Sewing machine, non-transitory computer-readable medium and sewing machine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9551099-B2
Application number	US-201414164916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2014
Priority date	Feb 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A sewing machine includes an embroidery frame moving portion, a sewing portion, a processor, and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of acquiring image data created by a device and obtained by capturing an image of a range that includes at least one reference mark and at least one indicator mark, computing positioning data based on the image data, specifying an embroidery pattern to be formed in a sewing workpiece clamped in an embroidery frame, setting at least one of a position and an angle of the embroidery pattern on the sewing workpiece, based on the positioning data, acquiring embroidery data, causing the embroidery frame moving portion and the sewing portion to form the stitches that make up the embroidery pattern in the sewing workpiece, based on the embroidery data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sewing machine comprising:
an embroidery frame moving portion that is configured to be removably mounted with an embroidery frame and to move the embroidery frame in a movement direction;
a sewing portion that is configured to form a stitch in a sewing workpiece that is clamped in the embroidery frame,
a processor; and
a memory that is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
acquiring image data that are created by a device that is different from the sewing machine, the image data being image data that are obtained by capturing an image of a range that includes at least one reference mark and at least one indicator mark, the at least one reference mark being provided on the embroidery frame, and the at least one indicator mark being positioned in an area inside the embroidery frame, on the sewing workpiece that is clamped in the embroidery frame;
computing positioning data based on the image data, the positioning data being data that indicate at least one of a position and an angle of the at least one indicator mark in relation to the at least one reference mark;
specifying an embroidery pattern to be formed in the sewing workpiece that is clamped in the embroidery frame;
setting at least one of a position and an angle of the embroidery pattern on the sewing workpiece, based on the positioning data;
acquiring embroidery data, the embroidery data being data for forming stitches that make up the embroidery pattern, at the at least one of the position and the angle of the embroidery pattern on the sewing workpiece; and
causing the embroidery frame moving portion and the sewing portion to form the stitches that make up the embroidery pattern in the sewing workpiece, based on the embroidery data.

2. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the computing of the positioning data includes:
acquiring first positions, the first positions being actual relative positions of characteristic points in relation to a specified second position, the characteristic points being characteristic points that are included in the at least one reference mark;
detecting third positions, the third positions being respective positions of the characteristic points in a captured image, the captured image being an image that is based on the image data;
detecting at least one fourth position, the at least one fourth position being a position of the at least one indicator mark in the captured image; and
computing the positioning data based on the third positions, the first positions that respectively correspond to the third positions of the characteristic points, and the at least one fourth position.

3. The sewing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the computing of the positioning data further includes:
detecting an orientation of the embroidery frame in the captured image, based on the image data; and
setting the first positions that respectively correspond to the third positions for the corresponding characteristic points, based on the orientation of the embroidery frame.

4. The sewing machine according to claim 2 , wherein
the memory is further configured to store correspondence relationships between types of embroidery frames and the first positions of the characteristic points that are included in the at least one reference mark that is provided on each of the embroidery frames, and
the acquiring of the first positions includes:
specifying a type of the embroidery frame; and
acquiring the first positions that correspond to the type of the embroidery frame, by referring to the memory.

5. The sewing machine according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a detection portion that is configured to detect the type of the embroidery frame that is mounted on the embroidery frame moving portion,
wherein
the specifying of the type of the embroidery frame includes specifying the type of the embroidery frame based on a detection result of the detection portion.

6. The sewing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to perform the steps of:
determining whether the at least one reference mark and the at least one indicator mark have been detected in the captured image; and
providing notification that at least one of the at least one reference mark and the at least one indicator mark has not been detected, in response to a determination that at least one of the at least one reference mark and the at least one indicator mark has not been detected.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a sewing machine comprising an embroidery frame moving portion configured to be removably mounted with an embroidery frame and to move the embroidery frame in a movement direction and a sewing portion configured to form a stitch in a sewing workpiece clamped in the embroidery frame, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
acquiring image data that are created by a device that is different from the sewing machine, the image data being image data that are obtained by capturing an image of a range that includes at least one reference mark and at least one indicator mark, the at least one reference mark being provided on the embroidery frame, and the at least one indicator mark being positioned in an area inside the embroidery frame, on the sewing workpiece that is clamped in the embroidery frame;
computing positioning data based on the image data, the positioning data being data that indicate at least one of a position and an angle of the at least one indicator mark in relation to the at least one reference mark;
specifying an embroidery pattern to be formed in the sewing workpiece that is clamped in the embroidery frame;
setting at least one of a position and an angle of the embroidery pattern on the sewing workpiece, based on the positioning data;
acquiring embroidery data, the embroidery data being data for forming stitches that make up the embroidery pattern, at the at least one of the position and the angle of the embroidery pattern on the sewing workpiece; and
causing the embroidery frame moving portion and the sewing portion to form the stitches that make up the embroidery pattern in the sewing workpiece, based on the embroidery data.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7 , wherein the computing of the positioning data includes:
acquiring first positions, the first positions being actual relative positions of characteristic points in relation to a specified second position, the characteristic points being characteristic points that are included in the at least one reference mark;
detecting third positions, the third positions being respective positions of the characteristic points in a captured image, the captured image being an image that is based on the image data;
detecting at least one fourth position, the at least one fourth position being a position of the at least one indicator mark in the captured image; and
computing the positioning data based on the third positions, the first positions that respectively correspond to the third positions of the characteristic points, and the at least one fourth position.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the computing of the positioning data further includes:
detecting an orientation of the embroidery frame in the captured image, based on the image data; and
setting the first positions that respectively correspond to the third positions for the corresponding characteristic points, based on the orientation of the embroidery frame.

10. The non

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Satomi
• Tashiro Noriharu
• Takahata Hirotsugu

Classifications

• D05C5/00

  Embroidering machines with arrangements for automatic control of a series of individual steps · CPC title

• D05B19/08

  Arrangements for inputting stitch or pattern data to memory {; Editing stitch or pattern data} · CPC title

• D05B19/12 Primary

  characterised by control of operation of machine · CPC title