System for manufacturing a customized meter

• US 6,959,223 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Masaaki, Muramatsu, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US10/247,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 700 95- 98, 700/105, 703/13, 705/26, 705/27, 738/663
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A user creates image data where the user optionally designs an arrangement and a size of each meter in a combination meter on a personal computer screen based on meter designing data DT1 including manufacturing conditions at a user-side meter designing section. Combination meter producing data DT2 is generated from the image data and sent to a combination meter manufacturing data processing section. The processing section derives meter manufacturing data DT3 from the meter producing data DT2. Consequently, the data processing section automatically sends out an order of manufacturing the combination meter to a manufacturer side. The manufacturer side assembles the combination meter according to the meter manufacturing data DT3.

Claims

1. A system for manufacturing a customized meter comprising:

a user-side meter designing section for designing a desired combination meter, said designing section displaying a combination meter, for designing by a user based on supplied meter designing data, on a display screen and generating combination meter producing data for the production of said combination meter designed by the user; and

a combination meter manufacturing data processing section for supplying said meter designing data to said user-side meter designing section and sending out an order of manufacturing a combination meter to a manufacturer side by supplying combination meter manufacturing data, which manufacturing data is derived from said combination meter producing data generated at said user-side meter designing section based on said supplied meter designing data,

wherein said user-side meter designing section generates the combination meter producing data designed at the user-side by determining an arrangement of various meters and a size of each meter based on the meter designing data upon receiving said meter designing data from said meter manufacturing data processing section, which designing data allows combination meter designing within an area of installation of a combination meter on a substrate for assembling a combination meter at said manufacturer side, and sends back the combination meter producing data to said meter manufacturing data processing section, and

said meter manufacturing data processing section automatically sends out an order of manufacturing the combination meter to the manufacturer side via the Internet by deriving the combination meter manufacturing data from meter drafting data after deciphering the combination meter producing data which is sent back from the user-side and generating the meter drafting data according to the deciphering result.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said meter manufacturing data processing section provides said user-side meter designing section with said meter designing data by including a plurality of design data, needle drive data and meter drive simulation data based thereon for imaging the combination meter.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein according to said meter designing data supplied from said data processing section, said user-side meter designing section displays images of a plurality of design data and indicator drive data as options for a user to select on the display screen,

displays, thereafter, image data of a combination meter in a combination of data selected therefrom and,

changes colors of moving needles or indicator panels of the combination meter displayed on the display screen with colors selected by said user according to meter drive simulation data.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3, wherein said user-side meter designing section generates the meter producing data from a combination meter displayed on the display screen and a meter drive simulation result, and sends back the meter producing data to said data processing section, and

said data processing section automatically sends out the order of manufacturing the combination meter to the manufacturer side by deriving the meter manufacturing data from returned meter producing data, which manufacturing data includes design elements of combination meter design, parts data for specifying each part, needles drive data for CPU drive control and display units light data.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a main substrate on which a combination meter is assembled in said manufacturer side has a plurality of lands on a surface thereof at specified space intervals by matrix figure where meter components are attached,

auxiliary substrates for mounting meter movements on which electric wiring materials are arranged in accordance with an interval of said lands, are mounted on said main substrate in accordance with each predetermined meter arrangement, and various display units are arranged on said main substrate.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said main substrate comprises a control unit for storing both the needles drive data and the display units light data and including CPU which controls said movements and display units based on data stored in said control unit.