Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Utility Patent
1998-03-06
2001-01-02
Grant, William (Department: 2786)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S213000, C700S228000, C414S273000, C414S940000
Utility Patent
active
06169935
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method of a stocker entry task and a control method of a stocker exit task employed in a semiconductor wafer cassette transportation apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a stocker entry/exit task control method of a semiconductor wafer cassette transportation apparatus for improving the semiconductor wafer cassette transportation ability.
2. Description of the Background Art
Referring to
FIGS. 15 and 16
, a conventional semiconductor wafer cassette transportation apparatus
230
includes processing apparatuses
32
and
34
receiving semiconductor wafers in the unit of a cassette
232
to apply a fabrication process of a semiconductor integrated circuit, a stocker
234
for storing a plurality of cassettes
232
, an automatic carrier
38
for carrying out a transportation task of a cassette
232
between processing apparatus
32
/
34
and stocker
234
, and an inter-stocker transport device
42
for conveying a cassette
232
between a plurality of stockers
234
arranged along the fabrication process line.
Processing apparatus
32
/
34
uses stocker
234
as a storage site of semiconductor wafer cassette
232
before and after the fabrication process. Two automatic carriers
38
are engaged in the transportation task of cassette
232
between processing apparatus
32
/
34
and stocker
234
. For the sake of convenience, inter-stocker transport device
42
is indicated in a cut-off manner in the drawing. In practice, inter-stocker transport device
42
is arranged in a circulating manner with a plurality of stockers
234
disposed adjacent thereto. Respective groups of processing apparatus
32
/
34
and automatic carrier
38
correspond to each of other stockers
234
.
Referring particularly to
FIG. 16
, semiconductor wafer cassette transportation apparatus
230
further includes a host computer
50
for controlling processing apparatuses
32
and
34
, stocker
234
, automatic carrier
38
, and inter-stocker transport device
42
, and a communication cable
58
for providing connection between various devices and host computer
50
.
Host computer
50
includes a main body
52
to carry out a calculation process, a terminal
54
to enter fabrication standard data of a product, and a plurality of operator's terminals
56
provided at the line.
A stocker controller
64
which is an element of stocker
234
drives other structural elements of stocker
234
to carry out a predetermined task according to a task instruction from host computer
50
via communication cable
58
. An automatic carrier controller
60
which is an element of automatic carrier
38
drives other structural elements of automatic carrier
38
to carry out a predetermined task according to a task instruction from host computer
50
via communication cable
58
. Communication between automatic carrier controller
60
and automatic carrier
38
is carried out by radio via a control station communication unit
62
. An inter-stocker transport device controller
66
which is an element of inter-stocker transport device
42
drives a structural element of inter-stocker transport device
42
and also a structural element of stocker
234
via communication cable
58
to carry out a predetermined task according to a task instruction sent from host computer
50
via communication cable
58
.
Semiconductor wafer
70
and semiconductor wafer cassette
232
transferred by semiconductor wafer cassette transportation apparatus
230
and a conventional ID card
240
attached to semiconductor wafer cassette
232
will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS.
17
A-
17
C. A plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits (not shown) are produced on a semiconductor wafer (referred to as “wafer” hereinafter)
70
. Semiconductor wafer cassette (referred to as “cassette” hereinafter)
232
is the minimum unit of storing and transporting a plurality of wafers
70
. An ID card
240
is attached to cassette
232
. ID card
240
includes information associated with cassette
232
and wafer
70
stored therein. Some of the information thereof can be provided on a display unit
74
. ID card
240
can have the information partially rewritten via communication unit
76
with respect to an external control system that will be described afterwards. Also, the stored information can be reported in a non-contact manner. A communication unit
76
is attached at the front face of ID card
240
.
FIGS. 17A and 17B
show a transversal orientation and a vertical orientation, respectively, of cassette
232
to which ID card
240
is attached. More specifically, in the transversal orientation, wafers
70
are stored with the disk plane in the vertical direction. In the vertical orientation, wafers
70
are stored with the disk plane in the horizontal direction.
FIG. 17C
shows ID card
240
in detail.
The details of processing apparatuses
32
and
34
, stocker
234
, automatic carrier
38
, and inter-stocker transport device
42
will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
Referring to
FIG. 10
, processing apparatus
32
includes a main body
170
for applying a semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication process on every one or a plurality of wafers
70
, two cassette stages
172
receiving cassette
232
to be processed in the unit of one cassette, and a automatic carrier-directed communication unit
174
for providing information of the state of cassette stage
172
towards automatic carrier
38
to confirm whether any improper cassette
232
is mounted on cassette stage
172
before automatic carrier
38
places a cassette
232
not yet processed on cassette stage
172
, or whether cassette
232
subjected to a process is properly mounted on cassette stage
172
before that cassette
232
is taken away.
Referring to
FIG. 11
, processing apparatus
34
includes a main body
180
for applying a semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication process on every one or a plurality of wafers
70
, two cassette stages
182
receiving cassette
232
to be processed in the unit of
2
cassettes, and an automatic carrier-directed communication unit
174
for providing information of the state of cassette stage
182
towards automatic carrier
38
to confirm whether any improper cassette
232
is placed on cassette stage
182
before automatic carrier
38
places a cassette
232
to be processed on cassette stage
182
, or whether cassette
232
subjected to a process is properly mounted on cassette stage
182
before that cassette
232
is to be taken away.
Stocker
234
will be described with reference to FIGS.
18
-
20
. The operation side face of stocker
234
with respect to automatic carrier
38
and an opposite side face thereof are respectively shown in
FIGS. 18 and 19
.
FIG. 20
shows in detail an inlet port
260
for manual input viewed from arrow A of FIG.
19
. These figures are drawn with a stocker panel
94
which is the external panel partially cut away so that the interior can be shown. Stocker
234
includes a stocker shelf
96
on which a plurality of cassettes
232
can be mounted in transversal orientation. A storage site for a large number of cassettes
232
is acquired by stacking a plurality of cassettes
232
on respective stocker shelves
96
in the vertical direction. Stocker
234
includes a port
98
which is a portion of stocker shelf
96
and provided for the entry or exit of a cassette
232
conveyed by inter-stocker transport device
42
, an inlet port
260
which is a portion of stocker shelf
96
and provided for an operator (not shown) to enter a cassette
232
, an outlet port
262
which is a portion of stocker shelf
96
and provided for an operator to take away a cassette
232
, an outlet port
252
for automatic carrier
38
to receive cassette
232
, an outlet delivery port
100
which is a portion of stocker shelf
96
to transfer cassette
232
to outlet port
252
, an inlet port
254
through which cassette
232
is input from automatic carrier
38
, an inlet
Itami Yasushi
Iwasaki Junji
Katsube Junichi
Grant William
McDermott. Will & Emery
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Rodriguez Paul
LandOfFree
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