Abstract: An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) gateway is provided for routing of ERP messages to Manufacturing Execution System (MES) applications. The gateway can receive a message from an ERP system via a manufacturing services bus specifying a business objective requiring action at a control level of an enterprise. The received message can be routed to a selected MES application capable of carrying out the business objective based on attributes within the message. Message routing can be based on location tags contained in the message. The message can also be routed to a selected subset of MES applications based on an analysis of respective capabilities and control contexts of the MES applications. Messages can be routed between the ERP system and the MES applications via the manufacturing services bus, which can manage protocol transformations for a heterogeneous set of applications.

Abstract: A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is provided that leverages industry-specific workflows to process business requests. The MES system can maintain activity sets representing industry-specific workflows that can be selected and executed in order to satisfy business-driven goals. The activity sets can comprise both business-level and control-level operations, and can be configured using an intuitive graphical interface that mitigates the need for low-level programming by the end user. Some features of the MES system are enabled or disabled based on data type compatibility with devices in communication with the MES system.

Abstract: An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) gateway is provided for routing of ERP messages to Manufacturing Execution System (MES) applications. The gateway can receive a message from an ERP system via a manufacturing services bus specifying a business objective requiring action at a control level of an enterprise. The received message can be routed to a selected MES application capable of carrying out the business objective based on attributes within the message. Message routing can be based on location tags contained in the message. The message can also be routed to a selected subset of MES applications based on an analysis of respective capabilities and control contexts of the MES applications. Messages can be routed between the ERP system and the MES applications via the manufacturing services bus, which can manage protocol transformations for a heterogeneous set of applications.

Abstract: An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) gateway is provided for routing of ERP messages to Manufacturing Execution System (MES) applications. The gateway can receive a message from an ERP system via a manufacturing services bus specifying a business objective requiring action at a control level of an enterprise. The received message can be routed to a selected MES application capable of carrying out the business objective based on attributes within the message. Message routing can be based on location tags contained in the message. The message can also be routed to a selected subset of MES applications based on an analysis of respective capabilities and control contexts of the MES applications. Messages can be routed between the ERP system and the MES applications via the manufacturing services bus, which can manage protocol transformations for a heterogeneous set of applications.

Abstract: A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is provided for execution of workflows in response to specified business objectives. The MES system can maintain a library of activity sets representing industry-specific workflows that can be selected and executed in order to satisfy business-driven goals. The activity sets can comprise both business-level and control-level operations, and can be configured using an intuitive graphical interface that mitigates the need for low-level programming by the end user. In response to receipt of a request from a business-level system such as an ERP system, the MES system can match the request to an activity set, and subsequently execute the workflow defined by the activity set to facilitate satisfying the request.

Abstract: Techniques for transporting data in a distributed environment are described. In a media system in which boxes are configured to supply each other needed data, stabilities of data transportation among the boxes are important. According to one aspect of the techniques, when one or more supplying boxes are identified to supply respective data portions to an ordering box, each communication session between the ordering box and one of the supplying boxes is constantly monitored. If the data is not transported correctly, a backup session by a backup box is activated to replace the session in which the data is not transported correctly. Without affecting the number of available boxes that may be designated to supply data to other ordering boxes, in one embodiment, one box is used to backup multiple boxes.

Abstract: Various techniques for providing instantaneous media services are disclosed. Some of the techniques provide an instantaneous media-on-demand system, process and method for the same. Such a system offers a dynamic library with a significant number of titles from which a user may select and offers play back a desired title fairly instantly. To facilitate instant playback, a file pertaining to a title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title.

Abstract: To facilitate instant playback of an ordered title (e.g., a movie), a file pertaining to the title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title. Should one of the boxes fails to deliver the segment according to a certain requirement (e.g., a lower transmission rate), the box gets immediately replaced by a substitute machine that continues to supply the segment from where it was stopped.

Abstract: To facilitate instant playback of an ordered title (e.g., a movie), a file pertaining to the title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title. Should one of the boxes fails to deliver the segment according to a certain requirement (e.g., a lower transmission rate), the box gets immediately replaced by a substitute machine that continues to supply the segment from where it was stopped.

Abstract: Various techniques for providing instantaneous media services are disclosed. Some of the techniques provide an instantaneous media-on-demand system, process and method for the same. Such a system offers a dynamic library with a significant number of titles from which a user may select and offers play back a desired title fairly instantly. To facilitate instant playback, a file pertaining to a title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title.

Abstract: Techniques for transporting data in a distributed environment are disclosed. In a media system in which boxes are configured to supply each other needed data, stabilities of data transportation among the boxes are important. According to one aspect of the techniques, when one or more supplying boxes are identified to supply respective data portions to an ordering box, each communication session between the ordering box and one of the supplying boxes is constantly monitored. If the data is not transported correctly, a backup session by a backup box is activated to replace the session in which the data is not transported correctly. Without affecting the number of available boxes that may be designated to supply data to other ordering boxes, in one embodiment, one box is used to backup multiple boxes.

Abstract: Various techniques for providing instantaneous media services are disclosed. Some of the techniques provide an instantaneous media-on-demand system, process and method for the same. Such a system offers a dynamic library with a significant number of titles from which a user may select and offers play back a desired title fairly instantly. To facilitate instant playback, a file pertaining to a title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title.