Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-08
2001-03-13
Grant, William (Department: 2786)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202000
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitoring system for semiconductor device fabrication facilities, and more particularly, to a monitoring system for semiconductor device fabrication facilities for simplifying the line installment between each facility and the monitoring system by providing a certain frequency to each facility to carry out a corresponding fabrication process of semiconductor devices and a measurement process therefor, and using one information transmission line and selective signal line.
2) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a certain pattern is formed on a semiconductor wafer through an array of processing steps such as oxidation, diffusion, etching, deposition, or ion-implantation, and semiconductor devices are manufactured via an assembly process. Between the above processing steps, or during a certain processing step, various kinds of analysis, inspection, or measurement is performed on wafers or chips.
Each analyzing step or measuring step for a certain process is carried out on its corresponding fabrication facility, and so, several and various kinds of fabrication facilities are provided on the semiconductor device fabrication factory.
In order to produce normal semiconductor devices, it is necessary to check the operational state of the process carried out in each fabrication facility, or the state of the facility itself every process time, and so, in case of an abnormal operational state being found, proper and quick action should be made. One embodiment of the monitoring systems for the above purpose is disclosed in U.S. patent Ser. No. 5,568,042, entitled “Monitoring And Control of Filter In A Power Network.”
Meanwhile, the malfunctioning process or facility abnormality is checked using various kinds of sensors installed in the corresponding semiconductor device fabrication facility, and in case of a process malfunction or facility abnormality, a corresponding sensor senses and outputs the sensing signal responsive thereto.
The sensing signal is applied to an alarming means for alerting an operator at work, or is transferred to a central monitoring apparatus for providing a judgment regarding the operational state of a corresponding process remotely. In order to transfer the sensing signal to the central monitoring apparatus, the central monitoring apparatus and the semiconductor device fabrication facility should be interfaced.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, for remote-monitoring, the central monitoring apparatus
10
is connected to each semiconductor device fabrication facility
12
to
18
to receive the sensing signals.
The conventional central monitoring apparatus
10
is individually connected to each semiconductor device fabrication facility
12
to
18
, that is, with an independent line distribution.
For the interface between the central monitoring apparatus
10
and each semiconductor device fabrication facility, a pair of inner lines are necessary for the formation of an electrical loop. That is, the number of the lines formed with a pair of inner lines is the same as the number of the semiconductor device fabrication facilities connected to the central monitoring apparatus
10
. Therefore, more semiconductor device fabrication facilities to be monitored require more lines connected to the central monitoring apparatus which is connected to each facility on a one-to-one basis. As a result, the total length of the lines is longer and more complicated, thereby increasing the installment expenses and the difficulties of the layout inside the fabrication factory. Further, the control and the management of the lines become more difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to provide a monitoring system for semiconductor device fabrication facilities which substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to the limitations and the disadvantages of the prior art.
One object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system for semiconductor device fabrication facilities which simplifies the monitoring line layout between a central monitoring apparatus and a plurality of semiconductor device fabrication facilities so as to allow easy maintenance and control of the monitoring system in the semiconductor device fabrication process.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of a monitoring system for semiconductor device fabrication facilities comprises: a central monitoring apparatus, outputting a signal having a specific frequency for selecting an object to be monitored via a selective signal line, and receiving information transferred via an information transmission line from the object responsive to the specific frequency signal; and a plurality of semiconductor device fabrication facility monitors, each of which is connected to the selective signal line and the information transmission line in parallel, with a specific frequency for response allocated for each of them, which outputs specific information received from its corresponding process via the information transmission line if it is selected by the select signal transmitted via the selective signal line having its corresponding frequency.
The central monitoring apparatus outputs a signal via the selective signal line with the frequency of the signal varied accordingly for selecting a semiconductor device fabrication facility responsive thereto so as to transfer information via the information transmission line. In a preferred embodiment, the central monitoring apparatus comprises: an output determining means for designating the frequency of the signal to be generated; a frequency generating means equipped with a plurality of frequency generators each generating a different frequency and outputting a signal successively from the frequency generators; an outputting means for outputting an output signal of the frequency generating means to be transmitted via the selective signal line; an inputting means for receiving certain information transmitted via the information transmission line; and a display means for displaying the response according to the input from the inputting means.
The output determining means preferably comprises: a first oscillating part for generating and outputting a first pulse signal; a counter for performing a binary count for the first pulse signal; and an encoder for allowing the frequency generators to selectively output a signal by a specific order according to the counting result of the counter.
The outputting means preferably comprises first 3-state buffers which correspond one-to-one to the frequency generators, and on which the output from the output-determining means is applied as an Enable signal.
Preferably, the input means comprises: second 3-state buffers which correspond one-to-one to the frequency generators, and on which the output from the output-determining means is applied as an Enable signal; a second oscillating part which outputs a second pulse signal; and a latch which delays the signal from the second 3-state buffers by the second pulse signal for a certain time, and outputs it.
In a preferred embodiment, the displaying means comprises a plurality of lamps matching the number of the second 3-state buffers and corresponding one-to-one thereto. The lamps are preferably operated according to the signal output from the latch.
The central monitoring apparatus operates by outputting a signal via the selective signal line varying the frequency of the signal, and selecting a semiconductor device facility corresponding to the signal via the information transmission line.
In a preferred embodiment, the central monitoring apparatus comprises: an output determining means for designating the frequency of the signal to be generated at random; a frequency generating means equipped with a plurality of frequency generators generating a different frequency respectively, and outputting the signal having a random different frequency, from the frequency generators; an outputting means for outp
Cabrera Zoila
Grant William
Jones Volentine, LLC
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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