Embroidering Patents (Class 700/138)
  • Patent number: 7386361
    Abstract: Coordinates and a pen-stroke strength are input from a stylus. A section between the input coordinates is interpolated and needle fall points are determined such that the stitch width varies in accordance with the pen-stroke strength. Moreover, the stitch angle and the stitch density with respect to the stylus trace are input as parameters and used to determine the needle fall points. The determined stitch is displayed in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Manufacturing, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeuchi Nobuyuki, Okubo Atsushi, Nishioka Hisataka
  • Publication number: 20080114484
    Abstract: A method and the device for scaling or changing embroidery patterns (1) for sewing machines that allows a quick calculation of optimized stitching data. For one or more different change factors qj, data sets dj with optimized stitching data (xji,yji) are stored. A target data set z with stitching data changed according to a given change value v is determined by selecting one of the stored data sets dj and performing an extrapolation or an interpolation with the associated stitching data (xji,yji). For a pattern with several sub-patterns, these sub-patterns can be changed individually and combined to form a changed pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: BERNINA INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Boris Zickenberg, Gerard Durville
  • Publication number: 20080103624
    Abstract: An embroidery data creation apparatus includes a thread color relation value storage device that stores a color relation value that corresponds to a color, for each embroidery thread which is used in an embroidery data, a preview image creation device that creates a preview image, a preview display device that displays the preview image created, a reference region specification device that specifies as a color modification reference region at least one region in the preview image, a thread color selection device that selects a thread color to be used for the reference region specified, an image data color modification device that modifies the color of the image data based on the color relation value corresponding to a color of a reference image region and the color relation values corresponding to the thread color selected, and an embroidery data creation device that creates the embroidery data from color-modified image data obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Yamada
  • Patent number: 7359761
    Abstract: A tufting machine control system for controlling the tension applied to a backing material as it enters the tufting zone of the tufting machine, including a pair of driven backing feed rolls for feeding the backing material. The drive motors for the backing feed rolls are monitored by the control system and are adjusted to control the amount of tension applied to the backing material as it enters the tufting zone of the tufting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Card-Monroe, Corp.
    Inventor: William M. Christman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7359760
    Abstract: A data processing device processes embroidery data for a sewing machine capable of embroidering and print data for a printer that prints a pattern on at least a portion of an embroidery formed by the sewing machine. The data processing device includes an embroidery data generating unit for generating region data defining a plurality of embroidery regions based on color image data and the embroidery data defining embroidery patterns respectively applied to the plurality of embroidery regions, a color designating unit for designating a thread color from a plurality of thread colors contained in the embroidery data in order to designate a print-target embroidery region from among the plurality of embroidery regions, and a print data generating unit that generates print data representing an image applied to the print-target embroidery region based on at least part of image data corresponding to the designated print-target embroidery region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motoshi Kishi, Masaki Shimizu, Noriko Kawabe
  • Publication number: 20080078312
    Abstract: An embroidery data processing apparatus which may be used to attach an IC tag to a work cloth without impairing a design of the work cloth. The embroidery data processing apparatus may determine an IC tag area based on a size and shape of the IC tag, and may determine whether the IC tag area can be included in an embroidery area that is determined on the basis of embroidery data. If the IC tag area can be included in the embroidery area, the positions of the embroidery area and the IC tag area may be set in an embroiderable area of a sewing machine in such a manner that the IC tag area is positioned in the embroidery area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsuya Hayakawa, Satoru Makino
  • Patent number: 7333877
    Abstract: A system and method for producing multi-colored carpets using a tufting machine. The present invention features a system and method for: providing a multi-colored pattern which is analyzed for validity with reference to a particular tufting machine; collecting parameters concerning a particular tufting machine; determining the colors of yarn to load with each needle of the particular tufting machine; and generating a report including a palette of colors used within the pattern, a chart indicating which color of yarns are used within each needle position, and a summary of the number of yarn cones needed to create a carpet of a predetermined size with the particular tufting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Mohawk Carpet Corp.
