Cassette control method, pathology slide scanner, and storage medium

Abstract

This application discloses a slide tray control method, a pathological slide scanner, and a storage medium, comprising: driving the slide tray to move along a retraction trajectory towards the pick-up / placement port, generating a passive retrieval displacement towards the pick-up / placement port; after the slide tray undergoes passive retrieval displacement, driving the slide tray to a preset slide tray opening pick-up / placement stop position; when the slide tray is at the slide tray opening pick-up / placement stop position, activating a scan interlock state to refuse to execute the scan start command; using a position sensor to collect a position signal at a preset polling cycle to determine whether the slide tray has been pushed back into position; when the position signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold, determining that the slide tray has been pushed back into position, and releasing the scan interlock state. This application utilizes the geometric coupling between the fixed slide pusher and retraction trajectory to achieve passive retrieval displacement, reducing the dependence on software extrapolation parameters, and combining position signal anti-shake confirmation and interlocking mechanisms to prohibit scan start when the slide tray has not fully returned to its position, improving operational convenience and operational safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device application technology, and in particular to a chip tray control method, device and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Pathology slide scanners play a crucial role in clinical pathology diagnosis and digital archiving, converting slide samples into high-resolution digital images. Multi-station scanners typically feature slide trays (or slide cassettes) that can be pushed into the machine body to hold batches of slides to be scanned. In a single-batch scanning workflow, the operator must remove the slide tray from the machine body, place the slides inside, and then push the tray back into the working position. Due to the compact layout of the scanning optical path and stage movement mechanism, the slide tray often only rests deep inside the frame after the retraction action, with most of its body still embedded within the machine body. The operator must reach deep into the access channel to reach and grasp the slides. This process is not only inconvenient but also prone to accidental contact with surrounding optical components or positioning structures, leading to component displacement or contamination, affecting subsequent scanning accuracy and equipment maintenance costs. This difficulty in accessing and placing slides due to the mismatch between the depth of the slide tray access port and the amount of exposed slide body is particularly prominent in high-throughput clinical scenarios with frequent tray changes.

[0003] To address the aforementioned inconvenience in loading and unloading, one adopted improvement is to have the control unit instruct the motor to extend an additional outward stroke after the wafer tray has retracted to the reference position, allowing the wafer tray to be exposed beyond the loading / unloading port. While this solution partially alleviates the wafer tray depth issue, it relies entirely on the configuration of control parameters and software stroke management for the retrieval function. In actual assembly, adjustment, and mass production, the additional outward extension distance for each machine needs to be calibrated and repeatedly coordinated with the wafer tray's stopping position, increasing the complexity of parameter management and the burden of consistency maintenance. Furthermore, this software-based method of adding stroke does not utilize the existing fixed geometric features within the machine body, leading to redundant control loops and potential cumulative motion errors when implementing the retrieval function.

[0004] Furthermore, during the slide compartment return process, if the operator pushes the slide compartment into the machine but fails to press it into the fully locked working position, the scanning system, lacking a reliable positioning confirmation mechanism, may initiate stage movement while the slide compartment is not in position. This could cause mechanical interference between the slide compartment and the moving mechanism, resulting in slide breakage or equipment hardware damage. Relying solely on the control software to poll and sample the positioning signal has timing loopholes when dealing with physical uncertainties such as mechanical contact jitter and instantaneous sensor disturbances, making it difficult to provide definitive interlocking guarantees for every operation.

[0005] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of this application and does not represent an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this application is to provide a slide compartment control method, device, and storage medium, which aims to solve the technical problem of redundancy and insufficient reliability of the existing interlocking structure for slide compartment retrieval and return in pathological slide scanners.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a chip warehouse control method, the method comprising: In response to the return command, the drive mechanism drives the wafer compartment to move along the return trajectory toward the pick-up / drop-off port; Within the preset physical contact zone of the retraction trajectory, the wafer tray undergoes structural interference collision with the fixed pusher plate fixed on the opposite side of the rack pick-up and drop-out port, causing the wafer tray to generate a passive retrieval displacement relative to the support bracket towards the pick-up and drop-out port while maintaining its transmission connection with the drive mechanism. After the wafer compartment completes the passive retrieval displacement, the wafer compartment continues to move to the preset wafer compartment opening retrieval and docking position; When the chip tray is detected to be in the chip tray opening docking position, the scanning interlock state is activated. In the scanning interlock state, the scanning start command is refused to be executed, and the user is prompted to push the chip tray back into place through the human-machine interaction unit. The system collects positioning signals using positioning sensors at a preset polling cycle, and determines whether the chip compartment has been pushed back into place based on the positioning signals. When the arrival signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than the preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold, it is determined that the chip tray has been pushed back into place, and the scan interlock state is released, thereby allowing the execution of the scan start command.

[0008] In one embodiment, the positioning sensor is at least one of a photoelectric switch, a micro switch, or a magnetic induction switch; the preset polling period does not exceed 10ms; the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is a configurable parameter; and the value range of the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is 30ms to 100ms.

[0009] In one embodiment, the displacement range of the passive assisted displacement is 5mm to 20mm, and the displacement is calibrated by adjusting the mounting position of the fixed push plate on the frame or the extension length of the fixed push plate.

[0010] In one embodiment, the step of driving the wafer tray along the return trajectory toward the pick-and-place port via a drive mechanism in response to a return command includes: The drive current of the drive mechanism is monitored in real time, and the drive current is compared with a preset current threshold. If the driving current exceeds the preset current threshold, it is determined that a jam or abnormal collision has occurred. The scan initiation command is disabled, and the drive mechanism is stopped.

[0011] In one embodiment, the step of real-time monitoring of the drive current of the drive mechanism and comparing the drive current with a preset current threshold includes: Obtain a preset sampling frequency for the drive current, and perform analog-to-digital conversion on the drive current using the preset sampling frequency; After performing sliding window averaging filtering on the collected current values, the driving current is compared with a preset current threshold.

[0012] In one embodiment, the step of activating the scan interlock state includes: Determine the interlocking flag in the pathology slide scanner; When the interlock flag is valid, the received scan start command is masked, and a prompt message prohibiting scanning is returned to the human-machine interaction unit.

[0013] In one embodiment, the step of collecting a positioning signal using a positioning sensor at a preset polling period and determining whether the wafer tray has been pushed back into place based on the positioning signal includes: If the arrival signal is detected to be lost, the current acquisition task is immediately terminated and the scanning interlock state is reactivated; Generate log records of data collection task exceptions.

[0014] In one embodiment, the step of maintaining the arrival signal continuously and stably for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold includes: The level status of the positioning sensor is collected during each preset polling cycle; If the level status collected within a consecutive preset number of polling cycles is a valid level, and the product of the preset number and the polling cycle is greater than or equal to the anti-shake confirmation time threshold, then it is determined that the arrival signal has been continuously and stably maintained for more than the anti-shake confirmation time threshold.

[0015] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a chip repository control device, the device comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the chip repository control method as described above.

[0016] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a storage medium, which is a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the chip storage control method described above.

[0017] One or more technical solutions proposed in this application have at least the following technical effects: This application applies to a pathological slide scanner. In response to a retraction command, a drive mechanism moves the slide compartment along a retraction trajectory toward the pick-up / placement port. Within a preset physical contact section of the retraction trajectory, the slide compartment undergoes structural interference collision with a fixed slide pusher mounted on the opposite side of the pick-up / placement port, causing the slide compartment to undergo a passive retrieval displacement relative to the support bracket toward the pick-up / placement port while maintaining its transmission connection with the drive mechanism. After completing this passive retrieval displacement, the slide compartment continues to move to a preset slide compartment pick-up / placement stop position. When the slide compartment is detected to be at the slide compartment pick-up / placement stop position, a scan interlock state is activated. Under this scan interlock state, the scan start command is rejected, and the user is prompted to push the slide compartment back into place via a human-machine interface unit. A position sensor collects a position signal at a preset polling cycle, and the system determines whether the slide compartment has been pushed back into place based on the position signal. When the position signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold, it is determined that the slide compartment has been pushed back into place, and the scan interlock state is released, allowing the scan start command to be executed.

[0018] Through the above-mentioned technical means, this application significantly improves operational safety while ensuring convenient retrieval and placement. It solves the technical problem of redundant structure and insufficient reliability of existing software extrapolation travel and positioning detection mechanisms, and realizes the technical leap of chip warehouse control from software parameter dependence to structural geometric constraints, and from single detection confirmation to continuous anti-shake judgment. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the chip warehouse control method of this application; Figure 2 This is a detailed process diagram based on step S10 in the first embodiment; Figure 3 This is a detailed schematic diagram of step S40 based on the first embodiment; Figure 4 This is a detailed process diagram based on step S50 in the first embodiment; Figure 5This is a detailed schematic diagram of step S60 in the first embodiment; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of the hardware operating environment involved in the chip storage control method in the embodiments of this application.

[0022] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0023] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0024] In related technologies, the slide compartment operation control of pathological slide scanners mainly follows the technical path of combining mechanical exposure with software-added stroke, but it has inherent defects and is difficult to meet the dual requirements of convenient loading and unloading and operational safety.

