Method and system for variable data printing in a 3D print system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10459430-B2
Application number	US-201514851038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2015
Priority date	Sep 11, 2015
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A method of producing a variable data design file for use in production of personalized copies of a reference 3D object may include receiving a plurality of fixed structural parameters for a reference object and receiving information for creation of a plurality of variable structural parameters corresponding to variable data regions on the reference 3D object. The method may include using the plurality of fixed structural parameters to develop an instruction set configured to cause a 3D printing device to form a 3D object that exhibits the plurality of fixed structural parameters; and including, in the instruction set, instructions for creating the plurality of variable structural parameters based on the received information that will cause the 3D printing device to render at least one of the plurality of variable data regions in the 3D object, wherein the variable data region differs from a corresponding region of the reference 3D object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing a variable data design file for use in production of a personalized copy of a three-dimensional (3D) object, the method comprising:
by a processing device:
receiving a plurality of fixed structural parameters for a reference 3D object;
receiving information for creation of a plurality of variable structural parameters corresponding to a plurality of variable data regions on the reference 3D object, wherein the information comprises mapping information for associating each of the plurality of variable data regions with one or more data sources;
using the plurality of fixed structural parameters to develop an instruction set that is configured to, when executed by a processor of a 3D printing device, cause the 3D printing device to form a 3D object that exhibits the plurality of fixed structural parameters;
including, in the instruction set, instructions for creating the plurality of variable structural parameters based on the received information, that when executed by the processor of the 3D printing device, will cause the 3D printing device to render at least one of the plurality of variable data regions in the 3D object, wherein the at least one variable data region differs from a corresponding region of the reference 3D object;
saving the instruction set to a variable data design file; and
causing a 3D printing device to use the variable data design file to print a plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object, wherein each personalized copy of the reference 3D object is a 3D object that exhibits the plurality of fixed structural parameters and comprises at least one variable data region that differs from a corresponding region of the reference 3D object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information for creation of the plurality of variable structural parameters further comprises at least one of the following:
location information of each of the plurality of variable data regions,
identification information for each of the plurality of variable data regions, or
metadata information for each of the plurality of variable data regions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mapping information comprises at least one of the following:
identification of at least one database for retrieving variable data for creation of the plurality of variable structural parameters;
a rule set for linking variable data included in the at least one database to the plurality of variable data regions; or
a rule set for automatically identifying the at least one database or the rule set for linking the variable data to the plurality of variable data regions.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the processing device:
receiving variable data for creation of the plurality of variable structural parameters from a data source;
linking the variable data to the at least one variable data region;
creating the plurality of variable structural parameters using the information for creation of a plurality of variable structural parameters and the variable data;
creating a variable data job specification comprising the plurality of variable structural parameters corresponding to the at least one variable data region; and
saving the variable data job specification.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the processing device, creating a 3D print job for creating the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object by:
retrieving a plurality of records corresponding to variable job specifications of each of the plurality of personalized copies; and
merging each of the plurality of records with the variable data design file.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein causing the 3D printing device to use the variable data design file to print the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object comprises:
by the processor of the 3D printing device, executing the 3D print job and, based on the 3D print job, forming the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, by the processing device:
rendering digital images of each of the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object using the 3D print job;
presenting the digital images to a user, via a user interface; and
receiving user approval for forming the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object using the 3D printer.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, by the processing device:
receiving print device capabilities corresponding to the 3D printing device; and
formatting the variable data design file to be compatible with the 3D print device based on the received print device capabilities.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, by the processing device:
formatting each of the variable job specifications to be compatible with the 3D print device to create a plurality of formatted variable job specifications; and
merging each of the plurality of formatted variable job specifications with the formatted variable data design file to create the 3D print job.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving information for creation of a plurality of variable structural parameters corresponding to the plurality of variable data regions on the reference 3D object comprises:
by the processing device, accessing a data source comprising information relating to a plurality of customers; and
by the processing device, accessing a rule set to automatically determine the information for the creation of the plurality of variable structural parameters.

11. A method of producing a plurality of personalized copies of a reference three-dimensional (3D) object, the method comprising:
receiving a selection of a reference three-dimensional object;
by a processing device, accessing a reference data file comprising a plurality of fixed structural parameters for the reference 3D object;
by the processing device, accessing a variable data file comprising instructions for creating a plurality of variable structural parameters for producing a plurality of variable data regions on the reference 3D object;
by the processing device, executing, for each of the plurality of personalized copies of the reference three-dimensional object, a plurality of instructions to create a variable data job specification, wherein the variable data job specification comprises a set of variable structural parameters corresponding to a set of variable data regions in that personalized copy;
by the processing device, creating a 3D print file by merging the variable data job specification for each of the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object with at least one of the following:
the reference data file, or
the variable data file; and

by the processing device, causing a 3D printing device to form the plurality of personalized copies of the reference 3D object using the 3D print file, wherein each personalized copy of the reference 3D object is a 3D object that exhibits the plurality of fixed structural parameters and comprises at least one variable data region that differs from a corresponding region of the reference 3D object.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein executing the plurality of instructions to create the variable data job specification comprises:
receiving mapping information for each of the plurality of variable data regions;
receiving variable data for creation of the set of variable structural parameters from a data source;
linking the variable data to the set of variable data regions in the personalized copy; and
creating the set of variable structural parameters using the variable data file.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Levine Jonathan D
• Vandervort David R
• Pangrazio Iii Donald M
• Nuuja Robert Eero

Classifications

• G06F3/1243

  Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning · CPC title

• H04N1/00827

  Arrangements for reading an image from an unusual original, e.g. 3-dimensional objects · CPC title

• G05B2219/35134

  3-D cad-cam · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G06F3/1206

  resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type · CPC title