Patent Publication Number: US-2011048304-A1

Title: Sewing machine system and thread spool storage device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application 2009-198202, filed on Aug. 28, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a sewing machine system configured by a sewing machine and a thread spool storage device communicably interconnected through a communication element and a thread spool storage device for use with the sewing machine system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Sewing machines are known to utilize multiple colors of threads in operations such as embroidery pattern sewing. In doing so, multiple thread spools or bobbins each carrying different thread color are stored at their designated places such as a storage device. Then, on execution, the user is to retrieve the thread spool or the bobbin, whichever is required, carrying the desired thread color from the storage device. 
     One typical example of a storage device is a bobbin storage container for storing supply of multiple bobbins for use with a sewing machine. The bobbin storage container is configured by multiple layers of independent bobbin support bases each having multiple bobbin support pins. Each of the bobbin bases are pivoted rotatably to a base shaft. Under such configuration, the user is required to find the bobbin carrying the desired thread color from the multiplicity of bobbins with his/her very eyes and thus necessitates troublesome search on the part of the user. 
     A possible solution to such problem may be a thread spool stand. A thread spool stand is configured by a thread support base with six threads spool pins extending from the base to allow attachment of six thread spools. The thread spool stand is connected to the embroidery sewing machine through a dedicated cable. The thread spool base is driven rotatably by a motor and the rotational position of thread spool stand is sensed by a position sensor. When the thread spool stand receives a thread color code from the sewing machine, the motor is controlled to drive the thread spool base in rotation to bring the thread spool corresponding to the thread color code in front of the user. 
     Because the thread spool stand requires a number of components such as the motor, position sensor, and the motor controller, the overall configuration becomes somewhat complicated. Further, since the size of the device increases with the capacity to hold greater number of thread spools, the device becomes more costly and space consuming. Because of such tradeoffs it is not easy to increase the number of thread spools and thus to undertake embroidering using large number of thread colors. 
     SUMMARY 
     One object of the present disclosure is to provide a sewing machine system allowing readily retrievable storage of multiplicity of thread spools of various colors for use in a sewing machine and a thread spool storage device. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a sewing machine system including a sewing machine capable of sewing patterns with a plurality of thread colors based on pattern data; and a thread spool storage device that is provided with a plurality of compartments for storing a plurality of thread spools and that is communicably connected to the sewing machine by a communication element. The sewing machine includes a pattern selection validator that validates a selection of the pattern data containing a plurality of thread color data, a thread color information storage that stores a mapping of thread color information of the thread spools to the compartments of the thread spool storage device, a compartment identifier that, when the selection of the pattern data is validated by the pattern selection validator, searches the thread color information storage to find the thread color information pertaining to the thread color data contained in the pattern data and that transmits compartment identification information that locates the compartment being mapped to the found thread color information to the thread spool storage device. The thread spool storage device includes a compartment location indicator that indicates a location of at least one of the compartments, and a location indication controller that controls the compartment location indicator to indicate the locations of the compartments based on the compartment identification information obtained from the sewing machine by way of the communication element. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become clear upon reviewing the following description of the illustrative aspects with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, 
         FIG. 1  is a general perspective view of a sewing machine according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a thread spool storage device; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of a compartment of the thread spool storage device; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a display panel; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram indicating an electric configuration of a sewing machine system; 
         FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C are flowcharts of control flows executed in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic image of a needle transfer data; 
         FIG. 8  is an image of a screen outputted on display; and 
         FIG. 9  corresponds to  FIG. 8  and indicates a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A description will be given hereinafter on a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 8 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , sewing machine system M is configured by sewing machine  1  and thread spool storage device  14 . Body  2  of sewing machine  1  is configured by an integral assembly of bed  3  extending in the left and right direction, pillar  4  extending upward from the right end of bed  3 , and arm  5  extending leftward from the upper end of pillar  4  as viewed in  FIG. 1 . Arm  5  terminates into head  6 . Throughout the disclosure, unless otherwise defined herein, the position in which the user or the operator positions himself/herself relative to body  2  of sewing machine  1  indicates the front side and naturally, the opposite side indicates the rear side. The direction towards which pillar  4  is located on bed  3  indicates the right side and naturally, the opposite side indicates the left side. 
