Cutting control device, cutting device control method and program

Abstract

Display a preview of the design after adjusting dimensions and spacing between design elements. [Solution] The terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device, controls a cutting device 10 which includes a cutting section that cuts a medium S, which is a medium to be cut having predetermined dimensions. The terminal device 50 is a cutting control device which controls a cutting device 10 which includes a cutting section that cuts a medium S having predetermined dimensions. The terminal device 50 includes a CPU 51 which functions as a display design data generation means that generates display design data that takes into account predetermined spacing values ​​to be secured between designs based on the layout of a plurality of designs to be cut by a cutting mechanism 173 which is a cutting section, and a display control means that displays a preview screen on the display unit which arranges the display designs based on the display design data generated by the display design data generation means on the display screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting control device, a control method for a cutting device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a cutting control device that makes incisions in a cutting medium such as paper (hereinafter also referred to as "medium") to cut out a plurality of designs is known. However, when arranging a plurality of designs on the medium, it is difficult to grasp the state of the medium with the designs applied, and there are cases where it is impossible to determine how to arrange the designs. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 describes displaying an editing screen for editing processing data such as cutting data before cutting and before processing, and a preview screen showing the state of the processed medium based on the edited processing data. For example, by displaying the preview screen on the display screen of a terminal device linked to the cutting device, the user can grasp the state of the medium after actual processing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, the interval between designs is not considered. Especially when cutting out designs, if the layout is determined without considering the interval between designs, at the time of cutting, the cut line may be distorted or torn due to the proximity of the distances between designs, which will affect the cutting quality.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve these problems and provides a cutting control device, a control method for a cutting device, and a program that can display a preview of a design after adjusting dimensions and spacing between designs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the aforementioned problems, the cutting control device according to the present invention is a cutting control device that controls a cutting device including a cutting unit for cutting a medium having predetermined dimensions, and is characterized by comprising: a display design data generation means for generating display design data that takes into account predetermined spacing values ​​to be secured between designs based on the layout of a plurality of designs to be cut by the cutting unit; and a display control means for displaying a preview screen on a display unit in which the display designs based on the display design data generated by the display design data generation means are arranged on a display screen. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a preview of the design after adjusting dimensions and spacing between designs can be displayed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing a cutting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a cutting device. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of terminal devices. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the layout dimension adjustment screen displayed on the display unit. [Figure 5] Figures (a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the first method for generating display design data. [Figure 6] Figures 5(a) to 5(c) show an example of a preview screen when a preview is displayed using a display design based on the display design data generated by the first method. [Figure 7] Figures (a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams illustrating a second method for generating display design data. [Figure 8] Figures 7(a) to 7(c) show an example of a preview screen when a preview is displayed using a display design based on display design data generated by the second method. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing a cutting control method in an embodiment. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram showing one variation of the display design that is previewed based on the display design data generated by the first method for generating display design data. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing one variation of the display design that is previewed based on the display design data generated by the second method for generating display design data. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating how the cut lines in a design are replaced with extension lines. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of setting an extended frame on a design set that combines multiple designs consisting of the extended lines shown in Figure 12. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of a preview screen when displaying a preview based on design data for display, including a design set with the extended frame shown in Figure 13. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An embodiment of the cutting control device, cutting device control method, and program according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 14. In the following embodiment, a terminal device 50 that works in conjunction with the cutting device 10 functions as a cutting control device, and the cutting system 1 is composed of the cutting device 10 and the terminal device 50, as an example (see Figure 1). Although the embodiments described below are subject to various technically preferred limitations for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

[0010] The cutting device 10 according to this embodiment is a device that cuts a flat medium to be cut (hereinafter referred to as "medium S") set in the device into any planar shape. The medium S is assumed to be a rectangular sheet of paper having predetermined dimensions, such as A4. However, the material, size, shape, etc. of the medium S are not particularly limited. For example, the medium S is not limited to paper. The medium S may be other media that can be cut by the cutter blade 174, such as a sheet of resin, a seal, or leather. In this embodiment, the medium S is supplied to the device in a state where it is attached to the surface of a predetermined backing sheet and integrated with it. The terminal device 50 is a PC (Personal Computer) or server used in communication with the cutting device 10 by wireless communication or the like. The terminal device 50 that is communicated with the cutting device 10 is not limited to a PC, but may be other terminal devices such as a smartphone or tablet PC. The wireless communication method between the cutting device 10 and the terminal device 50 is, for example, Bluetooth®. However, the wireless communication method is not limited to Bluetooth, and other communication methods such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) may be used. Also, the communication connection between the disconnection device 10 and the terminal device 50 is not limited to wireless communication, and may be wired communication. As for wired communication, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) wired communication via a communication cable can be applied.

[0011] First, as shown in Figure 2, the cutting device 10 of the embodiment includes an MPU (Micro Processor Unit) 11 as a control unit, an operation unit 12, a storage unit 13, an indicator unit 14, a wired communication unit 15, a wireless communication unit 16, a cutting mechanism 17, an origin position detection unit 18, a paper feeding mechanism 19, a paper feeding detection unit 20, and the like. Each part of the cutting device 10 is connected via a bus 21.

