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Sheet material cutting system and methods regarding sameRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Generic Control Systems Or Specific Applications, Specific Application, Apparatus Or Process, Product Assembly Or Manufacturing, Particular Manufactured Product Or Operation, Continuous Material Having Indeterminate Length (e.g., Web, Strand, Strip, Or Sheet)Sheet material cutting system and methods regarding same description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060200267, Sheet material cutting system and methods regarding same. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/983,200, filed Nov. 5, 2004, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/517,550, filed Nov. 5, 2003, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The art of cutting shapes, words, letters, and graphics from vinyl substrates on a backing is known in the sign making industry. In addition, cutters have been designed for textiles to allow pattern shapes to be cut automatically for industrial garment applications. These industrial cutters are typically blades mounted on a plotter-type apparatus that allows the blade to move in the y- and z-directions with the vinyl substrate or textile moving in the x-direction. For example, one such cutter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,361 to Spann entitled "Digital Media Cutter," issued 10 Dec. 2002, which combines an inkjet printer with a laser cutter to allow printing and cutting of, for example, vinyl and textiles. [0003] Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,840 B2 to Day et al. entitled "Multi-functional Printer," issued 31 Dec. 2002, shows a hand held printer and cutter device, which is connected by a cable to a base that is connected to a computer. This printer and cutter device is designed to cut stencil material or etch glass and metal plates. Yet further, U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0012454 A1 to Manico et al. entitled "Custom Cut Image Products," published 16 Jan. 2003 allows a consumer to identify an image they would like cut and place an order over a communication network to have the image cut at a production facility. [0004] In general, previous cutters are generally designed such that an individual consumer could not operate the cutting device without extensive training. Such cutters are generally industrial in nature and intended to be used in the industry's manufacturing environment. Further, technology in the sign making industry has been directed toward faster, wider cutting operations. These cutters are directed by complicated drawing software in which the user must create non-geometric figures and/or lines to be sent to the cutter for use in cutting the desired material. [0005] Cutting of non-geometric shapes, letters, and numbers is desired by individuals in the scrapbooking, card making, and education industries. Individuals in the scrapbooking, card making, education and related industries require sophisticated and intricate letters, numbers and graphics. [0006] For example, the process of making a unique scrapbook page or card requires the scrapbooker to choose colors, patterns, and a design format for the page they are making. Currently, stickers, industrially cut shapes and words, and personal die cutting systems are available. The stickers and industrially cut shapes and letters pre-determine the color, font, and pattern schemes available for use on a page. The personal die cutting systems allow the user to choose paper and shapes to make a unique page but can be bulky to store and transport, are expensive to expand when more choice is desired (e.g., adding additional fonts, letter sizes, different shapes, etc.), and are very manual and time consuming to use. Further, individuals who scrapbook and make cards often leave their homes to work on their projects. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] A method for cutting sheet material (e.g., cutting text or shapes from paper for making a scrapbook) according to the present invention includes providing a cutting apparatus operable to cut sheet material along one or more cut lines under control of a processing apparatus. Further, a plurality of predefined shapes (e.g., predefined non-geometric shapes) with one or more associated predefined cut lines are stored on readable media. A user interface allows a user to insert at least one shape in a graphical design using the plurality of predefined shapes. The graphical design is defined by one or more cut lines based on the one or more cut lines associated with the plurality of predefined shapes. Sheet material is inserted into the cutting apparatus (e.g., a cutting apparatus configured to receive sheet material having a size equal to, but no more than, 10 inches wide) and the graphical design defined by the cut lines is cut under control of a cut signal generated by the processing apparatus that is representative of the one or more cut lines defined for the graphical design. [0008] In one embodiment, one or more predefined fonts are stored with one or more associated predefined cut lines on the readable media. Further, the user interface allows a user to insert at least one of text and a shape in a graphical design using the one or more predefined fonts and the plurality of predefined shapes. The graphical design is defined by one or more cut lines based on the one or more cut lines associated with the one or more predefined fonts and plurality of predefined shapes. [0009] Further, in one embodiment, the processing apparatus, the cutting apparatus, and the user interface are integrated with or within a housing to form a standalone cutting apparatus. [0010] Yet further, in another embodiment, the processing apparatus includes a handheld processing apparatus operable to present the user interface to the user. [0011] In another embodiment of the method, allowing the user to insert at least one shape in the graphical design includes presenting the plurality of predefined shapes available and selecting a presented predefined shape to be inserted; or the shape may be sized by dragging a portion of an insertion region in which the shape is presented to the user. [0012] In yet another embodiment, cutting the graphical design defined by the cut lines further includes compressing at least a portion of the sheet material corresponding to the cut line prior to cutting. [0013] In another embodiment of the method, a plurality of storage media are provided; wherein each storage media includes at least one group of related predefined non-geometric shapes. At least one of the storage media may further include at least one predefined font. [0014] A portable system for cutting sheet material according to the present invention is also described. The system includes a housing configured to accept sheet material and a user interface integrated with or within the housing that allows a user to define a graphical design that is to be cut from the sheet material. A processing apparatus is also integrated with or within the housing that is operable to generate a cutting signal based on the graphical design defined by the user. Yet further, a cutting apparatus is also integrated with or within the housing operable to cut the sheet material under control of the processing apparatus based on the cutting signal. [0015] In one embodiment of the system, an information storage media system is also integrated with or within the housing that allows a user to insert media into the graphical design. [0016] In other embodiments of the system, at least one of one or more predefined fonts and a plurality of predefined non-geometric shapes are stored on a plurality of storage media operable with the information storage media system for access by the processing apparatus, and further, the portable system may be a standalone cutting system that weighs less than about 20 lbs. [0017] Another method for cutting sheet material is also described. The method includes providing a cutting apparatus operable to cut sheet material under control of a processing apparatus. At least one of one or more predefined fonts and a plurality of predefined shapes are stored on readable media with one or more associated predefined cut lines and one or more predefined emboss lines. A user interface is provided that allows a user to insert at least one of text and one or more shapes in a graphical design using the predefined fonts and/or the plurality of predefined shapes; the graphical design is defined by one or more cut lines and one or more emboss lines based on the one or more cut lines and the one or more emboss lines associated with the one or more predefined fonts and the plurality of predefined shapes. Sheet material is inserted into the cutting apparatus. The sheet material is compressed (e.g., embossed) under control of a compress signal generated by the processing apparatus that is representative of the one or more emboss lines defined for the graphical design. The graphical design defined by the cut lines is cut under control of a cut signal generated by the processing apparatus that is representative of the one or more cut lines defined for the graphical design. [0018] In various embodiments, systems for implementing the compression and cutting method described herein may be provided. Further, the compression (e.g., embossing) and cutting functions may be implemented together or separately. [0019] A storage media associated with an information storage system accessible under control of a processing apparatus using a user interface is also provided. The storage media includes a plurality of predefined shapes stored with one or more associated predefined cut lines. The one or more cut lines accessible by the processing apparatus are for use in generation of a cut signal for use in cutting a graphical design from sheet material. [0020] In various embodiments of the storage media, the storage media may include emboss lines either with the cut lines or alone. [0021] The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Advantages, together with a more complete understanding of the invention, will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Continue reading about Sheet material cutting system and methods regarding same... Full patent description for Sheet material cutting system and methods regarding same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Sheet material cutting system and methods regarding same patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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