Customization of manufactured products

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method for a person to communicate customized design information for an object, such as a product at a time prior to its manufacture. A network accessible communications channel and user interface is provided that enables the person to communicate design information, including a visual representation of the product, prior to its manufacture.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for communication of customized design information for a display board to be manufactured, the design information including a visual representation of the display board in accordance with directives provided by a person, said method including the steps of:
 providing a data communications channel between said person and a manufacturer;   providing a user interface to said person via said data communications channel that enables said person to construct a custom visual representation of a design for the display board that is to be manufactured from a plurality of materials and that is to be printed upon with a least a portion of said visual representation, said user interface having a plurality of controls designed to enable said person to construct an image by locating and dimensioning at least one of text and graphics within at least one constructed multi-cell grid template defined by a hierarchical relationship;   displaying said visual representation to said person including the constructed image;   enabling the constructed image including the at least one multi-cell grid template to be selectively adjusted by the person using the user interface in which the hierarchical relationship is defined by at least one root cell with dimensions inputted using the user interface, and wherein modifying the dimensions of an cell using the user interface automatically adjusts the dimensions of all descendent cells of the modified cell, for purposes of the constructed image;   receiving approval from said person via said data communication channel for proceeding to manufacture of said display board;   manufacturing said display board in accordance with said visual representation.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein said display board includes at least one planar surface upon which said visual representation is marked. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said display board further functions, at least in part, as a writing surface. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said display board further includes at least one manufactured slot that functions to accommodate transfer of tangible objects through said image projecting surface. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one manufactured slot is located and dimensioned as specified in accordance with said visual representation using said user interface. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein said display board further functions, at least in part, as a sign. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  including the step of constructing the visual representation of the display board to be manufactured by interacting with said user interface so as to spatially arrange at least one of text and graphics in relation with a plurality of one or more grids in said template. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein said at least one of said grids is defined having non-uniform attributes. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7  wherein each said grid can include a plurality of rows that are each assigned a separate and variable height dimension. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7  wherein each variable dimensioned grid can include a plurality of columns that are each assigned a separate and variable width dimension. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a pdf image of the user selected visual representation is transmitted to the manufacturer over a communication channel, the method including the step of printing the visual representation for direct application onto the display board. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the directly printing step includes the steps of transmitting a pdf version of the visual representation to a printer and directly printing the visual representation of the at least one grid onto a substrate of the manufactured display board. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the visual/representation is sent over the communication channel to the manufacturer, and wherein the manufacturer generates a pdf and transmits the pdf to the user for approval or confirmation. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus to enable communication of customized design information of a display board for manufacture, the design information including a visual representation of the display board in accordance with design specific characteristics of the display board provided by a person, said apparatus including:
 a data communications channel between a person and a manufacturer; 
 a user interlace interface provided to said person via said communications channel that enables said person to construct a custom visual representation of a design for the display board that is to be manufactured from a plurality of materials and that is to be printed upon with said visual representation, said user interface designed to enable said person to construct an image by locating and dimensioning at least one of text and graphics within at least one multi-cell grid template representative of the display board; and wherein 
 said user interface being configured for displaying said visual representation, including the constructed image, to said person and for receiving approval from said person for proceeding to manufacture of said display board; and wherein 
 said apparatus is configured for manufacturing said display board in accordance with said visual representation and in which the person approved visual representation is transmitted over the data communications channel to a printer for printing the visual representation directly onto a substrate of the manufactured display board and in which the at least one multi-cell grid template is defined by a multi-tiered hierarchical structure that comprises at least one root cell having initial dimensions inputted by the person using the user interface, wherein the apparatus is further configured to automatically adjust the dimensions of any descendent cell based on the modification of dimensions of any cell in the multi-tiered hierarchical structure. 
 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for drawing a visual representation of a display board, said apparatus including:
 a user interface program that enables a user to construct an image representative of the display board by locating and dimensioning a hierarchy of grid patterns; and 
 wherein each said grid pattern is configurable to include a variable number of rows and columns, and 
 wherein each of said rows and columns is configurable to have at least one variable dimension that is independent of a variable dimension of each of other rows and columns and in which the hierarchy of the grid patterns is defined by at least one root cell having initial dimensions inputted by the user using the user interface program, the apparatus being configured to automatically adjust the dimensions of all descendent cells of the grid pattern based on a user-initiated modification to the dimensions of any single cell; and 
 wherein cells within each said grid pattern can include at least one of text, image, or another grid and in which the user interface program is further configured to transmit a completed and approved image of the grid pattern-to a printer to permit direct application of the completed and approved image of the grid pattern onto a substrate of a manufactured display board. 
 
     
     
       16. A system for enabling communication of customized design information of a display hoard far board for manufacture, the design information including a visual representation of the display board in accordance with design specific characteristics of the display board provided by a person, said system including:
 a data communications channel between a person and a manufacturer; 
 a user interface to said person via said communications channel that enables said person to construct a custom visual representation of a design for the display board that is to be manufactured from a plurality of materials and that is to be printed upon with said visual representation, said user interface configured to enable said person to construct an image by locating and dimensioning at least one of text and graphics within at least one multi-cell grid template and in which at least one multi-cell grid template is defined by a hierarchical structure including at least one root cell having initial dimensions defined by the person using the user interface, the system being configured to automatically adjust the dimensions of any descendent cells when the dimensions of a single cell are modified by the user; and wherein 
 said user interface is further configured for displaying said visual representation to said person and receiving approval from said person before proceeding to manufacture of said display hoard board; and wherein 
 said system is configured to automatically transmit the approved visual representation of the multi-cell grid template for manufacturing said display board in accordance with said visual representation in which the approved visual representation is directly applied onto the manufactured display board. 
 
     
     
       17. A computer-implemented method programmed for execution in a computing environment that provides for a display of a visual representation of a customized display board using a computing device, wherein the visual representation of the customized display board is created from a visual representation of a pre-patterned display board, the method comprising:
 a) providing a visual representation of a plurality of pre-patterned display boards, wherein each of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards include different pre-designed display area patterns, wherein each of the pre-designed display area patterns comprise:
 i) a parent grid having a parent grid height and a parent grid width that define parent grid dimensions, wherein the parent grid includes at least one parent row and at least one parent column, wherein each parent row includes a height dimension and each parent column includes a width dimension, wherein the intersection of each parent row and each parent column define a parent cell, wherein each parent cell has parent cell dimensions that are defined by the height dimension and the width dimension of the respective intersecting parent row and parent column, and 
 ii) a child grid disposed within one of the parent cells, wherein the child grid includes a child grid height and a child grid width that define child grid dimensions, wherein the child grid dimensions are dependent upon the parent cell dimensions of the parent cell that the child grid is disposed within, wherein the child grid includes at least one child row and at least one child column, and wherein the intersection of each child row and each child column define a child cell; 
   b) providing for a selection of one of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards;   c) providing for a display of the selected one of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards and the respective pre-designed display area pattern;   d) allowing for an insertion of at least one multimedia display object within at least one of the parent cells or at least one of the child cells;   e) allowing for a selective adjustment of the parent cell dimensions of at least one of the parent cells, wherein the selective adjustment of the dimensions of the at least one of the parent cells results in an automatic adjustment of the parent cell dimensions of the respective other parent cells within the parent grid, and the child grid dimensions of any child grid disposed within the adjusted at least one parent cell; and   f) providing for a display of a visual representation of a customized display board including the insertion and selective adjustment of the pre-patterned display board provided in steps d) and e), wherein a change to the parent grid dimensions based on the display of the customized visual representation results in an automatic adjustment to the parent cell dimensions of each of the parent cells, and the child grid dimensions of any child grid disposed within the adjusted parent cells.   
     
     
       18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the at least one multimedia display object includes at least one of text, a graphic, or an image. 
     
     
       19. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of:
 g) allowing for an insertion of a sub-child grid within at least one of the child cells, wherein the sub-child grid includes a sub-child grid height and a sub-child grid width that define sub-child grid dimensions, wherein the sub-child grid dimensions are dependent upon the child cell dimensions of the child cell that the sub-child grid is disposed within, and   wherein the step of providing for the display of the visual representation of the customized display board includes the insertion and selective adjustment of the pre-patterned display board provided in steps d), e) and g).   
     
     
       20. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of storing the modified visual representation in a computer memory. 
     
     
       21. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the parent grid includes a first parent cell and a second parent cell, wherein the first parent cell and the second parent cell are disposed in the same parent row, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 g) allowing for the first and second parent cells to be merged together to form a merged parent cell, wherein the merged parent cell has merged parent cell dimensions that are defined by the height dimension of the respective parent row of the first and second parent cells, and a sum of the width dimensions of the respective columns of the first and second parent cells, and   wherein the step of providing for the display of the visual representation of the customized display board includes the insertion and selective adjustment of the pre-patterned display board provided in steps d), e) and g).   
     
     
       22. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the parent grid includes a first parent cell and a second parent cell, wherein the first parent cell and the second parent cell are disposed in the same parent column, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 g) allowing for the first and second parent cells to be merged together to form a merged parent cell, wherein the merged parent cell has merged parent cell dimensions that are defined by the width dimension of the respective parent column of the first and second parent cells, and a sum of the height dimensions of the respective rows of the first and second parent cells, and   wherein the step of providing for the display of the visual representation of the customized display board includes the insertion and selective adjustment of the pre-patterned display board provided in steps d), e) and g).   
     
