Parametric Generalized Offsets to Hypersurfaces

In this paper we extend the classical notion of offset to the concept of generalized offset to hypersurfaces. In addition, we present a complete theoretical analysis of the rationality and unirationality of generalized offsets. Characterizations for deciding whether the generalized offset to a hypersurface is parametric or it has two parametric components are given. As an application, an algorithm to analyse the rationality of the components of the generalized offset to a plane curve or to a surface, and to compute rational parametrizations of its rational components, is outlined.