Abstract: A sewing machine having an embroidery capability stores embroidery frame outline data and data of a net embroidering area together with design data in a storing medium and displays the embroidery design, the embroidery frame outline, and the net embroidering area on a display screen when editing an embroidery design. The embroidering area enables embroidering without interference between the embroidery frame and a presser foot of the sewing machine. In addition, the configuration of the sewing machine may be such that the net embroidering area is computed from the embroidery frame outline instead of storing the net embroidering area data.

Abstract: There is provided an embroidery data selecting system for selecting an embroidery pattern from a plurality of embroidery patterns. The system includes: a recording medium which stores the plurality of embroidery patterns; a display having at least a first display area and a second display area; a first display controller which displays the plurality of groups in the first area, the plurality of embroidery patterns being categorized into a plurality of groups, the plurality of groups having a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure of the plurality of groups being visually recognizable in the first area; a manually operable member to be operated to select one of the plurality of groups displayed in the first area; and a second display controller which displays embroidery patterns included in a group in the second area in response to selection by the manually operable member.

Abstract: A sewing machine control device that is capable of controlling a plurality of sewing machines, and that includes a display unit having a screen; an operability determination unit that determines operable ones of the plurality of sewing machines; and a window displaying unit that displays, on the screen of the display unit, a window for each operable sewing machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sewing system including a plurality of sewing machines and a controlling device which is electrically connected with the plurality of sewing machines for transmitting control commands to the plurality of sewing machines. The controlling device includes a memory device which stores identification data for identifying each of the plurality of sewing machines, a data registering device, which is used for registering arbitrarily registered data in relation to the identification data stored in the memory device for identifying each of the plurality of sewing machines, and a displaying device having a display screen. The controlling device displays the arbitrarily registered data on the display screen for identifying each of the plurality of sewing machines, and the control commands are transmitted to sewing machines identified by the arbitrarily registered data displayed by the displaying device.

Abstract: Contour data representing the contour of an embroidering area to be covered up with stitches formed by an embroidery machine is read from a contour data storage means and the contour of the embroidering area is displayed on a display on the basis of the contour data. A desired stitching direction for at least one point in the embroidering area is specified by the operator. The embroidering area is divided into a plurality of embroidering sections by dividing line segments parallel to the specified desired stitching direction. A reference point is set for each embroidering section. Each embroidering section is divided into blocks so that the respective contours of all the blocks are convex, and then embroidery data is produced.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing underlying stitch sewing data used by a sewing machine for forming underlying stitches, over which the sewing machine forms embroidery stitches to provide an embroidery.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing embroidery data utilized by a sewing machine for forming zigzag stitches, including a first and a second memories for storing point data indicative of positions of a series of points and a width of zigzag stitches. The apparatus further includes a producing device for, by utilizing the point data and the width data, determining a first and a second virtual line for each of line segments each of which connects between a corresponding one of pairs of adjacent two points out of the series of points, such that the first and second virtual lines are parallel to the each line segment and are spaced apart from each other by the width, and producing block data representative of a trapezoid bounded by a first and a second base parallel to each other and a first and a second leg which are not parallel to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing stitch position-related data utilized by an embroidery sewing machine for embroidering a predetermined area by forming stitches at respective stitch positions and filling the area with the formed stitches, including a dividing device for dividing the area into a plurality of sub-areas based on outline data representative of an outline of the area, the outline data including sets of position data each of which is representative of a corresponding one of a plurality of specific positions specified on the outline, and a data producing device for producing sets of sub-area data each of which is representative of an outline of a corresponding one of the sub-areas and determining, based on the sets of sub-area data, an order of embroidering of the sub-areas such that, when the embroidery sewing machine forms stitches with a continuous thread and fills each of the sub-areas by the formed stitches, by utilizing the sets of sub-area data and the order of embroidery of the sub-areas, the cont

Abstract: An apparatus for processing embroidery data utilized by a sewing machine for embroidering areas by filling the areas with stitches, including a storing device storing, for each of the area, sets of position data representative of defining points which cooperate with each other to define the each area, a selecting device selecting, based on the sets of position data for the areas, one of pairs of the defining points belonging to successive two of the areas one of which precedes the other area in an order of embroidering of the areas which pairs result from combining a particular defining point belonging to a first group consisting of the defining points defining one of the successive two areas, with each of defining points which belong to a second group consisting of the defining points defining the other of the successive two areas and which satisfy a predetermined requirement, such that a distance between the two defining points of the selected pair is the smallest of the pairs, and a determining device dete

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing stitch position-related data utilized by an embroidery sewing machine for embroidering a predetermined area, including a dividing device specifying a plurality of base positions on an outline of the area which define a polygon approximating the area, and dividing the area and polygon into sub-areas and sub-polygons, respectively, each of the sub-areas being approximated by a corresponding one of the sub-polygons, a data producing device producing the stitch position-related data based on the sub-areas, a checking device judging, if the dividing device produces a triangle-like sub-area approximated by a triangle, whether or not the triangle-like sub-area is an appropriate sub-area to be utilized by the data producing device for producing the stitch position-related data, and a modifying device modifying, if a negative, judgment is made by the checking device, the triangle-like sub-area to a quadrangle-like sub-area approximated by a quadrangle, by determining a special position on th