Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Peripheral monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-04
2001-05-22
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Peripheral monitoring
C700S028000, C700S030000, C700S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237050
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system and, more particularly, to a method through which discordance between the actual state and stored state of equipment components can be prevented using a unit state change monitoring module included in a host computer. Thereby, the overall efficiency in controlling productivity of the equipment can be considerably enhanced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the fabrication of semiconductor devices involves highly precise processes that require finely tuned precision equipment. Several pieces of precision equipment are typically employed in sequence and arranged on a semiconductor processing line. The operation of each piece of precision equipment on the line is closely monitored by operators to maintain and enhance the efficiency of the processing line.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, conventional fabrication equipment
3
are disposed on a conventional processing line. When a lot
10
of workpieces, such as wafers, are introduced into the equipment
3
, the equipment
3
performs a fabrication process on the lot
10
. The equipment
3
is connected on-line to a host computer
1
through an equipment server (not shown). An operator interface (O/I)
2
, for example an operator interface personal computer (O/I PC), is also connected on-line to the host computer
1
. Through the O/I
2
, an operator informs the host computer
1
that a process using the equipment
3
is about to commence. The host computer
1
immediately downloads preset process settings to the equipment. Process settings may include, for example, a desired process time duration or a desired process temperature. Then the process equipment
3
performs on the workpieces of each lot
10
based on the process settings received.
After the host computer
1
downloads the preset process settings, the equipment
3
operates its one or more subsidiary units or components, for example, loading and unloading ports (not shown) and chambers
4
, to perform the process according to the downloaded process settings.
In such a conventional semiconductor fabrication equipment controlling system, when a first unit (e.g., chamber
4
a
) is in one state (e.g., DOWN), and another unit (e.g., chamber
4
b
) is in a different state (e.g., UP or RUN), the first unit may need to be changed from the one state to the different state. In such a case the operator must operate directly on the console (not shown) of the equipment
3
to change the state of the first unit. In a separate step, the operator must store the new state of the first unit in the host computer
1
through the O/I
2
. Thereafter, the host computer
1
continuously stores in its data base the states of the respective units of the equipment
3
entered by the operator.
However, such a conventional controlling system suffers from several problems. First, the states of the equipment are frequently changed and the host computer of the conventional controlling system cannot automatically recognize the changes in real time. This may result in discordance between equipment state data stored in the data base of the host computer and the actual states of the equipment.
Secondly, due to this discordance, the host computer cannot produce accurate results for controlling the processing line if those results depend on the states of the units of the equipment
3
. As a result, it is impossible to properly control the equipment as soon as a unit state is changed by the operator.
Thirdly, the operator using the discordant data from the host computer to calculate the operating rate of the equipment obtains an incorrect rate which may cause the operator to select the wrong operating rate for the following process. This may result in inaccurate control of the whole process line and reduced productivity of the line.
Finally, the states of the equipment units can be changed only by the operator moving to the equipment and operating directly on its console. If the console is positioned away from the O/I
2
, such changes may result in reduced efficiency in controlling the equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling states of components of semiconductor fabrication equipment which is capable of preventing discordance between actual states and states stored in the host computer by using a unit state change monitoring module included in the host computer which handles state data automatically in real time.
It is still another object of the present invention to accurately control the overall productivity of the processing line by retrieving component state data from the host computer that are in accord with the actual states of the equipment. It is still another object of the present invention to enhance the overall efficiency of the processing line by making it possible to change the component states remotely through the host computer.
To achieve the above objects and other objects and advantages of the present invention, the method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system includes automatically receiving, at a host computer, actual data indicative of an actual state of a unit of equipment for fabricating semiconductor devices. Then stored data indicative of a stored state of the unit of equipment are retrieved from a data base. A state change is computed by comparing the actual data with the stored data and it is determined whether the state change exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the state change does not exceed the threshold, the method returns to the automatic receiving of actual data. If the state change does exceed the threshold, the data base is primarily updated by storing the actual data, and an operation of the equipment is modified.
According to the present invention, the component state data stored in the host computer are appropriately updated according to the changes in the actual state of the component.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3344406 (1967-09-01), Vinal
patent: 3702989 (1972-11-01), Provenzano, Jr. et al.
patent: 4607325 (1986-08-01), Horn
patent: 5089984 (1992-02-01), Struger et al.
patent: 5428551 (1995-06-01), Trainor et al.
patent: 5612864 (1997-03-01), Henderson
patent: 5754451 (1998-05-01), Williams
Kim Sung-geun
Kim Tae-hyung
Du Thuan
Jones Volentine, L.L.C.
Lee Thomas
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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