Embroidery data processor
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorShoichi Taguchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embroidery data processor includes: a thinning unit that reduces thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline defining a bounded region corresponding to a region of the embroidery pattern; and a bounded region extractor that extracts the bounded region defined by the thin-line outline. Because the bounded region is extracted from data that has been subjected to the thinning processes, no gaps through which the workpiece cloth is exposed will form between outlines and bounded regions sewn based on the data even when outlines are sewn in an extremely narrow width.
Claims20
An embroidery data processor for preparing sewing data of an embroidery pattern based on image data of the embroidery pattern, the embroidery data processor comprising:
- a thinning unit t that reduces thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline defining a bounded region corresponding to a region of the embroidery pattern;
- a bounded region extractor that extracts the bounded region defined by the at least one thin-line outline, wherein the bounded region extractor includes a thin-line following unit that follows the at least one thin-line outline;
- a thin-line following unit that follows pixels of the at least one thin-line outline to search for branch lines connected to the at least one thin-line outline and extending into the bounded region;
- and
- a closed loop processor that, when the thin-line following unit follows a pixel of the at least one thin-line outline twice, detects a closed loop that is within the bounded region and that is connected by a connecting branch line to the at least one thin-line outline.
A method for processing image data to form an embroidery pattern, the method comprising the steps of:
- reducing thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline defining a bounded region corresponding to a region of the embroidery pattern;
- extracting the bounded region defined by the thin-line outline, wherein the step of extracting comprises following the at least one thin-line outline;
- following pixels of the at least one thin-line outline to search for branch lines connected to the at least one thin-line outline and extending into the bounded region;
- and
- detecting, when a pixel of the at least one thin-line outline has been followed twice, a closed loop that is within the bounded region and that is connected by a connecting branch line to the at least one thin-line outline.
A program storage medium for storing data of a program indicative of a process for controlling processing of image data to form an embroidery pattern, the program comprising:
- a program of reducing thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline defining a bounded region corresponding to a region of the embroidery pattern;
- a program of extracting the bounded region defined by the thin-line outl ine, wherein the program of extracting comprises a program of following the at least one thin-line outline;
- a program of following pixels of the at least one thin-line outline to search for branch lines connected to the at least one thin-line outline and extending into the bounded region;
- and
- a program of detecting, when the thin-line following unit follows a pixel of the at least one thin-line outline twice, a closed loop that is within the bounded region and that is connected by a connecting branch line to the at least one thin-line outline.
An embroidery data processor for preparing sewing data of an embroidery pattern based on image data of the embroidery pattern, the embroidery data processor comprising:
- a thinning unit that reduces thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline and at least one closed loop connected by a connecting branch to the at least one thin-line outline;
- and
- a closed loop processor that detects the at least one closed loop connected to the at least one thin-line outline, cuts the at least one closed loop away from the thin-line outline by deleting the connecting branch, and processes the at least one closed loop as an internal outline separate from the thin-line outline.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.