Data structure of branch-structured vector data, branch-structured vector data editing apparatus, and embroidery data creation apparatus

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.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embroidery sewing machine;

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing a physical configuration of an embroidery data creation apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the embroidery data creation apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between information;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing results of embroidering;

FIG. 6 is a vector diagram showing schematized branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing contents of embroidery data for a green thread;

FIG. 9 is another vector diagram in which branch-structured vector data is schematized;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of the branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing contents of embroidery data for a green thread;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing contents of embroidery data for a red thread;

FIG. 13 is a vector diagram showing a branch not involving generation of a loop;

FIG. 14 is a vector diagram showing a branch involving generation of a loop;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of another piece of branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 17 is a vector diagram showing a condition after two branches are connected to each other;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a further piece of branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing contents of embroidery data;

FIG. 20 is a vector diagram showing a cut-off point on a branch;

FIG. 21 is a vector diagram showing a condition after a branch is divided;

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of branch-structured vector data under editing when a branch has been divided;

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a branch-structured vector data after a branch has been divided;

FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram showing contents of embroidery data which is created from a branch-structured vector data;

FIG. 25 is a diagram in which conventional tree structure data is schematized; and

FIG. 26 is another diagram in which conventional tree structure data is schematized.

Claims

1. A data structure of branch-structured vector data stored on a computer-readable recording medium that is created from line drawing information of an embroidery design and that is used by a computer to create embroidery data, the embroidery data indicating strokes of a needle of an embroidery sewing machine, comprising: at least one branch data piece, the at least one branch data piece including: identification information that identifies a branch and that is used to specify the branch, the branch being a path of embroidery connecting two endpoints, the two endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;sewing method information that indicates a method for sewing the branch as embroidery;vector data that indicates a direction of the branch by positions of the first endpoint as an initial point and the second endpoint as a terminal point, and that specifies a sewing position when creating running stitch sewing data and stitch sewing data, the running stitch sewing data being the embroidery data indicating running stitch sewing to be performed, and the stitch sewing data being the embroidery data indicating stitch sewing to be performed over a path of the running stitch sewing in accordance with the sewing method indicated by the sewing method information;link information that is information about a link destination branch and that specifies the link destination branch for which the embroidery data is to be created next, the link destination branch being a second branch linking to one of the endpoints; andthread color information that indicates a color of a sewing thread to be used when the branch is embroidered and that is used by the computer to determine whether to create the embroidery data of the link destination branch specified by the link information.

2. The data structure of the branch-structured vector data according to claim 1, wherein the link information for each of the two endpoints of the branch includes: link destination branch identification information that identifies the link destination branch, the link destination branch including two endpoints; andlink destination branch endpoint information that indicates which one of the endpoints of the link destination branch is to be linked.

3. A data structure of branch-structured vector data stored on a computer-readable recording medium that is created from line drawing information of an embroidery design and that is used by a computer to create embroidery data, the embroidery data indicating strokes of a needle of an embroidery sewing machine, comprising: at least one branch data piece, the at least one branch data piece including: identification information that identifies a branch and that is used to specify the branch, the branch being a path of embroidery connecting two endpoints, the two endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;sewing method information that indicates a method for sewing the branch as embroidery;vector data that indicates a direction of the branch by positions of the first endpoint as an initial point and the second endpoint as a terminal point, and specifies a sewing position when creating running stitch sewing data and stitch sewing data, the running stitch sewing data being the embroidery data indicating running stitch sewing to be performed, and the stitch sewing data being the embroidery data indicating stitch sewing to be performed over a path of the running stitch sewing in accordance with the sewing method indicated by the sewing method information;link information that is information about a link destination branch, and that specifies the link destination branch for which the embroidery data is to be created next, the link destination branch being a second branch linking to one of the endpoints; andloop information that indicates whether tracing the link destination branch of the one of the endpoints results in generation of a loop that returns to the one of the endpoints, and that is used by the computer to determine whether to create the running stitch data of the link destination branch specified by the link information.

