WO2004022833A1

WO2004022833A1 - Method of directly inputting embroidery or quilting patterns in quilting or embroidery machine through touch screen and apparatus using such method

Info

Publication number: WO2004022833A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/001816
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tae Ki Kim
Original assignee: Tae Ki Kim
Priority date: 2002-09-05
Filing date: 2003-09-04
Publication date: 2004-03-18
Also published as: KR100442893B1; AU2003258873A1; KR20020074136A

Abstract

In method and apparatus for directly inputting design patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine including a machine serving for both embroidery and quilting operation or a quilting machine with one-head, embroidery or quilting patterns to be designed and edited by a touch screen connected to such machine are directly inputted into a CPU(central processing unit) and are used for embroidery or quilting operation, which makes such operation much simpler so that non-experts can design various patterns for themselves. As a result, not only the time required for quilting or embroidery operation can be reduced and the productivity of embroidery production may be improved, but it is also possible to produce such a fine quality of quilting or embroidery products with natural patterns designed by operator's own way or by any other designers.

Description

METHOD OF DIRECTLY INPUTTING EMBROIDERY OR QUILTING PATTERNS IN QUILTING OR EMBROIDERY MACHINE THROUGH TOUCH SCREEN AND APPARATUS USING SUCH METHOD

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to a method of directly inputting embroidery or quilting patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine and an apparatus using such method wherein patterns of the quilting or embroidery machine are directly designed or edited through a touch screen connected operatively to the quilting or embroidery machine, and simultaneously inputted into a central processing unit in the machine, thereby improving workability, productivity and quality.

[Background Arts]

Generally, quilting or embroidery patterns decorated on products using quilting or embroidery machines are designed by experts through expensive CAD programs or design programs for embroidery patterns using computer.

Since the above programs are expensive and used only by skilled experts, small- scale manufacturers design embroidery o quilt patterns only with quilting or embroidery machines without these programs. The small-scale manufacturers order quilting or embroidery patterns to professional companies for designing quilting or embroidery patterns. It takes about 1 to 2 days to be supplied with the quilting or embroidery patterns designed by experts. The patterns stored in a data format in recording media such as floppy disks are delivered to the manufacturers who ordered the patterns. The manufacturers who ordered the patterns put the floppy disk into a floppy disk drive installed in the embroidery machine. After pattern data on the disk are read by a central processing unit, several quilting or embroidery steps are passed through. As a result, workability is poor, and productivity is degraded. Also, the manufacturers do not cope actively with small quantity batch production. When quilting or embroidery patterns contain curved lines hard to draw, it is impossible to draw such patterns through the CAD program or, even if possible, it takes much time to draw the patterns.

Since the patterns are quilted or embroidered by mechanically repeated patterns, natural beauty or affective texture is degraded. If the machine has one sewing head, an expert draws a desired pattern while roughly drawing the pattern with a finger. In this case, the productivity is degraded.

[Detailed Description of the Invention]

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of directly designing or editing quilting or embroidery patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine (including a combined quilting and embroidery machine, and an one-head quilting machine) through a touch screen having both an input function and an image- output function.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns by directly designing or editing quilting or embroidery patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine (including a combined quilting and embroidery machine, and an one-head quilting machine) through a touch screen having both an input function and an image-output function.

In order to achieve the above-described objects, a touch screen having both an input function and an image-output function (monitor or screen) is installed in an exposed type on one side of a quilting or embroidery machine. Through the touch screen, a user can design or edit new patterns or patterns read from a recording medium while sitting on a chair or standing up. With the touch screen, hardware and software for performing design/edit operations of quilting and embroidery pattern and other related operations are operatively connected or mounted to the quilting or embroidery machine.

There is provided a method of directly inputting embroidery or quilting patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine through a touch screen, comprising the steps of: reading a plurality of patterns stored in a recording medium to display the patterns on a screen of a touch screen; selecting patterns out of the plurality of patterns displayed on the touch screen or designing new patterns; selecting one or more of the patterns displayed on the touch screen in the step of selecting patterns; and quilting/embroidering with the patterns selected through the touch screen.

The above method may further comprise randomly performing the operations selected from the group consisting of: editing, duplicating & recording the patterns selected in the step of selecting patterns into an external recording medium through the touch screen, reading the patterns from the external recording medium onto the touch screen or deleting the patterns on the touch screen.

The above method may further comprise the steps of: selecting the design operation of new patterns through the touch screen in the step of selecting patterns; clearing the patterns on the touch screen; designing new patterns by selecting editing menu through the touch screen to quilt and embroider the patterns. The editing menu selected through the touch screen comprises a draw step, an enlarge/reduce step, and a region move step/ a jump step/ a delete step/ a store step/ end step.

The above method may further comprise the step of representing stitch lines auto-generated with a predetermined spacing according to the patterns on the screen in the drawing step for designing or editing patterns.

The apparatus of .directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns comprises a touch screen, an auxiliary input means, and a quilting or embroidery controller. The touch screen has both a main input function and an image-output function. The auxiliary input means which acts for the input function of the touch screen such as a mouse, a keyboard, a digitizer, a pen-mouse, a track-ball and a joy-stick, etc. is connected to an input of central processing unit (CPU) or of micro-computer. To an output of the CPU is connected the quilting or embroidery controller for controlling the quilting or embroidery machine to quilt or embroider the patterns. To outputs of the quilting or embroidery controller are connected an X-axis servomotor or an X-axis stepping motor, a Y-axis servomotor or' a Y-axis stepping motor, and a principal-axis servomotor or principal-axis inverter motor. To outputs of the motors a quilting or embroidery machine is connected.

To inputs/outputs of the CPU are connected recording media such as a hard disk driver (HDD), a floppy disk driver (FDD) and a CD/DVD driver, a printer for printing quilting or embroidery patterns or various data and a communication modem for transmitting and receiving data.

The above touch screen may be any type of image display devices such as a cathode-ray tube, a TFT-LCD, a plasma display panel (PDP) and a field emission display (FED). Also, the touch screen may be one of a capacitive touch screen, a pressure- sensitive touch screen, a touch screen wherein tempered glass is attached to a capacitive touch screen to enhance intensity of a sensor, a resistive touch screen, a surface acoustic wave touch screen, an infrared beam touch screen, a resistive overlay touch screen and a piezo electric touch screen. The above touch screen may comprise: a design region on one side of the screen for designing & editing quilting or embroidery patterns read from a recording medium or new patterns; a menu selecting region for selecting menu to draw the designed & edited patterns/ to store the patterns/ to read the patterns/ to select regions of the patterns/ to enlarge/ to reduce the patterns/ and to delete the patterns; a first display region on which quilting or embroidery pattern data are image-outputted as text or graphic format (GUI); a second display region on which file names/coordinate data/various parameters/commands/messages are image-outputted as text or graphic format; and a third display region on which design and editing date/product logotype/program version/program maker/phone number/working time are displayed. Thus, it is possible to design and edit or to select buttons on the menu by the operator's own fingers or through the use of drawing tools such as a touch pen or other common pens.

The menu selecting region comprises a drawing button, a new pattern button, a jump button, a region selecting button, a delete button, a move button, am enlarge button, a reduce button, a store button and an end button. In the first display region, various parameters/commands/messages are image- outputted as text or graphic format. The second display region comprises a file name display section for displaying file names with (abc.snb) or without extensions, and a coordinate display section for displaying coordinates of patterns drawn or being drawn, wherein the file names and coordinates being designed & edited are image-outputted as text or graphic (GUI) format. The coordinate display section comprises a +X coordinate display section where an X-axis right end coordinate of a pattern is displayed, a -X coordinate display section where an X-axis left end coordinate of the pattern is displayed, a +Y coordinate display section where a Y-axis upper end coordinate of the pattern is displayed, and -Y coordinate display section where a Y-axis lower end coordinate of the pattern is displayed, the pattern being shown on the design region. Onto the third display region, design & edit date/ product logotype/ program version program maker/ phone number/ working time are image-outputted as text or graphic (GUI) format.

