Back to results
US 4,306,292 AGranted
Segmented asynchronous operation of an automated assembly line
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorClaude D. Head, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated assembly line is controlled by a computer system. The assembly line is comprised of a plurality of machines which are each segmented into its basic unit operations providing work stations. The work stations are then controlled by the computer system and operated asynchronously with respect to the other work stations of the assembly line.
Claims34
A control system for an assembly line having a plurality of work stations comprising:
- (a) a plurality of subcontrollers, each subcontroller for controlling the operation of one or more work stations of the same type in the assembly line wherein the subcontrollers initiate operation groups by the work stations individually to the extent to which the work stations require a control;
- (b) a master controller including polling means for sequentially checking the state of each work station to determine whether the work station requires control;
- (c) means in the master controller for activating a subcontroller for each work station for which it is determined that the work station requires control;
- and
- (d) means for deactivating the subcontrollers for allowing the individual work stations to continue the operation groups independently of a subcontroller until said master controller determines that a further control is required wherein an independent asynchronous operation of each work station with respect to the other work stations of the assembly line is obtained.
2 more elements
A control system for an assembly line having a plurality of work stations comprising:
- (a) a plurality of subcontrollers, each for controlling a particular type of work station in said assembly line;
- (b) an input gate flag register means for each of said work stations having an adjacent upstream work station;
- (c) an output gate flag register means for each of said work stations having an adjacent downstream work station;
- (d) means in each subcontroller for setting the gate flags of the work stations under its control;
- and
- (e) means in each subcontroller for checking the gate flags of the work stations adjacent to the work stations under its control whereby status reports are sent from one subcontroller to other subcontrollers of said control system.
3 more elements
A control system for an assembly line having a plurality of work stations comprising:
- (a) a memory and a plurality of subcontrollers, at least one subcontroller for each type of work station of said assembly line, each subcontroller including means for setting an indicator in said memory to request a workpiece from an adjacent upstream work station;
- (b) means for controlling the work stations under its control to begin preparation for said workpiece to arrive in accordance with an indicator in said memory for the upstream work station;
- (c) means for setting an indicator in said memory to acknowledge receipt of said workpiece to said upstream work station;
- (d) means for controlling the beginning of one or more processing steps by said work station to said workpiece;
- (e) means for setting an indicator in said memory to inform an adjacent downstream work station that the processing of said workpiece is complete, and that said workpiece is ready to be released;
- (f) means for controlling the beginning of the releasing of said workpiece to the adjacent downstream work station in accordance with an indicator in said memory for the downstream work station;
- and
- (g) means for setting an indicator in said memory to inform said downstream work station that said workpiece has exited from the work station under control.
5 more elements
A control system for an assembly line having a plurality of work stations comprising:
- (a) a plurality of counters, one such counter for each work station of said assembly line;
- (b) a plurality of subcontrollers for controlling initiation of operation groups by said work stations, each of said subcontrollers including means for setting a respective counter for a work station under its control to a preselected initial value indicative of the time required for the work station to complete the operation group;
- and
- (c) a master controller including:
- (i) means for sequentially checking the status of said counters;
- (ii) means for operating said counters to change the count thereof until a preselected end value is reached;
- and
- (iii) means for activating the respective controllers for those work stations whose respective counters have reached the preselected end value.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.