Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Operations research or analysis
Patent
1997-07-08
2000-01-25
Tkacs, Stephen R.
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Operations research or analysis
705 11, 36446803, 36446812, 36446815, G06F 1760
Patent
active
060187166
ABSTRACT:
A network computer system and method for analyzing a system of continuous process lines. Groupware is used to implement the analysis stage of continuous flow manufacturing (CFM) methodology using a network of portable computers. Preferably in one meeting, in response to prompts of a facilitator, participants input all the required qualitative and quantitative data about each process line in the system being analyzed. The input data is anonymously displayed to all the participants, the data is corrected and verified by group consensus achieved informally or by automatic tabulation of anonymous voting as needed. The verified data is organized into a GroupWare database (flat files and/or a part of a relational database). Bridge programs automatically read the GroupWare database and reorganize the data to create a program input database. Then preferably in the same meeting a flow chart program (e.g. a computer aided design CAD system) is used to generate flow charts for each process line from the program input database and a report program (e.g. the report module of a database management system) is used to generate data sheets for the process steps from the program input database. The flow charts and data sheets are corrected and revised until verified by group consensus. Thus, the analysis of a system of continuous processes can be performed in one or at least in a small number of group meetings over a much shorter elapsed time.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4760606 (1988-07-01), Lesnick et al.
patent: 4884217 (1989-11-01), Sheirik et al.
patent: 4907167 (1990-03-01), Sheirik
patent: 4910691 (1990-03-01), Skeirik
patent: 4965742 (1990-10-01), Skeirik
patent: 5006992 (1991-04-01), Skeirik
patent: 5008805 (1991-04-01), Fiebig et al.
patent: 5216592 (1993-06-01), Mann et al.
patent: 5381332 (1995-01-01), Wood
Bowers, Jr.; "Continuous Flow Manufacturing"; 1990 Int'l Semiconductor Manufacturing Science Symposium; pp. 4-8.
Aiken et al.; "ESP: An Expert System for Pre-Session Group Decision Support Systems Planning"; System Sciences, 1990 Annual Hawaii Int'l. Conference; 1990; pp. 279-286.
Luo et al.; "A Framework of Database Design for Group Decision Support Systems"; Database Technology; v4 n4; 1991-1992; pp. 195-208.
Helliwell; "Computer Collaboration Tools Emerge, Categories to Follow"; PC Week; v4 n22; pC1(2); Jun. 2, 1987; Dialog: File 148, ACC# 03163899.
Dialog Abst5ract: FIle 148, Acc# 02341745; Johnstone et al.; "Flow Reviews Systematically Improve Manufacturing Process Logistics"; Industrial Engineering; v19 n12; p40(3); Dec. 1987.
Singh; "Using CFM as a Competitive Edge"; Automation; v37 n36; p64(2); Jun. 1990; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 04601159.
Higgins; "Ventana Updates Meeting Software for NeWare 386"; PCWeek; v 8 n28; p48(1); Jul. 15, 1991; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 05408634.
News Release; Dateline: tuscon, AZ; Jan. 31, 1992; Ventana Corporation Introduces GroupSystems V: The Industry's First Distributed Group-Productivity Software System; Dialog: File 621, Acc# 0319544.
"Groupware Transforms the Meeting Process"; T H E Journal; v19 n8; pS48(1); Mar. 1992; Dialog: File 275, Acc# 01522872.
Bergstrom; "You Should Know What IBM Knows"; Production; v104 n3; p50(6); Mar. 1992; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 05878707.
Olsen; "Electronic Meetings Save Army Big Bucks on Travel"; Government Computer News; v11 n8; p27(2); Apr. 13, 1992; Dialog: File 275, Acc# 01513145.
Gallupe et al.; "Facilitated Electronic Meetings: Higher Quality, Less Time"; CMA--The Management Accounting Magazine; v66 n3; p29(4); Apr. 1992; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 905919789.
Hitchcock; "Taking the Right Steps to the Top"; Modern Materials Handling; v47 n12; p40(5); Oct. 1992; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 06168352.
Cavaretta; "Computer-Aided Decisions"; Association Management; v44 n12; p12(2); Dec. 1992; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 06215343.
Dialog Abstract: File 15, Acc# 00610921; Anonymous; "Making the Production Line More Productive"; IBM Directions; v6 n1; pp. 20-25; Winter 1992.
Donelan; "Using Electronic Tools to Improve Meetings"; Management Accounting; v74 n9; pp. 42-45; Mar. 1993; Dialog: File 15, Acc# 00678312.
Rasmus; "Learning the Waltz of Synthesis"; Manufacturing Systems; v11 n6; pp. 16-23; Jun. 1993; Dialog: File 15, Acc# 00713060.
Laplante; "'90s Style Brainstorming"; Forbes; Oct. 25, 1993; p. S-44; Dialog: File 16, Acc# 04679994.
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin vol. 36, No. 2, Feb. 1993, pp. 3-10, "Robust Automatic Flow Control For High-Speed Data Transmission", by Hall et al.
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin vol. 33, No. 3A, Aug. 1990, pp. 419-423, "High Speed System I/O Bus Used To Connect A Processor To Multiple I/O Bus Controller Chips", by Bailey et al.
Denardo Patrick F.
Heinlein Philip D.
Maguire Timothy J.
Wolstromer David J.
Clarkson Douglas M.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Tkacs Stephen R.
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for analysis of continuous process lines does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for analysis of continuous process lines, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for analysis of continuous process lines will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2323140