     
       23. A computer-implemented computer program product defining an application program for providing a display of a visual representation of a customized display board using a computing device, wherein the visual representation of the customized display board is created from a visual representation of a pre-patterned display board, the computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory, tangible computer usable storage medium having computer usable code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:   a) computer usable code configured for providing a visual representation of a plurality of pre-patterned display boards, wherein each of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards include different pre-designed display area patterns, wherein each of the pre-designed display area patterns comprise:
 i) a parent grid having a parent grid height and a parent grid width that define parent grid dimensions, wherein the parent grid includes at least one parent row and at least one parent column, wherein each parent row includes a height dimension and each parent column includes a width dimension, wherein the intersection of each parent row and each parent column define a parent cell, wherein each parent cell has parent cell dimensions that are defined by the height dimension and the width dimension of the respective intersecting parent row and parent column, and 
 ii) a child grid disposed within one of the parent cells, wherein the child grid includes a child grid height and a child grid width that define child grid dimensions, wherein the child grid dimensions are dependent upon the parent cell dimensions of the parent cell that the child grid is disposed within, wherein the child grid includes at least one child row and at least one child column, and wherein the intersection of each child row and each child column define a child cell; 
   b) computer usable code configured for providing for a selection of one of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards;   c) computer usable code configured for providing for a display of the selected one of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards and the respective pre-designed display area pattern;   d) computer usable code configured for allowing for an insertion of at least one multimedia display object within at least one of the parent cells or at least one of the child cells;   e) computer usable code configured for allowing for a selective adjustment of the parent cell dimensions of at least one of the parent cells, wherein the selective adjustment of the dimensions of the at least one of the parent cells results in an automatic adjustment of the parent cell dimensions of the respective other parent cells within the parent grid, and the child grid dimensions of any child grid disposed within the adjusted at least one parent cell; and   f) computer usable code configured for providing for a display of a visual representation of a customized display board including the insertion and selective adjustment of the pre-patterned display board provided in steps d) and e), wherein a change to the parent grid dimensions based on the display of the customized visual representation results in an automatic adjustment to the parent cell dimensions of each of the parent cells, and the child grid dimensions of any child grid disposed within the adjusted parent cells.   
     
     
       24. A computer-implemented method programmed for execution in a computing environment that provides for a hierarchal rendering of a visual representation of a display board on a display of a computing device, the method comprising:
 providing a display board object including at least one display board attribute, wherein the at least one display board attribute includes display board dimensions of a visual representation of a display area;   providing a parent grid object including a plurality of parent grid attributes, wherein the plurality of parent grid attributes include a parent grid height and a parent grid width that define parent grid dimensions, wherein the plurality of parent grid attributes further include at least one parent row and at least one parent column, wherein each parent row includes a height dimension and each parent column includes a width dimension that define parent cell dimensions, wherein the intersection of each parent row and each parent column define a parent cell;   providing a parent cell object for each parent cell, wherein the parent cell object includes at least one parent cell attribute and a parent cell content property, and wherein the at least one parent cell attribute includes parent cell dimensions that are defined by the height dimension and the width dimension of the respective intersecting parent row and parent column in the respective parent grid object;   providing a child grid object including a plurality of child grid attributes, wherein the plurality of child grid attributes include a child grid height and a child grid width that define child grid dimensions, wherein the plurality of child grid attributes further include at least one child row and at least one child column, wherein each child row includes a height dimension and each child column includes a width dimension, wherein the intersection of each child row and each child column define a child cell;   providing a child cell object for each child cell, wherein the child cell object includes at least one child cell attribute and a child cell content property, and wherein the at least one child cell attribute includes child cell dimensions that are defined by the height dimension and the width dimension of the respective intersecting child row and child column in the respective child grid object;   rendering the visual representation of the display area on a display of a computer device using the display board object, wherein the display area is defined by the display board dimensions;   rendering a parent grid on the virtual representation of the display area using the parent grid object including the plurality of parent grid attributes, wherein the rendered parent grid includes the at least one display board attribute whereby the parent grid dimensions are equal to and dependent upon the display board dimensions;   associating the child grid object with the parent cell content property of one of the parent cell's; and   rendering a child grid on the virtual representation of the display area within the associated parent cell using the child grid object including the plurality of child grid attributes, wherein the rendered child grid includes the at least one parent cell attribute whereby the child grid dimensions are equal to and dependent upon the parent cell dimensions.   
     
