Pattern scanner providing data to a computer which carries out lay planning

Claim 2

A pattern scanner, for scanning pattern pieces, comprising: a plurality of radiation sensitive elements; means for guiding said elements in X and Y coordinate directions with said elements evenly spaced in the Y coordinate direction; control means for controlling the guiding means to cause said elements to make uninterrupted scans across a pattern piece in the X coordinate direction, such scans alternating with stepping in the Y coordinate direction by steps substantially equal to n times half of the spacing of said elements in the Y coordinate direction (where n is an odd integer), in order to scan a matrix of unitary areas encompassing the entire area of said pattern piece within its outer boundary; and means for the transmission of data sensed by said elements during said scans in both X directions.

Claim 3

A scanner as claimed in claim 1, in which each traverse of the elements in the X co-ordinate direction comprises a traverse across the full width of the area to be scanned.

Claim 4

A scanner according to claim 1 and comprising means for illuminating that side of a pattern piece facing the elements with radiation to which the elements are sensitive, whereby the elements operate to sense reflected radiation.

Claim 5

A scanner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission means comprises a register for holding the data sensed by said elements at each of a plurality of positions of said elements and means for moving the data serially from said register.

Claim 6

A scanner as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transmission means comprises means for transmitting a radiation beam from a support for said elements and means (27) for receiving that radiation beam.

Claim 7

A scanner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the beam transmitting means comprises means for modulating said beam with pulses.

Claim 8

A scanner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission means comprises means for transmitting a radiation beam from a support for said elements and means (27) for receiving that radiation beam.

Claim 9

A scanner as claimed in claim 7, wherein the beam transmitting means comprises means for modulating said beam with pulses.

Claim 10

A scanner as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pulses comprise synchronising pulses, for synchronising the functioning of said transmitting and receiving means, said synchronising pulses being interspersed with data defined by further pulses.

Claim 11

A scanner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transmitting means comprises an infra-red transmitter for producing said beam.

Claim 12

A scanner according to claim 1, wherein said data comprises digital data composed of bits having a first state, when a unitary area of a first type is detected corresponding to material contained an area of a pattern piece, and a second state when a unitary area of a second type is detected corresponding to an absence of material of a pattern piece, unitary areas of the second type comprising an area outside the material of any pattern piece, an area within a hole within a pattern piece or an area of a pattern piece having a property, as sensed by said elements, equivalent to the absence of pattern piece material.

Claim 13

A scanner according to claim 11, and comprising means for processing said data to identify information conveyed by a pattern piece within its outer boundary and defined at least in part by areas of the second type.

Claim 14

A scanner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing means comprises means for identifying information recorded on at least one pattern piece as a direction indicated by a directional indicator defined by the shape of an area of the second type.

Claim 15

A scanner as claimed in claim 12 and including means for identifying area of the first type surrounded by areas of the second type on the basis of size.

Claim 16

A scanner for scanning pattern pieces and comprising: a support for supporting at least one pattern piece to be scanned; scanning means comprising a plurality of radiation sensitive elements for scanning across said at least one pattern piece without interruption in an X-coordinate direction, such scans alternating with stepping in the Y coordinate direction to sense, during such scans in the X coordinate direction, radiation coming in a direction from the support so that said elements provide data which identify and locate areas of a first type, corresponding to material of a pattern piece, and areas of second type, a corresponding to (a) areas outside a pattern piece, (b) holes within a pattern piece, and (c) an area of a pattern piece having a property, as sensed by said elements, corresponding to a hole in said pattern piece; means for storing characteristics corresponding to different types of areas of the second type; and means for processing said data in comparison with said stored information to identify, locate and distinguish between the external boundary of at least one pattern piece and information conveyed by said at least one pattern piece and defined at least in part by areas of said second type detected within said external boundary.

Claim 17

A scanner for scanning pattern pieces and comprising: a support for supporting at least one pattern piece to be scanned; scanning means comprising a plurality of radiation sensitive elements for scanning across said at least one pattern piece without interruption in an X-coordinate direction, such scans alternating with stepping in the Y coordinate direction to sense, during such scans in the X coordinate direction, radiation coming in a direction from the support so that said elements provide data which identify and locate areas of a first type, corresponding to material of a pattern piece, and areas of second type, a corresponding to (a) areas outside a pattern piece, (b) holes within a pattern piece, and (c) an area of a pattern piece having a property, as sensed by said elements, corresponding to a hole in said pattern piece; means for storing characteristics corresponding to different types of areas of the second type; and means for processing said data in comparison with said stored information to identify, locate and distinguish between the external boundary of at least one pattern piece and information conveyed by said at least one pattern piece and defined at least in part by areas of said second type detected within said external boundary.

Claim 18

A scanner as claimed in claim 15, including memory means for recording the data sensed by said elements, thereby to produce a memory map corresponding to an area scanned by the scanner, and means for identifying in the memory map areas corresponding to pattern pieces by finding internal and external boundaries thereof.

Claim 19

A scanner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processing means comprises means for identifying grain direction information recorded on at least one pattern piece as a direction indicated by a directional indicator defined by the shape of an area of the second type.

Claim 20

A scanner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processing means includes means for distinguishing between, and thus identifying, a plurality of different pattern piece identifying codes formed as different pre-selected configurations of areas, thereby distinguishing between a plurality of pattern pieces conveying said codes.

Claim 21

A scanner according to claim 18, and comprising means for storing a plurality of said pre-selected configurations and means for comparing a sensed configuration with the stored configurations to identify the sensed configuration.

Claim 22

A scanner as claimed in claim 18, wherein the identifying means comprises means for processing information recorded on at least one pattern piece as a direction indicated by a directional indicator defined by the shape of an area of the second type and means for sensing said pattern piece identifying code within an area of said directional indicator.

Claim 23

A scanner as claimed in claim 20 and including means for identifying areas of the first type surrounded by areas of the second type on the basis of size.

Claim 24

A scanner as claimed in claim 15 and including means for identifying areas of the second type surrounded by areas of the first type on the basis of size.

Claim 25

A scanner as claimed in claim 15 and including means for identifying notches in a pattern piece boundary on the basis of a conparison between two points and the separation of those two points.

Claim 26

A scanner as claimed in claim 23 and further including means for identifying coded information in the form of holes adjacent to a notch in a pattern piece.

Claim 27

A pattern scanner comprising: means for supporting a pattern piece to be scanned; a carriage movable in X and Y orthogonal directions relative to said supporting means; a plurality of radiation sensitive elements carried by said carriage for detecting radiation coming in a direction from said supporting means; means for guiding said carriage for movement in said X and Y orthogonal directions; control means for controlling the guiding means in order to cause said elements to scan a matrix of unitary areas of a pattern piece supported by the supporting means by scanning in the X direction, such scanning alternating with steps in the Y direction; means conveyed by the carriage for converting data from said elements into a serial stream of data; transmission means conveyed by the carriage for converting said serial stream into a modulated beam of radiation transmitted in a direction away from the carriage; and means for receiving said beam mounted to move with said carriage in said Y direction and being fixed relative to said supporting means in said X direction.

Claim 28

A pattern scanner comprising: means for supporting a pattern piece to be scanned; a carriage movable in X and Y orthogonal directions relative to said supporting means; a plurality of radiation sensitive elements carried by said carriage for detecting radiation coming in a direction from said supporting means; means for guiding said carriage for movement in said X and Y orthogonal directions; control means for controlling the guiding means in order to cause said elements to scan a matrix of unitary areas of a pattern piece supported by the supporting means by scanning in the X direction, such scanning alternating with steps in the Y direction; means conveyed by the carriage for converting data from said elements into a serial stream of data; transmission means conveyed by the carriage for converting said serial stream into a modulated beam of radiation transmitted in a direction away from the carriage; and means for receiving said beam mounted to move with said carriage in said Y direction and being fixed relative to said supporting means in said X direction.