JPH10137471A - Sewing machine controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize the display of a controller for controlling a plurality of sewing machines and displaying the information concerning the control of each sewing machine by dividing the display screen into the divisions of the display according to the number of machines judged to be operable and displaying thereon the information concerning the control. SOLUTION: Sewing machines 3, 5, 7, 9 are connected through a cable 2 to a personal computer 11. In the start of running, an initial display is displayed on a CRT 13 by a CPU 21. Next, the number i of sewing machines having the powersource turned on is detected and the display of the CRT 13 is divided into i pieces. This division is carried out such that the area of each display is maximized, the ratio of vertical to horizontal length of each display is optimized and the disposition of each screen after the division is equalized to the actual disposition of the sewing machine stored previously in a RAM 25. Thereafter, the controlling information (embroidery pattern, sewing speed, number of needles or the like) of the corresponding sewing machine are displayed on the display screen after the division. Thus, the screen of the CRT 13 can be effectively utilized to improve the operability.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sewing machine control device capable of controlling a plurality of sewing machines, and more particularly, to a sewing machine control device having a feature in displaying information relating to control of each sewing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various sewing machines such as an embroidery sewing machine have been controlled by a control device such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer). It has also been considered that a signal output from a control device such as a personal computer is transmitted to a plurality of sewing machines via a distribution device called a multiplexer, and individually controlled by time division.

As described above, when controlling a plurality of sewing machines individually, it is necessary to individually display information relating to the control of each sewing machine. Therefore, for example, as described in JP-A-5-76670, a screen of a CRT or the like is divided into the number of sewing machines connected to the personal computer, and information related to control of each sewing machine is individually stored in each of the divided screens. It is proposed to display.

[0004]

However, not all sewing machines connected to a control device such as a personal computer are always in operation, and some sewing machines may be put into a halt state. In this case, the screen allocated to the suspended sewing machine is completely wasted. In particular, when a large number of sewing machines are connected to a single personal computer and only a part of the sewing machines is normally operated, the screen allocated to the operating sewing machines becomes unnecessarily small.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sewing machine control device capable of effectively utilizing a screen according to the operating state of the sewing machine.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control means capable of controlling a plurality of sewing machines, and control of each of the sewing machines by the control means. Display means for displaying related information on a screen, comprising: state determination means for determining, for each of the sewing machines, whether or not each of the sewing machines is in an operable state; Means for dividing the screen of the display means into the number of screens in accordance with the number of sewing machines determined to be operable by the means, and wherein the display means is operated by the state determination means. With respect to only the sewing machine determined to be possible, information related to the control is individually displayed on each of the divided screens.

In the present invention thus configured, the state determining means determines, for each sewing machine, whether or not each of the plurality of sewing machines controllable by the control means is in an operable state. Then, the screen dividing means divides the screen of the display means into the number of the sewing machines according to the number of sewing machines determined to be operable by the state determining means. Then, the display means individually displays, on each of the divided screens, information relating to the control of only the sewing machine determined to be operable by the state determination means.

As described above, according to the present invention, the screen of the display means can be divided according to the number of operable sewing machines, and information relating to the control of the sewing machine can be individually displayed on each of the divided screens. For this reason, a screen is not provided for a sewing machine that is not operable due to, for example, a pause state. Therefore, the screen of the display means can be effectively used according to the operating state of the sewing machine.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the screen dividing means divides the screen according to the number of units such that the area of each divided screen is maximized. It is characterized by. As described above, in the present invention, the dividing unit performs the above-described division so that the area of each divided screen is maximized, so that the amount of information displayed on each divided screen can be maximized. Therefore, in the present invention, claim 1
In addition to the effects of the described invention, there is an effect that information relating to control of each sewing machine can be displayed in abundance and in detail.

