Sensor apparatus management methods and apparatus

• US 20040267501A1
• Filed: 07/10/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
• Original Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
• Inventors: Freed, Mason L., Mundt, Randall S., Spanos, Costas J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,282,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Presented are methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing and maintaining an electronic device such as a sensor apparatus.

Claims

1. A maintenance unit for maintaining and storing a sensor apparatus, the sensor apparatus having a sensor apparatus power source, the maintenance unit comprising:

a housing configured for receiving the sensor apparatus;

a maintenance unit power supply attached to the housing;

a power charger connected with maintenance unit power supply for coupling power from the maintenance unit power supply to charge the sensor apparatus power source.

2. The maintenance unit of claim 1 further comprising a communication device for information transfer with the sensor apparatus.

3. The maintenance unit of claim 1 wherein the maintenance unit power supply comprises a rechargeable battery.

4. The maintenance unit of claim 1 wherein the maintenance unit power supply comprises at least one of a rechargeable battery, a capacitor, a photoelectric cell, a connection for accessing facility electrical power.

5. The maintenance unit of claim 1 further comprising a status indicator for the maintenance unit power supply.

6. The maintenance unit of claim 1 further comprising a status indicator for the sensor apparatus power source.

7. The maintenance unit of claim 1 wherein the sensor apparatus includes a support that comprises a semiconductor wafer.

8. The maintenance unit of claim 7 wherein the housing comprises a semiconductor wafer cassette for a single wafer.

9. The maintenance unit of claim 8 wherein the housing comprises a standard mechanical interface box, a front opening unified pod, or a wafer cassette.

10. The maintenance unit of claim 1 wherein the housing is configured for holding a substrate selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor wafer substrate, a flat panel display substrate, a lithography mask substrate, and a printed circuit board substrate.

11. The maintenance unit of claim 1 wherein the sensor apparatus includes a battery and a substantially planar secondary coil that includes at least one coil turn, the secondary coil being connected with the battery for charging the battery, the power charger further comprising a substantially planar primary coil having at least two coil turns, at least one of the at least two coil turns being wound in a clockwise direction, at least one of the at least two coil turns being wound in a counter clockwise direction;

whereby, placing the secondary coil in a substantially parallel non-coplanar position proximal to the primary coil causes an induction of electrical power in the secondary coil when electrical power is applied to the primary coil.

12. The maintenance unit of claim 11 wherein the axis of the secondary coil is spaced a distance from the axis of the primary coil that equals about one half of the sum of the inside radius of the primary coil and the outside radius of the primary coil.

13. The maintenance unit of claim 11 wherein the primary coil has an outside radius in the range from about 1 cm to about 9 cm and all ranges subsumed therein and the number of turns of the primary coil is in the range from about 3 to about 30 turns and all ranges subsumed therein.

14. The maintenance unit of claim 11 wherein the power charger is configured so as to provide to the primary coil a primary voltage in the range from about 3 volts to about 18 volts and all ranges subsumed therein at a primary frequency in the range from about 0.1 MHz to about 4 MHz and all ranges subsumed therein.

15. The maintenance unit of claim 11 wherein the power charger is configured so as to provide the primary coil a driving frequency that is a resonant frequency of the primary coil or a sub harmonic frequency of the primary coil.

16. A maintenance unit for maintaining and storing a sensor apparatus, the maintenance unit comprising:

a housing for enclosing the sensor apparatus;

an information processor including executable code for managing and maintaining the sensor apparatus; and

a communication device for information transfer with the sensor apparatus.

17. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising a power supply for providing power to the information processor.

18. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising a power charger for providing power to charge a power source for the sensor apparatus.

19. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising a power charger for providing power to charge the sensor apparatus, wherein the sensor apparatus includes a battery and a substantially planar secondary coil that includes at least one coil turn, the secondary coil being connected with the battery for charging the battery, the power charger further comprising a substantially planar primary coil having at least two coil turns, at least one of the coil turns being wound in a clockwise direction, at least one of the coil turns being wound in a counter clockwise direction;

whereby, placing the secondary coil in a substantially parallel non-coplanar position proximal to the primary coil causes an induction of electrical power in the secondary coil when electrical power is applied to the primary coil.

20. The maintenance unit of claim 19 wherein the axis of the secondary coil is spaced a distance from the axis of the primary coil that equals about one half of the sum of the inside radius of the primary coil and the outside radius of the primary coil.

21. The maintenance unit of claim 19 wherein the power charger is configured so as to provide to the primary coil a primary voltage in the range from about 3 volts and to about 18 volts and all ranges subsumed therein at a primary frequency in the range from about 0.1 MHz to about 4 MHz and all ranges subsumed therein.

22. The maintenance unit of claim 16 wherein the communication device comprises a power charger for providing power to charge the sensor apparatus.

23. The maintenance unit of claim 22 wherein the communication device comprises:

a primary coil;

an oscillator circuit capable of producing an alternating current flow within the primary coil;

a circuit capable of modulating a characteristic of the primary coil; and

a circuit capable of detecting changes in a characteristic of the primary coil.

24. The maintenance unit of claim 22, wherein the communication device is configured for providing power to the primary coil at a driving frequency between 400 KHz and 4 MHz.

25. The maintenance unit of claim 23, wherein the primary coil is series resonant between 400 KHz and 4 MHz.

26. The maintenance unit of claim 24, wherein the communication device is configured for modulating the driving frequency at a frequency between 9.6 KHZ and 57.6 KHz and the modulation comprises an amplitude variation between less than 20% and greater than 80% of the maximum signal level of the power provided to the primary coil.

27. The maintenance unit of claim 24, wherein the communication device is configured for modulating the driving frequency and the modulation comprises abrupt changes in the driving frequency in the range from about 400 KHZ to about 4 MHz.

28. The maintenance unit of claim 23, wherein the detected changes in the characteristic of the primary coil comprises apparent impedance changes for the primary coil.

29. The maintenance unit of claim 28, wherein the communication device is configured for measuring changes in the apparent impedance of the primary coil by measuring changes in the amplitude of the driving voltage applied to the primary coil.

30. The maintenance unit of claim 29, wherein the apparent impedance changes are at frequencies between 9.6 KHz and 56.7 kHz.

31. The maintenance unit of claim 24, wherein the communication device is configured for modulating the driving frequency and the modulation comprises modulating the amplitude of an electrical signal applied to the primary coil.

32. The maintenance unit of claim 24, wherein the communication device is configured for modulating the frequency of an electrical signal applied to the primary coil.

33. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising a sensor apparatus detector for indicating the presence of a sensor apparatus in the housing.

34. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising an information storage memory for storing at least one of data, calibration coefficients, and commands.

35. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising a connector for receiving power from an external power resource.

36. The maintenance unit of claim 16 further comprising a communication device for communication with an external information source.

37. In a combination:

a housing for at least partially enclosing a sensor apparatus;

an information processor including executable code for managing and maintaining the sensor apparatus;

a communication device for information transfer with the sensor apparatus;

a power source for providing power to the information processor;

a power charger for providing power to charge the sensor apparatus;

a sensor apparatus detector;

a sensor apparatus orientation detector;

an information storage memory for storing at least one of data, calibration coefficients, and commands;

a connector for receiving power from an external power resource; and

a second communication device for communication with an external information source.

38. The combination of claim 37, wherein the housing comprises a standard mechanical interface box, a front opening unified pod, or a wafer cassette.

39. The combination of claim 37, wherein the housing comprises a semiconductor wafer cassette.

40. The combination of claim 38, wherein the housing is configured for holding a semiconductor wafer, a flatpanel display substrate, or a lithography mask substrate.

41. A substrate processing tool having a process chamber for processing the substrate and a sensor apparatus maintenance chamber for storing at least one sensor apparatus, the sensor apparatus having a power source and an internal communicator, the sensor apparatus storage chamber being configured so as to be capable of coupling power to the sensor apparatus for charging the power source, the sensor apparatus maintenance chamber being configured so as to be capable of communicating with the sensor apparatus via the internal communicator.

42. A substrate processing tool according to claim 41, wherein the process chamber is configured for a semiconductor wafer process.

43. A substrate processing tool according to claim 41, wherein the process chamber is configured for a flat panel display fabrication process or a lithography mask fabrication process.

44. A substrate processing tool according to claim 41, wherein the process chamber is configured for an electronic device fabrication process.

45. A substrate processing tool according to claim 41, wherein the process chamber is configured for a process selected from the group consisting of etch, plasma etch, post exposure bake, chemical mechanical planarization, chemical vapor deposition, sputter deposition, drying, ion implantation, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and photoresist strip.

46. A power charging system comprising:

a sensor apparatus having a rechargeable battery for electrical power and a substantially planar secondary coil having at least one coil turn for charging the battery, the battery being connected with the secondary coil;

a power charger for inductively coupling electrical power to the secondary coil, the power charger comprising a substantially planar primary coil having at least two concentric coil turns, at least one of the coil turns being wound in a clockwise direction, at least one of the coil turns being wound in a counter clockwise direction, the primary coil being disposed so as to be substantially concentric with the sensor apparatus; and

the secondary coil being in a substantially parallel non-coplanar position proximal to the primary coil so as to cause induction of electrical power in the secondary coil when electrical power is applied to the primary coil.

