Cutting control device, cutting device control method and program

Abstract

The cut design, consisting of multiple parts, is cut in a way that makes it easy to reassemble the parts into the intended design after cutting. [Solution] A cutting control device, which is a terminal device 50 that is a cutting control device, controls a cutting device 10 when cutting a cut design composed of multiple parts that are far apart from each other. The device includes a CPU 51 that functions as an identification means for identifying other parts that are in a predetermined neighboring positional relationship with one part, among the multiple parts that constitute the cut design, based on image data of the cut design, such that the contour lines that define the boundary of one part are not continuous with each other, and the contour lines of one part are not continuous with each other. It also includes a generation means for generating processing cut data in which a bridge CP, which is a connecting part for maintaining the predetermined neighboring positional relationship between the identified one part and the other parts, is placed between the contour line of one part and the contour line of the other parts.

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, when cutting out a cut design with a cutting device, if the cutting shape or arrangement collapses during cutting out, it will affect the quality of the finished product after cutting. Therefore, for example, in Patent Document 1, it is described that by forming a tie portion (non-cut portion) in the cutting shape, it is possible to prevent unintentional breakage or the like when removing the cut parts (referred to as "objects" in Patent Document 1) after cutting.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There are cases where a cut design consisting of a plurality of parts is cut out from a single cut medium using a cutting device and then pasted onto a backing sheet or the like. However, if there is a part where the contour lines of the plurality of parts are not continuous, the parts will become separated after cutting, and the intervals, arrangements, angles, etc. between the parts will collapse. Therefore, when the parts are pasted onto a backing sheet or the like and reconfigured, there is a risk that the cut design will be different from what the user originally intended. In this regard, the technology described in Patent Document 1 only addresses countermeasures for a single cut design and does not consider improving the appearance quality of the entire design when cutting out and pasting a cut design consisting of a plurality of parts.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve these problems and provides a cutting control device, a control method for the cutting device, and a program that can cut a cut design consisting of multiple parts in a way that makes it easy to reassemble the parts into the intended design after cutting. [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 when cutting a cut design comprising a plurality of parts that are separated from each other, and is characterized by comprising: identification means that, based on image data of the cut design, identifies other parts among the plurality of parts that constitute the cut design, in which the contour lines that define the boundary of one part and the contour lines of the other parts are not continuous and the contour lines of the one part are in a predetermined neighboring positional relationship; and generation means that generates processing cut data in which a connecting portion for maintaining the predetermined neighboring positional relationship between the identified one part and the other parts is placed between the contour line of the one part and the contour line of the other parts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a cut design consisting of multiple parts can be cut in a way that makes it easy to reassemble the parts into the intended design after cutting. [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 a settings input screen displayed on the display unit. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the automatic creation settings screen displayed on the display unit. [Figure 6]This diagram shows an example of a state where bridges are formed between the various parts that make up the cut design. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of variations in the bridges formed between the various parts that make up the cut design. [Figure 8] This is a schematic enlarged view of a key part of the cutting data for a cut design, showing an enlarged portion of the cutting data when the bridge shown in Figure 6 is formed between the parts that make up the cut design. [Figure 9] This is a schematic enlarged view of a key part of the processing cut data, showing an enlarged portion of the data when the bridge shown in Figure 7 is formed between the parts that make up the cut design. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of variations in the bridges formed between the various parts that make up the cut design. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of variations in the bridges formed between the various parts that make up the cut design. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a state in which bridges are formed between the various parts that constitute and contain a cut design. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a state in which bridges are formed between the various parts that constitute and contain a cut design. [Figure 14] This is a flowchart showing a cutting control method in an embodiment. [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 170, such as a sheet of resin, a sticker, 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, a storage unit 12, an operation 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.

[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 12 and 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 13 has various buttons and the like, accepts the pressing input to each button from the user, and outputs the operation information to the MPU 11. The various buttons of the operation unit 13 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 12 is a storage unit capable of reading and writing information such as a flash memory. The storage unit 12 stores various data such as cut data and various programs (for example, a cutting process program 121). The indicator unit 14 has a light emitting unit such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and indicates various states of the cutting device 10 by lighting / 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 unit according to the instruction of the MPU 11.

[0014] The wired communication unit 15 is an interface for wired communication conforming to 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, for example, a cutter blade 170 held by a cutter unit or the like, and an X-axis motor 171, a Z-axis motor 172, etc. that operate the cutter blade 170 (the cutter unit holding the cutter blade 170). The X-axis motor 171 is a motor that drives the cutter blade 170 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 170 and the medium S, which is the medium to be cut by the cutter blade 170, according to the instruction of the MPU 11, and drives the cutter blade 170 or the medium S in the Z-axis direction. The cutter blade 170 cuts a 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 170 in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction as appropriate according to the instruction of the MPU 11 by driving the X-axis motor 171 and the Z-axis motor 172.

[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 170. In the cutting device 10 of the embodiment, the X-axis is taken as the main scanning direction for moving the cutting mechanism 173 relative to the medium S. The Y-axis is orthogonal to the X-axis and is taken as the conveyance 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 170 up and down relative 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 170 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 170 is at the origin position to the MPU 11. The MPU 11 drives the X-axis motor 171 etc. of the cutting mechanism 17 as appropriate using the detection result of whether the cutter blade 170 is at the origin position, and controls the position of the cutter blade 170 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. The paper feeding detection unit 20 may also be able to detect the size of the medium S set in the paper feeding mechanism 19.

[0019] Next, in this embodiment, the terminal device 50 is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal, and as shown in Figure 3, includes a CPU 51, RAM 52, storage unit 53, display unit 54, operation unit 55, communication unit 56, etc., and each part of the terminal device 50 is connected via a bus. In this embodiment, the terminal device 50 transmits cut data (processing cut data, etc., described later) 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. In this embodiment, the terminal device 50 is a cutting control device that controls the cutting device 10 when cutting a cut design which is composed of multiple parts that are far apart from each other.

[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. For example, the memory unit 53 stores various programs and data, such as a cutting application program (referred to as "cutting AP" in Figure 2) 531 for controlling the cutting operation performed in the cutting device 10. Examples of data stored in the memory unit 53 include image data of the cut design (original design data) and cut data. 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 composed 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 receives setting instructions etc. based on the information transmitted from the operation unit 55. 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. In this embodiment, various screens such as various setting screens and preview screens are displayed on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54 based on the cutting AP 531 (see Figures 4 and 5). For example, when a user performs an input operation on the settings screen shown in Figure 4, the content of that operation (setting instruction) is received by the CPU 51, which acts as a reception means.

[0022] In this embodiment, the CPU 51 functions as a means for identifying which of the multiple parts constituting the cut design to be cut by the cutting device 10 require a bridge CP, which is a connecting part, between the parts. Specifically, the CPU 51, as a means for identifying, identifies, based on the image data of the cut design, "other parts" that are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with "one part" and whose contour lines that define the boundary of "one part" are not continuous with each other. In this way, the CPU 51 performs a process to identify "other parts" that meet the conditions described later for each "one part". Here, "one part" is a cut shape formed by a single continuous line and is the shape of the smallest unit that constitutes the unit design described later. For example, as shown in Figure 6, in the case of a cut design consisting of the three characters "aiu", the cut design consists of three unit designs: "a", "i", and "u". A "unit design" is a unit of design that is usually perceived as a single, independent design. For example, in Figure 6, the unit design "a" is D1, the unit design "i" is D2, and the unit design "u" is D3. Of these, unit design D1 consists of a single, continuous part. In contrast, unit design D2, "i," consists of two parts: the left part (let's call it the first part d1 of D2) and the right part (let's call it the second part d2 of D2). Unit design D3, "u," consists of two parts: the lower part (let's call it the first part d1 of D3) and the upper part (let's call it the second part d2 of D3).

[0023] In the example shown in Figure 6, the contour lines that define the boundaries of the first part d1 and second part d2 of unit design D1 and unit design D2, and the first part d1 and second part d2 of unit design D3, are not continuous with the contour lines of any other part. Therefore, if they are simply cut apart as they are, the arrangement relationships and angles of each part cannot be maintained from the state before cutting. The CPU 51 determines that it is necessary to provide a bridge CP between parts when there are parts whose contour lines are not continuous. As a specific method for the CPU 51 to determine which parts need to have a bridge CP between, for example, the outermost frame of the medium S (for example, the outer frame of A4 size if the medium S is an A4 size sheet) is used as the reference frame RF, and the contour lines of the parts are sequentially recognized from this reference frame RF toward the inside of the medium S. The reference frame RF may be based on the type and size of the medium S entered by the user, or the outer frame of the medium S based on the detection result of the paper feed detection unit 20 may be set as the default reference frame RF until the user makes a setting. For example, if CPU 51 recognizes the contour lines of parts from the top to the bottom of the reference frame RF in Figure 6, the first contour line is the upper contour line o3 of the second part d2 of unit design D3, and the second contour line is the lower contour line o4 of the second part d2 of unit design D3. Then, the third contour line is the upper contour line o5 of the first part d1 of unit design D3, and the fourth contour line is the lower contour line o6 of the first part d1 of unit design D3. Pairs of odd-numbered and even-numbered contour lines are contour lines that enclose one part. For example, contour lines o3 and o4 are contour lines that define the boundary of "one part" (the second part d2 of unit design D3), and contour lines o5 and o6 are contour lines that define the boundary of "another part" (the first part d1 of unit design D3). In this case, the CPU 51 examines the relationship between contour line o4 and contour line o5 and determines that if they do not touch and are not continuous, it is necessary to provide a bridge CP between the contour lines (between the parts enclosed by the contour lines).

[0024] In contrast, for example, if the CPU 51 recognizes the contour lines of the part from left to right on the reference frame RF in Figure 6, the first contour line is the left contour line o1 of the unit design D1, and the second contour line is the inner (right) contour line o2. Looking only at the number of lines from left to right, there are lines n3 and n4, and there is a space sp between contour line o2 and line n3 that should be cut out during cutting. However, line n3 is an extension of one of the contour lines (contour line o2 in the example of Figure 6) and does not form an independent part. Also, there is a space sp inside line n4 (right side in Figure 6) that should be cut out, but the space sp to the right of line n4 is a closed region, and cutting out space sp does not result in a design part (shown in black in Figure 6) being separated from the whole. For this reason, the CPU 51 determines that it is not necessary to provide a bridge CP between contour line o2 and line n3 or inside line n4. Similarly, CPU51 determines whether a bridge CP is necessary for the outlines of other parts.

