[OSM-dev] curves

[Andy Robinson (blackadder)]

Frederik Ramm wrote:
>Sent: 03 January 2008 4:53 PM
>To: Robert (Jamie) Munro
>Cc: dev Openstreetmap
>Subject: Re: [OSM-dev] curves
>
>Hi,
>
>>> What people think about explicitly supporting curves as a part of
>>> geometry model? This way we can model the world better.
>>
>> When I suggested this before, someone said it was patented, possibly by
>> either NavTeq or TeleAtlas,
>
>Navteq seem to have a patent on using Bezier curves for road network
>representation or something. It was on the lists here.

Try this for size:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7007011.html

Cheers

Andy

>
>I also find the idea very tempting, however one has to bear in mind that
>some things could then become very difficult. For example, computing the
>combined length of all motorways is trivial today, and will probably
>require specialist tools if we go Bezier. Equally, finding intersections
>and the like (think Validator plugin) - probably a computational
>nightmare if Beziers are involved.
>
>Will the built-in PostGIS stuff ("give me everything that intersects
>with this rectangle") work out-of-the box with Beziers?
>
>Bye
>Frederik
>
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