Providing character data for use by an embroidery machine

1. A method of operating a computer system to provide character data for use by an embroidery machine, comprising the steps of:

inputting font character data defining the characters of a predetermined font;

generating, in a predetermined embroidery data format, a respective embroidery data group from the font character data of each respective font character through steps comprising:

analysing the font character data to identify one or more outline contours of the corresponding font character;

associating the contours into one or more contour groupings, each contour grouping defining the outline of at least a part of the corresponding font character;

constructing one or more cut lines across one or more of the contour groupings;

dividing the contour groupings along the cut lines to yield a larger number of contour groupings;

and defining a plurality of embroidery objects, each embroidery object being derived from a respective one of said larger number of contour groupings; and

outputting said embroidery data groups in such a way that each embroidery data group is individually selectable by an embroidery machine for inclusion in an embroidery design.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of generating respective embroidery data groups comprises the step of

generating a respective embroidery object group from the font character data of each respective font character, each object group comprising one or more embroidery objects,

and wherein

said output embroidery data groups comprise said embroidery object groups.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

said step of generating respective embroidery data groups comprises the steps of:

generating a respective embroidery object group from the font character data of each respective font character, each object group comprising one or more embroidery objects; and

converting said respective embroidery object groups to a corresponding respective stitch instruction groups,

and wherein said output embroidery data groups comprise said stitch instruction groups.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of scaling the objects of said respective embroidery object groups prior to, or during said step of converting.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined font is a scalable font.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined font defines the outlines of said characters.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the font is a vectorized font.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein substantially all of the characters of said predetermined font are output as said embroidery data groups in the step of outputting.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating said embroidery data groups from said font character data is carried out automatically.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting one or more cut lines comprises the steps of:

identifying changes of direction of the outline contours, the changes of direction having predetermined characteristics; and

constructing one or more cut lines proximate to the identified changes of direction.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of constructing the one or more cut lines comprises the steps of:

generating a skeleton corresponding to the font character;

identifying one or more nodes of the skeleton; and

constructing one or more cut lines proximate to the identified nodes.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of outputting comprises the step of writing said embroidery data groups onto one or more removable machine readable media.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said removable machine readable media are selected from the list comprising floppy disks, CDROMS and removable solid state memory devices.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of outputting comprises the step of transmitting said embroidery data groups to an embroidery machine.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

inputting, into an embroidery machine, embroidery data groups corresponding to one or more of said characters; and

incorporating, in said embroidery machine, said input embroidery data groups into an embroidery design.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of storing said embroidery design in a memory of said embroidery machine.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of operating the embroidery machine to stitch out at least a part of said embroidery design.

18. A method of operating a computer to produce an embroidery data group comprising an object-based description of a font character, from font character data describing the font character, the method comprising the steps of:

analysing the font character data to identify one or more outline contours of the font character;

associating the outline contours into one or more contour groupings, each contour grouping defining the outline of at least a part of the font character;

selecting one or more cut lines across one or more of the contour groupings;

dividing the contour groupings along the cut lines to yield a larger number of contour groupings; and

defining a plurality of embroidery objects, each embroidery object being derived from a respective one of said larger number of contour groupings.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of selecting one or more cut lines comprises the steps of:

identifying one or more changes of direction of the outline contours, the changes of direction having predetermined characteristics; and

selecting one or more cut lines so as to be adjacent to or to pass through the identified changes of direction.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of selecting one or more cut lines comprises the steps of:

generating a skeleton corresponding to the font character;

identifying one or more nodes of the skeleton; and

selecting one or more cut lines so as to be adjacent to or to pass through the identified nodes.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of dividing is carried out iteratively, such that a smaller contour grouping produced by dividing a larger contour grouping is itself divided by the subsequent selection of one or more cut lines by analysis of the smaller contour grouping.

22. Computer apparatus for producing an embroidery data group comprising an object-based description of a font character, from font character data describing the font character, the apparatus comprising:

an outliner element for analysing the font character data to identify one or more outline contours of the font character;

a grouping element for associating the outline contours into one or more contour groupings, each contour grouping defining the outline of at least a part of the font character;

a outline selection element for selecting one or more cut lines across one or more of the contour groupings;

a divider element for dividing the contour groupings along the cut lines to yield a larger number of contour groupings; and

an object definition element for defining a plurality of embroidery objects, each embroidery object being derived from a respective one of said larger number of contour groupings.

23. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code for operating a computer to produce an embroidery data group comprising an object-based description of a font character, from font character data describing the font character, the computer program code being adapted for:

analysing the font character data to identify one or more outline contours of the font character;

associating the outline contours into one or more contour groupings, each contour grouping defining the outline of at least a part of the font character;

selecting one or more cut lines across one or more of the contour groupings;

dividing the contour groupings along the cut lines to yield a larger number of contour groupings; and

defining a plurality of embroidery objects, each embroidery object being derived from a respective one of said larger number of contour groupings.

24. A removable machine readable medium comprising a plurality of embroidery data groups generated by a computer system and output to the medium by a method comprising the steps of claim 1 .

25. A removable machine readable medium comprising a plurality of embroidery data groups generated by a computer system and output to the medium by a method comprising the steps of claim 18 .