[0025] When CPU 51 determines that a bridge CP needs to be provided between parts, it further identifies parts that are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with respect to each part. Specifically, as a means of identification, CPU 51 determines that "one part" and "another part" are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" when at least one of the distance between "one part" and "another part," or the area of ​​the space between "one part" and "another part," is within a certain limit. The distance between "one part" and "another part" is determined by CPU 51 from, for example, the coordinate positions of dots that constitute the contour lines, which are grasped from the image data of the cut design. "Predetermined neighboring positional relationship" means that the parts are close in a straight line, for example, parts that are adjacent at a close distance. Here, "close distance" is assumed to be, for example, a distance of about 5 mm or less. It is preferable that the user can arbitrarily specify the distance. Alternatively, it may be set by default to determine 5 mm as the "close distance." For example, if we use unit design D1 as the reference (i.e., if we consider unit design D1 as "one part"), the "other part" in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" is the first part d1 of unit design D2. Also, for example, if we use the first part d1 of unit design D2 as the reference (i.e., if we consider the first part d1 of unit design D2 as "one part"), the "other part" in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" is the second part d2 of unit design D2, but it has already been decided that a bridge CP will be provided between unit design D1 and the second part d2. For this reason, the "other part" when using the first part d1 of unit design D2 as the reference is the second part d2 of unit design D2. Similarly, when using the second part d2 of unit design D2 as the reference, the CPU 51 identifies the "other part" in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" as the second part d1 of unit design D3. Furthermore, if, for example, the second part d1 and second part d2 of unit design D3 are at exactly the same distance from the first part d1 of unit design D2, which is designated as "part 1", then CPU 51 may designate either part as the "other part" to be connected by the bridge CP. In such cases, the user may pre-configure which part is designated as the "other part," for example, by "prioritizing the one located higher up."Furthermore, in this embodiment, the paper size can be determined by the device, in which case the area of ​​one dot can be calculated, and the area of ​​the space can be determined by adding up these dots. In order to create a closed area, it is conceivable to virtually form a space by connecting adjacent vertices (or two points on an edge) and calculate the area of ​​the connected space between those vertices.

[0026] The CPU 51 also functions as a generation means for generating cutting data for processing to be sent to the cutting device 10. As a generation means, the CPU 51 generates cutting data for processing in which bridge CPs, which are connecting parts for maintaining a predetermined neighboring positional relationship between "one part" and "another part" identified by the identification means, are placed between the contour line of "one part" and the contour line of "another part". As mentioned above, the CPU 51 of this embodiment also functions as a reception means for receiving setting instructions from the user input from the operation unit 55 or the touch panel of the display unit 54. As a generation means, the CPU 51 places the bridge CPs (connecting parts) according to the setting instructions received by the reception means. The setting instructions received by the CPU 51 as a reception means preferably include at least one of the following: the placement location of the bridge CPs, the number of bridge CPs to be placed, the shape of the bridge CPs, and the configuration of the bridge CPs. The shape of the bridge CPs includes the width of the bridge CPs (width, thickness). The configuration of the bridge CPs may also include the cutting configuration of the boundary between the bridge CPs and the contour line of the part. While a wider (thicker) bridge CP provides a more secure connection between parts, it increases the user's effort when removing the bridge CP after attaching the parts to a backing board or similar. Therefore, when the width of the bridge CP is set to be wider (thicker), the cutting pattern at the boundary between the bridge CP and the part's contour line (boundary bc in Figure 6) may be set to a dashed line in conjunction with this. Alternatively, the cutting pattern at the boundary between the bridge CP and the part's contour line may be set to a dashed line regardless of the width (thickness) of the bridge CP. Furthermore, since the bridge CP is prone to tearing if it is not wide enough (thick), if the user can arbitrarily set the width of the bridge CP, the setting to set the cutting pattern to a dashed line may be restricted to when a certain width or greater is set.

[0027] Figure 4 illustrates a case where a user can set how many bridge CPs (connecting parts) to be placed between the contour line of "part one" and the contour line of "other parts" (referred to as "number of bridges" in Figure 4), and what type of bridge CPs to be placed, based on the cutting AP 531, on a display screen 541 (setting screen 541a). The items set by the user (setting instructions) are received by the CPU 51, which also functions as a receiving means, and the CPU 51, as a generation means, follows the contents of the setting instructions when generating cut data for processing. For example, the example shown in Figure 4 shows a case where the number of bridges is set to 1, and the bridge type is set to make the boundary part bc a dashed line (cutting line Bcl in Figure 8). In this embodiment, the terminal device 50, as a cutting control device, automatically places bridge CPs (connecting parts) and generates cut data for processing (generation of cut data for processing in automatic mode) when "part one" and "other parts" are identified by the CPU 51, which acts as a identifying means. Even in this automatic mode, the setting instructions set by the user and received by the CPU 51 are referenced and considered when generating the cutting data for machining. In automatic mode, the placement of the bridge CP only needs to be in a position that takes into account the connection angles between the bridge CP and "part 1" and "other parts".

