IP Library Granted Patent US 12699379
Granted Patent B2
US 12699379 · App. 18/465,079 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Systems and methods for diagnosing manufacturing systems

Inventors: Amy Carter (Cambridge, CA); Gregory Sullivan (Cambridge, CA); Cody Howarth (Cambridge, CA); Kevin Boronka (Cambridge, CA)
Assignee: ATS CORPORATIO
G05B19/41835G05B2219/31372
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12699379
App. No.
18/465,079
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for observing a manufacturing line, wherein the manufacturing line includes at least one robotic element for moving at least one part, the method comprising receiving, at a processor separate from the manufacturing line, sensor data about the at least one robotic element, and when the sensor data exceeds a boundary condition, triggering a feed-back collection event. The feed-back collection event includes identifying a stream of sensor data, capturing feed-back data at a data collection device associated with the at least one robotic element, tagging the feed-back data to reflect the at least one part associated with the boundary condition, identifying, within the feed-back data, when the boundary condition is exceeded by the at least one part in real time, and storing the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition in association with the sensor data and the boundary condition.

Claims (33)

1 . A method of observing a manufacturing line, wherein the manufacturing line includes at least one robotic element for moving at least one part, the method comprising:

receiving, at a processor separate from the manufacturing line, sensor data about the at least one robotic element; and

when the sensor data exceeds a boundary condition, triggering a feed-back collection event that includes:

identifying a stream of sensor data;

capturing feed-back data at a data collection device associated with the at least one robotic element;

tagging the feed-back data to reflect at least one of the at least one part or the at least one robotic element associated with the boundary condition;

identifying, within the feed-back data, when the boundary condition is exceeded by the at least one part or the at least one robotic element in real time; and

storing the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition in association with the sensor data and the boundary condition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, for the feed-back data, a time-frame related to the boundary condition comprising a particular amount of time before and after the boundary condition is exceeded.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after identifying when the boundary condition is exceeded, outputting the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the boundary condition is exceeded, indicating that a boundary condition has been exceeded.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition is extracted from the sensor data and stored separately from the sensor data.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed-back data is of a multi-media format.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the boundary condition is predetermined by a user.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the time-frame related to the boundary condition is predetermined by a user.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing line is observed by an observation system, the observation system comprising a data collection device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the feed-back data relating to the trigger condition is transferred from the processor separate from the manufacturing line to the observation system for storage.

11 . An apparatus for diagnosing a manufacturing line having at least one robotic element, the apparatus comprising:

a data collection device for capturing sensor data associated with the at least one robotic element; and

a processor, separate from the manufacturing line, for receiving the captured sensor data from the data collection device, the processor configured to identify sensor data exceeding a boundary condition;

wherein the processor is configured to trigger a feed-back collection event when the sensor data exceeds a boundary condition, the feed-back collection event including tagging feed-back data to reflect at least one of the at least one robotic element or a part associated with the boundary condition.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the feed-back collection event further comprises:

identifying a stream of sensor data;

capturing feed-back data at a data collection device associated with the at least one robotic element;

tagging the feed-back data to reflect at least one of the at least one part or the at least one robotic element associated with the boundary condition;

identifying, within the feed-back data, when the boundary condition is exceeded by the at least one part or the at least one robotic element in real time; and

storing the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition in association with the sensor data and the boundary condition.

13 . The apparatus of either claim 12 , the feed-back collection event further comprises determining, for the feed-back data, a time-frame related to the boundary condition comprising a particular amount of time before and after the boundary condition is exceeded.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , the feed-back collection event further comprises, after identifying when the boundary condition is exceeded, outputting the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition.

15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , the feed-back collection event further comprises, when the boundary condition is exceeded, indicating that a boundary condition has been exceeded.

16 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the feed-back data relating to the boundary condition is extracted from the sensor data and stored separately from the sensor data.

17 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the feed-back data is of a multi-media format.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the manufacturing line is observed by an observation system, the observation system comprising a data collection device.