Chemical process control system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for chemical bath process control comprising:
- a plurality of sensor means, each of said sensor means for sensing at least one parameter of a bath;
means for interrogating each of said sensor means to determine its said sensed parameter;
means for determining at least one characteristic of said bath from said sensed parameters;
means for comparing said characteristics to established, respective operating limits;
means for initiating a corrective response when a characteristic falls outside its said operating limits, said means for interrogating, for determining, for comparing and for initiating comprising a computer; and
communication means for transmitting said sensed parameters and/or bath characteristics to a remote location and for transmitting instructions from said remote location to said computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A chemical process control system includes a plurality of sensors for sensing various parameters of several baths employed in a chemical process. A microprocessor is employed to interrogate each sensor, to determine bath characteristics from one or more of the parameters, and for comparing the parameters to established limits. The microprocessor initiates corrective responses whenever a characteristic falls outside its specific limits in an attempt to restore the characteristic to a specified operating target value.
A hierarchy of authorization keys limits access to the apparatus depending upon the level of authority of the person seeking access. Different degrees of authority may be delegated for an apparatus operator, a supervisor and servicing personnel. The apparatus includes a local and remote communication capacity for sending messages concerning malfunctions in the apparatus and for receiving instructions from a remote location for correcting malfunctions. The microprocessor controls the sensors through a plurality of "slots" through which drivers for specific sensors are controlled. The microprocessor controls sensor operation through non-sensor-specific signals that employ an address table to provide sensor-specific signals to the sensor drivers through at least some of the available slots.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for chemical bath process control comprising:
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a plurality of sensor means, each of said sensor means for sensing at least one parameter of a bath; means for interrogating each of said sensor means to determine its said sensed parameter; means for determining at least one characteristic of said bath from said sensed parameters; means for comparing said characteristics to established, respective operating limits; means for initiating a corrective response when a characteristic falls outside its said operating limits, said means for interrogating, for determining, for comparing and for initiating comprising a computer; and communication means for transmitting said sensed parameters and/or bath characteristics to a remote location and for transmitting instructions from said remote location to said computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for chemical bath process control comprising:
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a plurality of sensor means, each of said sensor means for sensing at least one parameter of a bath; means for interrogating each of said sensor means to determine its said sensed parameter; means for determining at least one characteristic of said bath from said sensed parameters; means for comparing said characteristics to established, respective operating limits; means for initiating a corrective response when a characteristic falls outside its said operating limits, said means for interrogating, for determining, for comparing and for initiating comprising a computer operating in response to computer software, said computer generating a generalized set of control signals having universal usage with different types of sensors employable in said apparatus as at least one of said sensor means; and means for interfacing said sensor means to said computer, said means for interfacing comprising means for tailoring said generalized set of control signals to at least one of said sensor means for driving the sensor means in response to said control signals of said generalized set. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification