U.S. patent application number 12/173050 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-30 for utilizing an rfid tag in manufacturing for enhanced lifecycle management.
This patent application is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corp.. Invention is credited to Steven C. Erickson, Ivory Wellman Knipfer, Jeffrey George Komatsu, Fraser Allan Syme.
Application Number | 20080266057 12/173050 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38429359 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080266057 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Erickson; Steven C. ; et
al. |
October 30, 2008 |
UTILIZING AN RFID TAG IN MANUFACTURING FOR ENHANCED LIFECYCLE
MANAGEMENT
Abstract
Data associated with supply chain events for a manufactured
assembly is automatically stored. In preferred embodiments the
supply chain events for the manufactured assembly are stored on an
RFID tag attached to the assembly as it travels through the supply
chain to insure the data concerning the assembly is readily
available and not separated from the assembly. In other
embodiments, the supply chain events or characteristic data is
stored on the RFID tag in a hierarchical structure beginning with
the original state of the assembly and with additional entries for
each step in the assembly process. In other embodiments, as the
product undergoes rework, conversion to a different assembly, or
personalizations, the new state of the assembly is stored in the
RFID tag. In other preferred embodiments, other information is also
stored on the RFID tag such as country of origin, failure data,
cycle times and a quality status indicator.
Inventors: |
Erickson; Steven C.;
(Rochester, MN) ; Knipfer; Ivory Wellman;
(Rochester, MN) ; Komatsu; Jeffrey George;
(Kasson, MN) ; Syme; Fraser Allan; (Rochester,
MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARTIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC
P.O. BOX 548
CARTHAGE
MO
64836-0548
US
|
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corp.
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
38429359 |
Appl. No.: |
12/173050 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11360348 |
Feb 23, 2006 |
|
|
|
12173050 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/10.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02P 90/10 20151101;
G05B 2219/31034 20130101; G06K 7/01 20130101; G05B 2219/31322
20130101; G06K 19/0723 20130101; Y02P 90/02 20151101; G05B 19/128
20130101; G05B 2219/31288 20130101; Y02P 90/04 20151101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/10.1 |
International
Class: |
H04Q 5/22 20060101
H04Q005/22 |
Claims
1. An RFID tag associated with a manufactured assembly comprising:
an antenna; an RFID chip connected to the antenna to receive a
communication signal from an RFID reader; an as built history
stored on the RFID chip that includes a plurality of manufacturing
events for a plurality of sub-assemblies that comprise the
manufactured assembly; wherein the plurality of manufacturing
events are arranged in a time based hierarchy; wherein the RFID tag
comprises a micro-controller to control commands received from the
RFID reader to store the plurality of manufacturing events in the
dynamically linked list; and wherein the plurality of manufacturing
events include a vendor ID, a part number, a serial number, a date
and time, and at least one quality status parameter includes a
good/no good indication of the usability of the assembly.
2.-7. (canceled)
8. An RFID tag associated with a manufactured assembly comprising:
an antenna; an RFID chip connected to the antenna to receive a
communication signal from an RFID reader; a micro-controller to
manage commands received from the RFID reader; an as built history
stored on the RFID chip that includes a plurality of manufacturing
events for a plurality of sub-assemblies that comprise the
manufactured assembly stored in a dynamically linked list in
response to the commands from the RFID reader; wherein the
plurality of manufacturing events are arranged in a time based
hierarchy; wherein the plurality of manufacturing events include a
vendor ID, a part number, a serial number, a date and time, and at
least one quality status parameter includes a good/no good
indication of the usability of the assembly; and wherein a first
manufacturing event is stored by a first vendor and a second
manufacturing event is stored by a second vendor during the
manufacturing process of the manufactured assembly.
9-13. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PARENT APPLICATION
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
11/360,348 filed on Feb. 23, 2006, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] This invention generally relates to RFID tags, and more
specifically relates to utilizing an RFID tag in a manufacturing
environment and an improved method and apparatus to store
historical data on the RFID tag.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] Through strategic product outsourcing, manufacturers
continue to drive more and more manufacturing and product content
to vendors that specialize in certain technologies. This product
outsourcing allows primary manufacturers to specialize in
technologies that provide the most value added content to their
customers. A manufactured assembly may consist of multiple levels
of assemblies and part numbers produced by several vendors in the
chain of producing the assembly. Further, due to errors in
supply/demand planning, order skew, configuration variability, as
well as product defects, a manufacturer may need to change or
re-personalize many of the purchased assemblies. In order to
re-personalize or re-configure the assemblies it is important for
the manufacturer to know exactly the current state as well as the
history of the assembly.
[0006] Manufacturers may require its vendors to create a hierarchal
data structure of the assemblies and supply the data to the
manufacturer. The data is typically placed in a database. The data
can then be used to reconfigure the product assemblies and the
database updated to reflect the reconfiguration. This solution is
costly and the product identity of previous sub-assemblies can be
lost due to product reconfiguration. If an item is returned to the
original vendor, there may be no original part number
identification on the assembly for the vendor to verify its own
assembly, which may require the manufacturer to search its records
to prove the vendor is the original manufacturer of the
assembly.