[0028] Furthermore, matters not specified by the user (for example, in this embodiment, the specific locations where bridge CPs are placed) are automatically determined by the CPU 51. For example, if it is determined that bridge CPs are to be placed between unit design D1 and the first part d1 of unit design D2, between the first part d1 and the second part d2 of unit design D2, between the second part d2 of unit design D2 and the first part d1 of unit design D3, and between the first part d1 and the second part d2 of unit design D3, the CPU 51 generates processing cut data with bridge CPs placed between each part based on the above setting, as shown in Figure 6. In this case, if the user does not specify where each bridge CP should be placed, for example, it is preferable for the CPU 51 to determine, for example, to place the bridge CP at the location between contour lines where the distance between contour lines is greatest. That is, if a bridge CP is placed in a narrow gap, it may be difficult to remove the bridge CP after the part has been attached to a backing board, etc., as it may be difficult to get your fingers in. For this reason, it is preferable to place the bridge CP in a location with as wide a gap as possible that is easy to work with. For this reason, regarding the placement of bridge CPs, for example, limits on the distance (gap) between contour lines where bridge CPs are installed may be set in advance to prevent bridge CPs from being placed in narrow gaps. However, if only wide gaps are prioritized, the balance may be poor and the design may be prone to distortion. For example, in the unit design D3, the distance between the first part d1 and the second part d2 is greatest at the leftmost part, but placing a bridge CP in this area may result in poor balance. For this reason, the bridge CP may be placed slightly to the right of the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in Figure 6) of the second part d2, where there is sufficient space for work to be done. Furthermore, from the perspective of workability and design, the connection angles of the bridge CP with "part one" and "other parts" may be considered by setting thresholds.Note that the connection angle refers to the angle of the connection point. If the bridge CP is installed at too steep an angle, it may become difficult to detach the bridge CP. Therefore, when determining the connection angle, the inclination of the line (outline) of the part where the bridge CP is installed may also be considered.

[0029] Figure 6 illustrates a case where the bridge CP is relatively wide (e.g., 3 mm or more, several mm or more). When the bridge CP is several mm or more wide, it is preferable to add a dashed cut line Bcl at the boundary bc, which is the boundary between the bridge CP and the contour line oL of the part (contour line oL in Figures 8 and 9), as shown in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, when the boundary bc between the bridge CP and the contour line oL of the part is made into a cut line Bcl, for example, when the width of the bridge CP is 3 mm, it is preferable to make the total of the cut portions Cw of the cut line Bcl about 2 mm and the total of the uncut portions Cn that remain connected without being cut about 1 mm. On the other hand, if the form of the bridge CP is set to be a thin line overall, a bridge CP like the one shown in Figure 7 will be set between the boundary lines of the parts. A thin line is when the width of the bridge CP is less than several mm, such as about 2 mm, as shown in Figure 9. In this case, the boundary bc can be easily torn by hand without needing a dashed line, and conversely, it is difficult to draw a dashed line like a cut line, so the boundary bc is left as a continuous whole. Note that Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the bridge CP between unit design D1 and the first part d1 of unit design D2, but the same applies to other locations.

[0030] Furthermore, when multiple bridge CPs are installed in the parts that connect to each other, the arrangement should be as shown in Figures 10 and 11. Specifically, if the "Number of Bridges" is set to 2 in the setting screen 541a shown in Figure 4, then, as shown in Figure 10, two bridge CPs should be installed in each part where bridge CPs are to be installed. In this case, the specific installation locations are not particularly limited, but the bridge CPs should be installed in locations that are as balanced vertically as possible. Furthermore, if the "Number of Bridges" is set to 3 in the setting screen 541a, then, as shown in Figure 11, three bridge CPs should be installed in each part where bridge CPs are to be installed. In this case, the specific locations are not particularly limited, but for example, one more bridge CP should be installed in the middle of the two bridge CPs shown in Figure 10. Note that Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the case where narrow bridge CPs are installed, but the same applies when wide bridge CPs are installed. In this case, it is preferable to use the cutting line Bcl as the boundary bc between each bridge CP and the contour line oL of the part.

[0031] Furthermore, the "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" between parts includes both inclusion and parallel relationships. A "parallel relationship" between parts means that, on a two-dimensional coordinate system, "one part" and "another part" are adjacent to each other on the coordinate system (i.e., they are adjacent on the X or Y coordinate axis). For example, the cut designs of "aiu" shown in Figures 6 to 9 are examples where the unit designs (in the illustrated examples, unit designs D1, D2, and D3) are arranged horizontally, and the parts are in a parallel arrangement relationship. In contrast, a "containment relationship" between parts means that, two-dimensionally, "another part" is contained inside "one part". For example, the cut designs shown in Figures 12 and 13 (designs D4 and D5 in Figures 12 and 13) are examples where parts d2 and d3 are contained inside the outer ring-shaped part d1, respectively. Even when parts have such an intrinsic relationship, the method by which the CPU 51 determines whether or not a bridge CP is necessary between the parts is the same as in the case of a parallel relationship. That is, the CPU 51 recognizes the contour lines of the parts from the reference frame RF toward the inside of the medium S.