[0025] This type of solution typically involves the control unit instructing a motor to extend an additional outward stroke after the wafer tray has retracted to the reference position. This allows the wafer tray to extend beyond the pick-up / drop-off port for the operator to grasp. During the return-to-position phase, a position sensor is used to detect the wafer tray's location individually or in cycles. Once the wafer tray is confirmed to be in its correct position, the scanning process can begin. This type of solution is applicable to scenarios with ample equipment space and low operation frequency. It allows for parameterized adjustment of the retrieval function via software configuration, facilitating unified management across different machine models. However, this solution is essentially a design paradigm that separates control from structure, failing to utilize the inherent fixed geometric features within the equipment to achieve the retrieval function. The software-added stroke method requires individual calibration of the additional extra-length for each machine and repeated coordination with the wafer tray's docking position, increasing the complexity of parameter management and the burden of maintaining production line consistency. Meanwhile, in the return-to-position detection stage, relying solely on the control software to poll and sample the positioning signal presents timing vulnerabilities when dealing with physical uncertainties such as mechanical contact jitter and instantaneous sensor disturbances, making it difficult to provide reliable interlocking guarantees for every operation. If the slide compartment fails to be pressed to the fully locked working position, the system may initiate stage movement in the incompletely positioned state, causing mechanical interference between the slide compartment and the moving mechanism, resulting in slide breakage or equipment hardware damage.

[0026] Comprehensive analysis reveals that the core dilemma faced by the aforementioned technical approaches lies in the fact that, although the control method of using software to extend the travel to assist retrieval and using a single detection point to confirm the return position has adjustable parameters and an intuitive process, its characteristics of separating control from structure and disconnecting detection from protection are fundamentally contradictory to the inherent requirements of pathological slide scanners for ease of operation, operational safety, and batch consistency. It is impossible to simultaneously achieve convenient retrieval assistance and reliable interlocking to prohibit scanning if the slide is not in place, while keeping the structure streamlined.

[0027] Based on the aforementioned deficiencies in related technologies, this application proposes a chip tray control method. This method addresses the core pain points of existing software extrapolation stroke parameters being overly dependent on other parameters and lacking reliability in arrival detection timing. It achieves passive retrieval displacement through geometric coupling between the fixed pusher on the rack and the retraction trajectory, and deeply integrates this with an arrival signal anti-shake interlocking mechanism, constructing a simplified and repeatable chip tray control system. Specifically, this method sets up a physical contact section in the retraction trajectory, causing structural interference and collision between the chip tray and the fixed pusher fixed on the opposite side of the rack's pick-up / placement port. While maintaining the drive mechanism's transmission connection, this causes the chip tray to generate a passive retrieval displacement relative to the support bracket towards the pick-up / placement port. The retrieval amount is determined by the pusher's geometry and fit clearance, avoiding reliance on independent software extrapolation strokes for retrieval functionality. After completing the retrieval displacement, the chip tray continues to move to the chip tray's pick-up / placement docking position. At this point, the system activates a scan interlock state, refusing to execute any scan start commands. The positioning sensor collects positioning signals at a preset polling cycle. Only when the positioning signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold is it determined that the film compartment has been pushed back into position and the interlock is released. This forms a complete closed-loop control mechanism from the withdrawal assistance, activation of the pick-up and drop-off interlock, to the return positioning anti-shake confirmation, so that the entire film compartment operation process is always under certain safety constraints.

[0028] Through the above-mentioned technical means, this application significantly improves operational safety while ensuring convenient retrieval and placement. It solves the technical problem of redundant structure and insufficient reliability of existing software extrapolation travel and positioning detection mechanisms, and realizes the technical leap of chip warehouse control from software parameter dependence to structural geometric constraints, and from single detection confirmation to continuous anti-shake judgment.

[0029] To better understand the technical solution of this application, a detailed description will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0030] Based on this, the embodiments of this application provide a chip warehouse control method, referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the slide control method of this application. In this embodiment, the slide control method is applied to a pathological slide scanner and includes steps S10-S60: Step S10: In response to the return command, the chip compartment is driven by the drive mechanism to move along the return trajectory toward the pick-up / drop-off port. This embodiment details the specific implementation process of responding to a retraction command and driving the wafer retrieval compartment along the retraction trajectory towards the pick-up / drop-off port via a drive mechanism. This step is the initial stage of the entire wafer retrieval control process, responsible for receiving the retraction request from the upper-level control logic, completing drive initiation and motion monitoring, and providing an accurate motion path basis for subsequent collision-assisted retrieval in the physical contact section.

[0031] When the operator triggers the slide removal operation through the scanner's human-machine interface, or when the system automatically generates a slide removal event after completing a batch of slide scanning, the control unit receives the slide removal command. The control unit internally operates a slide tray motion state machine. Upon receiving the slide removal command, this state machine first verifies the current system state, confirming that the scanning interlock is not activated or that the system is under safe conditions allowing slide removal. Then, it activates the drive mechanism with a drive enable signal. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism uses a combination of a stepper motor, a synchronous belt, and a linear guide rail. The stepper motor drives the synchronous pulley to rotate via a pulse sequence output by the control unit. The synchronous belt drives a slider fixedly connected to the slide tray bracket to perform linear reciprocating motion along the linear guide rail. The slide tray itself is detachably mounted on the bracket via positioning pins and elastic buckles, so that the movement of the bracket directly maps to the movement of the slide tray within the frame along the slide removal trajectory.

[0032] At the moment the drive mechanism starts, the control unit simultaneously activates the drive current monitoring module. This monitoring module performs analog-to-digital conversion to collect the phase current of the stepper motor at a preset sampling frequency. In this embodiment, the sampling frequency is set to 1kHz to ensure sufficient response bandwidth for current surges caused by collision events. The collected raw current value is processed by a sliding window averaging filter with a depth of 8 samples to suppress sampling noise and instantaneous spike interference. The filtered current value is sent to the comparator module for real-time comparison with a preset current threshold. The preset current threshold is determined through the calibration process before the equipment leaves the factory. During the calibration process, the control unit records the steady-state drive current of the disc tray under no-load unloading conditions and adds a reasonable safety margin as the threshold, typically about 150% to 200% of the steady-state current. If the filtered current value is found to exceed the preset current threshold for a period exceeding the preset timeout period, the control unit determines that a jamming or abnormal collision event has occurred, immediately sends a stop pulse output command to the drive mechanism, writes the abnormal event to the log memory, and drives the alarm indicator to issue an audible and visual alarm. This current monitoring mechanism remains effective throughout the entire retraction trajectory, providing a basis for judging changes in the driving current caused by structural interference and collision in the subsequent physical contact section.

[0033] After confirming that the drive current is within the normal range, the control unit drives the wafer tray along the ejection trajectory according to the preset motion control curve. The ejection trajectory is defined in the mechanical design phase as a straight path extending from the scanning working position towards the pick-up / drop-off port. The path length is determined by the internal space of the rack and the minimum exposure required for wafer tray removal. The control unit calculates the real-time position of the wafer tray through pulse counting of the stepper motor. This position information is also used for multi-segment motion speed planning within the system. In the initial segment of the ejection trajectory, the wafer tray moves from the scanning working position to the wafer pusher contact preparation position. During this segment, the wafer tray has not yet made contact with the fixed pusher behind it. The drive current remains near a steady-state level, and the motion speed smoothly accelerates and maintains a constant speed according to the preset trapezoidal speed curve. When the control unit determines, based on the pulse count, that the wafer tray has entered the preset physical contact section corresponding to the leading edge position of the fixed pusher in the ejection trajectory, the initial motion phase described in this step is completed, and the system automatically transitions to the next stage, the collision-assisted retrieval stage.

[0034] In the above description, the starting and control of the drive mechanism, the real-time monitoring and anomaly detection of the drive current, and the execution of the initial movement on the retraction trajectory together constitute the complete technical implementation of driving the wafer tray to move along the retraction trajectory towards the pick-up / drop-off port in response to the retraction command. The control unit, through the combined action of current monitoring and position calculation, builds a dynamic perception underlying data foundation for the entire retraction process, enabling collision detection in the subsequent physical contact section to be accurately executed within the defined safety boundaries.

[0035] Step S20: Within the preset physical contact section of the retraction trajectory, the wafer tray and the fixed pusher fixed on the opposite side of the rack pick-up and drop-off port undergo structural interference collision, causing the wafer tray to generate a passive retrieval displacement relative to the support bracket towards the pick-up and drop-off port while maintaining the transmission connection with the drive mechanism. This embodiment details the process by which the wafer tray and a fixed pusher mounted on the opposite side of the rack's loading / unloading port collide structurally within a preset physical contact zone of the wafer tray's return trajectory. This causes the wafer tray to undergo a passive retrieval displacement relative to the support bracket towards the loading / unloading port while maintaining its transmission connection with the drive mechanism. The retrieval function is achieved through the geometric coupling of the mechanical structure and the motion trajectory, avoiding reliance on externally added stroke parameters via independent software.

[0036] In this embodiment, the fixed pusher is an L-shaped bent metal part. One end is fastened to the crossbeam on the back of the frame with screws, and the other end extends in the direction of movement of the tablet bin, forming a sloping push surface. The fixed pusher has been positioned and fastened during factory assembly and adjustment, and its geometric position relative to the frame remains fixed. A corresponding arc-shaped protrusion is provided on the back side of the tablet bin, which will inevitably make physical contact with the sloping push surface of the fixed pusher in a specific section of the retraction trajectory. Because the position of the fixed pusher is fixed and the retraction trajectory of the tablet bin along the bracket is also a fixed path after assembly, the timing and depth of contact between the two are determined by mechanical geometry. Therefore, a high degree of consistent behavior repeatability can be maintained across all devices of the same model without the need for software parameter configuration.

[0037] When the control unit determines that the wafer tray has entered the preset physical contact zone based on pulse count, the force-bearing part on the back of the wafer tray begins to contact the inclined pushing surface of the fixed pusher. At the initial contact instant, due to the resistance generated by the fixed pusher on the movement of the wafer tray, the load torque of the drive motor increases, and the drive current exhibits a identifiable rising edge. The current monitoring module of the control unit captures this current change and compares it with the normal steady-state current range, confirming that the current rise is within the preset collision current threshold and has not triggered overcurrent protection, thus determining that the current event is a normal collision rather than jamming. This real-time discrimination mechanism ensures that the system can distinguish between expected structural interference collisions and unexpected mechanical obstructions, avoiding erroneous shutdowns.

[0038] As the drive mechanism continues to apply driving force in the retraction direction, the tablet cartridge is forced to change its local motion relationship under the constraint of the inclined surface of the fixed pusher. Since the inclined surface of the fixed pusher gradually converges towards the inside of the frame along the retraction direction, this pusher generates a reaction force perpendicular to the contact surface on the force-bearing part of the tablet cartridge. The component of this reaction force in the direction towards the pick-up / drop-off port forces the tablet cartridge body to slip slightly relative to the bracket it supports. In this embodiment, the tablet cartridge and the bracket are not rigidly connected, but are connected by a set of guide grooves and guide pins with a preset fitting clearance. The fitting clearance is approximately 0.5mm to 1mm on one side, allowing the tablet cartridge to produce a limited linear displacement relative to the bracket in the direction towards the pick-up / drop-off port when under force. The amount of passive retrieval displacement is mainly determined by three geometric parameters: the inclination angle and extension length of the inclined surface of the fixed pusher, the curved shape and contact position of the force-bearing part of the tablet cartridge, and the set value of the guide fitting clearance between the tablet cartridge and the bracket.

[0039] Regarding the displacement of the passive retrieval mechanism, this application uses structural design to explicitly control the displacement range within 5mm to 20mm. This range was chosen after comprehensively considering various constraints, including the available space inside the pathology slide scanner frame, the operator's hand size and gripping habits, and the allowance for the dustproof curtain's movement. If the displacement is less than 5mm, the front end of the slide compartment will not protrude sufficiently beyond the frame panel when it reaches the slide compartment's retrieval and placement position, making it difficult for the operator's fingertips to reliably reach the front edge of the slide compartment's gripping area, resulting in limited improvement in retrieval efficiency. If the displacement is greater than 20mm, the slide compartment will slide excessively relative to the support during retraction, potentially reducing the relative alignment accuracy between the slide slot on the slide compartment and the stage pushing mechanism, affecting the reliable engagement of the slide pushing mechanism with the slides in subsequent scans. Furthermore, excessive retrieval displacement will increase the preload of the return spring that the slide compartment needs to overcome when returning to its working position, significantly increasing the resistance the operator feels when pushing the slide compartment back, which is detrimental to ergonomic optimization.

[0040] Ensuring that the passive retrieval displacement consistently falls within the target range of 5mm to 20mm in each unit of mass-produced equipment relies on precise calibration of the fixed pusher assembly parameters. This embodiment provides two calibration and adjustment methods that can be used independently or in combination. The first adjustment method involves changing the mounting position of the fixed pusher on the frame. The connection hole between the fixed pusher and the frame's back crossbeam is designed as an elongated, waist-shaped hole extending along the retraction direction, with an effective adjustment stroke covering an area of ​​approximately 10mm. During the assembly and adjustment phase, the assembler uses a go / no-go gauge or a displacement measuring instrument to monitor the actual retrieval displacement of the wafer cartridge during the simulated retraction process. By loosening the fastening screws of the fixed pusher and sliding the pusher back and forth along the elongated hole, the initial contact timing between the pusher and the force-bearing part of the wafer cartridge is changed, thereby adjusting the effective stroke length of the inclined pusher applying force to the wafer cartridge during the collision process until the measured retrieval displacement falls within the target range of 5mm to 20mm. The screws are then tightened and thread-locking agent is applied to complete the final fixation. The second adjustment method involves changing the extension length of the fixed pusher itself. The portion of the fixed pusher plate extending in the direction of plate magazine movement is designed as a replaceable modular pusher block structure. The pusher block connects to the pusher plate base via a dovetail groove and is locked with a set screw. The production line can prepare pusher blocks of various specifications, with extension lengths varying in 1mm increments within the series. Assembly and adjustment personnel select pusher blocks with larger or smaller extension lengths based on the deviation direction between the measured displacement and the target range median, achieving an efficient calibration process combining coarse and fine adjustments. Both calibration and adjustment methods are completed through physical adjustments of mechanical geometric parameters, without requiring any modification to the control unit's software configuration parameters. This helps ensure production line consistency and ease of maintenance during long-term equipment operation.

[0041] In the typical calibration results of this embodiment, the passive retrieval displacement is set to 12mm using the above adjustment method. This value is located in the central region of the 5mm to 20mm range, allowing for slight variations due to wear and tear over long-term use while considering both ease of retrieval and mechanism alignment accuracy. It should be noted that although the above value range and calibration method are preferred designs, other specific values ​​can be selected within this range in actual implementation, depending on the specific machine model's frame depth or the ergonomic differences of the operator group. That is, the passive retrieval displacement ranges from 5mm to 20mm, and this displacement is calibrated by adjusting the mounting position of the fixed pusher on the frame or the extension length of the fixed pusher.

[0042] Importantly, throughout the entire collision and displacement process, the transmission connection between the drive mechanism and the wafer magazine remains uninterrupted. The stepper motor continuously drives the bracket via the synchronous belt, and the retrieval displacement generated by the wafer magazine on the bracket is a relative displacement that occurs simultaneously with the continued movement of the bracket, rather than a free sliding after the transmission is disconnected. Therefore, as the contact between the fixed pusher and the force-bearing part of the wafer magazine gradually disengages due to the wafer magazine's displacement, the wafer magazine has already extended an additional passive retrieval displacement relative to its initial relative position towards the pick-up / placement port. At the same time, the drive mechanism continues to drive the bracket towards the pick-up / placement port, and the superposition of these two movements results in a significant additional exposure of the wafer magazine in the absolute coordinate system.

[0043] The physical contact zone, structural interference collision, and passive assisted displacement generation process described above shift the implementation of the assisted function from the control level to the mechanical geometric constraint level, fundamentally ensuring the consistency of the equipment in mass production. During this process, the control unit only needs to confirm the normality of the collision event through current monitoring and manage the switching of motion stages through pulse counting, without requiring any software parameterization of the assisted displacement, effectively reducing the complexity and maintenance cost of the control system.

[0044] Step S30: After the film compartment completes the passive retrieval displacement, continue to drive the film compartment to the preset film compartment opening retrieval and placement docking position; This embodiment details the process of continuing to move the wafer retrieval compartment to a preset wafer retrieval and placement docking position after the wafer retrieval compartment has completed its passive retrieval displacement. This step follows the collision-assisted retrieval phase, smoothly delivering the wafer retrieval compartment, which has gained additional exposure displacement, to a retrieval and placement position that the operator can directly access, and providing a positional reference for subsequent interlock activation and retrieval / placement prompts.

[0045] At the end of the physical contact section, the control unit confirms that the chip cartridge has moved beyond the effective range of the fixed pusher by counting the pulses of the stepper motor. At this point, the force-bearing part on the back of the chip cartridge has completely disengaged from the inclined pushing surface of the fixed pusher, the load on the drive mechanism returns to near-no-load levels, and the drive current subsequently falls back to within the steady-state range. The current monitoring module of the control unit detects that the current has dropped from a higher level during the collision to below the normal threshold. Combined with the pulse count position criterion, this confirms that the physical contact section has been safely completed. This dual-criteria confirmation method effectively avoids misjudgment of stages caused by errors in a single sensor signal, improving the robustness of the system under abnormal boundary conditions.

[0046] After confirming the contact section is completed, the control unit continues to drive the cartridge along the retraction trajectory towards the pick-up / placement port according to the preset motion control curve. Compared with the initial motion phase, the end of the motion trajectory in this phase is the preset cartridge pick-up / placement stop position. Mechanically, this stop position is located on the plane of the pick-up / placement port on the rack panel. When the leading edge of the cartridge reaches this position, the spatial posture of the cartridge meets the ergonomic requirements for easy one-handed gripping by the operator. Because the collision-assisted retrieval phase has already caused a passive retrieval displacement of the cartridge relative to the bracket towards the pick-up / placement port, the exposed length of the cartridge's front end beyond the rack panel plane when it reaches the cartridge pick-up / placement stop position is significantly increased compared to the traditional solution without a fixed pusher. This increased exposed length is the direct projection of the aforementioned passive retrieval displacement along the retraction direction, allowing the operator to naturally contact the cartridge body without having to insert their fingers deep into the rack.

[0047] During the final stage of movement near the disc tray's pick-up / placement docking position, the control unit executes a deceleration control strategy. The stepper motor's pulse frequency gradually decreases from a constant speed to a stopping speed according to a preset deceleration curve, avoiding overshoot or vibration of the disc tray position caused by inertial impact from sudden stops. When the pulse count reaches the preset target value for the corresponding disc tray's pick-up / placement docking position, the control unit outputs a stop command to the drive mechanism, and the stepper motor enters a holding torque state, ensuring the disc tray is stably docked at the pick-up / placement position. Simultaneously, the control unit marks the current disc tray position as "pick-up / placement docking position" and updates the system status register, triggering the human-machine interface unit to enter a waiting pick-up / placement working mode.

