Method and apparatus for providing a color-balanced multiple print engine

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for color balancing page data, from a variety of input sources having non-consistent device color profiles, among a plurality of individually accessible print engines arranged in a system for color printing multiple copies of multiple page documents. Input page data is converted to a common color space, rasterized and routed to a selected print engine. Page data routed to each marking engine is color balanced to the selected marking engine where at least a portion of the color balancing occurs following the rasterizing of the page data.

1 . A method for processing a print job for printing on a system having multiple marking engines, each marking engine having an associated color space, the method comprising:
 receiving a print job defined according to a first color space; and   processing the received print job for routing to a selected marking engine to provide rasterized image data in the color space of the selected marking engine, wherein processing includes converting the print job data to the color space of the selected marking engine, and converting is performed on the rasterized image data.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving comprises inputting page data for the print job to a spooler. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing includes:
 decoding the print job data into print strings; and   rasterizing the print job data to form bit-mapped page images;   compressing the bit-mapped page image data; and   storing the compressed page image data.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein processing further includes:
 compressing the bit-mapped page image data; and   storing the compressed page image data.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein converting comprises:
 referencing all print engines to a common color space;   translating the print job data from the first color space to the common color space; and   balancing the print job data designated for a selected marking engine to the color space of the selected marking engine.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein referencing comprises:
 selecting a system color space common to all marking engines in the system; and   entering the selected system color space specification into a formatter.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein translating comprises:
 mapping the print job data defined according to the first color space into a device-independent color space; and   mapping the print job data now defined in the device-independent color space into the common color space.   
   
   
       8 . Apparatus for processing a print job for printing on a system having multiple marking engines, each marking engine having an associated color space, the apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving a print job defined according to a first color space; and   means for processing the received print job, for routing to a selected marking engine, and to provide rasterized image data defined in the color space of the selected marking engine, wherein the means for processing includes means for converting the print job data to the color space of the selected marking engine, and converting is performed on the rasterized image data.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the means for receiving comprises means for inputting page data for the print job to a spooler. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the means for processing includes:
 means for decoding the print job data into print strings;   means for rasterizing the print job data to form bit-mapped page images.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the means for processing further includes:
 means for compressing the bit-mapped page image data; and   means for storing the compressed page image data.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the means for converting comprises:
 means for referencing all print engines to a common color space;   means for translating the print job data from the first color space to the common color space; and   means for balancing the print job data designated for a selected marking engine to the color space of the selected marking engine.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the means for referencing comprises:
 means for selecting a system color space common to all marking engines in the system; and   means for entering the selected system color space specification into a formatter.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the means for translating comprises:
 means for mapping the print job data defined according to the first color space into a device-independent color space; and   means for mapping the print job data now defined in the device-independent color space into the common color space.