4. The data structure of the branch-structured vector data according to claim 3, wherein the branch data further includes thread color information that indicates a color of a sewing thread to be used when the branch is embroidered and that is used by the computer to determine whether to create the embroidery data of the link destination branch specified by the link information.

5. The data structure of the branch-structured vector data according to claim 3, wherein the link information for each of the two endpoints of the branch includes: link destination branch identification information that identifies the link destination branch; andlink destination branch endpoint information that indicates which one of the endpoints of the link destination branch is to be linked.

6. A branch-structured vector data editing apparatus that edits branch-structured vector data created from line drawing information of an embroidery design, the apparatus comprising: a display device that displays an image;a branch-structured vector data storage device that stores branch-structured vector data having a data structure including at least one branch data piece, the at least one branch data piece including: identification information that identifies a branch, the branch being a path of embroidery connecting two endpoints, the two endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint,vector data that indicates a direction of the branch by positions of the first endpoint as an initial point and the second endpoint as a terminal point;link information that is information about a link destination branch, the link destination branch being a second branch linking to the one of the endpoints;sewing method information that indicates a method for sewing the branch as embroidery; andthread color information that indicates a color of a sewing thread to be used when the branch is embroidered;a display control device that causes the display device to display a schematic diagram of the branch-structured vector data stored, which represents an embroidery result, in the branch-structured vector data storage device;an edit instruction device that instructs editing of the branch-structured vector data by performing at least one of adding at least one additional branch to the branch representing the embroidery result, deleting, moving, expanding/shrinking, rotating, or dividing the branch, connecting the branch to another branch, altering the color or the method for sewing the branch, moving any one of the endpoints, altering the path of the embroidery that connects the two endpoints, and replicating the branch; anda vector data editing device that edits the branch-structured vector data stored in the branch-structured vector data storage device in accordance with an instruction from the edit instruction device.

7. The branch-structured vector data editing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the edit instruction device includes a color specification device that specifies the color of the sewing thread; andthe vector data editing device includes a thread color information alteration device that changes the color indicated by the thread color information to the color specified by the color specification device, the vector data editing device not changing the link information if the color of the sewing thread has been specified by the color specification device.

8. A branch-structured vector data editing apparatus that edits branch-structured vector data created from line drawing information of an embroidery design, the apparatus comprising: a display device that displays an image;a branch-structured vector data storage device that stores branch-structured vector data having a data structure including at least one branch data piece, the at least one branch data piece including: identification information that identifies a branch, the branch being a path of embroidery connecting two endpoints, the two endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;vector data that indicates a direction of the branch by positions of the first endpoint as an initial point and the second endpoint as a terminal point;link information that is information about a link destination branch, the link destination branch being a second branch linking to one of the endpoints; andsewing method information that indicates a method for sewing the branch as embroidery; andloop information that indicates whether tracing the link destination branch of the one of the endpoints results in generation of a loop that returns to the one of the endpoints, the loop information including loop information pieces;a display control device that causes the display device to display a schematic diagram of the branch-structured vector data, which represents an embroidery result, stored in the branch-structured vector data storage device;an edit instruction device that instructs editing of the branch-structured vector data by performing at least one of adding at least one additional branch to the branch representing the embroidery result, deleting, moving, expanding/shrinking, rotating, or dividing the branch, connecting the branch to another branch, altering the color or the method for sewing the branch, moving any one of the endpoints, altering the path of the embroidery connecting the two endpoints, and replicating the branch; anda vector data editing device that edits the branch-structured vector data stored in the branch-structured vector data storage device in accordance with an instruction from the edit instruction device.

9. The branch-structured vector data editing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the branch data of the branch-structured vector data stored in the branch-structured vector data storage device includes thread color information, which indicates a color of a sewing thread that is used when the branch is embroidered.

10. The branch-structured vector data editing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: the edit instruction device includes a color specification device that specifies the color of the sewing thread; andthe vector data editing device includes a thread color information alteration device that changes the color indicated by the thread color information to the color specified by the color specification device, the vector data editing device not changing the link information if the color of the sewing thread has been specified by the color specification device.

11. The branch-structured vector data editing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: the edit instruction device includes: a division branch specification device that specifies a division branch, which is a branch to be divided; anda division point specification device that specifies a division point at which the division branch is to be divided; andthe vector data editing device includes: a division device that divides the branch data of the division branch into a first branch and a second branch, the first branch having the initial point as the initial point and the division point as the terminal point and the second branch having the division point as the initial point and the terminal point of the division branch as the terminal point; anda first loop information control device that makes all of the loop information pieces of the endpoints in the branch data of the first and second branches to indicate no generation of the loop if the loop information of the division branch indicates generation of the loop.

12. The branch-structured vector data editing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: the edit instruction device includes: an additional branch specification device that specifies an additional branch to be added to the vector data; anda connection destination branch specification device that specifies a connection destination branch to which the additional branch specified by the additional branch specification device is to be connected; andthe vector data editing device includes: a loop connection device that, if the loop information of the connection destination branch indicates generation of the loop, provides an additional endpoint as the first endpoint of the link destination branch of a loop endpoint, and provides the second endpoint of the connection destination branch that is not the loop endpoint as the endpoint of the link destination branch of the additional endpoint, the loop endpoint being the endpoint of the connection destination branch with the loop information indicating loop generation, the additional endpoint being the endpoint of the additional branch to be connected to the connection destination branch; anda second loop information control device that makes the loop information of the loop endpoint to indicate no loop generation and makes the loop information of the additional endpoint to indicate loop generation.

13. An embroidery data creation apparatus comprising: an embroidery data creation device that creates embroidery data indicating strokes of a needle of an embroidery sewing machine based on the branch-structured vector data according to claim 1, the embroidery data creation device including: a running stitch sewing data creation device that creates running stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data indicating that running stitch sewing is to be performed between the initial point and the terminal point that are indicated by the vector data;a color determination device that determines whether the color indicated by the thread color information of the link destination branch indicated by the link information of the one of the endpoints on a sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data is the same as a current thread color indicated by the embroidery data; anda running stitch sewing data creation control device that traces from the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data to the link destination branch until the color indicated by the thread color information of the link destination branch is determined by the color determination device to be the same as the current thread color and causes the running stitch sewing data creation device to create the running stitch sewing data of the link destination branch determined to be the same as the current thread color.

14. The embroidery data creation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the embroidery data creation device further includes: a stitch sewing data creation device that creates stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data indicating that stitch sewing is to be performed over where the running stitch sewing, in accordance with the sewing method indicated by the sewing method information; anda sewing method alteration control device that, if the link information of the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data created by the running stitch sewing data creation device does not indicate a link destination branch, causes the stitch sewing data creation device to create stitch sewing data for sewing from the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side to the other of the endpoints.

15. The embroidery data creation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the embroidery data creation device further includes: a link source search device that searches for former link information, which is the link information that specifies the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the stitch sewing data as the link destination; anda stitch sewing data creation control device that traces the former link information from the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the stitch sewing data until the color indicated by the thread color information of the branch data having the former link information is determined by the color determination device to be the same as the current thread color and causes the stitch sewing data creation device to create the stitch sewing data for sewing the branch having the former link information determined to be the same as the current thread color from the endpoint that indicates the former link information to the other endpoint.

16. An embroidery data creation apparatus comprising: an embroidery data creation device that creates embroidery data indicating strokes of a needle of an embroidery sewing machine based on the branch-structured vector data according to claim 3, the embroidery data creation device including: a running stitch sewing data creation device that creates running stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data that indicates running stitch sewing is to be performed between the initial point and the terminal point, which are indicated by the vector data;a stitch sewing data creation device that creates stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data that indicates stitch sewing to be performed over the running stitch sewing in accordance with the sewing method indicated by the sewing method information; anda turn-back control device that, if the loop information of one of the endpoints on a sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data or the stitch sewing data indicates generation of the loop, does not cause the running stitch sewing data creation device to create the running stitch sewing data of the link destination branch of the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data, but causes the stitch sewing data creation device to create stitch sewing data from the endpoint on the sewing termination side to the other endpoint of the running stitch sewing data.

17. A branch-structured vector data editing program that is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium and executable by a computer, the program usable to edit branch-structured vector data created from line drawing information of an embroidery design, the program comprising: instructions for displaying a schematic diagram of branch-structured vector data, which represents an embroidery result, having a data structure including at least one branch data piece, the at least one branch data piece including: identification information that identifies a branch, the branch being a path of embroidery connecting two endpoints, the two endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;vector data that indicates a direction of the branch by positions of the first endpoint as an initial point and the second endpoint as a terminal point;link information that is information about a link destination branch, the link destination branch being a second branch linking to one of the endpoints;sewing method information that indicates a method for sewing the branch as embroidery; andthread color information that indicates a color of a sewing thread to be used when the branch is embroidered;instructions for issuing an edit instruction to perform at least one of adding at least one additional branch to the branch that represents the embroidery result, deleting, moving, expanding/shrinking, rotating, or dividing the branch, connecting the branch to another branch, altering the color or the method for sewing the branch, moving any one of the endpoints, altering the path of the embroidery connecting the two endpoints, and replicating the branch; andinstructions for editing the branch-structured vector data in accordance with the instruction issued in instructions for issuing the edit instruction.

18. The branch-structured vector data editing program according to claim 17, wherein: the instructions for issuing the edit instruction include instructions for specifying the color of the sewing thread; andthe instructions for editing include instructions for changing the color indicated by the thread color information to the color specified in instructions for specifying the color not to change the link information if the color of the sewing thread has been specified in instructions for specifying the color.

19. A branch-structured vector data editing program that is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium and executable by a computer, the program usable to edit branch-structured vector data created from line drawing information of an embroidery design, the program comprising: instructions for displaying a schematic diagram of branch-structured vector data, which represents an embroidery result having a data structure including at least one branch data piece, the at least one branch data piece including: identification information that identifies a branch, the branch being a path of embroidery connecting two endpoints, the two endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;vector data that indicates a direction of the branch by positions of the first endpoint as an initial point and the second endpoint as a terminal point;link information that is information about a link destination branch, the link destination branch being a second branch linking to one of the endpoints;sewing method information that indicates a method for sewing the branch as embroidery; andloop information that indicates whether tracing a link destination branch of one of the endpoint results in generation of a loop that returns to the one of the endpoints, the loop information including loop information pieces; andinstructions for issuing an edit instruction to perform at least one of adding at least one additional branch to the branch that represents the embroidery result, deleting, moving, expanding/shrinking, rotating, or dividing the branch, connecting the branch to another branch, altering the color or the method for sewing the branch, moving any one of the endpoints, altering the path of the embroidery connecting the two endpoints, and replicating the branch; andinstructions for editing the branch-structured vector data in accordance with the instruction issued in the instructions for issuing the edit instruction.

20. The branch-structured vector data editing program according to claim 19, wherein the branch data of the branch-structured vector data includes thread color information, which indicates a color of a sewing thread that is used when the branch is embroidered.

21. The branch-structured vector data editing program according to claim 20, wherein: the instructions for issuing the edit instruction include instructions for specifying the color of the sewing thread; andthe instructions for editing include instructions for changing the color indicated by the thread color information to the color specified in the instructions for specifying the color not to change the link information if the color of the sewing thread has been specified in the instructions for specifying the color.

22. The branch-structured vector data editing program according to claim 19, wherein: the instructions for issuing the edit instruction include: instructions for specifying a division branch which is a branch to be divided; andinstructions for specifying a division point at which the division branch is to be divided; andthe instructions for editing include: instructions for dividing the branch data of the division branch into the branch data of a first branch and a second branch, the first branch having the initial point as the initial point and the division point of the division branch as the terminal point, and the second branch having the division point as the initial point and the terminal point of the division branch as the terminal point; andinstructions for making all of the loop information pieces of the endpoints in the branch data of the first and second branches to indicate no generation of the loop if the loop information of the division branch indicates generation of the loop.

