METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZED WORKFLOW MONITORING

• US 20100076594A1
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Trimble, Douglas D., Salour, Ali
• Granted Patent: US 8,044,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31311 Data are id, destination, number of pieces, alternative destination, process data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49302 Part, workpiece, code, tool identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring work flow of a resource is disclosed. The method accounts for the expected work flow of the resource in determining the location of the resource as well as dwell times at each work zone. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by determining if subsequent work zones sequentially follows the first work zone in the expected sequence of work zones.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring work flow of a resource, comprising:

defining a work flow describing an expected work path of the resource, the work flow comprising a sequence of a plurality of defined work zones;

monitoring the location of a wireless tag associated with a defined resource type and attached to a resource being a member of the defined resource type;

when the monitored location of the wireless tag moves from a first work zone to a second work zone, determining if the second work zone sequentially follows the first work zone in the sequence of work zones;

if the second work zone does not sequentially follow the first work zone in the sequence of work zones, associating the monitored location of the wireless tag with the first zone; and

if the second work zone sequentially follows the first work zone, associating the monitored location of the wireless tag with the second zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining the plurality of work zones;

defining the resource type, the resource being a member of the resource type;

associating the wireless tag to the resource; and

defining the work flow describing the expected work path of the resource, the work flow comprising a sequence of the work zones.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining at least one work group having the plurality of work zones; and

computing an accumulated time during which the monitored location of the wireless tag is associated with the work group.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

7. An apparatus for monitoring work flow of a resource, comprising:

a wireless locating system having a plurality of tags;

a receiver for receiving signals transmitted by the plurality of tags;

a locating system for locating the tags based on the received signals, the locating system comprising a processor having a memory storing instructions comprising instructions for;

accepting a defined a work flow describing an expected work path of the resource, the work flow comprising a sequence of a plurality of defined work zones;

monitoring the location a wireless tag associated with a defined resource type and attached to a resource being a member of the defined resource type;

when the monitored location of the wireless tag moves from a first work zone to a second work zone, determining if the second work zone sequentially follows the first work zone in the sequence of work zones;

associating the monitored location of the wireless tag with the first zone if the second work zone does not sequentially follow the first work zone in the sequence of work zones; and

associating the monitored location of the wireless tag with the second zone if the second work zone sequentially follows the first work zone.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

defining the plurality of work zones;

defining the resource type, the resource being a member of the resource type;

associating the wireless tag to the resource; and

defining the work flow describing the expected work path of the resource, the work path comprising a sequence of the work zones.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

defining at least one work group having the plurality of work zones; and

computing an accumulated time during which the monitored location of the wireless tag is associated with the work group.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for monitoring work flow of a resource, comprising:

means for defining a work flow describing an expected work path of the resource, the work flow comprising a sequence of a plurality of defined work zones;

means for monitoring the location a wireless tag associated with a defined resource type and attached to a resource being a member of the defined resource type;

means for determining when the monitored location of the wireless tag moves from a first work zone to a second work zone;

means for determining if the second work zone sequentially follows the first work zone in the sequence of work zones when the monitored location of the wireless tag moves from a first work zone to a second work zone;

means for associating the monitored location of the wireless tag with the first zone if the second work zone does not sequentially follow the first work zone in the sequence of work zones; and

means for associating the monitored location of the wireless tag with the second zone if the second work zone sequentially follows the first work zone.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for defining the plurality of work zones;

means for defining the resource type, the resource being a member of the resource type;

means for associating the wireless tag to the resource; and

means for defining the work flow describing the expected work path of the resource, the work flow comprising a sequence of the work zones.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for defining at least one work group having the plurality of work zones; and

means for computing an accumulated time during which the monitored location of the wireless tag is associated with the work group.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)