Wire harness system

• US 6,272,387 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Yoon, Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US09/187,853
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/13, 700/112, 700/103, 700/707, 700/83, 700/182.17, 700/184.15, 345/332, 345/427, 345/356, 345/357, 345/340, 345/341, 345/349, 298/67, 297/39, 702/108, 361/681
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/40 Maintaining or repairing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/01236 the wires being disposed by machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a Wire Harness System method. This method is for aiding in the manufacture, repair, and testing of wire harnesses, wherein the method is run on a computer processor. The method further operates in a data acquisition mode and a display mode.

Claims

1. A method for aiding in the manufacture, repair, and testing of wire harnesses, wherein said method is run on a computer processor, said processor interfacing with a CAD/CAM system, said method further operating in a data acquisition mode and a display mode, said data acquisition mode comprising:

reading a data file from said interfaced CAD/CAM system, wherein said data file comprises at least a first indicator and a first data variable associated with said first indicator;

organizing said first indicator and said first data variable into an output file, wherein said first data variable is associated with said first indicator in said output file, and;

storing said output file on a storage means;

said display mode comprising;

receiving a request for a first indicator;

locating said indicator in said output file, and reading at least said first data variable associated with said first indicator;

creating an information bar, said information bar comprising at least said first indicator and said first data variable;

displaying said information bar;

creating an information window;

displaying said information window, said information window comprising at least said first indicator and said first data variable;

creating a global map and a local map, said local map displaying a portion of said global map;

displaying said global map and said local map;

locating a graphic associated with said indicator on said global map and said local map, and;

highlighting said located graphic in a color that differs from the background color of said global map and said local map.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said interfacing step comprises the step of interfacing said computer processor with a network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer processor is an independent, stand alone processor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a request for a first indicator comprises the step of receiving a data input from a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a request for a first indicator comprises the step of receiving a data input from a scanning means.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of storing said output file comprises storing output file in a rational database format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of storing said output file comprises storing said output file is a common delimited format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said information bar comprises displaying a wire type associated with said fist indicator, a wire length associated with said first indicator, an originating pin number, a terminating pin number, and a formboard location number associated with said first indicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said information window comprises displaying a first and second scroll bar;

said first scroll bar scrolling displayed text within said information window vertically;

said second scroll bar scrolling displayed text within said information window horizontally.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said global map comprises displaying a first and second boundary indicator bar, wherein said first boundary indicator bar indicates the left boundary of said local map, said second boundary indicator bar indicates the right boundary of said local map.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said local map comprises displaying a first and second scroll bar, said first scroll bar scrolling displayed information within the local map vertically;

said second scroll bar scrolling displayed information within said local map horizontally.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said display mode further comprises the step of receiving input from a user corresponding to a location on said global map, and repositioning said local map to correspond to said selected input.