A start point, an end point, a jump line and a sewing interval (stitch line) of the pattern displayed in the design region are distinguished by different colors. File names of the patterns (abc.snb) which are designed or edited are displayed in the file name display section.

[Brief Description of the Drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front- view of a quilting machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a system configuration diagram of an apparatus of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an initial screen of a touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a diagram wherein patterns are inputted into the touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a diagram wherein the pattern input into the touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention is completed.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart of the operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Preferred Embodiments]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings according to an embodiment. Fig. 1 shows an external perspective view of a quilting or embroidery machine 4 (including a combined quilting and embroidery machine, and an one-head quilting machine) whereon a touch screen 2 as a main input unit of the present invention is mounted. Fig. 2 shows a system configuration diagram of an apparatus 6 of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 shows a flow chart of the operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

. The touch screen 2 having both an input function and an image-output function (monitor or screen) is installed as an exposed type on one side of the quilting or embroidery machine 4. As a result, a user can design & edit new patterns or patterns of vector type read from a recording medium 20, or can do other works while sitting on a chair or standing beside the screen.

Additionally, hardware & software for performing design & editing operations of quilting or embroidery patterns or performing other related operations are operatively connected or mounted to one side or the rear of the touch screen 2. The present invention can be achieved in cooperation with these components.

In an embodiment, the apparatus 6 of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns comprises a touch screen 2, an auxiliary input means 8, and a quilting or embroidery controller 12. The touch screen 2 has both a main input function and an image-output function. The auxiliary input means which acts for the input function of ' the touch screen such as a wire/wireless mouse, a wire/wireless keyboard, a digitizer, a pen-mouse, an embedded/external track-ball and a joy-stick is connected to an input of central processing unit (CPU) 10 or of micro-computer. To an output of the CPU 10 is connected the quilting or embroidery controller 12 for controlling the quilting or embroidery machine 4 to quilt or embroider the patterns. To outputs of the quilting or embroidery controller are connected an X-axis servomotor or X-axis stepping motor 14, a Y-axis servomotor or Y-axis stepping motor 16, and a principal-axis servomotor or principal-axis inverter motor 18. The quilting or embroidery machine 4 connected to outputs of the motors 14, 16 and 18 is controlled, thereby performing a quilting or embroidery operation. To inputs/outputs of the CPU 10 are connected recording media 20 or data readers. The recording media 20 is one or more selected from the group consisting of a hard disk driver (HDD), a floppy disk driver (FDD) and a CD/DVD driver.

To other outputs of the CPU 10 are connected a printer 22 for printing quilting or embroidery patterns or various data, and a communication modem 26 for exchanging the data of the quilting or embroidery patterns or various data with other computers which are not shown or other apparatus of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns and for performing internet 24 communication.

The CPU 10 controls a memory (RAM), a BIOS ROM, an interrupt controller, a direct memory apparatus connect controller (DMA controller), a data bus (BUS), an input/output (I/O) controller, a recording medium or data reader, an interface/port and a communication equipment such as communication modem (high-speed modem or LAN card) 26. In the RAM, design or editing programs, data for executing other programs and various processed data are temporarily stored. The BIOS ROM manages fundamental input/output operations, and performs a self-test with built-in programs while the system operates. The interrupt controller detects which external equipment requests an interrupt operation to give permission to the request and to send a corresponding signal. The DMA controller enables the recording media 20 or data readers to directly connect data without passing through the CPU 10. The data BUS inter-connects signals which are common so as to connect each device. The I/O controller controls interfaces connected to external input/output devices or such means. The recording media or data readers are connected to the data bus. The interface/port is connected to the I/O controller. The communication modem 26 connected to the interface/port is used for internet access or establishes communication network or LAN with adjacent quilting or embroidery machines. Also, the CPU 10 exchanges data required in quilt or embroidery operations with the quilting or embroidery controller 14.

The I/O controller serves as a hardware interface between an input/output device and a processor.

The interface connected to the interface/port is one of an IBM PC/AT PCI bus, a SCSI port, a serial/parallel port, a Bluetooth as well as a USB (universal serial bus). The printer 22 is connected to a line print terminal (LPT) port which is a standard output device for printers in the interface/port. Through the printer 22, pattern data processed by the CPU 10 or other data are outputted, or information recorded in the recording media 20 may be printed later.

The communication equipment such as the communication modem 26 is connected to a COM port of the interface/port using general phone lines, CATV (coaxial cable TV) or leased lines.

The communication equipment which may connect to the COM port may be one of a dial modem, an Ethernet LAN cable modem, an ADSL modem and a mobile phone modem, which support built-in/external types of internet connecting means, thereby facilitating internet 24 connection. As a result, pattern files required in quilting or embroidery operations are directly downloaded through the internet. The patterns may be easily quilted/embroidered, edited or stored in the recording media 20.

The recording media 20 such as HDD, FDD and CD-RW are input/output devices for reading information into a memory or externally recording the information of the memory. Data which are no longer used in the memory, fundamental design editing programs, touch screen-related programs, various driver programs, and operating systems (O/S) and designed pattern data are also stored in the recording media 20.

The touch screen 4 may be a visual (image) display device such as a cathode-ray tube, a TFT-LCD, a plasma display panel (PDP) and a field emission display (FED). Preferably, the visual (image) display device may have both a visual display function (monitor) and a touch screen function.

Also, the touch screen may be one of a capacitive touch screen, a pressure- sensitive touch screen, a touch screen wherein tempered glass is attached to a capacitive touch screen to enhance intensity of a sensor, a resistive touch screen, a surface acoustic wave touch screen, an infrared beam touch screen, a resistive overlay touch screen and a piezo electric touch screen. A user can draw or edit a desired pattern by touching the screen or dragging fingers or a pen on the touch screen 2 or can select other functions.

The touch screen 2 comprises a controller, a software driver and application program developed software. The controller drives a display device (monitor) and a computer (O/A PC and industrial PC) touch screen, and converts touch and drag positions into coordinates. The software driver communicates with the controller and computer operating systems. The application program developed software reconfigures programs, self-application programs, previously made CD-ROMs or conventional touch application programs. If a user touches/drags/selects a predetermined portion of the screen with drawing and selecting means such as fingers or pens, a predetermined program is operated.

A transparent screen electrode (not shown) installed on the lower portion of the touch screen 2 detects manipulation of users by feedback current or capacitance change applied to the touch screen 2. Reaction signals of the screen electrode are inputted into the CPU 10 through touch and drag or touch method selection by users. The CPU 10 calculates coordinates by ^'analyzing the reaction signals using a coordinate analysis program, and outputs visual information onto the touch screen 2 of location corresponding to the calculated coordinate value.

Since the above-described technology is general, the detailed explanation is omitted.

Since design/editing data inputted from the touch screen 2 reside on real time in a memory workspace (logic memory space and physical memory space), the quilting or embroidery operation is performed using the pattern data which is completed, or the pattern data may be stored in the recording media 20 such as a hard disk driver, a floppy disk driver and a writable CD/DVD driver.

The memory includes a recording space for memorizing data required in programs and other various data and variables produced by the operation as well as a memory space required to store programs for designing/ editing/ outputting/ opening/ storing quilting or embroidery patterns. Fig. 3 shows the whole screen configuration diagram of the touch screen 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The touch screen 2 may comprise: a design region 28 for designing & editing quilting or embroidery patterns read from a recording medium or new patterns; a menu selecting region 30 for selecting menu to draw the designed & edited patterns/ to store the patterns/ to read the patterns/ to select regions of the patterns/ to enlarge/ to reduce the patterns/ and to delete the patterns; a first display region 32 on which quilting or embroidery pattern data are image-outputted as text or graphic format (GUI); a second display region 34 on which file names/coordinate data/various parameters/commands/messages are image-outputted as text or graphic format; and a third display region on which design and editing date/product logotype/program version/program maker/phone number/working time are displayed. A user can select a design & editing and buttons on menu by using drawing means such as fingers, touch pens or common pens.

