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

• US 9,827,714 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• 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:
  US14/280,092
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 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 of printing a three-dimensional (3-D) prototypes of objects, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory with computer code instructions stored thereon, the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions stored thereon, are configured to;

provide, to a client device, in response to a request for third-party content to be displayed with publisher content, an interactive third-party content item including a representation of a three-dimensional (3-D) object and a request, wherein the request is to a user of the client device to specify whether or not a three dimensional (3-D) prototype printer is available to the client device;

responsive to determining that the three dimensional (3-D) prototype printer is available to the client device, receive from the client device one or more customization parameters for a 3-D representation of the 3-D object;

responsive to receipt of the one or more customization parameters, generating a customized 3-D representation of the 3-D object according to the one or more customization parameters, wherein the customized 3-D representation embedding an identifier; and

providing the customized 3-D representation of the 3-D object to the client device for printing a 3-D prototype of the 3-D object on the 3-D prototype printer communicatively coupled to the client device, wherein the identifier embedded in the customized 3-D representation is visible on any 3-D prototype of the 3-D object printed using the customized 3-D representation and wherein the user limited on a number of 3-D prototype object to be printed based on a counter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions stored thereon, are further configured to receive information indicative of settings of the 3-D printer from the client device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customized 3-D representation is forwarded by the client device to the 3-D printer for printing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein generating the customized 3-D representation is further based on information indicative of settings of the 3-D printer received from the client device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive content item is configured to cause the client device to display an interaction widget for initiating 3-D printing of the customized 3-D representation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive third party content item is an advertisement content item.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a coupon code.

8. A method of printing three-dimensional (3-D) prototypes of objects, the method comprising:

providing, by a computer server, in response to a request for third-party content to be displayed with publisher content, an interactive third party content item including a representation of a three-dimensional (3-D) object to client device and a request, wherein the request is to a user of the client device to specify whether or not a three dimensional (3-D) printer is available to the client device;

receiving, responsive to determining that the 3-D printer is available to the client device, by the computer server, from the client device one or more customization parameters for a 3-D representation of the 3-D object;

responsive to receipt of the one or more customization parameters, generating, by the computer server, a customized 3-D representation of the 3-D object according to the one or more customization parameters, wherein the customized 3-D representation embedding an identifier; and

providing, by the computer server, the customized 3-D representation of the 3-D object to the client device for printing on the 3-D printer communicatively coupled to the client device, wherein the identifier embedded in the customized 3-D representation is visible on any 3-D prototype of the 3-D object printed using the customized 3-D representation and wherein the user is limited to a number of 3-D prototype objects to be printed based on a counter.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises receiving information indicative of settings of the 3-D printer from the client device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the customized 3-D representation is forwarded by the client device to the 3-D printer for printing.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the customized 3-D representation is further based on information indicative of settings of the 3-D printer received from the client device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the interactive content item is configured to cause the client device to display an interaction widget for initiating 3-D printing of the customized 3-D representation.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the interactive third party content item is an advertisement content item.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is a coupon code.