The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 2004

Filed:

Jul. 30, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:

Steve Kiernan, Westerville, OH (US);

David Honigford, Grove City, OH (US);

Mike Iaquinta, Westerville, OH (US);

John Wendt, Columbus, OH (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 1/900 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 1/900 ;
Abstract

The present invention includes a central control system and method for fine tuning a cigarette manufacturing process. A measurement device captures measurements of particular cigarette properties. The measurement data is sent to and stored in a central database. Once sufficient measurement data has been stored, the data is loaded into an optimization program that outputs optimized controlled parameters that may be used by individual control systems to better control the properties of the cigarettes during manufacture. The central control system and method may be used with both off-line and in-line measurement devices, and can communicate and control such devices regardless of the manufacturer thereof.


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