| 摘要 |
<p>A source file written in a page description language is processed by a plurality of data processors (6a, 6b, 6c) that are loosely coupled together through a network (7) in order to obtain rasters of pixel information for printing. In the data processor (6a) having a request for printing, a client process (210) converts a source file (19) into an intermediate code file (10) which is then divided into a plurality of partial files that can be rasterized independently. Some of the partial files are given to a rasterizer (212) in the data processor (6a) having the request for printing and are rasterized into pixel data. The remaining of partial files are distributed into other data processors (6b, 6c) through network (7). In these processors (6b, 6c), the distributed partial files are received by a server process (211), and sent to the rasterizer (212) where partial pixel data are formed. The partial pixel data formed in these processors (6b, 6c) are sent back to the data processor (6a) through network (7). In the data processor (6a) having the request for printing, the client process (210) unifies the pixel data sent back from other data processors (6b, 6c) and the pixel data formed by its own rasterizer (212) to form the overall pixel data, and sends them to a printer (21).</p> |