[0048] Upon reaching the designated docking position at the film tray opening, the control unit performs a confirmatory check on the current location of the film tray using a positioning sensor. In this embodiment, the positioning sensor is a reflective photoelectric switch, installed near the rack's loading / unloading port, with its light spot aligned with the area corresponding to the correct docking position of the film tray's leading edge. If the signal from the photoelectric switch indicates that the leading edge of the film tray is in the expected position, the control unit determines that the arrival at the film tray's docking position is valid, allowing subsequent interlock activation steps to proceed. If the photoelectric switch signal is abnormal, the control unit will report a fault and prohibit entry into the loading / unloading state. This auxiliary positioning confirmation further ensures the accuracy of the film tray's docking position at the loading / unloading port.

[0049] The above description details the entire process of delivering the wafer tray, which has already achieved passive retrieval displacement, to the preset retrieval position, from the initial judgment at the physical contact zone to the deceleration control of the final movement, and finally to the precise positioning and sensor confirmation at the tray's retrieval and placement docking position. The control unit, by integrating three information sources—pulse counting position calculation, drive current status monitoring, and position sensor confirmation—ensures the positioning accuracy and process safety of the wafer tray at the retrieval and placement docking position, laying a reliable foundation for the next stage of retrieval and placement interlock activation and user operation guidance.

[0050] Step S40: When the chip tray is detected to be in the chip tray opening docking position, the scanning interlock state is activated. In the scanning interlock state, the scanning start command is rejected, and the user is prompted to push the chip tray back into place through the human-machine interaction unit. This embodiment details the specific implementation process of activating the scanning interlock state when the disc tray is detected to be in the disc tray loading / unloading position, refusing to execute the scan start command in the scanning interlock state, and prompting the user to push the disc tray back into place via the human-machine interface unit. This step establishes a mandatory association between the mechanical position state of the disc tray and the electrical enable of the scanning function, forming the core safety mechanism to prevent erroneous scanning due to improper positioning.

[0051] After confirming that the wafer tray has accurately docked at the wafer tray loading / unloading docking position, the control unit immediately sends an interlock activation command to the internal safety logic module. This internal safety logic module is implemented as an independent flag register within the control unit's software architecture. Write operations to this register are protected by atomic operations of the task scheduler, ensuring that changes to the interlock state are not accidentally modified in a multi-tasking environment. When the interlock flag is set to a valid value, all scan start command processing channels within the control unit are blocked. Any scan start request from any source, whether triggered by an operator's button in the human-machine interface unit or a software command from the upper-level automated process scheduling, will be intercepted by the interlock flag check logic during the command decoding stage. Upon interception, the control unit does not perform any scan-related hardware actions, including enabling the stage motor, initializing the optical acquisition module, or illuminating the lighting source. Simultaneously, it returns a scan-prohibited message to the human-machine interface unit, explicitly stating that the reason for the scan prohibition is that "the wafer tray is in loading / unloading mode."

[0052] Simultaneously, upon receiving the interlock activation status notification from the control unit, the human-machine interface automatically switches to the slide placement guidance interface. This interface includes a text prompt and a set of graphical indicators. The text prompt reads, "After placing the slide, push the slide compartment back into place completely." The graphical indicators animatedly demonstrate the correct procedure of pushing the slide compartment back into the machine from its current pulled-out position and pressing it all the way down. In this embodiment, the human-machine interface uses a color LCD touchscreen. The screen backlight automatically adjusts to a higher brightness upon entering the slide placement guidance interface to attract the operator's attention. A red lock icon is displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the screen, visually indicating that the scanning function is interlocked. During the slide placement operation, the red lock icon remains displayed, and any touch operation on the scan start button is rejected by the control unit, which then briefly displays a message explaining why scanning is currently prohibited.

[0053] In the above interlocking active state, the control unit continuously monitors physical button signals from the operation panel and virtual button signals from the touchscreen, and records any scan initiation request to the log storage. Log entries include the timestamp of the request, the request source identifier, and the interlocking status code indicating request rejection. This logging mechanism not only provides data support for fault tracing but also provides a basis for equipment usage compliance audits. The log storage capacity is designed to store no fewer than 1000 historical records, employing a cyclic overwrite strategy, where the earliest record is automatically overwritten when there is insufficient space for new records.

[0054] It should be noted that the activated scan interlock state and the safety stop state triggered by abnormal drive current of the driven mechanism are two independent but parallel safety mechanisms. The former is for preventative locking during operator interaction, while the latter is for emergency protection against physical faults during operation. The two work together in the safety architecture of the control unit to form a multi-layered safety protection system.

[0055] The above description details the execution logic of interlock activation and command rejection when the disc tray is in the pick-up / placement docking position, as well as the guidance and prompting strategy of the human-machine interface unit for the operator. By organically combining software flag masking, user interface visual feedback, and operation log recording, the control unit maintains a forced disabling of the scanning function throughout the entire time the disc tray is exposed to the pick-up / placement port, fundamentally eliminating the safety hazard of starting scanning before the disc tray is properly installed due to operator negligence or accidental touch.

[0056] Step S50: The positioning sensor collects positioning signals at a preset polling cycle, and determines whether the chip compartment has been pushed back into place based on the positioning signals; This embodiment details the process of using a positioning sensor to collect positioning signals at a preset polling period, and determining whether the slide compartment has been pushed back into place based on these signals. This step follows the slide compartment pushing action after the user has completed the slide placement or removal. Through periodic acquisition and real-time processing of sensor signals, it provides the initial data input and preliminary status judgment for interlock release.

[0057] In this embodiment, the positioning sensor can be selected from at least one type, such as a photoelectric switch, a micro switch, or a magnetic induction switch, to meet the requirements of different overall configurations, cost targets, and operating environments. When a micro switch is selected as the detection element, it is installed at the end of the cartridge guide rail at the bottom of the frame, with its trigger lever extending to the position corresponding to the tail block when the cartridge is fully pushed in. When the cartridge is pushed into the machine and pressed to the working position by the operator, the tail block of the cartridge presses down the trigger lever of the micro switch, causing the internal contacts of the micro switch to switch from a normally open state to a closed state, outputting a valid level signal indicating that the cartridge is in position. When a photoelectric switch is selected as the detection element, it adopts either a through-beam or reflective mounting layout. Its detection light path is blocked or reflected by a specific baffle in the cartridge when it is pushed in, generating a switching output indicating a state change. When a magnetic induction switch is selected as the detection element, a small permanent magnet is embedded at the rear end of the chip compartment. The magnetic induction switch is fixed at the corresponding position at the end of the frame guide rail. When the permanent magnet is pushed into the sensing range aligned with the magnetic induction switch along with the chip compartment, the magnetic induction switch outputs a valid level signal. Regardless of the sensor type used, its output signal is connected to the digital input port of the control unit in either a low-level or high-level active form. The digital input port of the control unit adapts the signal level to the logic level range of the internal general-purpose input / output pins through pull-up or pull-down resistors. The control unit continuously reads the logic level of this pin through software polling.

[0058] In this embodiment, the preset polling period is set by the timer interrupt service routine of the control unit in the form of a fixed time interval. The value of the preset polling period is strictly limited to no more than 10ms. The selection of a polling period of no more than 10ms is based on a comprehensive consideration of the following two technical constraints. On the one hand, the polling period should be significantly shorter than the minimum possible value in the anti-shake confirmation time threshold to ensure that a sufficient number of samples participate in the continuity determination within the duration corresponding to the anti-shake confirmation time threshold, avoiding a large delay between the actual start time of the arrival signal and the start time detected by the system due to insufficient sampling density. On the other hand, the polling period should be much longer than the typical duration of the inherent jitter of the mechanical contacts or electronic output stage inside the arrival sensor. The typical jitter duration is distributed in the range of 2ms to 5ms. Sampling at intervals of 8ms or 10ms can effectively span the influence period of a single jitter event, so that two adjacent data points sampled are sufficient in time to distinguish the stable state after jitter recovery from the transitional state during jitter. In a typical implementation of this embodiment, the preset polling period is configured to be 8ms. The hardware timer inside the control unit generates an interrupt every 8ms. The interrupt service routine performs a read operation on the position sensor pin and stores the read logic level value into a circular buffer queue.

[0059] In this embodiment, the length of the circular buffer queue is set to 16 elements, each element storing the level value of a single sample, with a value of 1 representing a valid level and a value of 0 representing an invalid level. Whenever a new sample value is written to the circular buffer queue, the control unit calls the position determination function to perform real-time evaluation of the current chip tray push-back status. The position determination function reads the most recent consecutive sample values ​​in the circular buffer queue and performs state logic operations. In a simplified implementation of this embodiment, the determination logic is as follows: if the latest sample value is a valid level, and the most recent three consecutive sample values ​​in the buffer queue are all valid levels, then an internal status flag is output indicating that the chip tray has been initially determined to be pushed back into position. This determination result is not the final confirmation result used to release the interlock, but rather an intermediate state indication used to drive the subsequent stabilization time confirmation process.

[0060] After receiving the initial pushback confirmation, the control unit starts a software timer to accumulate the duration for which the position signal remains continuously at a valid level. Within each polling cycle, if the position confirmation function returns an initial confirmation, the software timer increments its accumulated value by one polling cycle, for example, by 8ms. If the position confirmation function returns an invalid value, the software timer immediately resets to zero and waits again for the continuous valid condition to be met. The accumulated value of the software timer is continuously compared with the debouncing confirmation time threshold.

