Synchronous manufacturing service request and acknowledge panel circuit

摘要

An apparatus suitable for implementation in synchronous manufacturing systems includes operator stations, a request panel and an acknowledge panel. The operator stations are coupled to the request panel and send request signals to the request panel. The request panel converts the request signals from the operator stations to serial data and transmits that data in a data burst to the acknowledge panel at a remote location in the plant. The acknowledge panel signals the data requests to an operator at the acknowledge panel. Push buttons at the acknowledge panel provide acknowledge signals to the acknowledge panel, which converts the acknowledge signals to serial data and transmits that data in a data burst to the request panel. The request panel transmits the data it receives to the operator stations.