Memory partitioning for multi-resolution pauseless page printing

Abstract

A multi-resolution capable printer includes a critical operations memory buffer for enabling critical page print operations to occur without flushing the video buffers and without waiting for returned-in memory to heal into larger free blocks. The critical operations buffer thus enables improved constant printer throughput and reduced 'pausing' during a multi-page print job. The critical operations buffer is dynamically sized to the resolution of the current page being printed. Thus, at higher resolution configurations, the critical operations buffer is reduced in size to allow the video buffers to increase in size to accommodate the higher resolution. At lower resolution configurations, the critical operations buffer is increased in size and the video buffers are decreased in size to accommodate the lower resolution. Advantageously, the total combined pre-reserved memory area utilized by the critical operations buffer and the video buffers remains constant. The critical operations buffer is utilized for large contiguous memory allocation requests, pre-rasterization operations, compressing operations, rendering character bitmaps, scaling and rotating raster objects, building vector paths, defragmenting the memory, and the like.