Abstract: An object-oriented architecture for a factory floor management software system is described in which factory floor entities are modelled as factory objects within a relational database. The architecture includes X-terminal or bar code devices for facilitating user interaction with the system via one or more of the factory floor entities; Application Engines for processing user interaction of events and generating application service requests; and Application servers for processing the application service requests and generating database service requests in response. These database service requests are utilized to retrieve, manipulate and update data stored within the relational database. Communication Managers are employed for coordinating interprocess communication between the Application Engines, the Application Servers, and the Database Servers. Each of these major components are distributed among computer resources that are networked across the factory floor.

Abstract: An object-oriented architecture for a factory floor management software system is described in which factory floor entities are modelled as factory objects within a relational database. The architecture includes X-terminal or bar code devices for facilitating user interaction with the system via one or more of the factory floor entities; Application Engines for processing user interaction of events and generating application service requests; and Application servers for processing the application service requests and generating database service requests in response. These database service requests are utilized to retrieve, manipulate and update data stored within the relational database. Communication Managers are employed for coordinating interprocess communication between the Application Engines, the Application Servers, and the Database Servers. Each of these major components are distributed among computer resources that are networked across the factory floor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for an improved interface for controlling transactions in a manufacturing execution system. A common display interface is displayed on a computer system display which represents a series of transactions for a single manufacturing process, The common display interface includes a plurality of subdisplays each separately accessible through the common display interface. Each of the plurality of subdisplays includes various information related to the step in the manufacturing process represented by the subdisplay, The common display also can access a first group of the plurality of subdisplays in a sequential order and perform transactions related to the subdisplays in a sequential order. The common display also can access a second group of the plurality of subdisplays at arbitrary time intervals, and performing transactions associated with the second group of the plurality of subdisplays at the arbitrary time intervals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying the relationship of objects in a factory on a computer system display. A first icon is displayed, the first icon representing a first class of factory objects. A second icon is displayed, the second icon representing a second class of factory objects. A first connector connecting the first icons and second icons is displayed representing the relationship between the first and the second class of factory objects. The first icon is selected, thus displaying a first list of names of all objects comprising the first class of factory objects. Then, a first name from the first list of names is selected, and a second list of names is displayed. The second list of names comprises the names of all objects in the second class of factory objects associated with the object from the first class having the first name.