[0012] The MPU 11 controls each part of the cutting device 10. The MPU 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) (both not shown). The CPU reads out a specified program from various programs stored in the storage unit 13, expands it in the RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the expanded program. The RAM is a volatile semiconductor memory, and a work area for temporarily storing various data and programs is formed. The operation unit 12 has various buttons and the like, accepts pressing inputs to each button from the user, and outputs the operation information to the MPU 11. The various buttons of the operation unit 12 are, for example, position keys for moving the position of the medium S, a temporary stop button for cutting, a set button for the medium S, a take-out button for the medium S, and the like.

[0013] The storage unit 13 is a storage unit capable of reading and writing information such as a flash memory. The storage unit 13 stores various data such as cut data and various programs (for example, a cutting process program 131). The indicator unit 14 has a light-emitting part such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and indicates various states of the cutting device 10 by lighting and extinguishing. The indicator unit 14 has, for example, a power lamp indicating power on / off. The indicator unit 14 turns on / off the light emission of the light-emitting part according to the instruction of the MPU 11.

[0014] The wired communication unit 15 is an interface for wired communication of a communication standard such as USB. The MPU 11 transmits and receives information to and from an external device such as a terminal device 50 via the wired communication unit 15 and a communication cable. The wireless communication unit 16 has an antenna, a modulation / demodulation circuit, a signal processing circuit, etc., and is an interface for wireless communication of Bluetooth with an external device such as the terminal device 50. The MPU 11 appropriately transmits and receives information to and from an external device such as the terminal device 50 via the wired communication unit 15 and the wireless communication unit 16.

[0015] The cutting mechanism 17 includes a cutting mechanism 173 equipped with a cutter blade 174, an X-axis motor 171 for operating the cutting mechanism 173, and a Z-axis motor 172. The X-axis motor 171 is a motor that drives the cutting mechanism 173 in the X-axis direction according to the instruction of the MPU 11. The Z-axis motor 172 is a motor for adjusting the distance (interval) between the cutter blade 174 and the medium S, which is the medium to be cut by the cutter blade 174, and drives the cutter blade 174 or the medium S in the Z-axis direction. The cutter blade 174 mounted on the cutting mechanism 173 cuts the medium to be cut such as the medium S, and is, for example, a cutting blade made of a conductor such as metal. The cutting mechanism 17 moves the cutter blade 174 mounted on the cutting mechanism 173 appropriately in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by driving the X-axis motor 171 and the Z-axis motor 172 according to the instruction of the MPU 11.

[0016] The cutting mechanism 17 cuts the medium S set in the cutting device 10 into an arbitrary planar shape by moving the cutter blade 174. In the cutting device 10 of the embodiment, the X-axis is taken as the main scanning direction for moving the cutting mechanism 173 with respect to the medium S. The Y-axis is orthogonal to the X-axis and is taken as the conveying direction (paper feeding direction, sub-scanning direction) of the medium S. The Z-axis is orthogonal to the XY plane and is taken as the direction for moving the cutter blade 174 up and down with respect to the medium S.

[0017] The origin position detection unit 18 is a position detection unit such as an optical sensor that detects whether the cutter blade 174 is at the origin position in the X-axis direction according to the instruction of the MPU 11. The origin position detection unit 18 outputs the detection result of whether the cutter blade 174 is at the origin position to the MPU 11. The MPU 11 drives the X-axis motor 171 etc. of the cutting mechanism 17 appropriately using the detection result of whether the cutter blade 174 is at the origin position, and controls the position of the cutter blade 174 in the X-axis direction.

[0018] The paper feeding mechanism 19 has a Y-axis motor 191. The paper feeding mechanism 19 is a transport unit that transports the medium S along the Y-axis direction by driving the Y-axis motor 191 according to the instructions of the MPU 11. The paper feeding detection unit 20 is a detection unit, such as an optical sensor, that detects whether or not the medium S has been fed (set) into the paper feeding slot of the paper feeding mechanism 19 according to the instructions of the MPU 11. The paper feeding detection unit 20 outputs the detection result of the medium S being set to the MPU 11.

[0019] Next, in this embodiment, the terminal device 50 includes a CPU 51, RAM 52, storage unit 53, display unit 54, operation unit 55, communication unit 56, etc., as shown in Figure 3, and each part of the terminal device 50 is connected via a bus 57. In this embodiment, the terminal device 50 is a cutting control device that transmits cutting data for cutting the design to the cutting device 10 and controls the cutting device 10, which includes a cutting mechanism 173 that is a cutting unit for cutting the medium S.

