AUTONOMIC MANUFACTURING OPERATOR AUTHORIZATION ADJUSTMENT

• US 20110030051A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Koh, Eng Hin, Zemke, Matthew H., Bui, Hung Dao, Tan, Ser Huay, Knipfer, Ivory Wellman
• Granted Patent: US 9,489,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36542 Cryptography, encrypt, access, authorize with key, code, password
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group

Abstract

Operator authorizations are autonomically adjusted in many ways to automatically account for many different variables. Operator authorization may be adjusted according to an operator'"'"'s past activity record so previous experience is not lost when the operator is rehired. Operator authorization may be adjusted according to the operator'"'"'s quality and performance. Operator authorization may also be adjusted by recognizing similar operations to those the operator is authorized to perform, and authorizing the operator to perform one or more similar operations. Operator authorization may also be adjusted to a lesser level or may be revoked for an operation based on the passage of time. A manufacturing system may efficiently track operators taking into account different activity periods, the passage of time, the operator'"'"'s performance, and similar operations to autonomically adjust the authorization of the operators as needed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

an autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism determining work history for a selected operator in performing a selected operation in a manufacturing environment, wherein the work history for the selected operator spans multiple time periods with at least one period of inactivity between the multiple time periods, the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism determining what portions, if any, of the work history is applicable to the selected operator according to at least one time threshold, and autonomically adjusting an authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation based on the work history of the selected operator that satisfies the at least one time threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the work history includes performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism computes an unbiased authorization for the selected operator based on performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation, and applies a plurality of override rules that determine when adjusting the operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed based on the unbiased authorization.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism applies the plurality of override rules to the unbiased authorization and to a current operator authorization to determine a final adjustment to the operator authorization, and applies the final adjustment to the operator authorization.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism evaluates a plurality of similar operation rules to determine whether the operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to at least one similar operation, and if so, adjusting the operator authorization to provide authorization for the selected operator to perform the at least one similar operation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism autonomically revokes authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation when the work history for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is beyond a period specified by the at least one time threshold.

7. A computer-implemented method for autonomically adjusting an operator authorization for a selected operator to perform a selected operation in a manufacturing environment, the method comprising the steps of:

determining work history for the selected operator in performing the selected operation, wherein the work history for the selected operator spans multiple time periods with at least one period of inactivity between the multiple time periods;

determining what portions, if any, of the work history is applicable to the selected operator according to at least one time threshold; and

autonomically adjusting an authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation based on the work history of the selected operator that satisfies the at least one time threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the work history includes performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining work history for the selected operator in performing the selected operation comprises the steps of:

computing an unbiased authorization for the selected operator based on performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation; and

applying a plurality of override rules that determine when adjusting the operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed based on the unbiased authorization.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

applying the plurality of override rules to the unbiased authorization and to a current operator authorization to determine a final adjustment to the operator authorization; and

applying the final adjustment to the operator authorization.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprises the steps of:

evaluating a plurality of similar operation rules to determine whether the operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to at least one similar operation; and

when the operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to the at least one similar operation, adjusting the operator authorization to provide authorization for the selected operator to perform the at least one similar operation.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of revoking the authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation when the work history for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is beyond a period specified by the at least one time threshold.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of permitting the selected operator to perform the selected operation on a physical machine.

14. A computer-implemented method for autonomically adjusting a first operator authorization for a selected operator to perform a selected operation in a manufacturing environment, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) reading the first operator authorization for the selected operator;

(B) computing a second operator authorization for the selected operator based on work history for the selected operator and a plurality of time thresholds, wherein the work history includes performance for the selected operator and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation, wherein the work history for the selected operator spans multiple time periods with at least one period of inactivity between the multiple time periods, wherein only the work history that satisfies the plurality of time thresholds is used in computing the second operator authorization;

(C) reading a third operator authorization for the selected operator that is manually entered by a system administrator;

(D) evaluating the first, second and third authorizations for the selected operator according to a plurality of override rules that determine when adjusting the first operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed;

(E) evaluating a plurality of similar operation rules to determine whether the first, second and third operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to at least one similar operation;

(F) when the plurality of override rules evaluated in step (D) indicate a first adjustment to the first operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed, and the plurality of similar operation rules evaluated in step (E) indicate a second adjustment to the first operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed, resolving any potential conflict between the first and second adjustments according to at least one predetermined rule to generate a final adjustment to the first operator authorization;

(G) autonomically adjusting the first operator authorization using the final adjustment for the selected operator to perform the selected operation; and

(H) allowing the first operator to perform the selected operation on a physical machine when the adjusted first operator authorization authorizes the selected operator to perform the selected operation.

15. An article of manufacture comprising software stored on a computer-readable storage medium, the software comprising:

an autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism that determines work history for a selected operator in performing a selected operation in a manufacturing environment, wherein the work history for the selected operator spans multiple time periods with at least one period of inactivity between the multiple time periods, the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism determining what portions, if any, of the work history is applicable to the selected operator according to at least one time threshold, and autonomically adjusting an authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation based on the work history of the selected operator that satisfies the at least one time threshold.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the work history includes performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism computes an unbiased authorization for the selected operator based on performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation, and applies a plurality of override rules that determine when adjusting the operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed based on the unbiased authorization.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism applies the plurality of override rules to the unbiased authorization and to a current operator authorization to determine a desired adjustment to the operator authorization, and applies the desired adjustment to the operator authorization.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism evaluates a plurality of similar operation rules to determine whether the operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to at least one similar operation, and if so, adjusting the operator authorization to provide authorization for the selected operator to perform the at least one similar operation.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism autonomically revokes authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation when the work history for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is beyond a period specified by the at least one time threshold.