An image processing method of performing rasterization of a page in units of band area includes, among other things, performing, in units of band areas, rasterization based on second intermediate data stored in a first memory area for storing intermediate data and compressed raster data stored in a second memory area. The rasterization of the plurality of band areas is performed in parallel. In addition, the performing of the rasterization based on the second intermediate data and the compressed raster data includes selectively decompressing, in units of predetermined areas, a piece of the compressed raster data stored in the second memory area, in accordance with which band areas, of a plurality of band areas, are to be subject to the rasterization.

An apparatus that performs image processing on input image data in parallel in units of block according to an aspect of the invention includes a derivation unit configured to derive a memory size used in conversion processing of converting data alignment sequence in the image data from a line sequence into a block sequence which is executed before rendering of the image data and a memory size used in the conversion processing which is executed after the rendering of the image data, a determination unit configured to determine a timing for executing the conversion processing based on the derivation results, and a conversion unit configured to execute the conversion processing at the determined timing.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of combining a group element so that a color intended by a user is output ultimately even in the case where flattening is performed on the way of the processing performed on the group.

An apparatus that performs image processing on input image data in parallel in units of block according to an aspect of the invention includes a derivation unit configured to derive a memory size used in conversion processing of converting data alignment sequence in the image data from a line sequence into a block sequence which is executed before rendering of the image data and a memory size used in the conversion processing which is executed after the rendering of the image data, a determination unit configured to determine a timing for executing the conversion processing based on the derivation results, and a conversion unit configured to execute the conversion processing at the determined timing.

A method for managing memory use in a graphics processing system receives a plurality of objects to be reproduced on an output medium, the output medium being divided into a plurality of bands. Objects falling within a band are stored in a corresponding local band memory and shared objects intersecting the band and at least one other band in at least one shared memory arena. Each shared memory arena is associated with a band counter defining the number of bands referencing said shared memory arena. The local band memory is associated with a data structure storing a shared memory arena identifier of the at least one shared memory arena where the shared objects intersecting the band are stored. The method facilitates release of the at least one shared memory arena in response to rasterizing the band selected for rasterizing based on the plurality of shared memory arena identifiers.

An image processing apparatus which segments a raster image of a region having a predetermined width and a predetermined height includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire print data, a plurality of rendering units each configured to perform rendering in regions each having the predetermined width and a height smaller than the predetermined height based on the print data to generate a raster image of a region having the predetermined width and the predetermined height, the rendering being performed in parallel by the plurality of rendering units, and a segmenting unit configured to segment the generated raster image of the region having the predetermined width and the predetermined height into raster images of a plurality of segment regions each having a width smaller than the predetermined width and the predetermined height.

An image processing method of performing rasterization of a page in units of band area, comprises: generating first data drawing a first group of objects included in the page; storing the generated first data into a first memory area; performing, in units of band areas, rasterization based on the stored first data to generate a first raster data of the page; compressing, in units of predetermined areas, the first raster data; storing the compressed first raster data into a second memory area; deleting the first data from the first memory area; generating second data drawing a second group of objects included in the page; storing second data into the first memory area; performing, in units of band areas, rasterization based on the second data and the compressed first raster data.

A method for printing a strip-shaped material to be printed uses a printing unit of a roller printer. Output data for actuating at least one printing machine printing unit component, which determines the shape of printing images, is generated from stored template image data of a complete printing image in order to generate a printed complete printing image. The complete printing image is determined or described in a primary data packet, and the dimensions of the complete image, which dimensions are measured in a template direction, are assigned to the complete printing image in the template image data or the primary data packet. The dimensions of the complete image are compared with a threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded, the complete printing image is divided into a plurality of sections with respect to the template direction, with the plurality of sections being determined or described in a plurality of secondary data packets. The sections are produced on the material to be printed by printing processes which are carried out by the printing unit and during each of which, output data, based on at least one of the secondary data packets, is processed.

A method for scheduling operator actions for a print job to be printed in a print-while-rip mode includes assuming at least one part of a print job duration which is unknown due to missing information, establishing at least one operator action during the at least one second part of the print job duration based on a first part of the print job duration, displaying a time bar for the print job on the user interface, the time bar starting from the established start time and including a first time bar part corresponding to and proportional to the first part of the print job duration and at least one second time bar part corresponding to the at least one second part of the print job duration, and for each established operation action, displaying a digital object representing the operator action at the corresponding moment in time on the second time bar part.

An image processing apparatus which segments a raster image of a region having a predetermined width and a predetermined height includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire print data, a plurality of rendering units each configured to perform rendering in regions each having the predetermined width and a height smaller than the predetermined height based on the print data to generate a raster image of a region having the predetermined width and the predetermined height, the rendering being performed in parallel by the plurality of rendering units, and a segmenting unit configured to segment the generated raster image of the region having the predetermined width and the predetermined height into raster images of a plurality of segment regions each having a width smaller than the predetermined width and the predetermined height.