Since patterns are directly designed or edited in the design region 28, the largest region is provided. A plurality of editing-related buttons are arranged in the menu selecting region 30.

The menu selecting region 30 comprises a drawing button 38, a new pattern button 40, a jump button 42, a region selecting button 44, a delete button 46, a move button 48, an enlarge button 50, a reduce button 52, a store button 54 and an end button 56. A user selects the drawing button 38 when the user draws desired quilting or embroidery patterns by touching or dragging the drawing means such as fingers of the user, touch pens or common pens in the design region 28.

A user selects the new pattern button 40 to draw new patterns after clearing the current screen. The jump button 42 is used so that a quilting or embroidery pattern can be skipped from the current location to the next location. The pattern line (suppose that this line is black) is distinguished from the pattern line by a different color such as yellow.

A user selects the region selecting button 44 to select a part or the whole of a pattern to be edited. The delete button 46 is used when a user wants to delete a part of the pattern. The move button 48 enables a selected region to be moved into a desired location. The enlarge button 50 enables the pattern to be enlarged by two, three, four, five, six ... times. The reduce button 52 enables the pattern to be reduced by 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6 ... times. A user selects the store button 54 to store edited pattern data or related data. The end button 56 is used to finish drawing or editing functions.

The second display region 34 comprises a file name display section 58 for displaying file names with (abc.snb) or without extensions, and a coordinate display section for displaying coordinates of patterns drawn or being drawn, wherein the file names and coordinates being designed & edited are image-outputted as text or graphic (GUI) format.

The coordinate display section comprises a +X coordinate display section 62 where an X-axis right end coordinate of the pattern 60 shown in the design region 28 is displayed, a -X coordinate display section 64 where an X-axis left end coordinate of the pattern 60 is displayed, a +Y coordinate display section 66 where a Y-axis upper end coordinate of the pattern 60 is displayed, and -Y coordinate display section 68 where a Y- axis lower end coordinate of the patteπvόO is displayed. In the first display region 32, various parameters/ commands/ messages/ currently operating editing modes/ editing information and editing states/ current coordinates/ current drawing states/ mode explanations/ intervals of stitch line (sewing intervals) are image-outputted as text or graphic (GUI) format. Onto the third display region, design & edit date/ product logotype/ program version program maker/ phone number/ program maker/ working time are image-outputted as text or graphic (GUI) format as previously mentioned.

Fig. 4 shows the state where the quilting or embroidery pattern 60 is being designed. In the design region 28, the pattern 60 being designed or edited and its start point 60a and end point 60b and jump line 60c, which is distinguished by a different color, are displayed. In the file name display section 58, the file name (abc.snb) being designed or edited is displayed.

The jump line 60c is a portion where a sewing operation is not performed. Here, a thread is not sewed but passed over as the pattern 60 is spaced apart from adjacent patterns 60. In the coordinate display section are displayed the X-axis right end coordinate (+X : 51.2) of the pattern 60 drawn or being drawn on the design region 28, the X-axis left end coordinate (-X : -38.6) of the pattern 60, the Y-axis upper end coordinate (+Y : 199.7) of the pattern 60 and the Y-axis lower end coordinate (-Y : 0) of the pattern 60.

Fig. 5 shows a stitch line 70 which is a sewing interval of the designed or edited pattern 60. After the pattern 60 data are analyzed so that the quilting or embroidery machine 4 may perform a smooth quilting or embroidery operation of the pattern 60, the location of the stitch line 70 having a predetermined interval is marked on the pattern 60.

The data are included in pattern file data so as to be stored.

The stitch line 70 is distinguished from the pattern 60 or the jump line 60c by a different color such as red. As a result, the pattern 60 is quilted or embroidered with the interval displayed by the stitch line 70.

Meanwhile, the speed of designing or editing patterns is varied depending on users. That is, since the speed of drawing the pattern 60 is varied by individual difference, the stitch mark (sewing mark) on a basis of the length of the drawing or drawn pattern rather than the drawing speed is required for the uniform stitch display.

Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present invention, the stitch line 70 is automatically generated by a unit of length of the pattern 60 drawn or being drawn through a pattern design editing program.

