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US005583977A
United States Patent [19] [li] Patent Number: 5,583,977
Seidl [45] Date of Patent: Dec. 10,1996
[54] OBJECT-ORIENTED CURVE MANIPULATION SYSTEM
[75] Inventor: Robert Seidl, Palo Alto, Calif.
[73] Assignee: Taligent, Inc., Cupertino, Calif.
[21] Appl. No.: 139,951
[22] Filed: Oct. 21,1993
[51] Int. CI.6 G06F 15/00
[52] U.S. CI :. 395/133
[58] Field of Search 395/133, 136,
395/137, 138, 139; 345/126, 127
[56] References Cited
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
2077173 5/1993 Canada.
2239773 7/1991 United Kingdom.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Computer Aided Design, V.21(8), Oct. 1989, London, GB, pp. 509-518, L. Piegl "Modifying the Shape of Rational B-Splines. Part 1: Curves".
Primary Examiner—Phu K. Nguyen
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Keith Stephens; Bookstein &
Kudirka
[57] ABSTRACT
A method and apparatus enables direct manipulation of 3D curve images on a computer display. In accordance with this method and apparatus, a curve object is created which, in turn, generates a 3D virtual box image enclosing a portion of a selected curve image. The 3D virtual box image has areas which are sensitive to a pointing device cursor such that a user can select an area and use it to manipulate the virtual box. Manipulation of the virtual box causes the curve object to redisplay the portion of the curve image within the box so that the curve image is changed with direct kinesthetic correspondence between the manipulation of the virtual box and the curve image.
53 Claims, 25 Drawing Sheets
