On Self-Intersections of Cubic Bézier Curves

Abstract

Cubic Bézier curves are widely used in computer graphics and geometric modeling, favored for their intuitive design and ease of implementation. However, self-intersections within these curves can pose significant challenges in both geometric modeling and analysis. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to detecting and computing self-intersections of cubic Bézier curves. We introduce an efficient algorithm that leverages both the geometric properties of Bézier curves and numerical methods to accurately identify intersection points. The self-intersection problem of cubic Bézier curves is firstly transformed into a quadratic problem by eliminating trivial solutions. Subsequently, this quadratic system is converted into a linear system that may be easily analyzed and solved. Finally, the parameter values corresponding to the self-intersection points are computed through the solution of the linear system. The proposed method is designed to be robust and computationally efficient, making it suitable for real-time applications.