Method for displaying and editing the sequence of same colored parts of an embroidery design

Abstract

In the case of an embroidery image containing a plurality of individual parts, where at least two individual parts are to be stitched in the same color, an initial sequence is first generated by software of the individual parts to bear the same color. This is done by the user who clicks on the individual parts to bear the same color and the creation of a list corresponding to the selected individual parts. Then, the user is able to rearrange that sequence by drawing new arrows on the embroidery image based on the proximity of the individual parts to each other in order to make stitching less visible on the embroidered product and to reduce the trim time in the embroidery process.

Claims

1. A method for rearranging an initial sequence of same-color individual parts of an embroidery image containing a plurality of colors, using a computer pointing device and a software tool, to obtain an optimal sequence of embroidery that minimizes the appearance of stitching on an embroidered product with an embroidery machine, the method comprising the following steps: a. software tool displays the embroidery image on a computer screen and illustrates the initial sequence of embroidery using arrows, entry points, and exit points; b. user clicks on a first individual part of the embroidery image; c. the software tool generates a list of same color individual parts, that are immediately before or after the first individual part that would share the same color as the first individual part; e. user re-arranges the initial sequence of embroidery to achieve an optimal sequence of embroidery that minimizes the appearance of stitching on the embroidered product by dragging a same color individual part to another same color individual part to achieve a closest connection between same color individual parts; and f. repeating the same process for other individual parts of the embroidery image if a plurality of other individual parts are to be embroidered in a different color.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of drawing a line around the same color individual parts in order to separate said individual parts from the rest of the embroidery image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the list is arranged in pairs of same color individual parts, and exit and entry points are arranged on same color individual parts to find the closest pair of entry and exit points between same color individual parts.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the distance between an exit point of one same color and the entry point of another same individual part is below a global setting by the user, the exit and entry points will be automatically accepted unless flagged as manual by the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the global setting by the user is between 1 mm to 12 mm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a default setting by the software is 2.5 mm.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the distance between an exit point of one same color and the entry point of the following/next in line same individual part is not below a global setting by the user, and is not flagged as manual, a marker is added to instruct the embroidery machine to trim a thread.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein, if an entry point of a same color individual part is calculated, but the exit point is not, run through all possible exit points with one tenth of a millimeter spacing, and select the exit point that is furthest away from the entry point of said same color individual part.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein, if an exit point of a same color individual part is calculated, but the entry point is not, run through all possible entry points with one tenth of a millimeter spacing, and select the entry point that is furthest away from the exist point of said same color individual part.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein, if both the entry point and exit point of a same color individual part are not calculated, run through all possible entry and exit points with one tenth of a millimeter spacing, and select the pair of entry points and exit points that are the furthest away.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is an example of an embroidery image containing 183 individual parts using 5 separate colors.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a portion of an embroidery image of a sail boat to be stitched in the same color.

[0027] FIG. 3 lists individual parts A-I to be embroidered in the same color.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a list of the individual parts of the embroidery image corresponding to the individual parts that would bear the same color.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates an initial sequence of embroidery using arrows between an exit point (X) and an entry point (E).

[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates a rearrangement of the initial sequence be creation of a new arrow between two individual parts.

[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a new sequence of stitching based on closeness of the individual parts

[0032] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a flower containing green individual parts, red individual parts, and a yellow part.

[0033] FIG. 9 illustrates the initial sequence of embroidery for the flower using numbers 1-10.

[0034] FIG. 10 illustrates the initial sequence of embroidery for the green individual parts using arrows, and indicating an entry point and exit points.

[0035] FIG. 11 illustrates the process of rearranging the initial sequence by drawing a new (red) arrow from one same color individual part to another same color individual part (i.e., dragging the right leaf to the right stem using a mouse/cursor).

[0036] FIG. 12 illustrates a secondary sequence of embroidery based on a rearranging of the initial sequence.

[0037] FIG. 13 illustrates another action of rearranging the secondary sequence of embroidery by dragging the right stem to the left stem (shown in a red arrow) in order to achieve an optimal sequence of embroidery.

[0038] FIG. 14 illustrates the final anoptimal sequence of embroidery chosen by the user.

DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1 is an example of an embroidery image containing 183 individual parts and 5 separate colors (yellow, light turquoise, dark turquoise, light purple, and dark purple). The present methodology applies to same color individual parts only, for example, the color yellow and the numerous individual curvy lines and flower centers depicted in the color yellow.

[0040] Within such a context, the invention is directed to choosing a sequence of individual parts to be colored in the same color and selecting entry and exit points for each individual part, such that connecting stitches would be invisible or less apparent, while reducing trim time.

[0041] To simplify matters, FIG. 2 depicts a more simpler design, illustrating a sail boat with only 9 individual parts: one hull, four circles, one lower mast, one sail, one upper mast with a flag, and one figurehead at the front of the boat.

[0042] In FIG. 3, an embroidery software assigns letters A-I to individual parts, then automatically generates an initial sequence of embroidery, for example B-C-E-F-G-D-H-I-A. FIG. 4 also shows a strip of icons illustrating the individual parts of the embroidery image. Only parts of which are visible in this example.

