Patent ID: 6509978
Filing Date: 2003-01-21
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
An apparatus for formatting bitmapped image data, comprising:an image data bus section having an image bus interface adapted to be coupled to a computer bus to transmit the image data, a front end memory coupled to said image bus interface to receive the image data in an unformatted form, a back end memory for receiving the image data in a formatted form, and a printer interface device coupled to said back end memory for transmitting print data based on the image data in a formatted form; a processor data bus section having an image processor, a processor bus interface adapted to be coupled to the computer bus to communicate print processing instructions between said image processor and the computer; and a gateway coupling said image processor to said front end memory and said back end memory whereby said image processor formats the image data as read out of said front end memory, and transmits the image data in a formatted form to the back end memory.