IP Library Granted Patent US 8,712,730
Granted Patent B2
US 8,712,730 · App. 13/154,915 · Granted Apr 29, 2014

Control system of substrate processing apparatus, collecting unit, substrate processing apparatus and control method of the substrate processing apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,712,730
App. No.
13/154,915
Granted
Apr 29, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a control system of a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a collecting unit for collecting data from each component that constitutes a substrate processing apparatus, the collecting unit further comprising at least: a buffer for temporarily storing collected data; and a sorting part for rearranging the collected data, based on time data attached to the collected data.

Claims (40)

1. A control system for high frequent data collection between at least one of a host and a database of a semiconductor manufacturing plant side and a substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of components, the control system comprising:

a collecting unit configured to collect data generated in each component of the substrate processing apparatus, the collecting unit including:

a buffer configured to temporarily store the collected data; and

a sorting part configured to rearrange the collected data to a time series, based on time data attached to the collected data and store the rearranged data in the buffer, when the collected data is stored in the buffer; and

a controller configured to attach the time data showing a collection time to the data generated in each component, and to transfer the data having the time data attached to the collecting unit, the controller including:

a control part for controlling each component based on a recipe for applying a prescribed processing to a substrate, the control part being configured to receive the data generated in each component, and the control part being configured to attach the time data to the received data, and

an operation part for editing a target recipe, the operation part being configured to: (i) receive the data generated in each component, attach the time data to the received data, and transfer the data attached to the time data to the collecting unit, and (ii) receive the data attached to the time data by the control part and transfer the data attached to the time data to the collecting unit,

wherein the collecting unit is configured to:

(i) store the received data to the time series in the buffer based on the time data attached by the controller, when the data generated in each component is received through the controller;

(ii) store empty data of only the time data in the buffer, when the data is not stored in the buffer for a prescribed period; and

(iii) send the data having the time data attached to at least one of the host and the database of the semiconductor manufacturing plant side.

2. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control part comprises:

a first control part configured to control prescribed substrate processing applied to the substrate; and

a second control part configured to control prescribed substrate carrying applied to the substrate;

wherein the collecting unit is configured to store in the buffer the data transmitted from the operation part in an order of time data, based on the time data attached in the first control part and the second control part.

3. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein data stored in the buffer is apparatus monitoring data including various control data, event data, and exceptional data.

4. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a time range holdable data stored in the buffer is determined by a maximum delay time from collecting the data by the control part, to transmitting the data to the collecting unit through the operation part.

5. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein data stored in the buffer is apparatus monitoring data including various control data, event data, and exceptional data.

6. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data stored in the buffer is apparatus monitoring data including various control data, event data, and exceptional data.

7. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the buffer is configured to provide a time list for controlling the data having the same time data, and

the collecting unit is configured to compare the data with the list controlling time in the buffer and store the data in the coincident time list.

8. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the time list is configured to be able to store a plurality of the data.

9. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the required time range of the data stored in the buffer is determined by the time difference between the oldest list and the newest list.

10. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the buffer is configured to store the collected data during the constant time in order to absorb a delay time which occurs when the data is collected through the controller; and

the collecting unit is configured to store the collected data in the buffer when the collecting time of the collected data falls in a constant time from a newest data collecting time in the buffer, and make a new buffer and store the collected data in the new buffer when the collecting time of the collected data does not fall in a constant time from the newest data collecting time in the buffer.

11. The control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the collecting unit is configured to transmit the data stored in the oldest buffer to a synchronization part, and delete the data from the oldest buffer, when the collecting time exceeds the constant time.

12. A control method for high frequent data collection between at least one of a host and a database of a semiconductor manufacturing plant side and a substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of components and including a collecting unit configured to collect data from the plurality of components, the method comprising:

collecting data generated in each component of the substrate processing apparatus;

attaching time data showing a collection time to the data generated in each component and transferring the data having the time data attached to the collecting unit, by a controller;

attaching the time data to the data generated in each component by a control part for controlling each component based on a recipe for applying a prescribed processing to a substrate;

attaching the time data to the data generated in each component and transferring the data attached to the time data to the collecting unit;

transferring the data attached to the time data by the control part to the collecting unit, by an operation part for editing a target recipe;

storing the received data to the time series in a buffer based on the time data attached by the controller, when the data generated in each component is received through the controller;

storing empty data of only the time data in the buffer, when the data is not stored in the buffer for a prescribed period; and

sending the data having the lime data attached to at least one of the host and the database of the semiconductor manufacturing plant side.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2018
From: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
To: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048008/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2011
From: KATAOKA, NORIHIKO; MORI, SHINICHIRO
To: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
Reel/Frame 026534/0527 →