Sewing machine system and thread spool storage device

Abstract

A sewing machine system is disclosed that is configured by a sewing machine and a thread spool storage device communicably connected by way of a communication element. The sewing machine is provided with a compartment identifier that searches and finds thread color information pertaining to thread color data contained in the pattern data when a selection of pattern data is validated by a pattern selection validator. The compartment identifier transmits the compartment identification for identifying a location of the compartment of the thread spool storage device that is mapped to the found thread color information. Based on the compartment identification, the thread spool storage indicates the location of the compartment identified by the compartment identification.

1 . A sewing machine system comprising:
 a sewing machine capable of sewing patterns with a plurality of thread colors based on pattern data; and   a thread spool storage device that is provided with a plurality of compartments for storing a plurality of thread spools and that is communicably connected to the sewing machine by a communication element;
 wherein the sewing machine includes: 
 a pattern selection validator that validates a selection of the pattern data containing a plurality of thread color data, 
 a thread color information storage that stores a mapping of thread color information of the thread spools to the compartments of the thread spool storage device, 
 a compartment identifier that, when the selection of the pattern data is validated by the pattern selection validator, searches the thread color information storage to find the thread color information pertaining to the thread color data contained in the pattern data and that transmits compartment identification information that locates the compartment being mapped to the found thread color information to the thread spool storage device, and 
 wherein the thread spool storage device includes: 
 a compartment location indicator that indicates a location of at least one of the compartments, and 
 a location indication controller that controls the compartment location indicator to indicate the locations of the compartments based on the compartment identification information obtained from the sewing machine by way of the communication element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartment location indicator of the thread spool device comprises a first light emitting element provided at each of the compartments. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the compartments of the thread spool storage device is capable of storing a plurality of thread spools, and
 the thread spool storage device further includes:
 a thread spool remainder detector that detects a remaining count of the thread spools within each of the compartments, 
 a thread spool remainder indicator that indicates the remaining count or presence/absence of the thread spools within each of the compartments, and 
 a remainder indication controller that provides instructions to the thread spool remainder indicator to indicate the remaining count or the presence/absence of the thread spools within each of the compartments based on the detection of the thread spool remainder detector. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the thread spool remainder indicator of the thread spool storage device comprises a second light emitting element provided at each of the compartments. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pattern data of the sewing machine includes a thread change command that specifies a replacement thread color to which a current thread color is to be changed when changing the thread spool attached to the sewing machine, and
 the compartment identifier initially transmits the compartment identification information of a first used thread color information to the thread spool storage device and thereafter transmits the compartment identification information of a subsequently used thread color information indicated by the thread change command to the thread spool storage device prior to the changing of the thread spool to the replacement thread color indicated by the thread change command, and   the location indication controller of the thread spool storage device, when receiving the compartment identification information of the first used thread color information, instructs the compartment location indicator to indicate the location of the compartment storing the thread spool of the first used thread color information, and when receiving the compartment identification information of the subsequently used thread color information, instructs the compartment location indicator to stop the indication produced by a previously received compartment identification information and thereafter indicates the location of the compartment storing the thread spool of the subsequently used thread color information.   
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sewing machine further includes a provisional pattern selector that provisionally selects the pattern data prior to the validation of the selected pattern data,
 and when the pattern data is provisionally selected by the provisional pattern selector, the compartment identifier searches to find all the thread color information pertaining to the thread color data contained in the provisionally selected pattern data from the thread color information storage and transmits provisional compartment identification information for provisionally indicating locations of all the compartments of the found thread color information to the thread spool storage device,   and when the location indication controller of the thread spool storage device receives the provisional compartment identification information, instructs the compartment indicator to produce an indication which differs in mode of the indication produced based on the compartment identification information.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein either of the mode of indication based on the compartment identification information and the mode of indication based on the provisional identification information comprises an intermittent indication mode that instructs the compartment indicator to produce an intermittent indication and the remaining other comprises a continuous indication mode that instructs the compartment indicator to produce a continuous indication. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sewing machine further comprises a color display and presents a mapping between the compartments of the thread spool storage device and thread colors on the color display. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sewing machine only allows attachment of a single thread spool. 
     
     
         10 . A thread spool storage device that is provided with a plurality of compartments for storing a plurality of thread spools and that is communicably connected by a communication element to a sewing machine capable of selectively using a plurality types of threads to obtain compartment identification information that identifies locations of the compartments where the thread spools that carry thread colors used by the sewing machine are stored, the thread spools storage device, comprising:
 a compartment location indicator that produces an indication to locate at least one of the compartments; and   a location indication controller that instructs the compartment location indicator to indicate the locations of the compartments based on the compartment identification information obtained from the sewing machine by way of the communication element.   
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the compartment location indicator comprises a first light emitting element provided at each of the compartments. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the compartments is capable of storing a plurality of thread spools, and further comprising:
 a thread spool remainder detector that detects a remaining count of the thread spools within each of the compartments;   a thread spool remainder indicator that indicates the remaining count or presence/absence of the thread spools within the compartments; and   a remainder indication controller that instructs the thread spool remainder indicator to indicate the count of thread spools or the presence/absence of the thread spool within the compartments based on the detection of the thread spool remainder detector.   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the thread spool remainder indicator comprises a second light emitting element provided at each of the compartments. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the location indication controller instructs the compartment location indicator to indicate the locations of the compartments identified based on the compartment identification information pertaining to the thread color of an embroidery pattern formed by the sewing machine obtained from the sewing machine by way of the communication element. 
     
     
         15 . A sewing machine system comprising:
 a sewing machine that is capable of sewing patterns with a plurality of thread colors based on pattern data and that is provided with a transfer element that transfers a workpiece being held by an embroidery frame,   a thread spool storage device that is provided with a plurality of compartments for storing a plurality of thread spools and that is communicably connected to the sewing machine by a wire communication element;   wherein the sewing machine includes;
 a pillar being provided with a wire communication section on a first side thereof and the embroidery frame being moved over a plane residing in a second side thereof opposite the first side; 
 a pattern selection validator that validates a selection of the pattern data containing a plurality of thread color data, 
 a thread color information storage that stores a mapping of thread color information of the thread spools to the compartments of the thread spool storage device, 
 a compartment identifier that, when the selection of the pattern data is validated, searches the thread color information storage to find the thread color information pertaining to the thread color data contained in the pattern data and that transmits compartment identification information that locates the compartment being mapped to the found thread color information to the thread storage device, and 
 wherein the thread spool storage device includes: 
 a drawer that stores the thread spools and that can be drawn out of the compartments; 
 a compartment location indicator that indicates at least one of the compartments; 
 a position indication controller that instructs the compartment location indicator to indicate the locations of the compartments based on the compartment identification information obtained from the sewing machine by way of the wire communication element.