Automatic digitization of garment patterns

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for digitizing shapes, especially for garment styles by using image scanning techniques. A method is disclosed to digitize garment patterns. First, a physical pattern is scanned into a raster image. Features such as intensity edges in the raster image are recognized and a digital pattern, or a set of relevant information about the physical pattern, including its shape and size; corners on the outline; and lines and curves drawn on it, is produced. The digital pattern includes an explicit representation of the outline such as a series of point coordinates, or some description of curves such as spline parameters.

1 . A method of digitizing shapes, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving at least one data representing at least one shape;    identifying at least one outline of the at least one shape in the at least one data, wherein the outline has a curvature; and    identifying at least one corner of the at least one outline wherein the corner is identified by calculating the curvature of the outline in a neighborhood of a point on the outline and determining whether the curvature is at least a pre-defined minimum value.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the at least one corner includes determining whether a point on the outline has the largest curvature in a neighborhood of a point.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the at least one outline includes identifying a boundary between the color of the pattern and the color of the background.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one outline is represented by a series of point coordinates.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digitized shape corresponds to the shape of a pattern for producing sewn goods.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digitized shape corresponds to the shape of a garment pattern.  
   
   
       7 . A system for digitizing shapes, said system comprising: 
 a memory arrangement including thereon a computer program; and    a processing arrangement which, when executing the computer program, is configured to: 
 receive at least one data representing at least one shape;  
 identify at least one outline of the at least one shape in the at least one data, wherein the outline has a curvature; and  
 identify at least one corner having a relatively large average curvature of the at least one outline wherein the corner is identified by calculating the curvature of the outline in a neighborhood of a point on the outline and determining whether the curvature is at least a pre-defined minimum value.  
   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein identifying the at least one corner includes determining whether a point on the outline has the largest curvature in a neighborhood of a point.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein identifying the at least one outline includes identifying a boundary between the color of the pattern and the color of the background.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one outline is represented by a series of point coordinates.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the digitized shape corresponds to the shape of a pattern for producing sewn goods.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the digitized shape corresponds to the shape of a garment pattern.  
   
   
       13 . A software storage medium which, when executed by a processing arrangement, is configured to digitize shapes, said software storage medium comprising a software program including: 
 a first module which, when executed, receives at least one data representing at least one shape;    a second module which, when executed, identifies at least one outline of the at least one shape in the at least one data, wherein the outline has a curvature; and    a third module which, when executed, identifies at least one corner having a relatively large average curvature of the at least one outline wherein the corner is identified by calculating the curvature of the outline in a neighborhood of a point on the outline and determining whether the curvature is at least a pre-defined minimum value.    
   
   
       14 . The software storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein identifying the at least one corner includes determining whether a point on the outline has the largest curvature in a neighborhood of a point.  
   
   
       15 . The software storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein identifying the at least one outline includes identifying a boundary between the color of the pattern and the color of the background.  
   
   
       16 . The software storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one outline is represented by a series of point coordinates.  
   
   
       17 . The software storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the digitized shape corresponds to the shape of a pattern for producing sewn goods.  
   
   
       18 . The software storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the digitized shape corresponds to the shape of a garment pattern.