Patent ID: 7266255

Claim:
A system for distributed filtering of samples within a convolution kernel to calculate values for a corresponding pixel comprising: a series of means for calculating partial sums, wherein each member of the series calculates partial sums for a corresponding portion of the samples within the convolution kernel for the pixel, wherein the partial sums calculated by each member of the series comprise 1) a sum of weights determined for the sample locations in the corresponding portion of samples and 2) a sum of weighted sample values for the corresponding portion of samples, wherein each member of the series adds the calculated partial sums to corresponding accumulated partial sums and outputs the new accumulated partial sums, and wherein a last member of the series calculates pixel values from the final accumulated partial sums; and means for passing accumulated partial sums from one member of the series to the next; a plurality of means for storing sample values, wherein each means for storing sample values is dedicated to a different member of the series; and a plurality of means for rendering samples, wherein each sample generated is stored in one of the means for storing sample values.