Memory card storing embroidery data and embroidery sewing device for use with memory card

An embroidery sewing memory card including a first storage region storing sets of pattern data under corresponding lead addresses, each set of pattern data corresponding to an embroidery pattern and usable in at least one of a plurality of embroidery sewing machine types; and a second storage region storing data in table form indicating correspondence between the embroidery sewing machine types and the lead addresses of pattern data based on which pattern data is usable in which embroidery sewing machine type.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an embroidery sewing memory card, to a 
method of storing data in the memory card, to a sewing data processor 
capable of displaying embroidery patterns, and to an embroidery sewing 
device. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
There has been known a type of embroidery sewing device, such as an 
electrically controlled sewing machine capable of sewing embroidery and 
attached to an embroidery device. A control unit of the sewing machine is 
provided with a non-volatile memory storing pattern data for sewing a 
plurality of different types of embroidery patterns, such as character 
patterns, many one point patterns, a variety of ornamental sewing 
patterns, and also a plurality of practical stitch patterns. The sewing 
machine also includes a display unit having a large liquid crystal 
display. By displaying the plurality of embroidery patterns on the display 
unit, a user can select a desired embroidery pattern by manipulating a 
type selection key to select a desired one from the displayed embroidery 
patterns. 
The non-volatile memory provided to the sewing machine can only store a 
limited amount of embroidery data for a plurality of embroidery patterns. 
To enable the sewing machine to sew embroidery patterns other than those 
stored in the non-volatile memory, recently, embroidery sewing memory 
cards such as card ROMs have been provided for storing pattern data for 
embroidery patterns. Sewing machines have been provided with mounting 
portions for freely detachably mounting these memory cards. A user 
selectively mounts a memory card storing embroidery data for a desired 
embroidery pattern into the mounting portion. This configuration increases 
the number of embroidery patterns that a user can sew using his or her 
sewing machine. 
However, not all electrically controlled sewing machines capable of sewing 
embroidery can embroider the same sized embroidery patterns. That is, a 
plurality of sewing machine types are available with different sized 
embroidery regions where the embroidery patterns are sewn. Therefore, 
sewing machine manufacturers produce and sell special memory cards for 
each type of sewing machine. Each memory card stores embroidery data for 
embroidery patterns sewable by the corresponding sewing machine. Users 
purchase the memory cards corresponding to the type of sewing machine they 
possess. They can sew embroidery by selecting a desired embroidery pattern 
from a plurality of embroidery patterns stored in the memory cards. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
As described above, for each type of sewing machine capable of sewing 
embroidery, pattern data for embroidery patterns that the type of sewing 
machine can sew are stored in a special embroidery sewing memory card. A 
plurality of types of memory cards are sold. This increases the number of 
embroidery patterns that a user can sew using his or her sewing machine. 
However, it is troublesome to produce a plurality of types of memory cards 
storing embroidery pattern data that differs for each sewing machine type. 
Further, it is complicated to manage the many memory cards produced for 
all the different types of sewing machines. It is complicated to manage, 
by sewing machine type, patterns to be stored on memory cards. 
Manufacturers of memory cards could reduce the number of types of memory 
cards by storing, in each card, pattern data for a plurality of embroidery 
patterns that can be sewn by a plurality of different sewing machine 
types. However, in this case, large embroidery patterns that can be sewn 
only by those sewing machine with a large embroidery region will also be 
displayed as selectable on the display of sewing machines capable of 
sewing only small embroidery patterns. A user will waste time and may 
become frustrated by trying to select an embroidery pattern which his 
sewing machine can not sew. 
It is an objective of the present invention to overcome the above-described 
problems and to provide a memory card, a method of storing data in the 
memory card, a sewing data processor capable of displaying embroidery 
patterns, and an embroidery sewing device wherein the pattern data of 
embroidery patterns and stored in an embroidery sewing memory card are 
grouped by common applicable sewing machine type and also wherein pattern 
data for group of embroidery patterns that can be sewn by a corresponding 
sewing machine type can be selectively retrieved from the memory card. 