     Though neither shown nor described in detail, head  6  contains components such as needle bar, presser bar, and presser foot  7 . Bed  3  allows detachable attachment of embroidery frame transfer device  8  which in turn allows detachable attachment of embroidery frame  11 . Though not shown in detail, embroidery frame transfer device  8  well known in the field is provided with Y-direction transfer mechanism  9  and an X-direction transfer mechanism contained in body  8   a  of embroidery frame transfer device  8 . These transfer mechanisms transfer embroidery frame  11  in the front and rear direction represented as the Y direction and the left and right direction represented as the X direction. The aforementioned needle bar and the presser bar are supported movably up and down by head  6 . At the lower end of needle bar, a sewing needle not shown is attached, whereas at the lower end of presser bar, presser foot  7  is attached which is used in embroidering. Bed  3  further contains rotary shuttle not shown acting as a thread loop taker. A sewing machine as such exemplified in  FIG. 1  only has a single sewing needle and a single needle thread associated with it. Thus, the needle thread is replaced as required by the embroidery pattern to be formed. 
     Sewing machine  1  is further provided with a sewing machine motor, a needle-bar drive mechanism that drives the needle bar, a thread take-up, and a thread take-up mechanism that drives the thread take-up, and a shuttle drive mechanism that drives the rotary shuttle neither of which are shown. The needle bar, the thread take-up, and the rotary shuttle are driven in synchronism with the sewing machine motor by way of the foregoing drive mechanisms. The needle bar, the thread take-up, and the rotary shuttle cooperate to form stitches on a workplace cloth. 
     On the upper portion of arm  5 , cover  5   a  is provided which can be opened and closed. In the lateral middle of arm  5 , thread spool  10  is set that feeds needle thread to the sewing needle. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , at the front face of arm  5 , a plurality of operable key switches  12  including start/stop key  12   a  for instructing the start and stop of the sewing operation is provided. On the front face of pillar  4 , a sizeable and elongate full color display  13  configured by a liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided for displaying images of multiplicity of stitch patterns such as utility stitches and embroidery stitches, names of functionalities that need to be executed in the sewing operation, and other information such as various messages. On the front face of display  13 , a transparent touch panel switch  13   a  is provided which is controlled, as later detailed, by touching the switch or the touch key desired for selection of stitch patterns and allowing execution of various functionalities presented on display  13 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , thread spool device  14  is primarily configured by a rectangular body  15  which is partitioned into  16  compartments identified as  15 A to  15 P. Each of compartments  15 A to  15 P takes a drawer configuration in which drawers  16 A to  16 P can be taken in and out. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , each of drawers  16 A to  16 P can accommodate more than one thread spool  10 . On the front panel of each of drawers  16 A to  16 B, handle  16   a  is provided for facilitating user access. On the bottom of drawers  16 A to  16 P, slope  16   b  is provided that is gradually inclined forwardly downward. Thread spool  10 , when placed in one of drawers  16 A to  16 P, slides or rolls forward along slope  16   b  by its own weight. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , on the front face of body  15 , display panel  15   a  is provided above each of compartments  15 A to  15 P. Display panel  15   a  is provided with status LEDs  17 A to  17 P and remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P. Status LEDs  17 A to  17 P, when illuminated, emanate red light, for example. As shown in detail in  FIG. 4 , each of remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P is configured by 5 LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  that each emanates different color of light. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , at the inner upper portion of each of compartments  15 A to  15 P of body  15 , remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P are provided. Each of remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P are configured by six reflective optical sensors  19   a  to  19   f , for instance, which are located substantially straight above thread spools  10  stored within drawers  16 A to  16 P of compartments  15 A to  15 P. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , sewing machine  1  and thread spool storage device  14  are communicably interconnected by, for instance, USE cable  20 . Embroidery frame  11  is transferred at one side of pillar  4 , whereas USB cable  20  extends from the other side of pillar  4  to establish wire communication between sewing machine  1  and thread spool storage device  14 , meaning that USB cable  20  and embroidery frame  11  are isolated from each other to prevent entanglement. 