[0007] RFID tags are commonly used in the manufacturing industry to
track and identify goods throughout the manufacturing process and
for shipment to customers. RFID tags are similarly used by the end
retailers. However, when RFID tags have been utilized in the
manufacturing process, they have been used to only record "point in
time" data, or the current status of the assembly. FIG. 2 shows a
data record 200 for a prior art RFID tag. The data record shows the
current state of the assembly by showing the part number 210,
serial number 220 and other content 230. The information stored on
the typical RFID tag as shown in FIG. 2 does not record the
historical activities performed on the assembly and hierarchal
information of the assembly such as the changing part number. This
additional information is typically supplied to the manufacturer in
a database format from the various vendors as described above.
[0008] Without a way to manage the history of a manufactured
assembly in a complex supply chain, manufacturers will continue to
bear the high costs of maintaining data from multiple vendors and
other costs associated with re-configuring product assemblies.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0009] The preferred embodiments herein describe a method and
apparatus to store the supply chain events for a manufactured
assembly. In preferred embodiments the supply chain events for the
manufactured assembly are stored on an RFID tag attached to the
assembly as it travels through the supply chain to insure the data
concerning the assembly is readily available and not separated from
the assembly.
[0010] In other preferred embodiments, the supply chain events or
characteristic data is stored on the RFID tag in a hierarchical
structure such as a dynamically linked list, where data is stored
beginning with the original state of the assembly and additional
entries are added for each step in the assembly process. In other
embodiments, as the product undergoes rework, conversion to a
different assembly, or personalizations, the new state of the
assembly is stored in the RFID tag in addition to previously-stored
information. In other preferred embodiments, other information is
also stored on the RFID tag such as country of origin, failure
data, cycle times and a quality status indicator.
[0011] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following more particular
description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will
hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings,
where like designations denote like elements, and:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an RFID Tag used with an RFID
tag reader according to preferred embodiments;
[0014] FIG. 2 is another system block diagram of RFID tag data
according to the prior art;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a table of data representing an as built history
according to preferred embodiments;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a table of data representing an as built history
according to preferred embodiments;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a table of data representing an as built history
according to preferred embodiments;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a dynamically linked list for
storing an as built history according to preferred embodiments;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an RFID chip according to
preferred embodiments;
[0020] FIG. 8 method diagram for storing an as built history
according to preferred embodiments; and
[0021] FIG. 9 method diagram for storing an as built history
according to other preferred embodiments.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0022] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method to
utilize an RFID tag in manufacturing. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram
that represents an RFID tag in a manufacturing environment
according to preferred embodiments herein. An RFID reader 110
communicates with a manufactured assembly 120 with an RFID signal
130 to an RFID tag 140 located on the assembly 120. The RFID tag
140 includes an antenna 142 to receive the RFID signal 130 to
activate and communicate with the RFID chip 144. In preferred
embodiments, the RFID chip 144 includes a quality status indicator
146 and an as built history 148 to store data associated with
supply chain or manufacturing events to create a hierarchical
history of the manufactured assembly 120. A manufacturing event is
recorded for each significant change in the status of the assembly,
such as adding a new sub-assembly or performing a manufacturing
step on the assembly.
[0023] Again referring to FIG. 1, the quality status parameters 146
are similar to manufacturing events, but are specifically used to
indicate quality control parameters of the assembly. In preferred
embodiments, the quality status parameters includes a usability
indicator to indicate an overall good/bad status of the part. Data
associated with the usability indicator can give specific
information about the quality issues for the assembly. The
usability indicator, and other quality control parameters are used
to quickly determine the status of the assembly to control movement
and disposition of the assembly through the manufacturing process.
This feature of the preferred embodiments embeds the usability of
an assembly with the RFID tag attached to the assembly to insure
the status is not lost with assembly paperwork. Further the quality
status parameters can be easily passed between vendors in the
supply chain.
[0024] According to preferred embodiments, supply chain events for
a manufactured assembly are stored on the RFID tag 140 attached to
the assembly as it travels through the supply chain to insure the
data concerning the assembly is readily available and not separated
from the assembly. FIGS. 3-5 illustrate an example of an as built
history 148 shown in FIG. 1 according to a preferred embodiment. In
this example, the as built history is represented as a table 300 of
data that is stored on the RFID chip 144. In this example, the as
built history table 300 includes a vendor ID 310, part number 320,
serial number 330, data/time 340 and content of the history entry
350. Each entry 360, 362, 364, 366, 368 of the table is data for a
unique manufacturing event. The content of the history entry
contains other data associated with the assembly for the
manufacturing event. This other data could include the country of
origin, the part cost, a commodity code, revision of embedded code,
part description, etc.
