Method for designing curved shapes for use by a computer
US5636338A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T17/30
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods for forming computer models of curves, networks, or surfaces from user defined specifications of the shape to be modeled. Each specification includes a set of geometric constraints, such as positions, tangents curvatures, and torsions, and may also include discontinuity specifications. In the preferred embodiment, curves are computed so as to locally minimize a scale invariant functional of the geometry of the curve, such as a magnitude of variation in curvature of the curve (MVC) or a magnitude of curvature of the curve (MEC), while satisfying a user defined specification. An improvement on the MVC functional is to add a magnitude of variation in torsion of the curve. An improvement on the MEC functional is to add a magnitude of torsion of the curve. Networks of curves are produced using similar techniques of computing a local minimum of a functional of the geometry of the curves comprising the network, such as a magnitude of variation in curvature of the curves (MVN) or a magnitude of curvature of the curves (MEN), while satisfying a user defined specification. An improvement on these methods is to make the MVN and MEN functionals scale invariant. Another improvement is t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.