On convolutions of algebraic curves

We focus on the investigation of relations between plane algebraic curves and their convolution. Since the convolution of irreducible algebraic curves is not necessarily irreducible, an upper bound for the number of components is given. Then, a formula expressing the convolution degree using the algebraic degree and the genus of the curve is derived. In addition, a detailed analysis of the so-called special and degenerated components is discussed. We also present some special results for curves with low convolution degree and for rational curves, and use our results to investigate the relation with the theory of the classical offsets and Pythagorean Hodograph (PH) curves presented in Arrondo et al. (1997).     

实平面奇异代数曲线的全局B样条逼近

提出了一种用k次B样条曲线全局逼近实平面k次代数曲线的算法,每个连通部分用一条B样条曲线逼近.它适合于任意亏格的不可约的实平面代数曲线(包括含奇异点的曲线).这种逼近建立在所提出的代数曲线胀开采样的基础上,这种胀开采样算法从本质上解决了奇异点周围采样难的问题.实验结果表明,该方法的逼近精度高于已有算法.     

Symbolic parametrization of curves

If algebraic varieties like curves or surfaces are to be manipulated by computers, it is essential to be able to represent these geometric objects in an appropriate way. For some applications an implicit representation by algebraic equations is desirable, whereas for others an explicit or parametric representation is more suitable. Therefore, transformation algorithms from one representation to the other are of utmost importance.We investigate the transformation of an implicit representation of a plane algebraic curve into a parametric representation. Various methods for computing a rational parametrization, if one exists, are described. As a new idea we introduce the concept of working with classes of conjugate (singular or simple) points on curves. All the necessary operations, like determining the multiplicity and the character of the singular points or passing a linear system of curves through these points, can be applied to such classes of conjugate points. Using this idea one can parametrize a curve if one knows only one simple point on it. We do not propose any new method for finding such a simple point. By classical methods a rational point on a rational curve can be computed, if such a point exists. Otherwise, one can express the coordinates of such a point in an algebraic extension of degree 2 over the ground field.     

Automatic parametrization of rational curves and surfaces II: cubics and cubicoids

Algorithms that can obtain rational and special parametric equations for degree three algebraic curves (cubics) and degree three algebraic surfaces (cubicoids), given their implicit equations are described. These algorithms have been implemented on a VAX8600 using VAXIMA.     

Partial degree formulae for plane offset curves

In this paper we present several formulae for computing the partial degrees of the defining polynomial of the offset curve to an irreducible affine plane curve given implicitly, and we see how these formulae particularize to the case of rational curves. In addition, we present a formula for computing the degree w.r.t. the distance variable.     

Radical parametrizations of algebraic curves by adjoint curves

We present algorithms for parametrizing by radicals an irreducible curve, not necessarily plane, when the genus is less than or equal to 4 and the curve is defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. In addition, we also present an algorithm for parametrizing by radicals any irreducible plane curve of degree d having at least a point of multiplicity d−r, with 1≤r≤4 and, as a consequence, every irreducible plane curve of degree d≤5 and every irreducible singular plane curve of degree 6.     

Minkowski isoperimetric-hodograph curves

General offset curves are treated in the context of Minkowski geometry, the geometry of the two-dimensional plane, stemming from the consideration of a strictly convex, centrally symmetric given curve as its unit circle. Minkowski geometry permits us to move beyond classical confines and provides us with a framework in which to generalize the notion of Pythagorean-hodograph curves in the case of rational general offsets, namely, Minkowski isoperimetric-hodograph curves. Differential geometric topics in the Minkowski plane, including the notion of normality, Frenet frame, Serret–Frenet equations, involutes and evolutes are introduced. These lead to an elegant process from which an explicit parametric representation of the general offset curves is derived. Using the duality between indicatrix and isoperimetrix and between involutes and evolutes, rational curves with rational general offsets are characterized. The dual Bézier notion is invoked to characterize the control structure of Minkowski isoperimetric-hodograph curves. This characterization empowers the constructive process of freeform curve design involving offsetting techniques.     

Planar piecewise algebraic curves

An approach is described for piecing together segments of planar algebraic curves with derivative continuity. The application of piecewise algebraic curves to area modelling (the two-dimensional analogue of solid modelling) is discussed. A technique is presented for expressing a planar rational parametric curve as an algebraic curve segment. An upper bound is derived for the farthest distance between two algebraic curves (one of which may also be a parametric curve) within a specified region.     

Induced rational approximations of transcendental curves

A novel technique for the construction of positive weight high-precision rational approximations to a class of transcendental curves is presented. The approximations are induced from the rational parametrisations of the circle. The previously published rational parametrisations of the circle are not suited to the induction process and the new parametrisations are constructed in the paper for the purpose. Explicit rational approximations of a number of transcendental curves are then given. The work is a development of the authors’ previous work on induced rational parametrisations of special algebraic curves.     

Topology of real algebraic space curves

In this paper we give a new projection-based algorithm for computing the topology of a real algebraic space curve given implicitly by a set of equations. Under some genericity conditions, which may be reached through a linear change of coordinates, we show that a plane projection of the given curve, together with a special polynomial in the ideal of the curve contains all the information needed to compute its topological shape. Our method is also designed in such a way to exploit important particular cases such as complete intersection curves or curves contained in nonsingular surfaces.     

Surfaces with Pythagorean normals along rational curves

A rational curve on a rational surface such that the unit normal vector field of the surface along this curve is rational will be called a curve providing Pythagorean surface normals (or shortly a PSN curve). These curves represent rational paths on the surface along which the surface possesses rational offset curves. Our aim is to study rational surfaces containing enough PSN curves. The relation with PN surfaces will be also investigated and thoroughly discussed. The algebraic and geometric properties of PSN curves will be described using the theory of double planes. The main motivation for this contribution is to bring the theory of rational offsets of rational surfaces closer to the practical problems appearing in numerical-control machining where the milling cutter does not follow continuously the whole offset surface but only certain chosen trajectories on it. A special attention will be devoted to rational surfaces with pencils of PSN curves.     

代数曲线的分段有理二次B样条插值

通过对代数曲线的合理分割,定义了曲线段的三角形凸包。给出了由三角形凸包确定控制多边形的方案。重点讨论了代数曲线参数化的分段有理二次B样条插值算法。插值曲线保持了原始曲线的一些重要几何性质,如单调性、凹凸性、G1连续性。数值实验验证了算法的有效性。     

平面二次代数曲线的最优参数化

在CAGD 和CG 中,代数曲线上指定曲线段的最优参数化是热点问题, 而不是整条曲线。以最接近于弧长的参数化为最优的参数化评判标准,得到了二次代数曲线 上的任意指定曲线段的最优或逼近最优的有理参数化公式,具有较强的自适应性。最后,通 过实例对该方法与传统方法得到的参数化结果进行了对比。     

Generation of configuration space obstacles: The case of moving algebraic curves

We present algebraic algorithms to generate the boundary of planar configuration space obstacles arising from the translatory motion of objects among obstacles. Both the boundaries of the objects and obstacles are given by segments of algebraic plane curves.     

Rational Pythagorean-hodograph space curves

A method for constructing rational Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) curves in R³ is proposed, based on prescribing a field of rational unit tangent vectors. This tangent field, together with its first derivative, defines the orientation of the curve osculating planes. Augmenting this orientation information with a rational support function, that specifies the distance of each osculating plane from the origin, then completely defines a one-parameter family of osculating planes, whose envelope is a developable ruled surface. The rational PH space curve is identified as the edge of regression (or cuspidal edge) of this developable surface. Such curves have rational parametric speed, and also rational adapted frames that satisfy the same conditions as polynomial PH curves in order to be rotation-minimizing with respect to the tangent. The key properties of such rational PH space curves are derived and illustrated by examples, and simple algorithms for their practical construction by geometric Hermite interpolation are also proposed.     

