Method and system for creating printable images of embroidered designs

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product creating printable images of embroidered designs. In response to receiving an embroidered design the process captures a digital image of the embroidered design and saves the digital image as a graphic file. The process then presents the graphic file to a user for user selection.

1 . A computer implemented method for creating a digital image of an embroidered design, the computer implemented method comprising:
 responsive to receiving an embroidered design stitched in a first material, capturing a digital image of the embroidered design;   saving the digital image as a graphic file;   presenting the graphic file for a user selection; and   responsive to the user selection, printing the graphic file depicting the embroidered design to a second material.   
   
   
       2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to capturing the digital image of the embroidered design, modifying the digital image to form a modified digital image.   
   
   
       3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein modifying the digital image is performed by a graphic editing application. 
   
   
       4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein modifying the digital image further comprises at least one of inserting additional graphics to the digital image or enhancing existing details of the digital image. 
   
   
       5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the additional graphics comprise at least one of copyright insignia, a non-embroidered image, or a digital image of a second embroidered design. 
   
   
       6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein capturing the digital image of the embroidered design further comprises at least one of scanning the embroidered design or photographing the embroidered design. 
   
   
       7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphic file is at least one of bitmap, enhanced metafile, graphics interchange format, joint photographic experts group, picture exchange, portable network graphics, or tagged image file format. 
   
   
       8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein saving the digital image as the graphic file further comprises:
 storing the graphic file on a remote server.   
   
   
       9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein printing the graphic file to the second material comprises at least one of screen printing, direct-to-garment inkjet printing, printing to heat press transfer paper, or printing to a self-adhesive label. 
   
   
       10 . A computer program product for creating a digital image of an embroidered design, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer usable storage medium with computer usable program code embodied thereon, comprising:
 computer usable program code for capturing a digital image of an embroidered design stitched in a first material in response to receiving the embroidered design; 
 computer usable program code for saving the digital image as a graphic file; 
 computer usable program code for presenting the graphic file for a user selection; and 
 computer usable program code for printing the graphic file depicting the embroidered design to a second material in response to the user selection. 
   
   
   
       11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 computer usable program code for modifying the digital image to form a modified digital image in response to capturing the digital image.   
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein modifying the digital image is performed by a graphic editing application. 
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein modifying the digital image further comprises at least one of inserting additional graphics to the digital image or enhancing existing details of the digital image. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the additional graphics comprise at least one of copyright insignia, a non-embroidered image, or a digital image of a second embroidered design. 
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein capturing the digital image of the embroidered design further comprises at least one of scanning the embroidered design or photographing the embroidered design. 
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the graphic file is at least one of bitmap, enhanced metafile, graphics interchange format, joint photographic experts group, a picture exchange, a portable network graphics, or tagged image file format. 
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the computer usable program code for saving the digital image as a graphic file further comprises:
 computer usable program code for storing the graphic file on a remote server.   
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the computer usable program code for printing the graphic file to the second material comprises at least one of screen printing, direct-to-garment inkjet printing, printing to heat press transfer paper, or printing to a self-adhesive label. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus for creating an image of an embroidered design for printing, the apparatus comprising:
 a image capture device for capturing a digital image of an embroidered design stitched in a first material;   a graphic software application for modifying the digital image of the embroidered design;   a memory for storing the digital image of the embroidered design;   a network device for transmitting the digital image of the embroidered design; and   a printing device for printing the graphic file depicting the embroidered design to a second material.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the image capture device is at least one of a camera or a scanner.