Layered Personalization

Abstract

A computer system includes a three-dimensional model of an object such as a piece of jewelry. The model is divided into multiple layers, each of which contains one or more components of the object. Each layer is associated with one or more attribute types, each of which is associated with a corresponding plurality of possible attribute values. The system pre-renders each layer with each possible attribute type and each possible attribute value for that type and layer. The resulting layer renderings may be combined with each other to produce personalized renderings of the entire object without the need to pre-render all possible combinations of attribute values. Responsibility for rendering the layers and the final complete object personalization may be divided between client and server in a variety of ways to increase efficiency.

1 . A computer-implemented method for use with a three-dimensional computer model of an object, the model comprising a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers comprising at least one corresponding component in the model, each of the plurality of layers being associated with at least one attribute, the method comprising:
 (A) rendering each of the plurality of layers with each of a plurality of values of the at least one attribute to produce a plurality of layer renderings;   (B) receiving a first request for a first rendering of a personalized object specifying a plurality of attribute values;   (C) selecting, from among the plurality of layer renderings, a subset of layer renderings corresponding to the specified plurality of attribute values; and   (D) combining the selected subset of layer renderings to produce the first rendering of the personalized object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first one of the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of components, and wherein (A) comprises rendering the plurality of components in the first layer with each of the plurality of values of the at least one attribute. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (A) comprises:
 (A)(1) rendering all of the plurality of layers with each of the plurality of values to produce a first layer rendering; and   (A)(2) removing, from the first layer rendering, representations of all layers other than a particular layer.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (E) identifying, based on the specified plurality of attribute values, a price of the personalized object.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (A) comprises rendering shadows of variable-shape components, whereby the plurality of layer renderings include the shadows of the variable-shape components;
 wherein the method further comprises:   (E) rendering shadows of invariant-shaped components to produce a layer, distinct from the plurality of layer renderings, containing the shadows of the invariant-shaped components; and   wherein (D) comprises combining the selected subset of layer renderings with each other and with the layer containing the shadows of the invariant-shaped components to produce the rendering of the personalized object.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (E) storing the first rendering;   (F) receiving a second request specifying the plurality of attribute values;   (G) in response to the second request, providing the first rendering.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein (D) is performed by a first computing device, wherein the method further comprises:
 (H) after (D), at the first computing device, transmitting the first rendering of the personalized object to a second computing device; and   wherein (E), (F), and (G) are performed by the second computing device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein (G) comprises, at the second computing device, transmitting the first rendering over a network to a third computing device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (B) and (C) are performed by a first computing device, wherein (D) is performed by a second computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
 (E) before (D), at the first computing device, transmitting the subset of layer renderings over a network to the second computing device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (B), (C), and (D) are performed by a first computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
 (E) after (D), transmitting the first rendering of the personalized object to a second computing device.   
     
     
         11 . A computer program product comprising computer-readable computer program instructions, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for execution by a computer process to perform a method for use with a three-dimensional computer model of an object, the model comprising a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers comprising at least one corresponding component in the model, each of the plurality of layers being associated with at least one attribute, the method comprising:
 (A) rendering each of the plurality of layers with each of a plurality of values of the at least one attribute to produce a plurality of layer renderings;   (B) receiving a first request for a first rendering of a personalized object specifying a plurality of attribute values;   (C) selecting, from among the plurality of layer renderings, a subset of layer renderings corresponding to the specified plurality of attribute values; and   (D) combining the selected subset of layer renderings to produce the first rendering of the personalized object.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein a first one of the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of components, and wherein (A) comprises rendering the plurality of components in the first layer with each of the plurality of values of the at least one attribute. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein
 (A) comprises:   (A)(3) rendering all of the plurality of layers with each of the plurality of values to produce a first layer rendering; and   (A)(4) removing, from the first layer rendering, representations of all layers other than a particular layer.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 (E) identifying, based on the specified plurality of attribute values, a price of the personalized object.   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein (A) comprises rendering shadows of variable-shape components, whereby the plurality of layer renderings include the shadows of the variable-shape components;
 wherein the method further comprises:   (E) rendering shadows of invariant-shaped components to produce a layer, distinct from the plurality of layer renderings, containing the shadows of the invariant-shaped components; and   wherein (D) comprises combining the selected subset of layer renderings with each other and with the layer containing the shadows of the invariant-shaped components to produce the rendering of the personalized object.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 (E) storing the first rendering;   (F) receiving a second request specifying the plurality of attribute values;   (G) in response to the second request, providing the first rendering.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein (D) is performed by a first computing device, wherein the method further comprises:
 (H) after (D), at the first computing device, transmitting the first rendering of the personalized object to a second computing device; and   wherein (E), (F), and (G) are performed by the second computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein (G) comprises, at the second computing device, transmitting the first rendering over a network to a third computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein (B) and (C) are performed by a first computing device, wherein (D) is performed by a second computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
 (F) before (D), at the first computing device, transmitting the subset of layer renderings over a network to the second computing device.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein (B), (C), and (D) are performed by a first computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
 (E) after (D), transmitting the first rendering of the personalized object to a second computing device.