Method and apparatus for flexigon representation of a two dimensional figure
AssigneeDicomed Corporation
InventorsBruce J. Lindbloom, Peter Mathews, David S. Yam
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Abstract
A graphic arts method and apparatus for representation via display media of arbitrary two dimensional figures are disclosed. The method and apparatus of the present invention convert raw figure data into a reduced data set which defines a two dimensional arbitrary shape, herein referred to an a bezier figure, whose edges are defined by second order parametric curves such that the edges of the bezier figure closely approximate those of the figure represented by the raw data. The bezier figure data is converted for presentation on a display medium of an image which closely approximates that of the figure.
Claims19
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, a method of graphical representation of a arbitrary two dimensional shape, comprising the steps of;
- providing a set of data points representing the periphery of the shape;
- converting said periphery data point set to second sets of data for second or higher order parametric equations which define a plurality of adjoining curves that closely approximate said shape;
- and
- recreating said shape from said second sets of data for presentation on a display medium.
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, a method of creating a data set representative of an arbitrary two dimensional shape for subsequent graphic arts presentation of said shape, comprising;
- providing a data set set representative of a boundary of said shape;
- analyzing said boundary data set to identify as node points the maximum value, minimum value, starting, ending and inflection points of said shape;
- and
- establishing control points for adjacent pairs of node points, said control points and said node points defining second or higher order parametric curves interconnecting said node points to closely approximate the boundary of said shape.
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, a method of graphical representation of an arbitrary two dimensional shape, comprising the steps of;
- providing sets of data for adjoining second or higher order parametric curves which closely approximate said shape;
- converting the sets of data for said curves to sets of data for a plurality of straight line segments defining a polygon closely approximating said curves;
- and
- presenting said shape on a scanned display medium by repetitively calculating positions of scanned line intersections with said plurality of straight line segments.
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, a method of graphical representation of an arbitrary two dimensional shape, comprising the steps of;
- providing sets of data for adjoining second or higher order parametric curves which closely approximate said shape;
- converting the sets of data for said curves to sets of forward-difference data for a plurality of stright line segments closely approximating said curves;
- and
- presenting said shape on a scanned display medium by repetitively calculating positions of scanned line intersections with said plurality of straight line segments.
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, a method for graphical representation of an arbitrary two dimensional figure, comprising;
- providing a first data set representative of the outer boundary of said figure;
- converting said first data set to a second data set representative of the outer boundary of a shape closely resembling that of said figure, said shape being defined by a plurality of adjoined second or higher order parametric curves;
- expanding said second data set to a third data set representative of a polygon having a sufficient number of vertices to closely approximate said shape;
- and
- presenting said polygon represented by said third data set via a display medium to create an image thereon closely approximating that of said figure.
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, a method of graphical representation of an arbitrary two dimensional shape, comprising the steps of;
- providing a set of data points representing the periphery of the shape;
- converting said periphery data point set to second sets of coordinate data for second or higher order parametric equations which define a plurality of adjoining curves that closely approximate the shape, including the steps of analyzing said set of data points representing the periphery of the shape to identify as node points the maximum value, minimum value, starting, ending and inflection points of said shape, and the step of establishing control points for adjacent pairs of node points, the control points and the node points defining second or higher order parametric curves interconnecting the node points to closely approximate the boundary of the shape;
- and
- recreating said shape from said second sets of data for presentation on a display medium, including the step of converting said second sets of data to sets of data for a plurality of adjoining straight line segments closely approximating said curves.
In a computer aided or generated graphics system, an apparatus for graphical representation of arbitrary two dimensional shapes, comprising:
- means for providing a set of data points representing the periphery of the shape;
- means for converting said periphery data point set to second sets of data for second or higher order parametric equations which define a plurality of adjoining curves that closely approximate the shape;
- and
- means for recreating the shape from the second sets of data for presentation on a display medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.