In order to achieve the above-described objectives, an embroidery sewing 
memory card according to the present invention is detachably mountable in 
a memory card mounting portion of an embroidery sewing machine, and 
includes a first storage region storing sets of pattern data under 
corresponding lead addresses, each set of pattern data corresponding to an 
embroidery pattern and usable in at least one of a plurality of embroidery 
sewing machine types; and a second storage region storing data in table 
form indicating correspondence between the embroidery sewing machine types 
and the lead addresses of pattern data based on which pattern data is 
usable in which embroidery sewing machine type. 
A method of storing embroidery data according to the present invention 
incised the steps of: a first step of storing sets of pattern data under 
corresponding lead addresses in a first storage region, each set of 
pattern data corresponding to an embroidery pattern and usable in at least 
one of a plurality of embroidery sewing machine types; and a second step 
of storing, in a second storage region, data in table form indicating 
correspondence between the embroidery sewing machine types and the lead 
addresses of pattern data based on which pattern data is usable in which 
embroidery sewing machine type. 
An embroidery data processor according to the present invention includes: 
embroidery sewing memory card including a first storage region storing 
sets of pattern data under corresponding lead addresses, each set of 
pattern data corresponding to an embroidery pattern and usable in at least 
one of a plurality of embroidery sewing machine types; and a second 
storage region storing data in table form indicating correspondence 
between the embroidery sewing machine types and the lead addresses of 
pattern data based on which pattern data is usable in which embroidery 
sewing machine type; a memory card mounting portion for detachably 
mounting the memory card; display means including a display and a 
controller; and pattern display control means for storing information 
indicating at least one of the plurality of sewing machine types 
applicable to the data processor and for displaying on the display means 
each embroidery pattern sewable by the indicated at least one sewing 
machine. 
When the present invention is applied to a memory card mountable to an 
embroidery sewing device, then by retrieving the lead addresses from the 
lead address table corresponding to the embroidery sewing device type 
based on information from the embroidery sewing device, then based on the 
retrieved lead addresses, pattern data relating to each embroidery pattern 
sewable by the embroidery sewing device can be retrieved from the memory 
card. 
The memory card stores pattern data relating to embroidery patterns grouped 
by type of embroidery sewing devices to which they are commonly 
applicable. According to one aspect of the present invention, the memory 
card also stores a lead address table for each type of embroidery sewing 
device. According to another aspect of the present invention, the memory 
card stores a lead address wherein the embroidery patterns are stored in 
size order, from smallest to largest, and also a plurality of number of 
patterns tables. By changing the indicated number of patterns table 
according to the embroidery sewing device type, only pattern data for the 
number of embroidery patterns sewable by each type of embroidery sewing 
device can be selectively retrieved from the memory card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described while 
referring to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts and components 
are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating 
description. 
The present embodiment describes the present invention applied to an 
embroidery sewing device M including an electrically controlled zigzag 
sewing machine and a mechanism for feeding a workpiece cloth. The 
embroidery sewing device M includes: an electrically controlled zigzag 
sewing machine 1 mounted with a needle 15; and a workpiece cloth feeding 
mechanism 40 capable of embroidery sewing and detachably mounted to the 
sewing machine 1. 
First, an explanation will be provided for the sewing machine 1. The sewing 
machine 1 includes a bed portion 10; a column portion 11 provided with an 
upright posture at the right tip portion of the bed portion 10 as viewed 
in FIG. 1; and an arm portion 12 extending from the column portion 11 
leftward as viewed in FIG. 1 in parallel with the bed portion 10. 
Although, not shown in the drawings, a feed dog vertical movement 
mechanism for vertically driving a feed dog and a feed dog horizontal 
movement mechanism for horizontally driving the feed dog are provided to 
the bed portion 10. 
Although not shown in the drawings, the arm portion 12 is provided with a 
needle bar drive mechanism for vertically driving a needle bar 14 with a 
needle 15 mounted to its lower tip; a needle bar swinging mechanism for 
swinging the needle bar 14 in a direction perpendicular to the feed 
direction of the workpiece cloth; and a thread take up lever mechanism for 
vertically driving a thread take up lever 16 in coordination with vertical 
drive of the needle bar 14. As shown in FIG. 2, a sewing machine motor 26 
is provided for driving the needle bar drive movement mechanism, the lever 
drive movement mechanism, and the feed dog vertical movement mechanism; a 
needle bar swing drive motor 27 is provided for driving the needle bar 
swing mechanism; and a feed dog drive motor 28 is provided for driving the 
feed dog horizontal movement mechanism. Said differently, a sewing 
mechanism for driving the needle bar 14 is configured from the needle bar 
drive movement mechanism, the lever drive movement mechanism, and the 
like. 
A liquid crystal display 20 capable of displaying a plurality of embroidery 
patterns and a variety of messages is provided to the front surface of the 
arm portion 12. A plurality of touch keys 20a formed from transparent 
electrodes are provided to the display region of display 20. The touch 
keys 20a serve as pattern selection keys for selecting patterns from 
embroidery patterns displayed on the display 20 and also serve as 
functions keys displayed with function names. A start/stop switch 21 for 
commanding start and stop of sewing operations is provided in the vicinity 
of a head portion 13 of the arm portion 12. The column portion 11 is 
provided with a memory card mounting connector 22 for detachably mounting 
embroidery sewing memory cards 23, which serve as an external memory; and 
a speed changing knob 24 for adjusting sewing speed. 
A free arm portion 10a is formed to the left tip of the head portion 10. 
The workpiece cloth feed mechanism 40 capable of sewing large embroidery 
patterns is detachably mounted to the free arm portion 10a. 
An embroidery table 41 is provided to the workpiece cloth feed mechanism 40 
movable in a Y-direction, which is parallel to the directions in which 
feed cloth is reciprocally fed, and an X-direction, which is perpendicular 
to the Y-direction. Although, not shown in the drawings, a cloth support 
frame for supporting the workpiece cloth can be detachably mounted to the 
embroidery table 41. An X-direction drive motor 42 for driving the 
embroidery table 41 in the X-direction and a Y-direction drive motor 43 
for driving the embroidery table 41 in the Y-direction are provided within 
the main frame of the workpiece cloth feed mechanism 40. The sewing 
mechanism and the workpiece cloth feed mechanism 40 comprise an embroidery 
sewing means. 
Next, an explanation of essential components of a control system for the 
sewing machine 1 and the workpiece cloth feed mechanism 40 will be 
described while referring to the block drawing in FIG. 2. 
The control device 30 of the sewing machine 1 includes a microcomputer, an 
input interface 35, and an output interface 36. The microcomputer includes 
a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a memory card 23, and a RAM 33. The input interface 35 
and the output interface 36 are connected to the microcomputer via a bus 
34, such as a data bus. Signals from the start/stop switch 21, the touch 
key 20a, and a timing signal generator 24 are supplied to the 
microcomputer through the input interface 35. Drive signals and drive 
pulse signals for driving the machine motor 26, the needle bar swing drive 
motor 27, the feed dog drive motor 28, and a display controller (LCDC) 29, 
which is for supplying display signals to the display 20, are supplied 
from the microcomputer through the output interface 36. 
A timing signal generator 25 is connected to the upper shaft of the sewing 
machine 1 to detect rotational phase of the upper shaft. 
The output interface 26 is connected to the X-direction drive motor 42 and 
the Y-direction drive motor 43 of the workpiece cloth feed mechanism 40. 
