Abstract: A printing apparatus which predicts resource usage for a printing operation, determines whether resources available in the printing apparatus are sufficient for the predicted usage, and changes the printing operation in the case where it is determined that there are insufficient resources available for the currently-specified printing operation so that it is possible to print the image within existing resource constraints.

Abstract: In variable data printing, a Variable data Job (varJob) is made out of variable data pages (varPages) which are composed by merging pregenerated labels (e.g. color separated compressed rectangular swatches). Labels are applied on any position in the page. All necessary clipping is preferably performed before labels are submitted to the VarJob. Labels are preprocessed as soon as they become available. Presumably many labels are generated once and applied many times, albeit at different positions in the page. A label preprocessor processes labels after their submission to the job by cutting them into swaths and creating auxiliary information for further planning and scheduling purposes. A page planner analyzes the page composition, estimates times and bandwidth requirements, and prepares a page composition descriptor (PCDesc) that specifies the way the page is composed. A page composer takes in a PCDesc and the necessary preprocessed labels and composes the page.

Abstract: Memory storage and memory bandwidth requirements of a color laser printer (or other printer having real-time printing constraints) are reduced by representing image information in a compressed format throughout the rendering process. At any one time during the rendering process, preferably, only a single scan line is expanded to the full, uncompressed format required for eventual printing. The rendered scan line is then recompressed and stored in memory. When all scan lines have been processed and are stored in memory in compressed format, the entire image is then expanded in real time and sent to the printer.

Abstract: A technique is described for adding variable data to a print job, while requiring a minimum amount of storage. Key to the invention is the use of a data compression algorithm during RIPing. During a first stage of operation, a master document is RIPed into a compressed format and saved in a cache, such as RAM or disk storage. It is important to note that RIPing and data compression are performed simultaneously. This minimizes the amount of processing power necessary to RIP and compress a large document, while significantly reducing the amount of storage space required to save the RIPed master document. The variable data document is RIPed and compressed during a second stage of operation using the same algorithm as applied to the master document. Uniquely, the variable data document is RIPed directly onto the master document in compressed format. During the second phase of operation, the master document to be personalized is retrieved from memory and stored in a frame buffer.

Abstract: Printing in which printer resources that are consumed in forming a raster image are predicted and in which those printer resources are re-allocated in a case where printer resources are predicted to be exceeded. Specifically, coded print data such as coded print data in a page description language is input, the coded print data is translated into a first coded representation, and the first coded representation is translated into a second coded representation which is different from the first coded representation. Printer resources consumed in forming a raster image corresponding to the coded print data in the second coded representation are predicted, and printer resources are re-allocated in a case where printer resources are predicted to be exceeded. A raster image is thereafter formed from the second coded representation.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which predicts resource usage for a printing operation, determines whether resources available in the printing apparatus are sufficient for the predicted usage, and changes the printing operation in the case where it is determined that there are insufficient resources available for the currently-specified printing operation so that it is possible to print the image within existing resource constraints.