Sewing Machine Viewpoint Conversion for Needle Position Confirmation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sewing machines require users to physically position themselves close to the needle drop point to confirm the needle position and sewn state from a different viewpoint, limiting visibility due to the fixed placement of the image pickup device.
Innovation Solution
A sewing machine equipped with an image pickup device, image conversion technology for viewpoint conversion, and a display system that allows users to generate and view virtual images from arbitrary positions, enabling easy confirmation of needle position and sewn state without physical proximity to the needle drop point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the image pickup device is disposed at a predetermined fixed position, then the device structure is simple, but the user cannot view the needle position and sewn state from different viewpoints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical scene by capturing images with a fixed image pickup device and generating a virtual image that replicates the sewing work area from different viewpoints. This virtual copy allows users to view the needle position and sewn state from multiple angles without physically moving or adding multiple image pickup devices, thus achieving viewpoint flexibility while maintaining simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physically moving the image pickup device or the user's head to change viewpoints with a computational approach. By using image processing and viewpoint conversion algorithms, the system generates virtual images from different perspectives without any mechanical movement, thereby achieving adaptability while keeping the device structure simple.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user brings their face close to the needle drop point to confirm the needle position from a different viewpoint, then the viewpoint flexibility is improved, but the safety is reduced due to potential contact with the needle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a safe virtual representation of the sewing work area that allows users to view the needle position and sewn state from different viewpoints without physically approaching the needle. The virtual image serves as a safe copy of the actual scene, enabling viewpoint flexibility while eliminating the harmful factor of needle contact risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a display device as an intermediary between the user and the actual sewing work area. Instead of directly observing the needle and fabric, users view a virtual image displayed on the screen, which mediates the observation process and protects users from potential needle contact while maintaining viewpoint flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple image pickup devices are installed to provide different viewpoints, then the viewpoint flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of installing multiple physical image pickup devices to capture different viewpoints, the patent uses a single image pickup device to capture the sewing work area and then generates multiple virtual viewpoints through image processing. This virtual copying approach achieves viewpoint flexibility while avoiding the complexity and cost of installing multiple physical devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of multiple physical image pickup devices with a computational system. By using algorithms to generate virtual images from different perspectives based on a single captured image, the system achieves the same viewpoint flexibility without the mechanical complexity of multiple devices, mounting structures, and synchronization systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A sewing machine includes a bed portion, a pillar portion that is erected upward from the bed portion, an arm portion that extends horizontally from the pillar portion above the bed portion, a head that is provided at an end of the arm portion, a needle bar that is attached to the head and can reciprocate up and down, an image pickup device that can pick up an image of an upper surface of the bed portion, an image conversion device that generates a virtual image from a real image by viewpoint conversion, the virtual image being an image as viewed from an arbitrary viewpoint position, and the real image being an image picked up by the image pickup device, an image display device that displays an image, and an image display control device that displays the virtual image generated by the image conversion device on the image display device.