    Inventors: Paul M. Dabrowa, Charlie Thompson, Dina Poindexter, Katrina Kuhels, Ashlee Swift
  • Publication number: 20080021588
    Abstract: When a user specifies, as an embroidery sewing condition, an embroidery pattern that can be sewn with thread spools set for needle bars, embroidery data on an embroidery pattern and needle bar thread information on a thread set for a needle bar are read and stored in a RAM. Embroidery thread information included in embroidery data is read out in a sequential order, and embroidery thread information and specified thread information are compared with each other. An embroidery pattern having embroidery data of which all of the embroidery thread information is coincident with the specified thread information is extracted as an embroidery pattern that satisfies the embroidery sewing condition. The extracted embroidery pattern is then displayed on a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsuya Hayakawa, Masayuki Hori
  • Publication number: 20080009960
    Abstract: This invention provides a digital technology based on fabric weave for the encoding, identification and decoding of information. A method for storing information in fabric based on weaving, knitting, braiding or other yarn interlacing styles, comprising: inputting information into a computer; converting each unit of the information to a corresponding unit of a binary code; converting each the corresponding code unit into a unit matrix of weave code presenting by 0 and 1; or converting each unit of the information to a unit matrix of weave code presenting by 0 and 1 directly; generating a weave code matrix consisting of all the unit matrixes; manufacturing a piece of fabric according to the weave code matrix, wherein 1 represents warp on a weft and 0 represents weft on a warp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Hu Jinlian, Xin Binjie, George Baciu, Yu Xiaobo
  • Patent number: 7313457
    Abstract: A pattern selecting portion selects a desired embroidery pattern from a plurality of embroidery patterns. A pattern editing portion edits the embroidery pattern displayed on the display. A first determining portion determines, before the selected embroidery pattern is edited by the pattern editing portion, whether each of a plurality of embroidery frames is usable for sewing the selected embroidery pattern based on embroidery data for the selected embroidery pattern. A second determining portion determines, after the selected embroidery pattern is edited by the pattern editing portion, whether each of the plurality of embroidery frames is usable for sewing the edited embroidery pattern based on embroidery data for the edited embroidery pattern. A reporting portion reports when at least one embroidery frame determined to be usable by the second determining portion is different from at least one embroidery frame determined to be usable by the first determining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ayako Yoshimura, Tomohiko Mori, Naoki Tanjima
  • Patent number: 7308333
    Abstract: A stitching apparatus with thread tension control is provided. Tension in a thread is monitored during stitching apparatus operations, and remedial action is taken in response to the detection of an anomaly in the thread tension profile. The remedial action can include altering a feed rate of the thread in order to adjust the thread tension, and/or repeating a previous operation. Anomaly detection can be performed with respect to stitching or sewing operations, and also with respect to trim operations performed in connection with moving between elements and/or thread color changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Melco Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Kern, Joseph A. Keating, Victor Justin Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7302308
    Abstract: There is provided a embroidery data processing device, which includes an extracting system that extracts at least one embroidery region from embroidery data that has a stitch attribute corresponding to at least one predetermined setting, and a print data generating system that generates print data for the at least one embroidery region extracted by the extracting system based on the embroidery data of the at least one embroidery region extracted by the extracting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruna Kato, Atsuya Hayakawa, Masakazu Kuki, Masaki Shimizu, Yasuhiko Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7278362
    Abstract: A pattern data producing device incorporated in a sewing machine which comprises a sewing mechanism including a needle swing mechanism and a display and in which the sewing mechanism is operated so that a pattern sewing can be carried out, thereby producing pattern data. The pattern data producing device includes a touch panel mounted on an outer surface of the display so as to be capable of detecting a location of touch, a pen-shaped pointing device inputting and instructing on the touch panel a plurality of points corresponding to a plurality of needle drop points forming a pattern, a pattern data producing unit which obtains location data of needle drop points from the input points to produce pattern data, and a display data producing unit which produces, from the location data of needle drop points, display data for displaying a configuration of the pattern on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Hirata, Yuji Iida, Tomohiko Mori
  • Patent number: 7280886
