Quintic Pythagorean-hodograph Research Articles

On G2 approximation of planar algebraic curves under certified error control by quintic Pythagorean-hodograph splines

The Pythagorean-Hodograph curve (PH curve) is a valuable curve type extensively utilized in computer-aided geometric design and manufacturing. This paper presents an approach to approximate a planar algebraic curve within a bounding box by employing piecewise quintic PH spline curves, while maintaining G2 smoothness of the approximating curve and preserving second-order geometric details at singularities. The bounding box encompasses all x-coordinates of key topological points, ensuring accurate representation. The paper explores the analysis of the G2 interpolation problem for quintic PH curves with invariant convexity, transforming the quest for interpolation solutions into identifying positive roots within a set of algebraic equations. Through infinitesimal order analysis, it is established that a solution necessarily exists following adequate subdivision, laying the groundwork for practical application. Finally, the paper introduces a novel algorithm that integrates prior research to construct the approximating curve while maintaining control over the desired error levels.

New algebraic and geometric characterizations of planar quintic Pythagorean-hodograph curves

The aim of this work is to provide new characterizations of planar quintic Pythagorean-hodograph curves. The first two are algebraic and consist of two and three equations, respectively, in terms of the edges of the Bézier control polygon as complex numbers. These equations are symmetric with respect to the edge indices and cover curves with generic as well as degenerate control polygons. The last two characterizations are geometric and rely both on just two auxiliary points outside the control polygon. One requires two (possibly degenerate) quadrilaterals to be similar, and the other highlights two families of three similar triangles. All characterizations are a step forward with respect to the state of the art, and they can be linked to the well-established counterparts for planar cubic Pythagorean-hodograph curves. The key ingredient for proving the aforementioned results is a novel general expression for the hodograph of the curve.

Partition of the space of planar quintic Pythagorean-hodograph curves

The quintics are the lowest–order planar Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) curves suitable for free–form design, since they can exhibit inflections. A quintic PH curve r(t) may be constructed from a complex quadratic pre–image polynomial w(t) by integration of r′(t)=w2(t), and it thus incorporates (modulo translations) six real parameters — the real and imaginary parts of the coefficients of w(t). Within this 6–dimensional space of planar PH quintics, a 5–dimensional hypersurface separates the inflectional and non–inflectional curves. Points of the hypersurface identify exceptional curves that possess a tangent–continuous point of infinite curvature, corresponding to the fact that the parabolic locus specified by the quadratic pre–image polynomial w(t) passes through the origin of the complex plane. Correspondingly, extreme curvatures and tight loops on r(t) are incurred by a close proximity of w(t) to the origin of the complex plane. These observations provide useful insight into the disparate shapes of the four distinct PH quintic solutions to the first–order Hermite interpolation problem.

Construction of planar quintic Pythagorean-hodograph curves by control-polygon constraints

In the construction and analysis of a planar Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) quintic curve r(t), t∈[0,1] using the complex representation, it is convenient to invoke a translation/rotation/scaling transformation so r(t) is in canonical form with r(0)=0, r(1)=1 and possesses just two complex degrees of freedom. By choosing two of the five control–polygon legs of a quintic PH curve as these free complex parameters, the remaining three control–polygon legs can be expressed in terms of them and the roots of a quadratic or quartic equation. Consequently, depending on the chosen two control–polygon legs, there exist either two or four distinct quintic PH curves that are consistent with them. A comprehensive analysis of all possible pairs of chosen control polygon legs is developed, and examples are provided to illustrate this control–polygon paradigm for the construction of planar quintic PH curves.

Interpolation of 3D data streams with C2 PH quintic splines

The construction of smooth spatial paths with Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) quintic splines is proposed. To facilitate real-time computations, an efficient local data stream interpolation algorithm is introduced to successively construct each spline segment as a quintic PH biarc interpolating second- and first-order Hermite data at the initial and final end-point, respectively. A C2 smooth connection between successive spline segments is obtained by taking the locally required second-order derivative information from the previous segment. Consequently, the data stream spline interpolant is globally C2 continuous and can be constructed for arbitrary C1 Hermite data configurations. A simple and effective selection of the free parameters that arise in the local interpolation problem is proposed. The developed theoretical analysis proves its fourth approximation order while a selection of numerical examples confirms the same accuracy for the spline extension of the scheme. In addition, the performances of the method are also validated by considering its application to point stream interpolation with automatically generated first-order derivative information.

Formula omitted] Hermite interpolation by planar PH B-spline curves with shape parameter

We solve the problem of G2∕C1 Hermite interpolation (i.e. interpolation of prescribed boundary points as well as first derivatives and curvatures at these points) by planar quintic Pythagorean Hodograph B-spline curves with one free interior knot which acts as a shape parameter. We present conditions on the data ensuring the existence of solutions. Finally, we illustrate the influence of the interior knot on the shape of the resulting interpolant and on the values of the absolute rotation index or the bending energy.

Spatial quintic Pythagorean-hodograph interpolants to first-order Hermite data and Frenet frames

We present a scheme to find spatial quintic Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) curves that interpolate given first-order Hermite data and Frenet frames. The two free parameters that appear in general quintic PH interpolants are determined to adjust the orientation of binormal vectors. Using the unique cubic interpolant to the given set of Hermite data as a reference, we produce a quintic PH interpolant that shares not only the first-order Hermite data but also the Frenet frames at the endpoints with the cubic counterpart. This approach can be readily applied to a sequence of points to generate a quintic PH C1 spline curve with Frenet-frame continuity. We also prove that for any nonlinear analytic curve, such PH Frenet interpolants uniquely exist if the Hermite data are extracted from sufficiently close points on the curve.

Singular cases of planar and spatial C1 Hermite interpolation problems based on quintic Pythagorean-hodograph curves

A well–known feature of the Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) curves is the multiplicity of solutions arising from their construction through the interpolation of Hermite data. In general, there are four distinct planar quintic PH curves that match first–order Hermite data, and a two–parameter family of spatial quintic PH curves compatible with such data. Under certain special circumstances, however, the number of distinct solutions is reduced. The present study characterizes these singular cases, and analyzes the properties of the resulting quintic PH curves. Specifically, in the planar case it is shown that there may be only three (but not less) distinct Hermite interpolants, of which one is a “double” solution. In the spatial case, a constant difference between the two free parameters reduces the dimension of the solution set from two to one, resulting in a family of quintic PH space curves of different shape but identical arc lengths. The values of the free parameters that result in formal specialization of the (quaternion) spatial problem to the (complex) planar problem are also identified, demonstrating that the planar PH quintics, including their degenerate cases, are subsumed as a proper subset of the spatial PH quintics.

Construction of periodic adapted orthonormal frames on closed space curves

The construction of continuous adapted orthonormal frames along C1 closed–loop spatial curves is addressed. Such frames are important in the design of periodic spatial rigid–body motions along smooth closed paths. The construction is illustrated through the simplest non–trivial context — namely, C1 closed loops defined by a single Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) quintic space curve of a prescribed total arc length. It is shown that such curves comprise a two–parameter family, dependent on two angular variables, and they degenerate to planar curves when these parameters differ by an integer multiple of π. The desired frame is constructed through a rotation applied to the normal–plane vectors of the Euler–Rodrigues frame, so as to interpolate a given initial/final frame orientation. A general solution for periodic adapted frames of minimal twist on C1 closed–loop PH curves is possible, although this incurs transcendental terms. However, the C1 closed–loop PH quintics admit particularly simple rational periodic adapted frames.

Quintic Pythagorean-Hodograph Curves Based Trajectory Planning for Delta Robot with a Prescribed Geometrical Constraint

A new trajectory planning approach on the basis of the quintic Pythagorean–Hodograph (PH) curve is presented and applied to Delta robot for implementing pick-and-place operation (PPO). To satisfy a prescribed geometrical constraint, which indicates the distance between the transition segment curve and right angle of PPO trajectory is no greater than a prescribed value, the quintic PH curve is used to produce a connection segment path for collision avoidance. The relationship between the PH curve and constraint is analyzed, based on which PH curve is calculated simply. Afterwards, the trajectory is planned in different phases with different motion laws, i.e. polynomial motion laws and PH curve parameter-dependent motion laws, to obtain a smooth performance both in Cartesian and joint space. The relationship between the PH curve and constraint is also used to improve the efficiency of calculation, and the trajectory symmetry is used to reduce calculation time by direct symmetric transformation. Thus, real-time performance is improved. The results of simulations and experiments indicate that the approach in this paper can provide smooth motion and meet the real-time requirement under the prescribed geometrical constraint.

