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Abstract

A system for generating data for driving a manufacturing process is described. A symbiotic relationship is established between two Windows NT.RTM. system services, including a single instance of a 'Sequencer' service, which provides the command, control, and communication for all work in progress, and multiple instances of a 'Quantum' service, which manages the execution of a unit of work on command from the Sequencer. All configuration information for the system is stored in a system registry as predefined structures. Registry key entries define the names of the installed Quantum services, as well as the configuration dynamic linked library ('DLL') image to be loaded by and the sequence number for each Quantum. The Sequencer manages the start up of the installed Quantum services and synchronizes with the created message queues. The Sequencer manages all work in progress and maintains the state of each unit of work. The Sequencer passes work from one Quantum services message queue to the next, based on the Quantum's registry key entry for sequence number. This sequencing is continued until all defined sequences, that is, all Quantum services, have been successfully executed in turn. One of the Quantum services provides commands to the Sequencer to create a work object associated with a machine to be assembled. If a single Quantum sequence process fails, the Sequencer will log the error and discard that work object, preventing any further processing on it.

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