Location based material handling and processing
First Claim
1. A method for controlling resources integrated to perform a process on a work product within an environment where at least one of a first of the resources and the work product is a moveable item that moves during the process, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an information device on the moveable item;
ascertaining the location of the information device; and
controlling at least a first of the resources as a function of the location of the information device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling resources integrated to perform a process on a work product within an environment where at least one of a first of the resources and the work product is a moveable item that moves during the process, the method comprising the steps of providing an information device on the moveable item, ascertaining the location of the information device and controlling at least a first of the resources as a function of the location of the information device.
105 Citations
71 Claims
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1. A method for controlling resources integrated to perform a process on a work product within an environment where at least one of a first of the resources and the work product is a moveable item that moves during the process, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an information device on the moveable item;
ascertaining the location of the information device; and
controlling at least a first of the resources as a function of the location of the information device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for verifying that a component is a first component prior to integrating the component with a product assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a separate information device on each of at least a subset of components and on the product assembly where each of the information devices indicates the identity of the component/assembly on which the device is located;
specifying that the first component is to be integrated with the assembly at a first station;
when the assembly is located at the first station, identifying the assembly via the information device on the assembly and the specified integration of the first component with the assembly and, when a component is present at the assembly to be integrated with the assembly and prior to integrating the component with the assembly, determining the identity of the component via the information device on the component and integrating the component with the assembly only when the component is the first component. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for verifying that components to be integrated by a machine line station within an enterprise are the correct components prior to integration, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a separate information device on each component within the enterprise where each of the information devices indicates the identity of the component on which the device is located;
specifying that a first component is to be integrated with a second component at a first station;
when the first component is located at the first station, identifying the identities of the first and at least another component at the first station via the information devices prior to integrating the components and, when the another component is other than the second component, performing a secondary function.
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49. A method for tracking work product within an environment, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing environment information within the environment from which information device location can be ascertained;
providing an information device on each of the products;
at least periodically obtaining environment information via each of the information devices; and
using the environment information to determine the locations of the information devices within the environment. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for tracking components within an environment wherein resources assemble the components to form products, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an information device on each of at least a sub-set of the components within the environment;
b) determining the locations of each of the sub-set components; and
c) storing the location of each component in the information device that is on the component. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. An apparatus for tracking a component within an environment wherein resources assemble the component with other components to form products, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor spatially associated with the component;
a data collector linked to the processor, the collector obtaining information from the environment from which collector location can be determined; and
a memory linked to the processor, the processor storing current component location within the memory. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. An assembly for tracking components within an environment wherein resources assemble the components to form products, the assembly comprising:
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a server linked to at least a sub-set of the resources and programmed to control resources as a function of the locations of components within the environment; and
a plurality of tags, a separate tag spatially associated with each of the components;
wherein, at least one of the tags and the server is programmed to determine the locations of the tags within the environment. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification