Linear approximation of offset curves to a cubic Bezier curve

An algorithm to generate an approximating minimal-cardinality polygonal outline of a thick Bézier segment, meeting a prescribed flatness criterion, is described. In particular it achieves a lower cardinality of the polygonal approximation generated by the offset point method using recursive subdivision. The devised algorithm reduces the cardinality, compared to the offset point method using recursive subdivision, without loss of performance again, as compared to the former algorithm. Furthermore, the flatness criterion was met in 99.8% of the practical domain of Bézier curves.