Abstract: A portable display unit includes a serial port to connect to a device such as a vacuum network controller, cryopump, turbomolecular pump, gauges or compressor. In particular, the display unit can be plugged and unplugged to devices of different types. The portable display unit includes a display and control keys for programming, controlling and monitoring the functions of a device. The device accessible to the display unit includes a display interface having software code and files to interface with the display unit. Accordingly, the portable display unit can be used with any device having software code to interface with the display unit. The software code generates, refreshes and communicates menus to the portable display unit to provide graphical interface of the device's functions. The portable display unit further includes inner and outer hand grips so that the display unit can be held by hands of different sizes.

Abstract: A vacuum network controller includes a host interface for interfacing with a host controller, a component interface for interfacing with vacuum system components, a computer-readable medium storing software code, and a processor in communication with each of the preceding elements. The software code generates commands to control the vacuum system components, translates those commands into multiple communication protocols, and communicates the translated commands to the component interface. In a method embedded in a set of computer-translatable instructions, an instruction is received from a host controller. That instruction is processed to generate a command for controlling a vacuum system component. A software driver is selected from a library of drivers for communication protocols, and the selected software driver is used to translate the command into the respective protocol. Finally, the translated command is communicated to a component interface to control the operation of the vacuum system component.