Patents Assigned to Automation, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8356207
    Abstract: A system for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis includes a data collection function that acquires time histories of selected variables for one or more of the components, a pre-processing function that calculates specified characteristics of the time histories, an analysis function for evaluating the characteristics to produce one or more hypotheses of a condition of the one or more components, and a reasoning function for determining the condition of the one or more components from the one or more hypotheses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Hosek, Jay Krishnasamy, Jan Prochazka
  • Publication number: 20130011226
    Abstract: A modular sample storeincluding a storage area; a service area; a transfer area; a motorized robot with a lifting device and at least one platform; and a controller. The sample store service area includes one integrally formed cubic vat module and the sample store storage area includes at least one integrally formed cubic vat module. Each one of the aforementioned vat modules includes an essentially horizontal vat floor and four joining vat walls that are connected to the vat floor and that are leaving an open vat space. The modular sample store also includes upper side walls and a cover plate to close the sample store. Each vat floor and vat wall includes an outside liner and an inside liner, which outside and inside liners in each case are separated by a clearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
    Inventors: Johann Camenisch, Beat Reuteler, Mirko Hebenstreit, Jurg Tanner, Christian Cachelin
  • Publication number: 20120321427
    Abstract: A robot has a robot arm, a support structure, and a movable platform. The platform includes a cantilevered member coupled to a guide of the support structure such that motion of the platform is directed along a first direction. The robot further includes first and second timing belts having portions that extend along the first direction and that are disposed on opposite sides of the cantilevered member, and first and second shafts movable with the movable platform. The shafts are coupled to the respective timing belts, to the robot arm such that rotation of the first shaft imparts angular motion to the robot arm and rotation of the second shaft imparts radial motion. The robot also includes a third timing belt to which the platform is coupled and by which it is moved. Motors are provided that impart movement to the timing belts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Genmark Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Todorov
  • Publication number: 20120319844
    Abstract: A security system for detecting physical intrusion in a monitored area including a plurality of radio units arranged in a network around the monitored area to determine received signal strength and pass variations thereof through the radio units to a base station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric van Doorn, Sendil Rangaswamy
  • Publication number: 20120321423
    Abstract: A workpiece container storage and handling system includes a base, a number of wheels connected to the base, and a container handling system connected to the base. The wheels provide for movement of the base. The container handling system is defined to hold at least two containers in a vertically overlying orientation relative to each other. The container handling system is defined to provide for controlled vertical travel of the at least two containers in unison relative to the base. Also, the container handling system is defined to provide for controlled and independent horizontal travel of each of the at least two containers relative to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Crossing Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. MacKnight, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 8328495
    Abstract: A semiconductor workpiece processing system having at least one processing apparatus for processing workpieces, a primary transport system, a secondary transport system and one or more interfaces between first transport system and second transport system. The primary and secondary transport systems each have one or more sections of substantially constant velocity and in queue sections communicating with the constant velocity sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Bufano, Ulysses Gilchrist, William Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, Daniel Babbs, Robert C. May
  • Patent number: 8332188
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to generate and evolve canonical form expressions representing a characteristic of a given system. Static and dynamic behavior of non-linear electrical circuits can be modeled. Searching of canonical form expressions can use evolutionary algorithms, simulated annealing and Tabu searching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Solido Design Automation Inc.
    Inventor: Trent Lorne McConaghy
  • Publication number: 20120310619
    Abstract: For application to analog, mixed-signal, and custom digital circuits, as well as other fields have use for high-dimensional regression, or symbolic modeling, a system and method to extract functions, where each function relates a set of input variables to an output variable (performance metric). The technique enumerates a large set of candidate basis functions, performs pathwise regularized learning on those basis functions to generate a set of candidate models, and finally performs nondominated filtering to identify models that trade off complexity versus error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: SOLIDO DESIGN AUTOMATION INC.
    Inventor: Trent Lorne McCONAGHY
  • Publication number: 20120301260
    Abstract: A spiral cam has a tubular shaped portion defined by an interior cavity and an exterior surface that includes a cam contour. A linear slide assembly having a length defined along a rotational axis is defined to slide lengthwise into the interior cavity of the spiral cam. The linear slide assembly allows for movement of the spiral cam along the rotational axis and prevents rotation of the spiral cam relative to the linear slide assembly. A cam roller is fixed at a position proximate to the exterior surface of the spiral cam. The cam roller is disposed separate from the linear slide assembly and within the cam contour of the spiral cam. The cam roller engages the cam contour to move of the spiral cam along the rotational axis when the linear slide assembly and spiral cam are rotated in unison about the rotational axis relative to the cam roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Crossing Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 8313277
    Abstract: A variety of process modules are described for use in semiconductor manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter van der Meulen, Christopher C Kiley, Patrick D. Pannese
  • Publication number: 20120290126
    Abstract: Various methods, apparatuses, and program products that are used to control at least a portion of a conveyor, determine information about an article conveyed by the conveyor, or otherwise operate a conveyor are provided. One method includes detecting whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the first conveyor controller and, in response to detecting that there is a second conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller, identifying whether the second conveyor controller is connected to a predetermined network interface of the first conveyor controller. The method further includes configuring the first conveyor controller to rotate a motorized roller in a first predetermined direction if a second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface and configuring the first conveyor controller to rotate the motorized roller in a second predetermined direction if a second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: INSIGHT AUTOMATION, INC.
