Patent ID: 6862486

Claim:
A method of processing data relating to conditions in a manufacturing process, said data being relateable to one of a plurality of data types, said method comprising: relating a first data item of said data to a first data type of said plurality of data types; associating said first data item with a first time marker; associating said first data item with a source in said manufacturing process; associating said first data item with an identifier, said value of said identifier being capable of being one of a set of a plurality values, each said value in said set relating to a condition of said conditions, said set being expandable during operation of said manufacturing process; relating a second data item of said data to a second data type of said plurality of data types; associating a second data item with a second time marker; associating said second data item with a source in said manufacturing process; and upon a receiving a request, associating said value of said identifier associated with said first data item with said second data item if: said first time marker associated with said first data item corresponds to said second time marker associated with said second data item; and said source associated with said first data item corresponds to said source associated with said second data item, wherein said value of said identifier indicates one of: a) identity of an article processed during a first time interval indicated by said first time marker; and b) a status of said manufacturing process during said first time interval indicated by said first time marker.