[0043] In FIG. 4, it would be difficult to know, for example, if icon 4 corresponds to I, H, G, or F in FIG. 3. As a practical matter, the strip of individual parts shown in the icons can grow significantly large because typical embroidery images contain tens or hundreds of individual parts, as in FIG. 1. This makes the locating of individual design parts even more challenging and time-consuming.

[0044] First, selecting any part of an embroidery image that contains the same color will generate an image of the individual parts of the embroidery image that contain that color. Then, assuming that the sailboat represents one part of a larger embroidery image, and that all individual parts of the sailboat is one color, the software would generate entry points and exit points for each individual part of the sail boat as shown in FIG. 5. The entry and exit points should be indicated in a manner different from the references used to indicate the individual parts to avoid confusion. See, for example, the flower image in FIGS. 10, 11, and 13. In this way, the user would have a clear indication of the automatically generated sequence of the embroidery image.

[0045] In FIG. 5, the user would be able to see the arrow between part I to part A is too long. This is made even more visible if the arrow is a different color from the rest of the design. The user may decide to eliminate the thread between part I and part A by changing the sequence to A-B-C-E-F-G-D-H-I.

[0046] With existing software, a user would have to search through the strip of individual design parts icons for a specific part of the design and move it to a chosen position within the strip. In this case, the user would have to find and pick, for example, part B in the icon strip and move it after A; then pick C and move it after B; then pick E and move it after C; and so forth until the sequence meets the users preferences. Ambiguity as to which icon of the strip corresponds to icons F, G, H, I, as well as the need to continuously scroll through the strip, especially on a small laptop screen, would make the process tedious for the software user. In addition, the user would have to manually adjust the entry and exit points of all pieces after the rearrangement.

[0047] In the current method, the user simply draws the sequence that they would like the software to output to the embroidery machine, while at the same time using the representation of the whole design. Therefore, the user could just re-arrange the two parts that would look wrong according to the user's preferences just by pressing the mouse button inside part A, moving the mouse to part B with the key pressed down (drag) and releasing the mouse key within part B as shown in FIG. 6. This would modify the sequence to A-B-C-E-F-G-D-H-I, having moved part B together with any parts following part B that would not need a thread trim. FIG. 7 then shows an example of a re-arranged initial sequence where the user has chosen to connect individual parts based on proximity (closeness) of the individual parts.

[0048] In a simpler example, assume there are four parts, A B C and D. An arrow is displayed from A to B, from B to C and from C to D. To move the C after the A the user draws a new arrow from A to C. When the mouse is released, the user will then see arrows from A to C, from C to D and from D to B.

[0049] After all entry and exit points have been recalculated by the software, the output would look like FIG. 7. Note that the present method does not require the user to set the sequence for each and every part of the embroidery image. The user need only specify whatever pairs of parts do not have the correct sequence according to the users preferences.

[0050] In another example, FIG. 8 illustrates a flower in the colors green, red, and yellow. A user may select an initial sequence of embroidery or instruct the software to do so automatically, as shown in FIG. 9, numbers 1-10. FIG. 9 shows the initial sequence as left stem, right leaf, left leaf, right stem (1-2-3-4). Suppose the user wants to rearrange this initial sequence to embroider the green parts in an optimal sequence that eliminates visible connecting stitches. The user decides that the optimal sequence should be right leaf, right stem, left stem, left leaf (2-4-1-3 in FIG. 9).

[0051] To do this, the user first activates a re-arrange tool and selects all of the green parts (1-4) of FIG. 9. Referring to FIG. 10, the software tool will then illustrate the initial sequence of embroidery for the green parts using arrows, where the symbol indicates the entry point where the first stitch of the green parts is located, and the symbol indicates the exit points for each of the green parts based on the initial sequence.

[0052] Next, the user can re-arrange the initial sequence by placing the mouse/cursor over one of the green individual parts. In FIG. 11, the user places the cursor on the right leaf, presses the mouse button/cursor and drags the mouse/cursor to the right stem 9. This will re-arrange the initial sequence of left stem, right leaf, left leaf, right stem to left stem, right leaf, right stem, left stem indicated as the new sequence order 1-4 in FIG. 12. This would result in a secondary sequence but not enough to achieve the optimal sequence.

[0053] To achieve the optimal sequence of right leaf, right stem, left stem, left leaf, the user takes an additional step by placing the mouse/cursor over the right stem and dragging the mouse/cursor to the left stem and releasing the mouse/cursor, as shown in FIG. 13. In this way, the optimal sequence of right leaf, right stem, left stem, left leaf is achieved, as illustrated in FIG. 14 as new numbers 1-2-3-4.

