Patent ID: 8509569

Claim:
A method, comprising: accessing a previously-defined sequence of a plurality of effects for applying the plurality of effects to an image, the previously-defined sequence having a first ordering for applying the plurality of effects to the image that requires a plurality of data exchanges between a first processing unit and a second processing unit; analyzing the previously-defined sequence of the plurality of effects to reduce a quantity of the plurality of data exchanges between the first processing unit and the second processing unit, wherein said analyzing comprises: determining a second ordering for applying a first subset of the effects to the image by the first processing unit, and determining a third ordering for applying a second subset of the effects to the image by the second processing unit after the first subset of effects has been applied to the image by the first processing unit, wherein at least one pair of effects that are adjacent effects in either the second or third ordering are not adjacent effects in the first ordering, and wherein the second ordering and the third ordering are determined such that the quantity of the plurality of data exchanges between the first processing unit and the second processing unit is reduced; using the first processing unit to apply the first subset of the effects to the image according to the second ordering; and using the second processing unit to apply the second subset of the effects to the image according to the third ordering.