       FIG. 5  indicates the electric configuration of sewing machine system M. Turning first to the electric configuration of sewing machine  1 , controller  21  is configured by microcomputer provided with subcomponents such as CPU, RAM and ROM. Controller  21  is capable of communicating with control circuit  24  residing in thread spool storage device  14 . 
     Controller  21  receives input signals from input section  22 . Controller  21  is responsible for controlling display  13  and the sewing operation in general. Controller  21  is further connected to nonvolatile memory  23 . 
     Input section  22  includes earlier mentioned components such as key switches  12  at the front face of arm  5  and switches such as touch panel switches  13   a.    
     Nonvolatile memory  23  stores collection of unique IDs hereinafter referred to as compartment ID which is associated with each of compartments  15 A to  15 P. Compartment ID specifies location information of each of compartments  15 A to  15 P through, for instance, identification by row number counted from the top and column number counted from the left. Further, thread color information of thread spools  10  stored in each of compartments  15 A to  15 P is associated with each of compartments  15 A to  15 P. Compartment ID and the thread color information of thread spools  10  are mapped to each other in the form of compartment ID-thread color database which is stored in nonvolatile memory  23 . Nonvolatile memory  23  further pre-stores embroidery pattern data. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , embroidery pattern data is configured by a color data table containing multiple thread color data and needle transfer data containing multiple color-wise needle transfer data that is dedicated to each thread color data. For instance, in  FIG. 7 , the topmost thread color information for “red” is indicated by RGB value in implementation. The color data table is organized by sewing sequence. For instance, the sewing sequence of each color is designated in ascending order from top to bottom starting with the topmost “red”, “blue”, “yellow”, and the lowermost “green”. The embroidery pattern data is further appended with thread color code that specifies the thread color corresponding to each of the thread color of the multiple entries of color-wise needle transfer data and stores the data in nonvolatile memory  23 . 
     Next, a description will be given on the electric configuration of thread spool storage device  14 . Control circuit  24  is capable of communicating with sewing machine  1  by way of USB cable  20 . Control circuit  24  is provided with a detection circuit that detects the count or the presence/absence of thread spools  10  within each of drawers  16 A to  16 P based on optical sensors  19   a  to  19   f  provided at each of remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P. Control circuit  24  is further provided with remainder indicator circuit for indicating the count of thread spools based on the detection of the detection circuit and status LED indicator circuit pertaining to the display of status LEDs  17 A to  17 P. Remainder indicator circuit flickers the leftmost LED  18   a  among the 5 LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  of remainder indicator  18 A provided in the corresponding compartment  15 A when the count of detected thread spools  10  by remainder sensor  19 A is 0. Remainder indicator circuit illuminates the leftmost LED lea when the count of detected thread spool is 1. Remainder indicator circuit illuminates the leftmost LED  18   a  and LED  18   b  second from the left when the count of detected thread spool is 2. Thereafter, the remainder indicator circuit increases the count of LED to be illuminated depending upon the count of detected thread spools and when 5 or more thread spools have been detected, all of LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  are illuminated. Compartments  15 B to  15 P operate in the same manner. 
     The status LED indicator circuit indicates the location of compartments  15 A to  15 P on status LEDs  17 A to  17 P based on the acquired compartment ID. 
     Referring now to the flowcharts indicated in  FIGS. 6A to 6C , a description will be given on the control flow of controller  21  provided at sewing machine  1  and control flow of control circuit  24  provided at thread spool compartment  14 . The following description is based upon the assumption that sewing machine  1  and thread spool storage device  14  are interconnected by USB cable  20 . Sewing machine  1  is plugged into commercial power supply by way of power cord not shown, whereas thread spool storage device  14  is connected to commercial power supply by way of power cord  25  shown in  FIG. 1 . Thread spool storage device  14  may be configured to receive power from sewing machine  1  via USB cable  20  instead of commercial power supply, which in case, power cord  25  can be eliminated. 
