Operation condition collator and methods

A collator for enabling operation of a first machine to be operated in conjunction with a second machine, the first machine having a first memory control means and a first memory for storing sets of operation condition data which sets correspond to different articles of product of the first machine, each of the operation condition data in each set having a different data number, and the second machine having a second memory control means and a second memory for storing sets of other operation condition data having data numbers which sets correspond to the articles of product for the second machine, the collator comprising:

• electronic means for storing a table representing a predetermined correspondence between particular data numbers of the first memory and data numbers of the second memory so that the sets of operation condition data in the first and second memories for a given article of product have their data numbers corresponding to each other in the table;
• first and second storage means;
• means for sending a first request signal to the first memory control means of the first machine, the first memory control means transmitting to said first storage means a first set of the data numbers of the first memory corresponding to a particular article of product;
• said means for sending the first request signal including means for accessing the table of the electronic storing means with the first set of data numbers corresponding to the particular article to obtain a second set of data numbers for that article of product and for sending a second request signal with the second set of data numbers to the second memory control means of the second machine, the second memory control means retrieving operation condition data for the second machine from the second memory by providing data numbers corresponding to the second set of data numbers to the second memory in response to the second request signal and the second set of data numbers;
• said accessing means including means for accessing the table with the data numbers of said second memory which are provided by the second memory control means, to obtain a third set of data numbers, and for storing the third set of data numbers in the second storage means;
• means for comparing the data numbers in the first and second storage means;
• and
• means for generating a start enable signal for at least one of the machines only when the data numbers in said first and second storage means match, whereby machine operation is enabled when the operation condition data retrieved for the second machine correspond to an article of product which is the same as an article to which the operation condition data correspond in the first machine.

A method of operating a first machine having a first memory for storing operation condition data, each of the operation condition data being accessible by a different data number, the operation condition data representing various operation conditions of the first machine, and associated first memory control means, and of operating a second machine in conjunction with the first machine, the second machine having a second memory for storing other operation condition data each with a different data number, said other operation condition data representing various operation conditions of the second machine, and associated second memory control means, the method comprising the steps of:

• causing the first memory control means to generate a particular one of the data numbers of said first memory;
• sending a request signal to the second memory control means of the second machine to cause the second memory control means to generate a data number of the second memory;
• and
• comparing the data numbers of the first and second memories thus generated;
• and
• producing a start enable signal for the first machine when the data numbers generated correspond according to the predetermined relationship.

A method of enabling operation of a first machine to be operated in conjunction with a second machine, the first machine having a first memory for storing operation condition data, each accessible by a different data number, which represent various operation conditions of the first machine, and first memory control means connected to the first memory, and the second machine having a second memory for storing other operation condition data, each accessible by a different data number, which represent various operation conditions of the second machine, and second memory control means connected to the second memory, the method comprising the steps of:

• sending a first request signal to the first memory control means of the first machine;
• transmitting a particular one of the data numbers of said first memory to a first storage means, by operating the first memory control means in response to said first request signal;
• sending a second request signal corresponding to the particular one of the data numbers transmitted to the first storage means to the second memory control means of the second machine;
• transmitting a data number of said second memory, which data number corresponds to said particular one, to a second storage means, by operating the second memory control means in response to the second request signal;
• comparing the data numbers transmitted to said first and second storage means;
• and
• generating a start enable signal for the first machine when said comparing step indicates that the data numbers transmitted to said first and second storage means match.

A method of enabling operation of a first machine to be operated in conjunction with a second machine, the first machine having a first memory for storing sets of operation condition data which sets correspond to different articles of product of the first machine, each of the operation condition data in each set having a different data number, and first memory control means connected to the first memory and the second machine having a second memory for storing sets of other operation condition data having data numbers which sets correspond to the articles of product for the second machine, and second memory control means connected to the second memory, the method comprising the steps of:

• preestablishing a table representing a predetermined correspondence between particular data numbers of the first memory and data numbers of the second meory so that sets of operation conditions data in the first and second machines for a given article of product have their data numbers corresponding to each other in table;
• sending a first request signal to the first memory control means of the first machine;
• transmitting a set of the data numbers corresponding to a particular article of product to a first storage means, by operating the first memory control means in response to the first request signal;
• accessing the table with the set of data numbers corresponding to the particular article to obtain a second set of data numbers of the second memory for the particular article of product;
• sending a second request signal with the second set of data numbers to the second memory control means of the second machine;
• operating the second memory control means to retrieve operation condition data for the second machine from the second memory by asserting the second set of data numbers to the second memory in response to the second request signal;
• accessing the table with the data numbers of said second memory asserted, to obtain a third set of data numbers of the first memory which third set is identical to the first set of data numbers in the absence of malfunction, and storing the third set of data numbers in a second storage means;
• comparing the data numbers in the first and second storage means;
• and
• generating a start enable signal for the first machine when the data numbers in said first and second storage means match, so that machine operation of the first and second machines together is enabled when the operation condition data retrieved for the second machine correspond to an article of product which is the same as an article to which the operation condition data correspond in the first machine.