Exploitable results A data decompression system for intelligent image-setter interface boards A data decompression system has been developed that allows standard personal computers (PC) to interface directly with a wide range of image-setters improving productivity in the printing and media industries. The main functionality of the new Painter NT system is identical to that of the existing product. This means that the new system is a PCI add-on card that should receive imaging data from the host PC and drive them to the same number of image setters. In this new system the imaging data is compressed bitmap files, in contrast to the existing system that receives decompressed bitmap files. This difference is a result of the fact that the new system has the capability of on-board decompression. This new feature increases the data throughput between the host PC and the Painter NT card by a percentage relative to the compression ration of the used compression/decompression algorithm. The image setter interface part of the new system is identical to the old one, as regards the interface protocol and the physical signal level. The main advantages of the new system will be the increased efficiency. This is achieved by increasing the system throughput using on-board decompression techniques and bigger buffering first in first outs (FIFO). The new system has the following technical achievements: incorporates a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer (RISC); incorporates on system SIMM random access memory (RAM); uses specially adapted RTOS in order to meet the system the time critical demands; uses new PCI chip providing full compatibility with the new Pentium II, Pentium Pro motherboards and PCI chip-sets. Searching for OpenAIRE data... There was an error trying to search data from OpenAIRE No results available