     Description is given hereinafter on the process flow of controller  21  subdivided into steps S 1  to S 20 . After power switch not shown of sewing machine  1  is turned on the process flow begins with Step S 1  which presents a mapping of compartments  15 A to  15 P to thread color as exemplified as screen H 1  in  FIG. 8 . On the upper portion of screen H 1  presented on display  13 , a virtual thread spool storage device is presented as user interface where compartments  15 A to  15 P are represented as compartment images Ha to Hp and status LED  17 A to  17 P are represented as status LED images Ia to Ip. On the lower portion of screen H 1 , color pallet Cr is presented which comprises multiplicity of color image samples to provide the user with sample of color images. Compartment images Ha to Hp as well as color pallet Cr are implemented as touch panel switches  13   a  so as to be operable by the user. Because display  13  is configured as a color display, user interface such as status LED images Ia to Ip and color pallet Cr can be displayed in multiple colors. 
     To elaborate, thread colors of thread spools  10  set to compartments  15 A to  15 P are presented through status LED indicators Ia to Ip. For instance, in compartment ID-thread color data base, supposing that thread color green is associated with the compartment ID of compartment  15 A, status LED image Ia which represents compartment  15 A is displayed in green. 
     After presenting the relation of compartments  15 A to  15 P to thread color on display  13  at step S 1 , the process proceeds to step S 2  in which determination is made as to whether or not input section  22  has been operated. The input operations which are the subjects of determination in this case are: (a) input operations for specifying thread color to each of compartments  15 A to  15 P: and (b) switch operation for switching the screen output of display  13  to embroidery pattern selection screen. 
     Color specification under case (a) begins with the user operation of the touch panel switch  13   a  associated with the desired compartment image Ha to Hp in screen H 1 . Then, the user proceeds to touch the touch panel switch  13   a  associated with the desired color image within the color pallet Cr, whereafter switch  13   a  associated with “SET” image Hset is touched. The above described sequence of touch operation is referred to as color specification input. Based on the color specification input (step S 3 : Yes), the compartment ID corresponding to either of the touch operated compartment images Ha to Hp is associated with the color information of the touch operated color image within the color pallet Cr. The color information thus designated to the compartment ID is stored in nonvolatile memory  23  (step S 4 ). 
     Switching the screen output of display  13  to embroidery pattern selection screen for case (b) is effected by touching either of screen switch control Ga and screen switch control Gb presented on screen H 1 . When this operation has been made (step S 5 : YES), the succeeding step S 6  changes the screen output to embroidery pattern selection screen not shown. The embroidery pattern selection screen displays samples of embroidery patterns which can be selected. The user is to select one of the embroidery patterns through touch operation. The selection made at this stage is considered as a provisional selection. When determining that provisional embroidery pattern selection is made, step S 7  makes a YES decision and the process proceeds to step S 8 . 
     At step S 8 , the compartment ID corresponding to all the colors to be used in sewing the embroidery pattern provisionally selected at step S 7  are transmitted to the thread spool storage device  14 . To elaborate, step S 8  begins with the task of reading the embroidery pattern data for the embroidery pattern provisionally selected at step S 7  from nonvolatile memory  23 . This is followed by the task of searching the thread color information (i.e. compartment ID-thread color data base) of thread spool  10  stored in nonvolatile memory  23  to find color information that matches the thread color data contained in the provisionally selected embroidery pattern data. Then, compartment ID associated with the thread color information for which a match was found by the search are transmitted to thread spool storage device  14 . The operation of thread spool storage device  14  carried out in step S 8 , that is, indication or alert produced by status LEDs  17 A to  17 P will be later described in detail. 
