Vacuum network controller

A vacuum network, comprising:

• a vacuum network controller, including:
• a processor;
• a host interface in communication with the processor for interfacing with a host controller;
• a component interface in communication with the processor, comprising a plurality of interfaces for interfacing with respective vacuum system components, including vacuum system components other than vacuum pumps, using distinct communication protocols;
• a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium storing computer-executable software code for:
• generating commands to control vacuum system components;
• selecting from a library of component software drivers for a plurality of communication protocols;
• translating the commands into the control vacuum system components' respective communication protocols with the selected component software driver;
• and
• communicating the translated commands to the respective component interfaces;
• and
• a plurality of vacuum system components in communication with the component interface, different members of the plurality of vacuum system components responding to distinct communication protocols.

A method embedded in a set of computer-translatable instructions performed in a controller for controlling a vacuum network, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving an instruction from a host controller;
• b) processing the instruction to generate a command for controlling a vacuum system component;
• c) selecting from a library of component software drivers for a plurality of communication protocols;
• d) translating the command into one of the plurality of communication protocols with the selected component software driver for the vacuum system component;
• and
• e) communicating the translated command to one of a plurality of component interfaces to control the operation of the vacuum system component.

A method embedded in a set of computer-translatable instructions performed in a controller for controlling a vacuum network, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an instruction from a host controller;
• translating the instruction into an internal protocol;
• processing the translated instruction to generate a command for controlling a vacuum system component;
• selecting from a library of component software drivers for a plurality of communication protocols;
• translating the command into a component protocol with the selected component software driver for the vacuum system component;
• and
• communicating the translated command to one of a plurality of component interfaces to control the operation of the vacuum system component.

A vacuum network controller comprising:

• a host interface for communicating with a tool host;
• a component interface comprising a plurality of interfaces for communicating with components of a vacuum network, including vacuum system components other than vacuum pumps;
• a processor programmed to control the components of the vacuum network;
• and a library of component software drivers for a plurality of communication protocols
• means for translating commands from the processor into any of a plurality of communication protocols with a selected component software driver for communicating with the respective components of the vacuum network.