Image figure processing method and device
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasao Futamura, Yukiyoshi Muto, Masahiro Mizuno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In image figure processing method and apparatus, an original picture, in which inner spaces of readable outlines are painted with desired colors, is read out by an image scanner to extract boundary lines defining closed areas in the original picture. Subsequently, the average value of brightness values in each closed area is calculated for each of R, G and B components, and the average value is compared with a data table value stored in a memory to identify the attribute of each closed area. Thereafter, embroidery data are prepared to embroider the respective closed areas in the original picture so that the colors and shapes thereof match those of the original picture.
Claims23
An image figure processing device, comprising:
- image input means for reading out an original picture pattern, which is drawn with an outline so as to be discriminable during image processing, and converting the pattern to the pattern image data;
- closed-area specifying means for receiving the pattern image data from said image input means to specify data for at least one closed area which is surrounded by a portion of the outline in the original picture pattern;
- calculation means for calculating a representation value of the pattern image data for each figure specified by said closed area specifying means on the basis of the pattern image data which are obtained by said image input means;
- closed area attribute identification means for identifying attribute data for each closed area in the pattern image on the basis of the representative value calculated by said calculation means;
- and
- image data creating means for extracting image data representing each closed area on the basis of the attribute data identified by said closed area attribute identification means.
An image figure processing method for creating sewing data, comprising the steps of:
- reading out an original picture pattern;
- converting the original picture pattern to pattern image data;
- processing the pattern image data to identify each closed area in the pattern image;
- specifying a discriminator of the pattern image data of each closed area;
- identifying an attribute of each closed area in the pattern image on the basis of the discriminator;
- creating embroidery stitch data for each closed area on the basis of and incorporating the attribute for that closed area;
- and
- storing the embroidery stitch data in a memory device for subsequently sewing by an embroidery-sewing machine.
An embroidery stitch data creation device, comprising:
- an input device for inputting a pattern;
- discriminating means for defining closed areas making up the pattern;
- conversion means for converting each closed area within the closed areas into pixel data defining at least one characteristic of each pixel;
- determining means for analyzing all pixel data for each closed area to define an area characteristic;
- assigning means for assigning an attribute to each area characteristic;
- and
- stitch data preparing means for preparing stitch data for each closed area that incorporates the attribute.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.