     
       25. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the parent cell content property includes at least one multimedia display object. 
     
     
       26. A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein the at least one multimedia display object includes at least one of a text object, an image object, or a graphic object, wherein the text object is configured to include text for display within a respective parent cell, wherein the image object is configured to include an image for display within a respective parent cell, and wherein the graphic object is configured to include a graphic for display within a respective parent cell. 
     
     
       27. A method in accordance with claim 26, wherein the text includes one or more text properties, and wherein the one or more text properties is at least one of font, size, and weight. 
     
     
       28. A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein the size of the text is dependent upon the parent cell dimensions. 
     
     
       29. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the parent cell content property of at least one parent cell object is a null value. 
     
     
       30. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the child cell content property includes at least one multimedia display object. 
     
     
       31. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the at least one multimedia display object includes at least one of a text object, an image object, or a graphic object, wherein the text object is configured to include text for display within a respective child cell, wherein the image object is configured to include an image for display within a respective child cell, and wherein the graphic object is configured to include a graphic for display within a respective child cell. 
     
     
       32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the text includes one or more text properties, and wherein the one or more text properties is at least one of font, size, and weight. 
     
     
       33. A method in accordance with claim 32, wherein the size of the text is dependent upon the child cell dimensions. 
     
     
       34. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the child cell content property of at least one child cell object is a null value. 
     
     
       35. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the at least one parent column and the at least one parent row in the parent grid object are defined by one or more lines in the visual representation of the display area. 
     
     
       36. A method in accordance with claim 35, wherein the one or more lines include one or more properties, and wherein the one or more properties include at least one of thickness or color. 
     
     
       37. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein at least one of the parent cells in the parent cell object is defined by at least one line in the visual representation of the display area. 
     
     
       38. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the at least one line includes one or more properties, and wherein the one or more properties include at least one of thickness or color. 
     
     
       39. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the height dimension for each parent row an independent and variable height dimension, and wherein the width dimension for each parent column is an independent and variable width dimension. 
     
     
       40. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the height dimension for each child row an independent and variable height dimension, and wherein the width dimension for each child column is an independent and variable width dimension. 
     
     
       41. A method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising the steps of:
 providing a content object including the display board object, the parent grid object, the parent cell object, the child grid object, and the child cell object; and   transforming the content object into hypertext markup language (HTML) prior to rendering the visual representation of the display area, the parent grid on the virtual representation of the display area, and the child grid on the virtual representation of the display area within the associated parent cell.   
     
     
       42. A computer-implemented computer program product defining an application program for providing a display of a visual representation of a customized display board using a computing device, wherein the customized display board is created from a pre-patterned display board, the computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory, tangible computer usable storage medium having data stored therein representing the application program executable by the computing device, the application program including:   a) instructions for displaying a visual representation of a plurality of pre-patterned display boards, wherein each of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards include different pre-designed display area patterns, wherein each of the pre-designed display area patterns comprise:
 i) a parent grid having a parent grid height and a parent grid width that define parent grid dimensions, wherein the parent grid includes at least one parent row and at least one parent column, wherein each parent row includes a height dimension and each parent column includes a width dimension, wherein the intersection of each parent row and each parent column define a parent cell, wherein each parent cell has parent cell dimensions that are defined by the height dimension and the width dimension of the respective intersecting parent row and parent column, and 
 ii) a child grid disposed within one of the parent cells, wherein the child grid includes a child grid height and a child grid width that define child grid dimensions, wherein the child grid dimensions are dependent upon the parent cell dimensions of the parent cell that the child grid is disposed within, wherein the child grid includes at least one child row and at least one child column, and wherein the intersection of each child row and each child column define a child cell; 
   b) instructions for selecting one of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards;   c) instructions for displaying the selected one of the plurality of pre-patterned display boards and the respective pre-designed display area pattern;   d) instructions for inserting at least one multimedia display object within at least one of the parent cells or at least one of the child cells;   e) instructions for selectively adjusting the parent cell dimensions of at least one of the parent cells, wherein the selective adjustment of the dimensions of the at least one of the parent cells results in an automatic adjustment of the parent cell dimensions of the respective other parent cells within the parent grid, and the child grid dimensions of any child grid disposed within the adjusted at least one parent cell; and   f) instructions for displaying a visual representation of a customized display board including the insertion and selective adjustment of the pre-patterned display board provided in steps d) and e), wherein a change to the parent grid dimensions based on the display of the customized visual representation results in an automatic adjustment to the parent cell dimensions of each of the parent cells, and the child grid dimensions of any child grid disposed within the adjusted parent cells.