# US 2017/0285601 A1 · Three-dimensional forming data management system and method

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- Number: US 2017/0285601 A1
- Document ID: US20170285601A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/466,242
- Filed: 2017-03-22
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Junji Sato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285601A1

## CPC

- G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence}
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication
- G06F 21/608: {Secure printing}
- H04L 9/3226: {using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083)}
- G06F 2221/2137: Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- 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
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A management system that manages forming data to be used in forming of a three-dimensional object. The management system encrypts the forming data such that a forming control apparatus, which controls a forming apparatus managed by the management system, performs decryption processing. The management system notifies a request source of a forming request of the forming data of a forming code to be generated for forming processing to be performed based on the forming data in response to an approval by a user associated with target forming data of the forming request. The notified forming code is used to acquire the encrypted forming data or control the forming processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system including a management system that manages forming data to be used in forming of a three-dimensional object and a forming control apparatus that controls a forming unit configured to form the three-dimensional object,
wherein the management system comprises:
a first management unit configured to manage identification information about a forming apparatus that forms the three-dimensional object;
an encryption unit configured to encrypt the forming data such that the forming data can be decrypted by the forming control apparatus that controls the forming unit of the forming apparatus;
a second management unit configured to manage identification information about the forming data and user information for identifying a user who approves utilization of the forming data while associating them with each other;
a reception unit configured to receive a forming request of forming data;
a generation unit configured to generate a forming code for forming processing to be performed based on the forming data, in response to an approval by a user identified by the user information managed in association with the identification information about target forming data of the forming request by the second management unit; and
a notification unit configured to notify a request source of the forming request of the forming code,
the forming control apparatus comprises:
a decryption unit configured to perform decryption processing on the encrypted forming data acquired by using the forming code from the management system; and
a control unit configured to control the forming unit to perform forming processing of a three-dimensional object based on the forming data subjected to the decryption processing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the forming control apparatus further comprises a notification unit configured to notify the management system of a success or failure status of the forming processing performed using the forming data, and
wherein the management system further comprises a third management unit configured to manage the forming code, identification information about the forming data corresponding to the forming code, and the status notified from the forming control apparatus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the forming control apparatus further includes
an input unit configured to input the forming code, and
an acquisition unit configured to acquire the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code from the management system by transmitting the input forming code to the management system,
wherein the management system further includes a transmission unit configured to transmit the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus in response to the transmission of the forming code having been input from the forming control apparatus.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system according to claim 3, wherein the management system manages identification information about a forming apparatus that performs the forming processing on the forming data corresponding to the forming code in association with the forming code, and
transmits the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus if the identification information about the forming apparatus coincides with identification information managed in association with the forming code.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The system according to claim 3, wherein the generation unit generates expiration date of the forming code together with the forming code, and
the transmission unit transmits the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus if the expiration date corresponding to the forming code has not yet passed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the forming control apparatus further includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code downloaded from the management system via a device other than the management system, and
wherein the management system encrypts the acquired forming data such that only the forming apparatus that performs the forming processing based on the forming data can decrypt the forming data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the forming data acquired by the forming control apparatus includes, as meta information, at least one of a forming code, identification information about a forming apparatus that performs the forming processing, and a status.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the forming control apparatus is realized as a built-in computer of a forming apparatus that includes a target forming unit to be controlled by the control unit.

### Claim 9

A method for a system including a management system that manages forming data to be used in forming of a three-dimensional object and a forming control apparatus that controls a forming unit configured to form a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:
managing, by the management system, identification information about a forming apparatus that forms the three-dimensional object;
encrypting, by the management system, the forming data such that the forming data is decrypted by the forming control apparatus that controls a forming unit of the managed forming apparatus;
managing, by the management system, identification information about the forming data and user information for identifying a user who approves utilization of the forming data while associating them with each other;
receiving, at the management system, a forming request of forming data;
generating, by the management system, a forming code for forming processing to be performed based on the forming data, in response to an approval by a user identified by the user information managed in association with the identification information about target forming data of the received forming request;
notifying, by the management system, a request source of the received forming request of the forming code;
acquiring, by the forming control apparatus, encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code from the management system;
performing, by the forming control apparatus, decryption processing on the acquired forming data; and
controlling, by the forming control apparatus, the forming unit to perform forming processing of a three-dimensional object based on the forming data subjected to the decryption processing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising:
notifying the management system of a success or failure status of the forming processing performed using the forming data; and
managing the forming code, identification information about the forming data corresponding to the forming code, and the status notified from the forming control apparatus.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising:
inputting the forming code;
acquiring the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code from the management system by transmitting the input forming code to the management system; and
transmitting the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus in response to the transmission of the forming code having been input from the forming control apparatus.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising:
managing identification information about a forming apparatus that performs the forming processing on the forming data corresponding to the forming code in association with the forming code; and
transmitting the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus if the identification information about the forming apparatus coincides with the identification information managed in association with the forming code.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising:
generating expiration date of the forming code together with the forming code, and
transmitting the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus if the expiration date corresponding to the forming code has not yet passed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising:
acquiring the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code downloaded from the management system via a device other than the management system; and
encrypting the acquired forming data such that only the forming apparatus that performs the forming processing based on the forming data can decrypt the forming data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the forming data acquired by the forming control apparatus includes, as meta information, at least one of a forming code, identification information about a forming apparatus that should perform the forming processing, and a status.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the forming control apparatus is realized as a built-in computer of a forming apparatus that includes a target forming unit.