Method and system for automating control panel layout and wiring specifications for a vehicle manufacturing process
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for generating a control panel layout design for a vehicle panel comprising:
- displaying a user interface which enables a user to specify potential panel locations;
in response to input from the user specifying the potential panel locations, updating a panel location database for storing the potential panel locations;
reading a part list including a plurality of parts for a vehicle;
for each part in the list, automatically extracting panel location data including a part priority, a plurality of potential panel locations and associated panel location priorities corresponding to each part from the panel location database;
automatically determining a panel location for each part in order of the priority of each part including attempting to locate a current part at a first panel location of the corresponding potential panel locations for the current part, and if the first panel location is occupied, attempting to locate the current part at a second panel location of the corresponding panel locations for the part, and automatically repeating the attempts to locate the current part until a panel location is assigned or it is determined that none of the potential panel locations are available; and
generating a panel layout design for the vehicle including a list of parts and corresponding panel location for each part.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for automatically generating panel layout and wiring harness specifications for vehicles. The panel layout system receives as input a list of parts including switches, gauges, connectors, circuit breakers, etc., and automatically places these parts in a control panel (e.g. dash panel or electrical panel) within the vehicle. To place these parts automatically, the system extracts potential panel locations for each part from a database, and then attempts to place the parts in their corresponding potential panel locations. The system can also generate a wiring specification for the vehicle. Once panel locations are assigned, the system attempts to assign circuits in the wiring harness to electrical contact locations associated with panel locations.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for generating a control panel layout design for a vehicle panel comprising:
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displaying a user interface which enables a user to specify potential panel locations; in response to input from the user specifying the potential panel locations, updating a panel location database for storing the potential panel locations; reading a part list including a plurality of parts for a vehicle; for each part in the list, automatically extracting panel location data including a part priority, a plurality of potential panel locations and associated panel location priorities corresponding to each part from the panel location database; automatically determining a panel location for each part in order of the priority of each part including attempting to locate a current part at a first panel location of the corresponding potential panel locations for the current part, and if the first panel location is occupied, attempting to locate the current part at a second panel location of the corresponding panel locations for the part, and automatically repeating the attempts to locate the current part until a panel location is assigned or it is determined that none of the potential panel locations are available; and generating a panel layout design for the vehicle including a list of parts and corresponding panel location for each part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer readable medium on which is stored instructions for generating a control panel layout design for a vehicle panel, which then executed by a computer, performing the steps of:
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reading a part list including a plurality of parts for a vehicle; for each part in the list, automatically extracting panel location data including a part priority, a plurality of potential panel locations and associated panel location priorities corresponding to each part; automatically determining a panel location for each part in order of the priority of each part including attempting to locate a current part at a first panel location of the corresponding potential panel locations for the current part, and if the first panel location is occupied, attempting to locate the current part at a second panel location of the corresponding panel locations for the part, and automatically repeating the attempts to locate the current part until a panel location is assigned or it is determined that none of the potential panel locations are available; and generating a panel layout design for the vehicle including a list of parts and corresponding panel location for each part. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer implemented method for generating a panel layout and wiring harness specification for a vehicle comprising:
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reading a part list including a plurality of parts for a vehicle; for parts in the list, automatically extracting panel location data including a part priority, a plurality of potential panel locations and associated panel location priorities corresponding to each part; automatically determining a panel location for a first part in order of the priority of each part including attempting to locate a current part at a first panel location of the corresponding potential panel locations for the current part, and if the first panel location is occupied, attempting to locate the current part at a second panel location of the corresponding panel locations for the part, and automatically repeating the attempts to locate the current part until a panel location is assigned or it is determined that none of the potential panel locations are available; repeating the determining step for subsequent parts in the list; generating a panel layout design for the vehicle including a list of parts and corresponding panel location for each part; and automatically assigning circuits in wiring harnesses to corresponding electrical contacts including; a) identifying a circuit for a first wiring harness, b) determining a panel location for the circuit by looking up the panel location in the panel layout design for the vehicle, c) selecting an electrical contact location associated with the panel location, and repeating steps a-c for subsequent circuits in the first or subsequent wiring harnesses to generate a wiring harness specification for the vehicle.
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18. A computer implemented method for generating a control panel layout design for a vehicle panel comprising:
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reading a part list including a plurality of parts for a vehicle; for each part in the list, automatically extracting panel location data including a plurality of potential panel locations and associated panel location priorities corresponding to each part from the panel location database; automatically determining a panel location for each part including attempting to locate a current part at a first panel location of the corresponding potential panel locations for the current part, and if the first panel location is occupied, attempting to locate the current part at a second panel location of the corresponding panel locations for the part, and automatically repeating the attempts to locate the current part until a panel location is assigned or it is determined that none of the potential panel locations are available; generating a panel layout design for the vehicle including a list of parts and corresponding panel location for each part; and automatically assigning circuits in a wiring harness to electrical contact locations in a panel. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification