Device and method for supporting 3D object printing and apparatus for providing 3D object printing service

• US 10,105,904 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Seung-Wook, Jang, In-Su, Choi, Jin-Sung, Koo, Bon-Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monty, Marzia T
• Application Number:
  US14/325,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device and method for supporting 3D object printing and an apparatus for providing a 3D object printing service. A proposed device for supporting 3D object printing includes an information collection unit for collecting preference information of a user and performance information of a 3D printer. A download unit downloads a 3D model that is an object to be printed and model information defined in the 3D model in response to a printable selection signal. A model information creation unit creates new model information based on the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model. A print control command generation unit generates a print control command based on the preference information of the user and the performance information of the 3D printer, output from the information collection unit, and the new model information, output from the model information creation unit.

Claims

1. A device for supporting three-dimensional (3D) object printing, comprising:

one or more processors that process computer executable program code embodied in non-transitory computer readable storage media, the computer executable program code comprising;

information collection program code that collects preference information of a user and performance information of a 3D printer;

download program code that downloads a 3D model that is an object to be printed and model information defined in the 3D model in response to a printable selection signal;

model information creation program code that creates new model information based on the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model, downloaded by the download program code; and

print control command generation program code that generates a print control command based on the preference information of the user and the performance information of the 3D printer, output from the information collection program code, and the new model information, output from the model information creation program code,

wherein the device conforms to a structure of a Moving Picture Experts Group Virtual Worlds standard (MPEG-V) (International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

     23005), and

wherein each of the preference information of the user is provided by the user in a format of metadata,

wherein the performance information of the 3D printer, the model information defined in the 3D model, and the new model information is provided by the print control command generation program code controlled by the user and in the format of metadata,

wherein metadata of the preference information of the user includes information about an unfavorite material element, a maximum height element, an element for filling an inner space of a printing material, a print supporter element, a maximum height of a printed object and a thickness of a hollow printed object,

wherein metadata defining the printing material includes;

material base elements including information about a level of resistance to heat, a level of resistance to cold, durability, and transparency;

a mixed material selection element including information about the material base elements and information about percentages and values of ingredients used in a mixed material;

a plastic material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a plastic material; and

a metal material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a metal material,

wherein metadata of the model information defined in the 3D model includes information about whether to use a printing element and whether to fill an inner space of a printed object, and information about a proposed material, a proposed printing height, and a thickness of a printed object,

wherein the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model are packaged in a digital broadcast stream, and the download program code downloads the digital broadcast stream at a corresponding time as the printable selection signal is input,

wherein the preference information of the user is converted into metadata defining the user'"'"'s preference by the user terminal, and resulting metadata is transmitted to a set-top box, and

wherein the performance information of the 3D printer is converted into metadata defining the performance of the 3D printer by the user terminal, and resulting metadata is transmitted to the set-top box.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the print control command generation program code transmits the print control command to the 3D printer, and thus allows 3D object printing to be performed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein metadata of the preference information of the user includes information about:

whether to use a security element,

whether to use a layout optimizer element, and

whether to use a physical simulation element, and information about a number of unfavorite materials, and a security level.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein metadata of the performance information of the 3D printer includes information about:

whether to use a number-of-printing materials-element,

whether to use a number-of-colors-element,

whether to use a security element,

whether to use a number-of-supported file formats-element, and

whether to use a maximum volume element, and information about the number of printing materials, the number of colors, individual color values, a security level, a number of file formats supportable by the printer, file formats supportable by the printer, and a maximum volume.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein metadata defining the printing material includes:

a rubber material selection element including the information about the material base elements and ductility;

a biometrical selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about directions for biomaterials;

a food material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values defining flavor, a gross calorific value, and a ratio of five nutrients;

a powder material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a powder material and a size of grains used in powder;

a glass material selection element including the information about the material base elements; and

a ceramic material selection element including the information about the material base elements.

6. A method of supporting 3D object printing, comprising:

processing computer executable program code embodied in non-transitory computer readable storage media by one or more processors, the computer executable program code comprising;

program code that collects preference information of a user and performance information of a 3D printer;

program code that downloads a 3D model that is an object to be printed and model information defined in the 3D model in response to a printable selection signal;

program code that creates new model information based on the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model, downloaded at downloading; and

program code that generates a print control command based on the preference information of the user and the performance information of the 3D printer, output at collecting, and the new model information,

wherein the method conforms to a Moving Picture Experts Group Virtual Worlds standard (MPEG-V) (International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

