The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 24, 1996
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Memory fragmentation in a page printer is avoided by assessing the current extent of memory fragmentation and memory utilization before allocating memory for describing a portion of a next page to be printed. In one embodiment, the assessment includes a weighted average of a normalized standard deviation of current free memory block sizes (indicating fragmentation) and the current percent utilization of memory. A page printer in one embodiment has insufficient memory for bit for bit images of entire pages to be printed. However, a high page printing rate is nonetheless maintained by avoiding interruptions in interface communications and data processing that result when there is insufficient memory to support an allocation request for a contiguous block size. Memory allocation for a new page to be printed is deferred until an assessment of memory fragmentation and utilization is favorably compared to a limit. Processing of a new page with consequential increased fragmentation and increased utilization is, therefore, begun at a time when a memory-out condition and subsequent delays are less likely to arise.