Patent Application
20070244592
The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments would be evident based on the present disclosure, and that system, process, or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In order to avoid obscuring the present invention, some well-known circuits, system configurations, and process steps are not disclosed in detail. Likewise, the drawings showing embodiments of the system are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and are shown greatly exaggerated in the drawing FIGs. Where multiple embodiments are disclosed and described, having some features in common, for clarity and ease of illustration, description, and comprehension thereof, similar and like features one to another will ordinarily be described with like reference numerals.
For expository purposes, the term “horizontal” as used herein is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the invention, regardless of its orientation. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms, such as “on”, “above”, “below”, “bottom”, “top”, “side” (as in “sidewall”), “higher”, “lower”, “upper”, “over”, and “under”, are defined with respect to the horizontal plane.
The term “on” as used herein means and refers to direct contact among elements. The term “processing” as used herein includes deposition of material, patterning, exposure, development, etching, cleaning, and/or removal of the material or trimming as required in forming a described structure. The term “system” as used herein means and refers to the method and to the apparatus of the present invention in accordance with the context in which the term is used.
Referring now to
The schedule server 104 checks status, such as an end value trigger, of the primary server 102. The status results are validated with a validation process in a block 110 that can preferably include information from the first process server 106 or the second process server 108. If a final results checking process in a block 112 confirm the status of the primary server 102 and the results of the validation process in the block 110 that the primary server 102 did not transmit the control job, the schedule server 104 transmits the control job to execute the action into the manufacturing system 100 providing Poka Yoke or mistake-proofing.
The schedule server 104 is delayed, such as twenty to forty seconds from forming the control job, to check status, validated status results, and eliminate duplication of the control job. Executing duplicates of the control job can result in higher loading and incorrect feedback. Eliminating duplication of the control job provides decreased loading as well as increased performance of the manufacturing system 100.
The manufacturing system 100 can include several processes such as direct tool-to-tool automated material handling system (AMHS) delivery such as WhereNext, automatic lot selection through real time dispatch (RTD) such as WhatNext, AMHS delivery, systems automatic processing (Track In & Out) with manual delivery, or systems processing off with manual input into systems and delivery such as Offline. Automation modes can be provided for processing such as three hundred millimeter wafers.
For example a first mode can include systems automatic processing (Track In & Out) with manual delivery, a second mode can include AMHS delivery with the first mode, a third mode can include automatic lot selection through RTD with the second mode, and a fourth mode can include direct tool-to-tool AMHS delivery with the third mode.
It has been discovered that the manufacturing system 100 including the schedule server 104, the validation process in the block 110, the final results checking process in the block 112, and a delay from forming the control job, provides substantially real time fail over from the primary server 102 to the schedule server 104 eliminating more than one of the same control job.
Referring now to
The primary activation process includes a primary real time dispatch process (RTD) in a block 206. The primary real time dispatch process in the block 206 provides a returned lot list to the primary server 102 of
The event trigger also inputs to a failover activation process in a block 216. The failover activation process includes a failover real time dispatch process (RTD) in a block 218. The failover real time dispatch process in the block 218 provides a returned lot list to the schedule server 104 of
Referring now to
For example a two hundred millimeter wafer automatic decision-making and dispatching process can include check tool availability in the block 302, check each tool current setup in the block 304, check priority of lots in the block 306, check remaining species time for each tool in the block 308, check remaining lots in the block 310, check recipe availability in the block 312, operator decisions in the block 314, decide final ranking of lots in the block 316, and dispatch lot in the block 320.
Further, for example a three hundred millimeter wafer automatic decision-making and dispatching process can include check tool availability in the block 302, check each tool current setup in the block 304, check priority of lots in the block 306, check remaining species time for each tool in the block 308, check remaining lots in the block 310, check recipe availability in the block 312, operator decisions in the block 314, decide final ranking of lots in the block 316, open dispatch screen in the block 318, and dispatch lot in the block 320.
Referring now to
The primary server 102 and the schedule server 104 can detect an event trigger from the network 402 and form substantially the same control jobs. The primary server 102 can transmit the control job through the network 402 to the first process server 106 or the second process server 108. The schedule server 104 can check status of the primary server 102 and validate the status results with a validation process such as the validation process in the block 110 of
If the status of the primary server 102 and the results of the validation process confirm that the primary server 102 did not transmit the control job, the schedule server 104 transmits the control job through the network 402. The schedule server 104 can transmit the control job through the network 402 after a delay, such as twenty to forty seconds from forming the control job. The delay, the status check, or the validation process provides elimination of more than one of the same control job in the manufacturing system 100.
Referring now to
In greater detail, a system to provide the method and apparatus of the manufacturing system 100, in an embodiment of the present invention, is performed as follows:
Thus, it has been discovered that the manufacturing system method and apparatus of the present invention furnish important and heretofore unknown and unavailable solutions, capabilities, and functional aspects. The resulting processes and configurations are straightforward, cost-effective, uncomplicated, highly versatile, accurate, sensitive, and effective, and can be implemented by adapting known components for ready, efficient, and economical manufacturing, application, and utilization.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations, which fall within the scope of the included claims. All matters hithertofore set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting sense.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/745,000 filed Apr. 17, 2006.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60745000 | Apr 2006 | US |
