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

• US 7,152,212 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell & Howell LLC (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Bowe Bell & Howell Company
• Inventors: McMahan, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PESIN, BORIS M
• Application Number:
  US10/055,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20020069034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 345/771, 345/772, 700/108, 700/174, 705/7, 702/185
• US Class Current: 715/771
• 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. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user input device, a method for displaying statistical measures for selected parameter values produced from analysis of time-tagged data from a mail or paper processing system, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing time-tagged data associated with a plurality of machines of different types associated with a mail or paper processing system for producing parameter values of the mail or paper processing system, wherein analyzing the time-tagged data comprises;

(i) reading a plurality of time-tagged data items received from the plurality of machines, wherein the reading includes accessing a log file containing the time-tagged data items, the time-tagged data items associated with an event of interest for a particular machine spanning multiple, separated entries in the log file; and

(ii) parsing the time-tagged data items to identify multiple, separated data items relating to at least one event of interest for a particular machine associated with the mail or paper processing system;

(b) displaying, on the display, a first window including parameter descriptions for mail or paper processing parameter values produced from the analysis of time-tagged data, and including status information indicating the results of comparing the parameter values to reference values;

(c) displaying, on the display, a second window including a table of statistical measures for a selected parameter description produced from the analysis of time-tagged data in the first window;

(d) displaying, on the display, a third window including a graph of measured values for the selected parameter description; and

(e) receiving input from a user for selecting the parameter description.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph is a histogram of measured values for the selected parameter description.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the graph is a histogram of measured values and references values for the selected parameter description.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving input from the user for printing a report including the statistical measures for the selected parameter description.

5. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user input device, a method for displaying statistical measures for selected parameters produced from analysis of time-tagged data from a mail or paper processing system, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing time-tagged data associated with a plurality of machines of different types associated with the mail or paper processing system for producing parameter values of the mail or paper processing system, wherein analyzing the time-tagged data comprises;

(i) reading a plurality of time-tagged data items received from the plurality of machines, wherein the reading includes accessing a log file containing the time-tapped data items, the time-tapped data items associated with an event of interest for a particular machine spanning multiple, separated entries in the lop file; and

(ii) parsing the time-tagged data items to identify multiple, separated data items relating to an event of interest for a particular machine associated with the mail or paper processing system;

(b) displaying, on the display, a first window including parameter descriptions for mail or paper processing values produced from the analysis of time-tagged data, and including status information indicating results of comparing the parameter values to reference values;

(c) displaying, on the display, a second window including a table of statistical measures for a selected parameter description produced from the analysis of time-tagged data in the first window;

(d) displaying, on the display, a third window including a graph of measured values for the selected parameter description; and

(e) receiving input from the user for selecting the parameter description, and in response to receiving the input from the user, displaying, in the second window, a table of statistical measures for the selected parameter description and displaying, in the third window, a graph of measured values for the selected parameter description.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising simultaneously displaying, in the second window, reference statistical values for the selected parameter description and statistical measures for the selected parameter description.

7. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display, a method for displaying statistical measures for selected parameter values produced from analysis of time-tagged data from a mail or paper processing system, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing time-tagged data associated with a plurality of machines of different types associated with the mail or paper processing system for producing parameter values of the mail or paper processing system, wherein analyzing the time-tagged data comprises;

(i) reading a plurality of time-tagged data items received from the plurality of machines, wherein the reading includes accessing a log file containing the time-tagged data items, the time-tagged data items associated with an event of interest for a particular machine spanning multiple, separated entries in the log file; and

(ii) parsing the time-tagged data items to identify multiple, separated data items relating to at least one event of interest for a particular machine and to measure a parameter of interest associated with the mail or paper processing system;

(b) displaying on the display parameter descriptions for mail or paper processing parameter values produced from the analysis of time-tagged data, and including status information indicating results of comparing the parameter values to reference values;

(c) displaying on the display statistical measures for a selected parameter description produced from the analysis of time-tagged data;

(d) receiving input from a user for selecting the parameter description;

(e) displaying a graph of measured values for the selected parameter description; and

(f) displaying a table of statistical measures for the selected parameter description.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the time-tagged data comprises generating statistical measure data by computing statistical measures of the parameter measured.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the time-tagged data comprises applying limits to the statistical measures data to identify whether the machines are operating within predetermined tolerances.