Image data processing
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for processing image data are disclosed. The method includes the step of partitioning the image data into a plurality of data portions (μPage) for processing. Each data portion comprises a plurality of rows of pixels corresponding to at least one print swath height. The data portions are processed in a plurality of intermediate processing stages. The data portions are processed sequentially. The number of pixels per row of a data portion is determined to be just large enough ensure adequate output printing data for a given print head at all times. The processed data is then delivered to the print head in a just-in-time manner (JIT). An apparatus for processing the image data comprises an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).
1. An apparatus for processing image data, comprising:
a processor that partitions a swath of said image data into a plurality of data portions, each comprising a plurality of rows of pixels corresponding to at least one print swath height; and
a plurality of intermediate processing stages for sequentially processing said data portions,
wherein each of said intermediate processing stages include a cascaded arrangement of a rasterizer, a raster processor and a pixel generator, and wherein each of said intermediate processing stages simultaneously processes a different sequential one of said partitioned data portions.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a memory means that stores the data processed by each intermediate stage, said memory being dedicated to said intermediate processing stages.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the number of pixels within each row of each of said data portions is chosen to be just large enough to ensure adequate output printing data for a given print head at all times.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including means for rendering the processed image data on print media.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including processing means for scheduling processing of said data portions by said intermediate processing stages to deliver processed data to a final processing stage just-in-time for rendering.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the intermediate processing stages is implemented by an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).
7. A printer, comprising:
processing means for partitioning a swath of image data into a plurality of data portions, said data portions comprising a plurality of rows of pixels corresponding to at least one print swath height;
a plurality of intermediate processing stages for sequentially processing said data portions to generate output print data; and
a print head sequentially receiving said processed data portions,
wherein said intermediate processing stages include a cascaded arrangement of a rasterizer, a raster processor and a pixel generator that simultaneously process a different sequential one of said partitioned data portions.
8. The printer of claim 7 , further including memory means for storing the data processed by each intermediate stage, said memory means being dedicated to said intermediate stages.
9. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the number of pixels within each row of each said data portion is chosen to be just large enough to ensure adequate output printing data for a given print head at all times.
10. The printer of claim 7 , further including means for rendering the processed image data on print media.
11. The printer of claim 7 , further including processing means for scheduling processing of said data portions by said intermediate processing stages to deliver processed data to a final processing stage just-in-time for rendering.