Time-Optimal Trajectory Planning for Delta Robot Based on Quintic Pythagorean-Hodograph Curves

In this paper, a time-optimal trajectory planning method based on quintic Pythagorean-Hodograph (PH) curves is proposed to realize the smooth and stable high-speed operation of the Delta parallel robot. The trajectory is determined by applying the quintic PH curves to the transition segments in the pick-and-place operation trajectory and the 3-4-5 polynomial motion law to the trajectory. The quintic PH curves are optimized to reduce the cycle time of the pick-and-place operation. In addition, a comparison between different trajectory planning methods has been implemented so as to observe the performance of the obtained results. The MATLAB simulation results reveal that compared with the trajectory planning based on vertical and horizontal motion superposition, the trajectory planning based on quintic PH curves is completed with a shorter motion cycle time and more stable motion performance, with the velocities, accelerations, and jerks in joint space bounded and continuous. Experiments carried out on the prototype also confirm that the trajectory planning based on quintic PH curves has a shorter cycle time, which is of great importance to high-speed operations of Delta parallel robots.

Geometric characteristics of planar quintic Pythagorean-hodograph curves

This study examines necessary and sufficient conditions for a planar quintic Bézier curve to be a Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) curve. Quintic PH curves can be categorized into two classes according to the representation of their derivatives. While the first class has been studied by Farouki (1994) to be a family of regular curves already, a more succinct proof by introducing auxiliary control points is provided in this paper. Geometric characteristics of the second class of quintic PH curves are also studied. The key technique to simplify the discussion is to represent a planar Bézier curve with a complex polynomial in Bernstein form. Benefiting from such complex expression, algebraic characteristics of quintic PH curves can be described by nonlinear complex systems with respect to control points. By treating these systems with geometric methods, conditions for a quintic planar curve to be a PH curve can be described in terms of geometric constraints on its control polygon. Furthermore, we provide methods for the construction of the second class of quintic PH curves. In particular, parameter values of cusps can be explicitly determined in advance for irregular curves.

Helical polynomial curves interpolating G1 data with prescribed axes and pitch angles

A helical curve, or curve of constant slope, offers a natural flight path for an aerial vehicle with a limited climb rate to achieve an increase in altitude between prescribed initial and final states. Every polynomial helical curve is a spatial Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) curve, and the distinctive features of the PH curves have attracted growing interest in their use for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) path planning. This study describes an exact algorithm for constructing helical PH paths, corresponding to a constant climb rate at a given speed, between initial and final positions and motion directions. The algorithm bypasses the more sophisticated algebraic representations of spatial PH curves, and instead employs a simple “lifting” scheme to generate helical PH paths from planar PH curves constructed using the complex representation. In this context, a novel scheme to construct planar quintic PH curves that interpolate given end points and tangents, with exactly prescribed arc lengths, plays a key role. It is also shown that these helical paths admit simple closed-form rotation-minimizing adapted frames. The algorithm is simple, efficient, and robust, and can accommodate helical axes of arbitrary orientation through simple rotation transformations. Its implementation is illustrated by several computed examples.

Construction of G1 planar Hermite interpolants with prescribed arc lengths

The problem of constructing a plane polynomial curve with given end points and end tangents, and a specified arc length, is addressed. The solution employs planar quintic Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) curves with equal-magnitude end derivatives. By reduction to canonical form it is shown that, in this context, the problem can be expressed in terms of finding the real solutions to a system of three quadratic equations in three variables. This system admits further reduction to just a single univariate biquadratic equation, which always has positive roots. It is found that this construction of G1 Hermite interpolants of specified arc length admits two formal solutions — of which one has attractive shape properties, and the other must be discarded due to undesired looping behavior. The algorithm developed herein offers a simple and efficient closed-form solution to a fundamental constructive geometry problem that avoids the need for iterative numerical methods.

