IPS XPS

Overview

IPS^™ XPS from Zoran Corporation provides compatibility with the XPS Document format as defined by the XML Paper Specification. The interpreter is integrated with Zoran’s powerful and flexible foundation technology—IPS—enabling OEMs to develop embedded controllers and host print drivers for color and monochrome printers and multifunction periperals (MFPs) that directly consume jobs in the XPS Document format. A host rendering component provides support for devices which consume raster data or PDL data, such as PCL and PostScript Graphics-rich XPS Document files were introduced with Windows Vista and can be created and viewed on multiple operating system platforms.

Benefits

• Enables an XPS Document container to be sent directly to the printer without application interaction
• Same interpreter can be used both in host print driver and embedded controller for greatest fidelity across product lines
• Source code availability provides independence and design flexibility and facilitates value-added customization
• Integrated with Zoran’s OneImage^™ common display list technology to support multi-bit and contone output devices
• Can be combined with the other languages in IPS—IPS PS3, IPS PDFt, IPS FIVE and IPS XLC—for complete print functionality with minimal ROM and RAM overhead

The XPS Document Format

The XPS Document format is a paginated representation of electronic paper described in an XML-based format. The XPS Document format is an open, cross-platform document format that allows customers to effortlessly create, share, print and archive paginated documents. This format supports a powerful imaging model that enables end-users to create graphics-rich documents that can be shared and viewed on many platforms.

Scalable Software Design

IPS XPS implements an extensible graphics kernel and is designed for maximum portability to operate with virtually any CPU architecture, memory configuration and I/O interface.

Zoran provides complete source code for the IPS XPS interpreter and a full set of engineering documentation to allow OEMs to customize the interpreter for specific market requirements.

The interpreter is integrated into Zoran’s powerful and flexible foundation technology—IPS—to offer a total solution for high performance print and MFP controllers and host print drivers. With its layered architecture and application programming interface (API), IPS reduces time-to-market and development costs.

Transparent Imaging Model

The image processing model of IPS XPS is based on Zoran’s innovative OneImage common display list technology, extended for the rendering rules of the XPS Document format. Sharing rendering components across interpreters for XPS and other page description languages (PDLs) improves compatibility and reduces the required memory footprint to add support for direct XPS Document printing.

Extensible Print Ticket and Namespace Support

Standard Windows Print Ticket fields are supported in the IPS XPS interpreter. OEMs can extend the default set of Print Ticket fields to support enhancements or added-value options in their products.

The XML Paper Specification provides support for XPS producers and consumers to extend the basic XPS format by defining custom namespaces. The interfaces and source code access in IPS XPS make it possible for OEMs to add their own operators to improve performance and/or image quality.

Windows Rendering Support

IPS XPS can be delivered as an OEM-configurable Windows Dynamically Linked Library (DLL) or a filter suitable for use in an XPSDrv filter pipeline. Both components are Common Object Model (COM) compliant. This predefined configuration can be used by OEMs to implement XPS-to-raster and XPS-to-PDL rendering services that are not provided by Microsoft in Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. Using the same XPS interpreter implementation in host print drivers and in embedded controllers ensures superior document compatibility across all products in an OEM’s printer and MFP product line.

Microsoft Logo Certified

IPS XPS, within Zoran’s sample drivers created using IPS DDK, has been thoroughly tested against Microsoft’s Driver Test Manager (DTM) suite. In fact, sample drivers containing the IPS XPS core rendering technology, created using IPS DDK, have earned several certifications from Microsoft, including the following:

• Designed for Microsoft Windows XP, x86—DFW
• Designed for Microsoft Windows XP, x64—DFW
• Designed for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, x86—DFW
• Designed for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, x64—DFW
• Certified for Microsoft Windows Vista, x86—Premium
• Certified for Microsoft Windows Vista, x64—Premium
• Certified for Microsoft Windows Server 2008, x86
• Certified for Microsoft Windows Server 2008, x64
• Compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, x86
• Compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, x64
• Certified for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, x86
• Certified for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, x64

Because IPS XPS has already passed all certification testing as part of IPS DDK, OEMs using IPS XPS in their driver technology, or as part of drivers created using Zoran’s IPS DDK, can be assured that such drivers will pass Microsoft’s certification requirements for XPS rendering.

Zoran Engineering Support Services

Zoran offers Source Code Maintenance and Engineering Support Programs that can shorten development cycles and ensure that the latest XPS language features are available as new operating system versions are released. The IPS XPS source code license includes technical support, software integration training and source code maintenance for the first year of development. The Source Code Maintenance Program provides extended source code maintenance and technical consulting, including informative technical bulletins and software patches and updates.

Zoran’s Engineering Support Program provides direct software integration assistance and design recommendations to optimize the quality, feature set and performance of the interface between the XPS-compatible interpreter and the controller or print driver. OEMs can also work with a Zoran-authorized development partner. These companies have experience in Zoran’s IPS integration and can offer fixed-cost, turnkey controller development or consulting for a range of controller and driver configurations and print engines.

IPS^™ Architecture