JP2003029940A - Dynamic distributed processing method of rendering processing and print control apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To reduce the overall processing time by averaging the loads on the CPU and the rendering unit of a printer. A pudding is a host computer.
When the print data is received from the CPU 203, the rendering time prediction unit 110 predicts the time for bitmapping the page of interest by the rendering unit 206 and the time for bitmapping by the CPU 203.
Then, the predicted time is added to the time until the process assigned to the rendering unit 206 is completed, and the rendering process of the page of interest is assigned to the process that is completed in a short time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dynamic distributed processing method of image drawing processing by software and hardware.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional image drawing processing system having hardware (rendering unit) dedicated to image drawing.

In FIG. 2, a print request and print data from the host PC 201 are sent to the printer 20 via the I / O control unit 202.
When the CPU 8 receives the print data, the CPU 203 temporarily stores the print data received from the host PC 201 according to the program stored in the ROM 205 on the RAM 205, and then converts the print data into an intermediate code required by the rendering unit 206, which is dedicated rendering hardware. , RAM 205 again.

When the intermediate code for one page is prepared,
The CPU 203 notifies the rendering unit 206. The rendering unit 206 reads the one page of intermediate code stored in the RAM 205 and expands the print data. The expanded bitmap image data is also stored in the RAM 205. At this time, while the rendering unit 206 is performing the print data expansion process, the CPU 203 creates the intermediate code of the next page to speed up the process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing this situation. Generation of the intermediate code for the second and subsequent pages by the CPU and expansion processing of the bitmap image by the rendering unit proceed in parallel.

When the image data for one page has been expanded into a bitmap, the rendering unit 206 notifies the CPU 203 of that fact. When the CPU 203 receives the notification of the end of the bitmap expansion processing from the rendering unit 206, it sends the bitmap data expanded on the RAM 205 to the printer engine unit 207, and the printing process is started.

[0007]

However, as shown in FIG. 6, when the processing time per page by the rendering unit 206 is longer than that by the CPU, tasks to be processed by the rendering unit are accumulated, and the rendering unit Since it has to be processed sequentially, the time to complete all printing depends only on the performance of the rendering unit, increasing the processing time and the cost for improving the performance of the rendering unit. Was causing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and optimizes the bitmap image expansion processing according to the load status of the CPU and the rendering unit, thereby averaging the loads of the CPU and the rendering unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a dynamic distributed processing method and a printing device for rendering processing by software and hardware that reduce the total processing time.

[0009]

To that end, in the present invention, the rendering of the next page is performed by adding the current load status of the rendering unit and the time required for the bitmap image expansion processing of the next page. Predict the time until the end, and compare this with the time prediction when the CPU performs the bitmap image expansion processing on the next page, and determine whether the rendering unit or the CPU performs the bitmap image expansion processing. By dynamically changing, the bitmap image expansion processing is optimized according to the load situation of the CPU and the rendering unit.

Therefore, an information processing apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.

First processing means for performing information processing including image drawing processing, second processing means for independently performing image drawing processing separately from the first processing means, and the first processing means. And a prediction unit that determines a prediction time required for the image drawing process by the second processing unit and a prediction time required for the image drawing process by the second processing unit, and the first processing unit performs the image drawing process by the first processing unit. The processing means or the second processing means is assigned based on the predicted time, and the image drawing processing is performed according to the assignment.

[0012] Further preferably, a printing means for printing based on the image data generated by the image drawing processing is further provided.

Further preferably, the predicting means obtains a predicted time required for image drawing processing for the page of interest,
The first processing means assigns the image drawing processing to the first processing means and the second processing means up to the page immediately before the page of interest, and the first processing means and the second processing means. The image drawing process is assigned based on the predicted time according to

Also preferably, the first processing means is
Based on the allocation of the image drawing processing to the first processing means and the second processing means up to the page immediately before the page of interest and the predicted time by the first processing means and the second processing means, The first processing unit and the second processing unit each predict the time until the image drawing process of the page of interest can be started, and at that time, the page of interest by the first processing unit and the second processing unit, respectively. The respective times obtained by adding the estimated time required for the image drawing processing of are compared, and the image drawing processing of the page of interest is assigned to the shorter one.

Further preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for quantitatively grasping the load of the first processing means, and the predicting means uses the first as the predicted time required for the image drawing processing by the first processing means. The predicted time is calculated in consideration of the load of the processing means 1.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a preferred first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the same symbols are assigned to parts having the same configurations as those of the conventional example already described, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, the rendering prediction unit 110
Analyzes the print data stored in RAM205 and
After the time prediction when the bitmap image is directly expanded by the CPU 203, and after the print data is once converted into an intermediate code,
Time estimation is performed when the rendering unit 206 performs the bitmap image expansion process.

Upon receiving the print data from the host PC 201, the rendering time prediction unit 110 predicts the time when the CPU 203 directly expands the bitmap image, and temporarily converts the print data into an intermediate code and then the rendering unit.
By 206, the time when the bitmap image expansion processing is performed is predicted, and both results are compared.

If the processing is completed earlier if the CPU 203 directly performs the bitmap image expansion processing, the CPU 203 directly performs the bitmap expansion processing, the CPU 203 once creates the intermediate code, and then the rendering unit 206 performs hardware processing. If the bitmap processing is completed earlier than the wear processing, the print data is once converted into an intermediate code by the CPU 203, and then the rendering image is processed by the rendering unit 206.

The processing flow at this time is shown in FIGS.

3 to 5 show a printer 20 according to this embodiment.
Reference numeral 8 shows a process when print data of three pages is received from the host PC 201.

First, when the reception of the print data of the first page is completed, the rendering time predicting section 110 predicts the time. At this time, the time prediction when the CPU 203 once converts the print data of the first page into the intermediate code and then passes the processing to the rendering unit to develop the bitmap image is shown in FIG.
Suppose it was like (A).

On the other hand, assuming that the time prediction when the CPU directly develops the bitmap image without converting the print data of the first page into the intermediate code is as shown in FIG. 3B, the bitmap by the rendering unit is used. Since the processing is completed faster when the expansion processing is performed, it is selected to perform the bitmap expansion processing by the rendering unit.

Next, when the reception of the print data of the second page is completed, the rendering time prediction 110 again performs the time prediction. At this time, after the CPU once converts the print data of the second page into the intermediate code, waits for the rendering unit to finish the bitmap expansion processing of the first page, and passes the processing to the rendering unit, and then the bitmap of the second page. It is assumed that the time prediction when the image expansion processing is performed is as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, assuming that the time prediction when the CPU directly expands the bitmap image without converting the print data of the second page into the intermediate code is as shown in FIG. Similarly, the bitmap expansion processing by the rendering unit is completed earlier, so the bitmap expansion processing by the rendering unit is selected.

Next, when the reception of the print data of the third page is completed, the rendering time predicting unit 110 again predicts the time. After the CPU once converts the print data of the 3rd page into the intermediate code, waits for the rendering unit to finish the bitmap expansion processing of the 1st and 2nd pages, and passes the processing to the rendering unit. It is assumed that the time prediction when the expansion processing is performed is as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, assuming that the time prediction when the CPU directly develops the bitmap image without converting the print data of the third page into the intermediate code is as shown in FIG. Since the processing is completed faster if the CPU directly performs the bitmap image expansion processing than the bitmap expansion processing, the CPU directly performs the bitmap image expansion processing without performing the bitmap expansion processing by the rendering unit. 5, in FIG. 5, the time for the intermediate code generation by the CPU of the i-th page is tcm.
i, CPU time to generate bitmap image is tcr
i, the bitmap image generation time by the rendering unit is shown as tri.

FIG. 9 is a generalized flowchart of the above procedure. This procedure is executed by the CPU 203.
Further, FIG. 12 is a TTc table and a TTr table which are bases for calculating the processing predicted time Tc by the CPU and the processing predicted time Tr by the rendering unit for a page for which a schedule has already been determined in one print job. In each record of these tables, the intermediate code generation time tcmi in the CPU predicted by the rendering time prediction unit (i indicates the page number)
In the bitmap image development times tcri and triri (also referred to as rendering time) in the CPU and the rendering unit, values corresponding to the scheduled processing are stored.

FIG. 12 shows a table in which the processing (estimation) time by the CPU and the rendering unit in the example of FIG. 5 is determined and registered up to the second page according to the schedule. In FIG. 5, for the first and second pages, the schedule is determined so that the CPU generates the intermediate code and the rendering unit generates the bitmap image. Therefore, in the TTc table, the times tcm1 and tcm2 for the CPU to generate the intermediate code for the first and second pages are registered, and
In the table, times trr1 and trr2 for the rendering unit to generate bitmap image data for the first and second pages are registered. Further, since the rendering unit starts the operation after the processing of the first page by the CPU is completed, the estimated time of the processing of the first page by the CPU is copied to the top of the table.
In FIG. 12, since the intermediate code is generated by the CPU on the first page, C is added at the beginning of the TTr table.
Although the intermediate code generation predicted time tcm1 by the PU is copied, if the first page is rendered by the CPU, tcr1 will be copied.

