Manufacturing system with intrinsically safe electric information storage

• US 7,370,791 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (Entegris Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baillie, Bryan, O'Dougherty, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US11/644,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/435, 235/451, 235/487, 340/545.6, 340/572.8, 340/571, 340/546.6, 700/156, 700/123, 700/131
• US Class Current: 235/376
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0425 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24028 Explosion free control, intrinsically safe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25293 Identify control parameters for several workpieces, control, both in parallel

Abstract

The present invention is a manufacturing system including a hazard zone and a non-hazard zone. The system includes a storage device, located in the hazard zone, for electrically storing information. The system further includes a communication device, also located in the hazard zone, for storing information to and reading information from the storage device. In the non-hazard zone, a controller is in electrical communication with the communication device. The controller controls the system based on information read from the storage device by the communication device. To limit electrical energy passing to the communication device, an intrinsic safety barrier located in the non-hazard zone is connected between the communication device and the controller device.

Claims

1. A filling system for use in a location with a hazard zone and a non-hazard zone, the system comprising:

communication means, located in the hazard zone, for storing information to and reading information from storage means, located in the hazard zone, for electrically storing information;

controller means, located in the non-hazard zone and in electrical communication with the communication means, for controlling the system based on information read from the storage means by the communication means; and

an intrinsic safety barrier located in the non-hazard zone and connected between the communication means and the controller means to limit electrical energy passing to the communication means.

2. The filling system of claim 1, wherein the storage means comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

3. The filling system of claim 2, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive radio frequency (RF) transponder and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), the EEPROM storing the information.

4. The filling system of claim 1, wherein the communication means includes a RF antenna.

5. The filling system of claim 1, further comprising write means, located in the non-hazard zone, for writing the information and transmitting the information to the communication means.

6. The filling system of claim 5, wherein the write means includes an RF card, the communication means includes a RF antenna, and the RF card is in electrical communication with the RF antenna via an intrinsically safe transmission line.

7. A system for handling liquid in a container disposed in a hazard zone, the system comprising:

a cap adapted to be coupled to the container and having a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted thereon;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna which is capable of storing information to and reading information from the RFID tag;

a controller coupled with the RF antenna to control processing of the liquid from the container based on information read from the RFID tag by the RF antenna; and

an intrinsic safety barrier connected between the RF antenna and the controller.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier includes a plurality of forward conduction diodes connected in parallel between the controller and ground.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of forward conduction diodes are arranged in a multiple redundancy configuration to prevent failure of the intrinsic safety barrier.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier further includes a fuse connected in series with the plurality of forward conduction diodes to prevent overloading the plurality of forward conduction diodes and to limit electrical energy passing to the antenna.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier further includes a plurality of DC blocking capacitors connected in series with the controller and the RF antenna.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier further includes at least one resistor connected in series with the controller and the RF antenna to suppress transient voltage surges at the RF antenna.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive RF transponder and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the EEPROM stores information about the liquid contained in the container.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller comprises a user-interface capable of receiving input from a user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller means further controls processing the liquid based on input received by the user-interface from the user.

17. An intrinsically safe data retrieval system comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag containing information to be retrieved, the RFID located in a hazard zone;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna electromagnetically coupled to the RFID tag, the RF antenna located in the hazard zone;

a communication device adapted for communicating with the RF antenna, the communication device located outside the hazard zone; and

an intrinsic safety barrier located outside the hazard zone and connected between the RF antenna and the communication device.

18. The intrinsically safe data retrieval system of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive RF transponder and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

19. The intrinsically safe data retrieval system of claim 17, wherein the communication device communicates with the RF antenna via a transmission line.

20. The intrinsically safe data retrieval system of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag and the RF antenna are powered through the transmission line.

21. A manufacturing system including a hazard zone and a non-hazard zone, the system comprising:

a communication device, located in the hazard zone, for storing information to and reading information from an electrical storage device located in the hazard zone;

a controller, located in the non-hazard zone and in electrical communication with the communication device, for controlling the system based on information read from the storage device by the communication device; and

an intrinsic safety barrier located in the non-hazard zone and connected between the communication device and the controller to limit electrical energy passing to the communication device.

22. The manufacturing system of claim 21, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier includes a plurality of forward conduction diodes connected in parallel between the controller means and ground.

23. The manufacturing system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of forward conduction diodes are arranged in a multiple redundancy configuration.

24. The manufacturing system of claim 22, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier further includes a fuse connected in series with the plurality of forward conduction diodes to prevent overloading the plurality of forward conduction diodes and to limit electrical energy passing into the hazard zone.

25. The manufacturing system of claim 22, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier further includes a plurality of DC blocking capacitors connected in series with the controller means and the communication means.

26. The manufacturing system of claim 22, wherein the intrinsic safety barrier further includes at least one resistor connected in series with the controller means and the communication means to suppress transient voltage surges at the communication means.

27. The manufacturing system of claim 21, wherein the storage device comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

28. The manufacturing system of claim 27, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive radio frequency (RF) transponder and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), the EEPROM storing the information.

29. The manufacturing system of claim 21, wherein the communication means includes a RF antenna.

30. The manufacturing system of claim 29, wherein the controller means includes a computer having an RF card, the RF card in electrical communication with the RF antenna.

31. The manufacturing system of claim 30, wherein the RF card is in electrical communication with the RF antenna via an intrinsically safe transmission line.