Patent ID: 8736876

Claim:
A print document processing system comprising a cache apparatus and a plurality of data processing apparatuses, the cache apparatus including a cache memory that stores bitmap image data or intermediate language image data created by each of the data processing apparatuses, a state memory that stores, for each document element of print document data, a state among a plurality of predefined states in association with a cached state of image data of the document element in the cache memory, the plurality of states including a CREATING state, the CREATING state being a state where the image data of the document element is created by any of the data processing apparatuses at a same time that the image data of the document element is not in the cache memory, and a first response providing unit that upon receipt of a query on image data of a document element of the print document data from a data processing apparatus among the data processing apparatuses, provides a CREATING response to the data processing apparatus if the CREATING state is stored in the state memory in association with the cached state of the image data of the document element, the CREATING response being a response indicating that the image data of the document element is currently being created by any of the data processing apparatuses, each of the plurality of data processing apparatuses including an image data creating unit that creates bitmap image data or intermediate language image data by processing page description language data of each document element of the print document data, a query unit that queries, for each document element of the print document data, whether image data of the document element is in the cache apparatus or not before the image data creating unit creates the image data of the document element, and a controller that, if a response from the cache apparatus in response to a query issued by the query unit is the CREATING response, performs control in accordance with a predetermined condition to use the image data after the image data that is currently being created has been created or cause the image data creating unit to create the image data of the document element without waiting for creation of the image data that is currently being created to be completed.