Abstract: A linear motor includes a magnetic assembly and a coil assembly having at least one coil positioned to magnetically engage the magnetic assembly for linear displacement between the magnetic assembly and the coil assembly. The linear motor further includes an encoder strip attached to one of the magnetic assembly and the coil assembly and an encoder reader attached to the other one of the magnetic assembly and the coil assembly to read the encoder strip during the linear displacement between the magnetic assembly and the coil assembly.

Abstract: A motion system and method of managing health of the motion system uses at least one multi-dimensional motor operational parameter (MOP) model and motion variables used by a servo drive of the motion system to calculate at least one health indication value for the motion system. The health indication value is used to generate a notification for maintenance of the motion system.

Abstract: A motion system and method for motion performance modeling and monitoring the motion system uses a baseline motion performance model of the motion system, which is created by collecting motor operating variables, to compare real-time motor operating variables with values of the baseline motion performance model to determine the performance state of the motion system.

Abstract: A motion system and method of managing health of the motion system uses exclusively motion variables used by a servo drive of the motion system to calculate at least one health indication value for the motion system. The health indication value is used to generate a notification for maintenance of the motion system.

Abstract: A motor and a method of operating the motor uses an encoder disk attached to the rotor of the motor and an encoder reader positioned to optically obtain rotational information of the rotor. The encoder disk and the encoder reader are located within an interior region of the stator of the motor in which the rotor is positioned to rotate.

Abstract: A linear brushless DC motor uses a movable coil assembly, which includes at least one coil, an amplifier and a motor controller, that is configured to move relative to a stationary base assembly. The coil, the amplifier and the motor controller are assembled so that the coil, the amplifier and the motor controller are collectively displaced when the movable coil assembly is moved relative to the stationary base assembly.

Abstract: An optical encoder and method for measuring displacement information using an optical encoder uses an encoder member with multiple digital diffractive optic regions to optically diffract an incident beam of light to produce output beams of light having intensity distribution patterns, which are used to generate electrical signals that provide relative displacement information of the encoder member.

Abstract: A stepper motor device uses compensating non-sinusoidal driving values to compensate for operational non-sinusoidal drive characteristics of a motor of the device due to at least design and manufacturing imperfections in the motor. The compensating non-sinusoidal driving values may be derived using back electromagnetic force produced from the motor or using measured rotational positions of the motor when the motor is driven using known driving values.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing substrates uses one or more vacuum transfer chamber units to transfer some of the substrates between at least one load lock chamber unit and at least one vacuum process chamber unit.

Abstract: An optical encoder uses an encoder member with one or more digital diffractive optic regions to optically manipulate an incident beam of light to extract relative displacement information of the encoder member.

Abstract: An integrated motor device with driver circuitry and method of setting and reading configuration parameters of the driver circuitry uses configuration data embedded in driver control signals to set at least one configuration parameter of the driver circuitry.

Abstract: A microstepper motor device and method of controlling the device uses a microcontroller that provides current sinusoidal values from at least one array of sinusoidal values to power circuitry of the device in response to control signals. The power circuitry is connected to a stepper motor of the device to supply power signals to the stepper motor using the current sinusoidal values. The microcontroller is configured to index the at least one array of sinusoidal values to the current sinusoidal values in response to the control signals as part of an interrupt service routine of the microcontroller. The microcontroller is further configured to transmit the current sinusoidal values to the power circuitry as part of a non-interrupt routine of the microcontroller.