    Abstract: A sewing machine capable of embroidering includes a sewing mechanism having a sewing needle, a frame moving mechanism that moves an embroidery frame based on embroidery data composed of a plurality of embroidery pattern sections, a thread trimming mechanism that executes a thread trim operation based on a thread trim instruction, a thread wiping mechanism that executes a thread wiping operation after the execution of the thread trim operation by the thread trimming mechanism, and a controlling unit that moves the embroidery frame by the frame moving mechanism to a sewing start position of the next embroidery pattern section based on the embroidery data after the thread trim operation by the thread trimming mechanism and before the execution of the thread wiping operation by the thread wiping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Iida, Mitsuyasu Kyuno, Yoshiyuki Uyama
  • Publication number: 20070233310
    Abstract: To provide an embroidery data creation apparatus, an embroidery data creation program, and a recording medium that records the embroidery data creation program, which create embroidery data for embroidery that is clear and sharp even when the tint or output size of an image is changed. The number of pixels necessary to create embroidery data is determined from thread density, size of the embroidery, and copied color data. Initial angle information is created from angle data and the angle information having necessary pixel configuration is re-computed from the initial angle information. Then, line segment data is created from the re-computed angle information, color data is created from the size adjusted color data and the line segment data, and the embroidery data is created from the line segment data and the color data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20070233309
    Abstract: To provide an embroidery data creation apparatus, an embroidery data creation program, and a recording medium that records the embroidery data creation program, which create embroidery data for embroidery that is clear and sharp even when the tint or output size of an image is changed. The number of pixels necessary to create embroidery data is determined from thread density, size of the embroidery, and copied color data. Initial angle information is created from angle data and the angle information having necessary pixel configuration is re-computed from the initial angle information. Then, line segment data is created from the re-computed angle information, color data is created from the size adjusted color data and the line segment data, and the embroidery data is created from the line segment data and the color data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20070225855
    Abstract: A data structure of branch-structured vector data that is created from line drawing information of an embroidery design and provides a basis for creating embroidery data by a computer that includes at least one data piece of a branch, which is an embroidery path connecting two endpoints. The branch data piece may include thread color information that indicates a color of a sewing thread to be used when each of the branches is embroidered, or loop information that indicates whether tracing a link destination of the endpoint of the branch results in generation of a loop that returns to the same endpoint. The thread color information may be used to determine whether to create embroidery data for a link destination branch and the loop information may be used to determine whether to create running stitch sewing data for the link destination branch. Thus, branch-structured vector data may have information of a plurality of thread colors and represent a loop in one data piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20070213865
    Abstract: An embroidery data processing apparatus and an embroidery data processing program that creates embroidery data usable by an embroidery sewing machine to sew an embroidery pattern that includes a plurality of partial patterns. The embroidery data processing apparatus and program store a maximum sewing region; set a plurality of unit embroidery regions; and modify a size of each of the plurality of unit regions based on the size of the maximum sewing region and a position and a size of each of the plurality of partial patterns contained within the plurality of unit embroidery regions. The embroidery data processing apparatus and program create the embroidery data of a part or a whole of the embroidery pattern being contained within the modified plurality of unit embroidery regions and output the embroidery data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahiro Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20070162177
    Abstract: The process searches a block that contains a current line segment for any other line segments and, if they are found, calculates a distance between an endpoint of the current line segment and endpoint nodes of all the line segments found in the block. The process sequentially searches for the line segments in the block in accordance with search order determined on the basis of a search ranking table if a search range is not crossed over and calculates the distances between the endpoint of the current line segment and the endpoint nodes of the found line segments. Then, the process compares the distance from the endpoint node of the already line segment found and the distance from the newly found endpoint node and outputs the smaller one as the next line segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Yamada
  • Patent number: 7228195
