Method, system, and storage medium for providing continuous communication between process equipment and an automated material handling system

• US 7,720,956 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hand, Paul D., Campbell, Philip L., Sherwood, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US12/167,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 370/464, 370/467, 702/179, 702/182, 700/108, 700/230
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A system and storage medium for providing continuous communication between passive and active equipment are provided. The system includes a conversion unit coupled to at least one the passive and active equipment, which monitors signals received from the equipment. The signals relate to an equipment state. Upon detecting a state change, the system converts a signal associated with the state change to a TCP/IP-formatted request. The system also includes a message handler coupled to the conversion unit, which receives the request from the conversion unit and transmits the request to a host system. The message handler also removes TCP/IP formatting from the request resulting in a file transfer protocol message. The conversion unit converts the file transfer protocol message to a signal and responds to the signal by the equipment. The conversion includes decoding the file transfer protocol message and setting a signal line to a requested state.

Claims

1. A system for providing continuous communication between passive equipment and active equipment, comprising;

a conversion unit coupled to at least one of said passive equipment and active equipment, said conversion unit operable for;

monitoring signals received from at least one of said passive equipment and active equipment, said signals relating to at least one equipment state; and

upon detecting a state change, converting a signal associated with said state change to a TCP/IP-formatted request; and

a message handler coupled to said conversion unit, said message handler operable for;

receiving said request from said conversion unit; and

transmitting said request to a host system;

wherein said message handler is further operable for removing TCP/IP formatting from said request resulting in a file transfer protocol message; and

wherein said conversion unit is further operable for;

converting said file transfer protocol message to a signal;

responding to said signal by at least one of said passive equipment and said active equipment; and

wherein said converting a signal associated with said state change includes;

decoding said file transfer protocol message; and

setting a signal line to a requested state.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connector coupled to said at least one of a passive equipment and an active equipment, said connector in communication with said conversion unit;

wherein said connector includes pins assignable for specifying a state change.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said signals include directions for executing a carrier handshake operation.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said signals conform to SEMI E84 specification.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a materials control application executing on said host system;

wherein said transmitting a request to a host system includes transmitting said request to said materials control application, said materials control application associated with said active equipment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said TCP/IP-formatted request includes an Internet Protocol header operable for specifying an address of at least one load port associated with said at least one of a passive equipment and an active equipment.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein said host system receives said request from said message handler via said network.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said network is a local area network.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said network is a wireless local area network.

10. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for providing continuous communication between passive equipment and active equipment, said program code including instructions for causing a conversion system to implement a method, comprising:

monitoring, via a conversion unit of the conversion system, signals received from at least one of said passive equipment and active equipment, said signals relating to at least one equipment state;

upon detecting a state change, converting, via the conversion unit, a signal associated with said state change to a TCP/IP-formatted request;

receiving, at a message handler coupled to said conversion unit, said request and transmitting said request to a host system;

removing, via the message handler, TCP/IP formatting from said request resulting in a file transfer protocol message;

converting, via the conversion unit, said file transfer protocol message to a signal; and

responding, via the conversion unit, to said signal by at least one of said passive equipment and said active equipment;

wherein said converting a signal associated with said state change includes;

decoding said file transfer protocol message; and

setting a signal line to a requested state.