IP Library Granted Patent US 8,078,303
Granted Patent B2
US 8,078,303 · App. 12/166,521 · Granted Dec 13, 2011

Electronic supervisor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,078,303
App. No.
12/166,521
Granted
Dec 13, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Electronic supervision may be provided. First, a stock number may be sent to a database server. The stock number may correspond to a product comprising, for example, an electrical cable. In response to sending the database server the stock number, specification information corresponding to the product may be received from a database stored on the database server. The specification information may comprise, for an electrical cable, a number of wires, a weight per thousand feet, and a diameter. Next, product production may be monitored to determine faults occurring during production. Monitoring the production may comprise displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel. The data monitoring screen may provide data regarding the product and product comparison against a standard maintained within the database for the product. Fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production may be saved to the database.

Claims (50)

1. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product comprising an electrical cable from a database, wherein retrieving the specification information comprises retrieving at least one of the following: a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable, in response to sending, through a web interface module, a database server a stock number corresponding to the product, the database server containing the database;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the production further comprises collecting data from a diameter measuring device connected to one of the following: a digital control and an analog control.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the production further comprises displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the production further comprises displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client, the data monitoring screen providing data regarding the product and a comparison of the product against a standard maintained within the database for the product.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occurs.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occurs, the deviation comprising at least one of the following: a mechanical surface flaw, a surface flaw, a lump flaw, and a neck flaw.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occur, the deviation comprising an insulation flaw.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occur, the deviation comprising an insulation flaw, the insulation flaw being detected using a spark test apparatus on a manufacturing line used to make the product, the spark test apparatus being connected to one of the following: a digital control and an analog control.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein saving the fault data comprises saving the fault data comprising time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, the stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining a time value from the database server containing the database; and

updating a supervisory controller with the obtained time value via a web interface module, the supervisory controller being configured to control the manufacturing of the product.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing electronic supervision, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

sending a database server a stock number corresponding to a product, the product comprising an electrical cable;

in response to sending the database server the stock number, retrieving specification information corresponding to the product from a database stored on the database server, the specification information comprising at least one of the following: a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production, wherein monitoring the production further comprises displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client, the data monitoring screen providing data regarding the product and a comparison of the product against a standard maintained within the database for the product; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein saving the fault data comprises saving the fault data comprising at least one of the following: a time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, a stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

obtaining a time value from a database server containing the database; and

updating a supervisory controller with the obtained time value via a web interface module.

14. A system for providing electronic supervision, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:

retrieve specification information corresponding to a product from a database, the processing unit being operative to retrieve the specification information comprises the processing unit being operative to retrieve the specification information in response the processing unit sending a database server a machine number of a programmable logic controller, the database server containing the database, the programmable logic controller being configured to control a manufacturing line configured to manufacture the product, wherein the specification information comprises a recommended line speed for the manufacturing line;

monitor production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production, wherein the processing unit being operative to monitor the production further comprises the processing unit being operative to display a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client;

save, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production, wherein the processing unit being operative to save the fault data comprises the processing unit being operative to save the fault data comprising a time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, a stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault;

obtain a time value from a database server containing the database; and

update a supervisory controller with the obtained time value via a web interface module.

15. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database, wherein retrieving the specification information comprises retrieving the specification information in response to sending a database server a stock number corresponding to the product comprising an electrical cable, the database server containing the database, wherein the specification information comprises at least one of the following: a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

16. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database, the product comprising an electrical cable, wherein retrieving the specification information comprises retrieving at least one of the following: a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production, wherein monitoring the production further comprises collecting data from a diameter measuring device connected to one of the following: a digital control and an analog control; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

17. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production, wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occurs, the deviation comprising an insulation flaw.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the deviation further comprises at least one of the following: a mechanical surface flaw, a surface flaw, a lump flaw, and a neck flaw.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the insulation flaw is detected using a spark test apparatus on a manufacturing line used to make the product, the spark test apparatus being connected to one of the following: a digital control and an analog control.

20. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production, wherein saving the fault data comprises saving the fault data comprising time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, a stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, LLC; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, LLC; SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; MADISON ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, LLC; NOVINIUM, LLC; NOVINIUM HOLDINGS, INC.; WATTEREDGE, LLC; TAPPAN WIRE & CABLE, LLC; UNITED COPPER INDUSTRIES, LLC; TOPAZ LIGHTING COMPANY LLC; OBI PARTNERS, LLC; WIIP, INC.
Reel/Frame 072299/0141 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Oct 23, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, LLC (F/K/A COLEMAN CABLE, INC.); TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, LLC (F/K/A TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CORPORATION); SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; MADISON ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, LLC; NOVINIUM, LLC; WATTEREDGE, LLC; TAPPAN WIRE & CABLE, LLC; UNITED COPPER INDUSTRIES, LLC; TOPAZ LIGHTING COMPANY LLC; OBI PARTNERS, LLC; WIIP, INC.
Reel/Frame 069235/0104 →
CONVERSION Recorded Jun 26, 2014
From: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY
To: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 033244/0787 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Feb 21, 2014
From: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, INC.; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032308/0469 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 12, 2014
From: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, INC.; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032251/0277 →