Least eccentric ellipses for geometric Hermite interpolation

We present a rational Bézier solution to the geometric Hermite interpolation problem. Given two points and respective unit tangent vectors, we provide an interpolant that can reproduce a circle if possible. When the tangents permit an ellipse, we produce one that deviates least from a circle. We cast the problem as a theorem and provide its proof, and a method for determining the weights of the control points of a rational curve. Our approach targets ellipses, but we also present a cubic interpolant that can find curves with inflection points and space curves when an ellipse cannot satisfy the tangent constraints.