Manufacturing and testing communications system
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a product having a plurality of components where at least some of the components are manufactured by different companies at differing locations, the method comprising the steps of:
- developing an electronic specification describing the product and its components;
forwarding the electronic specification to one of the several companies;
the specific company building the component or product in accordance with requirements in the electronic specification;
the specific company testing the component or product;
the specific company appending the test results to the electronic specification;
the specific company determining if the product is completed; and
either shipping the completed product to the customer or forwarding the electronic specification with appended test results to another one of the several companies.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a product having a plurality of components where at least some of the components are manufactured by different companies at differing locations. The method comprises the steps of: providing an electronic specification sheet describing the product and its components; forwarding the specification sheet to one of the several companies; the specific company building the component or product; the specific company testing the component or product; the specific company appending the test results to the specification; the specific company determining if the product is completed; and either shipping the finished product to the customer or forwarding the specification to another one of the several companies.
44 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a product having a plurality of components where at least some of the components are manufactured by different companies at differing locations, the method comprising the steps of:
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developing an electronic specification describing the product and its components;
forwarding the electronic specification to one of the several companies;
the specific company building the component or product in accordance with requirements in the electronic specification;
the specific company testing the component or product;
the specific company appending the test results to the electronic specification;
the specific company determining if the product is completed; and
either shipping the completed product to the customer or forwarding the electronic specification with appended test results to another one of the several companies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of integrating the manufacture of a product by a plurality of businesses, the method comprising:
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generating a sales order in an electronic form;
converting the sales order to an electronic build document;
transferring the electronic build document to a first company for the construction of a first subassembly for the product;
testing the subassembly of the first company;
attaching the test results to the electronic build document;
forwarding the electronic build document to a second company for main assembly;
attaching a communications bus to the product;
testing the operability of the bus;
adding the bus operability test results to the electronic build document;
attaching the first subassembly to the bus;
testing the operability of the first subassembly and the bus;
attaching the subassembly and bus operability test results to the electronic build document; and
shipping the product.
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10. A method of doing business comprising:
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generating a sales order representative of a product;
developing build and test instructions from the sales order;
developing an installation sequence from the build and test instructions; and
building the product using the build and test instructions in the sequence laid out by the installation sequence. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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23. A method of manufacturing a distributed control system for a product having a plurality of components, each component including a functional portion and a controller portion, the method comprising the steps of:
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attaching a communications bus to the product;
attaching the functional portion of a component to the product and attaching the controller portion of a component to the bus;
causing the controller portion to send a self-identifying signal on the bus;
receiving the self-identifying signal in a configuring controller;
transmitting from the configuring controller to the controller portion a signal including an identifier and operating parameters;
receiving the identifier and the operating parameters in the controller portion; and
configuring the controller portion in accordance with the identifier and the operating parameters.
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32. A method of building a product comprising the steps of:
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creating an electronic build document cataloging the features and requirements for the product;
forwarding the electronic build document to at least one component manufacturer, each component manufacturer building one or more components, testing the operability of said one or more components, and attaching the test results to the electronic build document to create a modified electronic build document;
forwarding the modified electronic build document to a final assembly location wherein the one or more components and other materials are assembled into the product;
testing the assembled product; and
attaching the test results for the assembled product to the modified electronic build file to create a final electronic build file. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41)
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38. A method of doing business comprising the steps of:
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electronically creating a customer order which includes the requirements and components for a product desired by the customer;
developing a bill of materials from the electronic order detailing the parts and materials required to build the product;
developing an electronic specification from the customer order detailing the components, subassemblies and product required by the customer;
sequentially transmitting the specification to the manufacturer of each component, assembly and final assembly, each manufacturer building the requisite component, subassembly or assembly, each manufacturer testing the requisite component, subassembly or assembly, and each manufacturer attaching the test results to the electronic specification; and
periodically checking the electronic bill of materials versus the electronic specification to verify the compatibility and accuracy thereof.
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42. A method of manufacturing a control system for an industrial or a process unit comprising:
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providing a plurality of components, each component including a control portion and a functional portion with an operational link therebetween;
installing a communications bus on the unit;
verifying the operability of the communications bus by means of a tester device;
initiating, under the direction of the tester device, a request that one of the plurality of components be attached to the bus;
receiving the signal from the newly connected component by means of the communications bus;
analyzing the communications bus and the newly connected component for operability; and
responding to signal from the newly connected component by means of the communications bus with instructions providing an identity and operating parameters to the newly connected component. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52)
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49. A method of guiding a technician in manufacturing a communication system having a bus, a main controller, a plurality of components, and a subcontroller associated with each component;
- the method comprising the steps of;
attaching a tester controller to the bus;
providing a path from the tester controller to the technician;
instructing, on the path, the technician to attach a specific one of the plurality of components to the bus;
signaling, with a first signal from the technician to the tester controller, upon completion of the component attachment;
signaling, with a second signal from the tester controller to the technician, to confirm receipt of the first signal;
causing the subcontroller to signal the main controller with a third signal; and
configuring, upon receipt of the third signal, the subcontroller by transmitting configuration instructions from the main controller to the subcontroller over the bus.
- the method comprising the steps of;
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53. A bus analyzer system comprising:
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a communications bus;
an integral analyzer device operably connected to the bus and configured to receive signals thereon, the analyzing device including a scope instrument and a voltage meter instrument configured to receive those signals, and a computer operably connected to the scope and voltage meter instruments wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments and the computer collectively analyze the bus and take corrective actions as needed. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A bus analyzer system comprising:
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a communications bus;
an integral analyzer device operably connected to the bus and configured to receive signals thereon, the analyzing device including a scope instrument and a voltage meter instrument configured to receive those signals, and a computer operably connected to the scope and voltage meter instruments wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments and the computer collectively analyze the bus and take corrective actions as needed;
wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments include the capability to analyze 24 VDC signals and ground signals for DC voltage magnitude and AC components;
wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments include the capabilities to analyze communications plus and minus lines for magnitude and to determine an RS485 differential signal to verify signals to be within design limits; and
wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments include the capability to test for common mode characteristics such as magnitude with respect to ground and differential and common mode signal aspects for logic 1 and logic 0 signals.
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58. A method of verifying the integrity of a communications bus having a power line and a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:
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analyzing a signal on the power line to determine a quality thereof;
analyzing a signal on the communications line to determine a quality thereof;
generating a power analysis result signal as a function of the power line signal analysis;
generating a communications line analysis result signal as a function of the communications line signal analysis;
receiving the power line and communications line result signals in a controller;
evaluating the received signals; and
providing a comprehensive analysis of the power line, the communications line, the power line signal, the communications line signal, communications bus, and any components attached thereto.
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59. A monitor for a communications bus having a power line and a communications line comprising:
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a power line analyzer operably connected to a source of power and having circuitry and programs to analyze the transmissions on the power line and generate a first signal with the analysis results thereof;
a communications line analyzer operably connected to the communications line having circuitry and programs to analyze communication signals on the communications line and generate a second signal with the results thereto;
a controller operably connected to the power line analyzer and the data line analyzer for receiving the first and second signals and being operably capable of evaluating the content of the first and second signals and providing an analysis of the signals, the power line, the communications line and the communications bus as well as any components attached thereto.
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Specification