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:
Oct. 30, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 22, 2004
G. William Walster, Cupertino, CA (US);
G. William Walster, Cupertino, CA (US);
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that approximates a shape of an object with a closed Bezier curve. During operation, the system receives a specification for the shape of the object. The system also produces an objective function for the area of a closed Bezier curve, wherein the objective function expresses the area of the closed Bezier curve as a function of the locations of control points that define the closed Bezier curve. Next, the system uses the specification for the shape of the object to generate exterior constraints for the closed Bezier curve, wherein the exterior constraints ensure that the closed Bezier curve remains on the exterior of the object. Finally, the system minimizes the area of the closed Bezier curve subject to the exterior constraints to produce a minimum-area closed Bezier curve on the exterior of the object which encloses the shape of the object.