Load balancing in multiple processor rendering systems

A method for allocating a workload in a rendering system comprising a plurality of processors, said workload comprising an image comprising a plurality of graphical objects, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting at least one region of said image;
• dividing said at least one region into a plurality of sub-regions;
• and
• allocating, independently of feedback from said plurality of processors, said plurality of sub-regions to respective ones of said plurality of processors for rendering;
• wherein said allocating step is performed at a pixel value generating level or stage of rendering.

A pixel sequential rendering system for rendering raster pixel images comprising a plurality of graphical objects, said system comprising:

• memory for storing data and program instructions;
• a plurality of rendering processors coupled to said memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to said memory and at least one of said plurality of rendering processors, said processor programmed to:
• identify edges of said plurality of graphical objects that intersect with a current scan line of said raster pixel image;
• divide a span of pixel locations on the current scan line defined by an adjacent pair of edges of the identified edges into a plurality of segments, one of the plurality of segments comprising varying pixel values;
• and
• allocate, independently of existing workloads of said plurality of rendering processors, said plurality of segments to respective ones of said plurality of rendering processors.

A system for rendering raster pixel images comprising a plurality of graphical objects, said system comprising:

• memory for storing data and program instructions;
• a plurality of rendering processors coupled to said memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to said memory and at least one of said plurality of rendering processors, said processor programmed to:
• select at least one region of said image;
• divide said at least one region into a plurality of sub-regions;
• and
• allocate, independently of feedback from said plurality of processors, said plurality of sub-regions to respective ones of said plurality of processors for rendering;
• wherein said allocation is performed at a pixel value generating level or stage of rendering.

A computer readable medium comprising a computer program recorded therein for allocating a workload in a pixel sequential rendering system comprising a plurality of processors, said workload comprising a raster pixel image comprising a plurality of graphical objects, said computer program product comprising:

• computer program code means for identifying, in a predetermined order, edges of said plurality of graphical objects that intersect with a current scan line of said raster pixel image;
• computer program code means for dividing a span of pixel locations on the current scan line defined by an adjacent pair of edges of the identified edges into a plurality of segments, one of the plurality of segments comprising varying pixel values;
• and
• computer program code means for allocating, independently of existing workloads of said plurality of processors, said plurality of segments to respective ones of said plurality of processors for rendering.

A computer readable medium comprising a computer program recorded therein for allocating a workload in a rendering system comprising a plurality of processors, said workload comprising an image comprising a plurality of graphical objects, said computer program product comprising:

• computer program code means for selecting at least one region of said image;
• computer program code means for dividing said at least one region into a plurality of sub-regions;
• and
• computer program code means for allocating, independently of feedback from said plurality of processors, said plurality of sub-regions to respective ones of said plurality of processors for rendering;
• wherein said computer program code means for allocating is adapted to perform said allocation at a pixel value generating level or stage of rendering.