Method And Apparatus To Facilitate The Use Of Additive-Manufacturing Models
A plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities each have at least one additive-manufacturing platform such as but not limited to a three-dimensional printer. A control circuit provides an additive-manufacturing facilitation service that includes providing a remote user with a choice between providing an additive-manufacturing model to one of the aforementioned additive-manufacturing platforms to permit an item to be manufactured for pickup by the remote user at that corresponding facility and downloading an additive-manufacturing model to permit the remote user to themselves use the additive-manufacturing model (for example, in conjunction with their own additive-manufacturing platform).
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities, each having at least one additive-manufacturing platform;
a network interface;
a control circuit operably coupled to the network interface and configured to provide via the network interface an additive-manufacturing facilitation service, wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes at least providing a remote user with a choice between:
downloading an additive-manufacturing model to permit the remote user to themselves use the additive-manufacturing model; and
providing the additive-manufacturing model to an additive-manufacturing platform at one of the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities such that the additive-manufacturing platform uses the additive-manufacturing model to manufacture an item for pickup by the remote user.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one additive-manufacturing platform comprises a three-dimensional printer.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network interface comprises, at least in part, an Internet interface.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to provide the additive-manufacturing facilitation service via a browser-based interface.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further includes providing the remote user with a choice to provide the additive-manufacturing model to a non-user additive-manufacturing platform that is off-site with respect to any of the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities such that the off-site, non-user additive-manufacturing platform uses the additive-manufacturing model to manufacture an item to be provided to the remote user.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further includes providing the remote user with a choice to provide the additive-manufacturing model to an additive-manufacturing platform at one of the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities such that the additive-manufacturing platform uses the additive-manufacturing model to manufacture an item to be shipped to the remote user.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes providing the remote user with an opportunity to modify the additive-manufacturing model.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes providing the remote user with an opportunity to upload the additive-manufacturing model.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes providing the remote user with an opportunity to create the additive-manufacturing model.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes providing the remote user with an opportunity to permit other users to use an additive-manufacturing model that is controlled by the remote user.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities each further has at least one three-dimensional scanner, and wherein the additive-manufacturing model is based upon scanning results provided by at least one of these three-dimensional scanners.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes controlling distribution and use of additive-manufacturing models in observance of corresponding legal rights.
13 . A method comprising:
by a control circuit that operably couples to a network interface:
provide via the network interface an additive-manufacturing facilitation service, wherein the additive-manufacturing facilitation service includes at least providing a remote user with a choice between:
downloading an additive-manufacturing model to permit the remote user to themselves use the additive-manufacturing model; and
providing the additive-manufacturing model to an additive-manufacturing platform at one of a plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities such that the additive-manufacturing platform uses the additive-manufacturing model to manufacture an item for pickup by the remote user.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing a remote user with a choice further comprises:
providing the remote user with a choice to provide the additive-manufacturing model to a non-user additive-manufacturing platform that is off-site with respect to any of the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities such that the off-site, non-user additive-manufacturing platform uses the additive-manufacturing model to manufacture an item to be provided to the remote user.
15 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing a remote user with a choice further comprises:
providing the remote user with a choice to provide the additive-manufacturing model to an additive-manufacturing platform at one of the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities such that the additive-manufacturing platform uses the additive-manufacturing model to manufacture an item to be shipped to the remote user.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further comprises:
providing the remote user with an opportunity to modify the additive-manufacturing model.
17 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further comprises:
providing the remote user with an opportunity to upload the additive-manufacturing model.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further comprises:
providing the remote user with an opportunity to create the additive-manufacturing model.
19 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further comprises:
providing the remote user with an opportunity to permit other users to use an additive-manufacturing model that is controlled by the remote user.
20 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing the additive-manufacturing facilitation service further comprises:
using scanning results provided by a three-dimensional scanner located at one of the plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities to form the additive-manufacturing model.