Method for controlling components of semiconductor fabricating equipment arranged in a processing line
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsSung-geun Kim, Tae-hyung Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system is provided. A host computer automatically receives actual data indicative of an actual state of a unit of equipment for fabricating semiconductor devices. The computer retrieves from a data base stored data indicative of a stored state of the unit. A state change is computed by comparing the actual data with the stored data and the state change is checked against a predetermined threshold. If the state change exceeds the threshold, the data base is updated by storing the actual data, and operation of the equipment is modified. If the state change does not exceed the threshold, the method returns to receiving actual data.
Claims10
A method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system, the method comprising:
- automatically receiving, at a host computer, actual data indicative of an actual state of a unit of equipment for fabricating semiconductor devices through a unit state change monitoring module provided in the host computer;
- retrieving, from a data base, stored data indicative of a stored state of the unit of equipment;
- computing a unit state change by comparing the actual data with the stored data;
- determining whether the unit state change exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- returning to said receiving, if the unit state change does not exceed the predetermined threshold;
- primarily updating the data base by storing the actual data, if the unit state change does exceed the predetermined threshold;
- and
- modifying an operation of the unit of equipment after said primarily updating of the data base,
- said modifying including
- determining whether a predetermined introduction signal indicative of introduction of a workpiece into a selected unit of equipment, has been input to the host computer,
- identifying the selected unit of equipment indicated by the predetermined introduction signal, if the predetermined introduction signal has been input,
- retrieving selected stored data from the data base after said identifying, the selected stored data indicative of a running state of the selected unit of equipment,
- determining whether the selected stored data has a down value indicative that the selected unit of equipment is in a down state, after said retrieving of the selected stored data,
- displaying a predetermined alarm message, if the selected stored data has the down value, and
- stopping the introduction of the workpiece, after said displaying.
A method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system, the method comprising:
- automatically receiving, at a host computer, actual data indicative of an actual state of a unit of equipment for fabricating semiconductor devices through a unit state change monitoring module provided in the host computer;
- retrieving, from a data base, stored data indicative of a stored state of the unit of equipment;
- computing a unit state change by comparing the actual data with the stored data;
- determining whether the unit state change exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- returning to said receiving, if the unit state change does not exceed the predetermined threshold;
- primarily updating the data base by storing the actual data, if the unit state change does exceed the predetermined threshold;
- and
- modifying an operation of the unit of equipment after said primarily updating of the data base,
- said modifying including
- determining whether a predetermined rate signal indicative of calculating an operating rate for the unit of the equipment, has been input to the host computer,
- retrieving new stored data indicative of the stored state of the unit of the equipment, if the predetermined rate signal has been input,
- calculating the operating rate of the unit of the equipment with the new stored data after said retrieving of the new stored data, and
- outputting an operating rate message including the calculated operating rate after said calculating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.