Integrated material management module
First Claim
1. A system for processing articles, which system includes a plurality of machine tools for processing articles, a pod for carrying the articles to be processed by said machine tools from one machine tool to another, a host processing controller associated with said machine tools for controlling the operation thereof, each said machine tool having a robot for receiving said pod, opening said pod and for transporting the articles from within said pod into position on said machine tool for processing, and an identification reader carried by said pod for identifying a particular pod and the articles carried therein, said system including a module comprising:
- a module controller;
a first communication connection between said host processing controller and said module controller;
a second communication connection between said module controller and said robot; and
a third communication connection coupled to said module controller and adapted to communicate with said identification reader;
wherein said module controller routes messages between said host processing controller and said robot over said first and second communication connection; and
wherein said module controller is further adapted to read a material identification by communicating with said identification reader over said third communication connection when said module controller intercepts a material identification message from said host processing controller over said first communication connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A module for use in a system for processing articles, in which the system includes a plurality of machine tools for processing articles, a pod for carrying the articles to be processed by the machine tools from one machine tool to another, a host processing controller associated with the machine tools for controlling the operation thereof, a robot connected to each machine tool for receiving a pod, opening the pod and for transporting the articles from within the pod into position on the machine tool for processing. An identification device is carried by the pod for identifying a particular pod and the articles carried in the pod. The module includes a single wire connection between the identification system, the host controller and the robot. The module has a microprocessor to identify the source of a signal and for routing the signal between the identification system and the host controller and between the host controller and the robot depending on its source.
48 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for processing articles, which system includes a plurality of machine tools for processing articles, a pod for carrying the articles to be processed by said machine tools from one machine tool to another, a host processing controller associated with said machine tools for controlling the operation thereof, each said machine tool having a robot for receiving said pod, opening said pod and for transporting the articles from within said pod into position on said machine tool for processing, and an identification reader carried by said pod for identifying a particular pod and the articles carried therein, said system including a module comprising:
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a module controller;
a first communication connection between said host processing controller and said module controller;
a second communication connection between said module controller and said robot; and
a third communication connection coupled to said module controller and adapted to communicate with said identification reader;
wherein said module controller routes messages between said host processing controller and said robot over said first and second communication connection; and
wherein said module controller is further adapted to read a material identification by communicating with said identification reader over said third communication connection when said module controller intercepts a material identification message from said host processing controller over said first communication connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for processing articles, the system comprising:
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a module controller;
a first communication connection between a host processing controller and the module controller;
a second communication connection between the module controller and a robot; and
a third communication connection connected between the module controller and a material identification system;
wherein the module controller is adapted to route messages between the host processing controller and the robot over the first and second communication connection and wherein the module controller is further adapted to read a material identification by communicating with the identification system over the third communication connection when the module controller receives a material identification message from the host processing controller over the first communication connection. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of communicating with a host processing controller comprising the steps of:
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providing a module controller;
connecting a first communication connection between a host processing controller and the module controller;
connecting a second communication connection between the module controller and a robot;
connecting a third communication connection between the module controller and a material identification system;
routing messages with the module controller between the host processing controller and the robot over the first and second communication connection;
intercepting a material identification message from the host processing controller over the first communication connection with the module controller; and
reading a material identification by communicating with the identification system over the third communication connection.
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Specification