EP0412925A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Page printer memory allocation
Assignee: Lexmark International Inc
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Filing: 1990-07-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-07-18
Abstract
Abstract A memory management system for a page printer controller (11) which includes random access memory (17) allocated among bit map memory (30), page buffer memory (29), and user memory (28). The memory management system allocates the random access memory to provide either a large bit map memory or, responsive to needs of the controller (11) for increased memory for other uses, for allocating the random access memory (17) to provide a small bit map memory and place more memory in the page buffer memory (29) and user memory (28).
Inventors
- 👤 James Lee Beck
- 👤 Wallace Lee Holloway Ii
- 👤 John Knox Brown Iii
- 👤 Lynn Marvin Oliver
- 👤 Carl Price Cole
- 👤 Stephen Ray Troyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/128; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/0005; G06K2215/0011
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A page printer comprising a print engine and a controller for the print engine having a random access memory allocated among (a) bit map memory containing a bit image of page data to be serialized to the print engine for printing, (b) page buffer memory containing page description information to be rasterized into the bit map memory, and (c) user memory, the controller having a memory management arrangement including: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a large bit map memory; and means, responsive to needs of the controller for increased memory for page buffer memory and user memory, for reallocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory, whereby an increased amount of the random access memory is available for page buffer memory and user memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A page printer comprising a print engine and a controller for the print engine having a random access memory allocated among (a) bit map memory containing a bit image of page data to be serialized to the print engine for printing, (b) page buffer memory containing page description information to be rasterized into the bit map memory, and (c) user memory, the controller having a memory management arrangement including: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a large bit map memory; and means, responsive to needs of the controller for increased memory for page buffer memory and user memory, for reallocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory, whereby an increased amount of the random access memory is available for page buffer memory and user memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The printer of claim 1 in which the large bit map memory comprises a full page bit map memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The printer of claim 1 in which the page buffer memory contains character representations and the user memory contains bit image data for characters represented in the page buffer memory, and the bit map memory is rasterized by writing bit image data from the user memory into the bit map memory in accordance with the character representations in the page buffer memory.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
A memory management arrangement for a page printer controller which includes random access memory allocated among bit map memory, user memory, and page buffer memory, comprising: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a large bit map memory, an amount of user memory, and an amount of page buffer memory; means, responsive to needs of the controller for increased user memory, for re-allocating the random access memory to provide an additional amount of user memory and reducing the size of the page buffer memory by said additional amount; and means, responsive to further needs of the controller for increased user memory, for re-allocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory, freeing a certain amount of memory, and adding said certain amount of memory to the page buffer memory.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
A memory management arrangement for a page printer controller which includes random access memory allocated among bit map memory, user memory, and page buffer memory, comprising: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a large bit map memory, an amount of user memory, and an amount of page buffer memory; means, responsive to needs of the controller for increased user memory, for re-allocating the random access memory to provide an additional amount of user memory and reducing the size of the page buffer memory by said additional amount; and means, responsive to further needs of the controller for increased user memory, for re-allocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory, freeing a certain amount of memory, and adding said certain amount of memory to the page buffer memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
A memory management arrangement for a page printer controller which includes random access memory allocated between bit map memory and memory for other uses, comprising: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a large bit map memory; and means, responsive to needs of the controller for increased memory for other uses, for reallocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory, whereby an increased amount of the random access memory is available for other uses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A memory management arrangement for a page printer controller which includes random access memory allocated between bit map memory and memory for other uses, comprising: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a large bit map memory; and means, responsive to needs of the controller for increased memory for other uses, for reallocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory, whereby an increased amount of the random access memory is available for other uses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The memory management arrangement of claim 5 in which the large bit map memory comprises a full page bit map memory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The memory management arrangement of claim 5 in which the memory for other uses in the random access memory comprises user memory and page buffer memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
A memory management arrangement for a page printer controller which includes random access memory allocated between bit map memory and memory for other uses, comprising: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory; means, responsive to reduced needs of the controller from memory for other uses, for designating for reallocation memory no longer needed for other uses; and means for reallocating the designated random access memory to bit map memory to provide a large bit map memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
A memory management arrangement for a page printer controller which includes random access memory allocated between bit map memory and memory for other uses, comprising: means for allocating the random access memory to provide a small bit map memory; means, responsive to reduced needs of the controller from memory for other uses, for designating for reallocation memory no longer needed for other uses; and means for reallocating the designated random access memory to bit map memory to provide a large bit map memory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The memory management arrangement of claim 8 in which the large bit map memory comprises a full page of bit map memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The memory management arrangement of claim 9 in which the memory and the random access memory for other uses comprises user memory and page buffer memory.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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