JP3671575B2 - Embroidery data processing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an embroidery data processing apparatus for creating embroidery sewing data necessary for forming an embroidery for a sewing machine that forms an embroidery of a predetermined pattern on a sewing object. In particular, an outline image is used as an original image. The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing design embroidery data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, against the backdrop of various circumstances such as diversifying consumer preferences, upgrading, and improving the performance of embroidery sewing machines, even for home embroidery sewing machines, the design of patterns based on pre-stored embroidery data There is provided an embroidery data processing apparatus that is relatively inexpensive and easy to operate, which enables not only embroidery formation but also embroidery of a pattern desired by a user. Many of them read a picture drawn with a pen on a base paper using a handy scanner or the like, and create embroidery data.
[0003]
Conventionally, in this type of embroidery data processing apparatus, in order to create embroidery data using a plurality of colors, a plurality of base papers corresponding to each color is used to scan the base paper for each color. As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 236784, there is a technique in which a base paper on which a contour line is drawn is scanned first, a portion to be specified later is painted, and the base paper is scanned again.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the former embroidery data processing apparatus described above, an original image is created for each contour line and each color, and input is performed using a scanner or the like. Therefore, when creating the data of the “leaf” pattern as shown in FIG. 17, if the branch portion is filled in the original image of the tatami stitch (FIG. 18), the contour line has a very narrow satin width. In addition, even if the contour line was running, there was no gap between the tatami stitch and the contour line in part D of FIG. 17 (FIG. 19). However, since a different original picture must be created for each color, if there is a deviation in each original picture, a deviation occurs between the completed data. Even when there is no deviation in the original image, the deviation occurs due to a reading error for each scan. Therefore, it takes a lot of time to create embroidery data with little deviation, which is cumbersome and surprisingly skillful.
[0005]
Further, in the latter embroidery data processing apparatus, data of the internal tapping area is created based on the outline image scanned first, so that the deviation hardly occurs when the outline is tapped. However, when the contour line is satin-sewn, deviation tends to occur.
[0006]
This is because of the following circumstances. As one of the methods of reading an original image of a design with an image scanner or the like to convert it into image data and then automatically converting it into embroidery data, the outline of a group of pixels representing the design is extracted, and the resulting shape is represented by a so-called outline. There is something to handle. In the image data that is converted by reading the image drawn as an outline with an image scanner, it must be a planar area with a certain extent even though it is an outline, so the outline is extracted from there. In such a case, an outline having a path on both sides of an outline (having a certain thickness) of the original image (at least two lines that are separated in the case of a closed region such as a circle) is taken out. If the contour line is a tail stitch, if data that sew the inside sandwiched between the outlines is created, the problem of any stitches between the internal stitch and the contour line is unlikely to occur. However, when trying to make the contour line run, satin, etc., embroidery data cannot be created by automatic processing with such data.
[0007]
The reason is that for things like contour lines, it is not a shape-defining line with a path on both sides, but a path-defining line with only one path in the center. This is because it is convenient. And for such a request, thinning processing known as an image data processing technique is suitable, and if the thin line obtained by applying it is used as a route regulation line, the above-mentioned running stitching, Data conversion for satin sewing is also possible.
[0008]
However, if the internal tatami stitching area is created from the data before thinning, the outline data before and after thinning will be shifted when thinning, so the contour line is run and the satin width is very thin. In such a case, a gap is to be generated between the contour line and the internal stitch portion.
[0009]
On the other hand, there is no problem if the internal tatami stitching data is created from the thin line image obtained by thinning the input outline image in the same manner as the contour line data. However, in this case, the data relating to the portion D shown in FIG. 17 becomes very close or crosses because the same pixel is traced twice. Then, there is a possibility that the stitches are clogged and the finish is not beautiful, or the hand movement data cannot be created.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to delete a branch such as a portion D when creating embroidery data for internal tapping stitches for an input image, and to simplify the process as much as possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide an embroidery data processing apparatus that can easily create beautiful embroidery data in a short time without specialized knowledge or skill.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to overcome such problems, the embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is converted by the thinning means for converting the image data of the original image representing the embroidery design into a thin line image, and the thinning means. A fine line tracking unit that finely traces the thin line image, and a branch deletion unit that deletes the branch when there is a branch in the fine line tracking. Therefore, when an original image with branches is input, the branches are deleted and embroidery data is automatically created.
