Method and system for distributed manufacturing

1. A method, implemented in a computer system, comprising:

obtaining product information, wherein

the product information is configured to facilitate production of a product, and

the product is a greeting card;

selecting a production node from a plurality of production nodes, wherein

each production node of the plurality of production nodes is located at a corresponding point of service of a plurality of points of service,

the selecting comprises

determining a destination physical location of a destination of the product,

determining a destination location within a shipping area structure, using the destination physical location, wherein

the shipping area structure is a hierarchical structure, and

identifying the production node,

the identifying comprises

determining one or more production criteria,

determining a point-of-service physical location for each point of service of the corresponding points of service,

determining a corresponding point-of-service physical distance for each production node of the plurality of production nodes, wherein

the corresponding point-of-service physical distance is defined by the destination physical location and the point-of-service physical location of the each production node,

determining a point-of-service location for the each point of service of the corresponding points of service, within the shipping area structure, wherein

the point-of-service location is determined using the point-of-service physical location of the each production node,

determining a corresponding point-of-service logistical distance for the each production node, wherein

the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance is a logistical distance within the shipping area structure that is defined by the destination location and the point-of-service location of the each production node, and

identifying the production node based, at least in part, on the one or more production criteria, the corresponding point-of-service physical distances, and the corresponding point-of-service logistical distances, wherein

the production node is identified such that the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance of the production node is less than the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance of any other production node of the plurality of production nodes; and

communicating production information to the production node, wherein

the production information is configured to facilitate production of the product by virtue of comprising

information identifying the product,

information identifying a first production system of the production node,

information identifying a second production system of the production node,

digital feature information, in a first digital format that is a pixel-oriented format, describing a feature of the product, and

digital customization information, in a second digital format that is a vector-oriented format, describing a customization of the product,

the computer system is configured to communicate with the each production node of the plurality of production nodes, and

the communicating is configured to result in production of the product by the production node.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the production information comprises at least a portion of the product information,

the digital feature information is configured to cause the first production system to produce the feature of the product in a first media type of a plurality of media types, and

the digital customization information is configured to cause the second production system to produce the customization in a second media type of the plurality of media types.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the production information comprises

first product information configured to facilitate production of a feature of the product, and

second product information

configured to effect one or more customizations of the product, and

the identifying is further based, at least in part, on

the product,

the feature, and

the customization.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the feature of the product is a reproduction of a hand-written sentiment.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the product information further comprises a product selection, and

the product selection identifies the product.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the first product information is configured to facilitate production of the feature of the product by virtue of comprising a feature selection that identifies the feature of the product.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving the production information at the production node; and

producing the product, wherein

the producing the product comprises

producing the feature of the product, and

customizing the product.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the production information is configured to

identify the product,

facilitate production of a feature of the product, and

facilitate production of one or more customizations for the product.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the second product information comprises feature information, and

the feature information identifies a feature of the product to be customized.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein

the second product information further comprises customization information, and

the customization information indicates a manner in which the feature should be customized during the production of the product.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein

each production node of the plurality of production nodes is situated in a corresponding one of a plurality of points-of-service.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein

the production node is selected based, at least in part, on a point-of-service of the plurality of points-of-service in which the production node is situated.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the product comprises a feature, and

the production node is configured to produce the product with the feature.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein

a shipping cost between the production node and the destination is equal to a shipping cost between at least one production node of the plurality of production nodes and the destination.

15. A distributed manufacturing system comprising:

one or more server systems, wherein

the one or more server systems comprise a communications server, and

the communications server comprises

one or more processors, and

a computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the one or more processors and in which are encoded

a product information processing module configured to obtain product information, wherein

the product information is configured to facilitate production of a product, and

the product is a greeting card,

a communications processing module configured to select a production node from a plurality of production nodes by virtue of being configured to

determine a destination physical location of a destination of the product, wherein

 each production node of the plurality of production nodes is located at a corresponding point of service of a plurality of points of service,

determine a destination location within a shipping area structure, using the destination physical location, wherein

 the shipping area structure is a hierarchical structure,

identify the production node, wherein the production node is identified by

 determining one or more production criteria,

 determining a point-of-service physical location for each point of service of the corresponding points of service,

 determining a corresponding point-of-service physical distance for each production node of the plurality of production nodes, wherein

 the corresponding point-of-service physical distance is defined by the destination physical location and the point-of-service physical location of the each production node,

 determining a point-of-service location within the shipping area structure, using the point-of-service physical location,

 determining a point-of-service location for the each point of service of the corresponding points of service, within the shipping area structure, wherein

