Method, Apparatus, and System for Establishing a Virtual Tether between a Mobile Device and a Semiconductor Processing Tool

A semiconductor processing tool that is virtually tethered to a mobile device, the semiconductor processing tool comprising:

• a memory device storing a unique key associated with the semiconductor processing tool;
• a transmitter configured to transmit the unique key to the mobile device, wherein a unique pairing is established between the mobile device and the semiconductor processing tool based on the unique key that is transmitted by the semiconductor processing tool, and in response to successfully establishing the unique pairing between the mobile device and the semiconductor processing tool, authenticating a user of the mobile device for access to the semiconductor processing tool;
• and
• a processor configured to, in response to successfully authenticating the user, perform resource arbitration which includes reserving one or more resources associated with the semiconductor processing tool based on a level of access granted to the user,
• wherein an activity level of the mobile device is monitored over a period of time, and the activity level is compared to a predetermined activity level threshold.

A system for establishing a virtual tether between a mobile device and a semiconductor processing tool, the system comprising:

• the semiconductor processing tool that includes a transmitter configured to transmit a unique key associated with the semiconductor processing tool to the mobile device;
• and
• the mobile device that is configured to:
• establish a unique pairing between the mobile device and the semiconductor processing tool based on the unique key that is obtained by the mobile device, and
• authenticate, in response to successfully establishing the unique pairing between the mobile device and the semiconductor processing tool, a user of the mobile device for access to the semiconductor processing tool;
• the semiconductor processing tool is configured to, in response to successful authentication of the user, perform resource arbitration which includes reserving one or more resources associated with the semiconductor processing tool based on a level of access granted to the user;
• the mobile device is configured to monitor the activity level of the mobile device over a period of time;
• and
• the mobile device is configured to compare the activity level to a predetermined activity level threshold.