Abstract: A method of rendering a graphic object is disclosed. An expanded polygon is formed based on the plurality of polygons generated by tessellating the graphic object. The expanded polygon encompasses sampling points of pixels touched by edges of the graphic object. The expanded polygon is rendered in accordance with a centre-intersect pixel placement rule to render the graphic object. Pixels of the expanded polygon violating an area-intersect pixel placement rule are excluded.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of rasterizing a page comprising a plurality of graphic objects. The method obtains a plurality of pixel-aligned object edges (302,303) of the graphic objects (203), and determining a pixel generation path (402) for the plurality of graphic objects. The method determines a plurality of crossing locations (420-424) based on the pixel aligned object edges and the pixel generation path, at least one of the crossing locations being a vertical crossing location and at least one other crossing location being a horizontal crossing location, rasterizes the page according to the pixel generation path by updating a fill sequence (620-623) upon encountering said determined crossing locations.

Abstract: A method of determining a thread from a plurality of threads to execute a task in a multi-processor computer system. The plurality of threads is grouped into at least one subset associated with a cache memory of the computer system. The task has a type determined by a set of instructions. The method obtains an execution history of the subset of plurality of threads and determines a weighting for each of the set of instructions and the set of data, the weightings depending on the type of the task. A suitability of the subset of the threads to execute the task based on the execution history and the determined weightings, is then determined. Subject to the determined suitability of the subset of threads, the method determining a thread from the subset of threads to execute the task using content of the cache memory associated with the subset of threads.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of rendering a plurality of graphical objects. The method generates a region graph using at least a plurality of intersection points of the graphical objects. The intersection points identify disjoint regions each representing a particular combination of the graphical objects, in which the region graph has at least one region graph link, and defines a relationship between the regions. A contributing level and an activating direction are assigned to at least one of the region graph links, the level and the activation direction defining an appearance of the region associated with said region graph link. The method then renders the plurality of graphical objects using the assigned contributing level and activating direction of the region graph links by traversing the region graph to determine at least one contributing level for each region in the region graph using the assigned contributing level and the activating direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method (2500) of determining, for a rendering job (2402) comprising one or more page building jobs, a start time for a print engine (195) to print the rendering job (2402), the method including determining (2502) for the rendering job a current start time for printing based on at least a predicted finishing time of a page building job, determining (2503) a difference between the predicted finishing time and an actual finishing time of the page building job, determining (2504) if, based on the difference, a predetermined condition is satisfied, and if the predetermined criterion is satisfied, determining (2505) an updated start time for printing the rendering job based on information relating to the actual finishing time of the page building job, and starting (2509) the print engine to print the rendering job at the updated start time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of rasterizing a page comprising a plurality of graphic objects. The method obtains a plurality of pixel-aligned object edges (302,303) of the graphic objects (203), and determining a pixel generation path (402) for the plurality of graphic objects. The method determines a plurality of crossing locations (420-424) based on the pixel aligned object edges and the pixel generation path, at least one of the crossing locations being a vertical crossing location and at least one other crossing location being a horizontal crossing location, rasterizes the page according to the pixel generation path by updating a fill sequence (620-623) upon encountering said determined crossing locations.