[0020] The CPU 51 is a processor that controls the operation of each part of the terminal device 50 by reading and executing various programs stored in the memory unit 53 and performing various calculations. The RAM 52 provides the CPU 51 with a working memory space and stores temporary data. The memory unit 53 is a non-temporary recording medium that can be read by the CPU 51 as a computer, and stores various programs and data, such as the cutting control program 531. The data stored in the memory unit 53 includes, for example, design data, cut data, information on various conditions such as the blade width and blade angle of the cutter blade 174 of the cooperating cutting device 10, and "predetermined interval values" that should be maintained between designs, which are derived based on these conditions. The control performed by the CPU 51 will be described in detail later.

[0021] The display unit 54 is equipped with a display screen 541 consisting of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an EL (Electro Luminescence) display, etc., and displays various information according to the display information instructed by the CPU 51. The operation unit 55 has a key input unit such as a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse, and receives key operation input and position operation input from the user, and outputs the operation information to the CPU 51. The CPU 51 also functions as a receiving means that accepts user input operations based on the information transmitted from the operation unit 55. Note that a touch panel may be integrally formed on the display unit 54, in which case the touch panel formed on the display unit 54 functions as an operation unit. That is, it detects the user's touch operation on operation buttons etc. displayed on the display unit 54, and the detected touch position etc. is output as operation information to the CPU 51 and accepted by the CPU 51.

[0022] For example, in this embodiment, various screens such as a design selection screen, a layout dimension adjustment screen 541a, and a preview screen are displayed on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54. The design selection screen displays, for example, a list of designs that can be presented by the terminal device 50, and allows the user to select the design they want to cut with the cutting mechanism 173 of the cutting device 10. The layout dimension adjustment screen 541a is a screen that allows the user to adjust the layout dimensions for each design selected by the user. As shown in Figure 4, for example, the layout dimension adjustment screen 541a includes the design selected by the user (in the example shown in Figure 4, design a is a butterfly design, design b is a caterpillar design, and design c is an ant design), an attribute setting field 542 that shows the attributes of each design, and a dimension adjustment field 543 that allows the user to arbitrarily input dimensions within the settable dimension range. Note that the arrangement of the layout dimension adjustment screen 541a is not limited to the illustrated example. Other items not shown in Figure 4 may be displayed. The layout dimension adjustment screen 541a may display even more designs. In this case, the content displayed on the screen may be changed using buttons that instruct the user to scroll or switch to the next screen as appropriate.

[0023] In the layout dimension adjustment screen 541a, the attributes for each design displayed in the attribute setting field 542 include, for example, whether the size can be changed and whether rotation is possible. Each item indicating an attribute has a checkbox; checking the checkbox sets it to "possible," and unchecking it sets it to "impossible." In the illustrated example, design a is set to allow rotation but not to allow size changes. For designs b and c, both size changes and rotation are set to "possible." If the user selects a setting that allows size changes, a range of selectable dimensions (minimum to maximum dimensions) is displayed on the display screen 541, and the user can enter and set the desired dimensions for each design within the displayed range in the dimension adjustment field 543. When placing each design on the medium S, it is preferable that the user can set in advance whether to prioritize dimensions in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. The priority of either vertical or horizontal direction may be set uniformly, or it may be set for each design.

[0024] For example, in Figure 4, in design b where the user has enabled size changes, the configurable dimension range is 5cm to 20cm. Here, the design dimension range is the dimension range in the direction that the user has set as their priority among the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the design. In this embodiment, the design dimensions are the dimensions of a frame assuming a rectangular frame that circumscribes the outline of the design. The design data stored in the storage unit 53 includes the aspect ratio of the design obtained from image data, etc., and the aspect ratio is fixed even when the user adjusts the dimensions. That is, the dimension range displayed on the layout dimension adjustment screen 541a is the dimension of either the vertical or horizontal (for example, the horizontal direction of the design), and by setting one, the dimension of the other (for example, the vertical direction of the design) is automatically determined accordingly. In the illustrated example, the case where the user has set design b to 7cm is shown. Also, for design c, the case where the user has set the configurable dimension range to 5cm is shown. For example, if the preferred orientation for the design is selected as horizontal, the horizontal dimension of design b will be set to 7cm, and the vertical dimension of design b will be automatically set to the dimension corresponding to a horizontal dimension of 7cm (e.g., 2cm) in accordance with a predetermined aspect ratio. The layout dimension adjustment screen 541a may also display dimensions that are automatically determined based on the settings, in addition to the dimensions that the user can set.

