Function plotting using conic splines

A method is presented whereby, given a mathematical description of a function, a conic spline approximating the plot of the function is produced. Conic arcs were selected as the primitive curves because there are simple incremental plotting algorithms for conics already included in some device drivers, and there are simple algorithms for local approximations by conics. A split-and-merge algorithm for choosing the knots adaptively, according to shape analysis of the original function based on its first-order derivatives, is introduced.<
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