Claims
- 1. A method of printing comprising the steps of:
receiving a print job having image data; converting the image data into raster bits; and transmitting the raster bits to an external file storage.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether multiple original prints are included in the print job; and executing the converting and transmitting steps if multiple original prints are included in the print job.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is specified for individual pages, and wherein the converting step comprises converting the image data for each of the individual pages into the raster bits, and further wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the raster bits as rasterized files corresponding to the individual pages.
- 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
retrieving the rasterized files for each of the individual pages from the external file storage; and printing each of the individual pages from a corresponding rasterized file.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of selecting the external file storage from memory included in one or more host devices.
- 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising manually selecting the external file storage.
- 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising automatically selecting the external file storage.
- 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of selecting the external file storage comprises selecting storage in a memory located in a host device other than a host device from which the print job originated.
- 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of selecting the external file storage comprises selecting storage in a memory located external to all of the one or more host devices.
- 10. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of selecting the external file storage comprises selecting storage in a memory located in the host device from which the print job originated.
- 11. The method of claim 10, further including the step of providing the print job with identification data indicating the host device from which the print job originated.
- 12. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing an inkjet printer for receiving the print job, wherein the inkjet printer has a storage system that is unable to store the rasterized file.
- 13. A network printing system comprising:
a host device of a plurality of host devices, the host device configured to generate a print job, the print job including image data and data representative of print commands; a printer including image processing software for performing print commands, including the converting of the image data into a rasterized file; a file storage external to the printer for storing the rasterized file created by the image processing software; and a network connection for transmitting the print job between the printer and the host device and for transmitting the rasterized file between the printer and the file storage.
- 14. The network printing system of claim 13, wherein the printer includes a printer memory not having sufficient capacity to store the rasterized file.
- 15. The network printing system of claim 13, wherein the printer includes at least one of a bi-directional input/output port, a bi-directional USB port, or an enhanced input/output port, for connecting the printer to the network connection.
- 16. The network printing system of claim 13, wherein the file storage is located in one of the plurality of host devices.
- 17. The network printing system of claim 13, wherein the file storage is independent of the plurality of host devices.
- 18. The network printing system of claim 17, wherein the file storage is located in a storage device connected to the network printing system through the Internet.
- 19. A printing system, comprising:
printing means for receiving a print job, the printing means including means for rasterizing image data of the print job to produce rasterized image data; file storage means for storing the rasterized image data, wherein the file storage means is located external to the printing means.
- 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:
means for generating a print job; and network means for providing communication between the means for generating a print job, the printing means, and the file storage means.
- 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the file storage means is located in the means for generating.
- 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the file storage means is located in a storage device connected to the network means through the Internet.
- 23. A method of printing multiple prints from a print job, the print job including image data specified for individual pages and further including print command data, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving the print job at a printing device; determining whether multiple prints are requested in the print command data; converting the image data into raster bits for each of the individual pages when multiple prints are requested; transmitting the raster bits for each of the individual pages to external file storage; retrieving the raster bits from external file storage; and printing each of the pages.
Parent Case Info
[0001] Reference is made to Hewlett Packard application Ser. No. 10017594-1 entitled “PRINT JOB STORAGE” by Todd Lutz (different inventive entity) which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and filed as of the same date as the present application.