    Abstract: An embroidery machine includes a plurality of thread reel stand bars, a plurality of thread reels installed to the thread reel stand bars, respectively, a plurality of needles to which threads are supplied from the respective thread reels, at least two of the needles being selected to operate, on the basis of an embroidery data, in order for forming a stitch pattern of multiple colors, a wireless tag attached to each of the thread reels an having information related to the thread wound therearound, and a receiving device, for reading the information in the wireless tag, provided at each of the thread reel stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiichiro Hagino
  • Patent number: 7210419
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes an embroidery stitching data storage storing embroidery stitching data of a plurality of divided patterns with respect to large-size embroidery patterns, a pattern display data storage storing pattern display data for displaying each large-size embroidery pattern in a real image close to an embroidered state, and a display control device reading pattern display data with respect to an appointed large-size embroidery pattern from the pattern display data storage and controls to display an image. The display control device is adapted so that, when each divided pattern constituting the large-size embroidery pattern is subjected to the embroidery stitching, a display is caused to display the pattern display data of the large-size embroidery pattern read from the pattern display data storage and displayed area data indicating the stitching area occupied by each divided pattern in the large-size embroidery pattern in a state being combined with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi Naka, Takashi Hirata, Ayako Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7212879
    Abstract: An embroidering machine includes a base, an embroidery needle moved reciprocally along a path, an embroidery frame on which a work piece to be embroidered is held, a movable frame provided indirectly or directly on the base and mounting thereon the embroidery frame, the movable frame being driven to transverses the path of the reciprocal movement of the embroidery needle, a wireless affixed to the embroidery frame, the wireless tag storing therein frame information relating to the embroidery frame which is to be selected depending on the work piece to be embroidered, and a receiving device for reading the frame information stored in the wireless tag, the receiving device being provided on the base in immovable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiichiro Hagino
  • Patent number: 7212880
    Abstract: The invention presents an embroidery data processing device and a computer program product capable of easily forming images of finished state of applique even if the fabric for applique is a pattern fabric. A selected fabric image of fabric for applique is displayed, and when the user manipulates the mouse, and moves the cursor to a desired position of the fabric image, and clicks by a specified number of times, the applique pattern preliminarily inputted through the image scanner is displayed at the position of the cursor (S101 to S103). When the user clicks the preview button by the mouse, only the fabric image within the applique pattern is extracted, and an applique image is displayed, and an applique sewing stitch image is overlaid and displayed on the applique image (S104 to S109).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Mizuno, Shoichi Taguchi, Yukiyoshi Muto, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 7155302
    Abstract: An embroidery data producing device is disclosed producing embroidery data on which an embroidery sewing machine forms an embroidery pattern along another pattern previously formed on cloth held by a cloth holding frame. The embroidery data producing device includes image data producing means for scanning the cloth held by the cloth holding frame to produce pattern image data corresponding to the pattern, and embroidery data producing means for producing embroidery data for forming an embroidery pattern on at least a part of the pattern on the basis of the pattern image data, the embroidery pattern having a size equal to that of the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukiyoshi Muto, Masahiro Mizuno, Shoichi Taguchi, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 7120516
    Abstract: An embroidering device includes plural needles for embroidering plural patterns and an operating portion having a display. The patterns are embroidered by selectively actuating the needles in accordance with a command from the operating portion, the display of the operating portion indicates codes of the needles to be used for embroidering the patterns in sequence, and the code of the needle being in actuation is emphatically indicated on the display. Indication corresponding to temporary stop of the actuation can be indicated between the codes if the actuation needs to be temporarily stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kaushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichiro Hagino, Mari Takagi, Katsuhiko Kiwada
  • Patent number: 7085617
    Abstract: A control unit for controlling an embroidery sewing machine includes an embroidery-data storing portion, a feed-data extracting portion, and a thread-cutting-data adding portion. The embroidery-data storing portion stores embroidery data defining an embroidery pattern sewn by a sewing portion and a workpiece feeding portion. The embroidery data includes stitch data indicating needle drop positions for forming stitches on a workpiece and feed data indicating feed positions for feeding the workpiece. The feed-data extracting portion extracts the feed data from the embroidery data read from the embroidery-data storing portion. The thread-cutting-data adding portion adds thread cutting data immediately prior to the feed data extracted by the feed-data extracting portion. The thread cutting data instructs a thread cutting portion to perform thread cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Kaiya, Tsuneo Okuyama, Takafumi Naka
  • Patent number: 7079917
    Abstract: An embroidery data producing device includes an area information input unit for inputting area information indicating first and second areas to be embroidered, at least a part of the second area being overlapped inside the first area, a first setting unit for setting a first stitch type for one of the first and second areas, a second setting unit for setting a second stitch type different from the first stitch type for the other area than the area set by the first setting unit, and an embroidery data producing unit for producing first and second embroidery data based on the stitch types set by the first and second setting unit, respectively, the first embroidery data being used to embroider the first area except for its part on which the second area is overlapped, the second embroidery data being produced to embroider the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Taguchi, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Masahiro Mizuno, Yukiyoshi Muto, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 7069871
    Abstract: A method of embroidering a pattern by means of a processor-controlled sewing machine, the method comprising the following steps: the fabric that is to be embroidered is placed in the required position in relation to a threaded needle on the sewing machine, a number of embroidery elements having pre-programmed embroideries are provided, each embroidery element is provided with a starting point and an end point for an embroidery on a corresponding physical embroidery element, a directional change associated with the end point is assigned to the embroidery element, in embroidering a sequence of physical embroidery elements by means of the sewing machine a succeeding physical embroidery element is rotated corresponding to the directional change in the preceding physical embroidery element, an embroidery having any desired number of physical embroidery elements in sequence is performed by the sewing machine according to the sequence of selected embroidery elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: VSM Group AB
    Inventors: Kerstin Widell, Anders Andersson
  • Patent number: 7055443
    Abstract: The present invention provides an embroidering machine which is made up of a thread station at which a plurality of spools of different colored threads are installed; a frame on which a work-piece is carried in tension mode; an embroidery stitching mechanism having a plurality of needles to which the colored threads are routed, respectively, and stitching the work-piece with the colored thread routed to a selected needle; a color recognizing device for recognizing the color of each of the threads routed to the respective needles; data reading means for reading embroidering data relating to the embroidering pattern; a comparing device matching a color indication included in the embroidering data with the color of each of the threads which is recognized by the color recognizing device, the comparing device selecting one of the threads to which the thread of the matched color is routed for determining the selected needle; and a control device for controlling the selected needle of the embroidery stitching mechan
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisaharu Goto, Mikio Furuichi
  • Patent number: 7054709
    Abstract: A method for realizing embroidery simulation which can be used as an alternative sample to an actual object. A shade is added to a stitch not to brighten the center of the stitch and to darken the opposite ends thereof as shown at (a) but to brighten a stitch A close to a light source most and to darken a stitch B remote from the light source most as shown at (b). Assuming that the light source is not located on a two-dimensional plane where the stitch exists but a light beam enters obliquely from the upper space, variation of shade is also added in the widthwise direction of a yarn similarly to the longitudinal direction thereof in order to impart three-dimensional feeling thus attaining a simulation image having highly massive feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Manufacturing Limited
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7016756
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automatically generating embroidery designs from a scanned image. An embroidery data generating mechanism generates accurate embroidery designs. The embroidery data generating mechanism first reads an image data file, which contains bitmapping information generated from a software scanning tool, the information being related to an embroidery pattern that has been scanned. The scanned pattern is broken up into pixels, each pixel in the scanned image having a bitmap associated with the color of the pattern. Each unique color in the scanned pattern has its own unique bitmap. The embroidery generating mechanism also includes a segmentation mechanism and a chain-encoding mechanism which perform operations to enhance the quality of the bitmapped information and to separate regions of the scanned image into objects. A distance transform evaluation mechanism classifies each object as being either a thick object or a thin, predominantly regular object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: SoftSight Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Goldman
  • Patent number: 7016757