Efficient high-speed cornering motions based on continuously-variable feedrates. I. Real-time interpolator algorithms

The problem of high-speed traversal of sharp toolpath corners, within a prescribed geometrical tolerance 𝜖, is addressed. Each sharp corner is replaced by a quintic Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) curve that meets the incoming/outgoing path segments with G 2 continuity, and deviates from the exact corner by no more than the prescribed tolerance 𝜖. The deviation and extremum curvature admit closed-form expressions in terms of the corner angle 𝜃 and side-length L, allowing precise control over these quantities. The PH curves also permit a smooth modulation of feedrate around the corner by analytic reduction of the interpolation integral. To demonstrate this, real-time interpolator algorithms are developed for three model feedrate functions. Specifying the feedrate as a quintic polynomial in the curve parameter accommodates precise acceleration continuity, but has no obvious geometrical interpretation. An inverse linear dependence on curvature offers a purely geometrical specification, but incurs slight initial and final tangential acceleration discontinuities. As an alternative, a hybrid form that incorporates the main advantages of these two approaches is proposed. In each case, the ratio $f=V_{\min }/V_{0}$ of the minimum and nominal feedrates is a free parameter, and the improved cornering time is analyzed. This paper develops the basic cornering algorithms—their implementation and performance analysis are described in detail in a companion paper.

Algorithm 952

The implementation of a library of basic functions for the construction and analysis of planar quintic Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) curves is presented using the complex representation. The special algebraic structure of PH curves permits exact algorithms for the computation of key properties, such as arc length, elastic bending energy, and offset (parallel) curves. Single planar PH quintic segments are constructed as interpolants to first-order Hermite data (end points and derivatives), and this construction is then extended to open or closed C 2 PH quintic spline curves interpolating a sequence of points in the plane. The nonlinear nature of PH curves incurs a multiplicity of formal solutions to such interpolation problems, and a key aspect of the algorithms is to efficiently single out the unique “good” interpolant among them.

Tensor-product surface patches with Pythagorean-hodograph isoparametric curves

Tensor-product surface patches with Pythagorean-hodograph isoparametric curves Rida T. Farouki Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Francesca Pelosi Dipartimento di Matematica, Universit`a di Roma “Tor Vergata,” Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy. Maria Lucia Sampoli Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione e Scienze Matematiche, Universit`a di Siena, San Niccol`o, Via Roma 56, 53100 Siena, Italy. Alessandra Sestini Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica, Universit`a di Firenze, Viale Morgagni 67/A, 50134 Firenze, Italy. Abstract The construction of tensor–product surface patches with a family of Pythagorean–hodograph (PH) isoparametric curves is investigated. The simplest non–trivial instances, interpolating four prescribed patch boundary curves, involve degree (5, 4) tensor–product surface patches x(u, v) whose v = constant isoparametric curves are all spatial PH quintics. It is shown that the construction can be reduced to solving a novel type of quadratic quaternion equation, in which the quaternion unknown and its conjugate exhibit left and right coefficients, while the quadratic term has a coefficient interposed between them. A closed– form solution for this type of equation is derived, and conditions for

Identification and “reverse engineering” of Pythagorean-hodograph curves

Methods are developed to identify whether or not a given polynomial curve, specified by Bézier control points, is a Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) curve — and, if so, to reconstruct the internal algebraic structure that allows one to exploit the advantageous properties of PH curves. Two approaches to identification of PH curves are proposed. The first is based on the satisfaction of a system of algebraic constraints by the control-polygon legs, and the second uses the fact that numerical quadrature rules that are exact for polynomials of a certain maximum degree generate arc length estimates for PH curves exhibiting a sharp saturation as the number of sample points is increased. These methods are equally applicable to planar and spatial PH curves, and are fully elaborated for cubic and quintic PH curves. The reverse engineering problem involves computing the complex or quaternion coefficients of the pre-image polynomials generating planar or spatial Pythagorean hodographs, respectively, from prescribed Bézier control points. In the planar case, a simple closed-form solution is possible, but for spatial PH curves the reverse engineering problem is much more involved.

Formula omitted] Hermite interpolation by Pythagorean-hodograph quintic triarcs

In this paper, the problem of C2 Hermite interpolation by triarcs composed of Pythagorean-hodograph (PH) quintics is considered. The main idea is to join three arcs of PH quintics at two unknown points – the first curve interpolates given C2 Hermite data at one side, the third one interpolates the same type of given data at the other side and the middle arc is joined together with C2 continuity to the first and the third arc. For any set of C2 planar boundary data (two points with associated first and second derivatives) we construct four possible interpolants. The best possible approximation order is 4. Analogously, for a set of C2 spatial boundary data we find a six-dimensional family of interpolating quintic PH triarcs. The results are confirmed by several examples.

Interpolation by $G^2$ Quintic Pythagorean-Hodograph Curves

Interpolation by $G^2$ Quintic Pythagorean-Hodograph Curves