Patent ID: 7477948
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling a plurality of hardware devices of a semiconductor processing system via a distributed control system comprising an upper-level controller and a plurality of lower-level controllers coupled with the upper-level controller, the method comprising: a) providing a program sequence for the upper-level controller, wherein the program sequence includes a plurality of instructions for controlling one or more of the hardware devices of the processing system via one or more of the lower-level controller(s); b) translating a selected one of the instructions into a translated set of instructions that include a translation of the selected instruction and one or more interlock checks for determining whether a condition has been met prior to execution of the translated, selected instruction, wherein the translated set of instructions are executable by a selected lower-level controller; c) making the translated set of instructions accessible to the selected lower-level controller so that the selected lower-level controller can execute the translated set of instructions, including the one or more interlock check(s) and the translated, selected instruction; and d) initiating execution of a process in the processing system based in part on execution of the translated set of instructions by the selected lower-level controller.