In many situations, an outputting device (such as a peripheral output device or a printer) is coupled to a document processing device, such as a personal computer or a workstation, that helps render an output job (such as a print job) that is output by the outputting device (e.g. printed by the printing device). The document processing device generates one or more output jobs to be output by the outputting device. For example, the output jobs can be generated by one or more application programs (e.g. word processing programs, electronic mail programs, drawing programs, spread sheet programs, desk top publishing programs, etc.) executed by the document processing device. The output jobs may include any type of graphical elements or information supported by the outputting device, including text, pictures, and so forth. The document processing device typically translates the output job into a language that is understood by the outputting device. Where the outputting device is a printer, the language can be Printer Control Language (PCL) or Postscript. A particular outputting device may understand a single language, thereby requiring the processing device to translate the output job into that single language. This type of outputting device requires an attached processing device to convert the raw output job data into a format (i.e., language) that is understood by the outputting device.
Other outputting devices may be capable of processing output jobs in multiple languages. These outputting devices are typically more complicated because they are required to identify, interpret and process output commands in several different languages. Although these outputting devices are more complicated, they typically require an attached processing device to provide the output job and other output control information to the outputting device. Another type of outputting device contains its own output rendering engine that is capable of generating an output document from raw output job data. Although this type of outputting device contains its own output rendering engine, it is typically coupled to a document processing device, such as a computer, to receive the raw output job data generated, for example, by an application running on the computer.
A document processing device can execute different kinds of applications each of which can generate an output job that can be output by the outputting device upon a demand for same by a user. Prior to initiation of the demand for output, the user can continue to input data, edit files, create new files, etc. When the user does make a demand to the document processing device to generate an output job to be output by an outputting device, a significant amount of processing executed by the document processing device may be required in order to generate the output job. This processing can involve the generation in the output job of different types of graphical elements or information including text, pictures, and so forth. The time that the user must wait before the outputting device outputs the output job is dependent upon the amount of processing that the processing device and/or the outputting device require in order to generate the output job. In would be advantageous to decrease the time that the user must wait for the output job to be output by the outputting device. Consequently, there is a need for improved methods, programs, and systems that can provide such a capability.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds