System for specifying design of a product or process

• US 20030083762A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orora Packaging Australia Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Amcor Limited (Amcor)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Fiona Elizabet, Selway, James Walker, Filmer, Peter John, Farrah, Timothy Francis, Shaw, Ernest Yuet Ning, Nihill, Mark Francis, Van Den Hout, Frederick Walter
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

There is disclosed a software system for specifying design of a product or process, the system having a first software module 1a for specifying design of the product or process according to a first set of design criteria, and a second software module 16 independent of the function of the first software module la for specifying design of the product or process according to a second set of design criteria. The first set of design criteria and the second set of design criteria are different to one another. The first software module 1a has a predetermined parameter having a limit which should not normally be breached. Conversion means interconnects the first software module and the second software module to enable data representing the product or process specified by either the first software module or the second software module to be recognised in the other of the software modules. Feedback means provides feedback when specification of said product or process by the second software module will breach the limit of said predetermined parameter.

Claims

1. A software system for specifying design of a product or process, said system having:

a first software module for specifying design of the product or process according to a first set of design criteria,

a second software module independent of the function of the first software module for specifying design of the product or process according to a second set of design criteria,

said first set of design criteria and said second set of design criteria being different to one another,

said first software module having a predetermined parameter having a limit which should not normally be breached,

conversion means interconnecting the first software module and the second software module to enable data representing the product or process specified by either the first software module or the second software module to be recognised in the other of the software modules, and

feedback means to provide feedback when specification of said product or process by said second software module will breach the limit of said predetermined parameter.

2. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said feedback is provided to a controller which acts to resolve breaching.

3. A software system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controller resolves breaching by restricting the specification of said product or process by said second module to avoid attempted further breaching of said limit.

4. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said feedback is provided to said second module and said second module restricts specification of the product by the second module to avoid further breaching.

5. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller will allow specification of the product or process which may have caused breaching to continue by permitting adjustment of the parameter past the limit with a user'"'"'s knowledge.

6. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first software module and the second software module each have a predetermined parameter different to each other, each having a limit which should not normally be breached and said feedback means provides feedback if there is or is likely to be a breach of either limit.

7. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each software module has a plurality of predetermined parameters, each predetermined parameter having a limit which should not normally be breached and said feedback means provides feedback if there is or is likely to be a breach of any one of said limits.

8. A software system as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said feedback is provided to a controller which acts to resolve breaching.

9. A software system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller resolves breaching by restricting the specification of said product or process by the module causing or likely to cause breaching.

10. A software system as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said feedback is provided to the module causing breaching and the module causing breaching restricts its specification of the product or process to avoid further breaching.

11. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the limit of a predetermined parameter is the bounds of an allowable set of values of that parameter and said system permits automatic adjustment of the value of said parameter within said allowable set of values.

12. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system permits a user to adjust a limit.

13. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system permits a user to set the limit of a predetermined parameter.

14. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of modules for specifying design of said product or process and wherein each module has a predetermined parameter having a limit which should not normally be breached and wherein said feedback means provides feedback if specification of said product by any of said modules will breach the limit of any of said predetermined parameters.

15. A software system as claimed claim 1, wherein the product or process is packaging and/or packaging related systems.

16. A software system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said modules relate to at least two links in the packaging chain of a product which involves the production of the product, its packaging and its placement on a retail shelf.

17. A software system as claimed in claim 16, wherein each software module relates to one of:

a. a product

b. a wrapper

c. a primary pack

d. an intermediate pack

e. a carton

f. a box

g. a container load

h. a pallet load

i. a retail shelf stocking arrangement

g. a packaging system;

or

h. a manufacturing process.

40. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second software modules are executed by a host having a processor means, memory means, input means and output means, and wherein during use a user uses said input means to specify a predetermined parameter having a limit which should not normally be breached, said predetermined parameter being stored in said memory means during specification of the product or process, and wherein said conversion means and said feedback means are operative in response to operation of said processor means and said first and second software modules, and wherein said output means provides information to a user concerning the design of the product or process.

41. A software system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said host is a single computer.

42. A software system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said host includes an application server and a user computer, wherein said user computer has said display means and said input means, and wherein said memory means includes memory devices belonging to each of said application server and said user computer and said processor means includes processor devices belonging to each of said application server and said user computer.

43. A software system as claimed in claim 42, wherein both of said first and second software modules are executed by said application server.

44. A software sytem as claimed in claim 42, wherein one of said first and second software modules is executed by said application server and the other of said first and second software modules is executed by the user computer.

45. A software system as claimed in claim 42, wherein one of said first and second software modules is executed partly by said application server and partly by said user computer.

53. A software system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system permits automatic adjustment of a limit provided a predetermined condition is met.

18. A software system for specifying design of a product or process having at least two interrelated aspects, said software system having:

a first software module for specifying design of a first aspect of the product or process by means of a first set of parameters, wherein one parameter of said first set of parameters is a constrained parameter which may only take predetermined allowable values; and

a second software module for specifying design of a second aspect of the product or process by means of a second set of parameters,

said first and second modules being connected such that specification of said second aspect of the product or process by means of said second set of parameters is automatically constrained to values of said second set of parameters which relate to allowable values of said constrained parameter of said first set of parameters.

19. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein one of the parameters of said second set of parameters is a constrained parameter which may only take predetermined allowable values, and specification of said first aspect of the product or process by means of said first set of parameters is automatically constrained to values of said first set of parameters which relate to allowable values of said constrained parameter of said second set of parameters.

20. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein a plurality of the parameters of said first set of parameters are constrained parameters which may only take predetermined values, and specification of said second aspect is automatically constrained to values of said second set of parameters which relate to allowable values of said constrained parameters of said first set of parameters.

21. A software system as claimed in claim 19, wherein a plurality of the parameters of said second set of parameters are constrained, and specification of said first aspect is automatically constrained to values of said first set of parameters which relate to allowable values of said constrained parameters of said second set of parameters.

22. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein specification of said second aspect of the product or process is automatically constrained by means of feedback from the first module.

23. A software system as claimed in claim 19, wherein specification of said first aspect of the product or process is automatically constrained by feedback from said second module.

24. A software system as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the feedback is provided to a controller which controls the specification of the aspect of the product or process.

25. A software system as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the feedback is provided to the module which controls the specification of the aspect of the product or process.

26. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said software system is for specifying a product or process having a plurality of aspects each aspect being related to at least one of the other aspects, specification of each of the aspects being automatically constrained to values of the parameters which specify said aspect which relate to allowable values of any constrained parameters of the parameters of the other aspects of the product or process.

27. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said product or process is packaging or packaging related systems.

28. A software system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said product or process is a packaging chain and each module specifies a link in the packaging chain.

29. A software system as claimed in claim 26 or claim 27, wherein each module corresponds to one of:

a product, a wrapper, a primary pack, an intermediate pack, a carton, a box, a pallet load, a container load, a retail shelf stocking arrangement, a packaging system, or a manufacturing process.

30. A software system as claimed in claim 18, further having data passing means for passing data between said modules.

31. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least two software modules use different data formats and said system includes data format conversion means for converting data of each module as necessary so that it can be understood by the other module.

32. A software system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said data conversion means converts data as necessary into a standardised data format understood by all modules.

33. A software system as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least one software module uses said standardised data format.

46. A software system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first and second software modules are executed by a host having processor means, memory means, input means and output means, and wherein in use a user uses said input measn to specify a constrained parameter which may only take predetermined values, said constrained parameter being stored in said memory means during specification of said product or process, said processor means being operative such that specification of the product or process is automatically constrained, and wherein said output means provides information to a user concerning the design of the product or process.

47. A software system as claimed in claim 46, wherein said host is a single computer.

48. A software system as claimed in claim 46, wherein said host includes an application server and a user computer, wherein said user computer has said display means and said input means, and wherein said memory means includes memory devices belonging to each of said application server and said user computer and said processor means includes processor devices belonging to each of said application server and said user computer.

49. A software system as claimed in claim 48, wherein both of said first and second software modules are executed by said application server.

50. A software sytem as claimed in claim 48, wherein one of said first and second software modules is executed by said application server and the other of said first and second software modules is executed by the user computer.

51. A software system as claimed in claim 48, wherein one of said first and second software modules is executed partly by said application server and partly by said user computer.

34. A system for selecting a packaging style including:

a database for storing a plurality of packaging styles, each packaging style having a set of attributes;

style specification means for allowing a user to specify desired attributes of a packaging style;

comparison means for comparing said desired attributes with said sets of attributes of said packaging styles stored in said database in order to determine a packaging style having a set of attributes related to said desired attributes; and

display means for displaying said determined packaging style to said user.

35. A system for selecting a packaging style as claimed in claim 34, wherein said comparison means determines a plurality of packaging styles having a set of attributes related to said desired attributes, and said display means displays said plurality of determined packaging styles, whereafter said user or system can select a packaging style from said plurality of packaging styles.

36. A system as claimed in claim 34 or claim 35, wherein said comparison means produces a measure of how closely related the set of attributes a packaging style is to said desired attributes and said display means displays said measure to help said user to select a packaging style.

37. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein said style specification means allows said user to specify the desirability of individual ones of said desired attributes and said comparison means determines a packaging style on the basis of the desirability of individual ones of said desired attributes.

38. A system as claimed in claim 37, wherein said style specification means allows the user to specify the desirability of individual ones of said desired attributes by assigning individual desired attributes a weighting and said system uses said weighting to determine a packaging style.

39. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein said style specification means allows said user to specify attributes of a known packaging style as said desired attributes.

52. A method for selecting a packaging style including:

storing a plurality of packaging styles in a database,

each packaging style having a set of attributes;

permitting a user to specifying desired attributes of a packaging style, comparing said desired attributes with said sets of attributes of said packaging styles stored in said database in order to determine a packaging style having a set of attributes related to said desired attributes; and

displaying said determined packaging style to said user.