METHOD, SYSTEM AND PROGRAM FOR INTERACTIVE ASSEMBLY OF A PRODUCT

• US 20100125790A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: ERSKIN, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US12/272,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/709
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31027 Computer assisted manual assembly CAA, display operation, tool, result
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31046 Aid for assembly, show display on screen next workpiece, task, position to be assembled, executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32014 Augmented reality assists operator in maintenance, repair, programming, assembly, use of head mounted display with 2-D 3-D display and voice feedback, voice and gesture command
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45029 Mount and solder parts on board
• 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 for assembly of a product includes displaying an image of a product to be assembled on a presentation apparatus. The method includes superposing a first instruction for assembly of the product on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus, and superposing a second instruction for assembly of the product on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus, upon receipt of an input to the presentation apparatus that the first instruction was completed. A computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon and a presentation apparatus for assembly of a product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for assembly of a product, comprising:

displaying an image of a product to be assembled on a presentation apparatus;

superposing a first instruction for assembly of the product on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus; and

superposing a second instruction for assembly of the product on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus, upon receipt of an input to the presentation apparatus that the first instruction was completed.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising superposing a third instruction on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus, upon receipt of an input to the presentation apparatus that the second instruction was completed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus is constituted by the same representation of the product for each instruction display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each instruction includes a graphical and textual depiction of a part of the product to be assembled in the respective instruction.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical and textual depictions are correlated to graphically illustrate the part of the product and provide textual instructions on assembling the part of the product.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the instructions includes an audible instruction output from the presentation apparatus audibly explaining the respective instruction in the assembly of the product.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical depiction of the part of the product to be assembled is selectable to link to an order page enabling an assembler of the product to submit an order for a predetermined quantity of the part of the product depicted in the graphical depiction.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical depiction of the part of the product to be assembled is selectable to link to a specifications page identifying technical specifications of the part of the product depicted in the graphical depiction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the technical specifications of the part of the product identify at least one of one or more tools configured to assemble the part of the product, and safety precautions for assembling the part of the product.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each instruction includes a cumulative depiction of the product to be assembled according to the respective instruction in the assembly of the product.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cumulative depiction of each instruction is at least one of a photographic depiction and a drawing depiction.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the cumulative depiction of each instruction subsequent to the first instruction in the assembly of the product illustrates completion of each previous instruction in the assembly of the product.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each instruction includes an animated depiction of how a part of the product is to be assembled in the respective instruction, and a textual instruction on assembling the part of the product.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each instruction superposed on the image of the product is displayed on a display device comprised in or communicatively coupled to the presentation apparatus, and the input to the presentation apparatus is initiated by an assembler of the product to be assembled; and

the input includes at least one of a manual input to an input device of the presentation apparatus, and an audible input to an audio input device of the presentation apparatus.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation apparatus is one of a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a television, and a digital versatile disc (DVD) player.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising removing an instruction superposed on the image of the product upon receipt of the input to the presentation apparatus to advance to an instruction immediately subsequent to the superposed instruction, and

wherein the removal of each instruction is initiated upon an assembler providing the input to the presentation apparatus to indicate that the superposed instruction was completed.

17. The method of claim 1, comprising:

automatically saving in a memory communicatively coupled to the presentation apparatus completion of each respective instruction upon the receipt of the input that the respective instruction was completed; and

generating a displayable index of each instruction completed on the presentation apparatus based on the instructions saved in the memory, wherein the index, upon being displayed, enables an assembler of the product to resume assembly of the product at an instruction immediately subsequent to the most recently completed instruction or at an already completed instruction by selecting the instruction immediately subsequent to the most recently completed instruction or the already completed instruction on the displayed index.

18. A computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for causing a processor of a presentation apparatus communicatively coupled to the computer-readable recording medium to perform operations comprising:

displaying an image of a product to be assembled on the presentation apparatus;

superposing a first instruction for assembly of the product on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus; and

superposing a second instruction for assembly of the product on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus, upon receipt of an input to the presentation apparatus that the first instruction was completed.

19. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein the processor causes the presentation apparatus to superpose a third instruction on the image of the product displayed on the presentation apparatus, upon receipt of an input to the presentation apparatus that the second instruction was completed.

20. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein the processor causes the presentation apparatus to display the image of the product so that the image of the product is constituted by the same representation of the product for each instruction display.

21. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein each instruction includes a graphical and textual depiction of a part of the product to be assembled in the respective instruction.

22. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 21, wherein the processor causes the presentation apparatus to correlate the graphical and textual depictions superposed on the image of the product so as to illustrate the part of the product and provide textual instructions on assembling the part of the product.

23. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the instructions includes an audible instruction output from the presentation apparatus audibly explaining the respective instruction in the assembly of the product.

24. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 21, wherein the graphical depiction of the part of the product to be assembled is selectable to link to an order page enabling an assembler of the product to submit an order for a predetermined quantity of the part of the product depicted in the graphical depiction.

25. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 21, wherein the graphical depiction of the part of the product to be assembled is selectable to link to a specifications page identifying technical specifications of the part of the product depicted in the graphical depiction.

26. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 25, wherein the technical specifications of the part of the product identify at least one of one or more tools configured to assemble the part of the product, and safety precautions for assembling the part of the product.

27. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein the processor causes the presentation apparatus to display each instruction as a cumulative depiction of the product to be assembled according to the respective instruction in the assembly of the product.

28. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 27, wherein the cumulative depiction of each instruction is at least one of a photographic depiction and a drawing depiction.

29. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 27, wherein the cumulative depiction of each instruction subsequent to the first instruction in the assembly of the product illustrates completion of each previous instruction in the assembly of the product.

30. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein:

the computer-readable recording medium having the computer program recorded thereon is a portable recording medium configured to be inserted in a memory slot of the presentation apparatus; and

the presentation apparatus is one of a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a television, and a digital versatile disc (DVD) player.

31. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein each instruction includes an animated depiction of how a part of the product is to be assembled in the respective instruction, and a textual instruction on assembling the part of the product.

32. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein:

the processor causes the presentation apparatus to display each instruction superposed on the image of the product on a display comprised in or communicatively coupled to the presentation apparatus, and the input to the presentation apparatus is initiated by an assembler of the product to be assembled; and

the input includes at least one of a manual input to an input device of the presentation apparatus, and an audible input to an audio input device of the presentation apparatus.

33. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein:

the processor causes the presentation apparatus to remove an instruction superposed on the image of the product upon receipt of the input to the presentation apparatus to advance to an instruction immediately subsequent to the superposed instruction; and

the processor is initiated to cause the presentation apparatus to remove the superposed instruction upon an assembler providing the input to the presentation apparatus to indicate that the superposed instruction was completed.

34. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein the processor causes the presentation apparatus to perform operations comprising:

automatically saving in a memory communicatively coupled to the presentation apparatus completion of each respective instruction upon the receipt of the input that the respective instruction was completed;

generating a displayable index of each instruction completed on the presentation apparatus based on the instructions saved in the memory; and

displaying the index to enable an assembler of the product to resume assembly of the product at an instruction immediately subsequent to the most recently completed instruction or an already completed instruction by selecting the instruction immediately subsequent to the most recently completed instruction or the already completed instruction on the displayed index.

35. A presentation apparatus comprising:

a display;

a processor configured to instruct the display to display an image of a product to be assembled, and display a plurality of instructions for assembly of the product;

an input device configured to receive an input indicating completion of an instruction displayed on the display,

wherein the processor is configured to;

instruct the display to display the image of the product;

superpose a first instruction for assembly of the product and instruct the display to display the superposed first instruction on the displayed image of the product; and

superpose a second instruction for assembly of the product and instruct the display to display the superposed second instruction on the displayed image of the product, upon the input device receiving an input indicating that the first instruction was completed.