 the point-of-service location is determined using the point-of-service physical location of the each production node,

determining a corresponding point-of-service logistical distance for the each production node, wherein

the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance is a logistical distance within the shipping area structure that is defined by the destination location and the point-of-service location of the each production node, and

identifying the production node based, at least in part, on the one or more production criteria, the corresponding point-of-service physical distances, and the corresponding point-of-service logistical distances, wherein

the production node is identified such that the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance of the production node is less than the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance of any other production node of the plurality of production nodes, and

a communications module configured to communicate production information to the production node, wherein

the production information is configured to facilitate production of the product by virtue of comprising

 information identifying the product,

 information identifying a first production system of the production node,

 information identifying a second production system of the production node,

 digital feature information, in a first digital format that is a pixel-oriented format, describing a feature of the product, and

 digital customization information, in a second digital format that is a vector-oriented format, describing a customization of the product,

communication of the production information to the production node is configured to result in production of the product by the production node.

16. The distributed manufacturing system of claim 15 , wherein

the digital feature information is configured to cause the first production system to produce the feature of the product in a first media type of a plurality of media types, and

the digital customization information is configured to cause the second production system to produce the customization in a second media type of the plurality of media types.

17. The distributed manufacturing system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more server systems further comprises:

a production server, wherein

the production server is configured to produce the production information by integrating first product information and second product information,

the first product information is configured to facilitate production of a feature of the product, and

the second product information is configured to effect one or more customizations of the product,

the identifying is further based, at least in part, on

the product,

the feature, and

the customization.

18. The distributed manufacturing system of claim 17 , wherein

the feature of the product is a reproduction of a hand-written sentiment.

19. The distributed manufacturing system of claim 17 , wherein the second product information comprises:

feature information, wherein

the feature information identifies a feature of the product to be customized, and customization information, wherein

the customization information indicates a manner in which the feature should be customized during the production of the product.

20. The distributed manufacturing system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more server systems further comprises:

a feature server, wherein

the feature server is configured to

receive the feature information, and

include the feature in the product.

21. The distributed manufacturing system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more server systems further comprises:

a customization server, wherein

the customization server is configured to

receive the customization information, and

effect customization of the feature of the product to be customized.

22. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a plurality of instructions encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising

a first set of instructions, executable by a computer system, configured to obtain product information, wherein

the product information is configured to facilitate production of a product, and

the product is a greeting card,

a second set of instructions, executable by the computer system, configured to select a production node from a plurality of production nodes, wherein

each production node of the plurality of production nodes is located at a corresponding point of service of a plurality of points of service,

the second set of instructions comprises

a first subset of instructions, executable by the computer system, configured to determine a destination physical location of a destination of the product,

a second subset of instructions, executable by the computer system, configured to determine a destination location within a shipping area structure, using the destination physical location, wherein

the shipping area structure is a hierarchical structure, and

a third subset of instructions, executable by the computer system, configured to identify the production node, and

the third subset of instructions are configured to identify the production node by

determining one or more production criteria,

determining a point-of-service physical location for each point of service of the corresponding points of service,

determining a corresponding point-of-service physical distance for each production node of the plurality of production nodes, wherein

the corresponding point-of-service physical distance is defined by the destination physical location and the point-of-service physical location of the each production node,

determining a point-of-service location for the each point of service of the corresponding points of service, within the shipping area structure, wherein

the point-of-service location is determined using the point-of-service physical location of the each production node,

determining a corresponding point-of-service logistical distance for the each production node, wherein

the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance is a logistical distance within the shipping area structure that is defined by the destination location and the point-of-service location of the each production node, and

identifying the production node based, at least in part, on the one or more production criteria, the corresponding point-of-service physical distances, and the corresponding point-of-service logistical distances, wherein

the production node is identified such that the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance of the production node is less than the corresponding point-of-service logistical distance of any other production node of the plurality of production nodes, and

a third set of instructions, executable by the computer system, configured to communicate production information to the production node, wherein

the production information is configured to facilitate production of the product by virtue of comprising

information identifying the product,

information identifying a first production system of the production node,

information identifying a second production system of the production node,

digital feature information, in a first digital format that is a pixel-oriented format, describing a feature of the product, and

digital customization information, in a second digital format that is a vector-oriented format, describing a customization of the product,

the digital feature information is configured to cause the first production system to produce the feature of the product in a first media type of a plurality of media types,

the digital customization information is configured to cause the second production system to produce the customization in a second media type of the plurality of media types, and

the third set of instructions are configured to result in production of the product by the production node.