Patent GB-1510351-A (GB)
Title: Method of knitting or weaving
IPC: D03C19/00
Filed: 1975-03-04
Abstract: 1510351 Automatic control KANEBO Ltd 4 March 1975 [4 March 1974(2)] 9029/75 Heading G3N [Also in Divisions Dl and H4] Pattern information for a knitting or weaving machine for producing a Jacquard pattern is produced by separating either the analog electric signal from a mono-chrome television camera viewing a coloured object pattern, or the analog electric signals from a colour television camera, into partial signals according to the colour of each elemental area of the object pattern, digitally encoding these partial signals, and storing the resulting encoded signals in a digital memory in which they are processed according to the operation of a control panel before being transferred to an output medium as the pattern information. In a first embodiment, Fig. 1, the output from a mono-chrome camera 3 is compared with three reference levels H,M and L in comparators 7a-7c and when equal to or greater than level H comparator 7a generates an output, when equal to or greater than level M but less than level H comparator 7b generates an output, and when equal to a greater than level L but less than level M comparator 7c generates an output. A code converter 8 converts the comparator output signals into two bit digital signals "11", "10", "01" and produces a signal "00" when there are no output signals from the comparators. These luminance levels are selected to correspond to four colours, but if two selected colours have identical luminance levels a suitable colour filter 2 is inserted in the camera's optical path. The digital signals are stored in a random access memory 10 in response to clock signals from clock 15, adjustment of which causes the pattern stored to be expanded or reduced. The information stored is processed by a computer connected via a tape reader 16 or a computer interface 17 and buffer register 9 to the memory 10. After being processed the pattern stored in memory 10 is read-out into a paper tape puncher 18 which controls a knitting machine. By means of switch 19 the output pattern of converter 8 or the pattern stored in memory 10 is displayed on a mono-chromatic CRT 22 and a colour CRT 23. The output of the camera 3 may also be selectively displayed. The address control 11 of memory 10 receives the output of (a) a mask control 12 which determines the pattern area display on the CRTs, (b) a shift control 14 which shifts the displayed pattern (useful for checking repeat patterns) and (c) an amend control 13 which enables amendment of the stored coded signals. In a second embodiment Fig. 9 the colour components' output signals of a colour television camera 31 are fed to a matrix 38 and the resulting luminance signal E Y  applied to a luminance level divider 39 and the chrominance signals E I  and EQ to a chrominance vector divider 40. The divided luminance signal and/or chrominance vector signal are applied to a colour identifying circuit 41, Fig. 12 whose outputs C 1 -C 6  are fed to a colour specifying matrix 42, Fig. 13, together with the outputs of a colour signal generator 43 which generates for each of six colours C 1 '-C 6 ' three controllable primary colour image signals E R1 , E G1 , E B1 ) - E R6 , E G6 , E B6 ). In matrix 42 the later signals are controlled by the colour specifying signals, and three primary colour signals E R #, E G '''and E B ''' are generated and displayed 44. The colour specifying signals are also fed to a digitizing means 46 via an interface 45 and then stored on a punched paper tape or magnetic tape for subsequent control of a knitting machine.