Automated embroidery stitching

Abstract

A method for embroidering includes receiving a digitized representation of an image, determining grain structures for a plurality of locations in the digitized representation, the plurality of locations including a first location and a second location, embroidering a representation of the first location using cross stitch patterns, when a grain structure for the first location indicates a bi-directional grain structure, and embroidering a representation of the first location using uni-directional stitch patterns, when the grain structure for the first location indicates a uni-directional grain structure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for embroidering comprises: 
 receiving a digitized representation of an image;    determining grain structures for a plurality of locations in the digitized representation, the plurality of locations including a first location and a second location;    embroidering a representation of the first location using cross stitch patterns, when a grain structure for the first location indicates a bi-directional grain structure; and    embroidering a representation of the first location using unidirectional stitch patterns, when the grain structure for the first location indicates a unidirectional grain structure.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 embroidering a representation of the first location using pre-determined fill patterns, when the grain structure for the first location indicates a reduced directional grain structure.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein embroidering the representation of the first location using uni-directional stitch patterns, comprises: 
 determining a stitch length for the representation of the first location, in response to a color intensity at the first location; and  
 embroidering the representation of the first location using stitches having the stitch length.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 embroidering a representation of the second location using unidirectional stitch patterns, a direction for the unidirectional stitch patterns associated with the first location different from a direction for the unidirectional stitch patterns associated with the second location.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the image is a photograph.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining grain structures for a plurality of locations in the digitized representation comprises using a discrete Fourier transform.  
     
     
         7 . A method for embroidering comprises: 
 receiving a digitized representation of an image;    determining a plurality of regions of the image in response to the digitized representation,    determining a geometric index for each region in the plurality of regions of the image;    determining a region type associated with each regions from the plurality of regions in response to the geometric index for each region, the region types including a first region type and a second region type;    embroidering representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type; and thereafter    embroidering representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the second region type.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein determining region types associated with regions from the plurality of regions includes determining a region associated with a first region type; 
 the method further comprising: 
 segmenting the region associated with the first region type into a first region associated with the first region type and a second region associated with the second region type.  
 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein 
 determining the geometric index comprises determining a relative thickness indicator for each region in the plurality of regions of the image; and  
 determining the region type associated with each regions from the plurality of regions is in response to the relative thicknesses indicator of each regions in the plurality of regions.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the second region type are overlaid over representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein embroidering representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type comprises: 
 determining a grain structure for a location in a region associated with the first region type;  
 embroidering a representation of the location of the region using uni-directional stitch patterns, when the grain structure for the location indicates a uni-directional grain structure.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein embroidering the representation of the location using unidirectional stitch patterns, comprises: 
 determining a stitch length for the representation of the first location, in response to a color intensity at the first location; and  
 embroidering the representation of the first location using stitches having the stitch length.  
 
     
     
         13 . A computer program product for a computer system including a processor comprises: 
 code configured to direct the processor to receive a digitized representation of an image;    code configured to direct the processor to determine grain structures for a plurality of locations in the digitized representation, the plurality of locations including a first location and a second location;    code configured to direct the processor to direct embroidering of a representation of the first location using cross stitch patterns, when a grain structure for the first location indicates a bi-directional grain structure; and    code configured to direct the processor to direct embroidering of a representation of the first location using unidirectional stitch patterns, when the grain structure for the first location indicates a unidirectional grain structure;    wherein the codes reside on a tangible media.    
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 code configured to direct the processor to direct embroidering of a representation of the first location using predetermined fill patterns, when the grain structure for the first location indicates a reduced directional grain structure.  
 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the code configured to direct the processor to direct embroidering of the representation of the first location using uni-directional stitch patterns, comprises: 
 code configured to direct the processor to determine a stitch length for the representation of the first location, in response to a color intensity at the first location; and  
 code configured to direct the processor to direct embroidering of the representation of the first location using stitches having the stitch length.  
 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 code configured to direct the processor to direct embroidering of a representation of the second location using uni-directional stitch patterns, a direction for the uni-directional stitch patterns associated with the first location different from a direction for the uni-directional stitch patterns associated with the second location.  
 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the image is a photograph.  
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein code configured to direct the processor to determine grain structures for a plurality of locations in the digitized representation comprises code configured to direct the processor to execute a discrete Fourier transform.  
     
     
         19 . An embroidery system including: 
 a processor; and    a processor readable memory comprising: 
 code that directs the processor to retrieve a digitized representation of an image;  
 code that directs the processor to determine a plurality of regions of the image in response to the digitized representation of the image;  
 code that directs the processor to determine a geometric index for each region in the plurality of regions;  
 code that directs the processor to determine a region type associated with each region from the plurality of regions in response to the geometric index for each region, the region types including a first region type and a second region type;  
 code that directs the processor to direct embroidering representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type; and  
 code that directs the processor to direct embroidering representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the second region type after the representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type.  
   
     
     
         20 . The embroidery system of  claim 19  wherein the code that directs the processor to determine region types associated with regions from the plurality of regions includes code that directs the processor to determine a region associated with a first region type; 
 the processor readable memory further comprising: 
 code that directs the processor to segment the region associated with the first region type into a first region associated with the first region type and a second region associated with the second region type.  
 
 
     
     
         21 . The embroidery system of  claim 19  wherein 
 the code that directs the processor to determine a geometric index for each region in the plurality of regions of the image comprises code that directs the processor to determine a relative thickness index for each region in the plurality of regions; and  
 the code that directs the processor to determine a region type associated with each region from the plurality of regions is in response to the relative thickness index of each regions from the plurality of regions.  
 
     
     
         22 . The embroidery system of  claim 19  wherein the representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the second region type are overlaid over representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type.  
     
     
         23 . The embroidery system of  claim 19  wherein the code that directs the processor to direct embroidering of representations of regions from the plurality of regions associated with the first region type comprises: 
 code that directs the processor to determine a grain structure for a location in a region associated with the first region type; and  
 code that directs the processor to direct embroidering of a representation of the location of the region using uni-directional stitch patterns, when the grain structure for the location indicates a uni-directional grain structure.  
 
     
     
         24 . The embroidery system of  claim 23  wherein the code that directs the processor to direct embroidering of the representation of the location using uni-directional stitch patterns, comprises: 
 code that directs the processor to determine a stitch length for the representation of the first location, in response to a color intensity at the first location; and  
 code that directs the processor to direct embroidering of the representation of the first location using stitches having the stitch length.  
 
     
     
         25 . A article of manufacture having embroidery embroidered thereon using the method described in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         26 . A article of manufacture having embroidery embroidered thereon using the method described in claim  7 .