command converting section for converting the drawing command into another drawing command for performing a process corresponding to the area information.

Abstract: Compressed data having as rendering commands region designation data that designates a region of an image, and a parameter for designating image quality of that region is input, and the input compressed data is expanded by an expansion module. A first rendering module develops first bitmap data based on the input rendering commands, and stores it in a BM1 memory. A second rendering module generates attribute information corresponding to respective pixels of the first bitmap data on the basis of attribute information of intermediate data. A conversion module can switch the conversion process by switching parameters in accordance with the attribute information upon converting the first bitmap data into second bitmap data.

Abstract: According to the present invention, provided are a list generator for generating, upon receipt of a printer command from a host computer, a display list that serves as intermediate code that printers use in common, a storage section for storing, in advance, an estimated drawing time for each object, which is required for drawing a raster image of the display list, a determination section for ascertaining, before drawing of the raster image for each band width is begun, whether or not an estimated drawing time for the display list is stored in the storage section, and a controller for calculating a drawing time by the addition of the estimated drawing time for the display list when the determination section ascertains that the estimated drawing time is stored, and for performing a predetermined calculation to acquire a drawing time that is required for developing the display list into a raster image when the determination section ascertains that the estimated drawing time is not stored.