The Tc table, Tr thus constructed
The procedure of FIG. 9 is executed with reference to the table. In FIG. 9, first, the values of the Tc table and the Tr table are summed, and the page (i-1) immediately before the page of interest i is added.
The total values Tc and Tr of the predicted processing times by the CPU and the rendering unit up to are calculated (S901).

Next, the rendering time prediction unit 110 causes the CPU to generate the intermediate code time tcmi for the page of interest i and the CPU to generate the bitmap time t.
rmi, bitmap generation time t by the rendering unit
rr is calculated (S902).

Next, based on the values obtained in steps S901 and S902, steps S903 to S905
A predicted time Tpre1 until the rendering of the i-th page when the intermediate code is generated by the CPU is obtained. First, Tc + tcmi and Tr are compared (S90
3). The value of Tc indicates the time from when the CPU starts the processing of the first page to the state where the processing of the i-th page can be started, and the value of Tr indicates that the rendering unit starts the processing of the first page. It shows the time from the start to the state where the processing of the i-th page can be started.

Here, the rendering unit cannot start the processing immediately from the time Tr, but can start the processing only after the CPU generates the intermediate code of the i-th page. Therefore, if the time Tc + tcmi until the CPU finishes the generation of the intermediate code of the i-th page is longer than the time Tr until the rendering unit can start the processing, the rendering unit is bound by the processing of the CPU and the time Tc + tcm.
Only after i has elapsed, the rendering of the i-th page can be started. Therefore, in that case, as the value of Tpre1, C
The processing time t by the rendering unit is equal to the time Tc + tcmi until the PU finishes generating the intermediate code of the i-th page.
The value obtained by adding rr is the i-th value from the start of processing the first page.
Estimated time Tpr until page rendering is completed
e1 (S904).

On the other hand, if the time Tc + tcmi until the CPU finishes the generation of the intermediate code for the i-th page is shorter than the time Tr until the rendering section can start processing, the rendering section determines that the previous i-th page The i-th page can be rendered subsequent to the processing being performed.
In this case, the processing of the rendering unit is always after the intermediate code is generated by the CPU, so that the rendering unit first
The time Tr + tri from the start of processing the page to the end of the rendering of the i-th page is set as the predicted time Tpre1 (S905).

Next, the predicted time Tpre2 when rendered by the CPU is obtained. Since the CPU can immediately perform rendering if there is print data for the i-th page, the value of Tpre2 is the time Tc + tri from the start of the processing of the first page by the CPU to the end of the rendering processing of the i-th page, and Of the time Tr from the start of the processing of the first page to the end of the rendering processing of the (i-1) th page, the larger value is obtained (S90).
6).

Then, whether to perform rendering by the CPU or the rendering unit is determined by T.
Determined by comparing pre1 and Tpre2 (S90
7).

If Tpre1 is smaller, it is determined that rendering by the rendering unit is faster, and CP
The predicted intermediate code generation time tcmi by U is registered in the TTc table (S908). Then, step S90
At 9, the same determination as at step S903 is performed. Time Tc
If + tcmi is larger than the time Tr, the rendering unit has to start rendering the i-th page after waiting for the generation of the intermediate code by the CPU, and therefore replaces the TTr table with the TTc table.
Prepare for the prediction of the next page (S910). This allows
The time until the rendering unit can start rendering the i-th page is replaced with the time when the CPU finishes generating the intermediate code of the i-th page.

Finally, the estimated rendering time tri of the i-th page by the rendering unit is registered in the TTr table. The CPU schedules the generation of the intermediate code of the i-th page so that the rendering unit performs the rendering process (S911). This schedule can be realized, for example, by putting a scheduled task in a predetermined queue or the like.

On the other hand, when Tpre2 is smaller,
CPU determines that rendering is faster, CPU
The predicted rendering time tcri according to the above is registered in the TTc table, and the i-th page is scheduled to be rendered by the CPU (S912). afterwards,
The value of Tc + tcri is compared with Tr (step S91).
3). If the former is larger, the processing of the next page by the rendering unit is performed while waiting for an intermediate code generated from that time, based on the time Tc + tcri until the CPU finishes rendering the i-th page. Therefore, the TTr table is replaced with the TTc table to prepare for the prediction of the next page (S914).