     23005),

wherein each of the preference information of the user is provided by the user in a format of metadata,

wherein the performance information of the 3D printer, the model information defined in the 3D model, and the new model information is provided by the print control command generation program code controlled by the user and in the format of metadata,

wherein metadata of the preference information of the user includes information about an unfavorite material element, a maximum height element, an element for filling an inner space of a printing material, a print supporter element, a maximum height of a printed object and a thickness of a hollow printed object,

wherein metadata defining the printing material includes material base elements including information about a level of resistance to heat, a level of resistance to cold, durability, and transparency;

a mixed material selection element including information about the material base elements and information about percentages and values of ingredients used in a mixed material;

a plastic material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a plastic material;

a metal material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a metal material;

wherein the metadata of the model information defined in the 3D model includes;

information about whether to use a printing element and whether to fill an inner space of a printed object, and

information about a proposed material, a proposed printing height, and a thickness of a printed object,

wherein the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model are packaged in a digital broadcast stream, and

the program code that downloads a 3D model downloads the digital broadcast stream at a corresponding time as the printable selection signal is input,

wherein the preference information of the user is converted into metadata defining the user'"'"'s preference by the user terminal, and resulting metadata is transmitted to a set-top box, and

wherein the performance information of the 3D printer is converted into metadata defining the performance of the 3D printer by the user terminal, and resulting metadata is transmitted to the set-top box.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the program code that generates the print control command transmits the print control command to the 3D printer and allows 3D object printing to be performed.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein metadata of the preference information of the user includes information about:

whether to use a security element,

whether to use a layout optimizer element, and

whether to use a physical simulation element, and information about a number of unfavorite materials, and a security level.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein metadata of the performance information of the 3D printer includes information about:

whether to use a number-of-printing materials-element,

whether to use a number-of-colors-element,

whether to use a security element,

whether to use a number-of-supported file formats-element, and

whether to use a maximum volume element, and information about the number of printing materials, the number of colors, individual color values, a security level, a number of file formats supportable by the printer, file formats supportable by the printer, and a maximum volume.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein metadata defining the printing material includes

a rubber material selection element including the information about the material base elements and ductility;

a biometrical selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about directions for biomaterials;

a food material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values defining flavor, a gross calorific value, and a ratio of five nutrients;

a powder material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a powder material and a size of grains used in powder;

a glass material selection element including the information about the material base elements; and

a ceramic material selection element including the information about the material base elements.

11. An apparatus for providing a 3D object printing service, comprising:

one or more processors that process computer executable program code embodied in non-transitory computer readable storage media, the computer executable program code comprising 3D object printing support device program code that generates a print control command based on preference information of a user, performance information of a 3D printer, a 3D model that is an object to be printed, and model information defined in the 3D model; and

wherein the 3D printer performs 3D object printing based on the print control command output from the 3D object printing support device,

wherein the apparatus conforms to a structure of a Moving Picture Experts Group Virtual Worlds standard (MPEG-V) (International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

     23005), and

wherein each of the preference information of the user is provided by the user in a format of metadata,

wherein the performance information of the 3D printer, the model information defined in the 3D model, and the new model information is provided by the print control command generation program code controlled by the user and in the format of metadata,

wherein metadata of the preference information of the user includes information about an unfavorite material element, a maximum height element, an element for filling an inner space of a printing material, a print supporter element, a maximum height of a printed object and a thickness of a hollow printed object,

wherein metadata defining the printing material includes;

material base elements including information about a level of resistance to heat, a level of resistance to cold, durability, and transparency;

a mixed material selection element including information about the material base elements and information about percentages and values of ingredients used in a mixed material;

a plastic material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a plastic material;

a metal material selection element including the information about the material base elements and information about values of ingredients used in a metal material;

wherein metadata of the model information defined in the 3D model includes information about whether to use a printing element and whether to fill an inner space of a printed object, and information about a proposed material, a proposed printing height, and a thickness of a printed object,

wherein the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model are packaged in a digital broadcast stream, and

download program code downloads the digital broadcast stream at a corresponding time as the printable selection signal is input,

wherein the preference information of the user is converted into metadata defining the user'"'"'s preference by the user terminal, and resulting metadata is transmitted to a set-top box, and

wherein the performance information of the 3D printer is converted into metadata defining the performance of the 3D printer by the user terminal, and resulting metadata is transmitted to the set-top box.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the 3D object printing support device comprises:

an information collection program code for collecting the preference information of the user and the performance information of the 3D printer;

a download program code for downloading the 3D model that is the object to be printed and the model information defined in the 3D model in response to a printable selection signal;

a model information creation program code for creating new model information based on the 3D model and the model information defined in the 3D model, downloaded by the download program code; and

a print control command generation program code for generating the print control command based on the preference information of the user and the performance information of the 3D printer, output from the information collection program code, and the new model information, output from the model information creation program code.