We present an algorithm for computing the convex hull of freeform rational surfaces. The convex hull problem is reformulated as one of finding the zero-sets of polynomial equations; using these zero-sets we characterize developable surface patches and planar patches that belong to the boundary of the convex hull.
AMS Subject Classification 65D17 - 68U07 - 68U05
Keywords Convex hull - common tangent - zero-set finding - freeform rational surface - B-spline - symbolic computation