The interval of the stitch line 70 is set by a unit of 0.1mm to 0.5mm within the range of 1mm to 15mm using the auxiliary input means 8 or up/down buttons on the touch screen 2 in consideration of the type of the pattern 60, objects to be quilted/embroidered or other conditions.

When the interval of the stitch line 70 is set through the touch screen 2, the stitch interval may be set using up/down buttons (not shown) provided on the design region 28 or the first display region 32. If a pattern 7 is drawn by a user or a designer, the stitch line 70 is automatically generated with a predetermined interval as shown in Fig. 5. According to the pattern line, the sewing operation is performed with the stitch line 70 interval.

Fig. 6 shows a flow chart of the operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. If power is applied to the quilting or embroidery machine 4 by ON operation of a power switch, a plurality of pattern data stored in the recording media 20 are read by the CPU 10 (SI). Then, the layouts of the patterns are displayed on the touch screen 2 (S2). When the plurality of patterns are displayed exceeding the capacity of one screen, a user pushes 'next' button on the screen to display a plurality of new patterns. Through this process, the whole patterns may be shown. When a user intends to select the pattern displayed on the previous screen, the user pushes 'back' button to display the previous screen having a desired pattern, or continuously pushes the next button to the screen having a desired pattern.

Next, a user selects whether one of the plurality of patterns displayed on the screen is selected to be sewed or whether a new pattern is designed(S3). In the pattern selecting step (S3), when one or more of the patterns displayed on the screen are selected, the selected pattern is enlarged on the touch screen 2 so that a user may select each operation. Otherwise, a new pattern may be designed.

When a pattern read from the pattern selecting step (S3) is selected, the selected pattern can be quilted or embroidered without being editing (S4). After the quilting or embroidery operation is completed, the whole process is finished (S5).

When a second quilting or embroidery operation is intended to be performed after the first quilting or embroidery operation, a pattern stored in the recording media 20 is read (S 1) to select the same pattern as the first one or a different pattern. As a result, a new quilting or embroidery operation is performed, or a new pattern is designed. Otherwise, the quilting or embroidery operation is finally finished.

If one or more of the patterns are selected to be edited (S6) in the pattern selecting step (S3), it proceeds to the step of selecting menus (S7) so that the selected pattern may be edited. When a user intends to copy (S8) the pattern into an external recording medium in the pattern selecting step (S3), the user selects one or more patterns displayed on the screen to copy them, and then stores the copied patterns in the external recording medium such as a floppy disk (FD), a writable CD or DVD. After the copying and storing operation, the user selects other operations or finishes the process. When the pattern is copied into the external recording medium (S8), a newly designed or edited pattern is copied and stored in the external recording medium using the apparatus 6 of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns according to an embodiment of the present invention. Then, the new pattern is inputted into another quilting or embroidery machine so that the new pattern may be sewed. In the pattern selecting step (S3), when the operation of reading the pattern from the external recording medium is selected (S9), one or more of the patterns stored in the external recording medium such as a floppy disk (FD), a CD or DVD and a card reader are read into the memory, and the pattern is displayed on the touch screen 2. Then, after one or more of the patterns are selected, the pattern may be quilted/embroidered or edited. In the pattern selecting step (S3), a part or the whole of the selected pattern is selected, and the partial or whole pattern may be deleted (S10).

When the pattern selected in the pattern selecting step (S3) is edited (S6), the nienu for editing may be selected (S7).

In the menu selecting step (S7), when the drawing of is selected (SI 3), an extra pattern may be added into the displayed pattern through the touch screen 2 or the auxiliary input means 8 (SI 4).

The stitch line 70 is marked in the pattern shown on the screen by a preset stitch interval (S25). The stitch line 70 with the preset interval is automatically generated where a pattern is additionally drawn (S26). When a user draws a pattern in the menu selecting step (S7) or intends to enlarge or reduce the pattern (S 15), the user pushes the region selecting button 44 to select a part of the pattern that the user wants to enlarge or reduce, and then pushes the enlarge or reduce button 50 or 52 to enlarge or reduce the pattern (SI 6).