[0061] The anti-shake confirmation time threshold is a configurable parameter. The control unit stores the current effective value of this parameter in non-volatile memory and automatically reads it into random access memory for real-time comparison after power-on. The value range of the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is limited to 30ms to 100ms. The lower limit of this range is set at 30ms because the longest duration of mechanical vibration of the position sensor contact may extend to more than 20ms in extreme cases. If the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is set too short, there is a risk that the end of the vibration may be misjudged as a stable position. 30ms provides a safety window beyond the typical vibration duration. The upper limit of this range is set at 100ms because the duration for which the operator pushes the disc tray all the way down and holds the pressing action is usually short. If the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is set too long, it will cause a significant delay in system response. The operator may need to consciously maintain the pressing posture after completing the pushing action and wait for the interlock to be released, resulting in a degraded user experience. Operators can access the maintenance settings interface through the human-machine interface unit and adjust the anti-shake confirmation time threshold in 5-ms increments within a range of 30ms to 100ms. This configurable design allows equipment maintenance personnel to flexibly optimize the balance between interlock release response speed and anti-shake reliability based on the actual jitter characteristic curves of different batches of positioning sensors or the operational rhythm of specific clinical scenarios, completing on-site parameter adaptation without re-flashing the control unit firmware. Specifically, the positioning sensor is at least one of a photoelectric switch, a micro switch, or a magnetic induction switch; the preset polling period does not exceed 10ms; the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is a configurable parameter, and its value range is 30ms to 100ms.

[0062] In the above description, the selection range of the positioning sensor type, the basis and implementation method for setting the preset polling period of no more than 10ms, the value range of the configurable anti-shake confirmation time threshold of 30ms to 100ms and its adjustment principle, are closely integrated with each link of positioning signal polling acquisition, ring buffer management, preliminary pushback positioning judgment, and software timer accumulation, forming a parameterized and adjustable positioning signal acquisition and processing technology solution with sufficient anti-shake capability. The control unit uses this solution to transform the raw physical signals from different sensor types into pushback positioning judgment results with clear timing characteristics and configurable judgment criteria, thus constructing a reliable preliminary data foundation for anti-shake confirmation and interlock release.

[0063] Step S60: When the arrival signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold, it is determined that the chip tray has been pushed back into place, and the scan interlock state is released to allow the execution of the scan start command.

[0064] This embodiment details the specific implementation process of determining that the wafer tray has been pushed back into position when the positioning signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset anti-jitter confirmation time threshold, thereby releasing the scan interlock state and allowing the execution of the scan start command. This step is the final stage of the wafer tray return confirmation process. It ensures the absolute stability of the positioning state through the anti-jitter mechanism of the time threshold, effectively avoiding momentary positioning misjudgments caused by mechanical contact jitter or operator hesitation in pushing the wafer in.

[0065] In this embodiment, the preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold is stored as a configurable parameter in the non-volatile memory of the control unit. This stored value is read into the random access memory for real-time comparison after power-on. A typical configuration value for the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is 60ms. This value is determined through pre-shipment testing and calibration. During testing, the timing characteristics of the microswitch output signal are simulated when an operator pushes the chip into the slot with different forces and speeds. The minimum safe time duration that can reliably distinguish between a true push-in and a momentary false contact is selected as the recommended value and preset in the parameter area. Equipment maintenance personnel can also adjust this parameter through the settings interface of the human-machine interface unit under authorized conditions to adapt to differences in the mechanical characteristics of different batches of microswitches or customized needs for specific usage scenarios.

[0066] After the software timer described in Example 5 accumulates the duration of the continuously valid arrival signal, the control unit compares this duration with the anti-shake confirmation time threshold at the end of each 8ms polling cycle. If the duration is less than the anti-shake confirmation time threshold, the control unit maintains the existing scanning interlock state, continues to display the pick-and-place guidance interface and the red lock icon on the human-machine interface unit, and continues signal polling and timer accumulation. If the operator presses the film tray to the bottom for an insufficient duration after pushing it in, the system will not release the interlock because the software timer is reset to zero in a certain jitter cycle before reaching the threshold. This requires the operator to push the film tray again until a stable arrival state is triggered. This design effectively trains operators to develop the habit of accurately pushing the film tray in.

[0067] When the accumulated value of the software timer is greater than or equal to the debouncing confirmation time threshold, the control unit executes the final confirmation logic for pushing the chip tray back into place. This final confirmation logic simultaneously checks the instantaneous state of the position signal during the current polling cycle, ensuring that the position signal remains at a valid level until the last moment before making the interlock release decision. If the check passes, the control unit determines that the chip tray has been pushed back into place. Subsequently, the control unit sends an interlock release command to the internal safety logic module, rewriting the interlock flag from a valid value to an invalid value. After the interlock flag is cleared, the scan start command processing channel inside the control unit returns to an allowed-through state; any scan start request that meets other safety conditions will be executed normally and will not be blocked or intercepted during the command decoding stage.

[0068] After the interlock is released, the control unit sends a status update notification to the human-machine interface (HMI). Upon receiving the notification, the HMI switches the pick-and-place guidance interface back to the scanning standby main interface, and the red lock icon in the status bar is replaced with a green unlock icon or the lock icon is hidden. The visual style of the scan start button changes from disabled gray to its normal, operable color, and allows touch triggering by the operator. The control unit simultaneously records the timestamp of this interlock release event, the actual duration of anti-shake operation, and the final status code of the positioning sensor in the log storage for subsequent quality analysis or maintenance diagnosis.

[0069] The above description details the parameterized configuration of the anti-jitter confirmation time threshold, the continuous comparison between the software timer and the threshold, the multiple condition confirmations after reaching the threshold, the clearing of the interlock flag and the restoration of the scan command channel, the switching of the human-machine interaction state, and the logging process. This process, by forcing the position signal to remain stable and jitter-free for a continuous safe period, eliminates the impact of potential instability factors such as mechanical contact jitter, operator hesitation, and electrical noise interference on the reliability of interlock release. This elevates the chip tray return confirmation from a simple instantaneous signal detection to a reliable judgment process with time-depth verification, building a final, solid safety barrier for the initiation of the scan task.

[0070] Furthermore, you can also view Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a detailed process diagram based on step S10 in the first embodiment. Figure 2 The step of responding to a return command by driving the wafer tray along the return trajectory toward the pick-up / placement port via a drive mechanism includes S11-13: Step S11: Monitor the drive current of the drive mechanism in real time and compare the drive current with a preset current threshold. Step S12: If the driving current exceeds the preset current threshold, it is determined that a jam or abnormal collision has occurred. Step S13: Disable the execution of the scan start command and stop the drive mechanism.

[0071] This embodiment details the specific implementation process of real-time monitoring of the drive current of the drive mechanism during the movement of the wafer tray in response to the retraction command, comparing the drive current with a preset current threshold, determining that jamming or abnormal collision has occurred when the threshold is exceeded, and prohibiting the execution of the scan start command and stopping the drive mechanism. This embodiment is a further refinement and expansion of the drive current monitoring and abnormal protection mechanism in step S10 above.

[0072] While outputting a pulse sequence to the drive mechanism to drive the wafer tray along the retraction trajectory, the control unit simultaneously activates the drive current monitoring module. The drive current monitoring module is connected in hardware to the current sampling resistor across the stepper motor drive bridge. This sampling resistor is connected in series in the motor phase winding circuit, and its voltage drop is linearly proportional to the instantaneous current flowing through the winding. A differential amplifier circuit amplifies the weak voltage signal across the sampling resistor to the input range of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which then converts it into a digital current sample value. The control unit moves the ADC result to the memory buffer via direct memory access, completing continuous data acquisition without occupying CPU instruction cycles.

[0073] The control unit internally stores a preset current threshold, which is determined through the calibration process before the equipment leaves the factory. During calibration, the control unit records the drive current variation curve of the disc tray during the entire retraction trajectory under no-load conditions, extracts the maximum steady-state current value from the curve, and multiplies this maximum steady-state current value by a safety factor, storing it in non-volatile memory as the preset current threshold. A typical safety factor is between 1.5 and 2.0 to balance sensitive detection of minor jamming with necessary tolerance for normal collision events. During normal operation, the drive current fluctuates below the preset current threshold as the disc tray moves along the retraction trajectory, indicating that the drive load is within the normal range.

[0074] In each current sampling cycle, the control unit compares the currently acquired and processed instantaneous value of the drive current with a preset current threshold. The comparison is performed by the control unit's central processing unit, and the result is represented by a Boolean logic value. A true value indicates that the drive current exceeds the preset current threshold, while a false value indicates that the drive current is below the preset current threshold. When the comparison result first changes from a false value to a true value, the control unit starts a timer to record the continuous duration of the current over-limit. If the over-limit state disappears within a very short time, for example, due to a momentary impact causing a current spike that quickly returns to normal, the timer is reset when the over-limit state disappears, and the control unit considers this over-limit as a transient disturbance rather than a true jamming or abnormal collision event. If the drive current exceeds the preset current threshold and the accumulated value of the timer exceeds the preset over-limit determination duration, the control unit determines that a jamming or abnormal collision has occurred and no longer waits for subsequent current recovery.

[0075] Upon detecting a jam or abnormal collision, the control unit immediately executes two parallel protection actions. The first action prohibits the execution of the scan start command. Upon receiving an abnormal status signal, the internal safety logic module of the control unit forcibly sets the scan start command processing channel to a shielded state. If the device has not yet activated the scan interlock state, the current abnormal status serves as the trigger condition to actively prohibit the response to the scan command; if the scan interlock state has already been activated for other reasons, this prohibition operation takes effect in parallel with the existing interlock state without conflict. Any scan start request from the human-machine interface unit or upper-level scheduling software is rejected under this protection action. Simultaneously, the control unit returns an error code indicating that scanning is prohibited due to a motion abnormality to the requesting party. The second protection action stops the drive mechanism. The control unit immediately stops outputting pulse sequences to the stepper motor driver and enables the stepper motor driver's braking function or active output torque state, causing the wafer tray to stop moving at its current position and preventing further slippage due to inertia.