[0025] In this embodiment, the CPU 51 functions as a receiving means for receiving layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design selected by the user as the design to be cut by the cutting mechanism 173. The content entered by the user in the dimension adjustment field 543 on the layout dimension adjustment screen 541a is output to the CPU 51 and received by the CPU 51 as a layout dimension adjustment instruction. The CPU 51 also functions as a display design data generation means for generating display design data to be displayed on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54. When generating the display design data, the CPU 51 considers the layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design received by the receiving means and a "predetermined spacing value" to be secured between designs. Here, the "predetermined spacing value" is a value that indicates the spacing to be provided between designs when multiple designs are placed on the plane of the medium S and cutting is performed. The "predetermined spacing value" is set based on the specifications (performance, specifications, specification parameters) of how much the cutter blade 174 pushes the medium S apart during cutting, in light of various conditions such as the blade width and blade angle of the cutter blade 174. For example, if the blade width of the cutter blade 174 is wide and the medium S is greatly expanded by the blade tip during cutting, the "predetermined interval value" will be set wider accordingly. Note that the conditions referenced when deriving the "predetermined interval value" are not limited to those listed here. For example, the type and material of the medium S, such as the thickness of the medium S, the proximity distance between cut lines on the cut data, and the angle they form may also be taken into consideration. Furthermore, if the cut lines are close together, the "predetermined threshold value" may be derived from the relationship between the distance between adjacent dots among the dots that make up the cut line and the blade width of the cutter blade 174. In addition, the "predetermined threshold value" may be determined by actually cutting with the medium S. The "predetermined interval value" may also be changed when the cutter blade 174 is replaced or when the type of medium S to be cut changes. The conditions under which the "predetermined interval value" should be set may be stored in the storage unit 53 or the like in the form of a table corresponding to the above conditions of the medium S and the specifications of the device.

[0026] When designs are placed next to each other, if each design is separated by a distance of half a predetermined spacing value, a margin (gap) of the predetermined spacing value is secured between the two designs. For example, if the predetermined spacing to be secured between designs is 4 mm, the CPU 51 generates display design data for adjacent designs that are extended 2 mm outward from the actual cut line. Two methods are assumed in this embodiment for generating display design data by extending it outward from the actual cut line. In the first method, the CPU 51, as a means for generating display design data, generates display design data by extending the cut line CL of the design, which is sized according to the layout dimension adjustment instruction by the user, outward by an amount equivalent to half a predetermined spacing value. In the second method, the CPU 51, acting as a means for generating display design data, sets a rectangular frame (circumscribed rectangular frame F1) that circumscribes the cut line CL of the design, which corresponds to the layout dimension adjustment instructions given by the user, and generates display design data by extending each side of the rectangular frame outward by an amount equivalent to half of a predetermined interval value, in a roughly uniform manner.

[0027] Furthermore, the CPU 51 also functions as a display control means that displays a display design based on the generated display design data and allows the user to select its placement. That is, as a display control means, the CPU 51 displays a preview screen (preview screen 541b shown in Figure 6, preview screen 541c shown in Figure 8) on the display unit 54 and prompts the user to arrange the display design to achieve the desired layout. The preview screen is a screen that arranges the display design based on the display design data generated by the CPU 51 on the display screen 541. On the preview screen, the medium S is virtually displayed on the display screen 541 as a frame (referred to as the virtual medium frame 544 in Figures 6 and 8), and the user is prompted to place the display design within this virtual medium frame 544. The CPU 51 knows the dimensions of the medium S set by the cutting device 10, and it is preferable that the virtual medium frame 544 is displayed in a way that closely reproduces the aspect ratio of the actual medium S so that the user viewing the preview screen can easily visualize the layout. In this embodiment, the CPU 51 can selectively perform either the first or second method by the user switching between them as appropriate. For example, the first method has the advantage of minimizing the margins when a rectangular frame is set that circumscribing the design's cut line CL, such as the uppercase letters "L" or "V," and there is a relatively large margin space within the rectangular frame where other designs or parts of designs can be placed. Also, in designs such as design c shown in Figure 4, which has small protrusions around the periphery (ant's feet in the illustrated example), there are multiple points where contact with other designs must be considered. In such cases, the second method has the advantage of more reliably creating spacing between designs by setting a circumscribing rectangular frame F1 and extending the frame outward. The CPU 51 may perform only one of the methods. Each method will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] First, in the first method in which the CPU 51 generates display design data by extending the design cut line CL outward according to the layout dimension adjustment by the user, the CPU 51 replaces the design cut line CL (shown on the left side of each figure) selected by the user and set to a desired size (shown on the right side of each figure) with an extended line OL (shown on the right side of each figure) that is extended outward by a thickness equivalent to half of the "predetermined interval value" (as shown in Figures 5(a) to 5(c)). As a result, each design appears to be 2 mm larger outward on the display screen 541 than the cut line CL that is actually cut by the cutter blade 174. The CPU 51 displays the design in which the cut line CL has been replaced with the extended line OL on the display screen 541 (preview screen) of the display unit 54, making it selectable. Since the extended extension lines OL are extended 2 mm outward from each other compared to the actual cut lines CL, even if they are close together, a "predetermined spacing value" of, for example, 4 mm is maintained between designs as long as they do not overlap, and the quality of the cut will not be affected even if they are pushed apart by the cutter blade 174 during cutting. In this case, for designs that are permitted to rotate (designs a, b, and c in the example of Figure 4), it is possible to arrange them with closer spacing by changing their orientation and arranging them alternately, as long as the extended lines OL do not overlap. If the user arranges a design so that parts of each design overlap, it is preferable to display an error message or other notification to the user that the design cannot be placed in that position, or to notify and warn the user with an alarm or sound.

