Device and method for communicating data in a process control system
AssigneeBrooks Automation, Inc.
InventorsAshok R. Tripathi, Muthukumar Ramalingam, David Rukstales
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for communicating process data between a plurality of devices in a process control system, including receiving process data in an equipment interface system data format from an equipment interface system, and selecting a set of the process data received from the equipment interface system for communication to a process data control system. The method also includes configuring the selected set of process data from the equipment interface system data format into an open format for communication to the process data control system, and transmitting the configured process data to the process data control system.
Claims21
A method for communicating process data between a plurality of devices in a process control system, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving process data in an equipment interface system data format from an equipment interface system;
- selecting a set of the process data received f rom the equipment interface system for communication to a process data control system;
- configuring the selected set of process data from the equipment interface system data format into an open format for communication to the process data control system;
- and
- transmitting the configured process data to the process data control system.
A communication builder device for communicating process data between a plurality of devices in a process control system, comprising:
- a communication manager adapted to format process data received from an equipment interface system into a format suitable for the communication builder;
- a data explorer for selecting a predefined set of the communication builder data format process data for reporting to process data control system;
- wherein the communication manager is further adapted to configure the selected set of process data into an open data format for communication to the process data control system, and is adapted to transmit the configured process data to the process data control system;
- and
- a data administrator for providing monitoring and management of the communication manager.
A computer program product comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to communicate process data between a plurality of devices in a process control system, the computer readable code means in the computer program product comprising:
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive process data in an equipment interface system data format from an equipment interface system;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to select a set of the process data received from the equipment interface system for communication to a process data control system;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to configure the selected set of process data from the equipment interface system data format into an open format for communication to the process data control system;
- and
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transmit the configured data to the process data control system.
A semiconductor fabrication and manufacturing process control system comprising:
- a process data control device adapted to provide process monitoring and process analysis of process data received from at least one manufacturing tool, and adapted to provide control instructions to the at least one manufacturing tool;
- an equipment interface device adapted to receive data from and provide control to the at least one associated manufacturing tool based on control instructions received from the process data control device;
- and
- a communication builder device adapted to interface between and facilitate a communication of information and data between the process control device and the equipment interface device, the communication builder device being adapted to:
- receive process data in an equipment interface system data format from the equipment interface system,
- select a set of the process data received from the equipment interface system for communication to the process data control system,
- configure the selected set of process data from the equipment interface system data format into an open format for communication to the process data control system, and
- transmit the configured process data to the process data control system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.