     Then, when a pattern selection validation switch not shown is operated, a YES decision is made at step S 9  which is an indication that the embroidery pattern has been finally selected and the process proceeds to step S 10 . Step S 10  transmits the compartment ID associated with the first sewn thread color among the thread color data contained in the finally selected embroidery pattern data to thread spool storage device  14 . Taking the example of a case where the embroidery pattern data indicated in  FIG. 7  has been finally selected, the topmost entry in  FIG. 7  for the color “red” is read as the thread color data that corresponds to the first thread change code. Then, the compartment ID-thread color data base is searched to find the thread color information of the color “red” and the compartment ID associated with searched thread color information for the color “red” is transmitted to thread spool storage device  14 . As later described in detail, thread spool storage device  14  produces and indication to inform the user of the location compartment  15 A to  15 P where the “red” thread spool  10  is stored based on the transmitted compartment ID. Thus, the user is allowed to take out the “red” thread spool  10  required in the sewing operation from the designated compartment  15 A to  15 P to replace it with thread spool  10  presently attached to sewing machine  1 . 
     Thereafter, when sewing operation is started by operating start/stop key  12   a  (step S 1 : YES), the process proceeds to step S 12  which initiates the sewing of the first color. At this instance, embroidery frame transfer device  8  is controlled based on color-wise needle transfer data providing the needle transfer data pertaining to a given single color, which is red in this case, in coordination with the needle bar, the thread take-up, and the rotary shuttle to execute a series of sewing operation pertaining to the thread color “red”. Then, the subsequent step S 13  determines the presence/absence of a thread change code for the next color-wise needle transfer data and if found (step S 13 : YES), the process proceeds to step S 14 . Step S 14  reads the thread color data corresponding to the second thread change code, in this case “blue” according to the example shown in  FIG. 7 . Then, compartment ID-thread color data base is searched to find the thread color information for the color “blue”, and the compartment ID associated with the found color information for “blue” is transmitted to thread spool storage device  14 . 
     Then, when sewing of a given color in this case for the color “red” is completed based on color-wise needle transfer data (steps  15 : YES), a request for prompting thread replacement is made through a request screen outputted on display  13  (step S 16 ). Thread spool storage device  14 , on the other hand, produces an indication as later described in step T 8  to inform the user of the location of the compartment  15 A to  15 P where “blue” thread spool  10  is stored based on the transmitted compartment ID. Responsively, the user is prompted by the request screen to take out the “blue” thread spool  10  from compartment  15 A to  15 P and replace it with the “red” thread spool  10  currently attached to sewing machine  1 . Then, when start/stop switch key  12   a  is operated again to restart the sewing operation, a YES decision is made at step S 17  and the process proceeds to step S 12  to start sewing based on the color-wise needle transfer data for the subsequent given single color of thread. Then, as described earlier, if step S 13  determines the presence of the next thread change code, steps S 14  to S 17  are executed. In the current example, steps S 14  to S 17  are repeated for the three colors “red”, “blue”, and “yellow” identified by the thread color code and when sewing is started based on the color-wise needle transfer data for the final color “green”, step S 13  makes a No decision meaning that no more thread change code exists. In such case the process proceeds to step S 18  and turn off command transmitted to thread spool storage device  14  for turning off each and every status LED  17 A to  17 P. 
     After completing the sewing based on the last color-wise needle transfer data (step S 19 : YES), a message is outputted on display  13  indicating to that effect (step S 20 ). 
     Next, the operation of control circuit  24  of thread storage device  14  is described by also referring to  FIGS. 6A to 6C . When power is supplied to thread spool storage device  14 , operation of control circuit  24  begins with step T 1  which acquires signals outputted from optical sensors  19   a  to  19   f  implemented at each of remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P. Then, step T 2  produces an indication to inform the count of thread spools  10  within each of drawers  16 A to  16 P through remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P based on the acquired signals. 
     Based on the remainder indication, the user is allowed to readily notice which of compartments  15 A to  15 P of thread spool storage device  14  has few thread spools or no thread spools at all. Further, the user is allowed to verify the thread color designated to each of compartments  15 A to  15 P though screen H 1  outputted to display  13  of sewing machine  1  as earlier described in step S 1 . Thus, the user is able to preemptively supply thread spool  10  to compartments  15 A to  15 P in need. 
