Autonomic manufacturing operator authorization adjustment

• US 9,489,651 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bui, Hung Dao, Knipfer, Ivory Wellman, Koh, Eng Hin, Tan, Ser Huay, Zemke, Matthew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUVAN, LEYNNA THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/817,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20110030051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,336 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36542 Cryptography, encrypt, access, authorize with key, code, password
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group

Abstract

Operator authorizations are autonomically adjusted in many ways to automatically account for many different variables. Operator authorization may be adjusted according to an operator'"'"'s past activity record so previous experience is not lost when the operator is rehired. Operator authorization may be adjusted according to the operator'"'"'s quality and performance. Operator authorization may also be adjusted by recognizing similar operations to those the operator is authorized to perform, and authorizing the operator to perform one or more similar operations. Operator authorization may also be adjusted to a lesser level or may be revoked for an operation based on the passage of time. A manufacturing system may efficiently track operators taking into account different activity periods, the passage of time, the operator'"'"'s performance, and similar operations to autonomically adjust the authorization of the operators as needed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

an autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism determining work history for a selected operator in performing a selected operation in a manufacturing environment, wherein the work history for the selected operator spans multiple time periods with at least one period of inactivity between the multiple time periods, where each time period and each period of inactivity specifies a range of dates, the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism determining at least one portion of the work history that is applicable to the selected operator according to at least one time threshold, and autonomically adjusting an authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation based on the work history of the selected operator that satisfies the at least one time threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the work history includes performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism computes an unbiased authorization for the selected operator based on performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation, and applies a plurality of override rules that determine when adjusting the operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed based on the unbiased authorization.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism applies the plurality of override rules to the unbiased authorization and to a current operator authorization to determine a final adjustment to the operator authorization, and applies the final adjustment to the operator authorization.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism evaluates a plurality of similar operation rules to determine whether the operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to at least one similar operation, and if so, adjusting the operator authorization to provide authorization for the selected operator to perform the at least one similar operation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism autonomically revokes authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation when the work history for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is beyond a period specified by the at least one time threshold.

7. An article of manufacture comprising software stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the software comprising:

an autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism that determines work history for a selected operator in performing a selected operation in a manufacturing environment, wherein the work history for the selected operator spans multiple time periods with at least one period of inactivity between the multiple time periods, where each time period and each period of inactivity specifies a range of dates, the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism determining at least one portion of the work history that is applicable to the selected operator according to at least one time threshold, and autonomically adjusting an authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation based on the work history of the selected operator that satisfies the at least one time threshold.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the work history includes performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism computes an unbiased authorization for the selected operator based on performance for the selected operator in performing the selected operation and defect percentage for the selected operator in performing the selected operation, and applies a plurality of override rules that determine when adjusting the operator authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is needed based on the unbiased authorization.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism applies the plurality of override rules to the unbiased authorization and to a current operator authorization to determine a desired adjustment to the operator authorization, and applies the desired adjustment to the operator authorization.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism evaluates a plurality of similar operation rules to determine whether the operator authorization for the selected operator allows granting authorization to at least one similar operation, and if so, adjusting the operator authorization to provide authorization for the selected operator to perform the at least one similar operation.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the autonomic operator authorization adjustment mechanism autonomically revokes authorization for the selected operator to perform the selected operation when the work history for the selected operator to perform the selected operation is beyond a period specified by the at least one time threshold.