Patent ID: 6034782
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of controlling a printer from a computer, comprising the steps:establishing a communication link between the computer and the printer;transmitting blocks of data including a predetermined block of data over the communication link from the computer to the printer, said transmitting step further including a data compression process;processing the blocks of data including the predetermined data block after it has been received at the printer, said processing step further including a formatting process and a data decompression process;measuring the time it takes for the predetermined block to be received and processed; andadaptively modifying the transmission of subsequent blocks of data from the computer if the measured time exceeds a predetermined threshold, by altering the data compression process to reduce the amount of data being transmitted over the communication link;wherein the predetermined block of data is control data to be used by the printer for processing subsequent blocks of data.