Goods processing device and managing system

• US 6,615,095 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ishida Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ishida Company Limited
• Inventors: Kono, Katsuaki, Ohtani, Takafumi, Ishino, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWINDELL, WALTER R
• Application Number:
  US09/856,956
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 700/96, 700/108, 707/10
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31159 Intranet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32024 Remote ordering, electronic selection article and fitting to form of client
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32036 Enter data, values for custom made articles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32037 Order picking
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to present a control system that can be constructed using existing equipment and that can be adapted easily to changes in a production line. A product processing apparatus 2 or an RCU 3 and information terminals 4 are interconnected by the Internet or by an intranet 5. A WWW server 34 and a CGI are loaded onto the RCU 3, and a WWW browser is loaded onto the information terminal 4a. A processing program 39 that reads and writes operational information between the WWW server 34 and an operational program 31 that operates within the control unit of the product processing apparatus 2 and the RCU 3 is loaded onto the RCU 3. When a WWW browser accesses a web page prepared in advance on the WWW server 34, the processing program 39, activated by the CGI, provides operational information to the WWW server 34. The WWW server 34 presents the operational information to the WWW browser.

Claims

1. A product processing apparatus adapted to be used in a product production line that includes a network and an information terminal, said product processing apparatus being for processing a product and presenting operational information over the network to the information terminal, comprising:

product processing means for processing the product;

a network interface using TCP/IP to communicate with the information terminal;

storage means storing the operational information, the operational information being issued based at least on said product processing means;

a WWW server receiving from a WWW browser of the information terminal instructions regarding the operational information to be presented to the information terminal, and designating operational information pursuant to the instructions received from said WWW browser;

presentation means for presenting the designated operational information to the information terminal;

delivery means for delivering operational information between said storage means and said presentation means; and

conversion means for converting the stored operational information in said storage means into a format appropriate to the information terminal.

2. A product processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said conversion means converts operational information into data to be displayed on a WWW browser, and

said presentation means is a WWW server sending said converted operational information to a WWW browser on the information terminal.

3. A product processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said conversion means converts operational information into print data, and

said presentation means is a print client sending said converted operational information to the information terminal having a print server function.

4. A product processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said conversion means converts operational information into email, and

said presentation means is an email client sending said converted operational information to the information terminal having email server function.

5. A product processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said conversion means converts operational information into a file, and

said presentation means is an FTP client sending said converted operational information to the information terminal, the information terminal having a FTP server function.

6. A product processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

image information is included in operational information, and said product processing apparatus further comprises image-taking means for taking images of said product processing apparatus.

11. A product processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

image information is included in operational information, and

said product processing apparatus further comprises image-taking means for taking images of said product processing apparatus.

12. A product processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

image information is included in operational information, and

said product processing apparatus further comprises image-taking means for taking images of said product processing apparatus.

13. A product processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

image information is included in operational information, and

said product processing apparatus further comprises image-taking means for taking images of said product processing apparatus.

14. A product processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

image information is included in operational information, and

said product processing apparatus further comprises image-taking means for taking images of said product processing apparatus.

7. A product processing apparatus adapted to be used in a product production line that includes an information terminal and a network, said product processing apparatus being capable of setting drive conditions from the information terminal over the network, comprising:

product processing means for processing the product;

a network interface using TCP/IP to communicate with the information terminal;

storage means for storing the drive conditions, the drive conditions being based at least on said product processing means;

a WWW server receiving from a WWW browser of the information terminal drive conditions set at the information terminal; and

update means for updating, pursuant to the received drive conditions, the drive conditions stored in said storage means.

8. A product processing apparatus adapted to be used in a product production line that includes an information terminal and a network, said product processing apparatus being capable of setting drive conditions from the information terminal over the network, comprising:

product processing means for processing the product;

a network interface using TCP/IP to communicate with the information terminal;

storage means for storing the drive conditions, the drive conditions being based at least on said product processing means;

reception means for receiving a file from the information terminal, such that the information terminal can set the drive conditions of said product processing means;

update means for updating, pursuant to the received file, the drive conditions stored in said storage means.

9. A production line comprising:

a plurality of product processing apparatuses;

an information terminal; and

a network operatively connecting said plurality of product processing apparatuses and said information terminal,

each of said product processing apparatuses having;

product processing means for processing the product;

a network interface using TCP/IP to communicate with said information terminal;

storage means for storing the operational information, the operational information being based at least on said product processing apparatus;

a WWW server receiving from a WWW browser of said information terminal designation of operational information to be presented to said information terminal, and being capable of designating operational information pursuant to the instructions received from said WWW browser, and being capable of receiving from said WWW browser of said information terminal drive conditions set at said information terminal;

presentation means for presenting the designated operational information to said information terminal;

delivery means for delivering operational information between said storage means and said presentation means pursuant to said designation;

conversion means for converting the stored operational information into a format appropriate to said information terminal; and

update means for updating drive conditions stored in said storage means, pursuant to drive conditions received from said WWW browser; and

said information terminal having;

output means for outputting the operational information presented by said presentation means; and

a WWW browser capable of setting the drive conditions and designating the operational information to said WWW browser of said product processing apparatus.

10. A product processing apparatus adapted to be used in a product production line that has an information terminal and a network, said product processing apparatus sending operational warning information over the network to the information terminal, comprising;

product processing means for processing the product;

specification means for determining whether said information terminal is a portable wireless terminal;

communication means for communicating with the portable wireless terminal; and

conversion means for converting the operational warning information into voice data or email data, the operational warning information being issued based at least on said product process means;

said product processing apparatus sending said converted operational warning information via said communications means.