JP3589799B2 - Embroidery data creation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an embroidery data creation device based on image data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As for data for causing a sewing machine capable of embroidery sewing or an embroidery sewing apparatus to perform embroidery, data is usually created by a maker of the apparatus and embroidery sewing is performed based on this data.
However, with the spread of personal computers and the like in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for users to create images themselves and use them as embroidery stitch data. Further, an apparatus that reads an image created by a user with an image sensor or the like and creates stitch data based on the image is already commercially available as an accessory of a home embroidery sewing machine.
In an apparatus for creating embroidery data based on such image data, in recent years, a device that determines a center line of an image, creates so-called skeletonized data representing a skeleton of the image, and creates embroidery data based on the skeletonized data, Proposed by the present applicant.
Such a method is suitable for converting a line drawing into embroidery data, and based on the skeletonized data, double stitching of straight stitching or straight stitching, or double stitching of zigzag stitching or zigzag stitching having different widths, and furthermore, straight stitching By generating embroidery stitch data such as double stitches, which is a combination of stitching and zigzag stitching, embroidery of a line drawing can be realized easily and with an excellent appearance.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described embroidery data creating apparatus based on the skeletonized data, some images may damage the original image due to the skeletonization.
That is, in generating the skeletonized data, the width of the original image is reduced until it becomes the skeletonized data. Therefore, the image separated from other line segments, that is, the unit image itself is reduced, However, there is a problem that even if the image is a single line, or if the unit image is circular, it becomes a dot.
For example, the original image G shown in FIG. 6A is formed from four types of unit images, and has unit images of the outline 51, eyes 52, nose 53, and mustache 54. When these are skeletonized, the outline 51n and the eye 52n become thin lines, and the nose 53n and the whiskers 54n become minute points as shown in FIG. In this way, the nose 53n and the whiskers 54n become dots, and even if they are embroidered as they are, they become almost invisible.
Further, in the case of a configuration in which a very small image data is filtered and erased for the purpose of noise removal, a very small image such as the nose 53n or the beard 54n is removed and does not appear in the embroidery, and the image of the original image is completely lost. The situation that disappears occurs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve such a problem and to provide an embroidery data creating apparatus which does not impair the image of an original image.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a means for providing image data representing an image having one or more unit images, a skeleton representing an image based on the given image data, and a skeleton representing a skeleton of the image. Means for providing coded data, means for comparing the length of the image based on the skeletonized data with a predetermined reference length for each unit image, and for a unit image shorter than the predetermined reference length, Means for generating outline data representing the outline of the unit image based on the image data, and generating seam data based on the skeletonized data for the unit image longer than the predetermined reference length, and generating the seam data based on the skeletonized data. And a means for generating stitch data based on the contour data for the shortest unit image.
The image of the skeletonized data is compared with a predetermined reference length for each unit image, and if shorter than the reference length, contour data is generated for the unit image, and stitch data is generated based on the contour data. You. Thus, the stitch data is created without damaging the image of the original image.
Further, according to the invention of claim 2, means for providing image data representing an image having one or more unit images, skeletonized image based on the given image data, and skeletonized data representing a skeleton of the image Means for comparing the length of the image based on the skeletonized data with a predetermined first reference length and a second reference length shorter than the first reference length for each unit image; and Means for generating contour data representing a contour of the unit image based on the image data for a unit image shorter than a predetermined first reference length and longer than a second reference length; Stitch data is generated based on the skeletonized data for unit images longer than the unit image, and unit images shorter than the predetermined first reference length and longer than the second reference length are based on the contour data. Generates stitch data for said second reference length shorter unit image than is characterized by having a means for generating stitch data based on the image data.
In the above configuration, a seam based on image data can be formed for a smaller image unsuitable for contour stitching without performing contour stitching. It can be created.
It is desirable that the predetermined reference length be changeable, so that a user or the like can arbitrarily change the length according to the state of the original image.
[0005]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, a central processing unit 1 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, and an image scanner 10 is connected thereto so that a user reads a desired original image and inputs image data to the central processing unit 1. Has become. The read image is stored once in the data storage device 2. Also, the information is displayed on the display device 8 at the same time.
Instead of the image scanner 10, for example, a storage medium such as a memory card storing image data, or an image processing apparatus such as CAD may be connected to read image data.
[0006]
In FIG. 3, (A) shows an example of an original image, and this original image G is composed of a total of ten unit images including an outline 51, two eyes 52, two nose 53, and five mustaches 54. I have. In the present embodiment, these image data are supplied as dot data from the image scanner 10 to the central processing unit 1, but may be data in any other form such as vector data.
[0007]
The central processing unit 1 digitizes the read image data in accordance with the image data skeletalization program stored in the image data skeletalization program storage device 3 and then skeletonizes the image.
As the skeletalization method, various conventionally known methods can be adopted. Usually, the skeletonization is performed by obtaining the center line of the image. The skeletonized data is also temporarily stored in the data storage device 2.
[0008]
FIG. 3B shows a skeletonized image B based on the skeletonized data, in which a thinned outline 51b, a lined eye 52b, and a nose 53b and a whisker 54b formed as minute points are shown. , And are displayed on the display device 8.
[0009]
Next, the central processing unit 1 is configured to compare the length of the line segment based on the skeletonized data with the reference length L1 for each unit image according to the program stored in the line length comparison program storage device 8. Have been. The reference length L1 can be arbitrarily changed by the user by the reference line segment length setting device 6. This allows the user or the like to set the reference length in accordance with the state of the original image. In addition to this reference length L1, a shorter reference length L2 can be set as necessary. Therefore, other processing can be performed on a smaller unit image. The length of L2 can also be changed by the reference line segment length setting device 6.
[0010]
The central processing unit 1 determines to create stitch data based on the skeletonized data for the unit image whose skeletonized image is equal to or longer than the reference length L1.
Further, for a unit image whose skeletonized unit image is equal to or less than the reference length L1, it is determined that contour data is created from the original image data for the unit image, and the contour data is stored in the contour data generation program storage device 4 by the contour data generation program storage device 4. create. Then, it is determined that stitch data is created based on the contour data.
Various methods known in the art can be used for creating contour data by the contour data generation program storage device 4.
[0011]
When the second reference length L2 is set, it is determined that a stitch is created based on the original image data for the unit image of L2 or less. As the stitches, stitches such as satin stitches and tatami stitches can be employed. This embodiment will be described later with reference to FIGS.
[0012]
Now, assuming that the reference length L2 is not set and the reference length L1 is set to be equal to or less than the length of the eye 52b in FIG. 3 and equal to or greater than the length of the nose 53b, the nose 53b and the mustache 54b are set to the original image. The stitch data is contour data based on the data, and the outline 51b and the eye 52b are stitch data based on the skeletonized data.
FIG. 3C shows the skeletonized data and the original image data as a virtual composite. Such composite data may be once imaged and displayed on the display device 8.
The nose 53b and the whiskers 54b based on the original image data are converted into outline data by the outline data generation program storage device 4, and displayed on the display device 8 as a composite image C 'including the outline image R as shown in FIG. It has become.
[0013]
After determining the data to be the basis of stitch data generation for each unit image, the central processing unit 1 generates stitch data according to the program in the stitch data generation program storage device 5 according to the determination.
The stitches based on the skeletonized data such as the outline 51b and the eyes 52b are preferably stitches such as double stitches of straight stitches, double stitches of zigzag stitches having different widths, or overlap stitches of straight stitches and zigzag stitches. . Further, it is desirable that the seam based on the contour data such as the nose 53r and the beard 54r be the same seam.
[0014]
The generated stitch data is configured to be stored in the storage medium 11. The storage medium 11 is mounted on an embroidery sewing machine or the like, where embroidery sewing is performed.
FIG. 3E shows the completed embroidery stitch N. It is clear that the image of the original image G is preserved as compared with the conventional one shown in FIG.
It is desirable that such an image of the embroidery stitch N is also displayed on the display device 8 so that the user can obtain an image of the finished product.
[0015]
The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
The original image is read by the image scanner 10 (step S1), and the image data from the image scanner 10 is input and stored in the data storage device 2 (step S2). Then, the image data is subjected to skeletonization processing (step S3), and the line segment length is compared with the reference length L1 for each unit image (steps S4 and S5). For unit images longer than the reference predetermined length L1, stitch data is generated from the skeletonized data (step S6). If the line segment is shorter than the predetermined length L1, outer peripheral contour data of the unit image is generated based on the original image data (step S7). Then, stitch data is generated based on the contour data (step S8). When the generation of the stitch data has been completed for all the unit images (step S9), the stitch data is stored in the storage medium 11 (step S10), and the operation ends.
[0016]
With the above configuration, contour stitching is performed on a unit image having a size equal to or smaller than a predetermined size. Therefore, embroidery sewing data that does not impair the image of the original image G as shown in FIG. It becomes possible to do.
