Method for controlling emergency states of semiconductor fabricating equipment arranged in a processing line

A method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system, the method comprising:

• determining whether on-line communication has been restored between a host computer and semiconductor fabrication equipment after an interruption in communication;
• automatically receiving post-restoration emergency state data from the equipment, if on-line communication has been restored;
• determining whether the post-restoration emergency state data indicate the equipment is in a warning state;
• if in the warning state, determining whether the warning state is a critical state;
• if in the critical state, changing a key value of a variable ID corresponding to the equipment to a value indicative of shutting down the equipment;
• shutting down the equipment, including inserting the variable ID into an equipment control message and downloading the equipment control message to the equipment whereby the equipment is turned off, after said changing the key value;
• and
• returning to said automatically receiving post-restoration emergency state data, if the post-restoration emergency state data do not indicate the warning state.

A method for controlling equipment in a semiconductor fabrication system, the method comprising:

• determining whether on-line communication has been restored between a host computer and semiconductor fabrication equipment after an interruption in communication;
• automatically receiving post-restoration emergency state data from the equipment, if on-line communication has been restored;
• determining whether the post-restoration emergency state data indicate the equipment is in a warning state;
• if in the warning state, determining whether the warning state is a critical state;
• if in the critical state, changing a key value of a variable ID corresponding to the equipment to a value indicative of shutting down the equipment;
• shutting down the equipment, including inserting the variable ID into an equipment control message and downloading the equipment control message to the equipment whereby the equipment is turned off, after said changing the key value;
• returning primarily to said determining whether on-line communication has been restored, if on-line communication has not been restored;
• and
• returning secondarily to said determining whether on-line communication has been restored, after said shutting down the equipment.