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automatically generating embroidery designs from a scanned image. An embroidery data generating mechanism generates accurate embroidery designs. The embroidery data generating mechanism first reads an image data file, which contains bitmapping information generated from a software scanning tool, the information being related to an embroidery pattern that has been scanned. The scanned pattern is broken up into pixels, each pixel in the scanned image having a bitmap associated with the color of the pattern. Each unique color in the scanned pattern has its own unique bitmap. The embroidery generating mechanism also includes a segmentation mechanism and a chain-encoding mechanism which perform operations to enhance the quality of the bitmapped information and to separate regions of the scanned image into objects. A distance transform evaluation mechanism classifies each object as being either a thick object or a thin, predominantly regular object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: SoftSight, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Goldman
  • Patent number: 6983192
    Abstract: A plurality of stitching machines and a control system used in stitching patterns into a plurality of items is capable of flexible control. The plurality of stitching machines may include one or more clusters of stitching machines, with each cluster able to stitch patterns into items independently of other clusters. Stitching machines within the plurality of stitching machines, or within the clusters of stitching machines, may be set to stitch patterns into items using one of a synchronized mode and an unsynchronized mode. When in the synchronized mode, the stitching machines perform stitching substantially synchronously with other stitching machines, and when in the unsynchronized mode the stitching machines perform stitching independently of the status of other stitching machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: MELCO Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Block, Robert Bruce Ton, Peter Kern, Donald Grayson
  • Patent number: 6983193
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus and program stored on a computer readable medium for processing embroidery data make stitch data subdivisions into which the stitch data was divided, according to the size of partitions, and add partition position information corresponding to the position of stitch data subdivision in the stitch data to the stitch data subdivisions. If the size of an embroidery pattern which is embroidered by the embroidery data is greater than a predetermined workable area of sewing within the embroidery frame, the embroidery data is divided into subdivisions and where the embroidery data subdivisions is positioned in the whole embroidery design can be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Mizuno, Yukiyoshi Muto, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Shoichi Taguchi, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6980877
    Abstract: An embroidering system includes at least one embroidering machine having plural needles supplied with threads having different colors, and a control device for transmitting an embroidery data to the at least one embroidering machine so as to selectively drive the plural needles. The embroidery data is generated and memorized in the control device prior to being transmitted to the at least one embroidering machine. The embroidery data is corrected as required. It is preferable that the embroidery data is corrected as the basis for needle numbers for the respective needles and the colors of the threads supplied to the respective needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichiro Hagino, Katsuhiko Kiwada, Akira Sumiya
  • Patent number: 6968255
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method of applying a stippling stitch design to an area defining an asymmetrical polygon in a coordinate planar display format, involving: defining a pathway, which may be based on a fractal design, within a geometrically symmetrical boundary, the pathway comprising a single non-intersecting line; conforming the pathway to an asymmetrical polygon area substantially disposed within the geometrically symmetrical boundary; deriving a plurality of coordinate points representative of the pathway; and passing the points to a data storage medium in a pre-determined embroidery data format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Pulse Microsystems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Christos Dimaridis, Niranjan Mayya, Thanasis Triantafyllidis, Yanchun Wang
  • Patent number: 6963790
    Abstract: An embroidery data producing device includes an offset line producing device for producing data of an offset line obtained by offsetting an outline defining an embroidery area inside an embroidery area by a previously set offset width, based on data of the outline defining the embroidery area, a self-intersection or mutual intersection detecting device for detecting a self-intersection of the offset line produced by the offset line producing device or a mutual intersection of the offset line and the outline, and an offset line changing device for changing the offset line data produced by the offset line producing device upon detection of a self-intersection or mutual intersection by the self-intersection or mutual intersection detecting device so that the self-intersection or the mutual intersection is dissolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Mizuno, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Shoichi Taguchi, Yukiyoshi Muto, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6952626
