JP4499844B2 - Sewing machine control device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention can restrict a specific instruction to the sewing machine, to a braking GoSo location of the sewing machine capable or releasing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The control device of the sewing machine includes sewing data storage means for storing sewing data, and causes the work cloth to be sewn based on the sewing data stored therein. Sewing data stored in a recording medium such as a floppy disk or stored in another computer is input to the sewing data storage means via a drive device or a communication line. Since the contents of this sewing data are often corrected as appropriate according to the sewing frame used for sewing and the sewing conditions (sewing position, angle, etc.), the sewing machine controller performs such correction work. In addition to the editing means, output means for outputting the sewing data corrected so that it can be reused later to the recording medium or another computer via the drive device or communication line is often provided.
[0003]
The sewing machine has machine specifications specific to the sewing machine such as the number of needles for each sewing head, the minimum number of rotations of the spindle, and the maximum number of rotations, and machine specification storage means for storing the machine specifications in a readable and writable manner, There is a control device for a sewing machine provided with machine specification setting means for setting the contents of a storage means. This control device can cope with a plurality of types of machine specification sewing machines by changing the contents of the machine specification storage means. The contents of the machine specification storage means are generally set and adjusted by a service engineer such as a sewing machine manufacturer or a dealer when the sewing machine is shipped, installed, or maintained. It should be noted that the use of machine specification setting means is restricted by hiding the existence of the machine specification setting means so that an operator who does not have knowledge about the machine specifications cannot change the contents of the machine specification storage means by the machine specification setting means. Often doing. For example, the machine specification setting means is not in a usable state unless two switches on the operation panel of the sewing machine are kept on for a predetermined time.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the function of outputting the sewing data stored in the sewing machine may be abused. For example, the sewing data is output to the recording medium, illegally taken out, and resold to another trader. The sewing data includes various costs (for example, if the design data is licensed to use the characters and marks included in it, design the design, and produce it) Cost), which is an important asset for sewing data producers and sewing companies, and it is necessary to prevent such fraud.
[0005]
In addition, since the operation for making the hidden machine specification setting means usable is as simple as turning on the two switches simultaneously as described above, an operator who does not have knowledge about the machine specifications happens to happen. There is a case where the machine specification is arbitrarily changed by using the machine specification setting means, and there is a problem that the sewing machine does not operate in some cases.
[0006]
An object of the present invention can solve the above problems, limited so as not to accept a particular instruction to the sewing machine so as not or mechanical specification is arbitrarily changed by the operator is not familiar with machine械仕like It is to provide a control GoSo location of the sewing machine.
[0007]
Another object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, the control GoSo location of sewing machine can be made to allow only a specific instruction to the sewing machine to a person with limited management representative etc. of the sewing machine It is to provide.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the control device for the sewing machine of the present invention is connected to an input means for inputting an instruction to the sewing machine, and stores whether or not the machine specification setting instruction for the sewing machine is not accepted. When it is detected that a state setting unit and a password setting operation as a predetermined limit setting operation are input by the input unit, the content of the limit state storage unit is set to a state in which the setting instruction is not accepted, and the predetermined limit setting is performed. Limit setting means for storing a password as operation content in the restriction state storage means, and input of a password as a predetermined restriction release operation that is substantially undetectable specified by the password setting operation as the restriction setting operation When the operation is detected to be entered by said input means, matches the password the password is stored in the restriction condition storage means Whether checked and were the contents of the limit state storage means to the state of accepting the setting instruction to erase the password as the contents of the restriction state storage means said predetermined limits are stored in the setting operation by the limit setting means are It is characterized by comprising restriction release means.
[0011]
The restriction release operation is not particularly limited as long as it is not a simple operation such as an operation of turning on two switches or keys simultaneously or an operation of keeping one or two switches or keys on for a predetermined time. An operation including the following operation can be exemplified.
▲ 1 ▼ Password input operation.
(2) An operation to regularly turn on and off switches and keys.
(3) Operation to turn on 3 or more switches and keys simultaneously.
(4) Operation that keeps three or more switches and keys ON for a predetermined time.
(5) Operation combining the above (1) and (2).
(6) An operation in which two or more switches and keys are simultaneously turned on and at least one of the above (1) and (2) is combined.
(7) An operation in which a switch or key is kept ON for a predetermined time and at least one of the above (1) and (2).
