Remote automated customer support for manufacturing equipment

• US 20020022969A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microbar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microbar, Inc.
• Inventors: Berg, Marc van den, Nguyen, Toan, Jung, Jay
• Application Number:
  US09/894,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A system, methods, and computer readable medium for providing automated customer support of semiconductor manufacturing equipment is disclosed. Sensors attached to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment can be monitored by either an automated program or a service technician to detect alarm conditions. Upon detection of an alarm condition, a remotely located customer support system can be contacted and provided with key values indicating the nature of the alarm condition. The remotely located customer support system can use the key values to query a database for electronic text files containing instructions for a service technician to follow when taking corrective action to resolve the alarm condition. When an electronic text file is found to be associated with the key value in the database, the electronic text file is transmitted to a service technician who services the manufacturing equipment at the customer site. In the case that no matches are found, the alarm condition can be reported to a troubleshooting engineer who can resolve problem creating the alarm condition, draft a solution in the form of an electronic text file, and create an entry in the database linking the new text file with the key value.

Claims

1. A method of providing technical support to a service technician of semiconductor fabrication equipment, comprising the steps of:

receiving an alarm condition in the form of an electronic message, the electronic message including at least one key value associated with the alarm condition;

extracting the key value from the received message;

querying a database containing electronic text files using the extracted key value;

retrieving an electronic text file associated with a matching key value, the electronic text file describing procedural steps to be taken by the service technician to service semiconductor manufacturing equipment; and

transmitting the electronic text file to the service technician.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service involves preventative maintenance of the semiconductor fabrication equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service involves repair of the semiconductor fabrication equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of diagnosing a new condition if the step of querying the database yields no electronic text file having a matching key value.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of drafting a new written procedure that addresses the diagnosed new condition, associating at least one key value with the diagnosed new condition and storing the written procedure in the form of a new electronic text file in the database together with the associated key value.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of transmitting the new electronic text file to the service technician in the form of an email message over a public computer network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm condition is identified and transmitted by supervisory control and data acquisition system that is in communication with a plurality of sensors placed on various pieces of semiconductor fabrication equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm condition is identified and transmitted in the form of a text message by the service technician over a web browser connected to a public computer network.

9. A method of providing technical support to service technician who services semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

diagnosing a condition where service to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is required;

drafting a written procedure for servicing the semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the form of an electronic text file;

storing the electronic text file in a database and associating the text file with at least one numeric key value, the associated key value representing the nature of the diagnosed condition;

receiving a request for service in the form of an electronic message sent over a public computer network from a service technician, the electronic message containing at least one key value that indicates the nature of the requested service;

extracting the key value from the electronic message;

querying the database using the extracted key value; and

if the extracted key value matches the associated key value then retrieving the electronic text file from the database and transmitting the electronic text message to the service technician over the public computer network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the alarm condition indicates a need for preventative maintenance of the semiconductor fabrication equipment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the service indicates a need for repair of the semiconductor fabrication equipment.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of diagnosing a new condition if the step of querying the database yields no electronic text file having a matching key value.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of drafting a new written procedure that addresses the diagnosed new condition, associating at least one key value with the diagnosed new condition and storing the written procedure in the form of a new electronic text file in the database together with the associated key value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting the new electronic text file to the service technician over the public computer network.

19. The customer support system of claim 18, wherein each of the electronic text files are associated with an order key that references the electronic text files in sequential order to form the service manual.

20. The customer support system of claim 18, wherein the database contains pointers, the pointers referencing physical storage locations of the electronic text files.

15. A method of providing technical support to a service technician who services semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

diagnosing a condition where service to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is required;

drafting a written procedure for servicing the semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the form of an electronic text file;

storing the electronic text file in a database and associating the text file with at least one numeric key value, the associated key value representing the nature of the diagnosed condition;

receiving a request for service in the form of an electronic message automatically generated by a supervisory control and data acquisition system that controls the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the electronic message containing at least one key value that indicates the nature of the requested service;

extracting the key value from the electronic message;

querying the database using the extracted key value; and

if the extracted key value matches the associated key value then retrieving the electronic text file from the database and transmitting the electronic text file to the service technician over the public computer network.

16. A method of providing technical support to a service technician who services semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

diagnosing a condition where service to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is required;

drafting a written procedure for servicing the semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the form of an electronic text file;

storing the electronic text file in a database and associating the text file with at least one numeric key value, the associated key value representing the nature of the diagnosed condition;

receiving a request for service in the form of an electronic message automatically generated by a supervisory control and data acquisition system that controls the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the electronic message containing at least one key value that indicates the nature of the requested service;

extracting the key value from the electronic message;

querying the database using the extracted key value; and

if the extracted key value matches the associated key value then retrieving the electronic text file from the database and transmitting the electronic text file to other service technicians over the public computer network.

17. A computer program product containing instructions which, when executed by a computer, provide technical support to a service technician, by:

receiving an alarm condition in the form of an electronic message, the electronic message including at least one key value associated with the alarm condition;

extracting the key value from the received message;

querying a database containing electronic text files using the extracted key value;

retrieving an electronic text file associated with a matching key value;

transmitting the electronic text file to the service technician in the form of an email message.

18. A customer support system for semiconductor fabrication facilities utilizing semiconductor fabrication equipment, the system comprising:

a communication medium for receiving an electronic message from a supervisory control and data acquisition system, the semiconductor fabrication equipment and supervisory control and data acquisition system monitoring a plurality of sensors on semiconductor fabrication equipment and generating electronic messages in response to data received from the sensors, the electronic message indicating an alarm condition, the alarm condition indicating a need for service in a particular piece of semiconductor fabrication equipment and providing at least one key that represents the alarm condition, the key comprising a numerical value that characterizes the nature of the service, the communication medium connecting a technical support system with the supervisory control and data acquisition system;

a connection to a public computer network capable of delivering email messages;

a database storing portions of a technical service manual in the form of electronic text files, the electronic text files containing instructions to perform specific physical tasks that, when rendered, provide service to semiconductor fabrication equipment, the written portions being associated with at least one key;

a database management system for performing queries on the database by performing searches using the keys and retrieving the written portions of the technical service manual responsive to the performed queries, attaching the electronic text files to an email message and transmitting the email message via the public computer network to a service technician that perform service on the semiconductor fabrication equipment.