IP Library Granted Patent US 10,047,463
Granted Patent B2
US 10,047,463 · App. 15/621,769 · Granted Aug 14, 2018

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: Cimpress Schweiz GmbH
D05B19/08D05B19/02D05B19/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,047,463
App. No.
15/621,769
Granted
Aug 14, 2018
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 (31)

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, wherein the converting of the first one of the component data structures includes specifying a brush type and a color;

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

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising converting the fill shape and the stroke shape to a set of non-overlapping contiguous regions.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 , 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, 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;

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

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to convert the fill shape and the stroke shape to a set of non-overlapping contiguous regions.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , 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, 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;

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

13. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to convert the fill shape and the stroke shape to a set of non-overlapping contiguous regions.

14. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 13 , 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 (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2020
From: CIMPRESS SCHWEIZ GMBH
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054200/0925 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2018
From: VISTAPRINT LIMITED
To: VISTAPRINT SCHWEIZ GMBH
Reel/Frame 044857/0225 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 7, 2018
From: VISTAPRINT SCHWEIZ GMBH
To: CIMPRESS SCHWEIZ GMBH
Reel/Frame 045269/0953 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: GOLDMAN, DAVID A.; PATEL, NIRAV; SONG, MINGKUI
To: SOFT SIGHT, INC.
Reel/Frame 043668/0539 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: SOFT SIGHT, INC. (A NEW YORK CORPORATION)
To: SOFT SIGHT, INC. (A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
Reel/Frame 043668/0552 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: SOFT SIGHT, INC. (A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
To: VISTAPRINT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 043668/0560 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: VISTAPRINT LIMITED
To: VISTAPRINT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 043668/0579 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: VISTAPRINT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
To: VISTAPRINT LIMITED
Reel/Frame 043956/0516 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 14886383 · Oct 19, 2015
Continuation 14174540 · Feb 6, 2014
Continuation 13346338 · Jan 9, 2012
Continuation 11556008 · Nov 2, 2006
Provisional Application 60732831 · Nov 2, 2005
Related Publication 20170284002A1 · Oct 5, 2017