Decoding by rank-2 bundles over plane quartics

Motivated by error-correcting coding theory, we pose some hard questions regarding moduli spaces of rank-2 vector bundles over algebraic curves. We propose a new approach to the role of rank-2 bundles in coding theory, using recent results over the complex numbers, namely restriction of vector bundles from the projective space where the curve is embedded. We specialize our analysis to plane quartic curves which, if smooth, are canonical curves of genus three, and remark that all the bundles in question are restrictions. Using the vector-bundle approach, we work out explicit equations for the error divisors viewed as points of a multisecant variety. We specialize canonical quartics even more, to Klein’s curve, and finite fields of characteristic two, a situation in which bundles can be neatly trivialized and codes have been produced. We give explicit equations, work out counting results for curves, Jacobians, and varieties of bundles, revealing several surprising features.     

Constraint-based LN curves

We consider the design of parametric curves from geometric constraints such as distance from lines or points and tangency to lines or circles. We solve the Hermite problem with such additional geometric constraints. We use a family of curves with linearly varying normals, LN curves. The nonlinear equations that arise can be of algebraic degree 60. We solve them using the GPU on commodity graphics cards and achieve interactive performance. The family of curves considered has the additional property that the convolution of two curves in the family is again a curve in the family, assuming common Gauss maps, making the class more useful to applications. Further, we consider valid ranges in which the line tangency constraint can be imposed without the curve segment becoming singular. Finally, we remark on the larger class of LN curves and how it relates to Bézier curves.     

On the Existence and the Coefficients of the Implicit Equation of Rational Surfaces

The existence of the implicit equation of rational surfaces can be proved by three techniques: elimination theory, undetermined coefficients, and the theory of field extensions. The methods of elimination theory and undetermined coefficients also reveal that the implicit equation can be written with coefficients from the coefficient field of the parametric polynomials. All three techniques can be implemented as implicitization algorithms. For each method, the theoretical limitations of the proof and the practical advantages and disadvantages of the algorithm are discussed. Our results are important for two reasons. First, we caution that elimination theory cannot be generalized in a straightforward manner from rational plane curves to rational surfaces to show the existence of the implicit equation; thus other rigorous methods are necessary to bypass the vanishing of the resultant in the presence of base points. Second, as an immediate consequence of the coefficient relationship, we see that the implicit representation involves only rational (or real) coefficients if a parametric representation involves only rational (or real) coefficients. The existence of the implicit equation means every rational surface is a subset of an irreducible algebraic surface. The subset relation can be proper and this may cause problems in certain applications in computer aided geometric design. This anomaly is illustrated by an example.     

Rational general solutions of planar rational systems of autonomous ODEs

In this paper, we provide an algorithm to compute explicit rational solutions of a rational system of autonomous ordinary differential equations (ODEs) from its rational invariant algebraic curves. The method is based on the proper rational parametrization of these curves and the fact that by linear reparametrizations, we can find the rational solutions of the given system of ODEs. Moreover, if the system has a rational first integral, we can decide whether it has a rational general solution and compute it in the affirmative case.     

Reducibility of offsets to algebraic curves

Computing offset curves and surfaces is a fundamental operation in many technical applications. This paper discusses some issues that are encountered during the process of designing offsets, especially the problems of their reducibility and rationality (which are closely related). This study is crucial especially for formulating subsequent algorithms when the number and quality of offset components must be revealed. We will formulate new algebraic and geometric conditions on reducibility of offsets and demonstrate how they can be applied. In addition, we will present that our investigations can also serve to better understand the varieties fulfilling the Pythagorean conditions (PH curves/PN surfaces). A certain analogy of the PH condition for parameterized curves (or general parameterized hypersurfaces) will be presented also for implicitly given (not necessarily rational) curves (or hypersurfaces).