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.

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.

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 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.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving the performance of a raster image processor. Smaller objects are identified among a group of larger objects with respect to a job processed via a raster image processor. The smaller objects are merged with one or more larger objects among the group of larger objects. The smaller objects that are merged with the larger object are treated as a single object without losing the perceptual quality of the job and while reducing memory requirements to thereby enhance productivity during processing of the job via the raster image processor. RIP performance improvement results by pre-flattening complicatedly designed backgrounds with multiple objects of significantly low relative occupancy.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving the performance of a raster image processor. Smaller objects are identified among a group of larger objects with respect to a job processed via a raster image processor. The smaller objects are merged with one or more larger objects among the group of larger objects. The smaller objects that are merged with the larger object are treated as a single object without losing the perceptual quality of the job and while reducing memory requirements to thereby enhance productivity during processing of the job via the raster image processor. RIP performance improvement results by pre-flattening complicatedly designed backgrounds with multiple objects of significantly low relative occupancy.