A new method to compute the singularities of offsets to rational plane curves (Q492111)

The offset curves to a given curve are (intuitively) parallel curves to the original curve (so - called generator curve) at a certain distance. The offsetting operation is important in Computer Aided Geometric Design. Given a planar curve by a real rational parmetrization it is proved that the affine values of the parameter generating the real singularities of the offset are real roots of an univariate polynomial that can be derived from the parametrization of the generator curve without using the implicit equation of the offset. Experiments using an implementation of the algorithm in the computer algebra system Maple are described.