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US-12621219-B2 - Control apparatus, control method, storage medium, control system, lithography apparatus, and method of manufacturing article

US12621219B2US 12621219 B2US12621219 B2US 12621219B2US-12621219-B2

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling a plurality of nodes connected to a network is provided. The apparatus includes a communication unit configured to transmit/receive, via the network in a predetermined period, a data frame including a plurality of data areas respectively assigned to the nodes; and a setting unit configured to, in a case where a first data area, of the plurality of data areas, which is scheduled as a data area of a first node is unused in a first period, assign the first data area as a data area of a second node different from the first node in the first period. The communication unit is configured to cause the second node to read out, in the first period, response data written in the first data area.

Inventors

  • Yasuhiro Watanabe

Assignees

  • CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240604
Priority Date
20230619

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . A control apparatus for controlling a plurality of nodes connected to a network, the apparatus comprising: a communication unit configured to transmit and receive, via the network in a predetermined period, a data frame including a plurality of data areas respectively assigned to the nodes; and a setting unit configured to define assignments of the plurality of data areas, wherein the plurality of nodes include a first node and a second node, the second node being a control node configured to control a first unit, and wherein, in a case where a first data area of the plurality of data areas is unused in a first period and is scheduled, in a second period before or after the first period, as a data area in which command data to the first node and response data from the first node are written, the setting unit is configured to assign the first data area, in the first period, as a state data area in which state data indicating a state of the first unit is written by the second node.
  2. 2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein command data for changing control on the first unit is transmitted in accordance with the state data read out from the state data area.
  3. 3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the setting unit is configured to determine the second node from among the plurality of nodes based on a sampling rate at which the second node acquires the state data from the first unit.
  4. 4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the setting unit is configured to determine the second node from among the plurality of nodes based on operation states of the plurality of nodes.
  5. 5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the setting unit is configured to determine the second node from among the plurality of nodes based on command data to be transmitted.
  6. 6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data frame further includes a space area ensured in advance, the plurality of nodes further include a third node configured to control a second unit, and the setting unit is configured to further assign the space area as a state data area in which state data indicating a state of the second unit is written by the third node.
  7. 7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a total size of state data of the second node and state data of the third node is larger than a size of the space area.
  8. 8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a network complying with EtherCAT®.
  9. 9 . A control method of controlling a plurality of nodes connected to a network, the method comprising transmitting and receiving, via the network in a predetermined period, a data frame including a plurality of data areas respectively assigned to the nodes, and defining assignments of the plurality of data areas, wherein the plurality of nodes include a first node and a second node, the second node being a control node configured to control a first unit, and wherein, in a case where a first data area of the plurality of data areas is unused in a first period and is scheduled, in a second period before or after the first period, as a data area in which command data to the first node and response data from the first node are written, the first data area is assigned, in the first period, as a state data area in which state data indicating a state of the first unit is written by the second node.
  10. 10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute transmitting and receiving, via the network in a predetermined period, a data frame including a plurality of data areas respectively assigned to the nodes, and defining assignments of the plurality of data areas, wherein the plurality of nodes include a first node and a second node, the second node being a control node configured to control a first unit, and wherein, in a case where a first data area of the plurality of data areas is unused in a first period and is scheduled, in a second period before or after the first period, as a data area in which command data to the first node and response data from the first node are written, the first data area is assigned, in the first period, as a state data area in which state data indicating a state of the first unit is written by the second node.
  11. 11 . A control system including a plurality of nodes connected to a network and a control apparatus configured to control the plurality of nodes, wherein the control apparatus includes a communication unit configured to transmit and receive, via the network in a predetermined period, a data frame including a plurality of data areas respectively assigned to the nodes, and a setting unit configured to define assignments of the plurality of data areas, wherein the plurality of nodes include a first node and a second node, the second node being a control node configured to control a first unit, and wherein, in a case where a first data area of the plurality of data areas is unused in a first period and is scheduled, in a second period before or after the first period, as a data area in which command data to the first node and response data from the first node are written, the setting unit is configured to assign the first data area, in the first period, as a state data area in which state data indicating a state of the first unit is written by the second node.
  12. 12 . A lithography apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a control system defined in claim 11 , wherein each of a plurality of nodes of the control system controls a unit configured to perform at least part of a process of forming a pattern on the substrate.
  13. 13 . A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: forming a pattern on a substrate by using a lithography apparatus defined in claim 12 ; processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed; and manufacturing an article from the processed substrate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control apparatus, a control method, a storage medium, a control system, a lithography apparatus, and a method of manufacturing an article. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2022-108621 discloses a technique of transmitting/receiving data concerning abnormality in a unit controlled by a controlled apparatus without any delay while reliably transmitting/receiving control data between a main control apparatus and the controlled apparatus. A system configured to transmit/receive data between a main control apparatus and a controlled apparatus in a predetermined period is sometimes required to obtain information concerning a unit controlled by the controlled apparatus. In such a case, since data for information of the unit needs to be transmitted/received between the main control apparatus and the controlled apparatus in addition to control data, the volume of data to be transmitted/received per period increases. When the volume of data to be transmitted/received per period increases, the transmission/reception of data is sometimes not completed in one period (one communication period), and data is sometimes transmitted/received across a plurality of periods. In this case, processing by the controlled apparatus which should be executed within one period normally is executed across a plurality of periods, thus delaying the operation of the system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a technique advantageous in suppressing delays in transmission/reception of data between a main control apparatus and a controlled apparatus. The present invention in its one aspect provides a control apparatus for controlling a plurality of nodes connected to a network, the apparatus including a communication unit configured to transmit/receive, via the network in a predetermined period, a data frame including a plurality of data areas respectively assigned to the nodes, and a setting unit configured to, in a case where a first data area, of the plurality of data areas, which is scheduled as a data area of a first node is unused in a first period, assign the first data area as a data area of a second node different from the first node in the first period, wherein the communication unit is configured to cause the second node to read out, in the first period, response data written in the first data area. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram exemplifying the configuration of a system; FIG. 2 is a block diagram exemplifying the configuration of a main control apparatus; FIG. 3 is a block diagram exemplifying the functional configuration of a processing unit of the main control apparatus; FIG. 4 is a block diagram exemplifying the configuration of a controlled apparatus; FIG. 5 is a block diagram exemplifying the functional configuration of a processing unit of the controlled apparatus; FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying the flows of data between the main control apparatus and a plurality of controlled apparatuses; FIG. 7 is a diagram exemplifying the data areas of data frames; FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying the flow of data when the states of units are obtained; FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of writing state data in free spaces; FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplifying the flows of data when the states of units are obtained; FIG. 11 is a flowchart exemplifying a process in which the main control apparatus sets a data frame; FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an example of writing state data in unused areas and free areas; FIG. 13 is a flowchart exemplifying a process in which a controlled apparatus writes state data in a data frame; FIG. 14 is a diagram exemplifying the flows of data when the states of units are obtained; FIG. 15 is a flowchart exemplifying a process in which the main control apparatus changes the process on a unit in accordance with the state data of a controlled apparatus; and FIG. 16 is a block diagram exemplifying the configuration of an exposure apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note, the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. Multiple features are described in the embodiments, but limitation is not made to an invention that requires all such features, and multiple such features may be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same or similar configurations, and redundant description thereof is omitted. First Embodiment (System) FIG. 1 exemplifies the configuration of a control system 100 as one aspect of the present disclosure. The control system 100 can include a main control appar