Wireless Communication Relay for Stable E84 Vehicle Handoffs
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing systems, the strength of radio wave reception between transport vehicles and communication devices is reduced during pre-transfer and post-transfer procedures of E84 communication sequences due to restricted radio wave output in short-range wireless communication, especially when the vehicles are positioned distant from the placement port.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus that relays information between transport vehicles and communication devices using a combination of wide-area and short-range wireless communicators, converting information between the two to stabilize communication and reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If short-range wireless communication is used to limit communication range and reduce power consumption, then power saving is improved, but radio wave reception strength deteriorates when transport vehicle is distant from placement port
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication apparatus as an intermediary device that includes both a short-range wireless communicator and a wide-area wireless communicator. The short-range communicator maintains low-power communication with the placement port, while the wide-area communicator handles long-distance communication with the transport vehicle. This intermediary apparatus resolves the contradiction by mediating between the power-saving requirement and the reception strength requirement through dual communication paths.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If short-range wireless communication with restricted output is used, then interference avoidance is improved, but communication stability deteriorates at distant positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication function into two separate communication paths: short-range wireless communication for low-interference placement port communication, and wide-area wireless communication for stable long-distance transport vehicle communication. This segmentation allows each communication type to operate in its optimal range without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between interference avoidance and communication stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus includes a wide-area wireless communicator to transmit and receive information to and from a transport vehicle via a wireless access point through wide-area wireless communication, a short-range wireless communicator to transmit and receive information to and from a communication device through short-range wireless communication with a communication range narrower than a communication range of the wide-area wireless communication, and a controller configured or programmed to convert the information received by the wide-area wireless communicator from wide-area wireless communication information into short-range wireless communication information, and output the short-range wireless communication information to the short-range wireless communicator, and convert the information received by the short-range wireless communicator from short-range wireless communication information into wide-area wireless communication information, and output the wide-area wireless communication information to the wide-area wireless communicator.