Paperless tablet automation apparatus and method

• US 20040117233A1
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roy W. Rapp III
• Original Assignee: Roy W. Rapp III
• Inventors: Rapp, Roy W. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,079,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31289 Read card with operator and another card with process, product, work order info
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A factory floor tablet automation system enables the storing, collecting and processing manufacturing data generated at one or more facilities during manufacturing, and making manufacturing data accessible from the one or more facilities. A local processor is located at each facility, and a plurality of portable tablet devices are located in each facility. One or more transceivers located throughout each facility, each transceiver being connected to the local processor in each facility. The plurality of portable tablet devices is in wireless communication with the local processor through the transceivers and the tablet antennas. A server computer having a processor unit and storage device is connected to local processors through a network.

Claims

1. A system for use in tracking a plurality of manufacturing related jobs assigned to a plurality of operators and to track approval of the plurality of jobs by at least one supervisor, the system comprising:

a server computer including a storage device including information related to each of the plurality of jobs each having at least one step, the information for at least a first job assigned to at least a first operator including at least one step description associated with the at least one step of the first job, wherein upon completion of a step of the at least one step, approval of a supervisor is required prior to completion of the first job; and

a plurality of portable computing devices, each of the plurality of portable computing devices having a processor unit, a memory device, a display screen, and an input/output device, the plurality of portable computing devices configured to communicate with the server computer through a network, a first portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices being assigned to the first operator and configured to retrieve the at least one step description related to at least the first job from the server computer, at least one of the portable computing devices further configured to execute an approval routine whereby the supervisor acknowledges approval of the completion of the step of the first job by providing to the at least one of the portable computing devices a unique identifier associated with the supervisor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portable computing device is disabled from completing the first job unless the unique identifier of the supervisor is associated with the step.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first portable computing device is further configured to receive step data associated with the first job from the operator and to provide the step data to the server computer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first job is the manufacturing of a part and the step data corresponds to dimensional data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first portable computing device in association with the first job is further configured to execute a discrepant routine in connection with a deviation in the part wherein the operator provides discrepant information related to the first job and the supervisor reviews the discrepant information and indicates approval of the deviation by providing the at least one of the portable computing devices the unique identifier associated with the supervisor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of portable computing devices each further includes an antenna and the network associated with the plurality of portable computing devices and the server computer includes a wireless network.

7. A method of tracking a plurality of manufacturing related jobs assigned to a plurality of operators and to track approval of the plurality of jobs by at least one supervisor, the method comprising the steps of:

storing job information for at least a first job on a computer having a processor unit and a storage device;

linking a plurality of portable computing devices to the computer;

assigning one of a plurality of portable computing devices to one of the plurality of operators;

associating an assigned computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices with the first job;

making the job information for the first job accessible by the assigned operator through the assigned computing device; and

receiving a unique identifier associated with the supervisor acknowledging approval of the first job, the unique identifier received by at least one of the plurality of computing devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of storing job information for the first job on the computer includes the step of storing sketch data associated with first job.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the step of notifying the one of the plurality of operators of sketch data changes associated with the first job.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the steps issuing an alert specific to the first job, and wherein the alert is sent to at least the assigned computing device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of storing job information for the first job on the computer includes the step of storing manufacturing procedures and documentation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of accessing the manufacturing procedures and documentation from one of the plurality of portable computing devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of storing job information for the first job on the computer the step of storing sketch data associated with the first job.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the step of notifying at least the assigned operator of sketch data changes associated with the first job.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the steps issuing an alert specific to the first job, and wherein the alert is sent to at least the assigned computing device associated with the first job.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the steps issuing an alert specific to the first job, and wherein the alert is sent to at least the assigned computing device associated with the first job.

18. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of receiving a job status from the assigned computing device for the first job.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a first job status job status indicates that the first job is associated with a setup procedure and a second job status indicates that the first job is associated with a production procedure.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising tracking the time allocation of the assigned operator through the assigned computing device.