An information processing system includes: a storage unit that stores first printing information on already executed printing in association with an image for printing converted from the first printing information; and an execution unit that, when second printing information included in a printing instruction which instructs execution of printing is identical to the first printing information stored in the storage unit, executes printing according to the printing instruction using the image for printing.

An image processing apparatus performs a first generation process generating first partial print data by a first color conversion process using a first profile corresponding to a first direction, and a second generation process generating second partial print data using a second color conversion process using a second profile. When a color difference is smaller than a reference, the apparatus sets a printing direction to the first direction, and outputs the first partial print data to a print execution unit for printing the first partial print data while the main scan moves in the first direction. When the color difference is larger than or equal to the reference, the apparatus sets the printing direction to the second direction, and outputs the second partial print data to the print execution unit for printing the second partial print data while the main scan moves in the second direction.

A subset of pages in a job are analyzed for page complexity to determine if a repeating complexity pattern is present in the job. If a repeating complexity pattern is found, then the page complexities can be extrapolated to other pages in the job. One embodiment comprises a plurality of Raster Image Processors (RIPs) and a scheduler. The scheduler receives a print job, identifies a subset of logical pages in the print job for complexity analysis, and calculates a page complexity value for logical pages in the subset. The scheduler determines that a repeating pattern of page complexity values is present in the subset, and assigns page complexity values to remaining logical pages in the print job by extrapolating the repeating pattern of page complexity values to the remaining logical pages. The scheduler assigns the logical pages in the print job to the RIPs based on their page complexity value.

A method for generating bitmap image data of a page includes acquiring print data of a page including compressed images, and performing rendering of bands included in the page based on the print data to generate the bitmap image data. The performing of the rendering performs rendering at least two of the bands concurrently. The performing of the rendering includes decompressing the compressed images, and using the decompressed images for corresponding bands of the bands to generate the bitmap image data. The decompressing decompresses, into a same memory area in a decompression buffer, at least two compressed images used for different bands, so that one of the two compressed images is decompressed into the same memory area and another of the two compressed images is decompressed, after rendering of a last band for which the one of the two compressed images is lastly used is finished, into the same memory area.

In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data; store the compressed image data into a memory; individually identify partial compressed data in the stored compressed image data, the partial compressed data corresponding to separate images; store the partial compressed data into the memory or store information identifying each of the partial compressed data, into the memory; a first creating processing for decompressing one of the partial compressed data and creating print data based on partial decompressed data obtained by decompressing the one partial compressed data; and a first output processing for outputting the created print data. The controller repeats the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of the partial compressed data. The printing apparatus performs printing based on the print data output in the first output processing.

Embodiments herein describe a two-phase printing process that utilizes page-to-resource tracking during the first rip-to-spool phase in order to perform resource scheduling during the second print-from-spool phase. In one embodiment, compute nodes include a RIP and a raster builder. A controller receives a print job, identifies a distribution of logical pages in the print job to the compute nodes, and generates page assignment information that maps the logical pages to the compute nodes based on the distribution. The compute nodes rasterize the logical pages to generate intermediate data using the RIPs, and store the intermediate raster data at a RIP spool. The controller directs a distribution of the intermediate raster data from the RIP spool to the compute nodes based on the page assignment information, and the compute nodes assemble the intermediate raster data into complete raster data using the raster builders.

An image processing apparatus capable of performing pixel synthesis processing at high speed. Synthesis processing of a first object and a second object is performed for an area where the first object and the second object overlap each other. A first image formation processor stores first pixel data, which corresponds to the area, of pixel data of the first object, in a first communication memory and stores second pixel data, which corresponds to the area, of pixel data of the second object, in a second communication memory. A second image formation processor acquires the first and second pixel data from the first and second communication memories, respectively, and performs synthesis processing of the acquired first and second pixel data.

An image processing apparatus performs a first generation process generating first partial print data by a first color conversion process using a first profile corresponding to a first direction, and a second generation process generating second partial print data using a second color conversion process using a second profile. When a color difference is smaller than a reference, the apparatus sets a printing direction to the first direction, and outputs the first partial print data to a print execution unit for printing the first partial print data while the main scan moves in the first direction. When the color difference is larger than or equal to the reference, the apparatus sets the printing direction to the second direction, and outputs the second partial print data to the print execution unit for printing the second partial print data while the main scan moves in the second direction.

Provided is an image forming apparatus for further speeding up an image forming process. A first rendering core of a rendering core module executes data analysis of an object of PDL format printing information. A second rendering core executes a speculative process for generating a Display List for an object. A third rendering core executes a rendering process for a printout or display output based on the Display List generated by the second rendering core. In addition, data analysis by the first rendering core and the speculative process by the second rendering core are executed in parallel processing. As a result, the second rendering core can execute the generation of a Display List by a speculative process even without receiving a rendering command from the first rendering core.

An image forming method uses a memory, forms an image on a print medium using color materials of L colors, and includes: setting N groups associated for respective N objects including a plurality of scanning lines and reproduced with the color materials of the L colors; calculating a relative address that stores tone data representing a tone of one color material among the color materials of the L colors based on coordinates of a plurality of pixels forming the plurality of scanning lines to calculate L addresses separated by shifting the relative address using a predetermined offset address; and transmitting and receiving L tone data representing tones of respective L color materials for reproducing colors of the plurality of pixels forming the scanning lines by using the L addresses to/from the memory via L channels among M (M is an integer larger than N) communication channels.