# US 11,077,617 B2 · Encoding volumetric data to support trusted transaction delivery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,617 B2 - Document ID: US11077617B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/641,155 - Filed: 2017-08-31 - Published: 2020-06-04 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-31 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Benjamin Edward Beckmann; Peter Koudal; John Madelone; John William Carbone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077617B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B29C 64/00: Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract According to some embodiments, a computer processor may receive an item definition file containing a volumetric description of the three-dimensional item and create a compressed item definition file including a compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item. For example, the item definition file may include a plurality of item slices, from a bottom item slice to a top item slice, each item slice describing a two-dimensional portion of the three-dimensional item. For at least some of the item slices, the computer processor may encode data in the item definition file describing a particular item slice in terms of differences between that particular item slice and another item slice (e.g., a neighboring item slice directly below that particular item slice or an anchor item slice below that particular item slice). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system to facilitate creation of a three-dimensional item by an additive manufacturing process, comprising: an input port to receive an item definition file containing a volumetric description of the three-dimensional item, wherein the item definition file includes a plurality of item slices, from a bottom item slice to a top item slice, each item slice describing a two-dimensional portion of the three-dimensional item; and a computer processor coupled to the input port and adapted to: identify a particular item slice as an anchor item slice when differences between the particular item slice and another item slice exceed a pre-determined or adaptable threshold; for at least some of the item slices, encode data in the item definition file describing an additional item slice in terms of differences between the additional item slice and the anchor item slice below the additional item slice; create a compressed item definition file including a compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item; and output the compressed item definition file. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a particular anchor item slice and other item slices that are encoded in terms of differences from the particular anchor item slice comprise a transaction sub-set of the compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, further comprising: an additive manufacturing printer associated with at least one of: (i) three-dimensional printing, (ii) vat photopolymerization, (iii) material jetting, (iv) binder jetting, (vi) material extrusion, (vii) powder bed fusion, (viii) sheet lamination, and (ix) directed energy deposition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the computer processor is further adapted to: output a first transaction sub-set to be printed by the additive manufacturing printer; receive an indication from the additive manufacturing printer that the additive manufacturing printer is no longer storing the first transaction subset; and in response to receiving the indication, output a second transaction sub-set to be printed by the additive manufacturing printer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein information associated with the compressed item definition file is recorded via a secure, distributed transaction ledger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the secure, distributed transaction ledger comprises blockchain technology. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the three-dimensional item is associated with at least one of: (i) an industrial asset, (ii) an engine, (iii) an aircraft, (iv) a locomotive, (v) power generation, (vi) a dam, (vii) a wind turbine, or (viii) any other object constructed on a layer-by-layer basis. ### Claim 8 A computer-implemented method to facilitate creation of a three-dimensional item by an additive manufacturing process, comprising: receiving an item definition file containing a volumetric description of the three-dimensional item, wherein the item definition file includes a plurality of item slices, from a bottom item slice to a top item slice, each item slice describing a two-dimensional portion of the three-dimensional item; identifying a particular item slice as an anchor item slice when differences between the particular item slice and another item slice exceed a pre-determined or adaptable threshold; for at least some of the item slices, encoding data in the item definition file describing an additional item slice in terms of differences between the additional item slice and the anchor item slice below the additional item slice to create a compressed item definition file including a compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item; and transmitting the compressed item definition file to an additive manufacturing printer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the anchor item slice is directly below the additional item slice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein a particular anchor item slice and other item slices that are encoded in terms of differences from the particular anchor item slice comprise a transaction sub-set of the compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein transmitting the compressed item definition file comprises: outputting a first transaction sub-set to the additive manufacturing printer; receiving an indication from the additive manufacturing printer that the additive manufacturing printer is no longer storing the first transaction subset; and in response to receiving the indication, outputting a second transaction sub-set to the additive manufacturing printer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein information associated with the compressed item definition file is recorded via a secure, distributed transaction ledger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the secure, distributed transaction ledger comprises blockchain technology. ### Claim 14 A system to facilitate creation of a three-dimensional item by an additive manufacturing process, comprising: an input port configured to receive a compressed item definition file containing a compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item, wherein the item definition file includes a plurality of item slices, from a bottom item slice to a top item slice, each item slice describing a two-dimensional portion of the three-dimensional item; and a computer processor coupled to the input port and adapted to: for at least some of the item slices, decode data in the compressed item definition file as a description of a particular item slice in terms of differences between the particular item slice and an anchor item slice below the particular item slice, wherein the anchor item slice is indicative of an item slice of the plurality of item slices in which differences between the anchor item slice and another item slice exceed a pre-determined or adaptable threshold; create an item definition file including a non-compressed volumetric description of the three-dimensional item; and output the item definition file for use by an additive manufacturing process printer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the additive manufacturing printer is associated with at least one of: (i) three-dimensional printing, (ii) vat photopolymerization, (iii) material jetting, (iv) binder jetting, (vi) material extrusion, (vii) powder bed fusion, (viii) sheet lamination, and (ix) directed energy deposition.