Method and system for 3-D printing of 3-D object models in interactive content items

• US 10,596,761 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruxton, Adam, Ivester, Christopher Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Anya, Charles E
• Application Number:
  US15/794,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

According to at least one illustrative embodiment, a computer device and a corresponding method of enabling customization and 3-D prototyping of a 3-D representation of an object illustrated by an interactive content item comprise providing, by the computer device, an interactive content item including a representation of a three-dimensional (3-D) object to a client device. Upon an end user of the client device interacts with the interactive content item and provides one or more customization parameters for a 3-D representation of the 3-D object, the computer device receives the one or more customization parameters from the client device. The computer device then cause a 3-D representation of the 3-D object to be printed by a 3-D printer associated with the client device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for printing three-dimensional prototypes of objects, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface in communication with a client device, and a processor executing a resource server, the network interface is configured to;

provide, to the client device, a representation of a three-dimensional object for display on the client device; and

receive a request for a three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object for printing a three-dimensional prototype of the three-dimensional object on a three-dimensional printer communicatively coupled to the client device; and

the resource server is configured to;

responsive to receipt of the request, generate the three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object with an identifier embedded on a visible surface of the three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object, the identifier comprising a coupon code or a promotion code; and

provide the three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object to the client device for printing the three-dimensional prototype of the three-dimensional object on the three-dimensional printer communicatively coupled to the client device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client device is limited to a number of three-dimensional object prototypes to be printed based on a counter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface is further configured to receive information indicative of settings of the three-dimensional printer from the client device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resource server is further configured to generate the three-dimensional model based on the information indicative of the settings of the three-dimensional printer received from the client device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional model is forwarded by the client device to the three-dimensional printer for printing the three-dimensional prototype.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface is further configured to provide a user interaction module for execution by the client device, the user interaction module providing an interface for initiating three-dimensional printing of the three-dimensional prototype.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured to provide the representation of the three-dimensional object to the client device within an interactive third party content item.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the interactive third party content item includes an interaction widget for initiating three-dimensional printing of the three-dimensional prototype.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an identifier of a model of the three-dimensional object.

10. A method of printing three-dimensional prototypes of objects, the method comprising:

providing, by a computer server to a client device, a representation of a three-dimensional object for display on the client device;

receiving, by the computer server, a request for a three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object for printing a three-dimensional prototype of the three-dimensional object on a three-dimensional printer communicatively coupled to the client device;

generating, by the computer server, responsive to receipt of the request, the three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object with an identifier embedded on a visible surface of the three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object, the identifier comprising a coupon code or a promotion code; and

providing the three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional object to the client device for printing the three-dimensional prototype of the three-dimensional object on the three-dimensional printer communicatively coupled to the client device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the client device is limited to a number of three-dimensional prototype objects to be printed based on a counter.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving information indicative of settings of the three-dimensional printer from the client device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the three-dimensional model is further based on the information indicative of the settings of the three-dimensional printer received from the client device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the three-dimensional model is forwarded by the client device to the three-dimensional printer for printing the three-dimensional prototype.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a user interaction module for execution by the client device, the user interaction module providing an interface for initiating three-dimensional printing of the three-dimensional prototype.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing the representation of the three-dimensional object to the client device within an interactive third party content item.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the interactive third party content item includes an interaction widget for initiating three-dimensional printing of the three-dimensional prototype.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifier comprises an identifier of a model of the three-dimensional object.