[0029] Furthermore, in the second method in which the CPU 51 generates display design data by setting a rectangular frame that circumscribes the design cut line according to the layout dimension adjustment by the user and extending the rectangular frame outward, the CPU 51 sets a circumscribed rectangular frame F1 that circumscribes the design cut line CL selected by the user, as shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(c), and further sets an extended frame F2 that extends outward from the circumscribed rectangular frame F1 by an amount equivalent to half of a predetermined interval value on each side, in a roughly uniform manner. The design data stored in the storage unit 53 is contour data composed of multiple points, such as bitmap data or vector data. The CPU 51 sets a circumscribed rectangular frame F1 (circumscribed rectangular frame F1 shown on the left side of each figure) by connecting the outermost points among the points that constitute the contour of the design as the circumscribed rectangle of the design. Then, outside this circumscribing rectangular frame F1, an extended frame F2 (shown on the right side of each figure) is set, with each side extended by half of the "predetermined spacing value". For example, if the "predetermined spacing value" is 4 mm as described above, the CPU 51 sets an extended frame F2 outside the circumscribing rectangular frame F1, with each side extended by approximately 2 mm evenly. The CPU 51 displays a selectable design in which an extended frame F2, slightly larger than the circumscribing rectangular frame F1, is set around the cut line CL, and prompts the user to arrange it within the virtual media frame 544 of the preview screen 541c, as shown in Figure 8, to achieve the desired layout. Since the extended frames F2 are set 2 mm outward from each other compared to the actual cut line CL, even if they are close together, as long as they do not overlap, a "predetermined spacing value" of, for example, 4 mm is maintained between the designs, and even if they are pushed apart by the cutter blade 174 during cutting, it does not affect the quality of the cut. In this case as well, for designs that are permitted to rotate (designs a, b, and c in the example in Figure 4), it is possible to arrange them closer together by changing their orientation, etc., as long as the extension frames F2 do not overlap. However, even in this case, if the user arranges the designs so that parts of the extension frames F2 overlap, it is preferable to inform and warn the user that they cannot be placed in that position.

[0030] Next, the cutting control method in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 9, etc. In this embodiment, the CPU 51 of the terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device, acquires various information (such as blade width and blade angle) in advance regarding the cutter blade 174 attached to the cooperating cutting device 10, and, as shown in Figure 9, derives the interval ("predetermined interval value", for example 4 mm) that should be secured between designs in order to perform cutting without reducing the quality of the cut, based on this information and conditions (step S1). The CPU 51 also displays a design selection screen on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54, etc., presents the user with the designs that can be selected on the terminal device 50, and when the user inputs an input to select a design that they want to cut with the cutting device 10 from among these, the CPU 51 accepts the design selection by the user (step S2).

[0031] When the user selects a design to be cut by the cutting device 10, the CPU 51 displays a layout dimension adjustment screen 541a on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54 for setting the attributes of the selected design (for example, design a, design b, and design c in Figure 4), such as whether the size can be changed and whether it can be rotated, and allows the user to set the attributes of the design (step S3). For designs that the user has set as "size changeable", the CPU 51 further displays the minimum and maximum dimensions in either the vertical or horizontal direction, whichever is preferred (step S4), and allows the user to input and set the desired dimensions for each design. The minimum and maximum dimensions for each design are defined based on, for example, image data of the design. Once the dimensions of the design are set by the user, the CPU 51 accepts this information as a layout dimension adjustment instruction (step S5).

[0032] Next, the CPU 51 generates display design data (step S6) by considering the layout dimension adjustment instructions for each received design and the "predetermined spacing value" to be maintained between designs. For example, when generating display design data using the first method described above, the CPU 51 replaces the cut lines CL (see the left diagram in Figures 5(a) to 5(c)) of the design selected by the user and whose layout dimensions have been adjusted with extended lines OL (see the right diagram in Figures 5(a) to 5(c)) that are extended outward by half of the "predetermined spacing value" to generate display design data, and then presents the user with an image of the display design based on the display design data. Furthermore, for example, when generating display design data using the second method described above, the CPU 51 sets an external rectangular frame F1 (see the left-hand figure in Figures 7(a) to 7(c)) that circumscribes the cut line CL of the design selected by the user and whose layout dimensions have been adjusted. This is then replaced with an expanded frame F2 (see the right-hand figure in Figures 7(a) to 7(c)) that is expanded outward by half of a predetermined interval value to generate display design data, and an image of the display design based on the display design data is presented to the user.

[0033] When display design data is generated, the CPU 51 displays preview screens 541b and 541c on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54 (step S7), and prompts the user to arrange the display design based on the display design data within the virtual media frame 544 on the preview screens 541b and 541c in the desired layout. For example, when display design data is generated by the first method, the CPU 51 displays preview screen 541b on the display unit 54 as shown in Figure 6. The user arranges the display design based on the display design data within the virtual media frame 544 so that they do not overlap, by changing their orientation as appropriate. For example, design a, which is a butterfly design, has different wing widths at the top and bottom (top and bottom in Figures 4 and 5). Therefore, when arranging them side by side, if one is inverted vertically relative to the other, the gaps can be reduced compared to arranging them in the same orientation when arranging them side by side without overlapping.