[0025] Again referring to FIG. 3, when a first assembly or
subassembly is built an RFID tag is attached to the assembly by the
vendor. The as built history table 300 in the RFID tag is initially
loaded by the first vendor in the supply chain to start the as
built history of the assembly. The first vendor (Vendor A) records
data in the first entry 260 in the table 300 as shown in FIG. 3. In
this embodiment, when a vendor makes changes or additions to an
assembly, all the data in the table 300 is read and stored in the
RF reader 110 (FIG. 1), new data is appended to the read data and
then the combined data is loaded into the table. This read and then
re-write process is necessary when the RFID tag has a flash memory
that is written to as a single block. Thus, in the illustrated
example, Vendor B reads the data in the first record 260,
concatenates data for a new entry, and stores the data into the as
built history 300. The table 300 then has the first entry 260
restored back into the first position in the table, as well as the
new second entry 262 stored in the second position as shown in FIG.
4. In this manner the supply chain events are stored on the RFID
tag in a hierarchical structure beginning with the original state
of the assembly and with additional entries for each step in the
assembly process. An example of a completed table 300 of data for
an assembly is represented in FIG. 5 which has three additional
entries 364, 366, 368. The part number and serial number of the
entries change to reflect the changing nature of the assembly as
sub-assemblies are added and manufacturing steps are applied to the
assembly.
[0026] The method described with reference to FIGS. 3-5 requires
each vendor application accessing the data on the RFID tag to
concatenate any new data with previous data storing the
concatenated data back into the as built history table 300. This
embodiment solves some of the problems described with reference to
the prior art, but it requires that each supplier's application
concatenate and reload the data. Further, this method does not
ensure the integrity of the hierarchal history will be maintained
as described in the embodiments described below.
[0027] FIG. 6 illustrates a linked list data structure 600 to store
the as built history 148 (FIG. 1) according to other preferred
embodiments. When a vendor makes changes or additions to an
assembly, the data in the RFID chip 144 can be read for reference,
but any existing data is not modified, and new data is appended to
the existing data using the linked list 600. The linked list has
multiple records 610 that each have a previous link 620, a next
link 630 and a data field 640. The previous link 620a of the first
record 610a and the next link 630n of the last record 610n are
coded as a null link to indicate the beginning and end of the
linked list respectively. The data field 640 of each record 610 is
loaded with the data of a single entry in the as built history
table 300 as described above with reference to FIGS. 3-5. For
example, the data field 640a in the first record 610a is loaded
with the data shown in first data entry 360 in FIG. 5 and the
second data field 610b is loaded with the data shown in the second
data entry 362. The other data fields are loaded in a similar
manner so that the linked list contains the data in a hierarchal
structure based on the sequence the records were added to the
linked list by one or more vendors.
[0028] FIG. 7 illustrates an RFID chip 144 to implement the linked
list described in FIG. 6 according to a preferred embodiment. The
RFID chip 144 includes a micro-controller 710 to process commands
from the RFID reader (110 FIG. 1). The micro-controller is a low
power, small instruction set micro-controller or state machine that
gives the RFID controller a limited processing capability to
respond to commands from the RFID reader. The commands instruct the
RFID chip to manage the dynamic linked list described above to
allow the reader to selectively write records to the linked list
rather than writing the whole as built history at once in the
manner described in the previous embodiment. The commands to manage
the linked list are similar to those commands known in the prior
art to access a linked list. Some basic commands include initialize
the data storage, add data to head of the list, read head node,
read a node at a list location, and clear the list.
[0029] FIG. 8 shows a method 800 for storing an "as built history"
according to preferred embodiments herein. If the RFID tag is a new
tag being placed on a new first assembly (step 810=yes) then the
initial vendor information and assembly information is stored on
the RFID tag attached to the assembly (step 820). The RFID tag need
not be directly attached to the assembly but is associated with the
assembly, such as attached to the packaging. If the RFID tag is not
a new tag (step 810=no) then the complete as built history stored
on the RFID tag is read into the RFID reader (step 830). The new
manufacturing event is concatenated with the as built history read
from the RFID tag (step 840) and the concatenated as built history
is stored to the RFID tag attached to the assembly (step 850). The
method is then done.
[0030] FIG. 9 shows another method 900 for storing an "as built
history" according to preferred embodiments herein. If the RFID tag
is a new tag being placed on a new first assembly (step 910=yes)
then a linked list is initialized on the RFID tag attached to the
assembly and the initial vendor information and assembly
information is stored in the linked list (step 920). The RFID tag
need not be directly attached to the assembly but is associated
with the assembly, such as attached to the packaging. If the RFID
tag is not a new tag (step 910=no) then an append command is sent
to the RFID tag with the new manufacturing event data to place in
the as built history (step 930). The RFID micro-controller
determines the next position in the linked list (step 940) and new
data is stored in the next position of the linked list of the built
history on the RFID tag attached to the assembly (step 950). The
method is then done.
[0031] As described above, embodiments provide a method and
apparatus to store the supply chain events for a manufactured
assembly. In preferred embodiments the supply chain events for the
manufactured assembly are stored on an RFID tag attached to the
assembly as it travels through the supply chain to insure the data
concerning the assembly is readily available and not separated from
the assembly. The method and apparatus described herein provide a
way to manage the history of a manufactured assembly in a complex
supply chain to reduce the costs of maintaining data from multiple
vendors and other costs associated with re-configuring product
assemblies.
[0032] One skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations
are possible within the scope of the present invention. Thus, while
the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood
by those skilled in the art that these and other changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *