Substrate transfer controlling apparatus and substrate transferring method

A substrate transfer controlling apparatus for controlling transfer of substrates with a transfer device from or to a processing device installed in a substrate processing apparatus, said substrate transfer controlling apparatus comprising:

• an input device for inputting times required for actions of said transfer device and times required to process substrates in said processing device;
• a schedule calculator for calculating execution times of actions of said transfer device based on said times inputted with said input device;
• an action commander for instructing the corresponding transfer device to perform said actions at said execution times of said actions of said transfer device which are calculated by said schedule calculator;
• an actual time acquisition unit for acquiring actual times at which said transfer device starts said actions thereof;
• a rescheduling judging unit for determining a difference between said calculated execution time and said corresponding acquired time, determining whether or not said difference exceeds a predetermined range;
• and
• a corrector for, when said difference exceeds said predetermined range, rescheduling said execution times of said actions for said transfer device that are not performed at that time.

A substrate processing apparatus having a processing device for processing substrates while transferring said substrates with a transfer device from or to said processing device, said substrate processing apparatus comprising:

• an input device for inputting times required for actions of said transfer device and times required to process substrates in said processing device;
• a schedule calculator for calculating execution times of actions of said transfer device based on said times inputted with said input device;
• and
• an action commander for instructing the corresponding transfer device to perform said actions at said execution times of said actions of said transfer device which are calculated by said schedule calculator;
• an actual time acquisition unit for acquiring actual times at which said transfer device starts said actions thereof;
• a rescheduling judging unit for determining a difference between said calculated execution time and said corresponding acquired time, determining whether or not said difference exceeds a predetermined range;
• and
• a corrector for, when said difference exceeds said predetermined range, rescheduling said execution times of said actions of said transfer device that are not performed at that time.

A computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a computer to control a substrate transfer device, said procedure comprising:

• calculating execution times of actions of said transfer device based on times required for said actions of said transfer device and times required to process said substrates in a processing device;
• instructing the corresponding transfer device to perform said actions at the calculated execution times of said actions of said transfer device;
• acquiring actual times at which said transfer device starts said actions thereof;
• determining a difference between said calculated execution time and said correspondent acquired time;
• determining whether or not said difference exceeds a predetermined range;
• and
• when said difference exceeds said predetermined range, rescheduling said execution times of said actions of said transfer device that are not performed at that time.