R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

David C Twine

Thomas W Cearley

Marvin R Martin

William F Summers

David Chandler

William R Jarvis

Raymond A Gardea, Ii

R Victor Walsh

Eugene E Norris

Kim A Gondring

Jeffrey R Schlottman

Aftab Shamb

Charlotte M Smith

Kolleen C Hughes

William G Hutchins

William R Hunt, Iii

Michael F Donovan

Lloyd T Prout

Lonnie M Utt, Jr

Thomas B Beasley

Michael D Shepard

Richard A Guarino

The system includes a first computer for communicating with automatic guided vehicles on a guided vehicle loop and storing information related to vehicle position. A second computer determines vehicle destinations. The first computer and the second computer maintain separate databases. Information in the data of the first computer relating to vehicle position is copied into the database of the second computer to assist in making vehicle destination determinations and the vehicle destination information stored in the database of the second computer is copied into the first computer. The invention also includes a unique fast and slow polling routine to insure that data transfer to the vehicles requiring it most is achieved in any polling cycle.

Automatic vehicle control system

The Computer Integrated Manufacturing System includes a plurality of levels of computer control which organize and disseminate the information for controlling shop floor level systems. Both scheduling data and data relating to process, product, and material specifications as well as bills of material are generated in an upper level computer system and refined and down loaded as needed to lower level computers controlling the shop floor processes. The computers on the upper levels are capable of communication with the computers on the lower levels and computers on the same level are capable of communication with each other as needed to pass information back and forth.

Computer integrated manufacturing system

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

David C Twine