Apparatus and method for monitoring environment within a container

• US 20030115956A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Olson, Wayne C., Barela, Connie E., Glynn, Philip S., Shaner, William J., Pedersen, James N.L., Moehnke, Stephanie J.
• Application Number:
  US10/262,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115956A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67242 Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking testing or measuring during manufacture H01L22/00, marks per se H01L23/544; testing individual semiconductor devices G01R31/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67393 characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl

Abstract

An apparatus and method for recording the environmental conditions within a container during transportation or periods of extended storage, the container for receiving semiconductor wafers or other sensitive components.

Claims

1. An instrumented substrate for use with a container, the container having an interior cavity to receive a plurality of components, the instrumented substrate comprising:

a substrate to insert into the interior cavity of the container; and

a monitoring system disposed on the substrate, the monitoring system to sense at least one environmental characteristic.

2. The instrumented substrate of claim 1, the monitoring system to store data corresponding to the at least one environmental characteristic.

3. The instrumented substrate of claim 1, the monitoring system to output data corresponding to the at least one environmental characteristic.

4. The instrumented substrate of claim 1, the substrate having a size and shape substantially similar to each of the plurality of components.

5. The instrumented substrate of claim 4, the substrate having a size and shape substantially similar to a semiconductor wafer.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate to insert into an interior cavity of a container;

a processing device disposed on the substrate;

a sensor disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device, the sensor to sense an environmental characteristic; and

a data storage device disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the interior cavity of the container includes a plurality of shelves, the substrate having a size and shape suitable for insertion into one of the plurality of shelves.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the size and shape of the substrate suitable for insertion into an uppermost one of the plurality of shelves.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the interior cavity receives generally cylindrical wafers of a specified diameter, the substrate having a generally cylindrical shape of a diameter substantially equivalent to the specified diameter.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, the substrate comprising a semiconductor material.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, the substrate comprising a sorbent material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the substrate comprising a desiccant material.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, the sensor comprising one of temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor, an electromagnetic radiation sensor, an electrical charge sensor, a chemical sensor, and a particle sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, the data storage device comprising one of a RAM memory, a flash memory, and a disk drive.

15. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a ROM memory coupled with the processing device.

16. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a power source disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device, the sensor, and the data storage device.

17. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a power connector disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device, the sensor, and the data storage device, the power connector connectable with an external power source.

18. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a communication mechanism disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the communication mechanism comprising a connector.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, the communication mechanism comprising a wireless communication device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, the wireless communication device comprising one of an RF communication device, a microwave communication device, a satellite communication device, an IR communication device, and a cellular communication device.

22. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a coupon holder disposed on the substrate.

23. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising clock circuitry disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device.

24. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising an air sampler disposed on the substrate.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, the air sampler including a sorbent material.

26. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a threshold indicator coupled with the processing device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, the threshold indicator comprising a visual indicator.

28. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a GPS receiver disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising an on-board antenna coupled with the GPS receiver.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a wireless communication device disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device and further coupled with the on-board antenna.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising an external antenna coupled with the GPS receiver.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a wireless communication device disposed on the substrate and coupled with the processing device and further coupled with the external antenna.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, the GPS receiver to provide an indication of time.

34. A container comprising:

a housing including a housing wall defining an interior cavity, the housing wall having an opening;

a plurality of shelves disposed on the housing wall within the interior cavity, each shelf of the plurality of shelves to receive a component;

a door movably secured to the housing proximate the opening; and

a monitoring system disposed on one of the housing wall and the door, the monitoring system to sense at least one environmental characteristic within the interior cavity.

35. The container of claim 34, the monitoring system to store data corresponding to the at least one environmental characteristic.

36. The container of claim 34, the monitoring system to output data corresponding to the at least one environmental characteristic.

37. The container of claim 34, said each shelf of the plurality of shelves to receive one of a semiconductor wafer, a magnetically accessible disk, and an optically accessible disk.

38. The container of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of the monitoring system is removable.

42. The container of claim 34, the sensor comprising one of temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor, an electromagnetic radiation sensor, an electrical charge sensor, a chemical sensor, and a particle sensor.

39. A container, comprising:

a housing including a housing wall defining an interior cavity, the housing wall having an opening;

a door movably secured to the housing proximate the opening; and

a monitoring system disposed on one of the housing wall and the door, the monitoring system including

a processing device,

a sensor coupled with the processing device, the sensor to sense an environmental characteristic, and

a data storage device coupled with the processing device.

40. The container of claim 39, wherein the interior cavity includes a plurality of shelves, each of the plurality of shelves to receive a component.

41. The container of claim 40, each of the plurality of shelves to receive a semiconductor wafer.

43. The container of claim 39, the data storage device comprising one of a RAM memory, a flash memory, and a disk drive.

44. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a ROM memory coupled with the processing device.

45. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a power source coupled with the processing device, the sensor, and the data storage device.

46. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a power connector coupled with the processing device, the sensor, and the data storage device, the power connector connectable with an external power source.

47. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a communication mechanism coupled with the processing device.

48. The container of claim 47, the communication mechanism comprising a connector.

49. The container of claim 47, the communication mechanism comprising a wireless communication device.

50. The container of claim 49, the wireless communication device comprising one of an RF communication device, a microwave communication device, a satellite communication device, an IR communication device, and a cellular communication device.

51. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a coupon holder.

52. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising clock circuitry coupled with the processing device.

53. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising an air sampler.

54. The container of claim 53, the air sampler including a sorbent material.

55. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a threshold indicator coupled with the processing device.

56. The container of claim 55, the threshold indicator comprising a visual indicator.

57. The container of claim 39, the monitoring system further comprising a GPS receiver coupled with the processing device.

58. The container of claim 57, the monitoring system further comprising an on-board antenna coupled with the GPS receiver.

59. The container of claim 58, the monitoring system further comprising a wireless communication device coupled with the processing device and further coupled with the on-board antenna.

60. The container of claim 57, the monitoring system further comprising an external antenna coupled with the GPS receiver.

61. The container of claim 60, the monitoring system further comprising a wireless communication device coupled with the processing device and further coupled with the external antenna.

62. The container of claim 57, the GPS receiver to provide an indication of time.

63. A method comprising:

disposing an instrumented substrate within the interior cavity of a container;

sensing an environmental characteristic with the instrumented substrate; and

storing data on the instrumented substrate, the data corresponding to the environmental characteristic.

64. The method of claim 63, further comprising sensing the environmental characteristic as a function of time.

65. The method of claim 63, further comprising sensing the environmental characteristic as a function of geographic location of the container.

66. The method of claim 63, further comprising sensing the environmental characteristic as a function of time and geographic location of the container.

67. The method of claim 63, the act of sensing an environmental characteristic comprising one of sensing temperature, sensing humidity, sensing pressure, sensing acceleration, sensing electromagnetic radiation, sensing electrical charge, sensing a chemical, and sensing particles.

68. The method of claim 63, further comprising downloading the data from the instrumented substrate to an external system.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising downloading the data to the external system via a wireless connection.

70. The method of claim 68, further comprising downloading the data to the external system in real time.

71. The method of claim 63, further comprising placing a test coupon on the instrumented substrate.

72. The method of claim 63, further comprising collecting an air sample within the interior cavity.

73. The method of claim 63, further comprising indicating that the environmental characteristic has exceeded a predefined threshold.

74. The method of claim 73, further comprising visually indicating that the environmental characteristic has exceeded the predefined threshold.

75. The method of claim 63, further comprising:

storing the data in a removable memory device on the instrumented substrate; and

removing the removable memory device from the instrumented substrate.

76. The method of claim 75, the act of storing the data in a removable memory device comprising storing the data in a flash memory device.

77. A method comprising:

providing a container including a housing wall defining and interior cavity having an opening, the container further including a door movably secured to the housing proximate the opening;

providing a monitoring system disposed on one of the housing wall and the door;

sensing an environmental characteristic within the interior cavity with the monitoring system; and

storing data in the monitoring system, the data corresponding to the environmental characteristic.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising inserting a component within the interior cavity of the container, the component received in one of a plurality of shelves disposed on the housing wall.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the component comprises one of a semiconductor wafer, a magnetically accessible disk, an optically accessible disk, and a flat panel display.

80. The method of claim 77, further comprising sensing the environmental characteristic as a function of time.

81. The method of claim 77, further comprising sensing the environmental characteristic as a function of geographic location of the container.

82. The method of claim 77, further comprising sensing the environmental characteristic as a function of time and geographic location of the container.

83. The method of claim 77, the act of sensing an environmental characteristic comprising one of sensing temperature, sensing humidity, sensing pressure, sensing acceleration, sensing electromagnetic radiation, sensing electrical charge, sensing a chemical, and sensing particles.

84. The method of claim 77, further comprising downloading the data from the monitoring system to an external system.

85. The method of claim 84, further comprising downloading the data to the external system via a wireless connection.

86. The method of claim 84, further comprising downloading the data to the external system in real time.

87. The method of claim 77, further comprising collecting an air sample within the interior cavity.

88. The method of claim 77, further comprising indicating that the environmental characteristic has exceeded a predefined threshold.

89. The method of claim 88, further comprising visually indicating that the environmental characteristic has exceeded the predefined threshold.

90. The method of claim 77, further comprising:

storing the data in a removable memory device; and

removing the removable memory device from the monitoring system.

91. The method of claim 90, the act of storing the data in a removable memory device comprising storing the data in a flash memory device.