SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF COMPONENT DATA

• US 20070250201A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Limited (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Valor Computerized Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Parker, Michael, Yadin, Tovi, Jurgens, Henry, Elhanan, Bini, Puranen, Mikko, Laakso, Tero, Pilnick, Nadav
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/085 Production planning, e.g. of allocation of products to machines, of mounting sequences at machine or facility level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53174 Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 Chip component

Abstract

A method of manufacturing electronic circuits including generating CAD data, a bill of materials and an approved component vendor list for an electronic circuit and employing the CAD data, the bill of materials and the approved component vendor list for automatically generating a pick & place machine-specific component loading specification, a pick & place machine-specific component placement sequence and pick & place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one specific pick & place machine in a manufacturing line.

Claims

1-66. -66. (canceled)

67. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit comprising:

employing a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence, pick &

place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one specific pick &

place machine in a manufacturing line and operating instructions in computer-readable language for said at least one specific pick &

place machine to auto-generate generic component parameters for components used in manufacturing said electronic circuit on said at least one specific pick &

place machine; and

employing said generic component parameters to auto-generate a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence and pick &

place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one other specific pick &

place machine in a manufacturing line and operating instructions in computer-readable language for said at least one other specific pick &

place machine.

68. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 67 and wherein said at least one other specific pick &

place machine is a different type of pick &

place machine from said at least one specific pick &

place machine.

69. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 67 and wherein said employing a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence, comprises employing at least a first database containing at least one of pick &

place machine independent geometric component data and pick &

place machine-independent, component supply data and a second database containing component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules.

70. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 69 and wherein said at least second database includes at least one of the following mappings:

a mapping of pick &

place machine-specific component shape parameters to rules for generating component manufacturer-independent generic component geometric parameters;

a mapping of pick &

place machine-specific component supply parameters to rules for generating component manufacturer-independent generic component supply form parameters; and

a mapping of PCN parameters in pick &

place machine specific synatx to generic PCN parameters.

71. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 69 and wherein said first database comprises at least one of:

a mapping of CV/Cat#s to component vendor-specific component geometric parameters (CCL);

a mapping of CV/Cat#s to component supply form parameters (CCSL);

a mapping of PCNs to component supply form parameters (UMCSL);

a mapping of PCNs to CV/Cat#s (MCVL);

a mapping of DCN to PCN;

a user maintained mapping of CV/Cat# to component vendor-specific component geometric parameters (UMCL); and

a mapping of PCN to generic component geometric parameters.

72. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 69 and wherein said employing a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence, pick &

place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one specific pick &

place machine in a manufacturing line and operating instructions in computer-readable language for said at least one specific pick &

place machine to auto-generate generic component parameters for components used in manufacturing said electronic circuit on said at least one specific pick &

place machine also comprises;

obtaining at least one PCN for ones of said components used in manufacturing said electronic circuit;

employing said at least one PCN and a type of said at least one specific pick &

place machine to access relevant ones of said component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules;

operating said ones of said component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules using at least one pick &

place machine specific component parameter to obtain corresponding values; and

assigning said values to corresponding generic component parameters.

73. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 72 and wherein said obtaining comprises obtaining said at least one PCN from said operating instructions in computer-readable language.

74. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 72 and wherein:

said operating comprises operating ones of said component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules which are suitable for auto-generation of generic component supply form parameters using at least one pick &

place machine specific component supply parameter to obtain a corresponding supply form value; and

said assigning comprises assigning said corresponding supply form value to a corresponding generic component supply form parameter.

75. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 72 and wherein:

said operating comprises operating ones of said component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules which are suitable for auto-generation of generic component geometric parameters using at least one pick &

place machine specific component shape parameter to obtain a corresponding geometric value; and

said assigning comprises assigning said corresponding geometric value to a corresponding generic component geometric parameter.

76. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 72 and also comprising, following said assigning:

adding said values and said corresponding generic component parameters to said first database for said at least one PCN; and

subsequently, indicating said values and said corresponding generic component parameters that were obtained by indirect association.

77. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 69 and also comprising, prior to said employing a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence;

obtaining at least one PCN for each of said components;

searching said first database for pick &

place machine independent component supply data corresponding to said at least one PCN for each of said components; and

searching said first database for pick &

place machine independent geometric component data corresponding to said at least one PCN for each of said components.

78. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 67 and wherein said employing said generic component parameters comprises:

employing generic component supply form parameters and said second database for auto-generating pick &

place machine specific component supply parameters; and

employing said generic component geometric parameters and said second database for auto-generating pick &

place machine specific component shape parameters.

79. A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 78 and wherein said employing generic component supply form parameters comprises:

selecting at least one PCN corresponding to each of said components;

employing at least part of said generic component supply form parameters to access appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules for generating said pick &

place machine-specific component data;

operating said appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules based on said third database and at least one of said generic component parameters to yield corresponding values; and

assigning said corresponding values to corresponding ones of said pick &

place machine-specific component supply parameters.

80. A method of manufacturing electronic circuits according to claim 79 and also comprising, prior to said employing at least part of said generic component supply form parameters, employing at least part of said generic component supply form parameters to auto-generate said corresponding pick &

place machine specific component supply identifier.