The drive motors 42, 43 are independently driven based on separate drive 
signals outputted from the control unit 30 to move the embroidery table 41 
to a particular position for each stitch using a combination of movements 
in the X and Y directions, thereby enabling sewing of a variety of 
embroidery patterns in the workpiece cloth supported in the cloth support 
frame. 
Next, an explanation will be provided for the memory card 23 and a method 
of storing data in the memory card 23. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the memory card 23 has stored therein pattern data 
including embroidery data for sewing a variety of embroidery patterns 
using the sewing mechanism, such as that of the embroidery sewing device 
M, and pattern display data for displaying the variety of embroidery 
patterns on the display 20. The variety of embroidery patterns includes 
five animal embroidery patterns, such as a panda pattern, an elephant 
pattern, and a horse pattern; five vehicle embroidery patterns such as a 
three-wheeled vehicle pattern, bus pattern, and ship pattern; and five 
flower embroidery patterns. 
For each pattern, the two lead addresses indicating the storage area for 
the embroidery data and pattern display data of the corresponding pattern 
data are stored together under a common lead address. In the example shown 
in FIG. 3, the lead addresses for both embroidery data and pattern display 
data of the first embroidery pattern, which is the panda pattern, are 
stored under a lead address of C0000. Next, the lead addresses for the 
embroidery data and the pattern display data of the second embroidery 
pattern, which is the elephant pattern, are stored under a lead address of 
C0100. Next, the lead addresses for the embroidery data and the pattern 
display data of the third embroidery pattern, which is horse pattern, is 
stored under a lead address of C0200. Lead addresses for all of the sets 
of pattern data described above are stored serially in this manner until 
the lead addresses for the embroidery data and the pattern display data of 
the fifteenth embroidery pattern, which is the final floral pattern, is 
stored under a lead address of C1400. 
Pattern display data for the first embroidery pattern is stored with a lead 
address of D0000. In the same manner, pattern display data for the second 
through fifteenth embroidery patterns are serially stored. Also, 
embroidery data for the first embroidery pattern is stored with a lead 
address of E0000. Then, in the same manner, embroidery data for the second 
through fifteenth embroidery patterns are serially stored. As mentioned 
above, the pattern data for the above-described embroidery patterns 
includes the embroidery data and the pattern display data. 
The memory card 23 also stores from an address A0000 a small sewing machine 
lead address table storing lead addresses of pattern data for small 
embroidery patterns. The memory card 23 also stores from an address B0000 
a large sewing machine type lead address table storing lead addresses of 
pattern data for large embroidery patterns. The small sewing machine lead 
address table lists in table form, by sewing machine type, lead addresses 
of pattern data for each of a plurality of embroidery patterns sewable by 
small type embroidery sewing devices MS having a small embroidery region, 
such as the device shown in FIG. 6. Similarly, the large sewing machine 
type lead address table lists lead addresses of pattern data for each of a 
plurality of embroidery patterns sewable by large type embroidery sewing 
devices ML having a large embroidery region, such as the device shown in 
FIG. 7. 
In the example shown in FIG. 4, lead addresses for pattern data for first 
through tenth embroidery patterns, which can be sewn using the small type 
embroidery sewing device MS shown in FIG. 6, are serially stored in the 
small sewing machine type lead address table stored from address A0000. 
Also, lead addresses for pattern data of the first through fifteenth 
embroidery patterns, which can all be sewn using the large type embroidery 
sewing device ML shown in FIG. 7 and which also include embroidery 
patterns sewable using the small type sewing device MS, are stored in the 
large type sewing machine lead address table stored from address B0000. 
The ROM 32 stores table indication information, an embroidery sewing 
control program, and an embroidery pattern display control program. The 
table indication information includes data to indicate that the present 
sewing machine is either "small device" or "large device". As a result, of 
the two lead address tables stored in the embroidery sewing memory card 
23, whichever of the small type sewing machine lead address table and the 
large type sewing machine lead address table corresponds to the type of 
embroidery sewing device will be referred to during the embroidery pattern 
display routine. In order to sew embroidery, the embroidery sewing control 
program controls drive of the drive motors 27, 28 based on embroidery data 
of practical stitches, such as zigzag stitches and triple stitches and 
controls drive of the drive motors 42, 43 based on embroidery data. The 
RAM 33 is provided with a variety of memories such as counters and buffers 
required to execute control of stitching and control of embroidery pattern 
display. 
Next, the embroidery pattern display routine executed by the control device 
30 of the sewing machine 1 will be explained while referring to the 
flowchart shown in FIG. 5. It should be noted that symbols Si (i=10, 11, 
12 . . . ) refer to individual steps of the routine. 
This routine is started when the power of the sewing machine is turned on 
and the sewing machine is set to the embroidery sewing mode. It is 
determined in S10 that the memory card 23 is mounted in the embroidery 
sewing device M when a connection status detection signal is read from a 
certain pin of the memory card mounting connector 22. In this case 
(S10:YES), then the table indication information stored in the ROM 32 is 
retrieved in S11. 
Then, the lead addresses for a plurality of pattern display data are 
retrieved in S12 from the lead address table indicated by the table 
indication information retrieved in S11. Further, in S13, pattern display 
data for displaying those embroidery patterns sewable by the embroidery 
sewing device M is retrieved based on the lead addresses retrieved in S12. 
An embroidery pattern display routine for displaying, on the display 20, 
the pattern display data retrieved in S12 is executed in S14. 
For example, the table indication information stored in the ROM 32 of the 
small sized embroidery sewing device MS shown in FIG. 6 will read "small 
device", thereby indicating the small sewing machine lead address table 
stored in the memory card 23. Based on the lead address data of the small 
device sewing machine lead address table, pattern display data for the 
first through tenth embroidery patterns stored in the small device lead 
address table will be retrieved from the memory card 23. As shown in FIG. 
8, only the ten embroidery patterns applicable to the small embroidery 
sewing device MS, that is, that the small embroidery sewing device MS is 
capable of sewing will be displayed on the display 20. 
On the other hand, the table indication information stored in the ROM 32 of 
the large type embroidery sewing device ML as shown in FIG. 7 will read 
"large device", thereby indicating the large sewing machine lead address 
table stored in the memory card 23. In this case, based on the lead 
address data of the large sewing machine lead address table stored in the 
memory card 23, the pattern display data for embroidery patterns one 
through fifteen, which is stored under both lead addresses listed in the 
large sewing machine lead address table, are retrieved from the memory 
card 23. As shown in FIG. 9, all 15 embroidery patterns which the large 
type embroidery sewing device ML is capable of sewing, including the 10 
embroidery patterns which small devices are capable of sewing, are 
displayed on the display 20. 
An embroidery pattern selection routine is then executed in S15. To select 
one of the plurality of embroidery pattern displayed on the display 20, a 
user manipulates the touch key 20a corresponding to the embroidery pattern 
he or she desires the embroidery sewing device M to sew. The CPU 31 
detects this selection and retrieves the corresponding embroidery data 
from the memory card 23. After this selection routine, the program returns 
to the main routine. Then, the sewing machine motor 26 and the workpiece 
cloth feed mechanism 40 are driven according to the retrieved embroidery 
data to sew the selected embroidery pattern. When the memory card 23 is 
not mounted in the embroidery sewing device M at the start of the 
embroidery pattern display routine (S10:NO), then an error message is 
displayed on the display 20 in S16 and the program returns to the main 
routine. 
Next, operations and effects of the embroidery pattern display routine for 
displaying on the display 20 those embroidery patterns which the 
embroidery sewing device M are capable of sewing from the memory card 23 
mounted in the embroidery sewing device M will be explained. 
The memory card 23 stores pattern data, which includes embroidery display 
data and embroidery data, relating to a plurality of embroidery patterns 
applicable to one or both of small type and large type embroidery sewing 
devices. The memory card 23 also stores lead address tables including a 
small device lead address table and a large device lead address table. 
