A simple algorithm for designing developable Bézier surfaces

An algorithm is presented that generates developable Bézier surfaces through a Bézier curve of arbitrary degree and shape. The algorithm has two important advantages. No (nonlinear) characterizing equations have to be solved and the control of singular points is guaranteed. Further interpolation conditions can be met.     

Construction of Bézier surface patches with Bézier curves as geodesic boundaries

Given four polynomial or rational Bézier curves defining a curvilinear rectangle, we consider the problem of constructing polynomial or rational tensor-product Bézier patches bounded by these curves, such that they are geodesics of the constructed surface. The existence conditions and interpolation scheme, developed in a general context in earlier studies, are adapted herein to ensure that the geodesic-bounded surface patches are compatible with the usual polynomial/rational representation schemes of CAD systems. Precise conditions for four Bézier curves to constitute geodesic boundaries of a polynomial or rational surface patch are identified, and an interpolation scheme for the construction of such surfaces is presented when these conditions are satisfied. The method is illustrated with several computed examples.     

Periodic Bézier curves

We construct closed trigonometric curves in a Bézier-like fashion. A closed control polygon defines the curves, and the control points exert a push-pull effect on the curve. The representation of circles and derived curves turns out to be surprisingly simple. Fourier and Bézier coefficients of a curve relate via Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). As a consequence, DFT also applies to several operations, including parameter shift, successive differentiation and degree-elevation. This Bézier model is a particular instance of a general periodic scheme, where radial basis functions are generated as translates of a symmetric function. In addition to Bézier-like approximation, such a periodic scheme subsumes trigonometric Lagrange interpolation. The change of basis between Bézier and Lagrange proceeds via DFT too, which can be applied to sample the curve at regularly spaced parameter values. The Bézier curve defined by certain control points is a low-pass filtered version of the Lagrange curve interpolating the same set of points.     

Developable Bézier patches: properties and design

Geometric design of quadratic and cubic developable Bézier patches from two boundary curves is studied in this paper. The conditions for developability are derived geometrically from the de Casteljau algorithm and expressed as a set of equations that must be fulfilled by the Bézier control points. This set of equations allows us to infer important properties of developable Bézier patches that provide useful parameters and simplify the solution process for the patch design. With one boundary curve freely specified, five more degrees of freedom are available for a second boundary curve of the same degree. Various methods are introduced that fully utilize these five degrees of freedom for the design of general quadratic and cubic developable Bézier patches in 3D space. A more restricted generalized conical model or cylindrical model provides simple solutions for higher-order developable patches.     

An improved condition for the convexity of Bernstein-Bézier surfaces over triangles

A sufficient condition which is superior to that of Chang and Davis for the convexity of the Bernstein-Bézier polynomials of degree n over triangles is presented. The condition is proved to be necessary also for n = 2 and n = 3.     

Bézier representation for cubic surface patches

The paper describes a new method for creating rectangular Bézier surface patches on an implicit cubic surface. Traditional techniques for representing surfaces have relied on parametric representations of surfaces, which, in general, generate surfaces of implicit degree 8 in the case of rectangular Bézier surfaces with rational biquadratic parameterization. The method constructs low-degree algebraic surface patches by reducing the implicit degree from 8 to 3. The construction uses a rectangular biquadratic Bézier control polyhedron that is embedded within a tetrahedron and satisfies a projective constraint. The control polyhedron and the resulting cubic surface patch satisfy all of the standard properties of parametric Bézier surfaces, including interpolation of the corners of the control polyhedron and the convex-hull property.     

On the convexity of parametric Bézier triangular surfaces

In this paper, we discuss the convexity of parametric Bézier triangular patches, give some sufficient conditions of it to be convex, which only depend on the edge vectors and twist vectors. All the conditions we obtained can be served as the extension of the convexity preserving conditions of functional Bézier triangular patches.     

Multi-degree reduction of triangular Bézier surfaces with boundary constraints

Given a triangular Bézier surface of degree n, the problem of multi-degree reduction by a triangular Bézier surface of degree m with boundary constraints is investigated. This paper considers the continuity of triangular Bézier surfaces at the three corners, so that the boundary curves preserve endpoints continuity of any order . The l₂- and L₂-norm combined with the constrained least-squares method are used to get the matrix representations for the control points of the degree reduced surfaces. Both methods can be applied to piecewise continuous triangular patches or to only a triangular patch with the combination of surface subdivision. And the resulting piecewise approximating patches are globally C⁰ continuous. Finally, error estimation is given and numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods.     

Local surface interpolation with Bézier patches

A surface interpolation method for meshes of cubic curves is described. A mesh of cubic curve is constructed between the given vertices. This mesh is filled with Bézier patches, so that the surface is represented as a union of geometrically continuous bicubic quadrilateral and/or quartic triangular Bézier patches. The method is local and uses Farin's [Farin '83] conditions of G¹ continuity between patches. The procedure for finding the needed control points of the Bézier patches is simple and efficient.     

Generating Bézier points for curves and surfaces from boundary information

This paper presents efficient methods for directly generating Bézier points of curves and surfaces explicitly from the given compatible arbitrary order boundary information of Hermite curves, Coons-Hermite Cartesian sum patches and Coons-Boolean sum patches. The explicit expressions for the generalized Hermite functions are also developed. Furthermore, a method for determining the twist control points and higher level sets of interior control points from their boundary and lower level sets of control points by using the Coons-Boolean sum schema presented. Many interesting and useful examples are also given in this paper.     

Improved bounds on partial derivatives of rational triangular Bézier surfaces

This paper applies inequality skill, degree elevation of triangular Bézier surfaces and difference operators to deduce the bounds on first and second partial derivatives of rational triangular Bézier surfaces. Further more, we prove that the new bounds are tighter and more effective than the known ones. All the results are obviously helpful for further optimization of geometric design systems.     

Computer-aided geometric design and panel generation for hull forms based on rational cubic Bézier curves

For generation of hull forms, a method using rational cubic Bézier curves is chosen because of their superior segmentwise local-weighted behavior. A hull form is defined by two sets of grid lines—transverse grid lines arranged in length direction and longitudinal grid lines arranged in depth direction. Transverse lines are first defined, the points on the transverse lines with the same curve parameter values are then fitted to define longitudinal lines. Thereby, each curve is described by a rational cubic Bézier curve in space. The bilge, flat side and flat bottom can be defined precisely and more flexibilities are provided for defining bow and stern regions. By the way, a hull surface can be generated which is useful to produce desired data for hydrostatic or panel generations.     

Matrix formulations of Bézier technique

At the start of this paper, a recurrence formula for calculating the Bézier functions of any order is proved. Based on this formula, the Bézier functions are written in matrix form which enables us to develop the Bézier technique in a concise way. There are some new identities of the Bézier functions which are potentially useful in CAGD. Surprisingly a matrix involving the Bézier functions has been shown to be a doubly-stochastic matrix and the convergence behaviour of its powers is determined. Based upon these facts, the Kelisky — Rivlin theorem for the Bernstein polynomials has been extended to the Bézier curves.     

The bound on derivatives of rational Bézier curves

The estimation of bounds on derivatives of rational Bézier curves has important application in CAGD. This paper derives some new bounds according to the properties of derivation and recursion of Bernstein basis, and shows that the new bounds are better than existing ones and more effective.     

Tool path generation for free form surfaces using Bézier curves/surfaces

Presented in this paper is a tool path generation method for multi-axis machining of free-form surfaces using Bézier curves and surfaces. The tool path generation includes two core steps. First is the forward-step function that determines the maximum distance, called forward step, between two cutter contact (CC) points with a given tolerance. The second component is the side step function which determines the maximum distance, called side step, between two adjacent tool paths with a given scallop height. Using the Bézier curves and surfaces, we generate cutter contact (CC) points for free-form surfaces and cutter location (CL) data files for post processing. Several parts are machined using a multi-axis milling machine. As part of the validation process, the tool paths generated from Bézier curves and surfaces are analyzed to compare the machined part and the desired part.     

An estimate on the convergence of MKZ–Bézier operators

The pointwise approximation properties of the MKZ–Bézier operators M_n,α(f,x) for α≥1 have been studied in [X.M. Zeng, Rates of approximation of bounded variation functions by two generalized Meyer–König–Zeller type operators, Comput. Math. Appl. 39 (2000) 1–13]. The aim of this paper is to study the pointwise approximation of the operators M_n,α(f,x) for the other case 0<α<1. By means of some new estimate techniques and a result of Guo and Qi [S. Guo, Q. Qi, The moments for the Meyer–König and Zeller operators, Appl. Math. Lett. 20 (2007) 719–722], we establish an estimate formula on the rate of convergence of the operators M_n,α(f,x) for the case 0<α<1.     

The rational cubic Bézier representation of conics

The rational cubic Bézier curve is a very useful tool in CAGD. It incorporates both conic sections and parametric cubic curves as special cases, so its advantage is that one can deal with curves of these two kinds in one computer procedure. In this paper, the necessary and sufficient conditions for representing conics by the rational cubic Bézier form in proper parametrization are investigated; these conditions can be divided into two parts: one for weights and the other for Bézier vertices.     

The intersection of a bicubic Bézier patch and a plane

Let S be an arbitrarily given bicubic Bézier patch and P an arbitrarily given plane. In this paper, a necessary and sufficient condition for S ∩ P to be non-empty is given, and some properties of S ∩ P, if non-empty, are included. Furthermore an efficient and robust algorithm for finding S ∩ P is described, and many interesting examples are shown.     

The octant of a sphere as a non-degenerate triangular Bézier patch

We construct a symmetric rational quartic map from the standard triangle onto an octant of a sphere. The surface is non-degenerate: all Bézier points are distinct and their associated weights are positive.     

An improved condition for the convexity and positivity of Bernstein-Bézier surfaces over triangles

A sufficient condition for the convexity of the Bernstein-Bézier polynomials of degree n over triangles is presented. The condition is superior to that of Chang and Feng. Positivity is also discussed.