According to the above procedure, the rendering process of the i-th page is performed by the CPU based on the schedule determined for each process of the i-1 th page from the first page to the page of interest of one print job. You can decide whether to do it in the or the rendering unit.

Although it is possible to determine which of the CPU and the rendering unit should perform the rendering in the above procedure, the processes of FIGS. 10 and 11 are further performed in order to improve the accuracy of prediction.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a procedure in which the CPU and the rendering unit replace the predicted time registered in the TTc table and the TTr table with the actually measured processing time after the actual processing is completed. In FIG. 10A, when the CPU creates the bitmap of the i-th page (S101), the corresponding predicted value tcri is replaced with the required time measured during the process (S102). Figure 10
Similarly in (B), when the CPU creates the intermediate code of the i-th page (S106), the corresponding predicted value tcmi is replaced with the required time actually measured during the processing (S10).
7). Similarly, in FIG. 11, when the rendering unit creates the bitmap of the i-th page (S111), the corresponding predicted value triri is replaced with the required time actually measured during the process (S112).

By using the actual required time for the processing that has already been completed, it is possible to perform more accurate scheduling.

The prediction of the time for generating the intermediate code of each page and the prediction of the rendering time are performed, for example, by obtaining the type and the number of each type of object included in the print data given from the host computer for each page. , The predicted processing time for each page can be obtained from the processing time given in advance for each type of object.

As described above, the CPU performs the bitmap image rasterization process for the next page based on the current load status of the CPU and the rendering unit and the estimated processing time required for the bitmap image rasterization process for the page of interest. It is possible to shorten the time required to generate the image data by dynamically deciding whether the image data should be rendered or by the rendering unit. What should be noted here is that only the page of interest should be predicted as the processing time when processing the page of interest. Therefore, it does not take an excessive amount of time for the prediction, and the processing overhead can be prevented.

Further, the processing schedule before the target page is not changed, and only the target page is processed by the CPU.
The scheduling process is simple because it is decided whether to perform processing in or in the rendering unit, and the processing overhead can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the rendering time predicting unit is described as an independent hardware, but the present invention is not limited to this.
The rendering time prediction may be performed by the CPU 203 according to a program stored in the ROM 204.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a preferred second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 7, the same symbols are assigned to the portions having the same configurations as those of the conventional example already described, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 7, 701 is a host PC and 702 is a printer.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that the host PC 701 has a rendering unit 206 and a rendering time prediction unit 110. In this case, it is not necessary to have the rendering unit 206 or the rendering time prediction unit 110 on the printer side. Further, in this configuration, since the bitmap image rasterization processing of the print data is performed on the host PC, the host PC 701 directly transmits the rasterized bitmap image to the printer 702 through the I / O control unit 207.

When the host PC 701 receives a print job from application software running on the host PC 701 or another host PC connected by a network (not shown), the rendering time prediction unit directly develops a bitmap image in the CPU. The time prediction in the case of performing the above and the time prediction in the case where the print data is once converted into the intermediate code and then the bitmap image development processing is performed by the rendering unit are performed, and both results are compared.

Unlike the first embodiment, the host PC 701
The upper CPU 203 holds various jobs other than print jobs. Therefore, when the rendering time prediction unit predicts the time when the bitmap image is directly expanded by the CPU, the rendering time is predicted according to the ratio of the processing load on the CPU.

For example, depending on the processing load other than the print job
Assuming that 70% of the CPU power is consumed, "the predicted time when the bitmap image is expanded by the CPU" = "the predicted time when the CPU is not loaded" x (100-70) / 100.

Furthermore, the current load status of the rendering unit and the time required for the bitmap image development processing of the next page are added together to perform time prediction, and the CPU is calculated in consideration of this and the CPU load status. The time prediction result for the bitmap image expansion processing on the next page is compared to dynamically change which of the rendering unit and the CPU is to perform the bitmap image expansion processing.

As a result of the above comparison, if the CPU finishes the bitmap image development processing earlier, the CPU directly performs the bitmap development processing, and the CPU once creates the intermediate code. If the rendering unit finishes the bitmap expansion process earlier than the hardware process, the print data is once converted into an intermediate code, and then the rendering unit performs the bitmap image expansion process.

FIG. 8 shows the flow of processing at this time.

FIG. 8 shows the processing when the image drawing processing system in this embodiment receives print data of three pages from the host PC.

It is assumed that the CPU has no jobs other than the print job and no load is present until the reception of the print data of the first and second pages is completed. In that case, the processing distribution between the CPU and the rendering unit does not differ from that in the first embodiment described above.

Similarly to when the print data for the first and second pages is received, the rendering time predicting unit 110 makes time prediction even at the time when the print data for the third page is completed. It is assumed that the CPU starts job processing other than the print job immediately before the reception of the print data of the page is completed and consumes 50% of the CPU power for the job. Then, since it originally has only half the processing power of the CPU, it can be predicted that the processing time of a print job by the CPU will be twice as long as when there is no load.

After the CPU once converts the print data of the third page into the intermediate code in this way, waits for the rendering unit to finish the bitmap expansion processing of the first and second pages, and passes the process to the rendering unit. Regarding the time prediction when the bitmap image expansion processing of the third page is performed,
Considering that the CPU uses 50% of CPU power for processing other than the print job, it is assumed that the time prediction is as shown in FIG. 8 (A).

On the other hand, regarding the time prediction when the CPU directly develops the bitmap image without converting the print data of the third page into the intermediate code, the CPU takes 50% of the CPU power for processing other than the print job. If the time prediction is as shown in FIG. 8B, the bitmap expansion processing by the rendering unit is completed faster, so the bitmap expansion processing by the rendering unit is performed. Choose that.

As described above, the current load condition of the rendering unit and the time required for the bitmap image development processing of the next page are added together to perform time prediction, and this is estimated.
Dynamically determine which of the rendering unit and the CPU is to perform the bitmap image expansion process by comparing with the time prediction when the CPU performs the bitmap image expansion process on the next page, considering the CPU load status. It changes.

The processing procedure of this embodiment can be realized by FIGS. 9 to 11 as in the first embodiment. However, since the processing capacity of the CPU decreases due to the parallel processing of other processing, the rendering processing time prediction unit 110
Outputs the estimated processing time by the CPU including the processing load on the CPU. For example, the rendering time prediction unit predicts the processing time assuming that 100% of the processing power of the CPU is normally allocated to processing other than the print job, and the predicted value is set to the CPU when processing the page of interest.
The processing capacity of is multiplied by the ratio assigned to the print job, and the result is output as a predicted value. This value is shown in Figure 9.
It is used as a predicted value of rendering processing time and intermediate code generation processing time by the pre-CPU.

In the above embodiments, the rendering time predicting unit is described as an independent hardware, but the present invention is not limited to this.
The rendering time prediction may be performed by the CPU 203 according to a program stored in the ROM 204.

Even if the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.), a device composed of one device (for example, copying machine, facsimile). Device).

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (or recording medium) recording a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to supply a computer of the system or apparatus ( Alternatively, it is achieved by the CPU or MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the operating system (OS) running on the computer is operated based on the instruction of the program code. ) And the like perform a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted in the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It also includes a case where a CPU or the like included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention, the current load condition of the rendering unit and the time required for the bitmap image expansion processing of the next page are added together to perform time prediction, and the time prediction is performed. Compares with the time prediction when the bitmap image expansion processing on the next page is performed, by dynamically changing which of the rendering unit and the CPU performs the bitmap image expansion processing, CPU power and rendering -There is an effect that optimum bitmap image development processing performance can be obtained according to both loads of hardware.

Further, based on the current load status of the CPU and the rendering section and the estimated processing time required for the bitmap image expansion processing of the page of interest, whether the CPU should perform the bitmap image expansion processing of the next page The time required for generating image data can be shortened by dynamically deciding whether or not the unit should perform. Further, since it is only for the target page that the processing time should be predicted when processing the target page, it is possible to prevent the processing overhead without requiring an excessive time for the prediction. Further, since the processing schedule before the page of interest is not changed and only the page of interest is processed by the CPU or the rendering unit, the scheduling process is simple and the processing overhead can be prevented.

Further, it is possible to predict the processing time in consideration of the processing load on the CPU and realize better allocation of processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a table used in the processing procedure of the first and second embodiments.

