Patent ID: 6470377
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: G05B,H04L

Abstract:
A system for effecting file operations at a computer numerical control on files accessed at a remote location through a standard, open network, comprising:a network; a plurality of computer numerical controls linked to the network; a plurality of machines, with each machine being able to undergo predetermined motions, each machine being linked to at least one computer numerical control of the plurality of computer numerical controls, wherein the at least one computer numerical control is able to control the motions of the machine to which it is linked; a plurality of workstations linked to the network, in which any but at least one workstation of the plurality of workstations includes a file handler; and at least one storage medium linked to the network, the at least one storage medium being configured to store a file having a machine control related program for the control of one or more of the plurality of machines, wherein the file handler is configured to selectively transfer the machine control program to the computer numerical control or to run the machine control program from its location on the at least one storage medium further wherein the file handler is connected to any of the plurality of computer numerical controls by a plurality of communication channels to permit simultaneous execution of one or more machine control programs while transferring another machine control program, wherein a part program, a part program subroutine and a macro can be executed at a given computer numerical control from either a memory of a computer numerical control or the at least one storage medium.