System and method for automatically generating semiconductor...

Details System and method for automatically generating semiconductor... System and method for automatically generating semiconductor...

2002-06-25

2004-04-13

Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)

Data processing: generic control systems or specific application

Specific application, apparatus or process

Product assembly or manufacturing

C700S096000, C700S097000, C709S241000, C702S100000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06721618

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for automatically generating software for use in SECS (Semiconductor Equipment Communications Standard) communications, and more particularly, to a system and method for automatically generating software such that coding of a source program for use in controlling equipments is automatically performed through the selection of data corresponding to SECS messages defining operations of the equipments involved in a semiconductor processing system for use in the SECS message communications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a semiconductor processing system is linked to a host by way of equipment servers (hereinafter, referred to as “EQS”) that supervise a group of equipments involved in a process.
Each of the equipments reports to the host the progressing status and results of each process. The host performs functions such as supervising and managing a series of semiconductor fabricating processes based on the report. Semiconductor fabricating equipments are generally classified into preprocessing equipments, assembly equipments, test and inspection equipments, other related equipments, etc. Since the semiconductor fabricating process is such a complex and diverse process that includes more than 500 steps, there are a variety of equipments involved therein.
Therefore, it is difficult to effectively manage the whole semiconductor fabricating process. To cope with the difficulty, most semiconductor fabricating equipments are managed by using a protocol for use in controlling them. The widely used protocol is a SECS protocol. That is, the SECS protocol is a communication protocol for supporting communication between equipments specifically designed for the semiconductor fabricating processes. The SECS protocol is a protocol or standard established by SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Material International) in order to efficiently achieve the communications between the semiconductor fabricating equipments.
The SECS is broken down into three layers: a GEM layer (GEM (Generic Equipment Model) and Application layer) for managing the semiconductor fabricating processes; a message generating layer (SECS-II layer) for reporting the progressing status and results of each process; and a message transmitting/receiving layer (SECS-I layer) for transmitting and receiving the generated message.
The SECS-I and SCS-II define communication interface standards between the semiconductor fabricating equipments and the host. The standards describe details for physical connection, signal size, data rate, protocol logic, and the like, which are required for message (information) exchange between the equipments and the host. The information exchange is made through a serial point-to-point line.
All the messages transferred based on the SECS protocol obey one or more message transfer standards, and each of the message transfer standards is processed as one transaction. Combinations of those transactions control and manage the semiconductor fabricating processes.
An operator of the semiconductor fabricating processes analyzes the feature of the equipments by using the SECS communication software and the processing procedures of the semiconductor fabricating processes executed by the equipments, prior to putting the SECS communication software into running.
Then, the operator prepares a scenario of the semiconductor fabricating processes based on the analysis results, wherein the scenario is mainly represented by flow of messages to be transferred between the host and the equipments. Such flow of messages constitutes the semiconductor fabricating processes.
FIG. 1
shows an example of a plurality of SECS messages transferred between the equipment and the server (EQS) in the SECS communications.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the equipment transfers a SECS message of “S1 F13” representing communication establishment to EQS in order to start the semiconductor fabricating process. The EQS transfers an acknowledgment message of “S1 F14” to the equipment in order to respond to the message from the equipment. The equipment transfers a SECS message of “S1 F1” to the EQS, which is a query inquiring whether the equipment exists, and then, receives an acknowledgment message of “S1 F2” from the EQS. Subsequently, the equipment transfers a SECS message of “S6 F11” representing a mode change into the process control mode to the EQS, and receives an acknowledgment message “S6 F12” from the EQS. The operator for the equipment puts a product on the work table prior to starting the semiconductor fabricating process (Product Loading).
After the product loading, the operator for the equipment transfers a SECS message of “S6 F11” representing a loading completion to the EQS. The EQS transfers an acknowledgment message of “S6 F12” and a SECS message of “S2 F41” representing the instructions “start commission” to the EQS.
The equipment transfers an acknowledgment message “S2 F42” in response to the message “S2 F41” to the EQS, and transfers a SECS message “S6 F11” representing the process start to the EQS, and then receives an acknowledgment message “S6 F12” in response to the message “S6 F11” from the EQS. The operator of the equipment starts the fabricating process. When the fabricating process end, the operator for the equipment transfers a message of “S6 F11” representing an end of the process to the EQS, and then receives an acknowledgment message “S6 F12” from the EQS. The equipment transfers a message “S6 F11” of “Move Out Request” representing the product unloading from the work table to the EQS. The equipment receives an acknowledgment message “S6 F12” from the EQS, and unloads the process-finished product from the worktable (Unload a Cassette).
The equipment transfers a message “S6 F11” of “Move Out Complete” representing the completion of the product unloading to the EQS, and receives an acknowledgment message “S6 F12” for the message of “S6 F11” from the EQS. The equipment transfers a message “S6 F11” representing the preparation of the next process to the EQS, and receives an acknowledgment message “S6 F12” from the EQS. With this, the series of the semiconductor fabricating process is finished.
Referring to the
FIG. 1
, it is found that the SECS messages of “S6, F11” and “S6, F12” are used several times. That is, a SECS message is composed of a pair of one query SECS message and one response SECS message.
The query and response process between the EQS and the equipment may be described as follow: for example, when the SECS message of “S6, F11” is transmitted from the equipment to the EQS, an operator of the EQS should check data values contained in the received SECS message of “S6, F11” to analyze what the data values mean.
Further, the operator should generate a response message and a control message corresponding thereto, and then, must perform a manual coding of a source program for implementing the generated response and control messages and send it to the equipment.
FIG. 2
shows an example of a SECS message transferred between the equipment and the server (EQS) in the SECS communications.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, each SECS message presents a unique expression thereof such as “S6, F11”, a combination of one of stream numbers (S
1
to S
128
) and one of function numbers (F
1
to F
128
).
In
FIG. 2
, it may be easily understood that the SECS message of “S6, F11” is used for host command confirmation (HCA) b the Function name of which because the transfer direction is from the equipment to the EQS, and it is necessary for the EQS to respond to the message toward the equipment. Further, the item of the SECS data included in “S6 F11” message is “L, 3” (
210
). That is, “L, 3(
210
)” means three data lines, the first line contains <DATAID> (
220
) representing a series of data ID, the second line contains <CEID> (
230
) representing “collect event ID”, and the third line contains “L,2” (
240
) composed of two lines. The first line of “L,2” (
240
) contains <RPTID> representing “report ID”, and

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