Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-10
2001-09-11
Tweel, John A. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S525000, 36
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288650
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device and to a method for monitoring the operation of an industrial installation, particularly an installation for supplying gas for the manufacture of circuits in the microelectronics industry.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The manufacture of microelectronic circuits requires the use of various so-called “working” gases such as, for example, Cl
2
, NH
3
, HCl, HBr, NF
3
, WF
6
, etc., which are considered, for the most part, to be dangerous to man on account of their toxicity and/or their flammability.
These gases are conveyed to consumer stations, such as stations for manufacturing microelectronic circuits, via an installation for supplying these stations with gas, this installation comprising, for each gas, at least one station for supplying gas, also known by the name of “gas cabinet” and possibly a station for distributing the gas originating from a supply station so that several manufacturing stations can be supplied at the same time.
Because of the toxicity of the gases employed, a high priority is given to monitoring the operation of such a supply installation. In particular, in the event of a malfunction, it is important to be able to quickly identify the nature and location of the malfunction so that the required countermeasures can be taken before the malfunction can cause material or even human damage.
This is why such installations are equipped with a device for monitoring their operation comprising, on the one hand, groups of detectors that detect the operating status of the installation and, in particular, of each of the stations for supplying and distributing gas, each group of detectors being associated with a particular aspect of monitoring, such as monitoring gas leaks or monitoring the operating status of a specific station and, on the other hand, a display unit comprising means of communicating the operating status so that, in particular, alarms can be raised.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a monitoring device that makes it possible to present the operating status of an industrial installation while at the same time effectively identifying any malfunction or alarm detected.
To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for monitoring the operation of an industrial installation, particularly an installation for supplying gas for the manufacture of circuits in the microelectronics industry, the said installation comprising functional members, the said device comprising groups of detectors that detect the operating status of each of the functional members, each group of detectors being associated with a particular aspect that is to be monitored, such as monitoring gas leaks or monitoring the operating status of a functional member, and a display unit comprising means of communicating the operating statuses picked up by the said detectors, characterized in that it comprises, arranged between the said detectors and the display unit, means for processing the operating statuses picked up by the said detectors and for controlling the selective displaying, on the said display unit, of information relating to overall operating statuses of predetermined groups of detectors.
The monitoring device according to the invention may additionally have one or more of the following features:
the means for processing and controlling the selective displaying comprise a unit via which an operator can input commands, and means for storing in memory plans, each of which depicts at least part of the layout of the functional members of the installation, the said plans being intended to be displayed, under the control of the operator, by the said display unit together with at least one item of information indicating on the displayed plan the geographical position of at least one malfunction picked up by at least one detector of a predetermined group,
the said plans depict various levels of detail, and the means for processing and controlling the selective displaying comprise means, under the control of the operator, for selecting plans to move from one level of detail to another,
the plans with the highest level of detail each depict, as a synoptic view, a basic entity, especially a station for supplying or distributing gas, and the communicating means comprise means of displaying, on these plans with the highest level of detail, values of measurements picked up by the detectors associated with this basic entity and representing the operating status thereof,
the said plans comprise a general plan which has the lowest level of detail and depicts the installation in its entirety, this general plan being intended to be displayed permanently and in parallel with plans with a higher level of detail by the said display unit, and the communicating means comprise means of displaying, on this general plan, an item of information that relates to the position of that part of the installation that is depicted in parallel on another synoptic diagram with a higher level of detail.
the means for processing and controlling the selective displaying comprise means of coding the operating statuses so that the said information can be displayed in coded form,
the code used by the coding means is a three-colour code, in which one colour is associated with correct operation, one with a malfunction of minor significance and one with a significant malfunction.
Another subject of the invention is a method for monitoring the operation of an industrial installation, particularly an installation for supplying gas for the manufacture of circuits in the microelectronics industry, the said installation comprising functional members, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
the functional status of the functional members is detected,
groups of detected functional statuses are formed, each group being associated with a particular aspect that is to be monitored, such as the monitoring of gas leaks or the monitoring of the operational status of a specific station, and
overall operating statuses of the said groups are displayed on a display unit.
The monitoring method according to the invention may additionally have one or more of the following features:
the method further comprises a step which consists in the said display unit displaying, under the control of an operator, a plan that depicts at least part of the layout of the functional members of the installation together with at least one item of information indicating on the displayed plan the geographical position of at least one detected malfunction,
the said plans depict various levels of detail and the method further comprises the step which consists in selecting, under the control of the operator, a plan in order to move on from one level of detail to another,
the said plans with the highest level of detail each depict, in a synoptic view, a basic entity, especially a station for supplying or distributing gas, and the method comprises the step which consists in displaying, on these plans with the highest level of detail, values of measurements that characterize the detected operating status,
the said plans comprise a general plan which has the lowest level of representation and depicts the installation in its entirety, and the method comprises the step which consists in displaying this general plan permanently and in parallel with plans with a higher level of detail on the said display unit, and there is displayed on this general plan, an item of information that relates to the position of that part of the installation that is depicted in parallel on another synoptic diagram with a higher level of detail,
the method comprises the step which consists in coding the operating statuses and in displaying the operating statuses in coded form,
the code used for coding is a three-colour code in which one colour is associated with correct operation, one with a malfunction of minor significance and one with a significant malfunction.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3638191 (1972-01-01), Mann
patent: 4396977 (1983-08-01), Slater et al.
patent: 4586034 (1986-04-01), Nakami
Alpes Systeme Automation
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Tweel John A.
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