Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
In a cartridge handling system, a process for performing a plurality of commands for moving a transport of said handling system from a first location to a second location, and correcting movement errors encountered during such moving, said process comprising the steps of: (a) starting a foreground process to perform high level moving functions, wherein said high level moving functions comprise the steps of receiving a movement command, creating movement parameters for a servo move profile defining movement of said transport in performing said movement command, and initiating transport movement; (b) starting a background process to perform low level moving functions, wherein said low level moving functions comprise the steps of building a servo move profile using said movement parameters, sending electrical signals to motors connected to said transport to cause said motors to move said transport along said servo move profile, and monitoring said electrical signals and determining if said transport movement follows said servo move profile; (c) if an error condition is encountered by said background process, stopping said background process and setting the value of a state update flag whereby further updates of a machine state are prevented; (d) completing said foreground process; and (e) if said state update flag indicates an error, performing error recovery using said machine state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
In a cartridge handling system, a process for performing a plurality of commands for moving a transport of said handling system from a first location to a second location, and correcting movement errors encountered during such moving, said process comprising the steps of: (a) starting a foreground process to perform high level moving functions, wherein said high level moving functions comprise the steps of receiving a movement command, creating movement parameters for a servo move profile defining movement of said transport in performing said movement command, and initiating transport movement; (b) starting a background process to perform low level moving functions, wherein said low level moving functions comprise the steps of building a servo move profile using said movement parameters, sending electrical signals to motors connected to said transport to cause said motors to move said transport along said servo move profile, and monitoring said electrical signals and determining if said transport movement follows said servo move profile; (c) if an error condition is encountered by said background process, stopping said background process and setting the value of a state update flag whereby further updates of a machine state are prevented; (d) completing said foreground process; and (e) if said state update flag indicates an error, performing error recovery using said machine state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of storing a movement identification indicator in said machine state (176) for each part of said command.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 2 wherein step (e) further comprises the step of performing a different initial mechanism error recovery function for each movement identification indicator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 3 wherein step (e) further comprises the step of using measured force to select one of a pre-determined sequence of sub-movements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 2 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of storing said command and said movement identification indicator in non-volatile storage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein step (e) further comprises the step of performing a different error recovery function for each command.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The process of claim 6 wherein step (e) further comprises the steps of: (e1) placing said transport into a known state; (e2) retrying said part of said movement identified by said command; (e3) if step (e2) is unsuccessful, restoring said transport to a state prior to starting said command; and (e4) if step (e3) is unsuccessful, disabling further movement of said transport.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 6 wherein step (e) further comprises the step of re-executing steps (a) through (d) for each command created during error recovery.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a cartridge handling system, a process for performing a plurality of commands for moving a transport of said handling system from a first location to a second location, and correcting movement errors encountered if an electrical power failure occurs during such moving, said process comprising the steps of: (a) recording a command indicator in non-volatile storage before starting each command; (b) removing said command indicator from said non-volatile storage after said movement is complete; and (c) if a command indicator is present in said non-volatile storage when electrical power is re-applied to said cartridge handling system, using said command indicator to perform error correction operations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a cartridge handling system, a process for performing a plurality of commands for moving a transport of said handling system from a first location to a second location, and correcting movement errors encountered if an electrical power failure occurs during such moving, said process comprising the steps of: (a) recording a command indicator in non-volatile storage before starting each command; (b) removing said command indicator from said non-volatile storage after said movement is complete; and (c) if a command indicator is present in said non-volatile storage when electrical power is re-applied to said cartridge handling system, using said command indicator to perform error correction operations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 9 wherein step (a) further comprises the step of recording each movement identification of each of said commands and step (c) further comprises using sub-movement identification.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 9 wherein step (c) further comprises the step of using measured force to select one of a pre-determined sequence of sub-movements.