[0034] Furthermore, if the display design data is generated by the second method, for example, the CPU 51 displays a preview screen 541c on the display unit 54 as shown in Figure 8. The user arranges the display design based on the display design data within the virtual media frame 544, changing its orientation as appropriate, so that it does not overlap. In the second method, the display design is represented by an extended frame F2, which is a rectangular frame, making it easier to arrange it within the virtual media frame 544 corresponding to the rectangular medium S with as little gap as possible. Regardless of whether the display design data is generated by the first or second method, the CPU 51 determines whether there are any overlapping areas between the display designs based on the arrangement of the display designs by the user (step S8), and if the user attempts to arrange the display designs in a state where there are overlapping areas (step S8; YES), the CPU 51 notifies the user with an error message or alarm (step S9). Furthermore, if the display designs are arranged without overlapping, the CPU 51 determines the arrangement of the display designs on the preview screens 541b and 541c as the cut layout on the medium S when cutting the designs, and transmits the cut data with the designs arranged in that cut layout to the cutting device 10 (step S10). Based on the cut data transmitted from the terminal device 50, the cutting device 10 cuts the cut line CL of the cut data in the order of the cut layout, and multiple designs are cut out from the medium S. This prevents adjacent designs from getting too close together and reducing the quality of the cuts when cutting multiple designs from the medium S, while minimizing waste of the medium S.

[0035] As described above, the terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device according to this embodiment, is a cutting control device that controls a cutting device 10 including a cutting mechanism 173 for cutting a medium S (medium to be cut) having predetermined dimensions, such as A4 paper. It includes a CPU 51 that functions as a display design data generation means for generating display design data that takes into account a "predetermined spacing value" to be secured between designs based on the layout of multiple designs to be cut by the cutting mechanism 173, which is the cutting unit, and a display control means for displaying preview screens 541b and 541c arranged on a display screen 541 on a display unit 54. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the CPU 51 also functions as a reception means for receiving layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design selected by the user as the design to be cut by the cutting mechanism 173, and as layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design received by the reception means.

[0036] When cutting the medium S, the cutter blade 174 bites into the medium S as it cuts. If the spacing between the cut lines CL is too narrow, the medium S is pushed open by the biting cutter blade 174, making it prone to curling or tearing, and reducing the quality of the cut. However, if the spacing between the cut lines CL of each design is made too large to maintain cutting quality, there will be a lot of blank space, reducing the number of designs that can be placed on the medium S, such as paper. This results in a lot of waste, which is undesirable from an ecological standpoint. In this respect, by generating display data considering a "predetermined spacing value" as in this embodiment, and allowing the user to place it, it is possible to secure the minimum necessary design spacing, making it possible to cut with as little waste as possible without reducing cutting quality.

[0037] In another embodiment, the CPU 51, as a means for generating display design data, may generate display design data by extending the design cut line CL outward in accordance with the layout dimension adjustment by the user (first method). In the first method, an extended line OL is set, which extends the outline of the design outward by an amount that takes into account a "predetermined interval value" beyond the cut line CL that is actually cut, and the expanded design with the extended line OL as the outline is shown to the user as a display design. As a result, the user can easily arrange the design with less waste and without reducing the quality of the cut simply by arranging the designs on the display screen 541 so that the outlines of the designs do not overlap.

[0038] In another embodiment, the CPU 51, as a means for generating display design data, may set a rectangular frame (circumscribed rectangular frame F1) that circumscribes the cut line CL of the design according to the layout dimension adjustment by the user, and set an extended frame that extends the circumscribed rectangular frame F1 outward to generate display design data (second method). The medium S is assumed to be rectangular, and rectangular shapes can often be arranged more efficiently without waste. In the second method, by setting a rectangular frame in the design and using it as display design data, it becomes easier to arrange the designs within the rectangular medium S, and the design layout can be easily set simply by arranging them. In addition, the display design used by the user to determine the layout has an extended frame F2 that is slightly larger overall than the circumscribed rectangular frame F1. As a result, appropriate spacing can be secured between designs, making it possible to achieve efficient design arrangement without waste without compromising the quality of the cuts.