23. The branch-structured vector data editing program according to claim 19, wherein: the instructions for issuing the edit instruction include: instructions for specifying an additional branch to be added to the vector data; andinstructions for specifying a connection destination branch to which the additional branch specified in the instructions for specifying additional branch is to be connected; andthe instructions for editing include: instructions for providing an additional endpoint as the endpoint of the link destination branch of a loop endpoint, and providing the other endpoint of the connection destination branch that is not the loop endpoint as the endpoint of the link destination branch of the additional endpoint if the loop information of the connection destination branch indicates generation of the loop, the loop endpoint being the endpoint of the connection destination branch with the loop information indicating loop generation, and the additional endpoint being the endpoint of the additional branch to be connected to the connection destination branch; andinstructions for making the loop information of the loop endpoint to indicate no loop generation and making the loop information of the additional endpoint to indicate loop generation.

24. An embroidery data creation program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium and executable by a computer, the program comprising: instructions for creating embroidery data indicating strokes of a needle of an embroidery sewing machine based on branch-structured vector data according to claim 1,the instructions for creating the embroidery data including: instructions for creating running stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data indicating that running stitch sewing is to be performed between the initial point and the terminal point that are indicated by the vector data;instructions for determining whether the color indicated by the thread color information of the link destination branch indicated by the link information of the endpoint on a sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data is the same as a current thread color indicated by the embroidery data being created currently; andinstructions for tracing from one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data to the link destination branch until the color indicated by the thread color information of the link destination branch is determined in the instructions for determining to be the same as the current thread color and conducting such control as to create the running stitch sewing data of the link destination branch determined to be the same as the current thread color in the instructions for creating running stitch sewing data.

25. The embroidery data creation program according to claim 24, wherein the instructions for creating the embroidery data further includes: instructions for creating stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data indicating that stitch sewing is to be performed over the running stitch sewing, in accordance with the sewing method specified by the sewing method information; andinstructions for creating stitch sewing data for sewing from the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side to the other endpoint in the instructions creating stitch sewing data, if the link information of the endpoint on the sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data created in the instructions for creating the running stitch sewing data does not indicate a link destination branch.

26. The embroidery data creation program according to claim 24, wherein the instructions for creating the embroidery data further includes: instructions for searching for former link information, which is the link information that specifies the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the stitch sewing data as the link destination; andinstructions for tracing the former link information from the one of the endpoints on the sewing termination side of the stitch sewing data until the color indicated by the thread color information of the branch data having the former link information is determined in the instructions for determining to be the same as the current thread color, and conducting such control as to create the stitch sewing data for sewing the branch having the former link information determined to be of the same as the current thread color from the endpoint that indicates the former link information to the other endpoint in the instructions for creating the stitch sewing data.

27. An embroidery data creation program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, the program comprising: instructions for creating embroidery data that indicate strokes of a needle of an embroidery sewing machine based on branch-structured vector data according to claim 3, the instructions for creating embroidery data including: instructions for creating running stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data that indicates that running stitch sewing is to be performed between the initial point and the terminal points that are indicated by the vector data;instructions for creating stitch sewing data, which is the embroidery data that indicates stitch sewing is to be performed over the running stitch sewing, in accordance with the sewing method specified by the sewing method information; andinstructions for conducting such control so as to avoid creation of the running stitch sewing data of the link destination branch of the endpoint on the sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data in the instructions for creating the running stitch sewing data and create the stitch sewing data from the endpoint on the sewing termination side to the other endpoint of the running stitch sewing data in the instructions for creating the stitch sewing data if the loop information of the endpoint on a sewing termination side of the running stitch sewing data or the stitch sewing data indicates generation of the loop.