Process automation method and apparatus
US5737498A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 11, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 7, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S706/903
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention provides in one aspect a method for generating a schedule for the performance of a process, wherein the process comprises a plurality of steps. Each step of the process comprises one or more operations. The method comprises first obtaining input containing information defining the process and then generating from the input a series of nodes definitions, each node definition corresponding to at least one step of the process. Each node definition includes duration and device usage information relating to at least one step and further includes information identifying at least one previous step and at least one subsequent step. Then, one or more tasks are generated using the series of node definitions, each task comprising at least one step of the process, such that every step in the process is associated with at least one task. Once the tasks are defined, a schedule of operations is generated using the generated tasks and the node definitions, said schedule of operations corresponding to the defined process. In a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention employs a graphical user interface to obtain the input. Also, preferably, the graphical user interface…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.