    Abstract: An embroidery data producing device for use with an embroidery sewing machine sewing an embroidery pattern on work cloth using a needle thread and a bobbin thread is disclosed. The embroidery data producing device produces sewing data necessary for an embroidery sewing operation of the embroidery sewing machine. The embroidery data producing device includes an image data obtaining unit that obtains image data of an original image of an embroidery pattern, a dot pattern data producing unit that produces dot pattern data representative of the embroidery pattern by a dot pattern, based on the image data, and a sewing data producing unit that produces sewing data for obtaining needle drop points forming the embroidery pattern by a pattern of the needle thread appearing in the form of dot on a back of the work cloth by an embroidery sewing operation of the embroidery sewing machine, based on the dot pattern data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Taguchi, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Masahiro Mizuno, Yukiyoshi Muto, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6947808
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automatically generating embroidery designs from a scanned image. An embroidery data generating mechanism generates accurate embroidery designs. The embroidery data generating mechanism first reads an image data file, which contains bitmapping information generated from a software scanning tool, the information being related to an embroidery pattern that has been scanned. The scanned pattern is broken up into pixels, each pixel in the scanned image having a bitmap associated with the color of the pattern. Each unique color in the scanned pattern has its own unique bitmap. The embroidery generating mechanism also includes a segmentation mechanism and a chain-encoding mechanism which perform operations to enhance the quality of the bitmapped information and to separate regions of the scanned image into objects. A distance transform evaluation mechanism classifies each object as being either a thick object or a thin, predominantly regular object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: SoftSight, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Goldman
  • Patent number: 6944519
    Abstract: An embroidery data producing device reads an image composed of a plurality of areas to produce embroidery data including sewing data for filling each area with stitches and underlying stitch sewing data for carrying out underlying stitch sewing for each of the areas. The embroidery data producing device includes a synthesized outline data producing unit which produces data of a synthesized outline defining an outline of a synthesized area formed by synthesizing a part or all of a plurality of the areas and an underlying stitch sewing data producing unit which produces data of underlying stitch sewing based on the synthesized outline data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikitoshi Suzuki, Shoichi Taguchi, Masahiro Mizuno, Yukiyoshi Muto, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6937919
    Abstract: An embroidery data processing apparatus is constructed to execute calculation for forming a plurality of circles with different radii concentrically around a central point, extract circles and arcs that fall within the embroidery region from the thus formed circles, and determine stitch points on the circles and arcs that fall within the embroidery region. The thus created stitching data features thread flows along the arcs and concentric stitches with a new texture, not existing before, can be created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukiyoshi Muto, Masahiro Mizuno, Mikitoshi Suzuki, Shoichi Taguchi, Akihiro Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6934599
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an embroidery data group for each character of a predetermined font, the consequent set of embroidery data groups being for use by an embroidery machine for inclusion in an embroidery design. The embroidery data groups are provided in such a way that each data group is individually selectable by the embroidery machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: VSM Group AB
    Inventors: Andrew Bennett Kaymer, Andrew Wyatt, Anders Pehrsson
  • Patent number: 6925351
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for using a wireless transmission between an embroidery machine and a source system to update stitch data in a memory card. A command to update the stitch data in the memory card is received. Once it is determined that the memory card is not currently in use, the memory card is logically disconnected from the embroidery machine. The new stitch data is then transferred from a source system to the memory card via a wireless connection, and the contents of the memory card are updated with the new stitch data. The memory card is then logically reconnected to the embroidery machine and the new stitch data is ready to be used by the embroidery machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Action Tapes, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy E. Larson
  • Patent number: 6889111
    Abstract: Type information on sewing machine types and identification information for specifying a sewing machine are stored in a control unit and computer of the sewing machine. A server transmits display data for displaying a pattern selection edit screen to the sewing machine side. At the sewing machine side, a pattern is selected while the pattern selection edit screen is being viewed, and an edit processing is instructed. The server edits an embroidery pattern ordered at the sewing machine side, based on the instruction supplied from the sewing machine side. The server transmits the display data and sewing pattern data to the sewing machine side. Incorporated patterns and non-incorporated patterns at the sewing machine side are displayed identifiably on a display at the sewing machine side. The server charges for the non-incorporated newly purchased patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shintaro Tomita
