Feeder/programming/buffer control system and control method

A control system for a system having an interconnected programmable device feeder, handling, programming, and output mechanisms, comprising:

• a control agent;
• a user interface subsystem connected to communicate instructions to and from the control agent;
• a robotic control subsystem including:
• an input unit responsive to the control agent to control the programmable device feeder mechanism to feed a programmable device, which is unprogrammed,
• a robotic handling unit responsive to the control agent to control the handling mechanism for handling the programmable device among the feeder, the programming, and the output mechanisms,
• a probe control unit responsive to the control agent for picking and placing the programmable device,
• a programming actuator unit for controlling the engagement of the programmable device in the programming mechanism, and
• an output unit responsive to the control agent to control the output mechanism to output the programmable device, which is programmed;
• a programming control subsystem responsive to the control agent to control the programming mechanism to program the programmable device;
• and
• a job manager control connected to the control agent capable of communicating information with the programming control subsystem related to the programmable device, the job manager control having a job information module containing:
• job statistics,
• device data, and
• job parameters.

A method for controlling a system having an interconnected micro device feeder, handling, processing, and output mechanisms, comprising:

• providing a control agent;
• communicating instructions to and from the control agent to an interface connected thereto;
• providing a robotic control subsystem including:
• controlling the micro device feeder mechanism to provide a micro device using an input unit responsive to the control agent,
• controlling the handling mechanism for handling the micro device between the feeder and the output mechanisms using a robotic control subsystem responsive to the control agent, and
• controlling the output mechanism to output the micro device using an output unit responsive to the control agent;
• controlling the processing mechanism to process the micro device using a processing control subsystem responsive to the control agent;
• communicating information with the processing control subsystem related to the micro device using a job manager control connected to the control agent;
• and
• providing the job manager control with a job information module containing:
• job statistics,
• device data, and
• job parameters.

A method for controlling a system having an interconnected programmable device feeder, handling, programming, and output mechanisms, comprising:

• providing a control agent;
• communicating instructions to and from the control agent using a user interface subsystem;
• providing a robotic control subsystem including:
• controlling the programmable device feeder mechanism to feed a programmable device, which is unprogrammed, using an input unit responsive to the control agent,
• controlling the handling mechanism for handling the programmable device among the feeder, the programming, and the output mechanisms using a robotic handling unit responsive to the control agent,
• picking and placing the programmable device using a probe control unit responsive to the control agent,
• controlling the engagement of the programmable device in the programming mechanism using a programming actuator unit, and
• controlling the output mechanism to output the programmable device, which is programmed, using an output unit responsive to the control agent;
• controlling the programming mechanism to program the programmable device using a programming control subsystem responsive to the control agent;
• communicating information with the programming control subsystem related to the programmable device using a job manager control connected to the control agent;
• and
• providing the job manager control with a job information module containing:
• job statistics,
• device data, and
• job parameters.