Workcell controller employing entity-server model for physical objects and logical abstractions

In a factory including a workcell for controlling a plurality of machines to perform a plurality of operations on a plurality of lots of work-in-progress (WIP), said workcell including a workcell controller comprising:

• a machine entity class including a plurality of machine entities respectively corresponding to said plurality of machines, each including storage for data specific to its corresponding machine and a script describing the behavior of said corresponding machine, said machine entity class further including a machine entity server for managing said plurality of machine entities and providing machine-entity-specific services;
• a lot entity class including a plurality of lot entities respectively corresponding to said plurality of lots of WIP, each including storage for data specific to its corresponding lot of WIP and a script describing the behavior of said lot of WIP, said lot entity class further including a lot entity server for managing said plurality of lot entities and providing lot-entity-specific services;
• and
• an operation entity class including a plurality of operation entities respectively corresponding to said plurality of operations, each including storage for data specific to its corresponding operation and a script describing the behavior of said operation, said operation class further including an operation server for managing said plurality of operation entities and providing operation-specific services;
• wherein:
• said machine entity, said lot entity, and said operation entity communicate by sending messages to, and receiving messages from each other.

A computer operated workcell controller for controlling and/or monitoring physical objects, including a plurality of machines, and logical abstractions, including a plurality of operations related to said machines, in order to perform steps of a manufacturing process in an automated factory system, comprising:

• a plurality of machine entities respectively representing corresponding ones of said plurality of machines, each machine entity being a separate programming object including data specific to its corresponding machine and a script describing a specific behavior of and being dependent upon a specific state of said machine in performing a step of the manufacturing process;
• a plurality of operation entities respectively representing corresponding ones of said plurality of operations, each operation entity being a separate programming object including data specific to its corresponding operation and a script describing the behavior of said operation for controlling and/or monitoring the performance of a step by a machine in the manufacturing process but being independent of the specific state of any specific machine;
• and
• entity activity control means, including an executable computer program of said controller and exchanging of messages among said operation entities and said machine entities, for controlling the execution of the respective scripts of said machine entities and said operation entities to perform the steps of the manufacturing process in the automated factory system.