[0032] First, in the example shown in Figure 12, if we recognize the contour lines of the parts sequentially from the top to the bottom of the reference frame RF in Figure 12, the first contour line is the upper (outer) contour line o1 of the first part d1, and the second contour line is the lower (inner) contour line o2 of the first part d1. The third contour line is the upper (outer) contour line o3 of the second part d2, and the fourth contour line is the lower (inner) contour line o4 of the second part d2. Furthermore, the fifth contour line is the upper (one side) contour line o5 of the third part d3, and the sixth contour line is the lower (other side) contour line o6 of the third part d3. The first part d1 is a donut-shaped part closed between contour lines o1 and o2, and the second part d2 is a donut-shaped part closed between contour lines o3 and o4, with the lower (inner) contour line o2 of the first part d1 and the upper (outer) contour line o3 of the second part d2 not touching and not continuous. Also, the third part d3 is a circular part enclosed by a continuous contour line o5, o6, with the lower (inner) contour line o4 of the second part d2 and the contour lines o5, o6 of the third part d3 not touching and not continuous. For this reason, the CPU 51 identifies the first part d1 as "one part" among the multiple parts that make up design D4, and identifies the second part d2 as "another part" because the contour lines that define the boundary of the first part d1 and the contour lines themselves are not continuous, and the second part d2 is in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with the first part d1. Specifically, the CPU 51 determines that a bridge CP should be placed between the lower (inner) contour line o2 of the first part d1 and the upper (outer) contour line o3 of the second part d2. Similarly, when the second part d2 is considered "one part," the CPU 51 identifies the third part d3, which has a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with the second part d2, as "another part" because the contour lines that define the boundary of the second part d2 are not continuous and the third part d3 is not continuous with the second part d2, and determines that a bridge CP should also be placed between the lower (inner) contour line o4 of the second part d2 and the contour line o5 or o6 of the third part d3. As a result, when the design D4 consisting of the first part d1, the second part d2, and the third part d3 is cut by the cutting device 10, the three parts will not fall apart, and the positional relationships between the parts will be maintained while they are attached to a backing board or the like.

[0033] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 13, if the contour lines of each part constituting design D5 are recognized sequentially from the top to the bottom of the reference frame RF in Figure 13, the contour lines from the first to the sixth will be contour lines o1 to o6, similar to the case in Figure 12. The contour line o4 on the lower (inner) side of the second part d2 and the contour line o5 or o6 of the third part d3 are not touching and are not continuous. Therefore, when the second part d2 is considered "one part", the CPU 51 identifies the third part d3, which is in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with the second part d2, as "another part" because the contour lines that define the boundary of the second part d2 are not continuous and the third part d3 is in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with the second part d2, and determines that a bridge CP should be installed between the contour line o4 on the lower (inner) side of the second part d2 and the contour line o5 or o6 of the third part d3. However, unlike design D4 shown in Figure 12, the lower (inner) contour line o2 of the first part d1 and the upper (outer) contour line o3 of the second part d2 are in contact and continuous. Therefore, the CPU 51 decides not to set a bridge CP between the lower (inner) contour line o2 of the first part d1 and the upper (outer) contour line o3 of the second part d2.

[0034] Next, with reference to Figure 14 and the like, the cutting control method by the terminal device 50, which is the cutting control device in this embodiment, will be described. In this embodiment, the CPU 51 of the terminal device 50, which is the cutting control device, generates processing cut data for the cutting device 10 to cut the design and provides it to the cutting device 10. Specifically, first, the CPU 51 works in conjunction with the cutting AP 531 stored in the storage unit 53 to display 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 in the terminal device 50, and prompts the user to select a design (step S1). When the user inputs a design to be cut by the cutting device 10 from among these, the CPU 51 accepts the user's design selection (step S2).

[0035] When the user selects a design to be cut by the cutting device 10, the CPU 51 displays a bridge setting screen 541a (see Figure 4) on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54, prompting the user to set the number of bridge CPs to be provided and the type of bridge CPs (whether to make them narrow bridge CPs or wide bridge CPs with cutting lines Bcl formed at the boundary bc, etc.) (step S3). When the user has made the settings for the bridge CPs, the CPU 51 accepts the setting instructions (step S4). In this embodiment, if there is input to automatically create bridge CPs according to the settings (for example, when the execute button is pressed in Figure 5), the CPU 51 automatically sets the bridge CPs for the cut design, reflecting the items set by the user (step S5). That is, first, based on the image data of the cut design, the CPU 51 identifies the contour lines that define the boundaries of "one part" and the parts whose contour lines are not continuous among the multiple parts that make up the cut design. Then, it is determined whether "Part 1" and the identified part can be considered "other parts" that are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship," such as a parallel relationship or an inclusion relationship. If "other parts" that are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with "Part 1" are identified, it is determined that it is necessary to set up bridge CPs between the contour lines of each part.

