Monitor utility for use in manufacturing environment
First Claim
1. A method of operating a computer system to monitor, track and schedule monitor items associated with at least one entity employed in a manufacturing facility, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving data regarding performance of events in connection with an entity from a first input source;
updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said first input source data;
determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due;
responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items is due, notifying a designated user;
determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval;
responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning interval, issuing a warning to designated users via electronic mail; and
generating a report showing said current status of only user-selected ones of said monitor items.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for a utility for monitoring, tracking and scheduling the performance of periodic activities in a manufacturing environment is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the monitor utility of present invention is a VAX-based menu-driven program that is used to schedule and track periodic activities. erformed on tools and machines, or "entities." In one aspect of the invention, a user may create a family of entities to be monitored and may schedule various monitor items to be performed in connection with each entity, which items may be "triggered" by the occurrence of a designated event a designated number of times or by the elapse of a designated period of time. In another aspect of the invention, the utility may be used easily to generate and display and/or print reports in various formats showing the status of monitor items for a particular family and/or entity. In another aspect of the invention, the utility is capable of sending one or more VAX mail messages to designated users when certain monitor items are due. In addition, the utility may be configured to send a VAX mail warning message to designated users a predetermined amount of time before a monitor item becomes due so that the recipient(s) can take steps to perform the monitor item by the due date. In yet another aspect of the invention, if a monitor item is not performed by the due date, the utility is capable of logging down the entity with which the overdue monitor item is associated.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer system to monitor, track and schedule monitor items associated with at least one entity employed in a manufacturing facility, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving data regarding performance of events in connection with an entity from a first input source; updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said first input source data; determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due; responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items is due, notifying a designated user; determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval; responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning interval, issuing a warning to designated users via electronic mail; and generating a report showing said current status of only user-selected ones of said monitor items. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a computer system to monitor, track and schedule monitor items associated with an entity, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving data regarding performance of events in connection with said entity from a first input source; updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said first input source data; determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due; responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items is dues notifying a designated user; determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval; responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning interval, warning a designated user; and responsive to at least one of said monitor items being due, periodically generating a warning to a designated user until said at least one of said monitor items that is due is performed.
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11. Apparatus for monitoring, tracking and scheduling monitor items associated with at least one entity employed in a fabrication facility, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving data regarding performance of events in connection with an entity from a first input source; means for updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said first input source data; means for determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due; means responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items is due for notifying a designated user; means for determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval; means responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning interval for issuing a warning to designated users via electronic mail; and means for generating a report showing said current status of only user-selected ones of said monitor items. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for monitoring, tracking and scheduling monitor items associated with an entity, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving data regarding performance of events in connection with said entity from a first input source; means for updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said first input source data; means for determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due; means responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items is due for notifying a designated user; means for determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval; means responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning interval for warning a designated user; and means responsive to at least one of said monitor items being due for periodically generating a warning to a designated user until said at least one of said monitor items that is due is performed.
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19. Apparatus for monitoring, tracking and scheduling monitor items associated with at least one entity employed in a fabrication facility, the apparatus comprising:
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a database for storing a plurality of data files, each of said data files comprising data regarding performance of events in connection with an entity entered from a first input source; a monitor utility for updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said data, said monitor utility further comprising; logic for determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due; logic for determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval; and logic for generating a report showing the current status of only user-selected ones of said monitor items; wherein responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items said monitor utility notifies a designated user via electronic mail; wherein responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning interval, said monitor utility issues a warning to designated users via electronic mail; and wherein responsive to a determination that a user has requested said report, said monitor utility causes said report to be presented to said user in at least one of a plurality of user-selectable formats, including a display format and a print format. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Apparatus for monitoring, tracking and scheduling monitor items associated with at least one entity employed in a fabrication facility, the apparatus comprising:
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a database for storing a plurality of data files, each of said data files comprising data regarding performance of events in connection with an entity entered from a first input source; a monitor utility for updating a current status of each of said monitor items using said data, said monitor utility further comprising; logic for determining whether at least one of said monitor items is due; logic for determining whether at least one of said monitor items will become due within a user-selected warning interval; and logic for generating a report showing the current status of only user-selected ones of said monitor items; wherein responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items said monitor utility notifies a designated user via electronic mail; wherein responsive to a determination that at least one of said monitor items will become due within said user-selected warning intervals said monitor utility issues a warning to a designated user via electronic mail; wherein responsive to a determination that a user has requested said report, said monitor utility causes said report to be presented to said user in at least one of a plurality of user-selectable formats, including a display format and a print format; and wherein responsive to at least one of said monitor items being due, said monitor utility periodically generates a reminder to a designated user via electronic mail until said at least one of said monitor items that is due is performed.
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Specification