When a user selects the region move operation (SI 7) in the menu selecting step (S7), the user selects a part of the pattern that the user wants to move by using the region selecting button 44, and pushes the move button 48 to move the pattern (SI 8).

When a user selects the jump operation (SI 9) in the menu selecting step (S7), if the user designates a jump section, and pushes the jump button 42, jump operation is carried out with the jump line 60c drawn by a different color. When a user selects the delete operation (S20) in the menu selecting step (S7), the user selects a section that the user wants to delete by using the region selecting button 44, and pushes the delete button 46 to delete the selected section (S21).

When a user selects the store operation (S22) in the menu selecting step (S7), the uncompleted pattern or the completed pattern is stored in the internal or external recording media (S23).

When a user selects the end operation (S24) in the menu selecting step (S7) by pushing the end button 56, the process goes back to the initial process wherein the pattern stored in the recording media is read (SI) or the whole operation is finished.

If each operation is completed in the drawing step (SI 3), the enlarge/reduce step (SI 5), the region move step (SI 7), the jump step (SI 9), the delete step (S20) and the store step (S22), the process goes back to the menu selecting step (S7) so that the above- described process is selectively repeated. As a result, if the editing of the pattern is completed, a user touches the end button 56 to finish the process (S24).

When a user designs a new pattern (SI 1) which does not exist in the internal or external recording media 20 in the pattern selecting step (S3), the pattern on the design region 28 is cleared (SI 2) so that a new pattern may be designed.

Until a new pattern is completed, one of the drawing step (SI 3), the enlarge/reduce step (S15), the region move step (S17), the jump step (S19), the delete step (S20) and the store step (S22) in the menu selecting step (S7) may be performed as described above. After the new pattern is completed, a user touches the end button 56 to finish the design operation (S24). When a user intends to perform another operation, the process goes back to the initial step where the pattern stored in the recording media is read (SI) or finishes the operation.

In the drawing step (SI 3), the stitch line 70 is automatically generated (S26) according to the pattern drawn on the screen by a preset stitch interval (S25) as described above.

In the above drawing operation, a user can draw a pattern that the user intends to quilt or embroider through the touch screen 2, which is a main input means, or other auxiliary input means such as a mouse/ keyboard/ digitizer/ pen-mouse/ trackball/ joystick. The pattern is drawn by a vector format, stored in the recording media 20, and quilted/embroidered according to the sequence of the drawing.

When a user designs or edits the pattern by using the auxiliary input means 8 instead of the touch screen 2, the user can design or edits the pattern, while watching the pattern image outputted onto the touch screen 2. Preferably, a SNAP or OSNAP function may be added into the design editing program. Since the SNAP or OSNAP function helps a user to easily connect the start point 60a, the end point 60b, intersections or bends, the precise operation may be easily performed or the convenience of the operation may be facilitated.

Accordingly, quilting or embroidery patterns may be directly inputted without any complicated process or step through the above-described touch screen having both an input function and an image-output function in an embodiment of the present invention, thereby simplifying the process and improving the productivity.

Since conventional quilting or embroidery design programs are used to draw patterns mostly comprising straight lines and circular arcs, it has been difficult to treat smooth curves with such programs. However, in an embodiment of the present invention, patterns may be designed naturally as a user draws the patterns with a real pen. Additionally, a user can design quilting or embroidery patterns through a touch screen mounted on a quilting or embroidery machine without ordering the patterns to professional companies, thereby reducing production time and cost. When an expert directly quilts fabric with a sewing machine, the experts cannot quilt complicated patterns. However, in an embodiment of the present invention, the complicated patterns are directly designed and applied.

Since quilting or embroidery patterns are directly designed with hands to be produced, difficulty and inconvenience resulting from CAD work are reduced. At the same time, the natural quilting or embroidery effect may be obtained like the patterns designed by hands.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[Industrial Applicability] As described above, in an embodiment of the present invention, quilting or embroidery patterns are directly designed or edited through a touch screen operatively connected to a quilting or embroidery machine while they are directly inputted into a central processing unit at the same time. Therefore, a method of directly inputting quilting or embroidery patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine, and an apparatus using the same may improve working conditions, productivity and quality.

