Communication device for a sewing machine

Abstract

A communication device and method to operate a sewing machine ( 1 ) based on a bidirectional transmission of data between the sewing machine ( 1 ), on the one hand, and a radio-controlled object, in particular a foot control ( 5 ) or an allocated radio-controlled module ( 9 ) are provided. By way of mutual transmission of identification codes, an unambiguous allocation of sewing machine ( 1 ) and the respective radio-controlled objects occur. Safe and malfunction-free data transfer is permitted by the redundancy of the data transmitted

1 . A communication device for a sewing machine ( 1 ), comprising a first communication module ( 9 ) being arranged in or at the sewing machine ( 1 ) for a wireless transmission of data from another communication module ( 9 ) to the first communication module ( 9 ), the communication modules ( 9 ) each comprise a transmission and a receiving device for bidirectional data transmission. 
   
   
       2 . A communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two communication modules ( 9 ) can be connected to a network ( 3 ). 
   
   
       3 . A communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the communication modules ( 9 ) comprises a memory ( 27 ) or is connected or can be connected to a memory ( 27 ) and an identification code is saved in the memory ( 27 ). 
   
   
       4 . A communication device according to  claim 3 , wherein the identification code is in an unambiguous relationship to a respective one of the respective communication modules ( 9 ). 
   
   
       5 . A communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the communication modules ( 9 ) comprises a memory ( 27 ) to save identification codes of additional communication modules ( 9 ). 
   
   
       6 . A communication device according to  claim 5 , wherein the additional communication module ( 9 ) is provided in or connected to at least one of:
 a) a foot control ( 5 ),   b) another accessory of the sewing machine ( 1 ),   c) another sewing machine ( 1 ), or   d) an external computer ( 7 ).   
   
   
       7 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a foot control ( 5 ) with a communication module ( 9 ). 
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a connection cable or an interface for a connection cable to make a connection to the connection interface for a cable-connected foot control ( 5 ) to the sewing machine ( 1 ). 
   
   
       9 . A method for operating a sewing machine ( 1 ) with a communication device, comprising signing on a radio-controlled object to the sewing machine ( 1 ) or a communication module ( 9 ) allocated to the sewing machine ( 1 ), and transmitting and saving with mutual identification codes. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising transmitting data packets from the radio-controlled object to the communication module ( 9 ) of the sewing machine ( 1 ), with the data packets comprising information regarding a sign in status of the radio-controlled object. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the radio object is a foot control ( 5 ) or a communication module ( 9 ) allocated to a foot control ( 5 ), and data packets are transmitted depending on a position of a pedal of the foot control ( 5 ) and the data packets comprise an actuating variable according to a respective position of the pedal. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the data packets or the actuating variables are transmitted redundantly. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the radio-controlled object comprises a battery ( 25 ) and the method further comprising detecting missing confirmation signals by the sewing machine ( 1 ) to monitor a charge status of the battery ( 25 ).