The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 25, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2001
Craig Alan Hobbs, Bainbridge Island, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A computer-implemented method and system for efficiently creating splines. Drawing software modules can use splines to connect objects in a drawing or flow chart. Splines are defined and manipulated by a group of points and equations that are used to calculate the position of the spline. To create complex or precise splines, drawing software modules add control points to the minimum number of control points needed to create the spline. The invention improves upon existing methods of creating splines by examining the control points and eliminating unnecessary ones. By eliminating redundant control points, the invention reduces the processing work that must be done to calculate the position of the spline and improves the performance of the drawing software module.