Automated method for customized field stencils
AssigneeWorld Class Athletic Surfaces, Inc.
InventorRadford Eugene DuBois, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed embodiments relate to methods for automatically generating cutting instructions to translate a color image into a field stencil having a plurality of guideline apertures. The plurality of guideline apertures may denote the color zone boundaries in the color image, for example by being placed along the line drawing representing the color zone boundaries. Such field stencils may then allow for the reproduction of multi-color logos using a single stencil.
Claims20
A method for creating field stencils for reproducing a multi-color image onto a field surface, using an automated cutting table with flexible sheet material, comprising the steps of:
- converting by computer the multi-color image into a line drawing of the multi-color image;
- scaling by computer the line drawing;
- automatically placing by computer a plurality of guideline aperture cut location coordinates for each line of the line drawing;
- and
- generating by computer cutting instructions for the automated cutting table;
- wherein the cutting instructions are based on the guideline aperture cut location coordinates and direct the automated cutting table to cut an aperture for each guideline aperture cut location coordinate;
- wherein the plurality of guideline aperture cut location coordinates are approximately uniformly spaced along the lines of the line drawing;
- and
- wherein each line in the line drawing represents a color boundary within the multi-color image.
A method for creating field stencils for reproducing a color image, using an automated means for cutting sheet material, comprising the steps of:
- translating the color image into a line drawing of the color image;
- scaling the line drawing;
- automatically placing a plurality of guideline aperture cut location coordinates for each line within the line drawing;
- generating cutting instructions for the automated cutting means;
- providing sheet material;
- and
- cutting guideline apertures in the sheet material using the automated cutting means accordance with the cutting instructions;
- wherein the cutting instructions are based on the guideline aperture cut location coordinates and direct the automated cutting means to cut one guideline aperture for each guideline aperture cut location coordinate.
A method for creating a field stencil based on a color image, comprising the steps of:
- converting the color image into a line drawing of the color image;
- placing a plurality of guideline aperture cut location coordinates for each line in the line drawing;
- and
- generating cutting instructions for automated cutting of sheet material to form a stencil;
- wherein the cutting instructions are based on the plurality of guideline aperture cut location coordinates;
- and wherein each guideline aperture cut location coordinate corresponds to a single guideline aperture located along a line within the line drawing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.