[0076] After the above two protection actions are completed, the control unit writes the timestamp of the abnormal event, the chip tray position corresponding to the current pulse count value, and the sequence of drive current sampling values ​​before issuing the over-limit judgment into the log memory. Simultaneously, it displays a warning message to the operator via the human-machine interface unit indicating jamming or abnormal collision. The warning message suggests that the operator check for foreign objects in the chip tray track, whether the force-bearing part at the tail end of the chip tray is abnormally interfering with the fixed pusher, and whether there are obstructions in the bracket guide groove. After troubleshooting, the operator can trigger a reset procedure through the human-machine interface unit. The control unit clears the abnormal state and re-enables the drive mechanism, allowing it to respond to the retraction command again.

[0077] The above description details the real-time acquisition link of the drive current, the calibration and storage of preset current thresholds, the timing judgment mechanism for over-limit states, the dual protection actions of prohibiting scanning and starting the drive mechanism after judging jamming or abnormal collision, and the complete process of abnormal log recording and operator prompts. By tightly coupling current monitoring and motion control, the control unit can accurately distinguish between expected structural interference collisions and jamming abnormalities caused by foreign objects or mechanical failures during collisions in the physical contact area, providing a cycle-by-cycle real-time response technical means for the safety protection of the wafer chute movement process.

[0078] Further refining step S11 above, the step of real-time monitoring of the drive current of the drive mechanism and comparing the drive current with a preset current threshold includes S11-1 to S11-2: Step S11-1: Obtain the preset sampling frequency of the drive current, and perform analog-to-digital conversion on the drive current using the preset sampling frequency; Step S11-2: After performing sliding window averaging filtering on the collected current value, the driving current is compared with a preset current threshold.

[0079] This embodiment details the specific implementation process of the following steps during real-time monitoring of the drive current of the drive mechanism: obtaining a preset sampling frequency for the drive current, performing analog-to-digital conversion on the drive current using the preset sampling frequency, and comparing the collected current value with a preset current threshold after applying a sliding window average filter. This embodiment further refines the drive current monitoring data processing step in the aforementioned process.

[0080] Simultaneously with the start of the drive mechanism, the control unit reads the configuration value of the preset sampling frequency from the non-volatile memory. In this embodiment, the preset sampling frequency is set to 1 kHz, meaning the time interval between two adjacent analog-to-digital conversion samples is 1 ms. The selection of a 1 kHz sampling frequency is based on the analysis of the dynamic characteristics of the stepper motor drive current. In the physical contact section of the ejection trajectory, the structural interference and collision process between the wafer tray and the fixed pusher typically completes within tens of milliseconds, and the duration of the rising edge of the drive current is approximately 10 to 20 ms. A 1 kHz sampling frequency can acquire 10 to 20 current sampling points within this time period, sufficient to capture the complete contour of the current change. Simultaneously, the sampling frequency does not excessively approach the sensitive area of ​​the drive circuit's pulse width modulation carrier frequency and its harmonic components, avoiding the sampling results being dominated by modulation noise and losing their ability to characterize the DC component.

[0081] The analog-to-digital (A / D) conversion acquisition is performed by an integrated A / D converter peripheral within the control unit. This peripheral is configured to initiate a single conversion via a timer. The timer generates a trigger event according to the countdown period of a preset sampling frequency. Each trigger event initiates an A / D conversion, and the conversion result is automatically transferred to a designated circular buffer in memory via a direct memory access controller. In this embodiment, the depth of the circular buffer is set to 16 elements, which can hold historical current value data from the most recent 16 samples. Using direct memory access for data transfer eliminates the need for the central processing unit (CPU) to intervene in data transfer sequentially, reducing the CPU's real-time processing power requirements during the sampling process. This allows the control unit to simultaneously handle multiple tasks such as pulse counting position estimation, position sensor polling, and human-machine interaction response.

[0082] After each new current sample value is written to the circular buffer, the control unit executes a sliding window averaging filter algorithm. This algorithm calculates the arithmetic mean of the N most recent current samples in the circular buffer; in this embodiment, N is 8. The arithmetic mean is calculated by summing the eight sample values ​​and dividing by 8. Since the divisor is a power of 2, the division operation can be efficiently implemented using shift instructions without introducing floating-point overhead. The sliding window means that with each new sample value, the window slides forward one sampling interval on the time axis, updating the set of samples participating in the averaging calculation within the window, removing the oldest sample and incorporating the newest one.

[0083] The use of sliding window averaging filtering instead of directly using the original sampled values ​​for threshold comparison aims to suppress the impact of two types of interference signals on the accuracy of the judgment. The first type of interference signal is high-frequency noise coupled into the sampling circuit by the pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching action of the drive circuit. This noise manifests in the original sampled values ​​as fluctuations around the true current value, with fluctuation amplitudes reaching 5% to 10% of the true DC component. Sliding window averaging filtering has a significant attenuation effect on periodic high-frequency fluctuations. An 8-point sliding average at a 1kHz sampling rate is equivalent to a low-pass filter with a cutoff frequency of approximately tens of hertz, effectively filtering out the PWM frequency component. The second type of interference signal is the instantaneous current spike caused by the mechanical impact generated when the chip tray collides with the fixed pusher, which is transmitted in the reverse direction through the transmission chain to the motor rotor. This spike has a short duration and high amplitude but does not indicate a sustained jamming state. Sliding window averaging filtering, by averaging multiple consecutive sampling points, significantly reduces the impact of a single spike on the filtered result, avoiding misjudgments triggered by instantaneous impacts.

[0084] When comparing the drive current with the preset current threshold, the drive current value used for comparison is not the original sampled value, but a filtered value after sliding window averaging. The control unit updates the filtered value at the beginning of each sampling period and sends the latest filtered value and the preset current threshold to the comparator for numerical comparison. Since the filtering operation eliminates high-frequency disturbances and instantaneous spikes, the stability of over-limit judgment is significantly improved. Taking a collision event as an example, a normal structural interference collision will produce a continuous current rise process, and the filtered value will remain in an over-limit state for several consecutive sampling periods, triggering the timer to accumulate; while the current spike caused by an instantaneous impact only affects one or two original sampling points. In the sliding window averaging operation, its contribution is diluted by other normal sampling values ​​within the window. The over-limit amplitude of the filtered result is greatly compressed or even no longer exceeds the limit. The timer cannot accumulate to the over-limit judgment duration, thus avoiding false shutdown.

[0085] The above description details the configuration reading and value acquisition basis of the preset sampling frequency, the analog-to-digital conversion acquisition link based on timer triggering and direct memory access, the window length selection and calculation method of the sliding window averaging filtering algorithm, and the comparison process between the filtered current value and the preset current threshold. By filtering the raw sampling data through a sliding window before threshold determination, the control unit effectively isolates the interference of high-frequency electrical noise and instantaneous mechanical impact on anomaly detection, achieving high-reliability identification of jamming and abnormal collision events. This ensures that the drive current monitoring mechanism maintains stable false judgment suppression capability even in collision-prone physical contact sections.

[0086] You can also view Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a detailed process diagram based on step S40 in the first embodiment. Figure 3 The step of activating the scan interlock state includes S41-42: Step S41: Determine the interlocking flag in the pathological section scanner; Step S42: When the interlock flag is valid, the received scan start command is masked, and a prompt message prohibiting scanning is returned to the human-machine interaction unit.

[0087] This embodiment details the specific implementation process during the activation of the scanning interlock state, including determining the interlock flag in the pathological slide scanner, and when the interlock flag is valid, masking the received scan start command and returning a scan-prohibited prompt message to the human-machine interface unit. This embodiment further refines and elaborates on the interlock activation mechanism.

[0088] The interlock flag is a Boolean state variable within the control unit used to indicate whether the scanning function is forcibly disabled. In the software architecture, it is implemented as a specific memory address or a specific field in a status register. The specific operation for determining the interlock flag in the pathology slide scanner is executed by the control unit's security logic module upon receiving an interlock activation request. The security logic module first reads the current value of the register or memory address storing the interlock flag through a memory-mapped access interface to confirm whether its current state is invalid or valid. This read confirmation operation aims to prevent the same activation operation from being repeatedly executed if the interlock flag has already been enabled by other security procedures, and also to provide a snapshot of the state before and after the interlock state transition for log recording.

[0089] After determining that the interlock flag is currently invalid, the safety logic module rewrites it to a valid value using an atomic operation. Atomic operations are implemented using indivisible read-modify-write instructions on memory or registers from the control unit instruction set, such as test-and-set instructions or compare-and-swap instructions. The significance of using atomic operations lies in the fact that in a multi-tasking environment where the control unit operates, the modification of the interlock flag may be accessed simultaneously by interrupt service routines, timer callback functions, or upper-level application tasks. If a normal read-and-write operation sequence is used, a higher-priority task might preempt and modify the same flag between read and write operations, leading to data races and state inconsistencies. Atomic operations ensure that the read-modify-write process is not interrupted at the instruction execution level, and the transition of the interlock flag state is deterministic and unique for all execution contexts in the system at any given time.

