Automated methods and systems for analyzing data associated with an industrial process

• US 6,717,169 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell & Howell LLC (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Bell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company
• Inventors: McMahan, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US10/054,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 250/559.36, 250/559.29, 250/214.R, 702/176, 702/179, 702/187, 702/189, 709/318, 714/20, 714/39
• US Class Current: 250/559.36
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/50 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/51 Sequence of process
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2557/23 Recording or storing data
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2557/24 Calculating methods; Mathematic models
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 43/00 Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/00 Folding thin material specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of particular products, see appropriate subclasses, e.g. D06F89/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00685 Measuring the dimensions of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00798 using timestamps, i.e. recording time in message

Abstract

Automated methods and systems for analyzing data associated with an industrial process parse data entries received from devices in an industrial process, such as a mail or paper processing system. The parsing can include applying state machines to the data to identify events and produce output relating to the process for which the data is being analyzed. Statistical measures are computed for the output from each of the state machines. The statistical measures are compared to design limits. Output is displayed to the user in a format that facilitates interpretation of the data.

Claims

1. A method for identifying overlapped pages in an overlap portion of a turnover sequencer in a paper processing system, the method comprising:

(a) reading a plurality of time-tagged data entries from a plurality of machines in a mail or paper processing system;

(b) in a first state, applying a pattern matching algorithm to each time-tagged data entry for identifying a lead edge of a sheet of paper at an inside entry photocell or an outside entry photocell of the turnover sequencer;

(c) in response to detecting a sheet of paper at the inside entry photocell, transitioning to a second state for detecting a sheet of paper at the outside entry photocell; and

(d) in the second state, in response to detecting a sheet of paper at the outside entry photocell, transitioning to a third state for producing output indicating the presence of overlapped pages in the turnover area of the turnover sequencer.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:

(e) in the first state, in response to detecting a sheet of paper at the outside entry photocell, transitioning to a fourth state for detecting a sheet of paper at the inside entry photocell; and

(f) in the fourth state, in response to detecting a sheet of paper at the inside entry photocell, transitioning to the third state for producing the output.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising, in the third state, communicating the output from a first state machine monitoring data output from one section of the turnover sequencer to a second state machine monitoring data output from another section of the turnover sequencer.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising, after producing the output, returning to the first state.