Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system – Remote supervisory monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-08
2003-06-10
Hoff, Marc S. (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
Remote supervisory monitoring
C702S184000, C340S003100, C340S005900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06577988
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to monitoring systems and more particularly to a method and system for monitoring gases used in semiconductor manufacturing at one or more sites from a remote location using the World Wide Web. This invention provides increased efficiency in monitoring the gases and results in improved efficiency in identification of alarms, responding to problems and reducing down time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The manufacture of semiconductor devices involves the use of a variety of gases, which typically are toxic. The gases are contained in cylinders which are stored in cabinets. The gases are delivered to the tools during the manufacturing process under the control of a process gas delivery system. An example of a commercially available process gas delivery system is the GASGUARD® Network System from Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. The components of a typical process gas delivery system
50
are illustrated in
FIG. 1
, which comprises a gas cabinet
14
, an optional manifold box
15
, a network interface
13
, two network adapters (not shown), and control software (not shown) which runs within a personal computer (PC) system
11
. There are typically one or two cylinders of gas (not shown) within a gas cabinet
14
. The gas cabinet
14
may be connected via gas lines (not shown) to a single tool
30
, or preferably, through a manifold box
15
. A manifold box
15
can provide a controlled feed of gases to typically as many as four tools
30
. If one of the tools
30
requires maintenance, the flow of gases to a given tool may be shut off by using a gas isolation box (GIB)
20
which allows the other remaining tools
30
to remain in production while an individual tool is serviced. The use of a GIB
20
also permits gas pressure to be maintained in the gas line while a tool
30
is being serviced, so that the tool may be brought back on line quickly without having to re-pressurize the gas line. The GIB
20
is not part of the gas delivery system and is considered part of the semiconductor processing equipment.
In a typical semiconductor fabrication operation, a single gas delivery system may include well over a hundred gas cabinets
14
and manifolds
15
which are controlled from a control room
10
. Each gas cabinet
14
and manifold
15
is in communications with the control room
10
through a network interface
13
. The network interface
13
is in communication with software that is provided as part of the gas delivery system, and the software runs on one or more PC's
11
located within the control room
10
. For example, a typical GASGUARD® network may include between one or more PC's
11
connected to a single network interface
13
, and each PC
11
is capable of controlling well over a hundred units comprising a combination of gas cabinets
14
and mainfolds
15
. The software provides numerous menus and functions to control, operate, and collect data from the gas cabinets
14
and manifolds
15
.
In a typical semiconductor fabrication operation, wafer processing proceeds 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Therefore, reliable delivery of process gases to the process tools
30
is required to maintain continuous production. The gas delivery system is designed to collect information about the status of the gases within the gas delivery system
50
and notify technicians and operators within the control room
10
in the event of any problems that may occur. Examples of problems include gas leaks, high or low pressure, high temperatures, etc. For example, a low pressure reading might indicate that a gas cylinder needs to be replaced. Data collected at regular intervals includes gas pressures and flow rates. Under normal operating conditions, such data need only be recorded infrequently. Because the gas is depleted from the cylinders slowly, pressure data need only be recorded once every 6 hours in a typical operation. However, an alarm condition may require immediate attention by a technician to correct a problem such as a gas leak. Thus, a technician who is required to be physically present in a given control room to monitor the gas delivery system data is largely unproductive, unless and until an alarm is signaled. Such gas delivery systems may be implemented in multiple buildings and at multiple sites across the world within given organization. In addition, the occurrence of conditions requiring the changing of gas cylinders or of alarms is unpredictable. This creates difficulties and inefficiencies in staffing the control room and in effectively tracking the status of gases and equipment across multiple sites.
One related system that provides for a distributed monitor and control system for gases within a building is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,594 entitled “Gas Cylinder Monitor and Control System” issued to David et al. on Sep. 12, 1989 (hereinafter referred to as the David patent). The David patent provides for a system to monitor gases within a given building by using distributed monitoring modules connected to a centralized control system that includes means for signaling alarms at distributed locations within the building. An alarm may be communicated automatically to an operator by using a radio pager system. The centralized control system may comprise a computer system that can process data collected from the distributed modules and can generate statistical reports which can be printed out in hard copy form. However, the David patent was not designed to work with multiple sites.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,032 entitled “Method for Controlling LP Gas Inventory” issued to Naresh P. Patel oh Nov. 23, 1993 (hereinafter referred to as the Patel patent) discloses a method of collecting information for controlling liquid propane (LP) gas inventory in tanks at multiple remote locations. The Patel patent discusses the use of a computer to collect inventory data from a sensors that indicate LP gas levels within the tanks. The method of communication disclosed is provided by an autodialer and modem using telephone calls to receive and transmit information. The Patel patent discusses the use of the computer to maintain data files, prepare reports, and send reports to a host computer, for the purpose of maintaining LP gas inventories and minimizing trips to refill the LP gas tanks. However, the Patel patent does not address the complexity of equipment and types of gases that must be monitored in a gas delivery system used for processing semiconductors.
Neither the David patent nor the Patel patent provides for access to a centralized database from the Internet, using the service facilities known as the World Wide Web (hereinafter referred to as the Web).
The Internet refers to the network of computers that arose out of the network created by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) as the method for providing communication between the computers on the network. A number of service facilities have been developed to access and transfer information across the Internet and one of the most popular is known as the World Wide Web (Web) Typically, a user would access data on the Web by interfacing with software known as a Web browser, running on a client computer that is connected from the Internet.
The capabilities of a Web browser may be enhanced by executing a small program, or applet, running within the environment of the browser. Such an applet may be written in any of a variety of programming languages, such as Java™. Java™, a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is an object-oriented, platform-independent programming environment. One way that Java™ platform independence is achieved is by embedding the Java™ run-time environment, known as the Java™ virtual machine (JVM), within a Web browser. Java™ programs are compiled in byte format, which may be downloaded from a server and then interpreted by the JVM running within the Web browser. Thus, a program embodied as a Java™ applet has the flexibility of being available from any computer system having a Java™-ena
Travagline David Louis
Wacker, Jr. John E.
Barbee Manuel L.
C. Li Todd M.
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