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US 6,216,051 B1Granted
Manufacturing backup system
AssigneeNEC Electronics Corporation
InventorsArthur L. Hager, III, Brian E. Marchant, Shouping Chuang, Ki Duk Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manufacturing system is disclosed which includes first and second control devices as well as a communication terminal which controls communication with the control devices. The communications terminal includes an interceptor module which receives information from the manufacturing device and provides this information to the first and second control devices.
Claims40
A manufacturing system comprising
- a communications terminal, the communications terminal being coupled to a manufacturing device,
- a first control device, the first control device being coupled to the communications terminal, and
- a second control device, the second control device being coupled to the communications terminal,
- the communications terminal including an independent interceptor module, the independent interceptor module receiving a first response from one of the first and second control devices, storing the response until a second response is received from the other of the first and second control devices, comparing the first and second responses to independently determine whether a potential fault exists with one of the first and second control devices, and determining which of the first and second responses to provide to the manufacturing device,
- wherein the independent interceptor module is independent of the first and second control devices,
- the combination of the communications terminal and the first and second control devices providing a backup system to provide continuous operation of the manufacturing system in the event that there is a fault with one of the first and second control devices.
3 more elements
A manufacturing system comprising:
- a manufacturing device;
- a communications terminal, the communications terminal being coupled to the manufacturing device, the communications terminal including an independent interceptor portion;
- an interceptor controller, the interceptor controller being coupled to the independent interceptor portion;
- a first control device, the first control device being coupled to the communications terminal;
- and
- a second control device, the second control device being coupled to the communications terminal;
- and wherein
- the independent interceptor portion and the interceptor controller together comprise an independent interceptor module, the independent interceptor module storing responses from each of the first and second control devices responsive to receiving the responses, and comparing received responses to determine which of the received responses to provide to the manufacturing device and to identify whether a potential fault exists with one of the first and second control devices, the interceptor module comparing the received responses responsive to storing a response from each control device for which no potential fault is identified;
- the independent interceptor module is independent of the first and second control devices;
- and
- the combination of the communications terminal, the interceptor controller, and the first and second control devices providing a backup system, the backup system providing continuous operation of the manufacturing system in the event that there is a fault with one of the first and second control devices.
8 more elements
A high availability manufacturing system for providing continuous operation in the event of a fault within the manufacturing system, the manufacturing system comprising:
- a plurality of control devices;
- a manufacturing device;
- a communications terminal coupled to the plurality of control devices and to the manufacturing device, the communications terminal including an interceptor portion, the interceptor portion being independent of the control devices;
- and
- an interceptor controller coupled to the interceptor portion of the communications terminal, the interceptor controller and the interceptor portion together comprising an interceptor module, the interceptor module including
- means for receiving a first response from one of the control devices;
- means for storing the response until a second response is received from the other of the control devices;
- means for comparing the first and second responses to independently determine whether a potential fault exists with one of the control devices;
- and
- means for determining which of the first and second responses to provide to the manufacturing device.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.