Patent ID: 7546255
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for allocating finished units in a production facility to orders received from customers for those units, the computer implemented method comprising the steps: identifying, via one or more computers, orders from customers for finished units; identifying, via said one or more computers, finished units in production at a defined time and available to fill said orders; identifying, via said one or more computers, defects in the finished units and defects that the customers are willing to accept; of said identified finished units, identifying, via said one or more computers, valid units that are available to be assigned to said orders; for each of the finished units, creating, via said one or more computers, an associated surface defect map indicating the locations of defects in said each finished unit and characteristics of said defects; using, via said one or more computers, said defect maps to search for the largest area in each of the finished units that can be assigned to each order; iteratively assigning and unassigning, via said one or more computers, valid units to said orders, in a defined sequence of said orders, until either (i) all the orders are fulfilled, or (ii) there are no more assignment options to be tested, including; identifying, via said one or more computers, any incomplete orders, and for each identified incomplete order, searching among valid units previously assigned to other orders for a unit that fulfills said identified incomplete order, and if a unit, previously assigned to some other order, is found that fulfills said identified incomplete order, then, via said one or more computers, (i) unassigning said found unit from said other order, and (2) re-assigning said found unit to said identified incomplete order.