Apparatus and method for tracking products
First Claim
1. An apparatus for tracking products, each consisting of multiple parts, comprising:
- a first database storing first information for identifying some of the multiple traced parts predetermined as an element for future tracking of a particular product;
a second database storing second information for identifying each traced part passing through each process of manufacturing the product and its transit time;
traced part identifying means for identifying a traced part passing through a particular process in a particular time frame by referring to the second information stored in said second database; and
product identifying means for identifying particular products manufactured using the traced part identified by said traced part identifying means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tracking products to be recalled to find the product serial number of a defective product and the faulty parts or process that caused the defect. Data is collected by tracing selected parts (TP) and stored in databases. A trace engine consults the process definition DB to identify a process in which the faulty parts were used, the TP history DB to determine the transit time at which the TP used in the product in question passed through the process, the process control DB to identify the TP-IDs of the other TP that passed through the process in the same time frame as the transit time determined, and the TP history DB to determine the serial numbers of all products using the TP.
50 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tracking products, each consisting of multiple parts, comprising:
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a first database storing first information for identifying some of the multiple traced parts predetermined as an element for future tracking of a particular product;
a second database storing second information for identifying each traced part passing through each process of manufacturing the product and its transit time;
traced part identifying means for identifying a traced part passing through a particular process in a particular time frame by referring to the second information stored in said second database; and
product identifying means for identifying particular products manufactured using the traced part identified by said traced part identifying means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for tracking products, each consisting of multiple parts, comprising:
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a first recording unit for recording identification information on each of parts (traced parts) predetermined as an element for future tracking of a particular product, and the time at which each traced part passed through a particular process for manufacturing the product; and
a second recording unit for recording identification information on each of products using the traced part in association with the identification information on the traced part. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of tracking products, each consisting of multiple parts, comprising the steps of:
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storing, in a first database, first information for identifying each of traced parts predetermined as an element for future tracking of a particular product;
storing, in a second database, second information for identifying each traced part passing through each process for manufacturing the product and its transit time;
identifying a traced part passing through a particular manufacturing process in a particular time frame by referring to the second information stored in the second database; and
identifying particular products manufactured using the identified traced part by referring to the first information stored in the first database. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification