Variable speed pump control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pump speed controller for controlling the pumping speed of a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the pump speed controller comprising:
- a processor;
a sensor interface coupled to the processor for receiving sensor input from at least one sensor, wherein each of the at least one sensors is configured to monitor one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system;
instructions for configuring the processor to generate a pump speed control signal in response to the monitored control signals; and
a pump interface for transmitting the pump speed control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring operating characteristics and/or control signals of a system comprising a variable speed vacuum pump. Operating characteristics and/or control signals of the system may be monitored, and the pumping speed of the variable speed vacuum pump may be altered responsive to the monitored operating characteristics and/or control signals.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A pump speed controller for controlling the pumping speed of a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the pump speed controller comprising:
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a processor;
a sensor interface coupled to the processor for receiving sensor input from at least one sensor, wherein each of the at least one sensors is configured to monitor one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system;
instructions for configuring the processor to generate a pump speed control signal in response to the monitored control signals; and
a pump interface for transmitting the pump speed control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A pump speed controller for controlling the pumping speed of a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the pump speed controller comprising:
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a sensor interface for receiving sensor input from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor monitors one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system;
a processor coupled to the sensor interface, wherein the processor receives at least one sensor signal from the sensor interface, and wherein the processor uses one or more algorithms to determine a pump speed responsive to the at least one sensor signal; and
a pump interface coupled to the processor for transmitting a pump speed control signal generated by the processor to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the pump speed control signal corresponds to the determined pump speed. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A semiconductor processing system comprising:
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a vacuum chamber;
a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum chamber;
a system controller coupled to the vacuum chamber, wherein the system controller transmits control signals to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber; and
a pump speed controller coupled to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the pump speed controller monitors the control signals transmitted by the system controller, and wherein the pump speed controller determines a pump speed responsive to the monitored control signals. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of operating a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the method comprising:
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monitoring a first control signal of the semiconductor processing system;
determining a pump speed in response to the monitored first control signal; and
transmitting a second control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the second control signal corresponds to the pump speed, whereby a speed of the variable speed vacuum pump is changed to operate at the pump speed. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for controlling a variable speed pump in a semiconductor processing system comprising a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the variable speed pump, the operation comprising:
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monitoring a first control signal of the semiconductor processing system;
determining a pump speed in response to the monitored first control signal; and
transmitting a second control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the second control signal corresponds to the pump speed, whereby a speed of the variable speed vacuum pump is changed to operate at the pump speed. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification