PROCESS FOR IMPROVING THE PRODUCTION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC PRODUCTS
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing photovoltaic products in a manufacturing production line of a series of production steps, comprising, at each of a plurality of intermediate production steps of the production line:
- (a) assessing each photovoltaic product for suitability based on predetermined criteria for a preferred product, to obtain assessment results for the product at each production step;
(b) storing the assessment results for that product by production step, in a memory;
(c) assigning a grade to each photovoltaic product, based on either;
(i) the assessment results for that product at that step;
(ii) a comparison of the assessment results for that product at that step to statistical analysis of assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products at that step;
or(iii) a comparison of cumulative historical assessment results for the product at past production steps to a statistical analysis of historical cumulative assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products over the same production steps;
at each such production step, the grade identifying whether the product is within or outside of predetermined tolerances, representing deviations from the predetermined criteria, for photovoltaic products at such step; and
(d) storing the grade for that product at such production step, in a memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing photovoltaic products include an assessment of each product in a production line for suitability, and assigning a grade based either on assessment of the product at that step, comparison to statistical analysis of assessment results of previous products at that step or comparison of previous assessment results of past steps compared to statistical analysis of cumulative assessment results of past products at those steps. Products can be associated into groups for processing as a group based on the grades and downstream equipment can be adjusted based on the grade of the group to bring the group within determined tolerances.
35 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing photovoltaic products in a manufacturing production line of a series of production steps, comprising, at each of a plurality of intermediate production steps of the production line:
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(a) assessing each photovoltaic product for suitability based on predetermined criteria for a preferred product, to obtain assessment results for the product at each production step; (b) storing the assessment results for that product by production step, in a memory; (c) assigning a grade to each photovoltaic product, based on either; (i) the assessment results for that product at that step; (ii) a comparison of the assessment results for that product at that step to statistical analysis of assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products at that step;
or(iii) a comparison of cumulative historical assessment results for the product at past production steps to a statistical analysis of historical cumulative assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products over the same production steps; at each such production step, the grade identifying whether the product is within or outside of predetermined tolerances, representing deviations from the predetermined criteria, for photovoltaic products at such step; and (d) storing the grade for that product at such production step, in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling a series of production steps in a manufacturing production line for the manufacture of photovoltaic products, comprising the steps of:
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(a) at predetermined production steps, receiving grading information associated with a photovoltaic product in the production line at that step, (b) using the grading information to allocate a grade to the product, the grade indicative of whether the product is within predetermined tolerances for that step; (c) comparing, by a processor, said grade to a plurality of grades of other previously processed photovoltaic products in a knowledge base stored in a memory, to identify a similar grade, the similar grade being a grade associated with previous products having similar grading information, wherein said knowledge base further comprises information as to the outcome of the grade at further process steps in the line and wherein said knowledge base further comprises production line adjustment information which bring the similar grade products to an acceptable tolerance; (d) based on the outcome information of the similar grade, determining a predicted outcome of the photovoltaic product at one or more further processing steps in the production line; and (e) if the predicted outcome is outside of the predetermined tolerance at a further processing step, providing the production line adjustment information for that step to adjust the production line to process the product. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling a series of production steps in a manufacturing production line for the manufacture of photovoltaic products, comprising the steps of:
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(a) logging past assessments of a plurality of photovoltaic products at predetermined production steps in a knowledge base stored in a memory, each assessment determined by past processing of photovoltaic products; (b) logging past courses of action taken at the production steps in response to said past assessments, and associated outcomes, in said knowledge base; (c) characterizing at least one of said associated outcomes as a positive outcome; (d) receiving a real-time assessment of a photovoltaic product at a production step; (e) comparing, by a processor, said real-time assessment to said past assessments to determine a predicted assessment for said product; and (f) providing one of said courses of action associated with said positive outcome as the course of action to take in further processing of the product. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising a processing device;
- a computer readable medium tangibly embodying a computer program product for manufacturing photovoltaic products, the computer program product comprises instructions for causing a processor to;
(a) assess each photovoltaic product for suitability based on predetermined criteria for a preferred product, to obtain assessment results for the product at each production step; (b) store the assessment results for that product by production step, in a memory; (c) assign a grade to each photovoltaic product, based on either; (i) the assessment results for that product at that step; (ii) a comparison of the assessment results for that product at that step to statistical analysis of assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products at that step;
or(iii) a comparison of cumulative historical assessment results for the product at past production steps to a statistical analysis of historical cumulative assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products over the same production steps; at each such production step, the grade identifying whether the product is within or outside of predetermined tolerances, representing deviations from the predetermined criteria, for photovoltaic products at such step; and (d) store the grade for that product at such production step, in a memory.
- a computer readable medium tangibly embodying a computer program product for manufacturing photovoltaic products, the computer program product comprises instructions for causing a processor to;
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19. An apparatus for manufacturing photovoltaic products comprising:
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(a) circuitry for assessing each photovoltaic product for suitability based on predetermined criteria for a preferred product, to obtain assessment results for the product at each production step; (b) circuitry for storing the assessment results for that product by production step, in a memory; (c) circuitry for assigning a grade to each photovoltaic product, based on either; (i) the assessment results for that product at that step; (ii) a comparison of the assessment results for that product at that step to statistical analysis of assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products at that step;
or(iii) a comparison of cumulative historical assessment results for the product at past production steps to a statistical analysis of historical cumulative assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products over the same production steps; at each such production step, the grade identifying whether the product is within or outside of predetermined tolerances, representing deviations from the predetermined criteria, for photovoltaic products at such step; and (d) circuitry for storing the grade for that product at such production step, in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer system comprising a memory having stored therein a photovoltaic products manufacturing control application for a manufacturing production line of a series of production steps;
- and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the execution of said manufacturing control application generates a method comprising;
(a) assessing each photovoltaic product for suitability based on predetermined criteria for a preferred product, to obtain assessment results for the product at each production step; (b) storing the assessment results for that product by production step, in a memory; (c) assigning a grade to each photovoltaic product, based on either; (i) the assessment results for that product at that step; (ii) a comparison of the assessment results for that product at that step to statistical analysis of assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products at that step;
or(iii) a comparison of cumulative historical assessment results for the product at past production steps to a statistical analysis of historical cumulative assessment results of previously processed photovoltaic products over the same production steps; at each such production step, the grade identifying whether the product is within or outside of predetermined tolerances, representing deviations from the predetermined criteria, for photovoltaic products at such step; and (d) storing the grade for that product at such production step, in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (22)
- and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the execution of said manufacturing control application generates a method comprising;
Specification