Claims

[What is Claimed is]

1. A method of directly inputting embroidery or quilting patterns in a quilting or embroidery machine through a touch screen, comprising the steps of: reading a plurality of patterns stored in a recording medium to display the patterns on a screen of a touch screen; selecting patterns out of the plurality of patterns displayed on the touch screen or designing new patterns; selecting one or more of the patterns displayed on the touch screen in the step of selecting patterns; and quilting/embroidering with the patterns selected through the touch screen.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising randomly performing the operations selected from the group consisting of: editing or duplicating & recording patterns selected in the step of selecting patterns into an external recording medium through the touch screen, reading the patterns from the external recording medium onto the touch screen, or deleting the patterns on the screen by touch of the touch screen.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: selecting the design operation of new patterns through the touch screen in the step of selecting patterns; clearing the patterns on the touch screen; completing new patterns by selectively touching a draw button/enlarge & reduce button region move button/jump button/delete button/store button/end button; and quilting/embroidering with the completed new pattems.

4. The method according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising representing stitch lines auto-generated with a predetermined spacing according to the pattems on the screen in the drawing step for designing or editing pattems.

5. An apparatus of directly inputting embroidery or quilting pattems in a quilting or embroidery machine through a touch screen, wherein: the touch screen (2) having both input and image output functions is connected to a central processing unit (10) of the apparatus of directly inputting quilting or embroidery pattems; the touch screen (2) is exposed from one side of the embroidery and quilting machine (4), and an output from the central processing unit (10) is connected to a quilting and embroidery controller 12 for controlling the embroidery and quilting machine (4).

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an auxiliary input means (8) connected to an input/output controller of the central processing unit (10) is one of wire/wireless mouse, wire/wireless keyboard, a digitizer, a pen-mouse, a trackball and a joystick.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a communication modem (26) for transmitting/receiving data through internet (24) communication, a recording medium (20) for storing programs and data related to quilting/embroidery pattems, and a printer (22) for printing quilting/embroidery pattems or various data, respectively are connected to the input/output controller of the central processing unit (10).

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the touch screen (4) is one of a cathode-ray tube, a TFT-LCD, a plasma display panel and a field emission display.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the touch screen is one of a capacitive touch screen, a pressure-sensitive touch screen, a touch screen wherein tempered glass is attached to a capacitive touch screen to enhance intensity of a sensor, a resistive touch screen, a surface acoustic wave touch screen, an infrared beam touch screen, a resistive overlay touch screen and a piezo electric touch screen.

10. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the touch screen comprises: a design region (28) on one side of the screen (2) for designing & editing quilting or embroidery pattems read from a recording medium or new pattems; a menu selecting region (30) for selecting menu to draw the designed & edited patterns/ to store the patterns/ to read the patterns/ to select regions of the patterns/ to enlarge & reduce the patterns/ and to delete the pattems; a first display region (32) on which quilting or embroidery pattern data are image-outputted as text or graphic format (GUI); a second display region (34) on which file names/coordinate data/various parameters/commands/messages are image-outputted as text or graphic format; and a third display region on which design and editing date/product logotype/program version/program maker/phone number/working time are displayed.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the menu selecting region (30) comprises a drawing button (38), a new pattem button (40), a jump button (42), a region selecting button (44), a delete button (46), a move button (48), an enlarge button (50), a reduce button (52), a store button (54) and an end button (56).

12. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a coordinate display section comprises: a +X coordinate display section 62 where an X-axis right end coordinate of a pattem 60 is displayed; a -X coordinate display section 64 where an X- axis left end coordinate of the pattern 60 is displayed; a +Y coordinate display section 66 where a Y-axis upper end coordinate of the pattem 60 is displayed; and -Y coordinate display section 68 where a Y-axis lower end coordinate of the pattem 60 is displayed.

13. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a start point (60a), an end point (60b), a jump line (60c) and a stitch line (70) of the pattem (60) displayed in the design region (28) are distinguished by different colors.