Method of and system for generating and viewing a 3d visualization of an object having printed features

A system for visualizing printed graphics applied to at least one defined printing area or part of a three dimensional (3D) structure, the system comprising:

• at least one computer processor accessible via a global communication network, the at least one computer processor programmed with computer readable instructions for providing:
• a visualization rendering processor;
• a visualizer web application remotely accessible from a local application in communication with the visualizer web application, the visualizer web application having a user interface for specifying one or more parameters to be accepted for execution by the visualization rendering processor, the visualizer web application programmed with instructions for:
• accepting in the web application machine readable instructions for rendering the 3D structure with the at least one defined printing area or part;
• accepting in the web application at least one two-dimensional (2D) graphic description and assigning it to the at least one printing area or part in said 3D structure, the at least one 2D graphic description comprising a plurality of separations, each separation corresponding to a processing step;
• accepting in the web application an operation stack defining at least one operation corresponding to each of the plurality of separations;
• sending computer readable information corresponding to the 3D structure, the at least one defined printing area or part, the at least one 2D graphic description, and the operation stack, to the visualization rendering processor;
• providing computer readable instructions for displaying on a local application of a user a graphical image corresponding to the 3D structure with a set of textures, including color and at least one other appearance property, calculated by the visualization rendering processor;
• the visualization rendering processor programmed with instructions for calculating computer readable information corresponding to the set of textures by applying the 2D graphic description in accordance with the operation stack and for sending the calculated set of textures to the visualizer web application;
• at least one library containing one or more pre-existing criteria tagged with a unique identifier and accessible to the visualization rendering processor, the visualizer web application, or a combination thereof, wherein the visualizer web application is programmed to permit selection from the one or more pre-existing criteria to formulate at least a portion of the computer readable information sent to the visualization rendering processor, wherein the one or more pre-existing criteria comprises a plurality of rendering specifications.

A computer-implemented method for visualizing printed graphics applied to at least one defined printing area or part of a three dimensional (3D) structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a local application configured for communication with a user interface of a remotely accessible visualizer web application via a global communication network, the visualizer web application user interface configured to specify one or more parameters to be accepted for execution by a visualization rendering processor, the local application configured to enable the user to:
• i. specify to the web application machine readable instructions for rendering the 3D structure with the at least one defined printing area or part, wherein specifying the machine-readable instructions includes selecting one or more pre-existing criteria including a plurality of rendering specifications;
• ii. specify to the web application at least one two-dimensional (2D) graphic description and assign it to the at least one printing area or part in said 3D structure, the at least one 2D graphic description comprising a plurality of separations, each separation corresponding to a processing step;
• iii. specify to the web application an operation stack defining at least one operation corresponding to each of the plurality of separations;
• iv. receive from the web application computer readable instructions for displaying a graphical image corresponding to the 3D structure with a set of textures calculated by the visualization rendering processor applying the 2D graphic description in accordance with the operation stack.

Non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for visualizing printed graphics applied to at least one defined print area of a three dimensional (3D) structure, the instructions programmed to provide:

• a visualizer web application remotely accessible via a global communication network via a user operating a local application in communication with the visualizer web application, the visualizer web application having a user interface for specifying one or more parameters to be accepted for execution by a visualization rendering processor, the visualizer web application programmed to:
• accept machine readable instructions for rendering the 3D structure with the at least one defined printing area or part, wherein acceptance of the machine readable instructions includes accepting one or more pre-existing criteria as a selection from a library, the pre-existing criteria including a plurality of rendering specifications;
• accept at least one two-dimensional (2D) graphic description and assigning it to the at least one printing area or part in said 3D structure, the at least one 2D graphic description comprising a plurality of separations, each separation corresponding to a print processing step;
• accept an operation stack defining at least one operation corresponding to each of the plurality of separations;
• send computer readable information corresponding to the 3D structure, the at least one defined printing area or part, the at least one 2D graphic description, and the operation stack to a visualization rendering processor from the visualizer web application;
• receive computer readable information corresponding to the 3D structure with a set of textures calculated by the visualization rendering processor;
• and
• provide computer readable instructions for displaying a graphical image corresponding to the 3D structure with the calculated set of textures on the local application.
• the visualization rendering processor configured to calculate the set of textures by applying the 2D graphic description in accordance with the operation stack and to send the calculated set of textures to the visualizer web application.

Non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for visualizing printed graphics applied to at least one defined print area of a three dimensional (3D) structure, the instructions programmed to provide:

• a local application configured for communication with a user interface of a remotely accessible visualizer web application via a global communication network, the visualizer web application user interface configured to specify one or more parameters to be accepted for execution by a visualization rendering processor, the local application configured to enable the user to:
• specify to the web application machine readable instructions for rendering the 3D structure with the at least one defined printing area or part, wherein specifying the machine-readable instructions includes selecting one or more pre-existing criteria including a plurality of rendering specifications;
• specify to the web application at least one two-dimensional (2D) graphic description and assign it to the at least one printing area or part in said 3D structure, the at least one 2D graphic description comprising a plurality of separations, each separation corresponding to a print processing step;
• specify to the web application an operation stack defining at least one operation corresponding to each of the plurality of separations;
• receive from the web application computer readable instructions for displaying a graphical image corresponding to the 3D structure with a set of textures calculated by the visualization rendering processor applying the 2D graphic description in accordance with the operation stack.