Patent Publication Number: US-2009225025-A1

Title: Graphical user interface for multi-point ionizer control

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to software control of one or more ionizers, which are designed to remove or minimize static charge accumulation. In particular, the invention addresses the graphical user interface which configures and monitors both ionizers and feedback sensors via an intermediate control module. 
     2. Description Of Related Art 
     Ionizers remove static charge by generating air ions and delivering those air ions to a charged target. Performance of the ionizer (or ionizers) is typically defined by discharge time, balance, and swing. Discharge time is a measure of how quickly a known charge is neutralized. Balance is a measure of whether positive and negative air ion concentrations are equal at the target. Ideal balance is zero. 
     Swing represents the peak-to-peak voltage excursions around the mean balance. Swing is important because sensitive electronic devices can be destroyed by excessive swing, even if balance is near zero. 
     At installation, values for discharge time, balance, and swing are established. 
     After installation, sensor feedback is used to maintain the initial conditions. Sensors can be integrated into an ionizer. Or remote sensors, usually near the target zone, can send adjustment signals back to ionizers. 
     Sensor integration allows the ionizer to maintain its performance within a limited range. The advantages of integrated architecture are (1) control is automatic, and (2) the operator does not have to get involved. The disadvantages are: (1) that control may not be sufficient for critical semiconductor, disk drive, and flat panel display applications, and (2) that the sensor may not reflect the conditions at the target. 
     One or more remote sensors near the target zone, and can be used to control one or more ionizers. This provides excellent control, and the remote sensor can be distant from the target. An example of a novel remote sensor is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/648,275, which is commonly owned by MKS Instruments at the time of this instant application filing. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/648,275 is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
     In a particularly useful and novel architecture, all ionizers and all sensors are connected via an intermediate module to a computer. This novel architecture is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,120 which is commonly owned by MKS Instruments at the time of this instant application filing. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,120 is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
     In practice, prototypes have demonstrated that this architecture is very flexible. For example, sensors can be placed virtually anywhere within the ionized work space, and calibrated to control ionizers positioned at distant locations. 
     The novel remote sensor of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/648,275 and the novel architecture of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,120 may be combined into an ionizing system. 
     However, a graphical user interface is needed that allows an operator to monitor and control the ionizing system. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a graphical user interface that allows an operator to monitor and control an ionizing system of multiple ionizers, multiple remote sensors, and an intermediate module. 
     Novelty for the instant graphical user interface arises from interfacing to novel features within U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/651,120 and 11/648,275. Operator-controllable fields within the graphical interface activate hardware and software components, which are recited in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/651,120 and 11/648,275 during setup, calibration and operation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an example of an interface screen for the invented graphic user interface. It shows fields for display and adjustment of feedback averages. Buttons for “set gain”, and “calibrate” are utilized during installation and calibration of remote sensors. 
         FIG. 2  shows a remote sensor connected to a first summing block, a second summing block, an accumulator, and a gain block setting. Feedback averages (displayed in  FIG. 1 ) are related to the percentage of feedback through a feedback loop which includes the accumulator. 
         FIG. 3  diagrams a remote sensor that is serially connected to a digitally-controlled analog amplifier and a programmable-gain amplifier. The “set gain” button (displayed in  FIG. 1 ) automatically adjusts operating parameters for the digitally-controlled analog amplifier and the programmable-gain amplifier. 
         FIG. 4  shows the feedback loop implemented in the intermediate module that is initiated when the “calibrate” button (displayed in  FIG. 1 ) is activated. In the graphical interface, when feedback is enabled, the real-time swing and real-time balance are loaded and stored in the swing set-point register and the balance set-point register, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invented graphical user interface is described from two interconnected viewpoints. The first viewpoint addresses fields on computer screens that the operator uses to communicate with the ionizing system. The second viewpoint addresses responses created within the ionizing system via the graphical user interface. The ionizing system (hardware and software) that is addressed via the graphical user interface embodies the technologies described by U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/651,120 and 11/648,275. 
     The ionizing system itself employs two technologies (1) remote sensors and (2) and an architecture for multiple ionizers and multiple remote sensors. The architecture employs an intermediate module wherein (1) the intermediate module receives information from sensors and ionizers, (2) hardware and algorithms within the intermediate module process the received information, and (3) the intermediate module forwards information back to sensors and ionizers. 
     A computer with the graphic user interface connects to the intermediate module. 
     Communication is bidirectional. Commands or adjustments from the computer are sent through the intermediate module to the ionizers and sensors. Information from the ionizers and sensors are sent through the intermediate module to the computer. Using the graphical user interface, an operator sets up the ionizing system, calibrates the ionizing system, and monitors the ionizing system. 
       FIG. 1  shows one layout embodiment for a top level screen of the graphic user interface  1 . 
     Fields within the graphic interface  1  are used to activate the novel features of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/651,120 and 11/648,275. 
     For example, positive and negative feedback averages  2  within the graphic interface  1  are used to control the time necessary to recover from a balance disturbance. 
       FIG. 2  shows the components of the ionizer system that relate to feedback averages  2 . Feedback averages  2  allow an operator to monitor or change the level of feedback through an accumulator  18 . In a best mode contemplated, the accumulator  18  is housed within an intermediate module  11 . 
     The accumulator  18  receives signal information from the remote sensor  14  through two summing blocks  12 ,  13 . The second summing block  13  is part of a feedback loop  30  which further includes the gain block  19 . Gain block  19  determines the fraction of the accumulator  18  output which is returned to the input of the accumulator  18  via the second summing block  13 . 
     Changing the feedback averages  2  in  FIG. 1  changes the gain block  19  in  FIG. 2 , which in turn changes the fraction of the accumulator  18  output that is returned to the accumulator  18  input via the second summing block  13 . 
     Feedback averages  2  (positive and negative) in  FIG. 1  are unique to the invented graphical interface. Their inclusion reflects unique technology diagrammed in  FIG. 2 . No other ionizer system employs summing blocks  12 ,  13 , an accumulator  18 , and gain block  19  technology in an equivalent way to achieve an equivalent feedback mechanism. 
     Feedback averages  2  within  FIG. 1  are also utilized during the matching procedure, wherein a remote sensor&#39;s balance is adjusted to match a known ion balance at a distant location. 
     The feedback averages  2  in  FIG. 1  determine the gain block  19  setting in  FIG. 2 . The gain block  19  setting, in turn, is used to define the fixed balancing number  21  that is added to the first summing block  12  during setup. No other ionizer system employs a fixed balancing number  21 , summing blocks  12 ,  13 , an accumulator  18 , and gain block  19  technology in an equivalent way to perform an equivalent matching procedure. 
     A second unique feature of the graphic interface  1  in  FIG. 1  is the set gain button  3 . The set gain button  3  in  FIG. 1  initiates the first step of a three-step calibration procedure, and reflects the capability of locating the ionizers and remote sensors virtually anywhere in the work zone. 
     Again, the set gain button  3  of the graphical user interface  1  is novel because it initiates a novel calibration procedure. No prior art ionization system has an equivalent set gain button  3  that performs the same function in the same way. 
     After physically placing remote sensors and ionizers, the set gain button  3  initiates a gain level adjustment that (1) assures an adequate sensor signal-to-noise, and (2) assures a D/A converter operates in a well-resolved range. This is particularly important because the remote sensor is typically small, and it may be placed in a region where few air ions are present. 
     The set gain button  3  in  FIG. 1  controls hardware and software described in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  shows ionizing system components that are affected by the set gain button  3  in  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , a remote sensor plate  5  is connected to gain block  24 , feeding D/A converter  6 . The gain block  24  consists of a digitally-controlled analog amplifier  112 , followed by a programmable-gain amplifier  113 . The two amplifiers  112  and  113  are controlled and adjusted by the set gain button  3  of the graphical interface  1  in  FIG. 1 . 
     In a series of iterations, peak values of the signal waveform are quantified. If either peak value is near the limit or if the difference of the peak values is very high, amplifier  112 ,  113  gains are scaled down to prevent overload. Conversely, if the difference of the peak values is very low, amplifier  112 ,  113  gains are scaled up, for maximum sensitivity and noise immunity. 
       FIG. 3  also shows an D/A converter. The second function of the set-gain button  3  is to set the D/A converter  6  to operate in a highly resolved (upper) range. 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , the graphic interface  1  contains a third unique feature. It is the calibrate button  4 . The calibrate button  4  is employed during part of a calibration procedure. No prior art ionization system has an equivalent calibrate button  4  that performs the same calibration in the same way. 
     The calibrate field  4  in  FIG. 1  is used to establish values for components shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Refer to  FIG. 4 . The calibration feature tells a sensor  23  to zero itself by off-setting a balance signal  45  to match a zeroed CPM. This is accomplished by storing an offset value in a balance set point register  38 . 
     At the same time, swing signal  36  and balance signals  45  from remote sensors  23  are converted into volts. The logical sequence for performing this is fully described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,120, which has been incorporated by reference. Numerical references  31 ,  32 ,  37 ,  39 ,  40 ,  41 ,  42 ,  43 , and  44  maintain the same descriptions found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,120. 
     In functional terms, the offsetting of balance plus the matching of swing allow a remote sensor to mimic a charged plate monitor stationed at the target. This is true even when the target zone is distant from the remote sensor.