    Inventors: Charles R. Combs, James P. Knaple, Dimitar ivanov Petrov, Timothy A. Barnes, David W. Sellers
  • Patent number: 8303764
    Abstract: There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A key element is the use of a transport chamber along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers and then out of the controlled atmosphere following processing in the processing chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Bluck, Kevin P. Fairbairn, Michael S. Barnes, Christopher T. Lane
  • Publication number: 20120272500
    Abstract: A storage stack for storing sample containers in a low temperature sample store. The low temperature sample store is equipped with a robot that acts according to Cartesian X, Y, and Z coordinates for horizontally positioning sample containers in X/Y planes inside of individual storage stacks and for vertically moving individual storage stacks within the low temperature sample store in Z direction. The sample store defines a storage area for accommodating an array of m×n storage stacks that are accomplished to be oriented adjacent to each other and parallel to the vertical Z direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Beat Reuteler
  • Patent number: 8297604
    Abstract: A plate pin assembly for use with a fixture that holds multiple plate pin assemblies for use in chassis-body marriage during the manufacturing of automobiles. The plate pin assembly has a lower end that fits into a bushing hole on the fixture to attach the plate pin assembly to the fixture, an upper end that supports or otherwise interacts with the vehicle chassis or body, and a quick-disconnect mechanism to enable fast changeover of the plate pin assemblies on the fixture when switching from one vehicle application to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Fori Automation, Inc., Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Paul George Doan, Brad Holoday, Michael D. Kelly, Gordon W. Smith, James J. Phlypo
  • Patent number: 8299742
    Abstract: A method for decelerating a motor in a computer numerical controlled machine tool is provided. The method includes calculating a present rate of deceleration DP, for a motor of a motor drive system, based on a present speed SP of the motor, a reference speed SR of the motor, and a reference rate of deceleration DR of the motor. The method also includes decelerating the motor from SP according to DP. The motor drive system comprises a maximum power rating that defines a maximum power, generated by the motor while decelerating, that can be dissipated without overloading the motor drive system. DR is a rate of deceleration such that power, generated by the motor while decelerating from SR according to DR, is equal to the maximum power rating. Power, generated while decelerating the motor from SP according to DP, is equal to or less than the maximum power rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Haas Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph V. Soliman, German M. Chistokhodov, Barry D. Johnson, Robert M. Weston, Razmik G. Petrossians
  • Patent number: 8297319
    Abstract: A method for pressurizing a substrate carrier including pressurizing a chamber that is of unitary construction with the carrier and/or a substrate cassette within the carrier and maintaining a pressure within the carrier by releasing gas from the chamber into the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Babbs, William Fosnight
  • Patent number: 8292063
    Abstract: A twin strand conveyor uses roller chains to move pallets along straight conveyor sections and an unpowered corner assembly that enables the pallets to glide around corners of the conveyor. The pallets are transferred from an upstream conveyor section into the corner assembly using a corner injection unit that includes powered rollers that lift the pallets off the roller chains an onto a set of ball transfers that support the pallets as they glide through the corner assembly. A pickup unit having powered rollers draws the pallets off the ball transfers and onto the roller chains of the downstream conveyor section. Side guides are used to direct the pallets around the turn and onto the downstream conveyor section. One or more movable guides can be used in conjunction with a third or more conveyor sections to permit selective diverting of the pallets between the different conveyor sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fori Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul George Doan
  • Patent number: 8292563
    Abstract: A sorter for handling and sorting semiconductor wafers is provided. The sorter has a housing, a handling and transport device and at least one nonproduction wafer buffer module. The housing has at least one holding area for interfacing one or more semiconductor wafer carriers to the housing. The housing defines an access path along which semiconductor wafers are transported between the housing and the one or more semiconductor wafer carriers. The handling and transport device is connected to the housing for transporting semiconductor wafers along the access path. The at least one nonproduction wafer buffer module is connected to the housing. The at least one nonproduction wafer buffer module buffers nonproduction wafers sorted by the sorter to one or more semiconductor wafer carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Clinton M. Haris
  • Patent number: 8293066
    Abstract: There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A key element is the use of a transport chamber along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers and then out of the controlled atmosphere following processing in the processing chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Bluck, Kevin P. Fairbairn, Michael S. Barnes, Christopher T. Lane
  • Patent number: 8294403
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining and displaying a time to overload of a motor in a computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine tool are provided. A method includes monitoring a fuse level of a motor in a CNC machine tool and calculating a time to overload of the motor based on the fuse level. The method further includes displaying the time to overload on a user interface based on the fuse level of the motor and a load acting on the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Haas Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene F. Haas, Kurt P. Zierhut