[0090] When the interlock flag is set to a valid value, all instruction processing channels within the control unit that could potentially trigger the scan process are muted. Scan start commands can originate from, but are not limited to, the following three sources: interrupt signals triggered by the operator touching or clicking the scan start button on the human-machine interface unit; software scan start requests sent by the upper-level automated scan scheduling software through an internal message queue; and remote scan start commands received from the hospital or laboratory information systems via external communication interfaces. The control unit is configured with interlock check hook functions for each of these instruction entry points. Before the instruction enters normal processing logic, the hook function first reads the current state of the interlock flag. If the interlock flag is valid, the hook function immediately returns a predefined scan-prohibited error code and terminates the transmission of the instruction to subsequent execution stages. Subsequent hardware actions in the scan process, including enabling the stage motor, initializing the optical acquisition module, zeroing the focusing mechanism, and illuminating the lighting source, are not triggered.

[0091] While effectively blocking the scan start command through the interlock flag, the control unit constructs a scan-prohibition prompt message and pushes it to the human-machine interface unit. The prompt message consists of two parts: the prompt text and the status context. The prompt text briefly explains the direct reason for the scan prohibition, such as "The wafer tray is in the pick-and-place state; please push it back before starting the scan." The status context includes the source identifier of the interlock flag, indicating that the interlock activation was triggered by the wafer tray being docked at the pick-and-place position, distinguishing it from interlocks triggered by other safety events such as abnormal drive current or loss of position sensor signal. Upon receiving the prompt message, the human-machine interface unit displays a non-modal prompt bar on the currently active interface or adds a prompt record to the status bar's log window, without interrupting other interface interactions being performed by the operator. The operator can clearly understand the exact reason why the scan cannot start simply by reading the prompt message, without needing to consult equipment logs or call technical support for troubleshooting.

[0092] The above description details the read confirmation and atomic rewrite mechanism for determining the interlock flag, the unified blocking logic for multiple scan start command entries when the interlock flag is valid, and the content structure and push method for returning a scan prohibition prompt to the human-machine interface unit. By centrally managing the interlock status in the form of flags within the control unit and performing mandatory interlock checks on all scan command entries using hook functions, the control unit constructs a clearly hierarchical and unbypassable scan start prohibition execution architecture, providing effective protection against misoperation during slide handling.

[0093] Furthermore, you can also view Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a detailed process diagram based on step S50 in the first embodiment. Figure 4 The step of collecting arrival signals through an arrival sensor at a preset polling period and determining whether the chip tray has been pushed back into place based on the arrival signals includes S51~S52: Step S51: If the arrival signal is detected to be lost, immediately stop the current acquisition task and reactivate the scanning interlock state; Step S52: Generate a log record of the abnormal data collection task.

[0094] This embodiment details the process of collecting arrival signals using a positioning sensor at a preset polling period and determining whether the chip tray has been pushed back into place based on the arrival signals. If the arrival signal is lost, the current acquisition task is immediately stopped and the scanning interlock state is reactivated. It also details the specific implementation process of generating an abnormal acquisition task log. This embodiment further refines the aforementioned anomaly detection and interlock protection mechanism.

[0095] During the execution of the position signal polling and acquisition task, the control unit analyzes the current sampled value and buffer history through the position determination function in each preset polling cycle. The loss of the position signal during the scanning execution phase or the scanning standby phase has a clear physical meaning: the pressure block at the tail end of the wafer tray no longer presses down the trigger lever of the microswitch, the optical path of the photoelectric switch is no longer blocked by the baffle, or the magnetic induction switch no longer detects the permanent magnet within the sensing area. All of these indicate that the wafer tray has undergone an unexpected displacement from its fully pushed-in working position. Possible causes of position signal loss include the operator accidentally touching the leading edge of the wafer tray during scanning, pulling it outwards; external vibrations causing slight slippage of the wafer tray due to the mating clearance while maintaining electrical connection; or poor contact or electrical faults in the position sensor itself.

[0096] When the position determination function detects a change in the current sampled level from valid to invalid within a certain polling cycle, and this invalid level persists for the next two consecutive polling cycles, the position signal management module of the control unit determines that a position signal loss event has occurred. The two-cycle confirmation mechanism and the three-cycle confirmation mechanism in the pushback position determination are symmetrical in design concept; their purpose is to eliminate single-shot misjudgments caused by momentary bounce of the microswitch contacts or electrical transient interference.

[0097] Upon detecting a loss of the arrival signal, the control unit immediately executes two emergency response actions. The first action is to immediately abort the current acquisition task. The arrival signal management module forcibly switches its internal state machine from normal operation to abnormal termination. In the abnormal termination state, the control unit suspends writing new sampled values ​​to the circular buffer queue, stops the software timer's accumulation operation, and saves the current contents of the circular buffer and the accumulated value of the software timer as a snapshot in the abnormal scene storage area for subsequent diagnostic analysis. If the device is in the process of scanning when the arrival signal is lost, the control unit's abort signal will be synchronously transmitted to the scanning control module. The scanning control module will then stop the pulse output of the stage stepper motor, disable the sensor exposure timing of the optical acquisition module, and drive the objective lens converter to a safe retraction position to prevent mechanical collision between the objective lens and the slide due to changes in the slide compartment position.

[0098] The second action is to reactivate the scan interlock state. After receiving notification of the lost position signal event, the safety logic module of the control unit atomically resets the interlock flag to a valid value. Since this interlock flag was deactivated when the chip tray was pushed back into position to complete the anti-shake confirmation, the flag being reactivated is currently invalid. The atomic rewriting process is consistent with the activation process described above. After the scan interlock state is reactivated, all scan start command entries within the control unit immediately return to a shielded state, and any subsequent scan start requests will be rejected. Even if the loss of the position signal is due to a brief loose connection in the sensor cable that subsequently recovers on its own, the interlock flag will remain valid until manually confirmed and reset, and the scan function will remain locked.

[0099] Executed in parallel with the above two actions is the generation of log records for abnormal acquisition tasks. The control unit packages the timestamp of the arrival signal loss event, the chip location corresponding to the pulse count value at the time of the loss event, the sequence of arrival signal sampling values ​​for five polling cycles before and after the loss, as well as the current cumulative value of the software timer and the status of the interlock flag, and writes them together into the log storage. The log record is written in a structured data encoding format, with each field stored in key-value pairs for easy parsing and fault tracing by the host computer software. The log storage's cyclic overwrite strategy is to send a prompt to the human-machine interface unit to export the log when the log storage space usage exceeds a preset percentage threshold, preventing critical abnormal information from being prematurely overwritten.

[0100] The above description details the criteria for determining the loss of the arrival signal and the continuous periodic confirmation mechanism; the abnormal state handling of immediately suspending the acquisition task and stopping the software timer when a loss event occurs; the synchronous suspension of hardware movement during the scanning process to protect optical and mechanical components; the atomic operation to reactivate the scanning interlock state to put the scanning function back into prohibited mode; and the generation of structured abnormal log records for diagnostic traceability. By closely linking the arrival signal polling task with the interlock state management and log system, the control unit takes comprehensive safety blocking and information solidification measures at the initial moment of unexpected displacement of the chip tray, preventing a single abnormality from developing into a chain reaction of equipment damage or data loss.

[0101] Furthermore, you can also view Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a detailed process diagram based on step S60 in the first embodiment. Figure 5 The step of maintaining the arrival signal continuously and stably for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold includes S61~62: Step S61: Collect the level status of the position sensor within each preset polling cycle; Step S62: If the level status collected within a consecutive preset number of polling cycles is a valid level, and the product of the preset number and the polling cycle is greater than or equal to the anti-shake confirmation time threshold, then it is determined that the arrival signal has been continuously and stably maintained for more than the anti-shake confirmation time threshold.

[0102] This embodiment details the specific implementation process of determining whether the positioning signal has been continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold during the determination process. Specifically, it involves collecting the level status of the positioning sensor within each preset polling cycle, and determining whether the positioning signal has been continuously and stably maintained for more than a preset number of polling cycles when all collected levels are valid and the product of the preset number and the polling cycle is greater than or equal to the anti-shake confirmation time threshold. This embodiment provides a detailed algorithmic breakdown of the aforementioned anti-shake determination mechanism.

[0103] The operation of acquiring the level status of the position sensor within each preset polling cycle is periodically executed by the position signal management module in the timer interrupt service routine. As described in the previous embodiment, the preset polling cycle is typically configured to be 8ms in this embodiment. Within each 8ms interrupt, the control unit reads the logic level of the general-purpose input / output pin connected to the position sensor. The reading result is represented by 1 to indicate a valid level, i.e., the chip tray is in the triggered state of being pushed back into place, and 0 to indicate an invalid level, i.e., the chip tray has not been fully pushed into place. This level status value is sequentially written into a circular buffer queue for subsequent continuous stability determination algorithm calls.

[0104] The core data structure of the continuous stability determination algorithm is a sliding counting window. The time span of the window is defined by the stabilization confirmation time threshold, and the width of the window is represented by the number of polling cycles. The control unit reads the current configuration value of the stabilization confirmation time threshold from non-volatile memory. Assuming this configuration value is adjusted to 50ms by the human-machine interaction unit, dividing 50ms by the preset polling cycle of 8ms and rounding the quotient to 6.25 gives 7 polling cycles. The control unit stores 7 as the continuous preset number in the comparison register used for stabilization determination. The formula for calculating the continuous preset number can be summarized as dividing the stabilization confirmation time threshold by the preset polling cycle and rounding the quotient up to ensure that the required continuous stability duration at least reaches the stabilization confirmation time threshold without being shortened by the rounding operation.

