Patent ID: 7436559

Claim:
A method of executing image processing carried out by means of repeated execution of a process set which includes N unit processes, where N is an integer equal to 3 or greater, comprising: assigning the N unit processes of a next process set to be executed to M processing modules prior to execution of the next process set, where M is an integer equal to 2 or greater, but less than N, the step of assigning the N unit processes including the steps of: (a) estimating loads of respective unit process in the next process set based on execution results of unit processes included in a process set executed immediately prior to execution of the next process set; and (b) assigning the N unit processes to the processing modules based on the estimated loads; wherein the step (b) includes the step of: (b-1) selecting a unit process from unassigned unit processes which are not yet assigned to the processing module and assigning the selected unit process to one of the processing modules.