Systems and methods for color data compression

1. A method for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block is associated with a distinct color plane, the method comprising:

compressing the bitmap image;

determining at least one compressed color block that is contained in a transfer frame, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium;

tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, if the size of the transfer frame exceeds a threshold; and

reducing the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is determined based in part on a bandwidth of a communication interface that transfers the compressed bitmap image.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is determined based in part on a print speed of a printer to which the compressed bitmap image is transferred.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein compressing the bitmap image comprises compressing a lower resolution image and a delta image derived from the bitmap image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing the resolution of each compressed color block comprises removing a delta image block corresponding to the compressed color block.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, comprises.

reducing the size of the transfer frame by the size of the delta image block corresponding to a largest untagged color block in the transfer frame; and

tagging the largest untagged compressed color block, if the reduced size of the transfer frame exceeds the threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, comprises.

determining a dominance rank for each color plane;

reducing the size of the transfer frame by the size of the delta image block corresponding to a least-dominant untagged compressed color block in the transfer frame; and

tagging the least-dominant untagged compressed color block, if the reduced size of the transfer frame exceeds the threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, further comprises tagging each compressed color block that is in a same print frame as the compressed color block that is tagged.

9. A method for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block associated with a distinct color plane, the method comprising:

compressing the bitmap image;

determining the number of compressed color blocks that are contained in a transfer frame, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium;

computing an available bandwidth for each compressed color block, based on the number of compressed color blocks contained in a transfer frame;

tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, if the size of the compressed color block exceeds a threshold; and

reducing the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the threshold is proportional to the available bandwidth.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein computing the available bandwidth for each compressed color block is further based on a bandwidth of a communication interface that transfers the compressed color block.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that contains instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs steps in a method for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block is associated with a distinct color plane, the method comprising:

compressing the bitmap image;

determining at least one compressed color block that is contained in a transfer frame, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium;

tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, if the size of the transfer frame exceeds a threshold; and

reducing the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, comprises:

reducing the size of the transfer frame by the size of the delta image block corresponding to a largest untagged color block in the transfer frame; and

tagging the largest untagged compressed color block, if the reduced size of the transfer frame exceeds the threshold.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, comprises:

determining a dominance rank for each color plane;

reducing the size of the transfer frame by the size of the delta image block corresponding to a least-dominant untagged compressed color block in the transfer frame; and

tagging the least-dominant untagged compressed color block, if the reduced size of the transfer frame exceeds the threshold.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, further comprises tagging each compressed color block that is in a same print frame as the compressed color block that is tagged.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium that contains instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs steps in a method for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block associated with a distinct color plane, the method comprising:

compressing the bitmap image;

determining the number of compressed color blocks that are contained in a transfer frame, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium;

computing an available bandwidth for each compressed color block, based on the number of compressed color blocks contained in a transfer frame;

tagging at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, if the size of the compressed color block exceeds a threshold; and

reducing the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the threshold is proportional to the available bandwidth.

18. A system for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block is associated with a distinct color plane, the system comprises:

a compressor configured to compress the bitmap image;

a bandwidth limit inspector configured to:

determine at least one compressed color block that is contained in a transfer frame, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium; and

tag at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, if the size of the transfer frame exceeds a threshold; and

a formatter configured to reduce the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the bandwidth limit inspector is further configured to:

reduce the size of the transfer frame by the size of the delta image block corresponding to a largest untagged color block in the transfer frame; and

tag the largest untagged compressed color block, if the reduced size of the transfer frame exceeds the threshold.

20. A system for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block is associated with a distinct color plane, the system comprises:

a compressor configured to compress the bitmap image;

a bandwidth limit inspector configured to:

determine the number of compressed color blocks that are contained in a transfer frame, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium;

compute an available bandwidth for each compressed color block, based on the number of compressed color blocks contained in a transfer frame; and

tag at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame, if the size of the compressed color block exceeds a threshold; and

a formatter configured to reduce the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged.