Product assembly method and apparatus using wireless communication capability

A system for establishing data communication between a product undergoing an assembly procedure and an assembly plant network serving multiple work cells through which the product is caused to pass during the assembly procedure, wherein said product is equipped with at least one onboard intelligent controller, a wiring system with a port for accessing the controller and an individual identifier code, said system comprising:

• a mobile wireless transceiver having a data communication capability, a unique address and a connector compatible with the product port;
• an entry station including an input device for inputting the identifier code of a particular product to be assembled in the work cells and the address of a particular mobile transceiver to the network for correlation thereof;
• and
• a plurality of access point transceivers, each access point transceiver having a wireless data communication capability compatible with the data communication capability of the mobile transceiver and being connected to the network, the access point transceivers being arranged so that a mobile transceiver connected to a product port maintains an unbroken wireless communication contact with the network and the work cells on the network as the product to which it is connected progresses through the assembly procedure which communication contact is facilitated by the use of the correlated combination of said unique address and said identifier code whereby data can be exchanged between the network, the work cells, and any mobile transceivers which are connected to product ports at all times whether the products are in a work cell or between two adjacent work cells.