[0012]
In the embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 2 of the present invention, an outline extracting means for extracting an outline constituting the embroidery pattern from a thin line image thinned by the thinning means, and an extracted outline Since it has sewing data creation means for at least one of the stitches that form the outline of the figure formed by the line or the inside of the figure formed by the extracted closed region, it is possible to create various embroidery data Become.
[0013]
In the embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 3 of the present invention, when a pixel that has already been traced by fine line tracking is tracked again, it is assumed that a closed loop has been detected, and this is processed as an internal contour line. Since it has a closed loop processing means and the branch deletion means is applied before the closed loop processing means, it is possible to create data without misrecognizing that a closed loop has been found when a branch is found. .
[0014]
In the embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 4 of the present invention, in the fine line tracking, the embroidery data processing apparatus has direction determining means for determining whether or not the tracking direction is 180 degrees different from the previous tracking direction, and the branch deletion means is the direction. When the determination means determines that the previous tracking direction is different from the current tracking direction by 180 degrees, the branch related to the previous tracking is deleted, so that data processing for finding and deleting the branch is easy. It becomes.
[0015]
Furthermore, in the embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 5 of the present invention, the branch deleting means and the closed loop processing means repeatedly process a part of the figure one by one. Data can be created.
[0016]
Then, the data to be processed to further determine the needle entry point for at least one of the contour line data and the internal sewing data is created based on the same thinned data, so that the width of the contour line is greatly reduced. Even if it is made thinner, the gap between the contour line and the internal stitching is less likely to occur, the appearance of the groundwork is reduced within the embroidery, and high-quality embroidery data can be easily created without specialized knowledge or skill. It becomes possible. In addition, by inputting the contour line, it is possible to create data for only the contour line stitch, only the internal stitches, or both, and various embroidery data can be created. Furthermore, since the contour line and internal stitching data are created from the same thin line image, the gap between the contour line and the internal stitching is less likely to occur, the appearance of the groundwork is reduced inside the embroidery, and there is no specialized knowledge or skill. Even high-quality embroidery data can be created easily.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an embroidery data processing apparatus for a home embroidery sewing machine will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the contents of the embroidery data processing performed by the processing apparatus will be described by taking as an example the case of creating embroidery data in the embroidery pattern A of “Cat” as shown in FIG.
[0018]
First of all, although not shown, a home embroidery sewing machine will be briefly described. The embroidery sewing machine has a sewing needle and a shuttle hook while moving an embroidery frame, which is placed on a sewing machine bed and holding a work cloth to be embroidered, to a predetermined position indicated by an X and Y coordinate system unique to the apparatus by a horizontal movement mechanism. By performing the sewing operation by the mechanism, the work cloth is embroidered with a predetermined pattern (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-49766).
[0019]
In this case, the horizontal movement mechanism, the needle bar, and the like are controlled by a control device composed of a microcomputer or the like, and accordingly, the movement amount of the work cloth in each of the needles in the X and Y directions, that is, When the embroidery data (stitch data) instructing the needle drop position is given, the control device can automatically execute the embroidery operation. In the present embodiment, the embroidery machine is configured so that embroidery data is given from the outside by a flash memory (card memory). The embroidery data processing apparatus according to the present embodiment has a function of automatically creating such embroidery data.
[0020]
Next, the overall configuration of the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the embroidery data processing apparatus, and FIG. 2 shows its electrical configuration. Here, the processing device main body 1 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, and is constituted by a CPU 2, a ROM 3, a RAM 4, a flash memory device (FMD) 5, and an input / output interface 6 (I / O) connected to each other via a bus. ing.
[0021]
A liquid crystal display (LCD) 7 is provided on the upper surface of the processing apparatus main body 1 to display the read pattern, embroidery area, and the like on the screen 7a. The liquid crystal display 7 is controlled by a display control device (LCDC) 8, and a display storage device (VRAM) 9 is connected to the display control device 8 so that monochrome bitmap graphics can be displayed. It is configured as follows. The flash memory device 5 is detachably mounted with a flash memory 10 as a storage medium. An operation key 11 for an operator to instruct various selections and settings such as a sewing style and an image scanner 12 for reading a pattern original image are provided in the processing apparatus main body 1 via the input / output interface 6. Are connected to the CPU 2.
[0022]
This image scanner 12 is a so-called hand scanner capable of reading a monochrome pattern original image as binary bitmap image data, and the operator holds the upper part by hand and directs the lower surface reading portion onto the pattern original image paper. The image of the symbol is read by moving in a certain direction so as to trace along the original image while pressing the button. The read design image data is represented as a bit map in raster format as 1-bit data having a value of “0” for each pixel and “1” for black, and the RAM 4 as shown in FIG. Are stored in the symbol image data storage area 4a.
[0023]
The processing apparatus main body 1 is configured to automatically perform embroidery data creation processing based on the original image of the “Neko” embroidery symbol A as shown in FIG. This software is stored in the ROM 3 as program code for controlling the CPU 2. Hereinafter, the operation in this case will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. In creating the embroidery data, first, the operator prepares a pattern contour image shown in FIG. 9 by drawing it with a black pen on a white base paper, for example.
[0024]
The operator causes the image scanner 12 to read the original image of the pattern A. The image read by the image scanner 12 is stored in the symbol image data storage area 4a on the memory as binary bitmap image data as shown in FIG. Next, the image data is thinned as shown in FIG. 11 by thinning processing (thinning means) and stored in the thin line image storage area 4b of the RAM 4 (S1000). Many thinning methods are already known. In this case, any method may be used as long as the line width is one pixel.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the thin line image data of the pattern A stored in the thin line image storage area 4b subjected to the thinning process is subjected to vectorization processing, and line segment data each having an appropriate length and direction. Is converted to a set of short vectors, and stored in the vector storage area 4 c of the RAM 4. As a method of vectorization processing, pixels constituting a thin line figure at an appropriate interval while sequentially tracing the chain of pixels constituting the thin line figure, starting from an arbitrary pixel of the pixels constituting the thin line figure in the image There is a method of obtaining a set of shape composing points by sampling the coordinate values. Based on this vector data, embroidery data of the contour line is created (S2000).
[0026]
Next, when the operator designates an area for performing the tail stitching on the original image input earlier, the CPU 2 extracts the area (S3000: Yes, S4000). There are various ways of specifying this, but as an example, a method may be considered in which an area of the input original image which is desired to be stitched is filled and read again by a scanner. The vector data extraction method for the designated closed region applies the following procedure (see FIG. 6) to the inner contour line (FIG. 5: S5100) and the outer contour line (FIG. 5: S5300). This is realized by converting the determined path.
[0027]
Procedure 1: The highest point on the thin line bitmap corresponding to the contour line of the designated area is set as the start point P (FIG. 6: S1 and FIG. 20).
[0028]
Step 2: Among the paths to the constituent points adjacent to the start point P, the path that is leftmost is selected as the inner contour line, and the path that is rightward is selected as the outer contour line, and the path is traced in the direction of proceeding to the path ( S1).
[0029]
Procedure 3: The path is traced in accordance with the rule of selecting and proceeding to the path that goes to the rightmost in the traveling direction (S2).
[0030]
Procedure 4: When the traced pixel is the start point P, the path is stored and the process ends (S3: Yes, S10). When the direction of the path traced this time is different from the direction of the path traced last time by 180 degrees (S4: Yes), the previous path is deleted (S5) because the branch is found, and the procedure returns to step 3. The “branch” referred to in the present invention is a line segment extending toward the inside of the closed region.
[0031]
Procedure 5: When the direction of the route traced this time is not different from the direction of the route traced last time by 180 degrees (S4: No), the route traced this time is stored (S6). It is checked whether or not the previous pixel of the path traced this time has already been traced (S7). If not traced (S7: No), the current pixel is stored (S12), and the procedure returns to step 3. In S7, it is checked whether or not a point other than the start point P has been traced.
[0032]
Step 6: If the previous pixel of the current path has already been traced (S7: Yes), the path that has entered the previous pixel and the direction of the path that will be exited this time are checked (S8) 180 degrees. If not different (S8: No), the procedure returns to step 3.
[0033]
Step 7: When the direction of the path to be output this time is different by 180 degrees (S8: Yes), if a closed loop is found, the closed loop is processed as an inner contour line of the region currently processed (S9). Return to step 3.
[0034]
The rule of procedure 3 will be described in detail as follows (see FIG. 7).
[0035]
Procedure 1 ': It is checked whether the previous path is up, down, right, left or upper right, upper left, lower left, lower right (S100). However, upper, lower, left, right, upper right, upper left, lower left, and lower right in the sentence are directions with respect to the xy coordinates shown in FIG. Further, “right” or “...” Is a direction with respect to the traveling direction.
[0036]
Step 2 ': When the previous path is up, down, right, left (in the case of a direction orthogonal to one coordinate axis) (S100: No), the right front, front, left front, rear of the previous path In order (S105 to S125: FIG. 8A), if the previous path is upper right, lower right, upper left, lower left (in a direction that is not orthogonal to the coordinate axis) (S100: Yes), the right of the previous path It is checked whether pixels exist in the following order: right, front right, front, left front, left, and rear (S135 to S160).
[0037]
Procedure 3 ′: The pixel that was first examined and the path to the pixel are stored in the path storage area 4d and the pixel storage area 4e of the RAM 4 as the next pixel and the next path (S130).
[0038]
Next, as an example, FIG. 8 shows the order in which the pixels are examined when the path is traced up and right.
[0039]
FIG. 11 illustrates the processing performed by performing the above procedure for the bitmap data obtained by thinning the pattern A. Data creation of the “cat face” area (spotted portion in FIG. 12A) will be described as an example. This bitmap data is stored in the thin line image storage area 4b.
[0040]
This “cat face” region has inner contour lines 1 and 2 and an outer contour line 3 (FIG. 12B). First, the paths of the inner contour lines 1 and 2 are traced according to the above-described procedure 1 to procedure 7 (FIG. 12C) and converted into vector data. For inner contour lines 1 and 2, steps 4, 6, and 7 are not performed because there are no branches and closed loops.
[0041]
Subsequently, the path of the outer contour 3 is traced according to the procedure 1 to the procedure 7. Since there are no branches and closed loops in the arrow portion of FIG. 12D, steps 4 and 6 are not performed, the path traced by procedure 5 is the path storage area 4d of the RAM 4, and the traced pixel is the pixel storage area 4e of the RAM 4. Going to memorized.
[0042]
As shown in FIG. 13 in which the portion B in FIG. 12 (d) is enlarged, it branches from the top. When the pixel is traced to the pixel 1, since the next pixel exists on the left, front, and right with respect to the traveling direction of the current path, the next path proceeds to the right (arrow a: S2). ). In the portion shown in FIG. 13, the path when tracing to the pixel 2 is lower left, lower, lower left, upper left (arrow a), and upper left (arrow b). The next path to be taken is the lower right (arrow c), and this arrow c is 180 degrees different in direction from the previous path (arrow b) (S4: Yes). Therefore, in this case, the previous path (arrow b) is deleted from the path storage area 4d by the procedure 4, and the current path (arrow c) is not stored (S5).
[0043]
Then, the currently stored paths are the lower left, the lower, the lower left, and the upper left (arrow a), and the pixel traced now is the pixel 3. The current path is in the lower right (arrow d) and the direction is 180 degrees different from the previous path (arrow a) that is also stored, so the previous path is erased and the current path is not stored. In this way, when all the pixels are traced as shown in FIG. 13, the stored paths are the lower left, the lower, the lower left, the lower left, the lower left, the lower left, and the left, and the branches of the arrows a to d Is once stored, but is eventually erased from the path.
[0044]
Next, as shown in FIG. 14 in which the portion C of FIG. 12 (d) is enlarged, the path is followed from the right according to steps 1 to 6. When the pixel 4 is traced according to the arrow e, the procedure 5 is not performed because the pixel is traced for the first time (S7: No). Subsequently, when the annular portion is traced counterclockwise and the pixel 4 is traced again according to the arrow g, when the pixel 4 is traced earlier, the pixel traced by the procedure 5 is recorded in the pixel storage area 4e of the RAM 4. In addition, it is understood that this pixel is traced for the second time (S7: Yes), and it is found that there is a closed loop. From this pixel, the direction of the path to follow next (arrow h) and the direction of the path (arrow e) that has entered this pixel last time are checked, and the process of cutting off the closed loop is performed only when they differ by 180 degrees (S9). This is because disconnection is not performed when the closed loop is in contact (FIG. 15). When the closed loop is in contact, the directions of the two similar paths (arrow i and arrow j) do not differ by 180 degrees.
[0045]
In the case of FIG. 14, the path from the arrow f to the arrow g is cut off as a closed loop and processed as an internal contour line of the currently processed region. Therefore, the stored paths are left, upper left, upper, upper. Since the current path is down, the last stored path (arrow e) is deleted according to the procedure 4, and the current path (arrow h) is not stored.
[0046]
That is, when a closed loop exists, in order to cut off the closed loop portion and process it as an internal contour line, the remaining portion is subjected to the same processing as the branch deletion described above. Therefore, the paths stored after tracing all the pixels shown in FIG. 14 are left, left, upper left, lower left, left, left.
[0047]
As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 20, the thin line tracking start point assumes an orthogonal coordinate system as shown in FIG. 13 for the pixels of FIG. Calculates the coordinate value. The procedure is to update the maximum coordinate (Xmax) every time the maximum coordinate is detected in the X direction for an effective pixel (black pixel) and continue to the maximum value (Ymax) for the Y coordinate of the pixel. If so, the coordinates are updated (S410 to S442). Then, after repeating the previous processing and examining the coordinates for all the pixels, the pixel corresponding to the finally extracted (Xmax, Ymax) is set as the starting point (S440: YES, S444).
[0048]
FIG. 12E shows the inner contour line and the outer contour line of the “cat face” created according to the above processing in accordance with the above description. The inner contour line is increased by one (new inner contour line) to three compared with before processing, and it can be seen that data in which the lines of the four whiskers and the lower part of the nose are erased are created. For this reason, even when the satin width of the contour line is very thin, or when the contour line is formed by running sewing, the contour stitching portion (FIGS. 16B and 16D) and the tatami stitching region ( A gap is not generated between FIG. 16A and the pattern formed by both of them (FIGS. 16C and 16E) can be embroidered beautifully. In addition, you may comprise a contour line sewing part by both running sewing and satin sewing.
[0049]
As is clear from the above description, according to the branch deletion process, the branches are deleted with respect to the thin-line bitmap having 4-connection and 8-connection connectivity, so that the shape of the internal sewing data is simplified and the data amount is reduced. However, since the width of the contour line can be reduced, high quality embroidery data can be created. Further, since branch deletion can be applied when creating data for closed areas and contour lines, the data becomes simple and high quality embroidery data can be created. It can also be used for noise removal. Furthermore, processing is performed based on whether or not thin line tracking has already been performed, and branch deletion is performed prior to closed loop processing. Therefore, since it is possible to determine branches and closed loops, it is possible to create data correctly. Since the processing is based on the difference in the direction of 180 degrees between the previous tracking and the current tracking, when a branch is found during thin line tracking, the branch can be deleted from the data. Since part of the figure name is iteratively processed, data can be efficiently created to perform branch deletion and closed loop discovery at each step.
[0050]
Then, the data to be processed to further determine the needle entry point for at least one of the contour line data and the internal sewing data is created based on the same thinned data, so that the width of the contour line is greatly reduced. Even if it is made thinner, the gap between the contour line and the internal stitching is less likely to occur, the appearance of the groundwork is reduced within the embroidery, and high-quality embroidery data can be easily created without specialized knowledge or skill. It becomes possible. In addition, by inputting the contour line, it is possible to create data for only the contour line stitch, only the internal stitches, or both, and various embroidery data can be created. Furthermore, since the contour line and internal stitching data are created from the same thin line image, the gap between the contour line and the internal stitching is less likely to occur, the appearance of the groundwork is reduced inside the embroidery, and there is no specialized knowledge or skill. Even high-quality embroidery data can be created easily.
[0051]
In addition, since the closed loop is detected based on whether or not tracking is performed again, when the closed region exists in the closed region and they are connected by branches, it is possible to process the inner closed region as an inner contour line. Thus, high quality embroidery data can be created. Furthermore, since the closed loop detection is based on the tracking direction, a finer judgment can be made and high quality data can be created. Then, since it is determined whether or not the tracking has already been performed based on the data of the pixel that has been traced by the thin line, if a closed loop exists during the tracking of the thin line, it can be easily detected. Further, since the closed loop is detected based on 180 degrees with respect to the tracking direction, when the closed region exists in the closed region and they are connected by branches, the inner closed region is determined according to the conditions such as the distance between the closed regions. It can be determined whether or not to process as an internal contour line.
[0052]
In the embodiment described above, needle drop point data for forming a stitch is generated from the sewing data, but display data representing an embroidery pattern may be similarly generated from dot data. In the above-described embodiment, the device is configured to be able to form both the contour portion and the inner portion thereof, but may be a device that can create only one of them. For example, when applicating a portion corresponding to the inside of the contour, data for sewing up the inside of the contour is not necessary, and therefore data for only the contour portion is necessary. On the other hand, there may be a case in which the contour portion is eliminated and the fabric is intentionally exposed to form a contour line. In this case, only data inside the contour is necessary. In either case, it goes without saying that it is desired to be faithful to the original picture, and good data can be acquired by implementing the present invention.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the embroidery data processing apparatus of claim 1, the branch deletion means deletes the branch with respect to the thin line bitmap having the 4-connection and 8-connection connectivity. Since the data shape is simplified, the amount of data is reduced, and the width of the contour line can be narrowed, high-quality embroidery data can be created.
[0054]
Further, according to the embroidery data processing apparatus of the second aspect, since the branch deletion can be applied when creating the data of the closed region and the contour line, the data becomes simple and high quality embroidery data can be created. . It can also be used for noise removal.
[0055]
Further, according to the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the third aspect, it is possible to determine branches and closed loops, so that data can be created correctly.
[0056]
Further, according to the embroidery data processing apparatus of the fourth aspect, when a branch is found during thin line tracking, the branch can be deleted from the data.
[0057]
Furthermore, according to the embroidery data processing apparatus of the fifth aspect, since the branch deletion and the closed loop discovery are performed at each step, data can be efficiently created.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an embroidery data processing apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the embroidery data processing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a RAM of the embroidery data processing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an overall procedure of embroidery data processing by the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure of a designated area by the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a contour data processing procedure by the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure for examining a path by the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an order of searching around 8 around the previous path.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an embroidery pattern original image.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a portion of a bitmap image obtained by reading an original embroidery pattern.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a portion of a thinned bitmap image of an embroidery pattern.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a process of extracting an inner contour line and an outer contour line of a closed region.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating how to follow a path and xy coordinates when there is a branch.
FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining how to follow a path when there is a closed loop;
FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining how to follow a path when a closed loop is in contact;
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of an embroidery stitch to be created.
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an original picture having branches.
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an original picture for designating an area.
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of an embroidery stitch to be created.
FIG. 20 is a flowchart for extracting a tracking start point by the embroidery data processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[Explanation of symbols]
2 CPU
3 ROM
4 RAM
5 Flash memory device
6 I / O interface
7 Liquid crystal display (LCD) 7
10 Flash memory 10
12 Image scanner 12

Claims (5)

An apparatus for processing data for forming an embroidery of a design based on image data representing the embroidery design,
Thinning means for thinning the image data;
Fine line tracking means for tracing a fine line with respect to the fine line image converted by the thinning means;
An embroidery data processing apparatus comprising branch deletion means for deleting a branch when there is a branch in the thin line tracking. Contour extracting means for extracting contour lines constituting the embroidery pattern from the thin line image thinned by the thinning means;
A sewing data creating means is provided for at least one of stitches forming a contour of the figure formed by the extracted contour line or stitches stitching the inside of the figure formed by the extracted closed region. Item 4. The embroidery data processing device according to item 1. When a pixel that has already been traced by the fine line tracking means is tracked again, it is assumed that a closed loop is detected, and includes a closed loop processing means for processing the area as an internal contour line. The embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 1, which is applied first. In the fine line tracking by the fine line tracking means, there is a direction determining means for determining whether or not the tracking direction is 180 degrees different from the previous tracking direction, and the branch deleting means determines the previous tracking direction and the current time by the direction determining means. 3. The embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when it is determined that the tracking direction is different by 180 degrees, a branch related to the previous tracking is deleted. 4. The embroidery data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the branch deletion unit and the closed loop processing unit repeatedly process a part of a figure.

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