Method and system for using short ranged wireless enabled computers as a service tool

• US 7,085,623 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM International NV
• Original Assignee: ASM International NV
• Inventors: Siegers, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/222,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/19, 700/23, 700/83, 700/86, 700/96, 700/108, 700/116, 700/117, 700/235, 700/245, 700/249, 700/254, 700/257, 700/259, 700/262, 700/264, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/575, 318/587, 318/628, 901/1, 901/2, 901/8, 901/15, 901/17, 901/29, 901/48, 709/202, 709/217, 709/226, 709/230, 709/310, 701/23, 701/25
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4184 characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32226 Computer assisted repair, maintenance of system components
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45057 Storage handling for disks or material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A handheld device for use in a wireless environment to operate an apparatus is provided. The handheld device sends a request to an apparatus controller to initiate a maintenance sequence. The handheld device receives information from the apparatus controller to control the operation of the maintenance sequence. The handheld device sends a maintenance command to the apparatus controller. The handheld device then receives information regarding the state of the apparatus after the maintenance command is executed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a. machinery for performing an industrial process having process parameters;

b. a controller operative with a provided wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor, a memory, a user interface, and a transceiver, the controller responsive to a set of commands, the controller performing a first method including;

receiving a request in accordance with a user selection;

sending instructions to be stored in the memory for performance by the processor, the instructions for performing a second method limited to a subset of the commands, the second method including;

(1) obtaining via the user interface indicia of a command of the subset; and

(2) communicating via the transceiver in accordance with the indicia of the command;

receiving data in response to communicating by the transceiver; and

controlling the machinery in accordance with the received data;

c. wherein the controller comprises at least two subcontrollers, each subcontroller comprising one of a master control station, a process controller, a temperature controller, and a robot controller; and

the commands comprising the subset are unique to at least one of the subcontrollers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first method further comprises sending data to the wireless device to enable the processor, in response to the data, to present via the user interface a plurality of selections and to obtain the user selection.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions comprise a JAVA applet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions comprise a JAVA application.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising sending indicia of the process parameters to be presented via the user interface to assist provision by the user of the indicia of the command.

6. A method for machinery control, the machinery comprising a controller in wireless communication with a provided wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor, a memory, a user interface, and a transceiver, the controller responsive to a set of commands, the method performed by the controller comprising:

receiving a request in accordance with a user selection;

sending instructions to be stored in the memory for performance by the processor, the instructions for performing a second method limited to a subset of the commands, the second method including;

(1) obtaining via the user interface indicia of a command of the subset; and

(2) communicating via the transceiver in accordance with the indicia of the command;

receiving data in response to communicating by the transceiver; and

controlling the machinery in accordance with the received data;

wherein the controller comprises at least two subcontrollers, each subcontroller comprising one of a master control station, a process controller, a temperature controller, and a robot controller; and

the commands comprising the subset are unique to at least one of the subcontrollers.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending data to the wireless device to enable the processor, in response to the data, to present via the user interface a plurality of selections and to obtain the user selection.

8. A memory device comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 7.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending indicia of the process parameters to be presented via the user interface to assist provision by the user of the indicia of the command.

10. A memory device comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 9.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein a maintenance sequence directs movement of the machinery.

12. A memory device comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 11.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the maintenance sequence is for teaching a robot.

14. A memory device comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 13.

15. A memory device comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 6.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a. machinery for performing an industrial process having process parameters;

b. a controller configured to control machinery through a set of commands, the controller operative with a provided wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor, a memory, a user interface, and a transceiver, the controller performing a first method including;

receiving a request from the wireless device in accordance with a user selection, the request defining a subset of the commands;

sending the subset of the commands to the wireless device, the subset to be stored in the memory for the performance of a second method by the wireless device, the second method including;

(1) obtaining via the user interface indicia of a command of the subset; and

(2) communicating via the transceiver in accordance with the indicia of the command;

receiving the indicia of the command; and

controlling the machinery in accordance with indicia of the command.

17. A method for machinery control, the machinery comprising a controller in wireless communication with a provided wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor, a memory, a user interface, and a transceiver, the controller provided with a control program to control the machinery, the method performed by the controller comprising:

a. receiving a request from the wireless device in accordance with a user selection, the user selection defining a subset of the control program;

b. sending the subset of the control program to the wireless device, the subset to be stored in the memory for the performance of a second method by the wireless device, the second method including;

(1) obtaining via the user interface indicia of a command of the subset; and

(2) communicating via the transceiver data in accordance with the indicia of the command;

c. receiving the data in response to the communicating by the transceiver; and

d. controlling the machinery in accordance with the received data.