Generation of cubic Bezier control points in computer graphics systems

1. A system for interactive computer graphics that enables generation of Bezier curves from a series of points, the system comprising:

means for data logic processing;

input means for receiving user input; and

a computer-readable medium,

wherein a series of points is received by the input means for receiving user input and is transferred to the computer-readable medium for processing by the means for data logic processing, and the means for data logic processing retrieves points of the series of points from the computer-readable medium and calculates control points corresponding to one or more points according to the relative distance between successive points of the series of points, and the means for data processing generates a Bezier curve using the calculated control points and the series of points, and the generated Bezier curve is stored in the computer-readable medium, and

wherein point A, point B, and point C are successive points in the series of points, and wherein a control point corresponding to point B and associated with the segment AB is determined by the equation B+R A *(R A *(B−C)+R C *(A−B)), and a control point corresponding to point B and associated with the segment BC is determined by the equation B+R C *(R A *(C−B)+R C *(B−A)), where R A =|AB|/(|AB|+|BC|), and R C =|BC|/(|AB|+|BC|).

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon, the computer instructions executable by a computer system to carry out a method for generating a Bezier curve from a series of points, the method comprising:

retrieving points A, B, and C from a computer-readable medium, the points A, B, and C being successive points in a series of points identified by a user of the computer system using a computer input device;

in a processor of the computer system, calculating control points from the retrieved points A, B, and C, the control points determined by the relative positions of the retrieved points A, B, and C;

generating a Bezier curve data structure that includes the points A, B, and C, and the calculated control points;

storing the generated Bezier curve data structure on a computer-readable medium; and

enabling a user to manipulate the generated Bezier curve using a graphical user interface, wherein a control point corresponding to point B and associated with the segment AB is determined by the equation B+R A *(R A *(B−C)+R C *(A−B)), and a control point corresponding to point B and associated with the segment BC is determined by the equation B+R C *(R A *(C−B)+R C *(B−A)), where R A =|AB|/(|AB|+|BC|), and R C =|BC|/(|AB|+|BC|).

3. In a graphical user interface of an interactive computer graphics system, a method for defining Bezier curves, the method comprising:

receiving a first point A identified by a user through the graphical user interface of the interactive computer graphics system;

receiving a second point B identified by a user through the graphical user interface of the interactive computer graphics system;

receiving a third point C identified by a user through the graphical user interface of the interactive computer graphics system;

calculating a control point corresponding to point B and associated with the segment AB is determined by the equation B+R A *(R A *(B−C)+R C *(A−B)), wherein R A =|AB|/(|AB|+|BC|), and R C =|BC|/(|AB|+|BC|);

calculating a control point corresponding to point B and associated with the segment BC is determined by the equation B+R C *(R A *(C−B)+R C *(B−A));

generating a Bezier curve data structure storing point A, point B, and point C, and storing, associated with point B, the first control point and the second control point associated with point B, the Bezier curve data structure being used to render a Bezier curve for display on a display of the computer graphics system and manipulation by a user.