Apparatus and method for electronically encoding an article with work-in-progress information

• US 6,795,743 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, James S., Berry, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US09/663,997
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 700/115-121, 700/108-110, 714/718, 714/733-743, 324/537, 324/759, 324/763-765, 438/14-18
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31304 Identification of workpiece and data for control, inspection, safety, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method for electronically encoding an article with work-in-progress information includes determining a work-in-progress condition of the article and setting an encoding device attached to the article to a set-point corresponding to the work-in-progress condition. Determining the work-in-progress condition includes identifying a present work-in-progress condition of the article and at least one historical work-in-progress condition of the article. Adjusting the encoding device includes adjusting the encoding device from a first set-point of a first set-point set to a first set-point of a second set-point set in response to passing a first work-in-progress evaluation, and adjusting the encoding device from the first set-point of the second set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set in response to failing a second work-in-progress evaluation after passing the first work-in-progress evaluation. The present work-in-progress information and historical work-in-progress information of the article are used to effectively estimate the reliability and improve the manufacturability of the article.

Claims

1. A method for electronically encoding an article with work-in-progress information, comprising:

providing an article;

attaching an encoding device to the article, the device being settable by an automated tester, the encoding device controlling voltage provided to an increment/decrement terminal of the encoding device and to an actuating terminal of the encoding device;

determining a work-in-progress condition of the article; and

setting the encoding device attached to the article to a set-point corresponding to the work-in-progress condition, the device retaining its settings even without power applied thereto.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the work-in-progress condition includes the identifying a present work-in-progress condition and at least one historical work-in-progress condition of the article.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the setting includes adjusting an electrical resistance of the encoding device from a first resistance level to a second resistance level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a work-in-progress condition including present and historical work-in-progress events to a set-point of the encoding device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the assigning includes:

defining a plurality of work-in-progress conditions including present and historical work-in-progress events;

defining a plurality of set-points; and

correlating each one of the work-in-progress conditions to a corresponding one of the set-points.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the setting includes:

adjusting the encoding device from a first set-point of a first set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set in response to failing a first work-in-progress evaluation; and

adjusting the encoding device from a set-point of the first set-point set to a set-point of a second set-point set in response to passing the first work-in-progress evaluation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the setting includes:

adjusting the encoding device from a first set-point of a first set-point set to a first set-point of a second set-point set in response to passing a first work-in-progress evaluation; and

adjusting the encoding device from the first set-point of the second set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set in response to failing a second work-in-progress evaluation after passing the first work-in-progress evaluation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the setting includes:

connecting the article to the tester;

conducting a work-in-progress evaluation of the article; and

adjusting the encoding device from a first set-point to a second set-point.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the adjusting includes indexing an electrical resistance of the encoding device from a first resistance level to a second resistance level.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying the first set-point of the encoding device prior to adjusting the encoding device to the second set-point.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the adjusting includes communicating an electrical signal from an encoder to the encoding device, the electrical signal corresponding to the work-in-progress condition.

12. An apparatus for electronically encoding an article with information during assembly and/or testing, comprising:

an article;

an encoding device attached to the article, the device being settable by an automated tester, the encoding device controlling voltage provided to an increment/decrement terminal of the encoding device and to an actuating terminal of the device;

a tester for determining a work-in-progress condition of the article; and

an encoder for reversibly setting the encoding device attached to the article to a set-point corresponding to the work-in-progress condition, the device retaining its settings even without power applied thereto.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoder includes a set-point adjusting device for changing the set-point from:

a first set-point of a first set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set when a first work-in-progress evaluation is failed;

a set-point of the first set-point set to a set-point of a second set-point set when the first work-in-progress evaluation is passed; and

a set-point of the second set-point set to a set-point of the first set-point set when a second work-in-progress evaluation is failed after the first work-in-progress evaluation is passed.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoder adjusts an electrical resistance of the encoding device from a first resistance level to a second resistance level.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoding device is adjusted from:

a first set-point of a first set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set when a first work-in-progress evaluation is failed; and

a set-point of the first set-point set to a set-point of a second set-point set when the first work-in-progress evaluation is passed.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoding device is adjusted from:

a first set-point of a first set-point set to a first set-point of a second set-point set when a first work-in-progress evaluation is passed; and

the first set-point of the second set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set when a second work-in-progress evaluation is failed after passing the first work-in-progress evaluation.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoder is integral with the tester used for determining the work-in-progress condition of the article.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoder indexes an electrical resistance of the encoding device from a first resistance level to a second resistance level.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the encoder communicates an electrical signal to the encoding device, the electrical signal corresponding to the work-in-progress condition.

20. A computer system, comprising:

a printed circuit assembly including a microprocessor attached thereto;

an input coupled to provide input to the microprocessor;

a mass storage coupled to the microprocessor;

a system memory coupled to provide storage to facilitate execution of computer programs by the microprocessor; and

an encoding device electrically connected to the printed circuit assembly for controlling voltage provided to an increment/decrement terminal of the encoding device and to an actuating terminal of the encoding device and being operable at a plurality of set-points, each set-point corresponding to a respective work-in-progress condition of the printed circuit assembly.

21. The computer system of claim 20 wherein the encoding device is adjusted from:

a first set-point of a first set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set when a first work-in-progress evaluation is failed;

a set-point of the first set-point set to a set-point of a second set-point set when the first work-in-progress evaluation is passed; and

a set-point of the second set-point set to a set-point of the first set-point set when a second work-in-progress evaluation is failed after the first work-in-progress evaluation is passed.

22. The computer system of claim 20 wherein the encoding device includes a digitally controlled potentiometer.

23. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the potentiometer includes a non-volatile resistance memory.

24. The computer system of claim 20 wherein each one of the set-points is electronically selectable.

25. The computer system of claim 20 wherein each one of the set-points is repeatedly selectable.