Seiko Epson Corporation

Hajime Nishizawa

Tadashi Shiozaki

Chitoshi Takayama

Kenichi Wakabayashi

Akira Nakajima

Masahiro Someno

Shoji Kojima

Kiyotaka Nishimura

Kaoru Hatakoshi

Tsuyoshi Morikawa

A printer driver () divides printing data, which controls printing of a printer, into one or plural data to record the data, to each of which information for discriminating the data is added, as a sub-file (), as well as creates a sub-file name data () for specifying the sub-file () and records it as a spooling file (). The printer driver () also creates a file () for writing a print controlling command and records the file name thereof in the spooling file (). When a print cancellation instruction is received during the printing performance, a print cancellation command is written in the file (). The print processor () refers the print spooling file () to read the sub-file () in order, so that the printing data included in the file would be transferred to a printer (). The completely transferred sub-file is deleted. The print processor () monitors the file () while the printing data is transferred to the printer (), and stops the following printing when the cancellation command is written.

Methods for creating printing data and for transferring printing data

The image processing performance of a present day or existing page printer, e.g., electrophotographic printer, is improved and accelerated with the use of a detachable intelligent cartridge which contains a CPU and necessary memory to process print data into image dated for the electronic control unit of the printer to which the cartridge is attached. Depending, upon the page description language (PDL) to be employed, a cartridge can be selected for use with the printer and accelerate its PDL conversion and printing output. The intelligent cartridge CPU, which is different from the printer CPU, receives print data are from the printer and, since the data bus connecting the intelligent cartridge and the electronic control unit of the printer has only a read only capability from the electronic control unit, data transfer to the cartridge is made possible by utilizing the print data as an index for the read address accomplished by the printer CPU. The bit image data is accomplished by the cartridge CPU from print data received via the printer CPU and after data development, the bit image data is transferred to the printer for hardcopy printout.

Intelligent cartridge for attachment to a printer to perform image

The image processing performance of a present day or existing page printer, e.g., electrophotographic printer, is improved and accelerated with the use of a detachable intelligent cartridge which contains a CPU and necessary memory to process print data into image dated for the electronic control unit of the printer to which the cartridge is attached. Depending upon the page description language (PDL) to be employed, a cartridge can be selected for use with the printer and accelerate its PDL conversion and printing output. The intelligent cartridge CPU, which is different from the printer CPU, receives print data from the printer and, since the data bus connecting the intelligent cartridge and the electronic control unit of the printer has only a read only capability from the electronic control unit, data transfer to the cartridge is made possible by utilizing the print data as an index for the read address accomplished by the printer CPU. The bit image data is accomplished by the cartridge CPU from print data received via the printer CPU and after data development, the bit image data is transferred to the printer for hardcopy printout.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano, Japan

Hajime Nishizawa