Because one type of memory card 23 can be used with a plurality of 
embroidery sewing devices, its general usability is enhanced and its 
manufacture can be simplified. Further, the different embroidery patterns 
stored in the memory card 23 need not be managed separately by type of 
embroidery device. Also, a plurality of memory cards 23 need not be 
managed separately for each type of embroidery device. 
Because either the large device or small device table indication 
information, whichever is appropriate for the present embroidery sewing 
device M, is stored in the ROM 32 of the control device 30, by changing 
the table indication information according to type of embroidery sewing 
device, the pattern data for only those embroidery patterns sewable by the 
corresponding embroidery sewing device M can be selectively retrieved from 
the memory card 23, to be displayed or sewn as desired. 
The present invention can also be applied to an embroidery data processor 
having the same control device 30 and the display 20 but no sewing 
mechanism nor workpiece cloth feed mechanism. As in the embroidery sewing 
device M described above, a control program for controlling display of 
embroidery patterns is stored in the ROM 32 of the control device 30. 
Also, a memory card 23 is mountable in the embroidery data processor. The 
memory card 23 stores pattern data, including pattern display data and 
embroidery data, relating to a plurality of embroidery patterns applicable 
to a plurality of types of embroidery sewing mechanisms such as the sewing 
mechanism and the workpiece cloth support frame described above. The 
memory card 23 also stores lead address tables indicating the various 
types of sewing mechanisms. Further, the ROM 32 of the control device 30 
stores table indication information indicating which of the sewing devices 
M are applicable to the embroider data processor. Therefore, this 
embroidery data processor can achieve the same effects and the operations 
as the embroidery sewing device described above. Said differently, the 
embroidery data processor according to the present invention is the same 
as a sewing machine according to the present invention, but without 
components needed for sewing operations such as a sewing mechanism or 
workpiece cloth feed mechanism. 
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described while 
referring FIGS. 10 and 11. As shown in FIG. 10, a memory card 23A can 
store embroidery data relating to a first to fifteenth embroidery 
patterns; a lead address table storing lead addresses of pattern data 
arranged by size of corresponding embroidery patterns; and a number of 
patterns table including a number of embroidery patterns sewable by each 
of a variety of embroidery sewing devices. On the other hand, the ROM 32 
of the control device 30 in the embroidery sewing device M stores table 
indication information indicating the number of patterns table 
corresponding to the present embroidery sewing device M and an embroidery 
pattern display routine for controlling display of the embroidery pattern 
and represented by the flowchart shown in FIG. 11. The small embroidery 
sewing device MS stores "small device" as its table indication information 
and the large embroidery sewing device ML stores "large device" as its 
table indication information. 
As shown in FIG. 10, the memory card 23A stores pattern display data for 
each embroidery pattern from lead address D0000 and embroidery data for 
each embroidery pattern from lead address E0000. As a lead address table, 
the memory card 23A stores the lead addresses of embroidery display data 
and embroidery data for each embroidery pattern from the lead address 
C0000. Further, as number of patterns tables, the memory card 23A stores a 
small device number of patterns table from lead address A0000 and a large 
device number of patterns table from lead address B0000. 
The small device number of patterns table stores the number "10", which 
represents the number of embroidery patterns sewable by a small embroidery 
sewing device MS in its small embroidery region. The large device number 
of patterns table stores the number "15", which represents the number of 
embroidery patterns sewable by the large embroidery sewing device ML in 
its large embroidery region. The lead addresses of pattern data are stored 
categorized by size of the corresponding embroidery pattern in the lead 
address table. For example, the first through tenth embroidery patterns 
are relatively small sized embroidery patterns and the eleventh through 
fifteenth embroidery patterns are relatively large sized embroidery 
patterns. 
