The present invention relates to a fabrication equipment monitoring device and a fabrication equipment monitoring method.
In the related art, a fabrication equipment constituted by a plurality of fabrication devices is utilized in fabricating, for example, a substrate for a semiconductor device or a flat panel display, or a solar cell panel. Further, the fabrication equipment is disposed inside a factory such as, for example, a clean room. A worker who works inside the factory such as the clean room obtains various infatuation generated from a fabrication equipment located at a remote site, from, for example, a buzzer sound or light-emitting of a revolving light.
An interface technique for a multi-dimensional digital image composite processing using a digital camera function in a portable phone is suggested in which a relative movement of an image of a subject captured by a digital camera is reflected on an arrow-pointer icon displayed to be superposed on data displayed on a monitor and a movement of other separate image data, using the digital camera function (see, e.g., Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-285475
In the related art as described above, various information are generated from a device located at a remote site in a fabrication equipment inside a factory such as the clean room and obtained from a buzzer sound or light-emitting of a revolving light or the like. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the information to be obtained is limited and thus it is difficult to obtain detailed information.
The present invention has been made in an effort to cope with the problem described above and is intended to provide a fabrication equipment monitoring device and a fabrication equipment monitoring method that are capable of easily acquiring more information compared to the related art.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fabrication equipment monitoring device which monitors, by a server and a portable terminal capable of communicating with the server, a fabrication equipment located inside a factory and including at least a plurality of fabrication devices. The portable terminal includes a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire location information about a current location of the portable terminal, an image capture element, a direction detection unit configured to detect a direction where the image capture element is directed, and a display unit. The server includes a storage unit configured to store layout information about a layout of the fabrication equipment inside the factory and fabrication equipment information about the fabrication equipment. When the image capture element is directed toward the fabrication equipment, the fabrication equipment toward which the image capture element is directed is specified based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit, the direction information detected by the direction detection unit, an angle of view of the image capture element, and the layout information. The fabrication equipment information of the specified fabrication equipment is extracted from the storage unit, and at least a portion of the extracted fabrication equipment information is displayed on the display unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fabrication equipment monitoring device which monitors, by a server and a portable terminal capable of communicating with the server, a fabrication equipment located inside a factory. The portable terminal includes a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire a location information about a current location of the portable terminal, a layout information acquisition unit configured to acquire layout information of the fabrication equipment, an image capture element, a direction detection configured to detect a direction where the image capture element is directed, and a display unit. The server includes a storage unit configured to store fabrication equipment information about the fabrication equipment inside the factory. When the image capture element is directed toward the fabrication equipment, the fabrication equipment toward which image capture element is directed is specified based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit, the direction information detected by the direction detection unit, an angle of view of the image capture element and the layout information when the image capture element is faced toward the fabrication equipment. The fabrication equipment information of the specified fabrication equipment is extracted from the storage unit, and at least a portion of the extracted fabrication equipment information is displayed on the display unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fabrication equipment monitoring method which monitors, by a server and a portable terminal capable of communicating with the server, a fabrication equipment located inside a factory and including at least a plurality fabrication devices. The portable terminal includes a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire location information about a current location of the portable terminal, an image capture element, a direction detection unit configured to detect a direction where the image capture element is directed, and a display unit. The server includes a storage unit is configured to store layout information about a layout of the fabrication equipment inside the factory and fabrication equipment information about the fabrication equipment. When the image capture is directed toward the fabrication equipment, the fabrication equipment toward which image capture element is directed is specified based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit, the direction information detected by the direction detection unit, an angle of view of the image capture element, and the layout information. The fabrication equipment information of the specified fabrication equipment is from the storage unit, and at least a portion of the extracted fabrication equipment information is displayed on the display unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fabrication equipment monitoring method which monitors, by a server and a portable terminal capable of communicating with the server, a fabrication equipment located inside a factory. The portable terminal includes a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire a location information about a current location of the portable terminal, an acquisition unit configured to acquire layout information of the fabrication equipment, an image capture element, a direction detection unit configured to detect a direction where the image capture element is directed, and a display unit. The server includes a storage unit configured to store a fabrication equipment information about the fabrication equipment inside the factory. When the image capture element is directed toward the fabrication equipment, the fabrication equipment toward which image capture element is directed is specified based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit, the direction information detected by the direction detection unit, an angle of view of the image capture element, and the layout information. The fabrication equipment information of the specified fabrication equipment is extracted from the storage unit, and at least a portion of the extracted fabrication equipment information is displayed on the display unit.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fabrication equipment monitoring device and a fabrication equipment monitoring method that are capable of easily acquiring more information compared to the related art.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As illustrated in
Further, the portable terminal 102 is adapted to allow the user to manually input and register hazardous site information within the clean room, for example, a site where danger of falling may be caused due to removal of a grating, in the mapping server 101. For example, a smartphone, a tablet PC, or a wearable computer may be used as the portable terminal 102. Further, these devices may include a transmissive display device.