[0036] When the locations where bridge CPs need to be set are identified, the CPU 51 generates machining cut data with bridge CPs set that reflect the user's setting instructions. Specifically, for example, if it is set to set one wide bridge CP between each part where bridge CPs are needed, the CPU 51 sets bridge CPs with cutting lines Bcl set at each boundary bc, for example as shown in Figure 6 (see Figures 6, 8, 12, and 13). If it is set to set one narrow bridge CP between each part where bridge CPs are needed, the CPU 51 sets narrow bridge CPs, for example as shown in Figure 7 (see Figures 7 and 9). Furthermore, if it is set to set two narrow bridge CPs between each part where bridge CPs are needed, the CPU 51 sets two narrow bridge CPs, for example as shown in Figure 10, and if it is set to set three narrow bridge CPs between each part where bridge CPs are needed, the CPU 51 sets three narrow bridge CPs, for example as shown in Figure 11. While it is preferable for the bridge CP to be set in a straight line, it may also be used to connect parts diagonally, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, as long as it is within the pre-set range of the bridge's inclination.

[0037] Next, the CPU 51 generates processing cut data and displays an image of the cutting result when the cutting device 50 performs cutting based on this data on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54, etc., to the user, prompting the user to confirm and approve (step S6). The CPU 51 then continuously determines whether or not a cutting instruction has been entered by the user (step S7), and until a cutting instruction is entered (step S7; NO), it returns to step S6 and repeats the process. On the other hand, if a cutting instruction has been entered (step S7; YES), the CPU 51 determines that the contents of the processing cut data have been approved by the user, and outputs the processing cut data to the cutting device 10 via the communication unit 56, and also determines whether or not the medium S has been fed (step S8). The determination is repeated until the paper feed detection unit 20 detects that the medium S has been fed (step S8; NO). Then, when it is detected that the medium S has been fed (step S8; YES), the CPU 51 controls the operation of the cutting device 10 so that the bridge CP performs the cutting process based on the cut data for processing (step S9).

[0038] The CPU 51 determines whether the cutting process by the cutting device 10 is complete (step S10), and continues the process until it is complete (step S10; NO). On the other hand, once the cutting process is complete (step S10; YES), the cut medium S is discharged from the cutting device 10 (step S11). Although not shown in the diagram, in this embodiment, the cut design after cutting has each part connected by bridges CP, maintaining the position and angle of each part within the design. The user carefully removes the cut design after cutting from the medium S, taking care not to tear or rip it, and places it on a backing paper or the like where they want to attach it. For example, if the medium S has an adhesive surface and a release liner covering the adhesive surface, the user peels off the release liner and attaches the cut design to the backing paper. Once all the parts connected by bridges CP have been attached, the user cuts off the bridges CP from the parts using their fingers or a cutter and removes them. This allows the cut design to be attached to the backing paper or the like while maintaining the arrangement and angles of the parts that make up the design. Furthermore, to prevent the bridge CP from sticking to the backing before separating the parts, you may apply masking tape or similar to the area on the backing corresponding to the bridge CP. Also, if the medium S does not have an adhesive surface, the user can apply glue to each part while avoiding the bridge CP area, allowing them to easily remove only the unglued bridge CP area after attaching each part to the backing. This allows users to enjoy the cut design (cutting result) by attaching it to the backing without disrupting the originally intended arrangement of parts when the cut design is composed of multiple parts.

[0039] As described above, the terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device according to this embodiment, is a cutting control device that controls the cutting device 10 when cutting a cut design composed of multiple parts that are far apart from each other (such as the first part d1 of unit design D1 and unit design D2). It includes a CPU 51 that functions as a means for identifying "other parts" that are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with "one part" and whose contour lines are not continuous with each other, and which are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with "one part", based on image data of the cut design, and a means for generating processing cut data in which a bridge CP as a connecting part to maintain the "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" between the identified "one part" and "other parts" is placed between the contour line of "one part" and the contour line of "other parts". This prevents the multiple parts that constitute the cut design from falling apart after cutting by the cutting device 10, and allows the cutting device 10 to cut in a way that makes it easy to reconstruct the parts into the intended design after cutting. As a result, the cut design (cutting result) after cutting can be attached to a backing or the like while maintaining the arrangement and angles as originally intended.

[0040] In another embodiment, when the CPU 51, which functions with the specific means, determines whether "one part" and "another part" are in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship," it considers whether at least one of the distance between "one part" and "another part" or the area of ​​the space between "one part" and "another part" is within a certain limit. This ensures that, for example, in a cut design of "aiu," "a" located on the left is connected to the first part d1 of "i" located to its right by a bridge CP, and it is possible to avoid the formation of a bridge CP in a state where, for example, a bridge CP is formed between "a" and "u" located to its right, and "i" is not connected to anything.

[0041] Furthermore, the "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" in the embodiment applies to parts in an inclusion relationship, such as those shown in Figures 12 and 13, as well as to parts in a parallel relationship, such as the "aiu" design shown in Figure 6. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not it is necessary to set up bridge CPs appropriately for various cut designs and to set up the necessary bridge CPs.