[0010] The third aspect of the present invention is the first or second aspect.
In addition to the configuration described above, the screen dividing means divides the screen in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction. As described above, in the present invention, since the screen is divided in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, the divided screens are arranged in an orderly manner, and the shape of each screen is also appropriate. Therefore, according to the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that each screen after division becomes more visible.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration according to any one of the first to third aspects, the screen dividing means divides the screen according to an actual arrangement of the sewing machines. And As described above, in the present invention, the arrangement of each screen after division is made to correspond to the actual arrangement of each sewing machine, so that it is possible to very well grasp which screen displays information of which sewing machine. it can. Therefore, according to the present invention, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, it is possible to prevent the mistaken correspondence between the divided screen and the sewing machine, and to more efficiently manage each sewing machine. The effect that it can be performed to it is produced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, each of the sewing machines is an embroidery sewing machine, and the display means displays an embroidery pattern formed by each of the sewing machines. It is characterized by displaying. When displaying an embroidery pattern in a sewing machine control device that controls an embroidery sewing machine, it is desired to display the embroidery pattern as large as possible in detail. In the present invention, as described above, waste of the screen can be reduced, so that the embroidery pattern can be displayed in a larger and more detailed manner. Therefore, the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4 becomes more remarkable.

[0013]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embroidery sewing machine control system to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a sewing machine 3 is connected to a personal computer 1 via a cable 2.
5, 7, and 9 are connected. Each sewing machine 3, 5, 7, 9
Has a number of heads 3a, 5a, 7a, 9a, respectively,
This is a so-called multi-head embroidery sewing machine provided with a work holding frame 3b, 5b, 7b, 9b common to the many heads 3a, 5a, 7a, 9a.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the personal computer 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the personal computer 1 includes a CRT 13, a keyboard 15, and a mouse 17 in addition to the personal computer main body 11. PC body 11
Is composed mainly of a CPU 21, a ROM 23, and a RAM 25, and further includes a communication interface 27 for communicating with the sewing machines 3 to 9 via the cable 2, and a CRT.
13, an input / output port 29 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the keyboard 15, the mouse 17, and a floppy disk driver 31 for reading / writing data from / to a floppy disk (not shown) as a storage medium. Also, CPU
21, ROM23, RAM25, communication interface 2
The input / output port 7, the input / output port 29, and the floppy disk driver 31 are connected via a bus 33 so that data can be transmitted and received.

Next, the sewing machine control processing executed by the CPU 21 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The CPU 21 starts this processing when the power of the personal computer 1 is turned on. FIG. 3 shows only processing related to control of the display state of the CRT 13 in the sewing machine control processing.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the process starts, C
The PU 21 first displays an initial screen on the CRT 13 in S1 (S represents a step: the same applies hereinafter). In this initial screen, as illustrated in FIG.
Show only. In subsequent S3, the number i of the sewing machines whose power is turned on among the sewing machines 3 to 9 is detected. This detection may be performed by transmitting a predetermined signal to each of the sewing machines 3 to 9 and determining whether or not a response to the signal is made.
9 may transmit a predetermined signal to the personal computer 1.

Further, in S5, it is determined whether or not i is 1 or more, that is, whether or not at least one of the sewing machines 3 to 9 is turned on. When i <1 (S
5: NO), the process proceeds to S3, where the number of sewing machines i whose power is ON is detected again, and the process stands by until i ≧ 1. When i ≧ 1 (S5: YES) and the process proceeds to S7, the frame 131
Is divided into i screens.

In this division, the area of each screen after division is the largest, the aspect ratio of each screen is optimal, and the layout of each screen after division is stored in the sewing machines 3 to 9 stored in the RAM 25 in advance. So that it is the same as the actual arrangement (optimal display). For example, when only the power of the sewing machine 3 is turned on, only the display screen 133 for the sewing machine 3 is displayed as large as possible in the frame 131 as illustrated in FIG. Sewing machine 3 and sewing machine 7 arranged below it in FIG.
When the power is turned on, the frame 131 is divided into two as shown in FIG.
3 is displayed at the top and the display screen 137 for the sewing machine 7 is displayed at the bottom. Further, when all of the power supplies of the sewing machines 3 to 9 are turned on, the inside of the frame 131 is divided into four as illustrated in FIG.
5, 137 and 139 are displayed in the same arrangement as in FIG.