     Step T 3  determines whether or not the compartment ID associated with the thread color information of the provisionally selected embroidery pattern transmitted from sewing machine  1  at step S 8  has been received. If so (step T 3 ; YES), the process proceeds to step T 4  to continuously illuminate status LED  17 A to  17 P indicating the location of the compartment designated by the compartment ID. Thus, the location of the compartment associated with each of the thread colors, in this case, “red”, “blue”, “yellow”, and “green” contained in the provisionally selected embroidery pattern data is informed to the user. Advantageously, the user is given advance notice of where the thread spools  10  of the 4 colors used in the embroidering of the provisionally selected embroidery pattern is stored. 
     Step T 5  corresponds to step S 10  carried out by sewing machine  1 . That is, a determination is made as to whether or not the compartment ID associated with the first used thread color information has been received. If so (step T 5 : YES), the process proceeds to step S 6  to turn off the currently illuminated status LED  17 A to  17 P and status LED  17 A to  17 P associated with the compartment ID received at step T 5  is flickered. Stated differently, mode transition takes place in which a continuous indication mode that produces continuous indication through the above described illumination of the status LEDs  17 A to  17 P for each and every color used in the embroidery pattern transitions to an intermittent indication mode that produces intermittent indication through flickering of the status LEDs  17 A to  17 P for only the first thread color used. The user is thus, given a notice as to which of the compartments  15 A to  15 P stores the first used thread spool  10  which is “red” in the current example. Responsively, the user is to take out the “red” thread spool  10  from compartment  15 A to  15 P and set it to sewing machine  1 . After setting thread spool  10 , step  11  is executed by sewing machine  1  which is an operation to start sewing. 
     As sewing with the first thread color is started at sewing machine  1 , thread spool storage device  14  is standing by at step T 7  to receive the compartment ID corresponding to the thread color of the second thread change code. When receiving the compartment ID from sewing machine  1  (step S 7 : YES), the process proceeds to step T 8  which turns off the currently illuminated status LEDs  17 A to  17 P and flickers status LED  17 A to  17 P corresponding to the compartment ID. Thus, the user is given an advance notice on where the “blue” thread spool successively used is stored. This allows the user to take out the second color thread spool  10  to prepare for sewing of the second color while the sewing of the first color is ongoing. 
     If another transmission takes place at Step S 14  from sewing machine  1 , thread spool storage device  14  responsively executes step T 7  and step T 8 . That is, by repeating step T 7  and step T 8  for the thread change codes designating “yellow” and “green”, the user is allowed to prepare thread spool, etc. for thread replacement in a smooth and efficient fashion. 
     If there is no more succeeding thread change code, meaning that sewing is started with the last color-wise needle transfer data, thread spool storage device  14  receives the turn off command transmitted at step S 18  (step T 9 ; YES). Responsively, the process proceeds to step T 10  and turns off each and every status LED  17 A to  17 P that was flickering. Thus, the user is notified the fact that there is no more thread replacement. 
     Sewing machine system M according to the present exemplary embodiment automatically extracts the thread colors) used in the embroidery once sewing machine  1  selects the embroidery pattern data. Further, the compartment IDs which designate the locations of compartments  15 A to  15 P in which the thread spools  10  of the extracted thread colors are stored are transmitted automatically to thread spool storage device  14 . Based on the transmitted compartment IDs, thread spool storage device  14  produces an indication to inform the user of the location of compartment where thread spool  10  used in sewing the selected embroidery pattern is stored. Thus, the user will be able to readily find where the designated thread spool  10  is stored without fail because the indication is produced by thread spool storage device  14  from which the designated thread spool  10  is actually stored and taken out. The above described configuration is further advantageous in keeping thread spool storage device  14  simple in construction without necessitating motors or any such complicated mechanism. Still further, because of the above described highly reliable configuration for finding the designated thread spool  10 , the system will be able to manage increasing number of thread spools  10 . 
     Thread spool storage device  14  is provided with status LEDs  17 A to  17 P one for each of compartments  15 A to  15 P. Thus, the location of compartment  15 A to  15 P designated by sewing machine  1  can be informed directly to the user especially because the indication is brought to the attention of the user by way of light with reliability. 
     Each of compartments  15 A to  15 P provided at thread spool storage device  14  is capable of storing more than one thread spools  10 . Thus a stock of multiple thread spools  10  may be stored in each compartment  15 A to  15 P to reduce the frequency of replenishing thread spool  10 . Further, the count of remaining thread spool or the presence/absence of thread spools within compartments  15 A to  15 P can be informed to the user in the form of a remainder indication through remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P based on the detection of remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P. Thus, thread spool  10  can be replenished prior to or after sewing in response to the indication and prevent situations where sewing has to be interrupted for the purpose of replenishing thread spool  10  during the ongoing sewing. 
     Remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P provided at thread spool storage device  14  are configured by LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  and are provided one by one to each of the compartments  15 A to  15 F. Thus, the remaining amount of thread spool  10  can be indicated through LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  for each individual compartment  15 A to  15 P. Further, because the indication is given by light, it is clearly noticeable to the user. 
     The embroidery pattern data of sewing machine  1  contains a thread change code that instructs changing of thread color to a specific color. As described earlier, sewing machine  1  initially transmits the compartment ID of the thread color first used to thread spool storage device  14  and thereafter transmits the compartment ID corresponding to the thread color information by the thread change code to thread spool storage device  14  prior to the timing of actual thread replacement. Based on the compartment ID associated with the first used color information, thread spool storage device  14 , through its control circuit  24 , informs the user of the location of compartment  15 A to  15 P designated by compartment ID through status LED  17 A to  17 P. The above described configuration allows thread spool storage device  14  to inform the user of thread spool  10  carrying the first used thread color and thread spool  10  which must be changed in a smooth and organized manner. 
     Further, according to sewing machine system M, selection of embroidery pattern is made at sewing machine  1  in two steps where the user makes a provisional selection of an embroidery pattern to be sewn and thereafter finalizes the selection by validating it. Thus, the location of compartment  15 A to  15 P associated with each and every thread color contained in the thread color data can be informed to the user through thread color storage device  14 . This provides an advance notice to the user as to the location of compartments  15 A to  15 P associated with each and every thread color used in the embroidery pattern prior to finalizing the selection of embroidery pattern, which is convenient to the user in determining the embroidery pattern. Further, the locations of compartments  15 A to  15 P of the thread colors used in the provisionally selected embroidery pattern are given in a different mode of indication compared to the mode, of indication for the finally selected embroidery pattern. Thus, it is readily distinguishable to the user as to whether or not the indication pertains to the thread colors of the provisionally selected embroidery pattern. 
     More specifically, the mode of indication under the provisionally selected embroidery pattern is given in a continuous mode in which the illumination is continuous, whereas the mode of indication under the finally selected embroidery pattern is given in an intermittent mode in which the illumination is intermittent. The switch in the mode of indication from the continuous mode to the intermittent mode, which is visually recognizable by the user, makes it apparent to the user that the indication being presented to the user is based upon the finally selected information which was finally selected after having been provisionally selected. 
     Sewing machine  1  is provided with display  13  capable of displaying in color and that provides a mapping between the thread color and compartment location with which the thread color is associated. The user is thus, allowed to readily recognize which color of thread spool  10  is stored in which compartment. 
     Thread spool storage device  14  is provided with status LEDs  17 A to  17 P which provides an indication of the location of the compartment where the designated thread color is located under the control of control circuit  24 . To elaborate, control circuit  24  obtains compartment ID from sewing machine  1  by way of USB cable  20  and instructs status LEDs  17 A to  17 P to indicate the location of compartments  15 A to  15 P which are designated in the compartment ID. Thus, the location of compartments  15 A to  15 P which store thread spools  10  of thread colors used in the embroidering by sewing machine  1  is readily noticeable to the user with a simple system configuration. Thus, thread spool  10  of the thread color used in the embroidering is readily and reliably accessible to the user. 
     Statue LEDs  17 A to  17 P provided one for each of compartments  15 A to  15 P of thread spool storage device  14  indicates the location of compartments  15 A to  15 P designated by sewing machine  1  by way of light which is reliably noticeable to the user. 
     Each of compartments  15 A to  15 P provided at thread spool storage device  14  is capable of storing more than one thread spools  10 . Thus a stock of multiple thread spools  10  may be stored in each compartment  15 A to  15 P to reduce the frequency of replenishing thread spool  10 . Further, the count of remaining thread spool or the presence/absence of thread spools within compartments  15 A to  15 P can be informed to the user in the form of a remainder indication through remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P based on the detection of remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P. Thus, thread spool  10  can be replenished prior to or after sewing in response to the indication and prevent situations where sewing has to be interrupted for the purpose of replenishing thread spool  10  during the ongoing sewing. 
     Remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P provided at thread spool storage device  14  are each configured by 5 LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  and are each provided one by one to each of the compartments  15 A to  15 P. Thus, the remaining amount of thread spool  10  can be indicated through LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  for each individual compartment  15 A to  15 P. Further, because the indication is given by light, it is clearly noticeable to the user. 
     The configuration of sewing machine system M is not limited to the foregoing exemplary embodiments but may be modified as follows. 
     The thread color information designated for each of compartments  15 A to  15 P can be seen at a glance through status LED images la to lp of screen H 1  as described in step S 1 . In addition to such mode of presentation, an approach exemplified in  FIG. 9  may be employed as well.  FIG. 9  illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure through another example of screen H 1 . Based on the touch operation of touch panel switch  13   a  of compartment images Ha to Hp, controller  21  outputs the thread color information associated with compartments  15 A to  15 P specified by the touch operation to a separate section identified by Ix of screen H 1 . 
     Provision of drawers  16 A to  16 P to compartments  15 A to  15 P is not mandatory. Instead, the compartments may be configured in the form of a box, preferably with an operable/closable lid provided over the box opening, that allows thread spool  10  to be taken in out. 
     The count of LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  configuring the remainder indicators  18 A to  18 P is not limited to 5 but may be 3 or any other appropriate count. The color of light emitted by LEDs  18   a  to  18   e  may be modified as required. Remainder sensors  19 A to  19 P may be configured by a weight sensor instead of an optical sensor. 
     Status LED  17 A to  17 P may be configured to indicate the location of at least one of the compartments from the multiple compartments. Status LED  17 A to  17 P and remainder indicators  18 A to  18 B providing information by way of light may be replaced by other elements that provide information in different approaches such as a liquid crystal display and audio element. 
     Sewing machine  1  may be provided with a sensor that senses detachment of thread spool  10  from sewing machine  1 . When the detachment of thread spool  10  is sensed by the sensor, thread spool storage device  14  may be configured to indicate the location of the compartment where the relevant thread spool  10  was originally stored. 
     In the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the mode of indication under the provisionally selected embroidery pattern is given in the continuous mode, whereas the mode of indication under the finally selected embroidery pattern is given in the intermittent mode. The above correlation may be interchanged as long as the two modes are distinguishable. In either case, the distinction can be made with a single set of indicator to advantageously simplify the system configuration. 
     In the foregoing exemplary embodiments, sewing machine  1  has been configured to accept only a single set of needle thread, however, it may be configured to accept multiple sets of needle threads. Further, the capacity of sewing machine  1  is not limited to forming embroidery patterns but may also be capable of forming utility patterns or any other patterns so long as such patterns have thread attributes such as color designated to them. 
     While various features have been described in conjunction with the examples outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, and/or improvements of those features and/or examples may be possible. Accordingly, the examples, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative. Various changes may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the underlying principles.