Parallel polygon operations using loosely coupled workstations

Problems in two dimensions, such as the polygon operations which are performed on IC designs prior to fabrication, lend themselves well to functional distribution. The authors present a method for performing polygon operations in parallel which utilizes distributed workstations, obviating the need for performance improvement by special-purpose hardware. The method provides improved performance while remaining cost-effective and flexible. As designs become larger, more computers can be incorporated into the network. Results are presented for runs on collections of proprietary workstations.<>