Method and system for automating issue resolution in manufacturing execution and material control systems

In an automated manufacturing facility having interactive control systems which interface with pieces of automated equipment that carry out certain assigned tasks, an automated issue resolution (ISR) system in communication with the interactive control systems, the ISR system automatically attempting to resolve identified issues that interfere with automatic production, the ISR system comprising:

• a first component for automatically checking a recognized issue list to determine whether a first issue reported to its attention is a recognized issue for which an automatic resolution appears to be available, the recognized issue list containing a listing of return codes for a set of issues associated with the automated equipment;
• and
• a plurality of second components for automatically commanding the taking of automated corrective actions by corresponding portions of the automated manufacturing facility in response to reported issues recognized by the first component, each of the second components is respectively dedicated to attempting to resolve a different recognized issue;
• wherein one of the second components is selected, via the return code associated with the first reported issue, to direct a corresponding portion of the automated manufacturing facility to implement an automated corrective action.

An automated method of managing automatic recoveries from error conditions in an automated factory environment that has automated computerized control systems which control and supervise the operations of automated equipment therein, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) installing a supervisory program for managing attempts to recover automatically from selected error conditions reported by at least one of the control systems in the automated factory, the supervisory program including at least a plurality of sets of logic each dedicated to the resolution of a distinct recognized incoming error condition;
• (b) determining, via a recognized issue list, whether incoming error conditions received by the supervisory program are recognized as issues for which an automatic resolution appears to be available, the recognized issue list containing a listing of return codes for a set of issues associated with the automated equipment;
• (c) for the first incoming error condition that is so recognized in step (b), under the auspices of the supervisory program, accessing information associated with the incoming recognized error condition, via the logic corresponding the recognized error condition, to enable the generation of a first set of automated corrective commands;
• and
• (d) under the auspices of the supervisory program, generating at least a first command for automated corrective action to be taken by a portion of the automated factory in an effort to resolve automatically the first recognized incoming error condition.

A computer program product, to be used in an automated factory environment that has automated computerized control systems which control and supervise the operations of the factory and pieces of automated equipment therein, for implementing an automated method for managing automatic recoveries from error conditions, the software product comprising:

• a storage medium readable by at least one processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing the method comprising the steps of
• (a) installing a supervisory program for managing attempts to recover automatically from selected error conditions reported by at least one of the control systems in the automated factory, the supervisory program including at least a plurality of sets of logic each dedicated to the resolution of a distinct recognized incoming error condition;
• (b) determining, via a recognized issue list, whether incoming error conditions received by the supervisory program are recognized as issues for which an automatic resolution appears to be available, the recognized issue list containing a listing of return codes for a set of issues associated with the automated equipment;
• (c) for the first incoming error condition that is so recognized in step (b), under the auspices of the supervisory program, accessing information associated with the incoming recognized error condition, via the logic corresponding the recognized error condition, to enable the generation of a first set of automated corrective commands;
• and
• (d) under the auspices of the supervisory program, generating at least a first command for automated corrective action to be taken by a portion of the automated factory in an effort to resolve automatically the first recognized incoming error condition.