[0105] At the end of each polling cycle, the arrival signal management module calls the continuous stability determination function. This function iterates through a number of recently written consecutive sample values ​​in the circular buffer queue, the number of sample values ​​equal to a preset consecutive number. The function first checks whether all of these preset consecutive sample values ​​have been filled with valid data. Since the circular buffer stores a large number of invalid level sample records before the chip tray begins pushing in, the stability determination function first verifies whether the number of sample values ​​within the window has reached the preset number. If not, the stability determination function returns a result indicating that the continuous stability determination condition has not been met.

[0106] If a preset number of sampled values ​​have accumulated in the window, the stabilization function performs a logical AND operation on all sampled values ​​within the window. The necessary and sufficient condition for the result of the logical AND operation to be true is that each sampled value within the window has a valid level indicator value of 1. This corresponds to the sensor reporting that the chip tray is in the push-back trigger state at the acquisition time of each polling cycle. Using the example above, the 50ms stabilization confirmation time threshold requires 7 consecutive sampled values ​​to be valid at an 8ms polling cycle. The actual valid duration is 7 multiplied by 8ms, which equals 56ms. This actual continuous valid duration of 56ms exceeds the 50ms requirement for the stabilization confirmation time threshold, therefore the stabilization function returns a pass result. If any sampled value within the window is an invalid level indicator value of 0, even if the invalid value occurs at the earliest time position within the window, the stabilization function still returns a fail result.

[0107] After receiving a pass result from the stability determination function, the control unit does not immediately use this as the sole basis for releasing the interlock. Instead, it further reads the actual accumulated value of the software timer for cross-validation. The accumulated value of the software timer reflects the cumulative duration during which the system has been consistently deemed valid in each polling cycle since the initial detection of the preliminary pushback decision. The purpose of cross-validation is to prevent misjudgments caused by subtle timing competition between the stability determination function's window sampling method and the software timer's accumulation method. Only when the stability determination function returns a pass result and the software timer's accumulated value is simultaneously greater than or equal to the debouncing confirmation time threshold does the control unit finally execute the operation to release the scan interlock state. This dual verification mechanism provides redundant assurance for the consistency of the system's decisions under critical timing conditions.

[0108] After the stability determination function returns a pass result, the control unit also records the preset number of consecutive sample values ​​used for determination in the window, as well as the product of the preset number of consecutive samples and the polling period, into the log storage. This log entry is used to trace the exact length of the continuous stability time corresponding to each interlock release event, providing specific data support for equipment operation quality analysis and after-sales fault diagnosis.

[0109] The above description details the rounding calculation method for a preset number of consecutive samples in the continuous stability determination algorithm, the detection logic that performs logical AND operations on the sampled values ​​in the sliding window within each polling cycle to determine that all are valid levels, the dual confirmation mechanism through cross-verification of the stability determination function and the software timer, and the recording strategy of writing intermediate data during the determination process into the log storage. This continuous stability determination process transforms the anti-jitter confirmation time threshold from an abstract time parameter into an executable determination rule with a clearly defined sampling period limit, thereby improving the timing reliability of the chip warehouse pushback confirmation from short-term sampling to persistent verification.

[0110] It should be noted that the above examples are only for understanding this application and do not constitute a limitation on the chip storage control method of this application. Any simple modifications based on this technical concept are within the protection scope of this application.

[0111] This application provides a chip repository control device, which includes: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the chip repository control method in the above embodiment 1.

[0112] The following is for reference. Figure 6 The diagram illustrates a structural schematic suitable for implementing the chip storage control device in the embodiments of this application. The chip storage control device in the embodiments of this application may include, but is not limited to, mobile terminals such as mobile phones, laptops, digital broadcast receivers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PADs (Portable Application Description), etc., and fixed terminals such as digital TVs, desktop computers, etc. Figure 6 The chip storage control device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitations on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0113] like Figure 6As shown, the chip tray control device may include a processing unit 1001 (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 1002 or a program loaded from a storage device 1003 into a random access memory (RAM) 1004. The RAM 1004 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the chip tray control device. The processing unit 1001, ROM 1002, and RAM 1004 are interconnected via a bus 1005. An input / output (I / O) interface 1006 is also connected to the bus. Typically, the following can be connected to the I / O interface 1006: input devices 1007 including, for example, a touchscreen, touchpad, keyboard, mouse, image sensor, microphone, accelerometer, gyroscope, etc.; output devices 1008 including, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), speaker, vibrator, etc.; storage devices 1003 including, for example, magnetic tape, hard disk, etc.; and communication devices 1009. Communication device 1009 allows the chip tray control device to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although various chip tray control devices are shown in the figures, it should be understood that implementation or possession of all of them is not required. More or fewer may be implemented alternatively.

[0114] Specifically, according to the embodiments disclosed in this application, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from storage device 1003, or installed from ROM 1002. When the computer program is executed by processing device 1001, it performs the functions defined in the methods of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0115] The slide tray control device provided in this application, employing the slide tray control method described in the above embodiments, can solve the technical problem of redundancy and insufficient reliability in the existing pathological slide scanner slide tray retrieval and return interlocking structure. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the slide tray control device provided in this application are the same as those of the slide tray control method provided in the above embodiments, and other technical features of this slide tray control device are the same as those disclosed in the previous embodiment method, and will not be repeated here.

[0116] It should be understood that the various parts disclosed in this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0117] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

[0118] This application provides a storage medium, which is a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) stored thereon, which are used to execute the chip storage control method in the above embodiments.

[0119] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application may be, for example, a USB flash drive, but is not limited to electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be executed by instructions, used by devices, or used in conjunction with them. The program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wires, optical cables, RF (Radio Frequency), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0120] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be included in the chip repository control device; or it may exist independently and not be assembled into the chip repository control device.

[0121] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs, which, when executed by the chip repository control device, enable the chip repository control device to implement the technical content of the chip repository control method embodiment shown above.

[0122] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0123] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using dedicated hardware-based implementations that perform the specified functions or operations, or can be implemented using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0124] The modules described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in software or hardware. The names of the modules do not necessarily limit the functionality of the unit itself.

[0125] The readable storage medium provided in this application is a computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) for executing the above-described slide tray control method. This solves the technical problem of redundancy and insufficient reliability in the existing interlocking structure for slide tray retrieval and return in pathological slide scanners. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the computer-readable storage medium provided in this application are the same as those of the slide tray control method provided in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

Claims

1. A chip storage control method, characterized in that, The slide tray control method, applied to pathological slide scanners, includes the following steps: In response to the return command, the drive mechanism drives the wafer compartment to move along the return trajectory toward the pick-up / drop-off port; Within the preset physical contact zone of the retraction trajectory, the wafer tray undergoes structural interference collision with the fixed pusher plate fixed on the opposite side of the rack pick-up and drop-out port, causing the wafer tray to generate a passive retrieval displacement relative to the support bracket towards the pick-up and drop-out port while maintaining its transmission connection with the drive mechanism. After the wafer compartment completes the passive retrieval displacement, the wafer compartment continues to move to the preset wafer compartment opening retrieval and docking position; When the chip tray is detected to be in the chip tray opening docking position, the scanning interlock state is activated. In the scanning interlock state, the scanning start command is refused to be executed, and the user is prompted to push the chip tray back into place through the human-machine interaction unit. The system collects positioning signals using positioning sensors at a preset polling cycle, and determines whether the chip compartment has been pushed back into place based on the positioning signals. When the arrival signal is continuously and stably maintained for more than the preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold, it is determined that the chip tray has been pushed back into place, and the scan interlock state is released, thereby allowing the execution of the scan start command.

2. The chip storage control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning sensor is at least one of a photoelectric switch, a micro switch, or a magnetic induction switch; the preset polling period does not exceed 10ms; the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is a configurable parameter; and the value range of the anti-shake confirmation time threshold is 30ms to 100ms.

3. The chip storage control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The displacement range of the passive assisted displacement is 5mm to 20mm, and the displacement is calibrated by adjusting the installation position of the fixed push plate on the frame or the extension length of the fixed push plate.

4. The chip storage control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of responding to a return command by driving the wafer tray along the return trajectory toward the pick-up / placement port via a drive mechanism includes: The drive current of the drive mechanism is monitored in real time, and the drive current is compared with a preset current threshold. If the driving current exceeds the preset current threshold, it is determined that a jam or abnormal collision has occurred. The scan initiation command is disabled, and the drive mechanism is stopped.

5. The chip storage control method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The step of real-time monitoring of the drive current of the drive mechanism and comparing the drive current with a preset current threshold includes: Obtain a preset sampling frequency for the drive current, and perform analog-to-digital conversion on the drive current using the preset sampling frequency; After performing sliding window averaging filtering on the collected current values, the driving current is compared with a preset current threshold.

6. The chip storage control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of activating the scan interlock state includes: Determine the interlocking flag in the pathology slide scanner; When the interlock flag is valid, the received scan start command is masked, and a prompt message prohibiting scanning is returned to the human-machine interaction unit.

7. The chip storage control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of collecting arrival signals via an arrival sensor at a preset polling period and determining whether the chip tray has been pushed back into place based on the arrival signals includes: If the arrival signal is detected to be lost, the current acquisition task is immediately terminated and the scanning interlock state is reactivated; Generate log records of data collection task exceptions.

8. The chip storage control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for maintaining the arrival signal continuously and stably for more than a preset anti-shake confirmation time threshold include: The level status of the positioning sensor is collected during each preset polling cycle; If the level status collected within a consecutive preset number of polling cycles is a valid level, and the product of the preset number and the polling cycle is greater than or equal to the anti-shake confirmation time threshold, then it is determined that the arrival signal has been continuously and stably maintained for more than the anti-shake confirmation time threshold.

9. A pathological slide scanner, characterized in that, The pathological slide scanner stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the slide compartment control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the chip storage control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

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