Quality control system employing bi-directional messaging using empty files

A method of messaging in a quality control system, the method comprising steps of:

• interfacing with a product to obtain a product identifier therefrom;
• creating, by a first computer, a request file in a directory, the request file being an empty file with a file name comprising a product identifier field and a requested data type field, the product identifier field corresponding to the product identifier, and the requested data type field corresponding to a type of prestored data of the product;
• and
• polling, by the first computer, the directory for a return file, the return file being an empty file with a file name comprising the product identifier field and prestored data of the product.

A quality control system employing bi-directional messaging, the quality control system comprising:

• a communication link;
• a host computer comprising a shared resource manager, a database server, and a database, the shared resource manager coupled to the communication link, the database server coupled to the shared resource manager and the database, the shared resource manager providing a shared file directory to hold files, the database containing a plurality of product data, the database server operable to query the database and to create and read files held in said shared file directory;
• and
• a test system comprising an interface, test equipment and a controller, the interface operable to interface with a product and retrieve a product identifier therefrom, the controller coupled to the interface and to the shared file directory via the communication link, the controller operable to create and read files in said shared file directory, and
• wherein
• the controller, upon retrieval of the product identifier, creates a request file in the shared file directory, the request file being an empty file with a file name comprising the product identifier and a prestored requested data type, and
• the database server, upon reading the file name of the request file, queries the database for product data according to the product identifier and the prestored requested data type, the database server, upon retrieval of the product data, creates a return file in the shared file directory by renaming the request file, the return file having a file name comprising the product identifier and the retrieved product data, the controller to read the file name of the return file to extract the product data therefrom, thereby, accomplish bi-directional messaging between the test system and the database.