Further, in
Further, information about each semiconductor fabrication device 110, for example, the information such as a manufacturing status, an alarm occurrence circumstance, and recipe information are collected by a device data group administration server 112. Also, data collected by the device data group administration server 112 are stored in the mapping server 101 at regular time intervals.
The mapping server 101 includes a storage unit 103. The storage unit 103 stores, for example, an identifier (ID) for specifying the semiconductor fabrication equipment within the clean room, layout information (map information) about the layout of the semiconductor fabrication equipment within the clean room, and various information (semiconductor fabrication equipment information) indicating, for example, a status of the semiconductor fabrication equipment. The semiconductor fabrication equipment information includes, for example, operation situation summary information, operation rate transition information (one day, one week, one month, or one year), conveyance robot location information, an operation manual (e.g., PDF) of, for example, each of the semiconductor fabrication devices. Further, “the semiconductor fabrication equipment” includes the conveyance system 111 and various objects installed within the clean room in addition to the semiconductor fabrication devices 110 which perform various processings on, for example, a semiconductor wafer.
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Further, as illustrated in
Each portable terminal 102 is constituted by, for example, a smartphone, a tablet PC, or a wearable computer as described above, and includes the display and input unit 102c constituted by, for example, an image capture element such as the digital camera 102b and the liquid crystal display as illustrated in
Further, the portable terminal 102 includes a location information acquisition unit 102d that acquires the location information about the current location of the portable terminal 102 and a direction detection unit 102e that detects an image-capturing direction by the digital camera 102b (a direction where the digital camera 102b is directed). Therefore, for example, as illustrated in
Next, descriptions will be made on monitoring of the semiconductor fabrication equipment by the mapping server 101 and a portable terminal 102 with reference to a flowchart of
First, the portable terminal 102 reads the location and direction of the portable terminal 102 (step 501). Next, the portable terminal 102 determines whether there is a change from the previous image-capturing (step 502). When it is determined that there is a change, the portable terminal 102 transmits the location information (a location in a XY coordinate system, a direction, and an angle of view) to the mapping server 101 and inquires of the mapping server 101 about the displayed contents (step 503). In the meantime, when there is no change, the portable terminal 102 repeats a process which is started from step 501.
In the mapping server 101, the identifier (e.g., device ID) of an installed object displayed on image is specified from the location information (a location in a XY coordinate system, a direction, and an angle of view) transmitted from the portable terminal 102 based on the map information described above, and the information related to the installed object is retrieved (step 511). Next, the display coordinates, the display character string and the icon display attributes in the drawing area (an ST coordinate system) for displaying the information about the retrieved installed object are calculated (step 512). Also, the calculated information and the information about the presence or absence of (presence or absence of other display information) of the installed object label are transmitted to the portable terminal (step 513).
After receiving the information from the mapping server 101, the portable terminal 102 performs the drawing processing based on the information such as, for example, the display coordinates, the display character string, or the icon display attributes, and displays the information about the installed object retrieved in the mapping server 101 on the location designated by the display coordinates on the display screen of the portable terminal 102 based on the display character string and the icon display attributes (step 504).
An example of the display screen for the case is illustrated in
Next, in the portable terminal 102, the expansion display information is updated (step 505), and then it is determined whether to end the process (step 506). When it is determined not to end the process, the process from step 501 is repeated. In the meantime, when it is determined to end the process, the process is ended (step 507).
Further, after the process, as illustrated in
Then, it is determined whether an installed object label corresponding to the installed object is present or absent (step 603), and when it is determined that the installed object label corresponding to the installed object is present, the portable terminal 102 inquires of the mapping server 101 about the displayed contents (step 604) and performs the drawing processing based on the information transmitted from the mapping server 101 to display the information (step 605). In this case, the displayed contents are, for example, the size the three dimensional shape and the relevant document (e.g., an operation manual) of the installed object. In the case of a semiconductor device, the displayed contents are an alarm situation, an operation situation, a recipe name, recipe contents, an operation rate transition, and in the case of a conveyance robot, the displayed contents are, for example, the operation situation, the movement source, and the movement destination. In the meantime, when there is no corresponding installed object label, the process is ended.
The portable terminal 102 may have a function that allows each user to select a display mode to customize display (notification) information (e.g., hazardous site information and device information). In this case, for example, the display mode and the display information may be customized as follows.
Safety inspection mode: notification of alarm in CR and notification of update of hazardous site information (grating opening information)
Line engineer mode: notification of alarm in CR, notification of update of hazardous site information (grating opening information), notification of process alarm, and notification of maintenance cycle announcement
FE mode: notification of alarm in CR, notification of update information of hazardous site information (grating opening information), and notification of information process termination announcement
Operator mode: notification of alarm in CR, and notification of update of hazardous site information (grating opening information)
When each user selects the display mode to customize the display information (e.g., hazardous site information and device information) as described above, necessary display information may be displayed according to the user.
Further, the portable terminal 102 may have functions of sending the image information captured by the digital camera 102b, and the location information and the direction information about the captured location to the mapping server 101, and updating various information stored in the storage means 103 in order to share the information.
For example, in a case where a new “grating opening” for which the information is absent in the mapping server 101 occurs, since this information is the information which indicates hazard (hazardous site information), it is preferable that the information is shared between persons who enter the clean room. In this case, the image of the “grating opening” is captured by the digital camera 102b of the portable terminal 102. The captured image information, the location information and the direction information are sent to the mapping server 101. In this case, the image information within the portable terminal 102 may be automatically cleared for security so as to prevent the image information from being taken out to the outside.
The mapping server 101 updates the map information and the information about the “grating opening” of the installed object information from the image information, the location information, and the direction information sent from the portable terminal 102. Also, the mapping server 101 transmits the updated information to each portable terminal 102 and the updated information is displayed on each portable terminal 102.
In this manner, in the case where the “grating opening” for which the information is absent in the mapping server 101 exists, the information about the “grating opening” may be shared between users who carry the portable terminals, respectively.
Further, in a case where no network is available within the clean room, the portable terminal 102 may be put closer to an NFC tag disposed near to an exit when leaving the clean room to activate an application software of the portable terminal 102 using communication with the NFC tag as a trigger so that the captured image information, the location information, and the direction information may be sent to the mapping server 101 and the image information within the portable terminal 102 may be cleared. Also, in this case, the mapping server 101 updates the map information and the information about the “grating opening” of the installed object information from the image information and the location information sent from the portable terminal 102. Then, the mapping server 101 transmits the updated information to each portable terminal 102 to be displayed on the portable terminal 102
Further, the portable terminal 102 may obtain the location information in the following manner. That is, a worker downloads the map information (connecting data of identifier (ID) of the semiconductor fabrication equipment and the location information) into the portable terminal 102 when entering the clean room.
Then, the worker enters the clean room and stands in front of the semiconductor fabrication equipment (a semiconductor fabrication device 110) to obtain the identifier (ID) information thereof. The identifier (ID) information may be obtained by, for example, any one of the following methods.
A method of obtaining the identifier (ID) information by lighting a signal tower of a semiconductor fabrication device 110 with a specific pattern or color, and recognizing the lighting by the digital camera 102b of the portable terminal 102.
A method of obtaining the identifier (ID) information by displaying a QR code on the screen of the semiconductor fabrication device 110, and recognizing the QR code by the digital camera 102b of the portable terminal 102.
A method of obtaining the identifier (ID) information by attaching an NFC tag stored with the identifier (ID) information of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 to the semiconductor fabrication device 110, and putting the portable terminal 102 closer to the NFC tag.
A method of obtaining the identifier (ID) by causing a specific buzzer to sound from the semiconductor fabrication device 110, and recognizing the sound by a microphone of the portable terminal 102 to calculate the identifier (ID) information from the type of the buzzer
A method of obtaining the identifier (ID) information by capturing an image of a top screen of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 by the digital camera 102b of the portable terminal 102, and comparing the device state (e.g., an alarm and an execution recipe name) with the information of the device data group administration server 112.
Also, with the portable terminal 102, the current location is grasped from the map information (the connecting data of the identifier (ID) and the location information) downloaded when entering the clean room and the identifier (ID) information of the semiconductor fabrication device 110. Further, upon having moved from the location, the current location is predicted based on the value of, for example, the above-mentioned 6-axis sensor (tri-axial geomagnetic sensor and tri-axial acceleration sensor).
Further, in a state where the NFC tag is attached to the specific point within the clean room in advance, the map information (connecting data of a specific point and the location information) is downloaded on the portable terminal 102 when entering the clean room. Upon having entered the clean room, the portable terminal 102 is put closer to the NFC tag at the specific point to grasp the current location. Also, in this case, upon having moved therefrom, the current location is predicted based on the value of, for example, the above-mentioned 6-axis sensor (tri-axial geomagnetic sensor and tri-axial acceleration sensor).
Further, there is generally a limitation in using a network or portable terminal in the clean room in terms of security. Therefore, the fabrication equipment monitoring device 100 may have a function that inquires of whether the portable terminal 102 is allowed to be carried in the clean room when the worker has the portable terminal and enters the clean room.
In this case, the portable terminal 102 is put closer to the NFC tag for authorization when entering the clean room. An authentication function within the portable terminal 102 is activated using communication with the NFC tag as a trigger so that when “permission OK information” is present within the portable terminal 102, the portable terminal 102 is allowed to use the application software and shifts to a use mode within the clean room. In this case, for example, Bluetooth is turned OFF, 3G is turned OFF, and GPS is turned OFF.
Further, when the “permission OK information” is absent within the portable terminal 102, for example, the MAC address of the portable terminal 102 is ascertained, for example, by inquiring of the device data group administration server 112 about the MAC address of the portable terminal 102. When the portable terminal 102 is not allowed to be carried into the clean room, the application software of the portable terminal 102 is made to be unavailable (invalidation of device function) and, for example, the camera function is invalidated, Bluetooth is turned OFF, 3G is turned OFF, GPS is turned OFF.
Further, the portable terminal 102 has a function that when a specific semiconductor fabrication device 110 is image-captured by the digital camera 102b, the display of the portable terminal 102 is able to show a status inside of the device as an image similarly to an opened window of the semiconductor fabrication device 110. This may be implemented by combining the image captured by the portable terminal 102 and the image captured by the camera disposed within the semiconductor fabrication device 110 and displaying the combined image on the display of the portable terminal 102.
This function is activated by tapping, for example, the image of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 displayed on the display of the portable terminal 102, and the image of the panned camera disposed within the semiconductor fabrication device 110 may be displayed by panning (circulating the direction) the portable terminal 102. In this way, it is possible to ascertain a shape inside the device without opening a maintenance door.
Further, the portable terminal 102 has a function of displaying a state at the rear side of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 in a state where the semiconductor fabrication device 110 is absent when the specific semiconductor fabrication device 110 is image-captured by the digital camera 102b. That is, when an image of a camera disposed behind the semiconductor fabrication device 110 is subjected to a projection mapping to be superposed on the surface of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 in the AR space, an image of a state where the semiconductor fabrication device 110 is absent is displayed. This function is activated by tapping, for example, the image of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 displayed on the display of the portable terminal 102. In this manner, it is possible to perform a safety confirmation of the rear side of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 which becomes a blind spot.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a semiconductor fabrication equipment such as a semiconductor fabrication device 110 is image-captured by a digital camera 102b of a portable terminal 102, the information, such as, for example, the device name, the device state, the device operation manual of the semiconductor fabrication device 110 may be displayed to overlap with the captured image. Further, the hazardous site information of, for example, a grating opening where, for example, a worker is in danger of falling. Therefore, the larger amount of information about the semiconductor fabrication equipment may be easily acquired compared to the related art.
Further, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and various modifications may also be made thereto.
The fabrication equipment monitoring device and the fabrication equipment monitoring method of the present invention may be used in the manufacturing field of a substrate for a semiconductor device or a flat panel display, or a solar cell panel. Therefore, the present invention has an industrial applicability.
100: fabrication equipment monitoring device, 101: mapping server, 102: portable terminal, 103: storage means, 110: semiconductor fabrication device, 111: conveyance system
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2012-149660 | Jul 2012 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2013/004101 | 7/2/2013 | WO | 00 |