Paperless tablet automation apparatus and method

• US 7,079,906 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roy W. Rapp III
• Original Assignee: Roy W. Rapp III
• Inventors: Rapp, Roy W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan A.
• Application Number:
  US10/639,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/96, 700/111, 700/108, 700/109, 340/825, 705/11, 705/32
• US Class Current: 700/96
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31289 Read card with operator and another card with process, product, work order info
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A factory floor tablet automation system enables the storing, collecting and processing manufacturing data generated at one or more facilities during manufacturing, and making manufacturing data accessible from the one or more facilities. A local processor is located at each facility, and a plurality of portable tablet devices are located in each facility. One or more transceivers located throughout each facility, each transceiver being connected to the local processor in each facility. The plurality of portable tablet devices is in wireless communication with the local processor through the transceivers and the tablet antennas. A server computer having a processor unit and storage device is connected to local processors through a network.

Claims

1. A system for use in tracking a plurality of manufacturing related jobs assigned to a plurality of operators and to track approval of the plurality of jobs by at least one supervisor, the system comprising:

a server computer including a storage device including information related to each of the plurality of jobs each having at least one step, the information for at least a first job assigned to at least a first operator including at least one step description associated with the at least one step of the first job, wherein upon completion of a step of the at least one step, approval of a supervisor is required prior to completion of the first job; and

a plurality of portable computing devices, each of the plurality of portable computing devices being configured to be carried by an operator of the plurality of operators, each of the plurality of portable computing devices having a processor unit, a memory device, a display screen, and an input/output device, the plurality of portable computing devices configured to communicate with the server computer through a network, a first portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices being assigned to the first operator and configured to retrieve the at least one step description related to at least the first job from the server computer, the first portable computing device being configured to be carried by the first operator to a location for performing a portion of the at least one step description of the first job, at least one of the portable computing devices further configured to execute an approval routine whereby the supervisor acknowledges approval of the completion of the step of the first job by providing to the at least one of the portable computing devices a unique identifier associated with the supervisor;

wherein the first portable computing device is further configured to receive step data associated with the first job from the operator and to provide the step data to the server computer, and wherein the first job is the manufacturing of a part and the step data includes a display of a schematic image of the part with dimensional data for the part.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portable computing device is disabled from completing the first job unless the unique identifier of the supervisor is associated with the step.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portable computing device in association with the first job is further configured to execute a discrepant routine in connection with a deviation in the part wherein the operator provides discrepant information related to the first job and the supervisor reviews the discrepant information and indicates approval of the deviation by providing the at least one of the portable computing devices the unique identifier associated with the supervisor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of portable computing devices each further includes an antenna and the network associated with the plurality of portable computing devices and the server computer includes a wireless network.

5. A method of tracking a plurality of manufacturing related jobs in a facility assigned to a plurality of operators and to track approval of the plurality of jobs by at least one supervisor, the method comprising the steps of:

storing job information for at least a first job on a computer having a processor unit and a storage device;

linking a plurality of portable computing devices to the computer;

assigning the first job to an assigned operator of the plurality of operators;

providing an assigned computing device of a plurality of portable computing devices to the assigned operator;

determining the assigned computing device provided to the assigned operator;

issuing the job information for the first job to the assigned operator through the assigned computing device;

enabling the assigned operator to carry the assigned computing device to locations for performing the first job;

receiving a job status from the assigned computing device for the first job, wherein a first job status indicates that the first job is in a setup mode and a second job status indicates that the first job is in a production mode; and

receiving a unique identifier associated with the supervisor acknowledging approval of the first job, the unique identifier received by at least one of the plurality of computing devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of storing job information for the first job on the computer includes the step of storing sketch data associated with first job.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the step of notifying the one of the plurality of operators of changes in sketch data for parts associated with the first job.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the steps issuing an alert specific to the first job, and wherein the alert is sent to at least the assigned computing device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of storing job information for the first job on the computer includes the step of storing manufacturing procedures and documentation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of accessing the manufacturing procedures and documentation from one of the plurality of portable computing devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing job information for the first job on the computer includes the step of storing sketch data associated with the first job.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the step of notifying at least the assigned operator of changes in sketch data for parts associated with the first job.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the steps issuing an alert specific to the first job, and wherein the alert is sent to at least the assigned computing device associated with the first job.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of collecting, storing and processing manufacturing information for the first job on the computer includes the steps of issuing an alert specific to the first job, and wherein the alert is sent to at least the assigned computing device associated with the first job.

16. The method of claim 5, further comprising tracking the time allocation of the assigned operator through the assigned computing device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of tracking the time allocation of the assigned operator includes tracking the time allocation of the assigned operator in the setup mode and the time allocation of the assigned operator in the production mode separately.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of tracking the time allocation of the assigned operator includes tracking excess time of the assigned operator when the assigned operator is neither in the setup mode or the production mode.

19. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying a schematic image of a part to be manufactured during the first job, and

including dimension data of the part on the schematic image.