Providing services related to item delivery via 3D manufacturing on demand

• US 9,898,776 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Apsley, Linda Knowlton, Bodell, Colin Ian, Danton, Jacob Conrad, Hayden, Scott Randall, Kapila, SaiPrasad, Lessard, Eric, Uhl, Robert Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William J
• Application Number:
  US14/076,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/00 Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/20 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/10 Additive manufacturing, e.g. 3D printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/10 Geometric CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

Methods and systems can be provided for providing items manufactured on demand to users. A user request for an item can be received. The item can have 3D manufacturing instructions associated therewith. A delivery method for the item can be determined. A manufacturing apparatus can be selected to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Instructions can be sent to the manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Delivery instructions can be provided for delivering the item according to the delivery method.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

providing, by a computing device, an electronic marketplace including a plurality of items, wherein each item of the plurality of items is associated with manufacturing instructions;

responsive to an order by a user for a first item of the plurality of items, providing, by the computing device to a 3D manufacturing apparatus, information for manufacturing the first item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the first item;

providing, to the user, access to the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the first item;

receiving, by the computing device, a request from the user for scaling of the first item to a larger size or a smaller size;

reconfiguring, by the computing device, the 3D manufacturing instructions for the first item based on the request;

providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions to a 3D manufacturing apparatus;

in response to providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions, causing the 3D manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the first item at the larger size or the smaller size, wherein the access to the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the first item is limited by a length of time that is based at least in part on an estimated amount of time for a manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the first item; and

generating, by the computing device, delivery instructions for delivering the manufactured first item to the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, user-submitted 3D manufacturing instructions for a second item different from the plurality of items, the user-submitted 3D manufacturing instructions being submitted by the user; and

in response to receiving the user-submitted 3D manufacturing instructions, providing, by the computing device to the 3D manufacturing apparatus, instructions to manufacture the second item based on the user-submitted 3D manufacturing instructions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a request from the user for scaling of the second item to a larger or a smaller size; and

reconfiguring, by the computing device, the user-submitted 3D manufacturing instructions for the second item based on the requested scaling wherein providing the instructions to the 3D manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the first second item comprises providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions, and wherein providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions causes the 3D manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the second item at the larger size or the smaller size.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the user-submitted 3D manufacturing instructions for the second item includes a scan of the second item.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, payment for the first item.

6. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to access the memory, the processor further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to at least;

provide an electronic marketplace for items, the items including a plurality of items, wherein each item of the plurality of items is associated with 3D manufacturing instructions;

in response to receiving an order from a user for an item of the plurality of items, provide, to the user, access to corresponding 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the item;

receive a request for scaling of the item to a larger size or a smaller size;

reconfigure the 3D manufacturing instructions for the item based on the request;

provide the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions to a 3D manufacturing apparatus;

in response to providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions, cause the 3D manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item at the larger size or at the smaller size, wherein the access to the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the item is limited by a length of time that is based at least in part on an estimated amount of time for a manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item; and

generate delivery instructions for delivering the manufactured first item to the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the item comprises a different characteristic than characteristics of the plurality of items.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the characteristic is a texture.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the 3D manufacturing instructions are provided as executable code that, when executed, causes the 3D manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the first item.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer-executable instructions comprise further instructions to cause the processor to:

responsive to the order from the user, receive payment for the first item; and

in response to receiving the payment, provide the user with access to the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the first item.

11. The system method of claim 6, wherein the 3D manufacturing instructions comprise encrypted data.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

providing an electronic marketplace for items, the items including a plurality of items, wherein each item of the plurality of items is associated with 3D manufacturing instructions;

in response to receiving an order for an item of the plurality of items, providing, to the user, access to the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the item;

receiving a request from the user for scaling of the item to a larger size or a smaller size;

reconfiguring the 3D manufacturing instructions for the item based at least in part on the request;

providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions to a 3D manufacturing apparatus;

in response to providing the reconfigured 3D manufacturing instructions, causing the 3D manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item at the larger size or the smaller size, wherein the access to the 3D manufacturing instructions associated with the item is limited by a length of time that is based at least in part on an estimated amount of time for a manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item;

and

generating delivery instructions for delivering the manufactured item to the user.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the length of time is further based at least in part on a time elapsed from when the access was first provided to the user.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the access to the 3D manufacturing instructions is limited by a number of times that the user can access the 3D manufacturing instructions.