[0039] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the above example illustrates a case where the cutting control device is the terminal device 50 (CPU 51 of the terminal device 50, etc.), the cutting control device is not limited to the terminal device 50. For example, the cutting control device may be the MPU 11 of the cutting device 10, and the cutting control device may be integrally provided within the cutting device 10. In this case, the MPU 11 generates cut data as appropriate from the image data. The MPU 11 also derives a "predetermined spacing value" to be secured between designs based on various conditions such as the blade width of the cutter blade 174. The MPU 11 functions as a receiving means for receiving layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design selected by the user, a display design data generation means for generating display design data that takes into account the received layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design and the "predetermined spacing value" to be secured between designs, and a display control means for displaying a preview screen on the display unit in which the display design based on the display design data generated by the display design data generation means is arranged on the display screen. In this case, the cutting device does not need to communicate with external devices such as terminal devices to send and receive information, and can have a simple configuration. In this case, a cutting control program that implements each of the above functions on the MPU 11 is provided in the memory unit 13 of the cutting device 10. In this case, the cutting device 10 may also be provided with a display unit that displays various display screens (see Figures 4, 6, and 8). Alternatively, the display design data generated by the MPU 11 of the cutting device 10 as a display design data generation means may be sent to the cooperating terminal device 50, and the display unit 54 of the terminal device 50 may display various display screens.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the CPU 51 determines from the user's arrangement of the display designs that there are overlapping areas, it displays an error message on the display unit 54 or notifies the user with an alarm, etc. However, having a notification means is not essential. For example, even without actively notifying, the system could be controlled so that the user cannot place (move) the display designs in the position they intended to place them if they attempt to do so in a state where there are overlapping areas, thereby preventing the display designs from being placed in an overlapping state. Also, notification is not limited to the display on the display unit 54 or by sound. For example, if an LED is provided, notification could be given by lighting it up. Moreover, such notification means may be provided on the terminal device 50 side or on the cutting device 10 side. For example, the indicator unit 14 of the cutting device 10 may function as a notification means. Also, notification means may be provided on both the cutting device 10 and the terminal device 50.

[0041] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the CPU 51, which is a means for generating display design data, sets an extended line OL (in the case of the first method), an example was given in which the extended design with the extended line OL as an outline is displayed on the display screen 541 as a display design and shown to the user. However, the display screen 541 does not have to show only the extended design with the extended line OL as an outline. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the original cut line CL may also be displayed inside the extended line OL. In this case, it is preferable to display the extended line OL as a solid line and the cut line CL as a dashed line, or to display them in different line types, so that they can be easily distinguished from the extended line OL and the cut line CL. The extended line OL and the cut line CL may also be distinguished by the color or thickness of the lines. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the CPU 51, which is a means for generating display design data, sets the extended frame F2 (in the case of the second method), the design after the extended frame F2 is set is shown to the user on the display screen 541 as a display design. However, the display screen 541 does not have to show only the extended design with the extended frame F2 set. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the original circumscribing rectangle frame F1 of the cut line CL may also be displayed inside the extended frame F2. In this case as well, it is preferable to display the extended frame F2 with a solid line and the circumscribing rectangle frame F1 with a dashed line, or to use different line types, so that the extended frame F2 and the circumscribing rectangle frame F1 can be easily distinguished. The extended frame F2 and the circumscribing rectangle frame F1 may also be distinguished by the color or thickness of the lines. In this way, by displaying the original cut line CL before expansion when showing the expanded display design, users are less likely to feel a sense of incongruity even if the display design is displayed in a way that differs in appearance from the design they chose, and it is easier for them to see how far the displayed design has been expanded outward from the actual cut line CL.

[0042] Alternatively, for example, the CPU 51 may allow the user to freely configure a design set, set a bounding rectangle frame F1 as a single design, and set an extended frame F2 outside this bounding rectangle frame F1 with each side extended outward by the same amount, and use this as design data for display. In this case, for example, as shown in Figure 12, a design having a cut line CL2 formed with a thicker line than the original cut line CL is displayed on the display unit 54, and the user is allowed to combine them to configure a design set. The cut line CL2 may simply be the cut line CL with a thicker line, or it may be set as an extended line OL outside the original cut line CL, as in the first method shown in the embodiment. Since a design having a cut line CL2 has extra space outside the original cut line CL, the cutting quality will not be affected even if the designs are placed close together, as long as the cut lines CL2 do not overlap. Therefore, the user can configure a design set consisting of two designs by placing one of the rotation-allowed designs in the correct position and the other in the reverse position (reverse orientation), staggered and close together, as shown in Figure 13, for example. In this case, the CPU 51 first sets a bounding rectangle frame F1 for this design set (see the left side of Figure 13), and then sets an extended frame F2 outside of the bounding rectangle frame F1, extending each side of the bounding rectangle frame F1 by an amount that takes into account a "predetermined spacing value". For example, if a 4 mm gap should be maintained between designs to maintain cutting quality, the CPU 51 sets the extended frame F2 2 mm outside each side of the bounding rectangle frame F1, and generates a design with the extended frame F2 as display design data. The CPU 51 then displays the display design based on this display design data on the display unit 54, and allows the user to place it within the virtual media frame 544 of the preview screen 541d and set the layout, as shown in Figure 14, for example. In this case, since users can configure any design set, it is possible to create a layout that closely resembles the optimal arrangement determined by human judgment.