[0042] Furthermore, the CPU 51 of the terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device in this embodiment, also functions as a receiving means for receiving setting instructions from the user. When the CPU 51 generates cutting data for processing as a generation means, it arranges the connecting parts according to the setting instructions received by the receiving means. In particular, the setting instructions that the CPU 51 of this embodiment receives as a receiving means include at least one of the following: the location of the bridge CP (connecting part), the number of bridge CPs to be arranged, the shape of the bridge CPs, and the configuration of the bridge CPs. This makes it possible to generate cutting data that reflects the user's intentions, such as cutting data for processing in which bridge CPs are set in locations that are easy for the user to work with.

[0043] In this embodiment, the configuration of the bridge CP (connecting portion) includes a cutting configuration of the boundary portion bc, which is the boundary between the bridge CP and the contour line. That is, if the width of the bridge CP is wide, if the bridge CP and the contour line are connected by a solid line, it becomes difficult to remove the bridge CP by tearing it off with your fingers, and the parts are more likely to tear when removing the bridge CP. In this regard, if the cutting configuration of the boundary portion bc is selectable, a dashed cutting line Bcl can be provided depending on the width of the bridge CP, making it possible to create a bridge CP that is easy to remove after the parts have been reassembled on a backing board or the like.

[0044] In another embodiment, the terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device, generates cutting data for processing in an automatic mode in which the CPU 51 automatically places a bridge CP (connecting part) when "one part" and "another part" are identified by the CPU 51 as a identifying means. Therefore, cutting data for processing with bridge CP set can be generated without requiring any action from the user.

[0045] Although the present invention has been described in detail based on embodiments above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the "aiu" design (see Figure 6, etc.) is shown as an example of a case where the parts constituting the cut design are in a parallel relationship, and the design in which a ring-shaped design or a circular design overlaps the inside of a donut-shaped ring (see Figures 12 and 13) is shown as an example of a case where they are in an inclusion relationship. However, the illustrated examples are just examples of designs in a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship," and the cut designs to which this embodiment can be applied are not limited to the illustrated examples.

[0046] In the case of unit designs, even if the neighboring position or spatial area requirements are not met, the system may still consider them as a pair and ensure that at least one bridge CP is always provided. For example, even if the first part d1 and the second part d2 that make up the unit design D2 "い" are far apart, if they are considered a single unit design, a bridge CP will be provided between the first part d1 and the second part d2. In this case, for example, if it is difficult to connect the even-numbered contour lines with the odd-numbered contour lines when recognizing the contour lines sequentially from the reference frame RF, it is preferable to ensure that at least one bridge CP is always provided. In such cases, the user may be able to select where and how to provide the bridge CPs and change the specifications. In that case, the location of the bridge CP for connecting multiple parts within a unit design may be determined by the CPU 51 to automatically set the bridge, for example, by finding the closest position within a user-specified distance range for each part. Unit designs may also be limited to characters. For example, for shapes that are recognized as environment-dependent characters on a PC, even if they are divided into multiple parts, they will be treated as a single unit design, and if the parts include parts with non-continuous outlines, a bridge CP will be created between the parts.

[0047] Furthermore, in the embodiment, an automatic mode was described in which the CPU 51 of the terminal device 50, which is a cutting control device, automatically places a bridge CP (connecting part) and generates cutting data for processing when it identifies "one part" and "another part" as a means of identification. However, the mode in which a bridge CP (connecting part) is placed when "one part" and "another part" are identified is not limited to the automatic mode. For example, when the CPU 51 identifies "one part" and "another part", it may set the bridge CP in a semi-automatic mode by presenting multiple candidates for how to place the bridge CP (connecting part) to the user and asking for a selection. In addition, when the CPU 51 identifies "one part" and "another part", it may place the connecting part in response to placement instructions from the user (manual mode). In this case, for example, when the user indicates two points on the display screen 541, the bridge CP is set to connect those two points.

[0048] In manual mode, if the location where the user instructs the placement of the bridge CP is a narrow area where it is difficult to remove the bridge CP with fingers after cutting, or if the user instructs the placement of the bridge CP in a location where it is difficult to maintain a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" with the bridge CP when considering the balance between parts, or if the CPU 51 determines that it is difficult to maintain a "predetermined neighboring positional relationship" for all parts based on the user's instructions, the CPU 51 may notify or warn the user by displaying a message on the display screen 541 of the display unit 54. Notifications and warnings are not limited to displays on the display unit 54, but may also be made by voice or a buzzer. Furthermore, the terminal device 50 as a cutting control device can be switched between the automatic mode, semi-automatic mode, and manual mode as described above, and the user may choose which mode to use to set the bridge CP. In manual mode and semi-automatic mode, it is easier for the user to set the bridge CP in a location that is easy for them to work in, and the workability when the user attaches the cut design (parts that make up the cut design) can be improved.

