Patent ID: 8040537
Filing Date: 2011-10-18
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital front end processor comprising: a controller; a raster image processing unit that receives page data related to a page to be printed and generates page objects that define features for printing on the page; an image rendering unit that receives the page objects from the raster image processing unit and generates a first page raster image based on the received page objects and a first halftoning process; an image compression unit that receives the first page raster image from the image rendering unit and generates a first compressed page raster image using a first compression process; and a physical interface with a continuous feed printer across which the processor selectively transmits one of the first page raster image, the first compressed page image and a second compressed page image to a continuous feed printer, wherein the controller determines at least one of whether a compression ratio of the first compressed page image produced by the image compression unit is below a predetermined compression ratio and whether a size of the first compressed page image is above a predetermined compressed page image size, based on the determination, the controller selectably instructs the image rendering unit to generate a second page raster image based on the generated page objects generated by the raster image processing unit for the page to be printed and a second halftoning process, and instructs the image compression unit to generate the second compressed page image based on the second page raster image and a second compression process, the controller determines at least one of whether a compression ratio of the second compressed page image produced by the image compression unit is below the predetermined compression ratio and whether the size of the second compressed page image is above the predetermined compressed page image, when the at least one of the compression ratio of the second compressed page image is below the predetermined compression ratio and the size of the second compressed page image is above the predetermined compressed page image, the controller instructs the image rendering unit to generate a third page raster image based on the generated page objects for the page to be printed and a third halftoning process, and instructs the image compression unit to generate the third compressed page image based on the third page raster image and a third compression process, and the physical interface transmits the third compressed page image to the continuous feed printer.