[Explanation of symbols]

110 Rendering time predictor 201 Host PC 202 I / O controller 203 CPU 204 ROM 205 RAM 206 Rendering unit 207 Printer engine 208 printer 209 system bus 701 Host PC 702 printer

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A first information processing including image drawing processing
And a second processing unit that performs image drawing processing independently of the first processing unit, an estimated time required for the image drawing processing by the first processing unit, and the second processing unit. And a prediction unit that determines a predicted time required for the image drawing process by the processing unit, wherein the first processing unit performs the image drawing process by the first unit.
The print control device is characterized in that the processing means or the second processing means is assigned based on the predicted time, and image drawing processing is performed according to the assignment. 2. The print control device according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit that prints based on the image data generated by the image drawing process. 3. The prediction means obtains a predicted time required for image drawing processing on a target page, and the first processing means determines the first processing means up to the page immediately before the target page and the second processing means. The image drawing processing is allocated based on the allocation of the image drawing processing to the processing means and the predicted time by the first processing means and the second processing means. Print controller. 4. The first processing means allocates the image drawing processing to the first processing means and the second processing means up to the page immediately before the page of interest and the first processing means and the first processing means. Based on the estimated time by the second processing means, the time until each of the first processing means and the second processing means can start the image drawing processing of the page of interest is predicted, and at that time, the first time is calculated. 2. The image drawing processing of the page of interest is assigned to the shorter one by comparing the respective times including the predicted times required for the image drawing processing of the page of interest by the processing means and the second processing means. 4. The print control device according to any one of items 1 to 3. 5. A means for quantitatively grasping the load of the first processing means is provided, and the predicting means is the first time as a predicted time required for the image drawing processing by the first processing means. The predicted time is calculated in consideration of the load of the processing means.
5. The print control device according to any one of items 4 to 4. 6. A first information processing including image drawing processing
A dynamic distributed processing method of rendering processing in which rendering is performed by the processing means of 1) and a second processing means of performing image drawing processing independently of the first processing means. A prediction step of obtaining a predicted time required for the image drawing processing by the second processing means and a predicted time required for the image drawing processing by the second processing means; and the image drawing processing, the first processing means or the second processing means. And a control step of causing the image drawing process to be performed according to the allocation. 7. The predicting step obtains a predicted time required for image drawing processing on a target page, and the control step controls the first processing means and the second processing means up to a page immediately before the target page. The method according to claim 6, wherein the image drawing processing is allocated based on the allocation of the image drawing processing and the estimated time by the first processing means and the second processing means. 8. The control step allocates the image drawing processing to the first processing means and the second processing means up to a page immediately before a page of interest and the first processing means and the second processing. Based on the estimated time by the means, the time until each of the first processing means and the second processing means can start the image drawing processing of the page of interest is predicted, and at that time, the first processing means The image drawing processing of the page of interest is assigned to the shorter one by comparing the respective times including the predicted times required for the image drawing processing of the page of interest by the second processing means. The method described. 9. The method further comprises a step of quantitatively grasping a load of the first processing means, wherein the predicting step is performed as a predicted time required for image drawing processing by the first processing means. 7. The predicted time taking into account the load of the processing means is calculated.
9. The method according to any one of items 8 to 8. 10. Rendering is performed by first processing means for performing information processing including image drawing processing and second processing means for performing image drawing processing independently of the first processing means. A computer program for obtaining a predicted time required for the image drawing processing by the first processing means and a predicted time required for the image drawing processing by the second processing means; A computer program for realizing, by a computer, a control unit that allocates to the first processing unit or the second processing unit based on the estimated time, and causes an image drawing process to be performed according to the allocation. 11. The predicting unit obtains a predicted time required for image drawing processing on a target page, and the control unit controls the first processing unit and the second processing unit up to a page immediately before the target page. 11. The computer program according to claim 10, wherein the image drawing processing is allocated based on the allocation of the image drawing processing and the predicted time by the first processing means and the second processing means. 12. The control means allocates the image drawing processing to the first processing means and the second processing means up to the page immediately before the page of interest and the first processing means.
Of the first processing means and the second processing means based on the estimated time by the processing means and the second processing means, and the time until the image drawing processing of the page of interest can be started is predicted. The respective times obtained by adding the estimated time required for the image drawing processing of the page of interest by the first processing means and the second processing means to the time,
The computer program according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the image drawing process of the page of interest is assigned to the shorter one. 13. The computer program further realizes, by a computer, means for quantitatively grasping a load of the first processing means, and the predicting means is required for image drawing processing by the first processing means. The predicted time is obtained by adding the load of the first processing means as the predicted time.
The computer program according to any one of 0 to 12. 14. A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 10.