The present invention provides a control system (10) for managing the supply of bottled gas to users (12), the system comprising: a gas cylinder system (14) having a gas cylinder (15) for receiving and distributing gas contained therein; a first electronic monitoring system (16) associated with said gas cylinder system (14) and operable to monitor parameters associated with said cylinder system (14); a second monitoring system (18) associated with one or more locations (A-F) in which said cylinder may reside and being operable to monitor the presence or absence of said cylinder within said one or more locations (A-F); and a computer system (20) in communication with each of said second monitors (18) for receiving information therefrom relating to the presence or absence of said cylinder system (14) in said one or more locations (A-F).

A fluid supply package is described, which includes a fluid storage and dispensing vessel, and a fluid dispensing assembly coupled to the vessel and configured to enable discharge of fluid from the vessel under dispensing conditions, wherein the fluid supply package includes an informational augmentation device thereon, e.g., at least one of a quick read (QR) code and an RFID tag, for informational augmentation of the package. Process systems are described including process tools and one or more fluid supply packages of the foregoing type, wherein the process tool is configured for communicative interaction with the fluid supply package(s). Various communicative arrangements are described, which are usefully employed to enhance the efficiency and operation of process systems in which fluid supply packages of the foregoing type are employed.

A gas supply system includes a loading/unloading stage including a cradle loader where a cradle loaded with a gas container is loaded, a test buffer chamber is configured to test the gas container, and a loading/unloading robot configured to transfer the gas container between the cradle and the test buffer chamber. A gas supply stage includes a storage queue configured to temporarily store the gas container, a gas supply cabinet where the gas container is mounted, and a transfer robot configured to transfer the gas container between the test buffer chamber and the storage queue and between the storage queue and the gas supply cabinet.

The present invention generates and places a Quick Response (QR) matrix barcode on a Certificate of Analysis (COA) and/or label placed on a gas cylinder at a vendor's facility. The gas cylinder is then delivered to a customer. The customer can download onto his/her mobile device an Application from the vendor, by way of a communications network. Using the Application, the QR code can be scanned, decoded, and viewed by the customer. The customer can also download the decoded information into a database, or upload the same information to a third party's database. The information remains accurate, starting at the vendor's facility, arriving at the customer's facility and, finally, reaching the third party's facility. The information is securely transferred, without any possibility of making a mistake in the information transfer.

A gas supply system includes a loading/unloading stage including a cradle loader where a cradle loaded with a gas container is loaded, a test buffer chamber is configured to test the gas container, and a loading/unloading robot configured to transfer the gas container between the cradle and the test buffer chamber. A gas supply stage includes a storage queue configured to temporarily store the gas container, a gas supply cabinet where the gas container is mounted, and a transfer robot configured to transfer the gas container between the test buffer chamber and the storage queue and between the storage queue and the gas supply cabinet.

A gas supply system includes a loading/unloading stage including a cradle loader where a cradle loaded with a gas container is loaded, a test buffer chamber is configured to test the gas container, and a loading/unloading robot configured to transfer the gas container between the cradle and the test buffer chamber. A gas supply stage includes a storage queue configured to temporarily store the gas container, a gas supply cabinet where the gas container is mounted, and a transfer robot configured to transfer the gas container between the test buffer chamber and the storage queue and between the storage queue and the gas supply cabinet.

A gas supply system includes a loading/unloading stage including a cradle loader where a cradle loaded with a gas container is loaded, a test buffer chamber is configured to test the gas container, and a loading/unloading robot configured to transfer the gas container between the cradle and the test buffer chamber. A gas supply stage includes a storage queue configured to temporarily store the gas container, a gas supply cabinet where the gas container is mounted, and a transfer robot configured to transfer the gas container between the test buffer chamber and the storage queue and between the storage queue and the gas supply cabinet.

A gas supply system includes a loading/unloading stage including a cradle loader where a cradle loaded with a gas container is loaded, a test buffer chamber is configured to test the gas container, and a loading/unloading robot configured to transfer the gas container between the cradle and the test buffer chamber. A gas supply stage includes a storage queue configured to temporarily store the gas container, a gas supply cabinet where the gas container is mounted, and a transfer robot configured to transfer the gas container between the test buffer chamber and the storage queue and between the storage queue and the gas supply cabinet.