Closed container and control system for closed container

• US 8,234,002 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Emoto, Jun, Abe, Tomoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US12/389,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20090211940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/83, 141/98, 700/113, 700/115
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A closed container in which a reticle etc. is stored and kept is provided with a pressure sensor, transmission means for transmitting data on the pressure, a controller that controls the operation of them, and a battery serving as a power source of the above elements. The controller has a sleep mode in which it causes the transmission means to transmit the data on the pressure at regular intervals and an active mode in which it causes the transmission means to transmit the data on the pressure when necessary in response to an externally supplied command. By the above described configuration, the pressure in the interior of the container can be checked appropriately.

Claims

1. A closed container for storing an object to be stored that is managed in a clean environment, comprising:

a main body having an interior space in which said object can be stored and an opening that allows communication between said interior space and an external space;

a lid that can close said opening;

an environmental parameter measuring apparatus that can measure at least one parameter indicative of a condition of the environment in said interior space;

transmission means for transmitting data representing a measurement result obtained by said environmental parameter measuring apparatus;

a controller that controls operation of said environmental parameter measuring apparatus and said transmission means;

a battery serving as a power source for said environmental parameter measuring apparatus, said transmission means, and said controller;

a mode changing system which is separate from said controller and controls operating modes of said controller; and

a radio communication module provided on said closed container and configured to receive an operation command signal which is externally supplied and transmitted to said controller, and to receive a mode changing command signal which is externally supplied and transmitted to said mode changing system, wherein

said controller has a sleep mode, as one of said operating modes, in which said controller causes said environmental parameter measuring apparatus to operate and said transmission means to operate at regular intervals to transmit said data and an active mode, as another one of said operating modes, in which said controller causes said environmental parameter measuring apparatus to operate in response to said operation command signal, and causes said transmission means to transmit said data, and

said radio communication module provides said mode changing command signal to said mode changing system, which causes said mode changing system to control said controller, based on said mode changing command signal, to execute one of said sleep mode and said active mode by providing a corresponding instruction to said controller.

2. A closed container according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means performs data transmission using a ray.

6. A closed container according to claim 1, wherein said controller relays said mode changing command signal from said radio communication module to said mode changing system.

7. A closed container according to claim 1, wherein said at least one parameter indicative of said condition of the environment in said interior space is a pressure.

3. A management system for a closed container that manages the environment in an interior space of said closed container, comprising:

a closed container for storing an object to be stored that is managed in a clean environment including;

a main body having said interior space in which said object can be stored and an opening that allows communication between said interior space and an external space,

a lid that can close said opening,

an environmental parameter measuring apparatus that can measure at least one parameter indicative of a condition of the environment in said interior space,

transmission means for transmitting data representing a measurement result obtained by said environmental parameter measuring apparatus,

a controller that controls operation of said environmental parameter measuring apparatus and said transmission means,

a battery serving as a power source for said environmental parameter measuring apparatus, said transmission means, and said controller,

a mode changing system which is separate from said controller and controls operating modes of said controller, and

a radio communication module provided on said closed container and configured to receive an operation command signal which is externally supplied and transmitted to said controller, and to receive a mode changing command signal which is externally supplied and transmitted to said mode changing system, wherein

said controller has a sleep mode, as one of said operating modes, in which said controller causes said environmental parameter measuring apparatus to operate and said transmission means to operate at regular intervals to transmit said data and an active mode, as another one of said operating modes, in which said controller causes said environmental parameter measuring apparatus to operate in response to said operation command signal, and causes said transmission means to transmit said data, and

said radio communication module provides said mode changing command signal to said mode changing system, which causes said mode changing system to control said controller, based on said mode changing command signal, to execute one of said sleep mode and said active mode by providing a corresponding instruction to said controller; and

a receiver unit that includes receiver unit receiving means for receiving said data transmitted from said transmission means, receiver unit transmitting means for transmitting said mode changing command signal and said operation command signal to said radio communication module, and a cable communication module that transmits said received data to outside.

4. A closed container for storing an object to be stored that is managed in a low-pressure and clean environment, comprising:

a main body having an interior space in which said object can be stored and an opening that allows communication between said interior space and an external space;

a lid that can close said opening;

an environmental parameter measuring apparatus that can measure at least one parameter indicative of a condition of the environment in said interior space;

transmission means for transmitting data representing a measurement result obtained by said environmental parameter measuring apparatus;

a controller that controls operation of said environmental parameter measuring apparatus and said transmission means;

a battery serving as a power source for said environmental parameter measuring apparatus, said transmission means, and said controller;

a mode changing system which is separate from said controller and controls operating modes of said controller; and

a radio communication module provided on said closed container and configured to receive an operation command signal which is externally supplied and transmitted to said controller, wherein

said controller has a sleep mode, as one of said operating modes, in which said controller causes said environmental parameter measuring apparatus and said transmission means to operate at regular intervals to transmit said data and an active mode, as another one of said operating modes, in which said controller causes said environmental parameter measuring apparatus to operate in response to said operation command signal, and causes said transmission means to transmit said data, and

in response to an operation of a mode changing switch, said mode changing system controls said controller to execute one of said sleep mode and said active mode by providing a corresponding instruction to said controller.

5. A closed container according to claim 4, wherein said transmission means performs data transmission using a ray.