Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Generic control system – apparatus or process – Plural processors
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-24
2001-05-15
Sheikh, Ayaz R. (Department: 2786)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Generic control system, apparatus or process
Plural processors
C711S113000, C711S118000, C711S124000, C711S144000, C710S120000, C710S120000, C712S041000, C712S205000, C712S215000, C712S226000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233492
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process control system for controlling, for example, a complex process type semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, and a method for transferring process data for the process control system.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently a substrate processing apparatus such as a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus and a liquid crystal panel processing apparatus has remarkably tended to be automated and robotized in accordance with an improvement in performance of microcomputers. For example, various types of complex process type processing apparatuses have been developed, in which the chambers of respective processes are coupled to each other by means of a transfer unit or a robot thereby to automate a process from transfer of wafers or the like to reception thereof into the apparatus. In such an apparatus, various conditions (temperature, concentration, pressure, time, etc.) in a process are monitored by different sensors provided in each of the process chambers, and data of the monitored conditions (process data) is transferred and accumulated in a host computer. If the process data is made visible by a monitor and detected automatically, the optimum process conditions of mass-production line are set and controlled.
As the number of chambers synthesized with the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus and liquid crystal panel processing apparatus is increased, the control load of a controller (hereinafter referred to as a main controller) for unifying a group of machine controllers for separately controlling the chambers is increased more and more. The main controller transfers the process data to the host computer at the request of the host computer. The amount of process data to be transferred to the host computer increases in accordance with the number of process chambers and accordingly the control load tends to increase.
If, under the above circumstances, a process data transmission request is generated from the host computer during the execution of a process and both the process control and process data transfer control occur on the time basis at the same time, the control load of the main controller is greatly increased and the timing of the process control is delayed, with the result that it is likely that the whole process control will be made unstable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a process control system capable of improving in operation reliability by averaging a control load of a control apparatus on a time basis, for controlling a sequence of processes and transferring process data to a host computer in a complex process type processing apparatus, and a method for transferring process data for the process control system.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process control system comprising a plurality of first controllers for individually controlling a plurality of process chambers, and a second controller for controlling the plurality of first controllers, the first controllers each having a function for transferring process data detected by a corresponding process chamber to the second controller, and the second controller including a function for accumulating process data transferred from the first controllers and a function for transferring the accumulated process data to an outside when the second controller is in a predetermined control load state.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transferring process data, which comprises individually controlling a plurality of process chambers by a plurality of first controllers, controlling the first controllers by the second controller, transferring process data detected by the process chambers to the second controller, accumulating the transferred process data in storage means, and transferring the accumulated process data to an outside when the second controller is in a predetermined control load state.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinbefore.
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Nakamura Tsuyoshi
Tochiori Satoshi
Backer Firmin
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Sheikh Ayaz R.
Tokyo Electron Limited
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