Patent Document ID: 9915017
Application ID: 15406713
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for optimizing yarn consumption in the manufacture of pixel mapped patterns on tufting machines having an array of independent yarn feed devices feeding yarns to reciprocating needles comprising the steps of: (a) creating a multi-color pixel mapped pattern design in a bitmap-type file; (b) loading the bitmap-type file into a computer running yarn consumption optimization software; (c) setting the lateral shifting profile and stitch rate information that will be used with the pattern design; (d) assigning yarns that will be threaded on the tufting machine and appropriate yarn feed increments to colors in the bitmap-type file; (e) computing yarn feed totals by needle; (f) grouping needles based upon yarn feed totals into at least high and low yarn consumption groups; (g) selecting the low group of needles for location analysis; (h) applying an algorithm to place additional stitches for yarns feed to needles in the low group in the place of stitches fed by needles in the high group; (i) displaying the multi-color pixel mapped pattern design as modified by the algorithm.