Dynamic process control
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a manufactured product, comprising a container for the ingredient and a tag associated with the container and specifying at least one parameter for controlling the processing of said ingredient.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for defining the processing of an ingredient of a manufactured product, particularly one that is manufactured “one-the-spot” to a consumer'"'"'s specification, such as ice cream, among other products. A tag encoded on a container for the product carries indicia that, directly or indirectly, define one or more formulations for the product. Apparatus into which the ingredient is loaded sets the processing of ingredients in accordance with the formulations so specified. By connecting the apparatus which is to process the ingredients to a control station, the formulations may be changed at will.
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Citations
46 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a manufactured product, comprising a container for the ingredient and a tag associated with the container and specifying at least one parameter for controlling the processing of said ingredient.
- 14. A method for controlling the manufacture of a product that is processed on the spot to a desired overall specification, comprising encoding a container containing an ingredient for said product with information associated with a formulation to be used in producing said product.
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31. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a product to be manufactured, comprising
A. a central station having a database associated therewith for specifying at least one parameter that specifies the manufacture of an article at one or more manufacturing stations, said database including information identifying processing parameters associated with specific containers of ingredients to be processed; - and
B. a transmission link connecting said central station with a plurality of remote manufacturing stations, said link being operable to transmit to one or more of said manufacturing stations information from said database to control the processing of one or more ingredients of the product being manufactured. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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- 39. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a finished product, comprising a machine having a controller directly responsive to external control inputs encoded on at least one of the containers of ingredients supplied to said machine to thereby form an end product at least partially in accordance with said control inputs.
Specification