Intelligent environmental and security monitoring system

• US 10,255,785 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Huang, Chun-Jung, Hsu, Kuang-Huan, Hsu, Yung-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US15/835,327
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0297 Wafer cassette
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4141 specially adapted for gases
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67288 Monitoring of warpage, curvature, damage, defects or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67724 by means of a cart or a vehicule
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and a system for monitoring of environment and security in a fabrication facility. In one embodiment, a method comprising: transporting an automated material handling system (AMHS) vehicle from a first position to a second position; and detecting at least one parameter using at least one sensor located on the AMHS vehicle to determine at least one environmental or security condition between the first and second positions.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring of environment and security in a fabrication facility, the method comprising:

transporting an automated material handling system (AMHS) vehicle from a first position to a second position; and

detecting at least one parameter using at least one sensor located on the AMHS vehicle to determine at least one environmental or security condition between the first and second positions, wherein the at least one environmental or security condition comprises contaminant levels/types of ionic species in air, wherein the ionic species in air comprise at least one of;

NH₄⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Na⁺, F⁻

, Cl⁻

, NO₃⁻

, PO₄³⁻

, SO₄²⁻

, or NO₂⁻

.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transporting the AMHS vehicle on an overhead transport rail.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the AMHS vehicle is configured to load, unload and transport a plurality of wafers from the first position to the second position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an ionic contaminant detector, an organic contaminant detector, a camera, or a radio frequency signal detector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental or security condition further comprises at least one of:

temperature, humidity, magnetic field strength/direction, contaminant levels/types of organic species in air, unauthorized persons/activities, or unauthorized wireless communications.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the organic species in air comprise at least one of:

acetone/IPA, Propylene Glycol Methyl Ether (PGME), toluene, or propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the unauthorized wireless communications comprises at least one of:

communications using cellular signals, GPS signals, Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, or radio signals.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

transmitting the at least one detected parameter to a host computer through a wireless communication network.

9. A system for monitoring of environment and security in a fabrication facility, the system comprising:

a vehicle configured to load, unload and transport at least one wafer, wherein the vehicle is configured to carry at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to determine at least one environmental or security condition while the vehicle is transported in a fabrication facility, wherein the at least one environmental or security condition comprises contaminant levels/types of ionic species in air, wherein the ionic species in air comprise at least one of;

NH₄⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Na⁺, F⁻

, Cl⁻

, NO₃⁻

, PO₄³⁻

, SO₄²⁻

, or NO₂⁻

.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is an automated material handling system (AMHS) transportation vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an ionic contaminant detector, an organic contaminant detector, a camera, or a radio frequency signal detector.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one environmental or security condition further comprises at least one of:

temperature, humidity, magnetic field strength/direction, contaminant levels/types of organic species in air, unauthorized persons/activities, or unauthorized wireless communications.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the organic species in air comprise at least one of:

acetone/IPA, Propylene Glycol Methyl Ether (PGME), toluene, or propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA).

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the unauthorized wireless communications comprise at least one of:

communications using cellular signals, GPS signals, Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, or radio signals.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprises

a control unit configured to control the vehicle and the at least one sensor;

a data processing unit configured to receive data from the at least one sensor; and

a host computer.

16. A system for monitoring of environment and security in a fabrication facility, the system comprising:

an automated vehicle;

at least one contaminant sensor coupled to the automated vehicle; and

at least one security sensor coupled to the automated vehicle, wherein the at least one contaminant sensor is configured to detect ionic species in air within a fabrication facility wherein the ionic species in air comprises at least one of;

NH₄⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Na⁺, F⁻

, Cl⁻

, NO₃⁻

, PO₄³⁻

, SO₄²⁻

, or NO₂⁻

.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one contaminant sensor is further configured to detect organic contaminants in air within a fabrication facility.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one security sensor is configured to detect at least one security parameters including unauthorized persons and wireless communications.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the organic contaminants in air comprise at least one of:

acetone/IPA, Propylene Glycol Methyl Ether (PGME), toluene, or propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA).

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless communications comprise at least one of:

communications using cellular signals, GPS signals, Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, or radio signals.