Monitoring device used for producing compositions

• US 20050203941A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axalta Coating Systems Ip Co Llc (Axalta Coating Systems Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: MacFawn, James Fredrick, Gallagher, John Paul, Polarine, Christine Darlene Ames, Canning, Robert Vincent Jr., Goldschneider, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a monitoring device for producing a target composition, such as an automotive paint or an architectural paint. The device includes a client computer in communication with a host computer and means for dispensing required items for making a desired amount of the target composition. The computer readable program code means in the computers identify one or more formulas associated with identification criteria of the target composition and dispense through means for dispensing the required items listed in the formula. The code means search for the required items in the various inventories, including updating the inventories if required. The device can be also used to control the inventory by shipping just in time any components required to produce target compositions, such as refinish tints used in automotive refinish paints.

Claims

1. A monitoring device comprising:

(A) a client computer usable storage medium located in a client computer, and a host computer usable storage medium located in a host computer in communication with said client computer; and

(B) means for dispensing required items for making a desired amount of said target composition, said means for dispensing being in communication with said client computer, said host computer, or said client and said host computer;

wherein said client computer usable storage medium, host computer usable storage medium, or said client computer usable storage and said host computer usable storage media have computer readable program code means residing therein for monitoring production of a target composition, said computer readable program code means comprising;

(I) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to identify one or more formulas associated with identification criteria of said target composition, said formula providing a required inventory for making said desired amount of said target composition;

(II) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to generate a current inventory;

(III) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to terminate production of said target composition if said current inventory does not match with a stored inventory;

(IV) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to continue production of said target composition if said current inventory matches with said stored inventory;

(V) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to compare said current inventory against said required inventory to ascertain whether said current inventory fulfills said required inventory;

(VI) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to generate a supplementary inventory if said current inventory partially fulfills said required inventory;

(VII) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to dispense through said means for dispensing said required items listed in said required inventory from current items listed in said current inventory, supplementary items listed in said supplementary inventory, or a combination thereof to make said desired amount of said target composition; and

(VIII) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to generate an updated inventory.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said computer readable program code means comprise:

(a) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to search a first database for identifying one or more characteristics associated with said identification criteria of said target composition; and

(b) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to search a second database for identifying one or more said formulas associated with said characteristics.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said first database resides on said client computer and said second database resides on said host computer, said first and said second database reside on said host computer in communication with said client computer, or said first and said second database reside on said client computer.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said identification criteria comprise one or more of a manufacturer name, make, model, year of production, color name, paint code, cross reference information, intended use, VIN number, or spectrophotometric data of a vehicle or its color.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said required items in said required inventory comprise:

(a) one or more compositions matching said characteristics and quantities thereof required to make said desired amount of said target composition;

(b) target components and quantities thereof listed in said formula that are required to make said desired amount of said target composition;

or

(c) a combination of (a) and (b).

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said current items in said current inventory comprise:

(a) one or more stock compositions matching said characteristics and quantities thereof required to make said desired amount of said target composition;

(b) stock target components and quantities thereof listed in said formula that are required to make said desired amount of said target composition;

or

(c) a combination of (a) and (b).

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said supplementary items in said supplementary inventory comprise:

(a) additional quantities of said stock compositions required to produce said desired amount of said target composition,

(b) any missing stock components that match said target components listed in said formula in sufficient quantities required to produce said desired amount of said target composition, or

(c) a combination of (a) and (b).

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said means (II) comprise means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to receive:

(a) stock composition information on stock composition identification tags read by one or more identification tag interrogators, said stock composition identification tags being affixed to stock composition containers that contain said stock composition,

(b) stock component information on stock components identification tags read by said identification tag interrogators, said stock components identification tags being affixed to stock component containers that match said target components,

(c) additional stock composition information on additional stock composition identification tags read by said identification tag interrogators, said additional stock composition identification tags being affixed to additional stock composition containers that contain said stock composition, and

(d) missing stock component information on missing stock components identification tags read by said identification tag interrogators, said missing stock components identification tags being affixed to missing stock component containers.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said stock composition containers, said stock component containers, said additional stock composition containers, said missing stock component containers, or a combination thereof are positioned in one or more stock racks of said device.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said stock composition identification tags, stock component identification tags, additional stock composition identification tags and said missing stock components identification tags are RFID tags, bar code tags or a combination thereof.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein said wherein said stock composition identification tags, stock component identification tags, additional stock composition identification tags and said missing stock components identification tags are passive or active RFID tags.

12. The device of claim 8 wherein said identification tag interrogator is a RFID tag interrogator.

13. The device of claim 1 said means (VIII) comprise means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said client computer or said host computer to:

(a) deduct from said current inventory dispensed quantities of said stock composition, said stock components, or a combination thereof to generate an adjusted current inventory;

(b) deduct from said supplementary inventory dispensed additional quantities of said stock composition, dispensed quantities of said missing stock components, or a combination thereof, to generate an adjusted supplementary inventory; and

(c) add said adjusted current inventory and said adjusted supplementary inventory.

14. The device of claim 1 or 13 wherein said means for dispensing required items comprise one more dispenser nozzles for dispensing said required items in an identified target composition receiver.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said means for dispensing comprise means for conveying said required items to said dispenser nozzles from said stock composition containers, said stock component containers, said additional stock composition containers, said missing stock component containers, or a combination thereof.

16. The device of claim 14 said identified target composition receiver is provided with a target composition identification tag.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said target composition identification tag is a RFID tag, a bar code tag or a combination thereof.

18. The device of claim 17 comprising an identification tag interrogator for writing to said target composition identification tag target composition information.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein said required inventory, said current inventory, said supplementary inventory, and said updated inventory are stored on a client computer, on a host computer in communication with said client computer, or on said client computer and said host computer.

20. The device of claim 19 comprising:

(a) means for weighing said required items in said identified target composition receiver,

(b) means for generating a signal upon completion of dispensing said required items in accordance with said required inventory, and

(c) means for transmitting said signal to said client computer, said host computer, said means for dispensing, or a combination thereof.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is a transportable device.

22. A portable computer usable storage medium having said computer readable program code means of claim 1, 2 or 13 stored therein.

23. The portable computer usable storage medium of claim 22 wherein said medium is a CD-Rom.

24. A monitoring device comprising:

(A) a computer usable storage medium located in a computer; and

(B) means for dispensing required items for making a desired amount of said target composition, said means for dispensing being in communication with said computer;

wherein said computer usable storage medium has computer readable program code means residing therein for monitoring production of a target composition, said computer readable program code means comprising;

(I) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to identify one or more formulas associated with identification criteria of said target composition, said formula providing a required inventory for making said desired amount of said target composition;

(II) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to generate a current inventory;

(III) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to terminate production of said target composition if said current inventory does not match with a stored inventory;

(IV) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to continue production of said target composition if said current inventory matches with said stored inventory;

(V) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to compare said current inventory against said required inventory to ascertain whether said current inventory fulfills said required inventory;

(VI) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to generate a supplementary inventory if said current inventory partially fulfills said required inventory;

(VII) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to dispense through said means for dispensing said required items listed in said required inventory from current items listed in said current inventory, supplementary items listed in said supplementary inventory, or a combination thereof to make said desired amount of said target composition; and

(VII) means for configuring computer readable program code devices to cause said computer to generate an updated inventory.