초록 ▼

A system is provided for automatically analyzing timing constraints of capabilities, and establishing parameters for automatic generation of finite-state machines which schedule from print engine capabilities. The system generates a finite-state machine which encodes, for each capability, a means by

A system is provided for automatically analyzing timing constraints of capabilities, and establishing parameters for automatic generation of finite-state machines which schedule from print engine capabilities. The system generates a finite-state machine which encodes, for each capability, a means by which any given schedule may be extended to one that includes a correct or optimal schedule for that particular capability. The system generates finite-state machines for both forward and backwards scheduling. It is adapted for both greedy and optimal search strategies. The system facilitates selectively leaving classes of constraints for run-time checking in order to reduce a size of a finite-state machine. Finite machines so generated are suitably used with schedulers to alternately control operation of a print engine.

대표청구항 ▼

[ Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed:] [9.] A method for scheduling a print engine using finite-state machines, the method comprising:receiving a plurality of print engine component capabilities, each component capability being defined by a component capability data set;deriving

[ Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed:] [9.] A method for scheduling a print engine using finite-state machines, the method comprising:receiving a plurality of print engine component capabilities, each component capability being defined by a component capability data set;deriving signal data and timing constraint data from each data set, whereinsignal data, defining a signal, is formed as a sequence of non-overlapping events on a corresponding print engine component, an event being an action of the corresponding print engine component associated with a time interval for completing an operation, andtiming constraint data is defined as one of unary and binary interval constraints on the corresponding print engine component;analyzing the plurality of print engine component capabilities using the defined data set, signal data and timing constraint data, the analyzing step including,instantiating each of the plurality of print engine component capability data sets to zero,normalizing each signal which defines the signal data,defining a reach-back value as a distance between a maximum start of a most recent interval associated with each signal and a minimum start of that signal's first interval,determining a minimum increment in accordance with timing constraint data of each data set,identifying a period defined from restricted intervals relative to a selected clock value, anddefining a bound value in accordance with a maximum reach-back value and a period;obtaining component capability parameters of the plurality of print engine component capabilities based on the analyzing step of the plurality of print engine component capabilities;generating finite-state machines based on the obtained component capability parameters; and,scheduling a print engine using the generated finite-state machines.