Process automation method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for generating a schedule for the performance of a process, the process comprising a plurality of steps, at least one step being performed by at least one of a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
- a) obtaining input containing information defining the process;
b) generating from the input a series of node definitions, each node definition including duration and device usage information relating to one or more steps, each node definition further including information relating to at least one previous step and at least one subsequent step; and
c) generating from the series of node definitions a plurality of tasks, each task comprising at least one step of the process, such that every step in the process is associated with at least one of the plurality of tasks;
d) employing a scheduler to generate a schedule comprising a sequence of the steps of the process based on the generated tasks an allocation of the plurality of devices that avoids device usage conflicts, and the node definitions, said schedule corresponding to the defined process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides in one aspect a method for generating a schedule for the performance of a process, wherein the process comprises a plurality of steps. Each step of the process comprises one or more operations. The method comprises first obtaining input containing information defining the process and then generating from the input a series of nodes definitions, each node definition corresponding to at least one step of the process. Each node definition includes duration and device usage information relating to at least one step and further includes information identifying at least one previous step and at least one subsequent step. Then, one or more tasks are generated using the series of node definitions, each task comprising at least one step of the process, such that every step in the process is associated with at least one task. Once the tasks are defined, a schedule of operations is generated using the generated tasks and the node definitions, said schedule of operations corresponding to the defined process. In a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention employs a graphical user interface to obtain the input. Also, preferably, the graphical user interface consists of icons representative of operations that may be performed on the work sample.
94 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for generating a schedule for the performance of a process, the process comprising a plurality of steps, at least one step being performed by at least one of a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
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a) obtaining input containing information defining the process; b) generating from the input a series of node definitions, each node definition including duration and device usage information relating to one or more steps, each node definition further including information relating to at least one previous step and at least one subsequent step; and c) generating from the series of node definitions a plurality of tasks, each task comprising at least one step of the process, such that every step in the process is associated with at least one of the plurality of tasks; d) employing a scheduler to generate a schedule comprising a sequence of the steps of the process based on the generated tasks an allocation of the plurality of devices that avoids device usage conflicts, and the node definitions, said schedule corresponding to the defined process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for representing and performing a process on one or more work samples comprising:
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a) a graphical interface for graphical representation of the process, the process comprising a plurality of steps, at least one step corresponding to an operation performed by at least one of a plurality of devices; and b) a first processor connected to the graphical interface and operable to generate a sequence of operations based upon the graphically represented process and an allocation of the plurality of devices that avoids device usage conflicts, generate a process code sequence representative of the sequence of operations, and execute the process code sequence and thereby control the plurality of devices such that the plurality of devices operate on one or more work samples in a manner corresponding to the sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for representing and performing a process on one or more work samples, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a graphical interface for graphical representation of the defined process, the defined process comprising a plurality of steps; b) a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of devices operable to perform an operation on a work sample that is associated with at least one step of the process; c) a robotic device operable to facilitate movement of one or more work samples between the plurality of devices; and d) a first processor connected to the graphical interface, the plurality of devices, and the robotic device, said first processor operable to generate process code representative of a sequence of operations based upon the graphically-represented process and an allocation of the plurality of devices that avoids device usage conflicts, and control the plurality of devices based upon the process code, such that the plurality of devices operate on one or more work samples in a manner corresponding to the sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for scheduling a predefined process comprising a plurality of steps, each of said steps associated with at least one subsequent step or at least one preceding step, at least one of the plurality of steps representing an operation on a work sample performed by laboratory equipment, the method comprising;
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defining a first task; associating a first step with the first task; determining whether there are more than one subsequent steps associated with the first step, and if there are more than one subsequent steps associated with the first step, defining a second task; associating a first of said more than one subsequent steps with the first task; associating a second of said subsequent steps with the second task; and providing the first task and the second task to a scheduling device, said scheduling device operable to define a sequence of steps, said sequence of steps corresponding to the predefined process and advantageously allocating the laboratory equipment between the performance of the steps associated with the first and second tasks. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method for scheduling a predefined process comprising a plurality of steps, each of said steps associated with at least one subsequent step or at least one preceding, step, at least one of the plurality of steps representing an operation on a work sample performed by laboratory equipment, the method comprising;
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defining a first task; associating a first step with the first task; determining whether there are more than one preceding steps associated with the first step, and if more than one preceding steps are associated with the first step, defining a second task; associating at least one of the preceding steps with the second task; and providing the first task and the second task to a scheduling device, said scheduling device operable to define a sequence of steps, said sequence of steps corresponding to the predefined process and advantageously allocating the laboratory equipment between the performance of the steps associated with the first and second tasks. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification