Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-09
2004-09-07
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S249000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788992
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing systems, and more particularly to a control device employing a standardized communication input/output (I/O) interface between semiconductor production equipment and transport equipment.
2. Description of the Background Art
The Semiconductor Equipment and Material International (SEMI) has laid down international standards for the purposes of reducing time and cost and restricting personnel expenditure on equipment development and factory startup in the semiconductor manufacturing processes. Among them, there are SEMI E84 Specification for Enhanced Carrier Handoff Parallel I/O Interface for 300 mm wafer carriers, and SEMI E23-Specification for Cassette Transfer Parallel I/O Interface for 200 mm wafer carriers. The E84 specification is for handoffs (load/unload) of the 300 mm wafer carriers between production equipment load ports and automated material handling systems (AMHS).
In the E84 specification, an emergency stop (ES) signal is defined as follows. When the ES signal is off, it requires active equipment (the AMHS) to immediately stop the action. Passive equipment (semiconductor production equipment) turns off the ES signal in an emergency situation, i.e., when “handoff interlock abnormal” or the like has occurred and an ES button is depressed. The ES signal is employed solely for such specific applications. Other comparable signals have not been defined.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional system which brings the AMHS to an emergency stop by the ES signal based on SEMI E84 is described. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the system includes semiconductor production equipment
100
, an AMHS
300
which grips a carrier
400
with a hand
330
to transport wafers to semiconductor production equipment
100
, and an emergency stop button
128
. In general, semiconductor production equipment
100
and AMHS
300
are manufactured by separate manufacturers and installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory. Semiconductor production equipment
100
is provided with a controller (programmable controller, sequencer or the like) for control of semiconductor production equipment
100
, and AMHS
300
is provided with a controller (programmable controller, sequencer or the like) for control of AMHS
300
. Communication between the controller of semiconductor production equipment
100
and the controller of AMHS
300
is defined based on SEMI E84.
Emergency stop button
128
is depressed by an operator when an error has occurred in semiconductor production equipment
100
or an emergency stop of AMHS
300
is required. In response to the depression of emergency stop button
128
, the controller of semiconductor production equipment
100
urgently stops semiconductor production equipment
100
itself, and also turns off the ES signal (which is on in a normal state). When the controller of AMHS
300
detects turning off of the ES signal, it stops the motion of AMHS
300
.
As such, according to the conventional semiconductor manufacturing system, when emergency stop button
128
is depressed to bring AMHS
300
to an emergency stop, not only the movement of AMHS
300
but also the movement of semiconductor production equipment
100
would be stopped immediately, regardless of whether there is a problem in semiconductor production equipment
100
. In such a case, processing on the wafers in progress in semiconductor production equipment
100
is suspended even if there is no error occurring in the device, which hinders shipping of the wafers as the finished products, thereby degrading the yield.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide, in a semiconductor manufacturing system designed based on SEMI E84, E23 or the like, a control device of the semiconductor manufacturing system for bringing active equipment to an emergency stop.
Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a semiconductor manufacturing system designed based on SEMI E84, E23 or the like, a control device of the semiconductor manufacturing system for bringing active equipment to an emergency stop with a simple configuration.
A further object of the present invention is to provide, in a semiconductor manufacturing system designed based on SEMI E84, E23 or the like, a control device of the semiconductor manufacturing system for bringing active equipment to an emergency stop to ensure safety of an operator.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide, in a semiconductor manufacturing system designed based on SEMI E84, E23 or the like, a control device of the semiconductor manufacturing system for facilitating recovery of active equipment from an emergency stop.
The control device according to the present invention controls a semiconductor manufacturing system including semiconductor production equipment and transport equipment transporting wafers contained in a carrier to the semiconductor production equipment. The semiconductor production equipment includes a first control circuit which has a circuit for bringing the semiconductor production equipment to an emergency stop. The transport equipment includes a second control circuit which has a circuit for bringing the transport equipment to an emergency stop. The first and second control circuits are connected by a signal line transmitting a signal which, when turned off, causes the second control circuit to bring the transport equipment to the emergency stop. The control device includes a receiving circuit which is connected to the first control circuit and receives an emergency stop signal for bringing the transport equipment to an emergency stop, and a control circuit which, in response to reception of the emergency stop signal, inhibits an output of emergency stop designation to the first control circuit and controls the signal on the signal line to turn off.
When the receiving circuit receives the emergency stop signal for bringing the transport equipment to an emergency stop, the control circuit turns off the signal being transmitted via the signal line connecting the first and second control circuits from the first control circuit to the second control circuit for bringing the transport equipment to an emergency stop. With this signal turned off, the second control circuit brings the transport equipment to an emergency stop. At this time, the output of the designation causing an emergency stop of the semiconductor production equipment to the first control circuit is inhibited. As such, on the occurrence of an error such as collision of the carrier transported by the transport equipment with the semiconductor production equipment, the transport equipment is brought to an emergency stop, whereas an undesired emergency stop of the semiconductor production equipment is prevented. As a result, it is possible to provide, in a semiconductor manufacturing system designed based on SEMI E84, E23 or the like, a control device of the semiconductor manufacturing system for bringing the transport equipment as the active equipment to an emergency stop.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6065128 (2000-05-01), Harvey
patent: 6086676 (2000-07-01), Kao et al.
patent: 2003/0149506 (2003-08-01), Haanstra et al.
Mano, “Digital Design” 1991, Prentice Hall, 2ndedition, pp. 58, 59, 65, 126, 202, 203, 204, 208, 209, 224, and 225.*
“SEMI E23-96 Specification for Cassette Transfer Parallel I/0 Interface”, Book of SEMI Standards 2001, Semiconductor Equipment and Material International, pp. 251-261.
“SEMI E-84-0999 Specification for Enhanced Carrier Handoff Parallel I/O Interface”, SEMI 300mm Standards Update 1999, vol. 2, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, Nov. 1999, pp. 447-467.
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Picard Leo
Renesas Technology Corp.
Shechtman Sean
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