  • Patent number: 6874437
    Abstract: A head control device and its control method for a multi-head embroidery machine having a plurality of heads are disclosed. The present invention provides a head control device and its control method for a multi-head embroidery machine having a plurality of heads. The head control device comprises a central control unit controlling a whole system, the central control unit outputs a control signal for controlling a drive state of the respective head in response to an operation of an operator, so that the plurality of heads are selectively driven, and a embroidery task is performed by the selected head; and at least one head control unit for controlling the drive state of the respective head in response to the control signal from the central control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sunstar Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Do Wan Kim
  • Patent number: 6859679
    Abstract: The present invention relates to sewing patterns for use in producing sewn articles whereby a sewing pattern is selected from a collection of patterns. The selected pattern can then be modified as desired and the modified pattern, together with selected fabrics and accessories, can be ordered and delivered to a desired location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Inventors: Alexandra K. Smith, Mark F. Smith
  • Patent number: 6836695
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automatically generating embroidery designs from a scanned image. An embroidery data generating mechanism generates accurate embroidery designs. The embroidery data generating mechanism first reads an image data file, which contains bitmapping information generated from a software scanning tool, the information being related to an embroidery pattern that has been scanned. The scanned pattern is broken up into pixels, each pixel in the scanned image having a bitmap associated with the color of the pattern. Each unique color in the scanned pattern has its own unique bitmap. The embroidery generating mechanism also includes a segmentation mechanism and a chain-encoding mechanism which perform operations to enhance the quality of the bitmapped information and to separate regions of the scanned image into objects. A distance transform evaluation mechanism classifies each object as being either a thick object or a thin, predominantly regular object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Soft Sight Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Goldman
  • Publication number: 20040243273
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automatically generating embroidery designs from a scanned image. An embroidery data generating mechanism generates accurate embroidery designs. The embroidery data generating mechanism first reads an image data file, which contains bitmapping information generated from a software scanning tool, the information being related to an embroidery pattern that has been scanned. The scanned pattern is broken up into pixels, each pixel in the scanned image having a bitmap associated with the color of the pattern. Each unique color in the scanned pattern has its own unique bitmap. The embroidery generating mechanism also includes a segmentation mechanism and a chain-encoding mechanism which perform operations to enhance the quality of the bitmapped information and to separate regions of the scanned image into objects. A distance transform evaluation mechanism classifies each object as being either a thick object or a thin, predominantly regular object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: David A. Goldman
  • Publication number: 20040243274
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automatically generating embroidery designs from a scanned image. An embroidery data generating mechanism generates accurate embroidery designs. The embroidery data generating mechanism first reads an image data file, which contains bitmapping information generated from a software scanning tool, the information being related to an embroidery pattern that has been scanned. The scanned pattern is broken up into pixels, each pixel in the scanned image having a bitmap associated with the color of the pattern. Each unique color in the scanned pattern has its own unique bitmap. The embroidery generating mechanism also includes a segmentation mechanism and a chain-encoding mechanism which perform operations to enhance the quality of the bitmapped information and to separate regions of the scanned image into objects. A distance transform evaluation mechanism classifies each object as being either a thick object or a thin, predominantly regular object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: David A. Goldman
  • Patent number: RE38718
    Abstract: Disclosed is an embroidery data creating device for creating an embroidery data to be used by a sewing machine. In the embroidery data creating device, an image data, which consists of a plurality of pixel data, corresponding to a line-drawn image is converted into a thin line image, and then closed paths are determined with use of 8-connection method. After embroidery attribution is applied to a path and/or a region defined by each closed path, the paths and/or the regions are converted into the embroidery data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masao Futamura