# US 12,761,634 B2 · Business and manufacturing systems integration node and automation device

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- Number: US 12,761,634 B2
- Document ID: US12761634B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/634,550
- Filed: 2024-04-12
- Published: 2024-10-24
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-04-12
- Assignees: QOC Innovations LLC
- Applicants: QOC Innovations LLC
- Inventors: Kari Osterhaus; Paul Osterhaus; Tristan Fullmer; Jon Stenzel; Mike O'Neill; Jonathan Gunderson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12761634B2

## CPC

- G05B 19/4185: {characterised by the network communication}
- G05B 19/41865: {characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- 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

In an embodiment, the Node Device, is a modular device that can integrate with any number of ERP and/or other business systems to receive system data from the ERP system and send update data from the Node Device to the ERP system. Optionally the Node Device can be installed at one of any number of workstations at a facility to provide automation instructions to connected automated devices. Through integrating with the ERP system and the automated devices at the workstation, the automation instructions are generated on the Node Device and then implemented through the Node Device when tasks or series of tasks are performed at the workstation. In an embodiment, the Node Device is equipped to physically connect to equipment and devices at the workstation and to wirelessly connect to equipment and devices at the workstation dependent on the requirements of the equipment and devices.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A node device for integrating and automating a workstation, the node device comprising:
a memory comprising computer readable instructions;
input and output mechanisms operably coupling the node device to an external ERP system and one or more externally connected devices;
an internal storage;
an external case allowing access to the input and out mechanisms and enclosing the memory, internal storage, and a processor; and
the processor configured to read the computer readable instructions that when executed causes the node device to:
receive, by the node device, a workstation identification;
identify, by the node device, an ERP system for the workstation;
load an ERP communication driver corresponding to the ERP system identified;
generate, by the node device, automation instructions for the workstation based on a set of external automated devices connected to the node device at the workstation and a set of work data information and a set of inventory location data received by the node device from the ERP system;
identify, by the node device, an available node job to execute by the node device based on a set of available job data received by the node device from the ERP system;
for the available node job identified, receive, by the node device, a set of job information data from the ERP system associated with the available node job;
execute each job information data associated with the available node job identified, including:
provide, by the node device, automation instructions to one or more external automated devices based on the job information data and automation instructions;
provide, by the node device, one or more ERP inventory updates, job information updates, or ERP information updates to the ERP system based on the automation instructions and the job information data;
process, by the node device, input signal data received from the one or more external automated devices based on the automation instructions and input signal data received; and
generate, by the node device, the one or more ERP inventory updates, job information updates, or ERP information updates based on the input signal data processed and the automation instructions;
determine, by the node device, that each job information data for the available node job identified has been executed; and
report, by the node device, to the ERP system that the available job data associated with the available node job identified is completed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The node device of claim 1, wherein the node device is further caused to generate node work information and node component location data using the ERP communication driver based on the set of work data information and the set of inventory location data received from the ERP system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The node device of claim 1, wherein the node device is further caused to receive an automated device identification for each external automated device in the set of external automated devices connected to the node device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The node device of claim 3, wherein the node device is further caused to generate a node automation identification data using a device communication driver for each automated device identification received.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The node device of claim 1, wherein the node device is further caused to store the automation instructions generated on the node device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The node device of claim 1, wherein the node device is further caused to dynamically update the automation instructions based on new node work information, node component location data, or node automation identification data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The node device of claim 1, wherein the node device is further caused to generate an available node job for each available job data from the set of available job data received using the ERP communication driver.

### Claim 8

A method for automatedly integrating a node device with a workstation and an ERP system, the method comprising:
installing a node device at a workstation;
receiving, by the node device, a workstation identification;
identifying, by the node device, an ERP system for the workstation;
loading an ERP communication driver corresponding to the ERP system identified;
generating, by the node device, automation instructions for the workstation based on a set of external automated devices connected to the node device at the workstation and a set of work data information and inventory location data received by the node device from the ERP system;
identifying, by the node device, an available node job to execute by the node device based on a set of available job data received by the node device from the ERP system;
for the available node job identified, receiving, by the node device, a set of job information data from the ERP system associated with the available node job;
executing each job information data associated with the available node job identified, including:
providing, by the node device, automation instructions to one or more external automated devices based on the job information data and automation instructions;
providing, by the node device, one or more ERP inventory updates, job information updates, or ERP information updates to the ERP system based on the automation instructions and the job information data;
processing, by the node device, input signal data received from the one or more external automated devices based on the automation instructions and input signal data received; and
generating, by the node device, the one or more ERP inventory updates, job information updates, or ERP information updates based on the input signal data processed and the automation instructions;
determining, by the node device, that each job information data for the available node job identified has been executed; and
reporting, by the node device, to the ERP system that the available job data associated with the available node job identified is completed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, generating node work information and node component location data using the ERP communication driver based on the set of work data information and the set of inventory location data received from the ERP system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, receiving an automated device identification for each external automated device in the set of external automated devices connected to the node device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, generating a node automation identification data using a device communication driver for each automated device identification received.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, storing the automation instructions generated on the node device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, dynamically updating the automation instructions based on new node work information, node component location data, or node automation identification data.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the node device is further caused to generate an available node job for each available job data from the set of available job data received using the ERP communication driver.

### Claim 15

A node device for integrating with external systems and externally connected devices and automating the external systems and the externally connected devices, comprising:
a memory comprising computer readable instructions;
input and output mechanisms operably coupling the node device to an external ERP system and one or more externally connected devices;
an internal storage;
an external case allowing access to the input and out mechanisms and enclosing the memory, internal storage, and a processor; and
the processor configured to read the computer readable instructions that when executed causes the node device to:
initialize at a workstation;
receive, by the node device, a workstation identification for the workstation;
identify, by the node device, an ERP system for the workstation;
load an ERP communication driver corresponding to the ERP system identified;
load one or more automation instructions based on the workstation identification into a node device memory;
identify, by the node device, an available node job to execute by the node device, based on a set of available job data received from the ERP system;
receive, by the node device, one or more job information data from the ERP system for the available node job identified;
execute, by the node device, each node job data based on the automation instructions, including:
provide, by the node device, automation instructions to one or more external automated devices operably coupled with the node device based on the automation instructions and the node job data;
provide, by the node device, one or more ERP inventory updates, job information updates, or ERP information updates to the ERP system based on the automation instructions and the node job data;
process, by the node device, input signal data received from the one or more external automated devices based on the automation instructions and input signal data received; and
generate, by the node device, the one or more ERP inventory updates, job information updates, or ERP information updates based on the input signal data processed and the automation instructions;
determine, by the node device, that each job information data for the available node job identified is complete; and
report, by the node device, to the ERP system that the available job data is completed.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The node device of claim 15, wherein the node device is further caused to receive the set of available job data from the ERP system based on the workstation identification.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The node device of claim 15, wherein the node device is further caused to generate an available node job for each available job data from the set of available job data received.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The node device of claim 15, wherein the node device is further caused to generate a node job data for each job information data received using the ERP communication driver.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The node device of claim 15, wherein the node device further includes a display screen and user interface, further wherein the node device is further caused to display through the user interface on the display screen the set of available job data.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The node device of claim 19, wherein the node device further includes a user input mechanism, further wherein the node device is further caused to receive a user input through the user input mechanism to select the available node job to be executed by the node device.