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:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
May. 06, 1998
Akio Sugaya, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A printing apparatus includes a storing unit for executing a storing operation to store one page of intermediate data in a first memory. A determination unit determines, during the storing operation by the storing unit, whether the one page of intermediate data can be stored in the first memory. A control unit controls a data compression and storing operation such that if the determination unit determines that the one page of intermediate data cannot be stored in the first memory, (i) a portion of the one page of intermediate data that has already been stored in the first memory is compressed and stored in a second memory so as to expand a free space of the first memory, and (ii) a subsequent portion of the one page of intermediate data is compressed and stored in the second memory. A generation unit reads either one of the one page of intermediate data stored in the first memory and the one page of compressed intermediate data stored in the second memory and generates bit map data from the read intermediate data.