Manufactured Product Configuration

• US 20080154417A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aviat U.S., Inc. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Stratex Networks, Inc. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pong, Frank, Srikumar, Kesavan
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/110
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

One aspect related to design of systems and methods for manufacture of products is configuration. More particularly, this relates to verification of an existing configuration and to reconfiguration of a product following manufacturing. The present invention contemplates an approach to designing a station capable of configuration verification and reconfiguration and of preventing shipment of a product if an undesirable configuration is detected. A preferred approach also includes guiding the operator to take possible remedial action. The preferred approach further includes storing various types of data needed for the verification and reconfiguration in a server, thereby making such data substantially instantly accessible for verification and reconfiguration purposes. Such data preferably includes software capable of adapting the functions of the station itself, i.e., the tasks to be performed at the configuration verification and reconfiguration station. A system design using this approach is particularly useful in the manufacture of a microwave radio.

Claims

1. A station for verifying configuration of manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

a data retrieval component operative to retrieve from a unit an actual configuration revision, this unit having been incorporated into a manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that incorporates technology in a skilled area, the data retrieval component being further operative to retrieve a desired configuration revision from a pick slip;

a data access component operative to obtain from a server the actual and desired configuration revisions, the data access component having substantially instant access to the actual and desired configuration revisions once such revisions are written in the server; and

a configuration verification component operative to compare the actual configuration revision, retrieved from the unit or obtained from the server, with the desired configuration revision, retrieved from the pick slip or obtained from the server, and to generate an output based on the comparison,

wherein the output indicates whether the actual configuration revision should be accepted for this unit or not.

2. A station as in claim 1, further comprising a data writing component operative to write the retrieved data in the server and the obtained data to the unit.

3. A station as in claim 1, further comprising a printing component communicatively coupled to a printing device and operative to transfer the actual configuration revision, retrieved from the unit or obtained from the server, the desired configuration revision, retrieved from the pick slip or obtained from the server, and the generated output to the printing device.

4. A station as in claim 3, wherein the printing device includes a printer, a label maker, a bar code maker, or a combination thereof.

5. A station as in claim 1, wherein the data retrieval component includes a scanner, a bar code reader, a keyboard, a key pad, a pointing device, a voice recognition device, or a combination thereof.

6. A station as in claim 1, wherein the unit comprises an intermediate frequency subassembly, a radio frequency local oscillator subassembly, a transceiver subassembly, a power module subassembly, a diplexer subassembly, or a mechanical subassembly.

7. A station as in claim 1, wherein the manufactured product comprises an outdoor unit of a split-mount microwave radio system.

8. A station as in claim 1, further comprising a communications link including one or more of a data cable, an optical link, a universal serial bus, a fire wire cable, and a wireless link.

9. A station for reconfiguration of manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

a data download component operative to download from a server software compatible with a desired configuration revision of a unit having been incorporated into a manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that incorporates technology in a skilled area, the data download component having substantially instant access to the software once such software is written in the server; and

a data download writing component operative to write the downloaded software to the unit.

10. A station for verifying configuration or for reconfiguration of manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising at least one component operative to obtain from a server software, instructions, and specifications associated with a production function, each manufactured product comprising at least one unit that incorporates technology in a skilled area, the software, instructions, and specifications being substantially instantly accessible to the at least one component once such software, instructions, and specifications are written in the server.

11. A station as in claim 10, wherein the production function includes one or more of verification of configuration and reconfiguration of the manufactured product.

12. A station as in claim 10, wherein obtaining from the server is initiated at the station.

13. A station as in claim 10, wherein obtaining from the server is initiated remotely and causes the software, instructions, and specifications to be downloaded to the station.

14. A method for verifying configuration of manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

in a station performing the steps of

retrieving from a unit or obtaining from a server an actual configuration revision associated with this unit which has been made a part of a manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that incorporates technology in a skilled area;

retrieving from a pick slip or obtaining from the server a desired configuration revision associated with this unit, with the manufactured product, or with the pick slip;

comparing the actual configuration revision, retrieved from the unit or obtained from the server, with the desired configuration revision, retrieved from the pick slip or obtained from the server; and

generating an output based on the comparison,

wherein the actual and desired configuration revisions are substantially instantly accessible to the station once such revisions are written in the server, and

wherein the output indicates whether the actual configuration revision should be accepted for this unit or not.

15. A method as in claim 14, further comprising, if the actual configuration revision is accepted, forwarding the manufactured product to a next step in a manufacturing process, printing a shipping label, or writing a serial number in the server.

16. A method as in claim 14, further comprising, if the actual configuration revision is not accepted, returning the unit to a supplier of the unit, discarding the manufactured product, or forwarding the manufactured product to a production station for reconfiguration.

17. A method for reconfiguration of manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

in a station performing the steps of

downloading from a server software compatible with a desired configuration revision associated with a unit that has been incorporated into a manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that incorporates technology in a skilled area, the software being substantially instantly accessible to the station once developed and written in the server; and

writing the downloaded software to the unit.

18. A method as in claim 17, further comprising attaching to the manufactured product a configuration label that includes one or more of the actual configuration revision, the desired configuration revision, a top level serial number, a top level part number;

and branding data.

19. A method as in claim 17, further comprising:

prompting an operator to select a customer;

obtaining from the server a desired configuration revision associated with the selected customer; and

using the desired configuration revision associated with the customer as the desired configuration revision associated with the unit.

20. A station for verifying configuration of manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

means for retrieving from a unit an actual configuration revision, this unit having been incorporated into a manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that incorporates technology in a skilled area, and for retrieving a desired configuration revision from a pick slip;

means for obtaining from a server the actual and desired configuration revisions, having substantially instant access to the actual and desired configuration revisions once such revisions are written in the server; and

means for comparing the actual configuration revision, retrieved from the unit or obtained from the server, with the desired configuration revision, retrieved from the pick slip or obtained from the server, and for generating an output based on the comparison,

wherein the output indicates whether the actual configuration revision should be accepted for this unit or not.