(8) A combination of an operation of simultaneously turning on two or more switches and keys, an operation of keeping the switches and keys on for a predetermined time, and at least one of the above (1) and (2).
[0013]
Here, the “ machine specification of the sewing machine” refers to a machine specification unique to the sewing machine, and is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include the number of needles for each sewing head, the minimum number of rotations of the spindle, and the maximum number of rotations.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a control device for an embroidery sewing machine will be described with reference to the drawings together with a control method performed using the device. The control device 2 of the embroidery sewing machine 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 25, a RAM (read / write storage device) 26, an EEPROM (electrical erasure and programmable read only storage device) 27, and a ROM (read only storage device) 28. HD (Hard Disk Device) 29 is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 2 includes an embroidery frame, a drive device for the embroidery frame, a sewing machine body 3 having a plurality of sewing heads and a spindle motor (all not shown), an operation panel 7, a recording device A drive device 13 for reading and writing embroidery data 35 as sewing data is connected to an FD (floppy disk) 14 as a medium via respective interfaces (not shown). Further, the control device 2 is connected to the computer 5 via the communication line 4.
[0018]
The HD 29 includes a restriction changing process (step S40, described later), a restriction setting process as a restriction setting unit (step S50, described later), a restriction releasing process as a restriction releasing unit (step S60, described later), and an external output menu process. (Step S70, described later), machine specification setting menu processing (not shown), and embroidery data 35 are stored. These processes or data are executed or used after being read into the RAM 26 as appropriate.
[0019]
The EEPROM 27 as a nonvolatile storage device includes a restricted state storage area 31 as a restricted state storage unit and a machine specification storage area 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the restriction state storage area 31 stores a restriction state 31a and a password 31b for an external output instruction of the embroidery data 35 as a specific instruction and a machine specification setting instruction. It has become. The restriction state 31a indicates whether the specific instruction is not accepted (hereinafter, this state is referred to as a LOCK state) or is accepted (hereinafter, this state is referred to as a FREE state). The password 31b is for canceling the LOCK state. In the drawing, the FREE state and the LOCK state are stored as the restriction states of the external output instruction of the embroidery data 35 and the setting instruction of the machine specification, respectively. Further, for the setting instruction of the machine specification, the password for releasing the LOCK state is stored. Shows an example in which is stored. The machine specification storage area 32 stores machine specifications unique to the sewing machine, such as the number of needles for each sewing head, the minimum number of rotations of the spindle, and the maximum number of rotations.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 3, the operation panel 7 is provided on the upper front side of the display unit 11 for displaying operation contents and the like, and input means provided on the lower side of the display unit 11 with various operation / input switches. As an operation input unit 12. A drive device 13 is attached below the operation panel 7.
[0021]
A display device such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT is used as the display unit 11. The display unit 11 includes a message display area 15 that displays a guide regarding the operation state and operation of the embroidery sewing machine 1, and a message display area 15 below. And four icon display areas 16 for displaying an operation menu using icons.
[0022]
The operation input unit 12 includes four icon keys 17 for selecting an icon provided and displayed under each icon display area 16, a power switch 18 of the embroidery sewing machine 1, and various types such as a pattern management operation and a driving operation. A plurality of mode switching keys 19 for switching the operation mode, an arrow key 20 for instructing a direction, and a confirmation key 21 for confirming the operation content are provided.
[0023]
Next, restriction change processing (step S40) for changing the contents of the restriction state storage area 31 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Since this process is used only by a limited person such as a manager of the sewing machine, the presence of the process is not displayed on the screen in a normal state. Then, for example, it is executed when a predetermined operation is performed such that the two icon keys 17a and 17c are kept ON for 3 seconds or more at the same time.
[0024]
In this processing, first, the screen shown in FIG. 8 is displayed (step S41), and a state of waiting for key input from the operation input unit 12 is entered (step S42). On this screen, a list 34 of specific instructions to the embroidery sewing machine 1 is displayed along with its restricted state in the approximate center of the screen. In the figure, the restriction states of the external output instruction (“01: memoryout” in the figure) and the machine specification setting instruction (“02: msu” in the figure) of the embroidery data 35 are the FREE state and the LOCK state, respectively. An example showing that there is something is shown. In the initial state, a cursor 34a for designating a restriction state change target instruction (hereinafter referred to as a target instruction) is displayed at the external output instruction of the embroidery data 35.
[0025]
Here, when the up and down arrow key 20 is turned on (step S42), the position of the cursor 34a is moved up and down accordingly (step S43). When the icon key 17b is turned on (step S42), this process is immediately terminated without changing the restriction state (step S45).
[0026]
When the icon key 17d is turned on (step S42), the restriction state 31a for the instruction designated by the cursor 34a is checked (step S44). If the icon key 17d is the FREE state, the restriction setting process (step S50, After executing (to be described later), the process returns to step S41, and if it is in the LOCK state, the restriction release processing (step S60, to be described later) is executed for the same instruction, and then the process returns to step S41.
[0027]
As described above, the limit setting process (step S50) is executed only in the FREE state. In other words, once the LOCK state is set, the limit setting process (step S60) is canceled by the limit release process (step S60). Unless otherwise, the limit setting process (step S50) is not executed.
[0028]
Next, the restriction setting process (step S50) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5. In this process, first, the screen shown in FIG. 9 is displayed (step S51), and the key input from the operation input unit 12 is performed. A waiting state is entered (step S52). A target instruction is displayed on the top line of the screen, a character panel 36 for password is displayed below the display, and two password input edit boxes 37 are displayed below the character panel 36. Is displayed. The two edit boxes are provided in order to confirm whether the intended password has been entered. The passwords entered in the two edit boxes match each other. It comes to confirm.
[0029]
Here, a password setting operation as a predetermined restriction setting operation is accepted until the icon key 17d is pressed (steps S52 to S53). Specifically, when any of the arrow keys 20 is pressed, the cursor 36a of the character panel 36 is moved in that direction, and when the enter key 21 is pressed, the character at the cursor position (36a) of the character panel 36 is input. It is inserted in front of the cursor 37a of the target edit box 37 (the one with “>>” displayed on the left side). When the icon key 17a is pressed, one character in front of the cursor 37a in the edit box 37 is deleted. When the icon key 17c is pressed, the input target edit box 37 is switched between the upper one and the lower one.
[0030]
In this way, when a password in which characters in the character panel 36 are arbitrarily combined is input to the two edit boxes and the icon key 17d is pressed (step S52), the passwords input to the two edit boxes 37 match. If the two passwords do not match, the process ends without changing the restricted state, and the process returns to the caller of the process (step S57). If the two passwords match, the restriction state 31a for the target instruction in the restriction state storage area 31 is changed to the LOCK state (step S55), and the input password is stored in the area 31 (step S56). The process returns to the caller of this process (step S57). In the LOCK state, an “x” display indicating that the operation is restricted is displayed over the icon in the icon display area 16 corresponding to the icon key for performing the instruction. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, when the external output instruction of the embroidery data 35 is in the LOCK state, the icon display area 16 corresponding to the icon key 17a is displayed.
[0031]
Next, the restriction release process (step S60) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. In this process, first, the screen shown in FIG. 11 is displayed (step S61), and the key input from the operation input unit 12 is performed. A waiting state is entered (step S62). The screen described above is only described in that only one edit box 37 is provided and no icon corresponding to the icon key 17c is displayed (indicating that the icon key 17c cannot be used). This is different from the screen of FIG. 9 in the limit setting process (step S50).
[0032]
Here, until the icon key 17d is pressed, a password input operation as a predetermined restriction release operation that is substantially impossible to detect is accepted (steps S62 to S63). As the password, the password set in the restriction setting process (step S50) is input. The operation method is the same as that in step S53 of the limit setting process (step S50), and thus a duplicate description is omitted.
[0033]
When the icon key 17d is pressed (step S62), it is checked whether the password 31b stored for the target instruction in the restricted state storage area 31 matches the password entered in the edit box 37 (step S64). If the two passwords do not match, the process ends without changing the restriction state, and the process returns to the caller of this process (step S67). If the two passwords match, the restriction state 31a for the target instruction in the restriction state storage area 31 is changed to the FREE state (step S65), and the password 31b in the same area is deleted (step S66). The process returns to the caller (step S67).
[0034]
Next, the external output menu process (step S70) will be described. As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, in this process, first, the contents of the restricted state 31a for the external output instruction in the restricted state storage area 31 are checked ( If it is in the LOCK state, the process is immediately terminated (step S73). If it is in the FREE state, the external output menu processing main body (step S72) is executed and then the process is terminated (step S73). . In the external output menu processing main body (step S 72), the embroidery data 35 is written to the FD 14 or output to the computer 5 via the communication line 4 based on an instruction input from the operation input unit 12. .
[0035]
As for the machine specification setting menu process, the contents of the restriction state 31a for the machine specification setting instruction are checked in step 71, and the machine specification setting menu process main body for setting the machine specifications is in step S72. 7 is different from the flowchart of FIG. In the machine specification setting menu processing main body, the contents of the machine specification storage area 32 are set based on an instruction input from the operation input unit 12.
[0036]
According to the control device 2 of the embroidery sewing machine 1 configured as described above, when it is detected that a predetermined restriction setting operation has been performed in the restriction setting process (step S50) (steps S52 to S54), the specification to the embroidery sewing machine 1 is performed. Since the embroidery data 35 stored in the embroidery sewing machine 1 is illegally taken out or an operator who has no knowledge about the machine specifications stores the machine specifications in the machine specification storage area 32. It is possible to prevent the stored machine specifications from being arbitrarily changed (step S71).
[0037]
Further, when it is detected in the restriction release processing (step S60) that a predetermined restriction release operation that is substantially undetectable (steps S62 to S64), the restriction is released (steps S65 to S66). Can be permitted only to a limited number of persons, such as those responsible for managing the embroidery sewing machine 1 (step S71).
[0038]
Further, the password input in the restriction release operation (steps S62 to S63) in the restriction release process (step S60) is arbitrarily set (designated) in the restriction setting operation (steps S52 to S53) in the restriction setting process (step S50). So, if a password is discovered, you can change the password by redoing the restriction setting operation. Further, if the password is changed regularly or irregularly by the restriction setting operation, the possibility that the password will be detected can be reduced. Therefore, even if a password is discovered, the damage caused by the password can be prevented from spreading.
[0039]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure of the said embodiment, For example, as follows, it can also be changed and embodied suitably in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of invention.
[0040]
(1) Change the restriction release operation to another operation. As this another operation, the operation including the operations (2) to (8) shown in the above [Means for Solving the Problems] can be exemplified.
[0041]
(2) An instruction other than an external output instruction of the embroidery data 35 or an instruction to set the machine specifications of the embroidery sewing machine 1 is set as a specific instruction.
[0042]
(3) A plurality of specific instructions may be collectively set to a LOCK state by one restriction setting operation or set to a FREE state by one restriction release operation.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the control GoSo location of the sewing machine according to the invention of claim 1, specific by the operator is not familiar with machine械仕like to the sewing machine so as not or mechanical specification is tampered with Can be restricted so as not to accept instructions.
[0044]
In addition, it is possible to allow only specific instructions to the sewing machine to a person with limited management responsibility or the like of the sewing machine.
[0046]
In addition to the above effects, it is possible to prevent the spread of damage it even one million restriction release operation is revealed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a control system diagram of a control device for a sewing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents of a restricted state storage area provided in the control device.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing an operation panel connected to the control device.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of restriction change processing of the control device.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of a restriction state setting process of the control device.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of a restriction state release process of the control device.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of external output menu processing of the control device.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation panel in a restriction changing process of the control device.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation panel in a restriction state setting process of the control device.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation panel of the control device.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation panel in a restriction state release process of the control device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Embroidery sewing machine 2 Control apparatus 12 Operation input part 31 Restriction state storage area 32 Machine specification storage area 35 Embroidery data S50 Restriction setting process S60 Restriction release process

Claims (1)

An input means for inputting an instruction to the sewing machine is connected, and a limited state storage means for storing whether or not the machine specification setting instruction of the sewing machine to the sewing machine is not accepted,
When it is detected that a password setting operation as a predetermined restriction setting operation is input by the input unit, the content of the restriction state storage unit is set to a state in which the setting instruction is not accepted, and the content of the predetermined restriction setting operation is Restriction setting means for storing a password in the restriction state storage means;
When it is detected that a password input operation as a predetermined restriction release operation that is substantially undetectable specified by the password setting operation as the restriction setting operation is input by the input means, the password is in the restricted state. Checking whether the password matches the password stored in the storage means and making the content of the restriction state storage means ready to accept the setting instruction, and storing the predetermined state stored in the restriction state storage means by the restriction setting means A control device for a sewing machine, comprising: restriction release means for erasing a password as a content of a restriction setting operation.

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