IP Library Granted Patent US 9,683,322
Granted Patent B2
US 9,683,322 · App. 14/886,383 · Granted Jun 20, 2017

Printer driver systems and methods for automatic generation of embroidery designs

Inventors: David A. Goldman (Vestal, NY); Nirav Patel (Johnson City, NY); Mingkui Song (Binghamton, NY)
Assignee: Vistaprint Schweiz GmbH
D05B19/08D05B19/02D05B19/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,683,322
App. No.
14/886,383
Granted
Jun 20, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Printer driver systems and methods for automatic generation of embroidery designs are disclosed. An example method to convert image data to embroidery data, includes converting image data representing an image to first vector data, converting the first vector data into component data structures that specify regions within the image, converting a first one of the component data structures into a fill shape including second vector data, converting a second one of the component data structures into a stroke shape including third vector data, and generating embroidery data structures using the fill shape and the stroke shape.

Claims (34)

1. A method to convert image data to embroidery data, comprising:

converting, with a processor, image data representing an image to first vector data;

converting, with the processor, the first vector data into component data structures that specify regions within the image;

converting, with the processor, a first one of the component data structures into a fill shape including second vector data;

converting, with the processor, a second one of the component data structures into a stroke shape including third vector data;

converting the fill shape and the stroke shape to a set of non-overlapping contiguous regions by specifying an order of a set of contours defining the set of non-overlapping contiguous regions; and

generating, with the processor, embroidery data structures using the fill shape and the stroke shape.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the image data includes at least one of line data, Bezier curve data, a font glyph, or a raster operation.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the converting of the first one of the component data structures includes specifying a brush type and a color.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the converting of the second one of the component data structures includes specifying at least one of a pen color, a pen width, an end cap, or a join type.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the converting of the fill shape and the stroke shape includes removing a redundancy in the component data structures corresponding to a location within the image data.

6. An apparatus to convert image data to embroidery data, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least:

convert image data representing an image to first vector data;

convert the first vector data into component data structures that specify regions within the image;

convert a first one of the component data structures into a fill shape including second vector data;

convert a second one of the component data structures into a stroke shape including third vector data;

convert the fill shape and the stroke shape to a set of non-overlapping contiguous regions by specifying an order of a set of contours defining the set of non-overlapping contiguous regions; and

generate embroidery data structures using the fill shape and the stroke shape.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the image data includes at least one of line data, Bezier curve data, a font glyph, or a raster operation.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to specify a brush type and a color to convert the first one of the component data structures.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to specify at least one of a pen color, a pen width, an end cap, or a join type to convert the second one of the component data structures.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to convert the fill shape and the stroke shape by removing a redundancy in the component data structures corresponding to a location within the image data.

11. An article of manufacture comprising machine readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

convert image data representing an image to first vector data;

convert the first vector data into component data structures that specify regions within the image;

convert a first one of the component data structures into a fill shape including second vector data;

convert a second one of the component data structures into a stroke shape including third vector data;

convert the fill shape and the stroke shape to a set of non-overlapping contiguous regions by specifying an order of a set of contours defining the set of non-overlapping contiguous regions; and

generate embroidery data structures using the fill shape and the stroke shape.

12. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to specify a brush type and a color to convert the first one of the component data structures.

13. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to specify at least one of a pen color, a pen width, an end cap, or a join type to convert the second one of the component data structures.

14. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to convert the fill shape and the stroke shape by removing a redundancy in the component data structures corresponding to a location within the image data.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2017
From: CIMPRESS SCHWEIZ GMBH
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 042999/0992 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME FROM "VISTPRINT SCHWEIZ GMBH" TO "VISTAPRINT SCHWEIZ GMBH" PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037420 FRAME 0809. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 12, 2017
From: VISTAPRINT LIMITED
To: VISTAPRINT SCHWEIZ GMBH
Reel/Frame 042775/0770 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 6, 2016
From: SOFT SIGHT, INC. (A NEW YORK CORPORATION)
To: SOFT SIGHT, INC. (A DELWARE CORPORATION)
Reel/Frame 037420/0622 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2016
From: VISTAPRINT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
To: VISTAPRINT LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037447/0967 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2016
From: SOFT SIGHT, INC. (A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
To: VISTAPRINT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037420/0737 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2016
From: VISTAPRINT LIMITED
To: VISTPRINT SCHWEIZ GMBH
Reel/Frame 037420/0809 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2015
From: GOLDMAN, DAVID A.; PATEL, NIRAV; SONG, MINGKUI
To: SOFT SIGHT, INC.
Reel/Frame 037386/0350 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14174540 · Feb 6, 2014
Continuation 13346338 · Jan 9, 2012
Continuation 11556008 · Nov 2, 2006
Provisional Application 60732831 · Nov 2, 2005
Related Publication 20160040340A1 · Feb 11, 2016