Image method and apparatus for processing multiple jobs

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention aims at eliminating the drawbacks found in the above-mentioned conventional devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an image processing device which is able to automatically decide a processing order or a processing ratio for processing of a plurality of jobs in accordance with the processing amounts of these jobs.
In attaining the above object, according to the structure of a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an image processing device which comprises: process means for executing a plurality of jobs each consisting of a given preprocessing and a postprocessing to be executed after execution of the preprocessing; processing amount recognize means for recognizing processing amounts in the preprocessings of the respective jobs; and, order decide means, based on the respective processing amounts recognized, for deciding the order to execute the preprocessings or postprocessings of the respective jobs.
Also, according to the structure of a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an image processing device which comprises: process means for executing a plurality of jobs each consisting of a given preprocessing and a postprocessing to be executed after execution of the preprocessing; processing amount recognize means for recognizing processing amounts in the preprocessings of the respective jobs; processing ratio decide means, based on the respective processing amounts recognized, for deciding the processing ratios of the preprocessings or postprocessings relating to the respective jobs; and, parallel execute means, based on the thus decided processing ratios, for executing the above-mentioned preprocessings or the above-mentioned postprocessings.
Also, according to the structure of a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an image processing device which comprises: process means for executing a plurality of jobs each consisting of a given preprocessing and a postprocessing to be executed after execution of the preprocessing; processing amount recognize means for recognizing processing amounts in the postprocessings of the respective jobs; and, order decide means, based on the respective processing amounts recognized, for deciding the order to execute the preprocessings or postprocessings of the respective jobs