IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,243,513
Granted Patent B2
US 11,243,513 · App. 16/408,117 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Controlling transport of physical objects based on scanning of encoded images

Inventor: Giuseppe Principato (Poing, DE)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G05B19/4183G05B19/4189G06K7/10821G06K19/06037G06Q10/06G06Q10/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,243,513
App. No.
16/408,117
Filed
May 9, 2019
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2876
USPC
235/462.01
Abstract

Transport of physical objects is controlled based on scanning of encoded images. In one approach, an encoded image on a physical object is scanned to obtain parameters. The parameters include specifications for a product to be made by a manufacturing process. One or more rules are generated using the parameters and then stored in a database. The database is queried to determine whether the product conforms to the one or more rules. For example, the query may include data regarding characteristics of the final product and/or the manufacturing process. In response to determining that the product conforms to the rules, the product is transported to a distribution facility.

Claims (47)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a manufacturer, a printed document including a first encoded image;

scanning, by a scanner, the first encoded image to obtain first parameters comprising specifications for a product to be made by a manufacturing process;

generating, by at least one computing device and using the first parameters, at least one manufacturer rule, wherein the at least one manufacturer rule includes restricting the product based on an age of the product, wherein the at least one manufacturer rule further includes a first manufacturer rule associated with a manufacturing machine used in a first step of the manufacturing process, and wherein the first manufacturer rule corresponds to an excursion of the manufacturing machine outside of a predetermined operating limit;

storing, in a database, the at least one manufacturer rule;

controlling, based on the first manufacturer rule, a second step of the manufacturing process;

determining, based on querying the database, whether the product conforms to the at least one manufacturer rule; and

in response to determining that the product conforms to the at least one manufacturer rule, causing transport of the product to the manufacturer, the transport comprising transport to a distribution facility;

generating, using the at least one manufacturer rule, a second encoded image including the first parameters;

placing the second encoded image on the product or packaging for the product for the transport of the product to the manufacturer; and

sending, over a communication network, the second encoded image to a distribution facility server of the distribution facility, wherein the second encoded image is configured for scanning by the distribution facility to obtain the first parameters for the transport of the product to the manufacturer, and logistics for the transport is based on the first parameters obtained from scanning the second encoded image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second encoded image is configured for scanning by the manufacturer to obtain second parameters including the at least one manufacturer rule.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating limit is a first operating limit, the method further comprising controlling, by the at least one computing device in conformance with the first manufacturer rule, operation of a second machine of the manufacturing process to conform to a second operating limit.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printed document is a production part approval process (PPAP) document, or a part submission warrant (PSW) document.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manufacturer rule is an output from a machine-learning model that uses the first parameters as inputs.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manufacturer rule further includes a customer containment rule (CCR) that determines one of several versions of the product that can be shipped to the manufacturer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manufacturer rule further includes a first customer containment rule (CCR), each of a plurality of CCRs including the first CCR is associated with a respective manufacturer, and each CCR determines a type of the product that is shipped to the respective manufacturer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manufacturer rule relates to:

restricting performance of one or more manufacturing steps in the manufacturing process to a specified manufacturing facility or location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first parameters include a link, the method further comprising accessing, using the link, stored data associated with the specifications, wherein the at least one manufacturer rule is generated using the stored data.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after controlling the second step:

sending a communication to a computing device indicating that the second step has been controlled based on the first manufacturer rule.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second encoded image is configured for scanning by the manufacturer to obtain at least one second parameter indicating that the second step has been controlled based on the first manufacturer rule.

12. A system comprising:

at least one processing device; and

memory containing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processing device to:

scan a first encoded image on a physical object to obtain first parameters comprising specifications for a product to be made by a manufacturing process;

generate, using the first parameters, at least one manufacturer rule, wherein the at least one manufacturer rule includes a first manufacturer rule associated with a manufacturing machine used in a first step of the manufacturing process, and wherein the first manufacturer rule corresponds to an excursion of the manufacturing machine outside of an operating limit;

store, in memory, the at least one manufacturer rule;

control, based on the first manufacturer rule, a second step of the manufacturing process;

determine whether the product conforms to a second manufacturer rule of the at least one manufacturer rule;

in response to determining that the product conforms to the second manufacturer rule, cause transport of the product to a distribution facility;

generate, using the at least one manufacturer rule, a second encoded image including the first parameters;

place the second encoded image on the product or packaging for the product for the transport of the product; and

send, over a communication network, the second encoded image to a distribution facility server of the distribution facility, wherein the second encoded image is configured for scanning by the distribution facility to obtain the first parameters for transport of the product from the distribution facility, and logistics of the transport is based on the first parameters from scanning the second encoded image.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the physical object is the manufacturing machine.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second manufacturer rule relates to chemical processing conditions used in the second step for making the product.

15. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to at least:

scan a first encoded image on a physical object to obtain first parameters comprising specifications for a product to be made by a manufacturing process;

generate, using the first parameters, at least one manufacturer rule, wherein the at least one manufacturer rule includes a first manufacturer rule associated with a first manufacturing machine used in the manufacturing process;

store, in a database, the at least one manufacturer rule;

control, based on the first manufacturer rule, a second manufacturing machine of the manufacturing process;

determine, based on querying the database, whether the product conforms to the at least one manufacturer rule;

in response to determining that the product conforms to the at least one manufacturer rule, cause transport of the product to a distribution facility;

generate, using the at least one manufacturer rule, a second encoded image including the first parameters;

place the second encoded image on the product or packaging for the product for the transport of the product; and

send, over a communication network, the second encoded image to a distribution facility server of the distribution facility, wherein the distribution facility is configured to scan the second encoded image to obtain the first parameters, and the product is transported from the distribution facility based on the first parameters obtained from scanning the second encoded image.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2019
From: PRINCIPATO, GIUSEPPE
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050093/0678 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200356080A1 · Nov 12, 2020
Cited By (1)
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