Granted Patent B2

US 8,082,053 · App. 11/935,320 · Granted Dec 20, 2011

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. An automated manufacturing system, comprising

a computer processing system configured to define a product package comprising two or more product subbatches and to assign a priority level to a product subbatch in the product package, wherein the computer processing system sets the product subbatch to a first priority level if none of companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package has been produced and sets the product subbatch to a second priority level higher than the first priority level if at least one companion product subbatch associated with the product subbatch in the product package has been produced; and

a scheduling system configured to schedule the product subbatch in accordance to the priority level of the product subbatch.

2. The automated manufacturing, system of claim 1 , wherein the computer processing system sets the product subbatch to a third priority level higher than the second priority level if all other companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package have been produced.

3. The automated manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a production system configured to produce the product subbatch in accordance to the priority level assigned by the computer processing system.

4. The automated manufacturing system of claim 3 , wherein the production system comprises a digital printer configured to produce a digital printing product to form at least part of the product subbatch.

5. The automated manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a consolidation system configured to store the two or more product subbatches associated in the product package.

6. The automated manufacturing system of claim 5 , wherein the consolidation system is configured to consolidate and package one or more product subbatches to form the product package.

7. A method for automated manufacturing, comprising:

defining a plurality of product packages each comprising two or more product subbatches;

assigning a priority level to a product subbatch in a product package, wherein the step of assigning comprises:

setting the product subbatch to a first priority level if none of companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package has been produced; and

setting the product subbatch to a second priority level higher than the first priority level if at least one companion product subbatch associated with the product subbatch in the product package has been produced; and

scheduling the product subbatch in accordance to the priority level of the product subbatch.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of assigning further comprises setting the product subbatch to a third priority level higher than the second priority level if all other companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package have been produced.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining if any of the companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package has been produced.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the two or more companion product subbatches comprise a digital printing product.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising producing the product subbatch according to the priority level of the product subbatch.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of producing comprises printing an image to produce a hardcopy print using a digital printer.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

storing one or more companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package in a consolidation system, if the one or more companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package have been produced;

assigning the product subbatch to the consolidation system; and

consolidating the product subbatch with its associated companion product subbatches in the consolidation system.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

packaging the product subbatch and its associated companion product subbatches to form the product package.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising producing status information that describes the one or more companion product subbatches associated with the product subbatch in the product package are stored in the consolidation system, wherein the product subbatch is assigned to the consolidation system in accordance to the status information.

16. A method of automated manufacturing, comprising:

defining a plurality of product packages each comprising two or more product subbatches;

assigning a first product subbatch in a product package to a first priority level;

scheduling the first product subbatch in accordance to the first priority level;

producing the first product subbatch;

assigning a second priority level to a second product subbatch in the product package, wherein the second priority level is higher than the first priority level; and

producing the second product subbatch in accordance to the second priority level.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

storing first product subbatch in a consolidation system;

assigning the second product subbatch to the consolidation system; and

consolidating the first product subbatch and the second product subbatch in the consolidation system.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

packaging the first product subbatch and the second product subbatch; and

forming the product package comprising the first product subbatch and the second product subbatch.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first product subbatch comprises a digital printing product.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of producing the first product subbatch comprises printing an image to produce a hardcopy print using a digital printer.

Assignments (10)