Voice-controlled three-dimensional fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9349374-B2
Application number	US-201514826562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2015
Priority date	May 4, 2012
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

An additive three-dimensional fabrication system includes voice control for user interaction. This voice-controlled interface can enable a variety of voice-controlled functions and operations, while supporting interactions specific to consumer-oriented fabrication processes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a voice signal from an audio input coupled to an additive fabrication system including a three-dimensional printer;
processing the voice signal to extract a command for the additive fabrication system, an object identifier that specifies a three-dimensional model of an object, and at least one dimensional specification including a physical dimension specifying one or more of a height, a width, and a depth of a fabricated object fabricated by the three-dimensional printer based upon the three-dimensional model specified by the object identifier; and
when the command includes a print command for the additive fabrication system, performing the steps of:
identifying a file corresponding to the object identifier that contains the three-dimensional model of the object;
scaling the three-dimensional model according to the at least one dimensional specification; and
creating one or more instructions for the additive fabrication system to fabricate the object from the scaled three-dimensional model.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising authenticating a user based upon the voice signal.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising executing the print command by initiating fabrication of the object on the three-dimensional printer based on the scaled three-dimensional model.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising extracting a build material specification from the voice signal, the build material specification used to select a type of the build material for the three-dimensional printer.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying an error in the voice signal and requesting a clarification for the error with spoken output through an audio output coupled to the additive fabrication system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the error relates to the command.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the error includes an unrecognized command.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the error includes an incomplete command wherein at least one element is missing.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the incomplete command is an incomplete print command, and wherein the at least one element includes the object identifier or the dimensional specification.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the error occurs when the object identifier cannot be correlated to any printable object.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the error relates to the dimensional specification.

Assignees

• Makerbot Ind Llc

Inventors

• Buser Anthony James
• Pettis Nathaniel B

Classifications

• B41M5/34

  Multicolour thermography · CPC title

• D01F6/00

  Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof · CPC title

• Y10T428/2929

  Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type] · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title