[0043] Furthermore, in the first and second methods described in the above embodiments, a vertical and horizontal scale (measuring scale) may be displayed on the virtual media frame 544 displayed on the display screen 541. The scale (measuring scale) may be displayed outside the virtual media frame 544, or it may be displayed as a scale (measuring scale) by providing guide lines such as grid lines inside the virtual media frame 544. In addition, the CPU 51 may display the virtual media frame 544, which is a frame corresponding to a medium S having predetermined dimensions, on the display screen 541, and when a design is placed within the virtual media frame 544 by the user, it may present to the user the remaining margin area within the medium S and the designs that can be placed within that remaining margin area. In this case, the CPU 51 calculates the area of ​​the remaining margin area relative to the virtual media frame 544, compares the size relationship between each area of ​​the remaining margin area having a certain area and the area of ​​the circumscribing rectangle of the design selected by the user, and determines the designs that can be placed within the remaining margin area. Furthermore, a preview of a design with dimensions selected by the user may also be displayed simultaneously, for example, next to the virtual media frame 544 on which a scale (markings) is displayed. This makes it easier for the user to see the design options that can be placed in the remaining margin (remaining margin area) of the virtual media frame 544. The actual dimensions (length and width) of the media S to be cut can be determined by the CPU 51 by reading the media S or the backing paper integrated with the media S, etc. Therefore, when the CPU 51 displays the virtual media frame 544 on the display screen 541, it is preferable to enlarge or reduce the actual dimensions of the media S to match the display screen 541, and then display a scale (markings outside the frame or a grid inside the frame, etc.) that is obtained when the actual dimensions of the media S are replaced with a virtual length on the display screen 541. This makes it easier for the user to understand the remaining margin on the media S and the designs that can be placed within this remaining margin area.

[0044] In the embodiments described above, examples were given in which the user themselves places the display design based on the display design data within the virtual media frame 544 to determine the cut layout for the media S. However, the CPU may automatically perform all or part of the placement of the display design within the virtual media frame 544. For example, if there is a large amount of space remaining in the cut layout determined by the user, the CPU 51 may suggest to the user a design of a suitable size to fill the space from among the designs selected by the user that have extension lines OL and extension frames F2 set, or show the user an example of placement. Also, for example, in the second method, where a rectangular extension frame F2 is set as the display design, the CPU 51 may consider the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the media S and present the user with an example layout that allows for the efficient placement of many designs, and ask for their approval. In this case, it is preferable for the CPU 51 to present multiple types of layout examples and ask the user to make a selection. Furthermore, it is preferable that the CPU 51 derives the area of ​​the blank space where the design is not placed according to each layout example, based on the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the medium S and the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the extension frame F2 of each design, and adds this blank space information to the layout example presented to the user. This makes it possible to propose a layout that is as efficient as possible while minimizing the effort required for user settings.

[0045] Furthermore, the specific details such as the configuration, arrangement, order, and numerical values ​​of the processes shown in the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Moreover, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 50...Terminal device (cutting control device), 51...CPU (display design data generation means, display control means), 54...Display unit, 173...Cutting mechanism (cutting unit), 541...Display screen, S...Medium (medium to be cut)

Claims

1. A cutting control device for controlling a cutting apparatus that includes a cutting section for cutting a medium having predetermined dimensions, A display design data generation means generates display design data that takes into account predetermined spacing values ​​to be maintained between designs, based on the layout of multiple designs to be cut at the aforementioned cutting section. A display control means that displays a preview screen on the display unit, which is arranged on the display screen, based on the display design data generated by the display design data generation means. Equipped with, A cutting control device characterized by the following:

2. The cutting section further includes a receiving means for receiving instructions for adjusting the layout dimensions of each design selected by the user as the design to be cut, The display design data generation means generates display design data that takes into account the layout dimension adjustment instructions for each design received by the reception means and a predetermined interval value to be secured between designs. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

3. The display design data generation means generates individual design data by extending the design cut lines outward in accordance with the layout dimension adjustments made by the user. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

4. The display design data generation means sets a rectangular frame that circumscribes the cut line of the design according to the layout dimension adjustment by the user, and generates individual design data by expanding the rectangular frame outward. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

5. The display control means displays a frame corresponding to the medium to be cut having predetermined dimensions on the display screen, and when a design is placed within the frame by the user, it can present to the user the remaining margin area within the medium to be cut and the designs that can be placed within the remaining margin area. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

6. A control method for a cutting device including a cutting section for cutting a medium having predetermined dimensions, Based on the layout of the multiple designs to be cut at the aforementioned cutting section, display design data is generated that takes into account predetermined spacing values ​​to be maintained between the designs. The display unit displays a preview screen, which is an arrangement of the display design based on the generated display design data, on the display screen. A method for controlling a cutting device, characterized by the features described above.

7. A computer that controls a cutting device including a cutting section for cutting a medium having predetermined dimensions, A display design data generation function generates display design data that takes into account predetermined spacing values ​​to be maintained between designs, based on the layout of multiple designs to be cut at the aforementioned cutting section. A display control function that displays a preview screen on the display unit, which is arranged on the display screen, based on the display design data generated by the aforementioned display design data generation function, A program characterized by its ability to achieve [this].

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