Patent ID: 7230729
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for generating a data processing pathway in a hardware-ready format, comprising: a plurality of clients; a control unit having processing circuitry, memory, an external raster image processor, a raster formatter, and a software-based data compression apparatus configured to render a rasterized, bitmapped image into image data in a hardware-ready format; and an output device communicating with the client and having hardware-ready program code and a hardware-assisted print device including a printer controller, the printer controller including processing circuitry, memory, and a data decompressor, the hardware-ready program code operative via the printer controller to receive the hardware-ready image data from the client and render output containing the image to the hardware-assisted print device; a first data path coupling together at least one of the clients with the control unit to enable the control unit to manage the plurality of clients and the output device to distribute workload over multiple systems; a second data path coupling together the external raster image processor with the external raster formatter to enable formatting and compression of image data from the external raster image processor; and a third data path coupling together the external raster formatter with the output device to enable transfer of formatted and compressed image data to the output device.