A method for providing visual effects to a decorative pattern, a control unit and a system for in-line treatment of thread

Abstract

A method for providing visual effects to a decorative thread pattern, is provided. The method includes determining an object to be produced as such decorative thread pattern, determining a thread arrangement comprising a plurality of consecutive thread portions, each thread portion having a thread portion direction, wherein the entire thread arrangement corresponds to said object to be produced, determining at least one visual effect of said object to be produced, said visual effect being associated with a set of thread portions of said thread arrangement and having a direction being different from at least one thread portion direction of the set of thread portions, and determining a colouring scheme for a specific thread such that the visual effect is obtained when production of the decorative thread pattern, using said thread according to said thread arrangement, is performed. A control unit is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for providing visual effects to a decorative thread pattern, comprising:
 determining an object to be produced as such decorative thread pattern,   determining a thread arrangement comprising a plurality of consecutive thread portions, each thread portion having a thread portion direction, wherein the entire thread arrangement corresponds to said object to be produced,   determining at least one visual effect of said object to be produced, said visual effect being associated with a set of thread portions of said thread arrangement and having a direction being different from at least one thread portion direction of the set of thread portions, and   determining a colouring scheme for a specific thread such that the visual effect is obtained when production of the decorative thread pattern, using said thread according to said thread arrangement, is performed.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising providing in-line colouring of said thread in accordance with said colouring scheme during production of the decorative thread pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said visual effect is a gradient, stripes, mottling, colour change in respect to absolute thread length, colour change in respect to relative thread length, solid colour, noise, manipulation, mix, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said visual effect is a continuous change in colour, brightness, hue, and/or saturation. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the colouring scheme is determined by associating a first set of thread portions with a first colour, and a second set of thread portions with a second colour. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the colouring scheme is determined by associating an initial thread portion with a first colour, a final thread portion with a second colour, and determining a colour shift from the first colour to the second colour along the thread portions in between the initial thread portion and the final thread portion. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the colour shift is continuous such that the visual effect appears to be linear. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the continuous colour shift is non-linear. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the decorative thread pattern is an embroidery, the thread arrangement is a stitch pattern, and the plurality of consecutive thread portions is a plurality of consecutive stitches. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the decorative thread pattern is a knitted fabric, the thread arrangement is a stitch pattern, and the plurality of consecutive thread portions is a plurality of consecutive stitches. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the decorative thread pattern is a woven fabric, the thread arrangement is a weave pattern, and the plurality of consecutive thread portions is a plurality of consecutive interlacing between a warp and a weft. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the decorative thread pattern is a sewn fabric, the thread arrangement is a stitch pattern, and the plurality of consecutive thread portions is a plurality of consecutive stitches. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the decorative thread pattern is a tufted fabric, the thread arrangement is a tuft pattern, and the plurality of consecutive thread portions is a plurality of consecutive tuft piles. 
     
     
         29 . A control unit configured to:
 receive information of at least one visual effect of an object to be produced as a decorative thread pattern, said decorative thread pattern comprising a thread arrangement comprising a plurality of consecutive thread portions, each thread portion having a thread portion direction, wherein said visual effect is associated with a set of thread portions of said thread arrangement and having a direction being different from at least one thread portion direction of the set of thread portions,   receive a colouring scheme for a thread, and   control a treatment unit to perform in-line colouring of the thread such that the visual effect is obtained when production of the decorative thread pattern, using said thread according to said thread arrangement, is performed.   
     
     
         30 . A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming device, comprising:
 a treatment unit being configured to dispense one or more colouring substances onto the at least one thread when activated; and   a control unit according to  claim 29 , being configured to transmit a control signal to said treatment unit based on the determined colouring scheme.