Next, an embroidery pattern display routine for displaying embroidery 
patterns stored in the memory card 23A will be explained while referring 
to the flowchart in FIG. 11. It should be noted that S30 and S34 through 
S37 of the embroidery pattern display routine represented by the flowchart 
in FIG. 11 are same as S10 and S13 through S16 of the embroidery pattern 
display routine represented by the flowchart in FIG. 5. 
When the memory card 23A is mounted (S30:YES), the table indication 
information is retrieved from the ROM 32 in S31. 
The number of patterns table indicated by the retrieved table indication 
information is retrieved in S32. Then, in S33, lead addresses for the 
pattern display data are retrieved, starting from the top of the lead 
address table, in a number indicated by the number of patterns table 
retrieved in S32. The pattern display data stored at the retrieved lead 
addresses is retrieved and displayed on the display 20 in S34 and S35. For 
example, when the table indication information stored in ROM 32 reads 
"small device," indicating the small embroidery sewing device MS, then, 
the number of embroidery patterns "10" is retrieved from the small device 
number of patterns table in the memory card 23A. Therefore, starting from 
the top of the lead address table, ten lead addresses for pattern display 
data are retrieved from the memory card 23A. Then, the pattern display 
data stored at the retrieved lead addresses, that is, for the first 
through tenth embroidery patterns, is retrieved from the memory card 23A 
and, as shown in FIG. 8, the ten embroidery patterns sewable by the small 
embroidery sewing device MS are displayed on the display 20. 
On the other hand, when the table indication information indicates "large 
device", then the number of embroidery patterns "15" is retrieved from the 
large device number of pattern table. Then, starting from the top of the 
lead address table, 15 lead addresses for pattern display data, that is, 
for the first through fifteenth embroidery patterns, is retrieved from the 
memory card 23A and displayed on the display 20 as shown in FIG. 9. In 
other words, 15 embroidery patterns sewable by a large embroidery sewing 
device ML are displayed on the display 20. With the above-described 
configuration, the same operations and effects of the first embodiment can 
be achieved. 
In the same manner as the first embodiment, the configuration of the second 
embodiment can also be applied to an embroidery data processor not 
provided with a means for sewing embroidery. 
While the invention has been described in detail with reference to specific 
embodiments thereof, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that 
various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing 
from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the 
attached claims. 
For example, in the above-described embodiments and their modifications, 
which embroidery data is suitable for which type of embroidery sewing 
device is determined based on tables stored in the memory card. However, 
this configuration could be modified so that the size of each pattern is 
detected and automatically compared with the sewable area of a target 
embroidery sewing device. Only sewable patterns which can be contained 
within the sewable area of the target embroidery sewing device could then 
be automatically selected and displayed on the display. The user can then 
make a selection of which of the display patterns he or she wishes to 
edit. Also, only pattern display data for all the embroidery patterns need 
be stored in the embroidery sewing memory card 23, 23A. In this case, the 
embroidery data can be developed by developing the embroidery display 
data. Alternatively, only embroidery data need be stored in the memory 
card 23, 23A, in which case, embroidery display data could be developed 
from the embroidery data. Further, pattern data which can be developed 
into both embroidery data and pattern display data can be stored in the 
memory card 23, 23A and developed into pattern display data or embroidery 
data as needed. 
Lead address tables for a plurality of embroidery sewing devices can be 
stored in the memory card 23 or number of pattern tables for a plurality 
of machines can be stored in the memory card 23A. The present invention 
can be applied to a variety of embroidery sewing memory cards, to a 
variety of embroidery sewing devices capable of sewing embroidery by 
producing relative movement between a needle 15 and a cloth support frame; 
to a variety of embroidery sewing devices capable of sewing embroidery by 
using a feed dog to move the workpiece cloth in the leftward, rightward, 
frontward, and backward directions; and to a variety of sewing data 
processors capable of displaying embroidery patterns without being 
provided with a embroidery sewing mechanism.