Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-27
2001-07-03
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S135000, C700S138000, C112S102500, C112S457000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256551
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an embroidery data processor for preparing embroidery data based on figure data of an embroidery figure. The present invention further relates to a recording medium that stores an embroidery data processing program that can be retrieved by a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Embroidery data preparation devices have been known, for example, in the industrial sewing machine field, for enabling simple preparation of embroidery data based on figure data of an embroidery figure. One such embroidery data preparation device is configured from a general purpose personal computer system, and an image scanner, a hard disk, a keyboard and a cathode ray tube (CRT) display connected to the computer system.
When preparing embroidery data using this embroidery data preparation device, first, figure data that represents a figure is retrieved from where it is prestored in a hard disk. Alternatively, figure data representing an embroidery pattern could be extracted from pattern image data, which was retrieved by scanning a hand drawn embroidery figure or a printed image with the image scanner. The figure data is inputted into the personal computer system.
Here, an explanation will be provided for an embroidery sewing machine in which embroidery data prepared by embroidery data preparation device is used to sew embroidery patterns. As shown in
FIG. 11
, the embroidery sewing machine includes a sewing frame
12
and a needle
13
. The sewing frame
12
supports a cloth in which the embroidery pattern is to be sewn using the needle
13
. The embroidery sewing machine is capable of sewing in a maximum sewing range “a” having a width W and a height H.
After figure data is prepared, a mask “b” is designated. As shown in
FIG. 11
, the mask “b” is a rectangular sewing region positioned within the maximum sewing range “a”. This mask “b” serves as a reference on which embroidery data supplied to the embroidery sewing machine is based. That is, the embroidery data includes the mask size, that is, the length and width of the mask “b”, and stitch position data represented by coordinates, wherein the origin of the coordinates is the upper left point of the mask “b”.
The embroidery data supplied from the personal computer is laid out to position the center of the mask “b” at the center of the embroidery frame
12
. Then embroidery is sewn in the cloth based on the stitch position data. When embroidering with an embroidery sewing machine based on such embroidery data, the state of the mask “b” must be designated so as not to exceed the size, that is, the width W and height H, of the maximum sewing range “a” of the embroidery sewing machine.
Conventionally, embroidery data that fits within a region surrounded by the contour line is prepared based on figure data and on a mask that encompasses the figure. When the figure is a linear figure, then, based on figure data and on a mask that encompasses the linear figure, embroidery stitches for stitching the linear figure are prepared and then embroidery data, wherein the embroidery stitches fit within the mask, is prepared.
When embroidery data prepared using the above-described processes is for a large figure, then the mask that encompasses the large figure will also be large. However, embroidery can not be sewn if the mask exceeds the maximum sewing size of the sewing machine. An example will be provided while referring to FIG.
6
.
FIG. 6
shows a large “shooting star” figure. Because the “shooting star” figure is larger than the maximum sewing size “a” of the sewing machine, the smallest rectangle that encompasses all the figure data for the “shooting star” figure will also exceed the maximum sewing size “a”. Accordingly, the embroidery sewing machine will be unable to sew the “shooting star” figure using figure data prepared with this smallest rectangle as the mask. the overall “shooting star” figure could be broken into components, that is, the polygonal star shape and the three “shooting” lines, and a separate mask used for preparing figure data for each component. However, the star shape would still require a mask that is larger than the maximum sewing size of the embroidery sewing machine, so that in the end the figure data representing the star shape could still not be used by the embroidery sewing machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-described problems and to provide an embroidery data processor for preparing embroidery data based on figure data representing an embroidery pattern. An embroidery sewing machine forms an embroidery based on the embroidery data prepared by the embrodiery data processor. The embroidery sewing machine has a maximum sewing size. The term “embroidery pattern” as used herein means at least one of a contour line of a planar figure and a line of a linear figure. The embroidery data is for sewing the embroidery by, for example, filling the planar figure with embroidery stitches.
The embroidery data processor in accordance with the present-invention includes sewing region setting means for setting size of a sewing region so that the sewing region does not exceed the maximum sewing size of the embroidery sewing machine; embroidery data preparation means is also provided for preparing a piece of embroidery data corresponding to a partial embroidery pattern encompassed by the sewing region set by said sewing region setting means; and embroidery data storage means for storing the piece of embroidery data.
If the sewing size of an overall embroidery pattern exceeds the maximum sewing size of the embroidery sewing machine, then the sewing machine will be unable to use embroidery data that is prepared for filling in the overall embroidery pattern with embrodiery stitches. However, according to the present invention, the overall embroidery pattern is divided into partial patterns so as to be encompassed by sewing regions, each of which is set to a size that does not exceed the maximum size of the sewing machine. Then, a piece of embroidery data is prepared for the partial embroidery pattern and the embroidery sewing machine sews embroidery that fills in the partial embroidery pattern with embroidery stitches based on the piece of embroidery data.
The sewing region setting means sets at least two sewing regions so that size of each sewing region does not exceed the maximum sewing size of the sewing machine. The embroidery data preparation means prepares, for each sewing region, a corresponding piece of embroidery data corresponding to a partial embroidery pattern encompassed by a corresponding sewing region. The embroidery data storage means stores at least two pieces of embroidery data in different storage regions.
In this way, a plurality of sewing regions are set to cover an overall embroidery pattern represented by figure data. In other words, even large embroidery patterns can be covered by using a plurality of sewing regions. In more detail, first plural pieces of embroidery data are prepared based on partial embroidery patterns formed by dividing the overall embroidery pattern based on the sewing regions. Then, embroidery sewing machine uses these plural pieces of embroidery data to sew embroidery for each partial embroidery pattern in a separate piece of cloth. Afterward, the separate pieces of cloth can be arranged and sewn together to reproduce embroidery in the original size of the original overall embroidery pattern.
In the present invention, each sewing region has an overlapping section that overlaps an adjacent sewing region. Specifically, each of the plurality of sewing regions can be formed to include sections that overlap with adjacent sewing regions. In this case, when the separate pieces of cloth, each embroidered with a partial embroidery pattern, are arranged and sewn together, no gaps will appear between adjacent partial embroidery patterns of the overall embroidery pattern.
In the present invention, the figure data represents at least one of a contour line of a pl
Bahta Kidest
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Grant William
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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