# US 11,113,432 B2 · Encoding images on physical objects to trace specifications for a manufacturing process

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- Number: US 11,113,432 B2
- Document ID: US11113432B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/408,097
- Filed: 2019-05-09
- Published: 2020-11-12
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-09
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Giuseppe Principato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11113432B2

## CPC

- G06F 30/15: Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
- G06F 16/9554: {by using bar codes}
- G06K 7/1417: {2D bar codes}
- G06K 19/06037: {multi-dimensional coding}
- G06Q 10/06395: {Quality analysis or management}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method includes: receiving, from a manufacturer, a first printed document including specifications for a product and a first encoded image; sending, to the manufacturer, a second printed document, wherein the second printed document includes a second encoded image; receiving, from the manufacturer, a third printed document that corresponds to revisions to the specifications and includes a third encoded image; scanning the third encoded image; determining, based at least on scanning the third encoded image, that the third printed document corresponds to at least one of the first printed document or the second printed document; and in response to determining that the third printed document corresponds to at least one of the first printed document or the second printed document, making the product in conformance with the specifications.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving, by a supplier from a vehicle manufacturer, a first printed document including specifications for a product to be integrated into a vehicle, wherein the first printed document further includes a first encoded image, the first encoded image including first parameters that identify a manufacturing process;
scanning, by a scanner of the supplier, the first encoded image to obtain the first parameters;
manufacturing, by the supplier using the manufacturing process identified by the first parameters, a sample of the product;
sending, by the supplier to the vehicle manufacturer, the sample with a second printed document indicating that the sample was made using the specifications, wherein the second printed document includes a second encoded image, the second encoded image including the first parameters, and further including second parameters related to process conditions during manufacture of the sample using the manufacturing process;
receiving, by the supplier from the vehicle manufacturer in response to the second printed document, a third printed document that corresponds to revisions to the specifications, wherein the third printed document includes a third encoded image, the third encoded image including the first parameters;
scanning, by at least one computing device of the supplier, the third encoded image;
determining, by the at least one computing device and based at least on scanning the third encoded image, that the third printed document corresponds to the second printed document; and
in response to determining that the third printed document corresponds to the second printed document, manufacturing, by the supplier, the product according to the revisions to the specifications.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first encoded image is generated by the at least one computing device, or by a computing device of the vehicle manufacturer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the revisions to the specifications are first revisions, the method further comprising sending, to the vehicle manufacturer in response to receiving the third printed document, a fourth printed document including second revisions to the specifications, wherein the fourth printed document further includes a fourth encoded image, the fourth encoded image including the first parameters.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first printed document is a production part approval process (PPAP) document, the method further comprising:
printing an updated PPAP document that includes the revisions to the specifications, wherein the updated PPAP document includes a fourth encoded image, the fourth encoded image including the first parameters;
sending, to the vehicle manufacturer, the updated PPAP document.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the revisions are first revisions, and the first printed document is a production part approval process (PPAP) document, the method further comprising:
sending, to the vehicle manufacturer, a printed product change notification (PCN) document that includes second revisions to the specifications;
receiving, from the vehicle manufacturer, an approval of the PCN document;
in response to receiving the approval of the PCN document, sending, to the vehicle manufacturer, an updated production part approval process (PPAP) document that includes the second revisions, wherein the updated PPAP document includes a fourth encoded image, the fourth encoded image including the first parameters.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing parameters obtained from scanning the first and third encoded images; and
based on comparing the parameters, generating a report indicating at least one parameter that differs from the first parameters.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising at least one of displaying the report in a user interface of a mobile device, or sending the report to the vehicle manufacturer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning the second encoded image, wherein determining that the third printed document corresponds to the second printed document comprises:
determining from scanning the third encoded image that the third encoded image includes the first parameters; and
determining from scanning the second encoded image that the second encoded image includes the first parameters.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameters uniquely correspond to at least one of:
a sample made according to the specifications or the revisions to the specifications; or
a printed production part approval process (PPAP) document that corresponds to the specifications or the revisions to the specifications.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameters include parameters regarding at least one of type of package, mold compound type, wire bond material, leadframe material, substrate material, or thermal resistance.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameters include a manufacturer part number of the product, and a description of the product.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the third encoded image comprises obtaining a link, the method further comprising accessing, using the link, stored data associated with the specifications.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the stored data comprises drawings or diagrams of the product.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the stored data is accessed by a mobile device, the method further comprising displaying at least a portion of the stored data in a user interface of the mobile device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
scanning the second encoded image, wherein scanning the second encoded image provides a unique version identifier associated with the sample; and
identifying stored data associated with the sample using the unique version identifier.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sending the first printed document to a subcontractor that supplies a component used to manufacture the product;
receiving a fourth printed document from the subcontractor that accompanies the component, the fourth printed document including a fourth encoded image that includes the first parameters;
scanning the fourth encoded image to obtain the first parameters; and
based on the first parameters obtained from scanning the fourth encoded image, authorizing use of the component in manufacturing the product.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating a fourth printed document including a fourth encoded image that includes the first parameters;
sending the fourth printed document to a distributor facility; and
shipping the manufactured product to the distributor facility;
wherein:
the fourth encoded image is scanned at the distributor facility;
the product is shipped, based on scanning the fourth encoded image at the distributor facility, to the vehicle manufacturer;
the vehicle manufacturer scans the fourth encoded image to confirm authenticity of the product; and
in response to confirming the authenticity of the product, the vehicle manufacturer integrates the product into the vehicle.

### Claim 18

A system comprising:
at least one processing device; and
memory containing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processing device to:
receive, from a manufacturer, a first printed document including specifications for a product, wherein the first printed document further includes a first encoded image, the first encoded image including first parameters that identify a manufacturing process;
scan the first encoded image to obtain the first parameters;
send, to the manufacturer, a second printed document, wherein the second printed document includes a second encoded image, the second encoded image including the first parameters, and further including second parameters related to process conditions associated with the manufacturing process;
receive, from the manufacturer in response to the second printed document, a third printed document that corresponds to revisions to the specifications, wherein the third printed document includes a third encoded image, the third encoded image including the first parameters;
scan the third encoded image;
determine, based at least on scanning the third encoded image, that the third printed document corresponds to the second printed document; and
in response to determining that the third printed document corresponds to the second printed document, perform at least one action associated with the specifications.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein determining that the third printed document corresponds to the second printed document comprises comparing parameters obtained from scanning the third encoded image to parameters obtained from scanning the second encoded image.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to at least:
receive, from a manufacturer, a first printed document including specifications for a first product to be integrated as a component into another product, wherein the first printed document further includes a first encoded image, the first encoded image including first parameters that identify a manufacturing process;
scan the first encoded image to determine the identified manufacturing process;
send, to the manufacturer, a second printed document, wherein the second printed document includes a second encoded image, the second encoded image including the first parameters, and further including second parameters related to process conditions associated with the manufacturing process;
receive, from the manufacturer in response to the second printed document, a third printed document that corresponds to revisions to the specifications, wherein the third printed document includes a third encoded image, the third encoded image including the first parameters;
scan the third encoded image;
determine, based at least on scanning the third encoded image, that the third printed document corresponds to at least one of the first printed document or the second printed document; and
in response to determining that the third printed document corresponds to at least one of the first printed document or the second printed document, manufacture the first product according to the revisions to the specifications.