[0054] The method can be described in further detail as follows: [0055] 1. A method for displaying and intuitively editing the entry points, exit points and sequence of sequential same-colored individual parts of an embroidery design using a computer pointing device and computer software, comprising the following steps: [0056] a. Computer software containing an embroidery design, comprised of many individual parts, of several different colors. Initially all entry and exit points start flagged as automatic and the manual trim flag is set to false. [0057] b. The user clicks inside one of the individual parts (part0) using a pointing device P1. [0058] c. The software tool generates a list of same color individual parts, that are immediately before or after the first individual part that would share the same color as the first individual part [0059] d. The user draws all the individual parts in list L1 on the computer screen with a thick colored line around them to highlight them from the rest of the embroidery design. [0060] e. Iterating through all the parts in the L1 list in pairs (first with second, second with third, third with fourth and so on), naming them part1 and part2, then iterating through all the entry and exit points of part1 and part2, spaced at one tenth of a millimeter, to find the closest pair of points (p1 of part1 and p2 of part2) and if the distance p1 to p2 is below a global setting by the user (g1), in the range of 1 mm to 12 mm usually 2.5 mm, the exit point of part1 will be set to p1 if p1 did not have an exit point flagged as manual and the entry point of part2 will be set to p2 if p2 did not have an entry point flagged as manual. [0061] f. Iterating through all parts in the L1 list, for each part (part7), if the entry and/or the exit point is not calculated in step 1.e and they are not flagged as manual, apply the following rules: [0062] i. If the entry point of part7 was not calculated, add a marker to the part7, that when the design will be exported to an embroidery machine in whatever format the embroidery machine supports, to include a special command to trim the thread before part7. Otherwise clear any marker that existed in part7. [0063] ii. If the entry point of part7 was calculated, but the exit point was not, iterate through all the points of the part7, again with one tenth of a millimeter spacing, select the point that is further away from the entry point and set it as exit point of part7. [0064] iii. Similarly, if the exit point of part7 was calculated, but the entry point was not, iterate through all the points of part7, again with one tenth of a millimeter spacing, select the point that is further away from the exit point and set it as entry point of part7. [0065] iv. If both entry and exit points of part7 were not calculated, iterate through all the possible pairs of points of part7, again with one tenth of a millimeter spacing, select the pair of points (p3, p4) that are the furthest away, and set p3 as entry point and p4 as exit point of part7. The order does not matter. [0066] g. Getting all the parts in the list L1 in pairs (first with second, second with third, third with fourth and so on) naming them part 3 and part4, and displaying [0067] i. Special icons showing the position of the entry and exit point of the part 3 [0068] ii. Special icons showing the position of the entry and exit point of the part 4 [0069] iii. An arrow between the exit point of part 3 and the entry point of part 4, whose color will show if the thread that would connect the parts will be trimmed or not (distance between exit point of part3 and entry point of part4 is above g1 or manual override flag is on, on part4) [0070] h. Waiting for the user to: [0071] i. Select the end of the operationhere the method is complete [0072] ii. Select any part other than the ones in list L1. At that point the software clears the list L1, sets part0 to the one clicked and restarts from step 1.c [0073] iii. Do a drag-drop operation starting on top of any entry or exit point displayed (belonging to part9). At that point the entry or exit point of part9 is set to the new, specified by the user position (where the user released the mouse) its manual flag is set and the method goes to step 1.e where the exit point of the part preceding part9 and the entry point of the part following part9 in L1 list, if they exist, will also be recalculated. [0074] iv. Do a drag-drop operation from one part in L1 (part5) to another part in L1 (part6) [0075] 1. Create a list L2, add part6 in L2 [0076] 2. For each of the parts in L1 which follow part6, named part8 a. If part8 has a manual trim flag, or its distance to the previous item is above g1 stop the iteration b. If part8 is in fact part5 stop the iteration, clear list L2 and add only part6 to the list c. Otherwise add part8 to list L2 [0077] 3. If L2 contains only part6 and part6 is immediately after part5 do nothing and g0 to step 1.h [0078] 4. Move the parts in list L2 from their original position in the sequence to just after part5, keeping their order in L2, so that they will be embroidered immediately after part5 [0079] 5. If one key modifier (one of ALT/CTRL/SHIFT/OPTION/COMMAND keyboard keys depending on the user keyboard and operating system) was kept down on the keyboard during the drag operation, depending on the key modifier, do: a. Clear the exit point of part5 and the entry point of part6 to manual override and will clear them (exit point of part5 and entry point of part6) b. If key modifier A is kept down (for example COMMAND/CTRL) the software will assign the exit point of part5 and the entry point of part6 using the 1.f procedure c. If key modifier B is kept down (for example OPTION/ALT) the software will assign the exit point of part5 and the entry point of part6 using the 1.e procedure but with g1 set to infinity [0080] 6. If no key modifier is pressed, set the exit point of part5 and the entry point of part6 to automatic. Set also the last item's exit point in list L2, if it is different to part6, to automatic. [0081] 7. Continue at step 1.e, so that the parts that were originally before the first item in L2 and after the last item in L2, the part that originally followed part5, part5 itself and items in L2 list will get their entry/exit points recalculated and the method will wait for the user to give the next command (step 1.h).