Granted Patent B2

US 12,456,138 · App. 17/038,659 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Inventors: Robert I. Beaver, III (San Francisco, CA); Jeffrey J. Beaver (San Francisco, CA); Sean Narvasa (Oakland, CA); Leslie Young Harvill (Olympia, WA); Petar S. Ivanov (Redwood City, CA); Parker H. Bossier (New York, NY); Christopher Collette (Los Altos, CA)

Assignee: ZAZZLE INC.

G06Q30/0621G06Q30/0643G06Q10/101

Abstract

Claims (78)

1. A method for collaborative customization of physical product and for tracking collaboration attribution during the collaborative customization, the method comprising:

receiving, by a collaboration computer, having a computer processor and memory, and over a computer network, product description data for an interactive design;

wherein the product description data for the interactive design comprises data for generating a graphical visual representation of a physical product that is capable of custom manufacture with a plurality of variable product attributes associated with the interactive design;

parsing, by the collaboration computer, the product description data to identify a plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data and associated with a plurality of contributors;

generating a token represented as a universally unique identifier that references a physically or logically separate location where the plurality of global-key-values pairs is stored;

embedding the token into the product description data as a watermark;

based on, at least in part, the plurality of global-key-values pairs, constructing, by the collaboration computer, an ownership-attribution tree;

determining whether a request for a physical product corresponding to the interactive design has been made;

in response to receiving the request for the physical product corresponding to the interactive design, transmitting the product description data, comprising the token, and the ownership-attribution tree to a manufacturing entity to cause the manufacturing entity to:

based on, at least in part, the ownership-attribution tree, the token, and the plurality of key-values pairs:

extract the token from the product description data;

use the location at which the plurality of global-key-values pairs is stored and which is saved in the token to retrieve the plurality of global-key-values pairs from the location; and

generate, based on the retrieved plurality of global-key-values pairs, manufacturing instructions for customizing the physical product;

transform the manufacturing instructions to a specific set of manufacturing instructions that meet specific digital standards determined based on manufacturing constraints;

store the specific set of manufacturing instructions, which are in the specific digital standard and that represents the ownership-attribution tree, in association with the request;

based on the specific set of manufacturing instructions, automatically generate publishing manufacturing instructions;

transmit the publishing manufacturing instructions to a product customization server in real time to cause the product customization server to proceed with generating the physical product corresponding to the interactive design.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs, includes one or more of:

an age restriction key-value that includes an age restriction key and an age value;

a content lock key-value that includes a content lock key and a content lock key value;

a blacklist key-value that includes a blacklist key and a blacklist;

a whitelist key-value that includes a whitelist key and a whitelist;

an ownership key-value that includes an ownership key and a user universally unique identifier (user ID);

a copyright key-value that includes a copyright key and a user ID;

a license key-value that includes a license key and a universally unique identifier for a specific license agreement held between an owner or a primary designer and a computer collaboration server;

a customer support key-value that includes a support key and a support agent contract identifier; or

an attribution key-value that includes an attribution key and a universally unique identifier that references a set of software instructions for manufacturing to apply a marking on a product, as may be directed by copyright or licensing agreements.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein product description data for the interactive design is generated as one or more modifications to the interactive design are received from one or more user interfaces and are used to update the interactive design.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data is initiated when a customization session for customizing the interactive design is initiated.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data is updated each time when a contributor, granted a valid license and participating in the customization session, provides modifications to the interactive design.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data carries license agreement information and restriction information specific to the customization session and the interactive design.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, upon detecting that no further modifications for the interactive design are provided, the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data is stored in a global-key-values database.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

tagging each of the plurality of global-key-values pairs and associated data stored in the product description data according to one or more of: an image type, a vector graphics, a 3D model, or other attribute;

extending editing operations to allow editing objects according to a tag.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

tagging each of the plurality of global-key-values pairs and associated data stored in the product description data according to one or more of: a text, a color, a surface quality, or a group attribute;

extending editing operations to allow editing objects according to a tag.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs are used to perform one or more of: attribution-tracking, tracking ownership within a customization session, tracking licensing agreements of collaborators participating in the customization session, tracking copyrights and access privileges with respect to assets used and modified during the session, or tracking attributions of collaborators participating in the session.

11. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media storing one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving, by a collaboration computer, having a computer processor and memory, and over a computer network, product description data for an interactive design;

wherein the product description data for the interactive design comprises data for generating a graphical visual representation of a physical product that is capable of custom manufacture with a plurality of variable product attributes associated with the interactive design;

parsing, by the collaboration computer, the product description data to identify a plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data and associated with a plurality of contributors;

generating a token represented as a universally unique identifier that references a physically or logically separate location where the plurality of global-key-values pairs is stored;

embedding the token into the product description data as a watermark;

based on, at least in part, the plurality of global-key-values pairs, constructing, by the collaboration computer, an ownership-attribution tree;

determining whether a request for a physical product corresponding to the interactive design has been made;

in response to receiving the request for the physical product corresponding to the interactive design, transmitting the product description data, comprising the token, and the ownership-attribution tree to a manufacturing entity to cause the manufacturing entity to:

based on, at least in part, the ownership-attribution tree, the token, and the plurality of key-values pairs:

extract the token from the product description data;

use the location at which the plurality of global-key-values pairs is stored and which is saved in the token to retrieve the plurality of global-key-values pairs from the location; and

generate, based on the retrieved plurality of global-key-values pairs, manufacturing instructions for customizing the physical product;

transform the manufacturing instructions to a specific set of manufacturing instructions that meet specific digital standards determined based on manufacturing constraints;

store the specific set of manufacturing instructions, which are in the specific digital standard and that represents the ownership-attribution tree, in association with the request;

based on the specific set of manufacturing instructions, automatically generate publishing manufacturing instructions;

transmit the publishing manufacturing instructions to a product customization server in real time to cause the product customization server to proceed with generating the physical product corresponding to the interactive design.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs, includes one or more of:

an age restriction key-value that includes an age restriction key and an age value;

a content lock key-value that includes a content lock key and a content lock key value;

a blacklist key-value that includes a blacklist key and a blacklist;

a whitelist key-value that includes a whitelist key and a whitelist;

an ownership key-value that includes an ownership key and a user universally unique identifier (user ID);

a copyright key-value that includes a copyright key and a user ID;

a license key-value that includes a license key and a universally unique identifier for a specific license agreement held between an owner or a primary designer and a computer collaboration server;

a customer support key-value that includes a support key and a support agent contract identifier; or

an attribution key-value that includes an attribution key and a universally unique identifier that references a set of software instructions for manufacturing to apply a marking on a product as may be directed by copyright or licensing agreements.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein product description data for the interactive design is generated as one or more modifications to the interactive design are received from one or more user interfaces and are used to update the interactive design.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data is initiated when a customization session for customizing the interactive design is initiated.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data is updated each time when a contributor, granted a valid license and participating in the customization session, provides modifications to the interactive design.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data carries license agreement information and restriction information specific to the customization session and the interactive design.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 16 , wherein, upon detecting that no further modifications for the interactive design are provided, the plurality of global-key-values pairs journaled within the product description data is stored in a global-key-values database.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 16 , storing additional instructions for:

tagging each of the plurality of global-key-values pairs and associated data stored in the product description data according to one or more of: an image type, a vector graphics, a 3D model, or other attribute;

extending editing operations to allow editing objects according to a tag.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17 , storing additional instructions for:

tagging each of the plurality of global-key-values pairs and associated data stored in the product description data according to one or more of: a text, a color, a surface quality, or a group attribute;

extending editing operations to allow editing objects according to a tag.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of global-key-values pairs are used to perform one or more of: attribution-tracking, tracking ownership within a customization session, tracking licensing agreements of collaborators participating in the customization session, tracking copyrights and access privileges with respect to assets used and modified during the session, or tracking attributions of collaborators participating in the session.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (50)