Next, in S9, the control information of the corresponding sewing machines 3 to 9 is displayed on the display screens 133 to 139 after the division in S7. The above-described examples of FIGS. 5 to 7 show a case where the embroidery patterns, the sewing speed, and the number of stitches of the sewing machines 3 to 9 are displayed as the control information. In S11, the number of sewing machines that are powered on is detected again, the value is set to j, and in S13, it is determined whether i = j. i = j
That is, if the number of sewing machines that have been powered on has not changed (S13: YES), the process directly proceeds to S9 and the display of the control state is repeated. If a predetermined input is made from the keyboard 15 or the mouse 17 during this time, other control processes of the sewing machines 3 to 9 are executed by another routine in accordance with the input. This control process is well known and will not be described in detail here.

When it is determined that i ≠ j (NO) in S13,
At S15, it is determined whether or not j = 0, and if j ≠ 0 (S15: NO), it is determined at S17 whether or not i <j. When i <j, it indicates that the number of sewing machines whose power is ON has increased. Therefore, in this case (S17: Y
ES), the display screens 133 to 139 corresponding to the newly powered on sewing machines 3 to 9 are opened in S21, j is substituted for i, and the routine goes to S7. Then, the screen is divided according to the newly detected number of sewing machines, and the optimum display is performed. Conversely, if the number of sewing machines with power ON decreases and i> j (S17: NO), the display screens 133 to 139 corresponding to the sewing machines 3 to 9 with power OFF are closed in S23, and Then, the process proceeds to S7. Then, the screen is divided according to the reduced number, and the optimum display is performed.

On the other hand, if j = 0 is determined in S15, it indicates that there is no sewing machine that is powered on. Therefore, in this case (S15: YES), in S15, all the display screens 133 to 139 are closed, and the screen returns to the initial screen of FIG. 4 and shifts to S3. Then, the process waits again until the power of any of the sewing machines 3 to 9 is turned on (S5).

As described in detail above, in the embroidery sewing machine control system according to the present embodiment, the inside of the frame 131 is divided according to the number of the sewing machines 3 to 9 whose power is ON, and the sewing machines 3 to 9 are divided. Each display screen 133 to 13 after dividing control information
9 can be displayed individually. Therefore, the power supply is
The screen is not provided to the sewing machines 3 to 9 that are FFs, and the screen of the CRT 13 can be effectively used according to the operating state of the sewing machines 3 to 9. In particular, display screen 1
Numerals 33 to 139 display embroidery patterns. Since the display screens 133 to 139 are divided so as to be maximized as described above, the embroidery patterns can be displayed large and clear.

Further, in the above system, the screen is divided in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the aspect ratio is set to be appropriate. For this reason, each of the divided display screens 133 to 139 becomes easy to see. Further, the arrangement of the display screens 133 to 139 corresponds to the actual arrangement of the sewing machines 3 to 9. For this reason, it is possible to very well grasp which sewing machine 3 to 9 the control information of each of the display screens 133 to 139 is displaying. Therefore, each of the display screens 133 to 139 and each of the sewing machines 3 to
In this way, it is possible to prevent erroneous correspondence with the sewing machine 9 and more efficiently manage the sewing machines 3 to 9.

In the above embodiment, the CRT 1
3. The storage area of the ROM 23 storing the processing of S21 to S25 by the CPU 21 and the program of the processing is displayed on the display unit, the storage area of the ROM 23 storing the processing of S7 by the CPU 21 and the program of the processing is displayed on the screen dividing unit, The storage area of the ROM 23 in which the processing of S3 by the CPU 21 and the processing program are stored is used as the state determination means, and the storage area of the ROM 23 in which the CPU 21 stores other control processing executed in the loop of S9 to S13 and the processing program. Correspond to the control means.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various embodiments can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sewing machines 3 to 9 are connected to the personal computer 1 via the cable 2, but may be wirelessly communicable with the personal computer 1. Further, in the above embodiment, the screen is divided according to the number of the sewing machines 3 to 9 whose power is turned on, but the screen is divided and the work holding frames 3b to 9b are turned on.
The screen may be divided according to the number of sewing machines 3 to 9 on which the work cloth is set. Further, in the above embodiment,
Although the numbers of the sewing machines 3 to 9 are displayed on the upper right of the display screens 133 to 139 (FIGS. 5 to 7), the names of "Mickey" and the like are given to the sewing machines 3 to 9 and the names are displayed. You may.

Further, in the above embodiment, the arrangement of each of the sewing machines 3 to 9 is stored in the RAM 25 in advance. However, the following screen may be displayed so that the arrangement of each of the sewing machines 3 to 9 can be set. Good. Subsequently, this process is described with reference to FIGS.
Explanation will be made using 0. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a sewing machine arrangement setting screen for setting the arrangement of each of the sewing machines 3 to 9. This screen may be displayed when a predetermined input is made from the keyboard 15, or may be displayed following the processing in S1 of FIG.

When the sewing machines 3 to 9 are arranged as shown in FIG. 1, the cursors 31 to 91 displaying the names (numbers) of the sewing machines 3 to 9 are displayed as shown in FIG. 1 and 2 in the same order. Then, images 32 to 92 corresponding to the respective sewing machines 3 to 9 are displayed above the respective cursors 31 to 91. The names (numbers) of the sewing machines 3 to 9 connected to the personal computer 1 are input in advance from the keyboard 15, and the cursors 31 to 91 are displayed in the frame 131 when this screen is called. The movement of the cursors 31 to 91 is performed by operating the mouse 17 or the like. When the above-described processing of FIG. 3 is executed after the arrangement setting, the power of all the sewing machines 3 to 9 is turned off.
N, the display screen 133 in the arrangement illustrated in FIG.
To 139 are displayed.

Next, as illustrated in FIG.
8 are vertically arranged in the order of sewing machine 5, sewing machine 3, sewing machine 7, and sewing machine 9, the cursors 31 to 91 are moved as illustrated in FIG.
1, a cursor 71 and a cursor 91 are arranged vertically in this order.
Then, at this time, the CPU 21 switches the display positions of the images 32 to 92 so as not to disturb the cursors 31 to 91. That is, the display positions of the images 32 to 92 are switched from above the cursors 31 to 91 to the left side. When the above-described processing of FIG. 3 is executed after the arrangement setting, when the power of all the sewing machines 3 to 9 is turned on, the display screens 133 to 139 are displayed in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. That is, the display screen 1 corresponding to each of the sewing machines 3 to 9
33 to 139 are vertically arranged in the order of the display screen 135, the display screen 133, the display screen 137, and the display screen 139.

As described above, in the present embodiment, by setting the arrangement of each of the sewing machines 3 to 9, even when the arrangement of each of the sewing machines 3 to 9 is changed, the arrangement of each of the display screens 133 to 139 and the The arrangement of the sewing machines 3 to 9 can be satisfactorily matched. That is, this embroidery sewing machine control system
Input means for inputting the actual arrangement of each sewing machine is provided. Therefore, each of the display screens 133 to 139 and each of the sewing machines 3 to
An erroneous correspondence with No. 9 can be satisfactorily prevented irrespective of the presence or absence of rearrangement.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an embroidery sewing machine control system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a personal computer of the system.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a sewing machine control process executed by the personal computer.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating an initial screen of the sewing machine control process.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen when the power is turned on by one sewing machine.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen when power is turned on by two sewing machines.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a display screen when power is turned on by four sewing machines.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a sewing machine arrangement setting screen according to another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another sewing machine arrangement.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen corresponding to the sewing machine arrangement.

[Explanation of symbols]

1… PC 3,5,7,9… Sewing machine
13 CRT 133, 135, 137, 139 display screen

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A sewing machine control device comprising: control means capable of controlling a plurality of sewing machines; and display means for displaying, on a screen, information relating to control of each of the sewing machines by the control means. State determining means for determining, for each of the sewing machines, whether or not the sewing machine is operable; and displaying the screen of the display means in accordance with the number of the sewing machines determined to be operable by the state determining means. Screen dividing means for dividing into the number of machines, and wherein the display means displays information relating to control of only the sewing machine determined to be operable by the state determining means on each of the divided screens. A sewing machine control device characterized by displaying individually. 2. The sewing machine control device according to claim 1, wherein the screen dividing means divides the screen according to the number of units such that the area of each divided screen is maximized. 3. The sewing machine control device according to claim 1, wherein the screen dividing means divides the screen in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction. 4. The sewing machine control device according to claim 1, wherein the screen dividing means divides the screen according to an actual arrangement of the sewing machines. 5. The sewing machine control device according to claim 1, wherein each of the sewing machines is an embroidery sewing machine, and the display unit displays an embroidery pattern formed by each of the sewing machines. .