JP3973272B2 - Embroidery data creation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an embroidery data creation apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, the data of the embroidery sewing machine or the machine dedicated to embroidery sewing is used by the manufacturer of the apparatus to create the data and supply it to the user. However, due to the diversification of user preferences, there is an increasing demand for users to create images themselves and embroider them, and in order to meet such demands, original images drawn on paper by users, such as image sensors, etc. There are already commercially available apparatuses that read the embroidery data and generate embroidery data based on this.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the case of the apparatus as described above, in which the user can create embroidery data, there is a problem that it is difficult to create data that can embroidery a colored image with the minimum number of embroidery thread changes.
That is, it is necessary to create different original images for the same color and read them by a scanner a plurality of times, which requires complicated work.
The present invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art described above.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an embroidery data creation apparatus according to the present invention comprises means for providing an image having a plurality of contour lines, means for designating a thread color and a seam for embroidering the contour lines, and Means for designating a contour line for executing embroidery by the designated thread color and seam, and for forming a seam to be sewn with the same contour line designated by the means for designating as one unit. Means for generating stitch data and means for storing the stitch data and the designated thread color in association with each other are provided.
A normal block is formed by the contour line, and an image is composed of the contour line and the block. With the above configuration, by setting a sewing condition and specifying a contour line to be sewed under the condition, the contour group is handled as one unit, and stitch data is formed so as to be continuously sewn. Therefore, there is an effect that the number of thread changes can be reduced when embroidery sewing is actually performed.
Further, there is further provided means for canceling one or more designations in the designated contour line, and means for adding another contour line to one unit by the designated contour line. It is desirable to improve operability.
Even when the contour line is separated even when handled as one unit, at least one of the first or last stitch data for each separated contour line is generated by the means for generating the stitch data. It is desirable to configure so that backtack data is added to the.
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, the system of the embroidery data creation apparatus X in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the embroidery data creation device X is configured by a personal computer, and the embroidery data creation device X is configured by a program supplied from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM. The embroidery data creation device X and the second embroidery data creation device 50 are connected and used. The second embroidery data creation apparatus 50 uses an existing one that is already on the market, has a scanner 51 as shown in FIG. 1, reads an original image from the scanner 51, generates stitch data, A function of storing in the card 52 is provided. The embroidery data creation device X of this embodiment can use the functions of the second embroidery data creation device 50, and mainly uses the function of storing the generated stitch data in the memory card 52. It is naturally possible to provide this function in the embroidery data creation device X itself.
The stitch data stored in the memory card 52 is mounted on an embroidery sewing machine or the like and used for embroidery stitching.
Further, a printer is connected to the embroidery data creating apparatus X so that the formed embroidery stitches can be printed and confirmed in advance.
[0006]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the embroidery data creation apparatus X. As described above, these functions are configured by software using a personal computer. FIG. 2 shows the most typical operation steps, which will be described below with reference to FIGS.
The central processing unit 1 controls the entire apparatus, and realizes various functions according to operation commands from the operation command device 43. The image input device 2 inputs image data such as bitmap data and has a function of reading these functions from a storage medium such as a CD or an FD. Alternatively, the scanner 51 as provided in the second embroidery data creation device 50 may be used. It is also possible to store image data in the image data storage device 41 in advance.
[0007]
The image data input from the image input device 2 or the image data stored in the image data storage device 41 and called up is temporarily stored in the temporary storage device 42, and then the contour / block data generation device 30 performs contour line data and block data. (Steps S1, 2, 3). When an image having a house shape is input as shown in FIG. 3, contour lines 90 to 100 are generated from the image, and blocks 80 to 83 surrounded by the contour line are generated. As a technique for generating the contour line and the block data, a known technique developed and proposed by the applicants of the present application and other techniques can be applied.
As shown in FIG. 3, the contour line is divided at each intersection to generate contour lines 90 to 100 (step S4).
[0008]
The image data converted to include the contour line and the block as described above is stored in the temporary storage device 42 and displayed on the display device 40. FIG. 3 described above shows a display state in the display device 40.
The user can determine the embroidery conditions such as the color of each block and outline and the stitches while looking at the display device 40. First, the block thread color / seam designating device 6 is configured to designate the block thread color and the stitch type (step S5). For example, the thread color is selected from red, blue, yellow, and the stitch type is selected from horizontal, vertical, diagonal, cross, and the like.
[0009]
When the thread color and the seam are selected by the block thread color / seam designating device 6, the block designating device 3 selects the block to which the thread color and the seam are applied (step S6). As shown in FIG. 3, among the blocks 80, 81, 82, and 83, a block for performing embroidery stitching with the set thread color and seam is designated. The block group designated at this time is handled as a single unit, and generation of stitch data and embroidery stitching are performed as one unit. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of thread replacements during embroidery.
[0010]
The lower part of FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the embroidery conditions and the designated block. Since the blocks 82 and 83 are designated consecutively under the same conditions, they are treated as a single block group C.
When all blocks are designated by the same operation (step S7), stitch data is formed for each block group ABC shown in FIG. 3 based on the designation (step S8). At the time of generating the stitch data, stop stitch data is created for at least one of the first and last blocks. If the blocks are continuous, this backtack data need not be created.
The stitch data is generated by the stitch data generating device 31. At the same time, display data based on the stitch data is generated by the display data generating device 32 and can be displayed on the display device 40.
[0011]
In addition to the block designation device 3, an all block designation device 4 and a block designation addition / deletion device 5 are provided to improve operability. The all block designating device 4 designates all the blocks, and it is not necessary to designate one block at a time when all the blocks are sewn with the same color and the same seam.
The block designation addition / deletion device 5 is for adding a new block to the block group formed once designated or deleting an arbitrary block from the block group. It is also possible to quickly perform a designation operation by designating all blocks by the all block designation device 4 and then deleting a predetermined block by the block designation addition / deletion device 5.
[0012]
Next, similarly, the user determines the embroidery conditions of the color of each contour line, the stitches, and the stitch width while looking at the display device 40. That is, the contour thread color / stitch / sewing width designation device 13 is configured to designate the thread color, stitch type, and stitch width of the block (step S9). For example, the thread color is selected from red, blue, yellow, etc., the stitch type is selected from zigzag, straight, etc., and the stitch width is selected from 2 mm, 3 mm, etc.
[0013]
When the thread color, the seam, and the stitch width are selected by the contour thread color / seam / sewing width designation device 13, the contour line designating device 10 selects the contour line to which the thread color, the stitch, and the stitch width are applied. (Step S10). As shown in FIG. 3, among the contour lines 90 to 100, a contour line for performing embroidery stitching with the set thread color, seam, and stitch width is designated. The contour line group designated at this time is handled as a single unit, and generation of stitch data and embroidery stitching are performed as one unit. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of thread replacements during embroidery.
[0014]
In the table in the lower part of FIG. 3 described above, the contour lines 90 to 95 are continuously designated as black yarn / zigzag / 2 mm, and the contour lines 96 to 100 are designated continuously as blue yarn / straight / 2 mm. Therefore, the contour lines 90 to 95 and the contour lines 96 to 100 are treated as a single contour group D and E, respectively.
When the designation of all the contour lines is completed (step S11), the stitch data is formed for each of the contour line groups D and E shown in FIG. 3 based on the designation (step S12). If the contour line is separated when the stitch data is generated, the backstitch data is created at least at the beginning or the end of the contour line for each contour line.
The generation of the stitch data is similarly performed by the stitch data generation device 31. At the same time, display data based on the stitch data is generated by the display data generation device 32 so that the display device 40 can display the display data.
[0015]
In addition to the contour designating device 10 described above, an all contour designating device 11 and a contour designating addition / deletion device 12 are provided to improve the operability. The whole contour designating device 11 designates all the contour lines, so that it is not necessary to designate one contour line at a time when all blocks are sewn with the same color, the same seam, and the same stitch width. ing.
The contour designation addition / deletion device 12 is for adding a new contour line to the contour group formed once designated or deleting an arbitrary contour line from the contour group. In addition, after all contour lines are designated by the whole contour designating device 11, the designated operation can be quickly performed by deleting a predetermined contour line by the contour line designation adding / deleting device 12.
[0016]
When the specification of the block and the contour line based on the embroidery conditions is completed as described above, each block group or contour line group is displayed on the display device 40 (step S13). Further, at this stage, it is possible to add and delete the designation of the block and the outline as described above (steps S14 and S15).
[0017]
In the above embodiment, the block designation and the outline designation are designated by different devices, and the block and the outline are not continuously sewn as one unit even if they are the same color thread or other embroidery conditions. It is configured.
In the above embodiment, the block group and the outline group are configured by the designated block and outline after designating the same embroidery condition, and the formation of the group is performed by the user's operation. It is also possible to determine the color designated for the block and the contour line and to automatically group for each color. In this case, it is desirable not to treat the block and the contour line as one unit even if they are the same color.
[0018]
The sewing order of the block group and the outline group can be arbitrarily set by the user by the sewing execution order designating device 25, and the block is embroidered first and the outline is set later. The sewing order can be freely set between the block groups and between the outline groups (step S16).
[0019]
Further, by displaying all the blocks and contour lines on the display device 40, the entire image of the embroidery stitch can be recognized in advance (step S17).
[0020]
In this embodiment, the background color designating device 20 can designate the background and background color of the image for display or printing. The background region generation device 33 recognizes the display region of the display device 40 other than the designated block and outline as the background 70 when the background color specifying device 20 is operated (step S18). It is configured to display in the designated color (step S19). With this function, the user can recognize in advance the relationship between the color of the cloth of the embroidery object and the color of the image.
In addition to selecting a color prepared in advance, the color can be specified by the user by the color generation device 21 so that the user can set a color that is the same as or similar to the embroidery fabric. ing.
[0021]
When the above operation is completed, the generated stitch data is stored in the memory card 52 together with the thread color data (step S22) except when there is a block sewing condition change and a contour sewing condition change (steps S20 and S21). ). As shown in FIG. 5, the memory card 52 is mounted on an embroidery sewing machine or the like, where embroidery sewing is executed. Since the stitch data is classified into a block group and a contour group specified by the user based on the embroidery conditions, embroidery can be sewn with a small number of thread changes.
[0022]
With reference to FIG. 4A, the block designation operation in steps S5 to S8 and S14 and S15 in FIG. 2 will be described.
After the thread color and the stitch are designated by the block thread color / seam designating device 6 (step S30), the block designating device 3 designates a block for performing embroidery sewing under the conditions (step S31). When the block designation is finished (step S32), the designated block group is temporarily stored together with the designated thread color and stitches as a unit (step S33). The same operation is repeated, and when all the blocks are designated (step S34), stitch data is generated for each block group (step S35).
When the block designation addition / deletion device 5 cancels the designation of the embroidery conditions for a predetermined block, the process returns to step S30 to set the conditions for the block again (step S36). If a block is added to the predetermined block group, the process returns to step 33, and the stitch data of the block group is regenerated (step S37).
[0023]
With reference to FIG. 4B, the operation of specifying the contour line in steps S9 to S12 and S14 and S15 in FIG. 2 will be described.
After the thread color, stitches, and stitch width are specified by the central processing unit 13 (step S40), when the entire contour is specified by the entire contour specifying device 11 (step S41), the entire contour is specified. The stitch data is generated based on the stitches and the stitch width (step S42).
If not all the contours are designated, the contour designating device 10 designates the contours for embroidery sewing under the conditions (step S43). When the contour line is designated (step S44), the designated contour group is temporarily stored together with the designated thread color, stitches and stitch width as a unit (step S45). Then, the same operation is repeated, and when all the contour lines are designated (step S46), stitch data is generated for each contour line group (step S47).
If the designation of the embroidery condition for a predetermined contour is canceled by the contour designation addition / deletion device 12, the process returns to step S40 and the condition is set again for the contour (step S48). If a contour line is added to the predetermined contour group, the process returns to step 45, and the stitch data of the contour group is regenerated (step S49).
[0024]
In the embodiment described above, blocks and contour lines under the same condition can be specified by one operation, and the operability is improved. In addition, since the stitches are formed as one unit for the blocks and contour lines designated in the same group, it is not necessary to change the thread at the time of embroidery sewing of the unit, and it is possible to reduce the frequency of the thread change. .
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the embroidery data creation apparatus according to the present invention is not only easy to operate, but also has the effect of creating embroidery data with a low frequency of thread change.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an overall operation procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4A is a flowchart for explaining embroidery condition setting and block designation operations in an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4B is a flowchart for explaining the operation of setting embroidery conditions and designating an outline in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a system according to an embodiment of the present invention including peripheral devices.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: central processing unit, 2: image input device, 3: block designation device, 4: all block designation device, 5: block designation addition / deletion device, 6: block thread color / seam designation device, 10: contour designation Device: 11: All contour line designation device, 12: Outline line designation addition / deletion device, 13: Contour line thread color / stitch / sewing width designation device, 20: Background color designation device, 21: Color creation device, 25: Sewing execution order designation device, 30: contour / block data generation device, 31: stitch data generation device, 32: display data generation device, 33: background region generation device, 40: display device, 41: image data storage device, 42 : Temporary storage device, 43: Operation command device, 50: Second embroidery data creation device, 51: Scanner, 52: Memory card, 70: Background, 80-83: Block 90-100: outline.

Claims (5)

Means for providing an image having a plurality of contour lines;
Means for designating the thread color and seam for embroidering the contour line;
Means for designating an outline for performing embroidery by the designated thread color and seam;
Means for generating stitch data to be sewn with the same contour line as one unit specified by the means for specifying ;
Means for associating and storing the stitch data and the designated thread color;
An embroidery data creation device characterized by comprising: A block is formed by the contour line, and the image is formed by the contour line and the block.
The embroidery data creation device according to claim 1 . Means for releasing one or more designations in the designated contour line;
The embroidery data creation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: Means for adding another contour line to one unit by the designated contour line;
The embroidery data creation device according to claim 1, 2, or 3. The means for generating the stitch data adds back stitch data to at least one of the first or last stitch data for each contour line when the contour lines are not continuous.
The embroidery data creation device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4.

Images