Segmentation of Free-Form Shapes into Chains of Circular Elements in Computer Graphics Applications

A computer program product for representing a free-form shape, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising a computer usable program code configured to:
• provide an indication of a plurality of sample points defining the free-form shape;
• determine a set of pivot points among the plurality of sample points corresponding to maximum and minimum curvatures of the free-form shape,
• partition the plurality of sample points into a set of first groups of sample points and a set of second groups of sample points, each first group of sample points spanning around a corresponding pivot point and each second group of sample points extending according to a predefined minimum extent between a corresponding pair of adjacent first groups of sample points,
• associate each first group of sample points with a first circular element fitting said each first group of sample points, and
• associate each second group of sample points with a second circular element providing a predefined continuity with each first circular element adjacent to the second circular element;
• and
• store an indication of said circular elements into a memory of said data-processing system.

A data-processing system comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor, coupled to said memory;
• a segmentation engine operable to,
• provide an indication of a plurality of sample points defining the free-form shape;
• determine a set of pivot points among the plurality of sample points corresponding to maximum and minimum curvatures of the free-form shape,
• partition the plurality of sample points into a set of first groups of sample points and a set of second groups of sample points, each first group of sample points spanning around a corresponding pivot point and each second group of sample points extending according to a predefined minimum extent between a corresponding pair of adjacent first groups of sample points,
• associate each first group of sample points with a first circular element fitting said each first group of sample points, and
• associate each second group of sample points with a second circular element providing a predefined continuity with each first circular element adjacent to the second circular element;
• and
• store an indication of said circular elements into the memory of said data-processing system.