81. A method of manufacturing electronic circuits according to claim 78 and wherein said employing said generic component geometric parameters comprises:

selecting at least one PCN corresponding to each of said components;

employing at least part of said generic component geometric parameters to access appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules for generating said pick &

place machine-specific component data;

operating said appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules for generating said pick &

place machine-specific component data based on at least one of said generic component geometric parameters to yield corresponding values; and

assigning said corresponding values to corresponding ones of said pick &

place machine-specific component shape parameters.

82. A method of manufacturing electronic circuits according to claim 81 and also comprising, prior to said employing at least part of said generic component geometric parameters, employing at least part of said generic component geometric parameters to auto-generate a corresponding pick &

place machine specific component shape identifier.

83-135. -135. (canceled)

136. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit comprising:

computerized generic component parameter auto-generation functionality operative to employ a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence, pick &

place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one specific pick &

place machine in a manufacturing line and operating instructions in computer-readable language for said at least one specific pick &

place machine to auto-generate generic component parameters for components used in manufacturing said electronic circuit on said at least one specific pick &

place machine; and

computerized machine parameter auto-generation functionality operative to employ said generic component parameters to auto-generate a pick &

place machine-specific component placement sequence and pick &

place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one other specific pick &

place machine in a manufacturing line and operating instructions in computer-readable language for said at least one other specific pick &

place machine.

137. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 136 and wherein said at least one other specific pick &

place machine is a different type of pick &

place machine from said at least one specific pick &

place machine.

138. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 136 and wherein said computerized generic component parameter auto-generation functionality comprises:

a first database containing at least one of pick &

place machine independent geometric component data and pick &

place machine-independent, component supply data; and

a second database containing component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules.

139. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 138 and wherein said second database includes at least one of the following mappings:

a mapping of pick &

place machine-specific component shape parameters to rules for generating component manufacturer-independent generic component geometric parameters;

a mapping of pick &

place machine-specific component supply parameters to rules for generating component manufacturer-independent generic component supply form parameters; and

a mapping of PCN parameters in pick &

place machine specific synatx to generic PCN parameters.

140. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 138 and wherein said first database comprises at least one of:

a mapping of CV/Cat#s to component vendor-specific component geometric parameters (CCL);

a mapping of CV/Cat#s to component supply form parameters (CCSL);

a mapping of PCNs to component supply form parameters (UMCSL);

a mapping of PCNs to CV/Cat#s (MCVL);

a mapping of DCN to PCN;

a user maintained mapping of CV/Cat# to component vendor-specific component geometric parameters (UMCL); and

a mapping of PCN to generic component geometric parameters.

141. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 138 and wherein said computerized generic component parameter auto-generation functionality comprises:

PCN obtaining functionality operative to obtain at least one PCN for ones of said components used in manufacturing said electronic circuit;

rules operating functionality operative to employ said at least one PCN and a type of said at least one specific pick &

place machine to access relevant ones of said component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules and to operate said ones of said component manufacturer-independent, pick &

place machine-specific rules using at least one pick &

place machine specific component parameter to obtain corresponding values; and

value assigning functionality operative to assign said values to corresponding generic component parameters.

142. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 141 and wherein said computerized generic component parameter auto-generation functionality also comprises:

computerized value addition functionality operative to add said values and said corresponding generic component parameters to said first database for said at least one PCN; and

value indicating functionality operative to indicate said values and said corresponding generic component parameters that were obtained by indirect association.

143. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 136 and wherein said computerized machine parameter auto-generation functionality comprises:

computerized supply parameter auto-generation functionality operative to employ generic component supply form parameters and said second database for auto-generating pick &

place machine specific component supply parameters; and

computerized shape parameter auto-generation functionality operative to employ said generic component geometric parameters and said second database for auto-generating pick &

place machine specific component shape parameters.

144. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 143 and wherein said computerized supply parameter auto-generation functionality comprises:

PCN selection functionality operative to select at least one PCN corresponding to each of said components;

rules operating functionality operative to employ at least part of said generic component supply form parameters to access appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules for generating said pick &

place machine-specific component data and to operate said appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules based on said third database and at least one of said generic component parameters to yield corresponding values; and

value assigning functionality operative to assign said corresponding values to corresponding ones of said pick &

place machine-specific component supply parameters.

145. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 144 and wherein said computerized supply parameter auto-generation functionality also comprises computerized supply identifier auto-generation functionality operative to employ at least part of said generic component supply form parameters to auto-generate said corresponding pick &

place machine specific component supply identifier.

146. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 143 and wherein said computerized shape parameter auto-generation functionality comprises:

PCN selection functionality operative to select at least one PCN corresponding to each of said components;

rules operating functionality operative to employ at least part of said generic component shape parameters to access appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules for generating said pick &

place machine-specific component data and to operate said appropriate ones of said machine-specific, component manufacturer-independent rules based on said third database and at least one of said generic component parameters to yield corresponding values; and

value assigning functionality operative to assign said corresponding values to corresponding ones of said pick &

place machine-specific component shape parameters.

147. Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic circuit according to claim 145 and wherein said computerized shape parameter auto-generation functionality also comprises computerized shape identifier auto-generation functionality operative to employ at least part of said generic component shape parameters to auto-generate said corresponding pick &

place machine specific component shape identifier.

148-149. -149. (canceled)