[0049] Furthermore, when generating cut data for processing in automatic mode, as in the embodiment, all user settings and confirmation work may be omitted. For example, default settings may be provided for the number and configuration of bridges (e.g., one bridge CP, width of 3 mm, with a cutting line Bcl), and the CPU 51 may be allowed to automatically set the bridge CP without user settings. In this case, as in the embodiment, a process to request user confirmation or approval (steps S6 and S7 in Figure 14) may be provided, or the cutting process by the cutting device 10 may proceed without user confirmation. In this case, cut data for processing can be generated without user involvement, reducing the burden on the user. Note that the mode for generating cut data for processing is not limited to those shown herein; cut data for processing may be generated by a method that appropriately combines automatic mode, semi-automatic mode, and manual mode. For example, even if cut data for processing is generated in automatic mode, the user may be asked for confirmation afterward, and the user may be allowed to manually change the number of bridge CPs in the automatically generated cut data for processing, or manually move the position where the bridge CPs are set, etc.

[0050] Furthermore, in the cutting device 10, in addition to a full cut that cuts the entire thickness of the medium S, a half cut that cuts only a portion of the layers is also possible, and the medium S has an adhesive surface and a release paper covering the adhesive surface on its back side, and includes a main layer containing the adhesive surface and a release layer which is the release paper, for example, the part portion of the cut design may be fully cut, while the boundary portion bc between the contour line of the part and the bridge CP may be half-cut, cutting only the main layer containing the adhesive surface, so that the parts are connected only by the release layer (release paper). In this case, if only the main layer of the bridge CP is removed before the work of attaching each part to a backing, it is possible to avoid the bridge CP accidentally sticking to the backing when attaching the parts, and the arrangement of the parts before removal from the release layer (release paper) can be maintained as originally intended.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which a terminal device 50 such as a smartphone or tablet terminal functions as a cutting control device, and the cutting control device and the cutting device 10 work together to constitute the cutting system 1. However, the terminal device 50 which is the cutting control device is not limited to those mentioned in the embodiment. The cutting control device may also be an operating terminal etc. which is configured integrally with the cutting device 10, or an MPU 11 etc. inside the cutting device 10 may function as a cutting control device.

[0052] Furthermore, while the above embodiments disclose an example in which flash memory or the like is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, the invention is not limited to this example. Portable recording media such as CD-ROMs can also be used as other computer-readable media. In addition, carrier waves can also be used as a medium for providing the program data according to the present invention via a communication line.

[0053] 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]

[0054] 10...Cutting device, 50...Terminal device (cutting control device), 51...CPU (identification means, generation means, reception means)

Claims

1. A cutting control device for controlling a cutting device when cutting a cut design which consists of multiple parts that are separated from each other, Based on the image data of the cut design, a means for identifying other parts among the plurality of parts constituting the cut design, where the contour lines that define the boundary of one part are not continuous with each other and the contour lines are in a predetermined neighboring positional relationship with the one part, The system includes a generation means for generating cutting data for processing, in which a connecting portion for maintaining the predetermined neighboring positional relationship between the identified part and the other part is placed between the contour line of the part and the contour line of the other part. A cutting control device characterized by the following:

2. The identifying means determines that the first part and the other part are in a predetermined neighboring positional relationship when at least one of the distance between the first part and the other part, or the area of ​​the space between the first part and the other part, is within a certain limit. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned predetermined neighboring positional relationship includes inclusion relationships and parallel relationships. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

4. It also includes a means for receiving configuration instructions from the user, The generating means arranges the connecting portion according to the setting instructions received by the receiving means. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

5. The setting instruction received by the receiving means includes at least one of the following: the location of the connecting portion, the number of connecting portions, the shape of the connecting portion, and the configuration of the connecting portion. The cutting control device according to feature 4.

6. The shape of the connecting portion includes the width of the connecting portion. The cutting control device according to claim 5.

7. The configuration of the connecting portion includes a configuration of cutting the boundary portion between the connecting portion and the contour line. The cutting control device according to claim 5.

8. The cutting control device is capable of selectively executing at least one of the following modes: an automatic mode in which the connecting portion is automatically positioned when the one part and the other part are identified by the identifying means; a semi-automatic mode in which multiple users are presented with candidate arrangements for the connecting portion and asked to select one when the one part and the other part are identified by the identifying means; and a manual mode in which the connecting portion is positioned in response to a position instruction from the user when the one part and the other part are identified by the identifying means. The cutting control device according to claim 1.

9. A cutting control method for controlling a cutting device when cutting a cut design which consists of multiple parts that are separated from each other, Based on the image data of the cut design, the process of identifying other parts among the multiple parts constituting the cut design, where the contour lines that define the boundary of one part are not continuous with each other and the contour lines are in a predetermined neighboring positional relationship with the one part, The process includes generating cutting data for machining, in which a connecting portion for maintaining the predetermined neighboring positional relationship between the identified part and the other part is placed between the contour line of the part and the contour line of the other part. A method for controlling cutting, characterized by the features described above.

10. When cutting a cut design that consists of multiple parts that are far apart from each other, the computer of the cutting control device that controls the cutting device, Based on the image data of the cut design, the system provides a function to identify, among the multiple parts constituting the cut design, other parts whose contour lines do not extend to the boundary of one part and which are in a predetermined neighboring positional relationship with the one part. The system provides a generation function that generates cutting data for processing in which a connecting portion for maintaining the predetermined neighboring positional relationship between the identified part and the other part is placed between the contour line of the part and the contour line of the other part. A program characterized by the following features.

Images