Method and system for a unified process automation software system

• US 6,173,246 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James T. Billups III
• Original Assignee: James T. Billups III
• Inventors: Billups, James T. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Lonnie A.
• Application Number:
  US09/121,064
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 345/329, 345/339, 707/115, 707/1, 707/10, 707/2, 707/3, 707/7, 707/8, 707/9, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 707/200, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 707/204, 395/500.02, 700/96, 700/99, 703/6, 703/7, 703/22
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

A computer implemented system and method for automating design and manufacturing processes that use software application programs having graphical user interfaces. An automation software program, programmed with a design and manufacturing process command flow initiates and monitors the execution of a plurality of design and manufacturing software application programs through the graphical user interface of each software application. The software applications may execute in a preprogrammed sequence on a plurality of computer processors. The graphical user interface provides a visual representation to the user of the design and manufacturing process and its status. In an alternative embodiment, the system and method is used to automate the design and manufacture of electronic circuits.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automating design and manufacture of a product, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing an automation software program executing on a computer processor, programmed with a command flow for automating design and manufacture of a product;

b. the automation software program, according to the command flows initiating and monitoring the execution of a plurality of design software application programs and manufacturing software application programs, each design software application program and each manufacturing software application program having a graphical user interface; and

c. the automation software program initiating and monitoring the execution of the design software application programs and manufacturing software application programs by communicating with each design software application program and each manufacturing software application program through the graphical user interface of each design software application program and each manufacturing software application program.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of executing the design software application programs and manufacturing software applications on the computer processor.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of executing the design software application programs and manufacturing software applications on a plurality of computer processors.

4. The method, according to claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating, executing, and monitoring the design software application programs and the manufacturing software application programs in a preprogrammed sequence.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a. providing a graphical user interface to the automation software program; and

b. providing a visual representation to the user of the command flow used by the automation software program for automating design and manufacture of the product, through the graphical user interface of the automation software program.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of allowing the user to selectively change the command flow used by the automation software program for automating design and manufacture of the product by:

a. inserting user commands;

b. inserting input data

c. changing the order of initiation of the software application programs

d. deleting software application programs; and

e. adding software application programs.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

a. providing feedback to the user of the status of the operation of the process command flow used by the automation software program for automating design and manufacture of the product and the status of each design software application program and each manufacturing software application program while it is being initiated and while it is executing; and

b. providing feedback to the user of the output data and status after each design software application program and each manufacturing software application program has completed running.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of displaying the status and output data to the user on the process command flow used by the automation software program for automating design and manufacture of the product, which is displayed on the graphical user interface.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

10. The method according to claim 5 wherein the visual representation of the process command flow used by the automation software program for automating design and manufacture of the product is a flowchart representing the command flow displayed on the graphical user interface.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

13. A computer-implemented method for automating design and manufacture of a product, the method comprising the steps of:

a. using design software application programs and manufacture software application programs, each of the software application programs having a graphical user interface;

b. building an automation software program comprising;

i. a design flow process model, the model is programmed with a series of command steps for automating design and manufacture of the product, the steps including the execution order of the software application programs;

ii. a display interface controller that simulates the graphical user interface of each design software application program and each manufacture software application program and sends graphical user interface commands to a display server;

iii. process controller which executes the design flow process model, controls the order of the command steps and communicates the command steps to an application controller, the application controller tailored for each design software application program and each manufacture software application program;

iv. the application controller translates process control commands into graphical user interface commands and sends the graphical user interface commands to the display interface controller for communication to the display server; and

v. an application monitor that monitors the status of each design software application program and each manufacture software application program being executed and communicates the status of each design software application program and each manufacture software application software program to the application controller and to the process controller.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

a. running the automation software program by executing the design flow process model through the process controller;

b. translating the command steps into graphical user interface commands by the application controller, which sends the commands to the display interface controller;

c. sending the graphical user interface commands from the display interface controller to a display server;

d. initiating and executing the design software application programs and the manufacture software application programs by means of the graphical user interface commands;

e. receiving graphical user interface commands from the display server at the display interface controller; and

f. monitoring the status of the design software application programs and the manufacture software application programs being executed by the application monitor and communicating the status of each design software application program and each manufacture software application program to the application controller and to the process controller.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

a. providing a graphical user interface to the automation software program whereby the user can selectively change the automation software program by;

i. inserting user commands into the design flow process model;

ii. inserting input data into the design flow process model;

iii. changing the order of the initiation of the software application programs within the design flow process model;

iv. deleting software application programs from the design flow process model; and

b. providing feedback to a user concerning status and progress of the automation software program and the status of the software application programs while each program is being initiated, executed and has completed, the feedback being displayed on the automation software program'"'"'s graphical user interface.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

a. representing the design flow process model, with its series of command steps, to the user through the graphical user interface as a flow diagram comprising selectable symbols that represent the software application programs, the command steps, input data, and output data; and

b. building a new process automation software program by allowing the user to selectively change the flow diagram by deleting, reordering or manipulating the selectable symbols via the automation software program'"'"'s graphical user interface.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the status and progress of the automation software program and the status of the software application programs is displayed to the user via the flow diagram of the flow process model.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of indicating the status and progress of the automation software program and the status of the software application programs by means of colors displayed on corresponding command steps of the flow diagram.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

20. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of building a new process automation software program by allowing the user to selectively change the flow diagram by adding software application programs from a library of stored programs via the automation software program'"'"'s graphical user interface.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

22. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of building a new process automation software program by allowing the user to selectively enter design and manufacture problem parameter data into the process automation software program via the automation software program'"'"'s graphical user interface.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

24. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of running the process automation program after initiation without requiring action by the user.

25. A method according to claim 14, further comprising in the step of running the process automation program, allowing the user to stop the design flow process, change the order of the process and enter input data to be used in the design flow process.

26. The method according to claim 13, wherein the automation software program automates design and manufacture of an electronic circuit.

27. A system for automating design and manufacture of an electronic circuit, comprising a specially programmed computer having:

a. a memory means for storing a plurality of

i. design software application programs and manufacture software application programs, each of the software application programs having a graphical user interface;

ii. design flow process models;

iii. design and manufacture input data to be input to the software application programs;

iv. design and manufacture output data to be output from the software application programs;

b. processor means for

i. building an automation software program that automates design and manufacture of the electronic circuit, comprising;

1) the design process flow model, the model is programmed with a series of command steps for automating design and manufacture of the electronic circuit, the steps including the execution order of the software application programs;

2) a display interface controller that simulates the graphical user interface of each design software application program and each manufacture software application program and sends graphical user interface commands to a display server;

3) a process controller which executes the design flow process model, controls the order of the command steps and communicates the command steps to an application controller, the application controller tailored for each design software application program and each manufacture software application program;

4) the application controller translates process control commands into graphical user interface commands and sends the graphical user interface commands to the display interface controller for communication to the display server; and

5) an application monitor that monitors the status of each design software application program and each manufacture software application program being executed and communicates the status of each design software application program and each manufacture software application program to the application controller and to the process controller;

ii. executing the automation software program by executing the design flow process model, which in turn executes the software application programs by initiating and communicating with each design software application program and each manufacture software application program through its graphical user interface; and

c. the automation software program having a graphical user interface for displaying to the user the status and progress of the execution of the automation software program and the status of the software application programs while each program is being initiated, is executing and has completed.

28. A system, according to claim 27, further comprising in the graphical user interface means:

a. representing the design flow process model as a flow diagram displayed on the graphical user interface comprising selectable symbols that represent the software application programs, the command steps, input data, and output data; and

b. allowing the user to selectively change the flow diagram by adding, deleting, reordering and manipulating the selectable symbols via the graphical user interface.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein:

a. the design software application programs and manufacture software application programs are for design and manufacture of electronic circuits; and

b. the design and manufacture input and output data is electronic circuit data.