Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Mechanical control system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-13
2001-08-07
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Mechanical control system
C710S011000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272400
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A cryogenic vacuum system typically includes at least one cryogenic vacuum pump (cryopump) and at least one compressor for supplying compressed helium to the cryopump. The system also often includes other components such as roughing pumps, waterpumps, turbopumps, chillers, valves and gauges. Together, these components operate to provide cryogenic cooling to a broader system, such as a cluster tool for semiconductor processing.
A cluster tool includes a tool host controller providing top-level control over all systems within the cluster tool. The tool includes a series of processing chambers for performing various semiconductor-fabrication processes such as wafer etching, chemical or plasma vapor deposition, oxidation, sintering, and annealing. These processes often are performed in separate chambers, each of which includes a cryopump of the cryogenic vacuum system.
In addition to the cryopumps, a conventional vacuum system typically includes a network interface terminal which communicates in the RS-232 protocol with the tool host controller and also communicates in the BitBus protocol to the network of cryopumps within the system. Other vacuum system components, such as a roughing pump, compressor, and gate valve, are typically coupled with the tool host controller to allow the tool host controller to issue commands for controlling the operation of these components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The network interface terminal of existing systems of the type described, above, provides responsive and custom-tailored control over cryopumps in a cryogenic vacuum system. Nevertheless, the nature of existing systems is limited in the following ways. First, the network interface terminal can only accommodate components that communicate in the protocol in which the terminal is programmed to communicate. The network interface terminal's communication with cryopumps is typically limited to BitBus, while its communication with the host controller is typically limited to RS-232. Nevertheless, a variety of other protocols exist, and many components are designed to communicate in one of these other protocols. A similar problem exists in terms of communicating with the host controller. Further, the control capability of the network interface terminal is limited because its capacity for control is confined primarily to cryopumps in the system. Further still, the limited capabilities of the network interface terminal places a considerable burden on the host controller, in terms of monitoring and controlling vacuum system components. This burden is evidenced in the bundle of cables that typically link various vacuum system components with the host controller.
A vacuum network controller of this invention includes a processor, a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable software code, a host interface for communicating with a host controller, and a component interface for communicating with components. Both interfaces communicate with the processor, as does the computer-readable medium. The software code stored on the computer-readable medium has the capability to perform the following operations: generating commands to control vacuum system components interfaced with the component interface; translating those commands into a plurality of communication protocols; and communicating the translated commands to the component interface.
In a preferred embodiment, the software code is able to translate instructions from a host controller and use these translated instructions as a basis for generating commands.
In another preferred embodiment, the software code is able to translate communications between the vacuum network controller and both the host controller and a vacuum system component to and from more than one of the following communication protocols: BitBus, EtherNet, TCP/IP, RS-232, RS-485, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, and Echelon. In this embodiment, the software code further enables the processor to process data transmitted from components in analog form.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the software code is able to monitor and control the vacuum system by processing operating data from the vacuum system components.
In still another preferred embodiment, the software code is able to generate commands for controlling components other than a cryopump. In various embodiments, the software code can generate commands to control components, such as a roughing pump, a compressor, a turbopump and a gate valve. Further, the software code is responsive to data received from various vacuum system components, such as sensors as well as those listed, above.
A vacuum network of this invention includes a vacuum network controller, as described above, and multiple vacuum system components in communication with the component interface. The plurality of components includes components which respond to different communication protocols.
In a preferred embodiment of this network, a host controller is in communication with the host interface of the vacuum network controller. In other preferred embodiments, a cryopump, roughing pump, compressor, or turbopump is in communication with the component interface of the vacuum network controller. In yet another preferred embodiment, the network includes a remote central controller in communication with the vacuum network controller and also with a plurality of other vacuum network controllers for monitoring and controlling those networks. A final preferred embodiment of the network includes multiple cryopumps in communication with the component interface, with different cryopumps being responsive to different command codes.
A method of this invention is embedded in a set of computer-translatable instructions performed in a controller for controlling a vacuum network. The method includes the steps of receiving an instruction from a host controller, processing the instruction to generate a command for controlling a vacuum system component, translating the command into one of the plurality of communication protocols with the selected component software driver, and communicating the translated command to a component interface to control the operation of the vacuum system component.
One version of this method further includes the step of selecting from a library of component software drivers for different communication protocols to find a driver to translate the command for controlling the vacuum system component. A second version of the method includes the step of translating the instruction received from the host controller into an internal protocol for processing within the vacuum network controller.
In a preferred embodiment of the method, the operation of a cryopump is controlled. In another preferred embodiment, a second command is generated, and a second software driver is selected to translate the second command into a second protocol to control the operation of a second component using a communication protocol distinct from that of the first component. In various versions of this preferred embodiment, the second vacuum system component is a roughing pump, a compressor, a gate valve, or a second cryopump. Another preferred embodiment of this method includes the steps of receiving data from two vacuum system components, such as those just listed, and using that data to diagnose a problem in the vacuum network. A vacuum system component can then be controlled to remedy the problem.
In yet another preferred embodiment of this method, a replacement for an old vacuum system component is auto-configured by building a file of operation parameters for the old component and loading those parameters into a new component installed to replace the old component. Still another preferred embodiment of this method includes the additional steps of identifying vacuum system components in the vacuum network, and building routing tables for distributing data from the vacuum system components and for distributing commands for operating the vacuum network based on the identity of vacuum system components.
The apparatus and methods of this invention offer
Jankins Daniel
Varone John
Cabrera Zoila
Grant William
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds P.C.
Helix Technology Corporation
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