[0017]
Next, an embodiment will be described in which the reference line segment length setting device 6 sets the second reference length L2 in addition to the first reference length L1.
As shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that L1 is set longer than the eye 52b, and L2 is set shorter than the eye 52b and longer than the nose 53b.
In this case, as shown in FIG. 5C, the eye 52g, the nose 53g, and the beard 54g are all processed based on the original image data without depending on the skeleton data. That is, although the eye 52g is converted into outline data, the nose 53g and the beard 54g are shorter than L2, and thus are not converted into outline data, and do not become the outline image R, but remain as the original image data as shown in (D). It is supposed to remain. .
The central processing unit 1 forms stitch data based on the skeletonized image B, contour image R, and original image G shown in (D).
[0018]
After determining the data to be the basis of stitch data generation for each unit image, the central processing unit 1 generates stitch data according to the program in the stitch data generation program storage device 5 according to the determination.
The stitches based on the skeletonized data of the outline 51b and the contour data of the eyes 52r should be stitches such as double stitches of straight stitches, double stitches of zigzag stitches having different widths, or overlap stitches of straight stitches and zigzag stitches. desirable.
The nose 53g and the beard 54g are desirably filled with a seam such as satin stitching (zigzag stitching) or tatami stitching (fill stitch stitching).
[0019]
The generated stitch data is stored in the storage medium 11. The storage medium 11 is mounted on an embroidery sewing machine or the like, where embroidery sewing is performed.
FIG. 5E shows the completed embroidery stitch N. Here, the eye 52 is represented by an outline, and it is clear that the image of the original image G is better preserved.
The image of the embroidery stitch N is also displayed on the display device 8 so that the user can obtain an image of the finished product.
[0020]
The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
The original image is read by the image scanner 10 (step S20), and the image data from the image scanner 10 is input and stored in the data storage device 2 (step S21). Then, the image data is subjected to skeletonization processing (step S22), and the line segment length is compared with the reference length for each unit image (step S23). First, a comparison is made with the first reference length L1 (step S24), and for a unit image longer than this L1, stitch data is generated from the skeletonized data (step S25). If the line segment is shorter than the first reference length L1, it is further determined whether or not the line segment is longer than the second reference length L2 (step S26). If longer, the unit image based on the original image data is determined. Is generated (step S27). Then, stitch data is generated based on the contour data (step S28). If the unit image is shorter than L2 in step S26, stitch data such as a satin stitch is generated based on the original image data (step S29).
When the generation of the stitch data has been completed for all the unit images (step S30), the stitch data is stored in the storage medium 11 (step S31), and the operation ends.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the embroidery data creating apparatus of the present invention, there is an effect that embroidery data capable of embroidering a line drawing can be created without damaging the image of the original image.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Central processing unit 2: Data storage unit 3: Image data skeletonization program storage unit 4: Outline data generation program storage unit 5: Stitch data generation program storage unit 6: Reference line segment length setting unit , 7: line length comparison program storage device, 8: display device, 10: image scanner, 11: storage medium, 51: outline, 52: eye, 53: nose, 54: mustache.

Claims (3)

Means for providing image data representing an image having one or more unit images;
Means for skeletonizing an image based on the provided image data and providing skeletonized data representing a skeleton of the image;
Means for comparing the length of the image based on the skeletonized data with a predetermined reference length for each unit image;
Means for generating, for a unit image shorter than the predetermined reference length, outline data representing an outline of the unit image based on the image data;
For generating stitch data based on skeletonized data for a unit image longer than the predetermined reference length, and generating stitch data based on the outline data for a unit image shorter than the predetermined reference length. Means;
Embroidery data creation device having Means for providing image data representing an image having one or more unit images;
Means for skeletonizing an image based on the provided image data and providing skeletonized data representing a skeleton of the image;
Means for comparing the length of the image based on the skeletonized data with a predetermined first reference length and a second reference length shorter than the first reference length for each unit image;
Means for generating, for a unit image shorter than the predetermined first reference length and longer than the second reference length, outline data representing an outline of the unit image based on the image data;
For the unit image longer than the predetermined first reference length, stitch data is generated based on the skeletonized data,
For a unit image shorter than the predetermined first reference length and longer than the second reference length, stitch data is generated based on the outline data;
Means for generating stitch data based on the image data for a unit image shorter than the second reference length;
Embroidery data creation device having The predetermined reference length is changeable,
The embroidery data creation device according to claim 1 or 2.

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