Output method

Abstract

An output apparatus comprises: a producing circuit for receiving code data indicative of a pattern to be generated and for producing a pattern based on the code data; an interruption instructing circuit for instructing the interruption of the outputting process; and a retreating circuit for retreating the code data which had already been received before the interruption was instructed in the case where the interruption has been instructed by the interruption instructing circuit. The code data is expressed by a page describing language. The preceding code data is retreated by a different data format when the outputting process has been interrupted. The recording process which has been interrupted can be restarted from the interrupted state by returning the retreated data from the auxiliary memory.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An output apparatus comprising: 
       receiving means for receiving a plurality of pieces of command information relating to a first job for a first image;  
       first memory means for storing the received command information;  
       generating means for generating dot data based on the command information stored in said first memory means;  
       second memory means for storing the generated dot data; and  
       retreating means for retreating both the received command information stored in said first memory means and the dot data stored in said second memory means to a third memory means in response to an output processing for the first job being interrupted to perform an output processing for another job for a different image.  
     
     
       2. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said retreating means comprises means for compressing the dot data generated by said generating means and for storing the compressed dot data in response to the output processing for the first job being interrupted. 
     
     
       3. An output apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising means for returning the stored compressed dot data to its original form. 
     
     
       4. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising instructing means for instructing the interruption of the output processing, wherein said retreating means retreats the received information after the command information relating to the first job has been completely received by said receiving means. 
     
     
       5. An output apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said instructing means instructs the interruption so as to output other dot data relating to the other job. 
     
     
       6. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for generating size information and position information for a pattern to be output by said apparatus based on the received command information, wherein said retreating means further retreats the size and position information when the output processing for the first job is interrupted. 
     
     
       7. An output apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising means for outputting the dot data. 
     
     
       8. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing means for analyzing the received command information while the command information is retreated by said retreating means. 
     
     
       9. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the command information is represented by page description language. 
     
     
       10. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for outputting the dot data. 
     
     
       11. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said retreating means retreats at least one piece of the command information based on which dot data has not yet been generated by said generating means. 
     
     
       12. An output apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising the third memory means for storing the command information and the dot data retreated by said retreating means. 
     
     
       13. An output apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said third memory means comprises a hard disc. 
     
     
       14. An output apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said outputting means comprises means for printing the dot data on a recording medium as an image. 
     
     
       15. An output apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said printing means prints the dot data by an electrostatic recording method. 
     
     
       16. An output method comprising the steps of: 
       
         receiving a plurality of pieces of command information relating to a first job;  
       
       
         generating dot data based on the received command information and storing the generated dot data; and  
       
         re - treating both the received command information and the stored dot data in response to an interruption during said generating step for the first job so as to perform an output processing for another job.   
     
     
       17. An output method according to  claim 16 , wherein said re- treating step comprises compressing the dot data generated in said generating step and storing the compressed dot data in response to the interruption.   
     
     
       18. An output method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of returning the stored compressed dot data to its original form. 
     
     
       19. An output method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of instructing the interruption, and wherein, in said re- treating step, the received information is re - treated after the command information relating to the first job has been completely received.   
     
     
       20. An output method according to  claim 19 , wherein said instructing step includes instructing the interruption so as to output other dot data relating to the other job. 
     
     
       21. An output method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of generating size information and position information for a pattern to be output based on the received command information, wherein, in said re- treating step, the size and position information is re - treated.   
     
     
       22. An output method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of analyzing the received command information while the command information is re- treated in said re - treating step.   
     
     
       23. An output method according to  claim 16 , wherein the command information is represented by page description language. 
     
     
       24. An output method according to  claim 16 , wherein, in said re- treating step, any command information based on which dot data has not yet been generated in said generating step is re - treated.   
     
     
       25. An output method according to  claim 16 , wherein the command information and the dot data re- treated in said re - treating step are stored in memory means.   
     
     
       26. An output method according to  claim 25 , wherein the memory means comprises a hard disc. 
     
     
       27. An output method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of printing the dot data on a recording medium as an image. 
     
     
       28. An output method according to  claim 27 , wherein, in said printing step, the dot data is printed using an electrostatic recording method.