Method to use the internet for the assembly of parts

Abstract

This patent discloses a method to obtain assembly instructions, such as might be needed to assemble a computer system located in the cage of a data center. After receiving component parts, a customer may scan the bar code of each component part into a customer server as a component parts list. Utilizing component grouping application software, a request for instructions to assemble the component parts may be built from the component parts list. This assembly instruction request may be sent frmo the customer server to a manufacturer server over the Internet, where assembly instructions may be compiled and returned to the customer server.

1 . A method to obtain assembly instructions, the method comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of component parts by a customer;    inputting identifying information for each component part into a customer server as a component parts list;    utilizing application software to build from the component parts list a request for instructions to assemble the plurality of component parts, where the request is an assembly instruction request; and    obtaining assembly instructions that are based on the assembly instruction request.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 marking the plurality of component parts for assembly.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the identifying information is connected with the component parts in the form of a machine-readable sticker.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , where inputting identifying information includes employing an optical scanning device and includes associating the component parts list with a purchase order containing information related to the plurality of component parts.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , where a first component part is manufactured by a first manufacturer, a second component part is manufactured by a second manufacturer, and where the customer, first manufacturer, and second manufacturer are separate entities.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 sending the assembly instruction request to a manufacturer server, where the manufacturer server is under the control of the first manufacturer.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , where the first component part is a main component part of the plurality of component parts.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , where the main component is one of a base unit and a computer system chassis.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , where sending the assembly instruction request to the manufacturer server includes first sending the assembly instruction request to a management server, where the management server is configured to review the assembly instruction request, to identify the first manufacturer from the assembly instruction request, and to send the assembly instruction request to the manufacturer server.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , where after sending the assembly instruction request to a manufacturer server, the method further comprises: 
 moving the plurality of component parts to an assembly staging area.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 receiving the assembly instructions in the customer server, where the assembly instructions contain only one assembly configuration.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 receiving the assembly instructions in the customer server, where the assembly instructions contain instructions that would not be suggested by the second manufacturer.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving the assembly instructions in the customer server, where the assembly instructions include instructions for assembling only those component parts listed in the component parts list.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving the assembly instructions in the customer server, where the assembly instructions include only those instructions that are necessary to assembly those component parts listed in the component parts list.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 distributing the assembly instructions to a display device in the form of a web page.    
   
   
       16 . A method to respond to a request for assembly instructions, the method comprising: 
 receiving an assembly instruction request in a manufacturer server;    selecting from a plurality of assembly configurations one assembly configuration that complies with the assembly instruction request;    compiling assembly instructions based on the one assembly configuration that complies with the assembly instruction request; and    sending the assembly instructions from the manufacturer server.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , where the assembly instruction request is from a customer and identifies a plurality of component parts, where a first component part is manufactured by a first manufacturer, a second component part is manufactured by a second manufacturer, and where the customer, first manufacturer, and second manufacturer are separate entities.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , where the manufacturer server is under the control of the first manufacturer.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , where the first component part is a main component part of the plurality of component parts.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , where the main component is one of a base unit and a computer system chassis.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , where receiving the assembly instruction request includes first receiving the assembly instruction request in a management server, where the management server is configured to review the assembly instruction request, to identify the first manufacturer from the assembly instruction request, and to send the assembly instruction request to the manufacturer server.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , where the assembly instructions contain instructions that would not be suggested by the second manufacturer.  
   
   
       23 . A computer readable media embodying a method to obtain assembly instructions, the method comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of component parts by a customer;    inputting identifying information for each component part into a customer server as a component parts list;    utilizing application software to build from the component parts list a request for instructions to assemble the plurality of component parts, where the request is an assembly instruction request; and    obtaining assembly instructions that are based on the assembly instruction request.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , where a first component part is manufactured by a first manufacturer, a second component part is manufactured by a second manufacturer, and where the customer, first manufacturer, and second manufacturer are separate entities.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 sending the assembly instruction request to a manufacturer server, where the manufacturer server is under the control of the first manufacturer.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 receiving the assembly instructions in the customer server, where the assembly instructions contain only one assembly configuration.    
   
   
       27 . A computer readable media embodying a method to respond to a request for assembly instructions, the method comprising: 
 receiving an assembly instruction request in a manufacturer server;    selecting from a plurality of assembly configurations one assembly configuration that complies with the assembly instruction request;    compiling assembly instructions based on the one assembly configuration that complies with the assembly instruction request; and    sending the assembly instructions from the manufacturer server.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , where the assembly instruction request is from a customer and identifies a plurality of component parts, where a first component part is manufactured by a first manufacturer, a second component part is manufactured by a second manufacturer, and where the customer, first manufacturer, and second manufacturer are separate entities.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , where the manufacturer server is under the control of the first manufacturer.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , where the first component part is a main component part of the plurality of component parts.