47. The power charging system of claim 46, wherein the secondary coil has a radius of RS, the primary coil has an inside radius of R1−

RS, the primary coil has an outside radius of R1+RS, and the axis of the secondary coil is spaced a distance of R1 from the axis of the primary coil.

48. The power charging system of claim 46, wherein the sensor apparatus further comprises a rectification circuit connected with the secondary coil so as to receive a current input from the secondary coil.

49. The power charging system of claim 46, wherein the secondary coil has a radius in the range from about 1 cm and to about 15 cm and the secondary coil has between about 3 turns and about 30 turns.

50. The power charging system of claim 46 wherein the sensor apparatus further comprises a rectification circuit connected with the secondary coil so as to receive a current input from the secondary coil, the rectification circuit comprises a voltage doubling circuit.

51. The power charging system of claim 46 wherein the power charger is configured so as to drive the secondary coil at a resonant frequency or sub harmonic frequency of the secondary coil.

52. The power charging system of claim 46 wherein the primary coil has an outside radius in the range from about 1 cm to about 9 cm and all ranges subsumed therein and the number of turns of the primary coil is in the range from about 3 to about 30 turns and all ranges subsumed therein.

53. The power charging system of claim 46 wherein the power charger is configured so as to provide to the primary coil a primary voltage in the range from about 3 volts to about 18 volts and all ranges subsumed therein at a primary frequency in the range from about 0.1 MHz to about 4 MHz and all ranges subsumed therein.

54. The power charging system of claim 46 wherein the power charger is configured so as to provide the primary coil a driving frequency that is a resonant frequency of the primary coil or a sub harmonic frequency of the primary coil.

55. A system for wireless charging and wireless communication for a sensor apparatus and a maintenance unit, the system comprising:

a secondary coil incorporated in the sensor apparatus;

a rectification circuit for converting alternating currents induced within the secondary coil into direct current;

a circuit configured for detecting changes in the state of the secondary coil;

a modulation circuit configured for controllably modulating a characteristic of the secondary coil;

a primary coil incorporated in the maintenance unit;

an oscillator circuit connected with the primary coil for producing an alternating current flow within the primary coil;

a circuit configured for modulating a characteristic of the primary coil; and

a circuit configured for detecting changes in a characteristic of the primary coil.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the secondary coil contains between 5 and 50 turns.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the secondary coil is capacitively coupled to the rectification circuit.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein the rectification circuit comprises a voltage doubling circuit.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein the changes in the state of the secondary coil is the presence or absence of current flow.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein the detected change in the state of the secondary coil is the presence or absence of an electrical signal within a predetermined frequency range.

61. The system of claim 55, wherein the detected change in the state of the secondary coil comprises an electrical signal that includes a component within the range of 9.6 KHz to 57.6 KHz.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein the modulation circuit is configured for producing a change in the impedance of the secondary coil.

63. The system of claim 55, wherein the primary coil is series resonant between 400 KHz and 4 MHz.

64. The system of claim 55, wherein the primary coil and the secondary coil are positioned coaxially.

65. The system of claim 55, wherein the circuit configured for detecting changes in the state of the secondary coil is configured to detect the amplitude of an induced voltage.

66. The method of claim 55, wherein the circuit configured for detecting changes in the state of the secondary coil is configured to detect the frequency of an induced voltage.

67. The system of claim 55, wherein the modulation circuit is configured for controllably modulating the impedance of the secondary coil.

68. The system of claim 55, wherein the modulation circuit is configured for controllably modulating the presence of an electrical signal at a predetermined frequency.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the modulated electrical signal has a component between 9.6 KHz and 56.7 KHz.

70. A method of simultaneously communicating with and powering a sensor apparatus that includes a silicon wafer, a rechargeable battery supported by the wafer, and a secondary coil supported by the wafer, the method uses the sensor apparatus and a power charger, the power charger having a primary coil for inducing current in the secondary coil, the method comprising the steps of:

a) charging the battery with currents produced by the rectification of alternating currents induced in the secondary coil from the primary coil;

b) establishing communication between the power charger and the sensor apparatus by switching the induced current on and off; and

c) establishing communication between the sensor apparatus and the power charger by modulating the impedance of the secondary coil while the primary coil is active.

71. A method for wireless communication and wireless power transfer for a sensor apparatus and a sensor apparatus maintenance unit, the method comprising the steps of:

a) positioning a secondary coil proximal to a primary coil;

b) producing an alternating current flow within the primary coil;

c) modulating a characteristic of the primary coil in a predetermined pattern;

d) inducing an alternating current within the secondary coil;

e) rectifying the alternating current flow within the secondary coil;

f) detecting changes in the state of the secondary coil;

g) comparing detected changes in the state of the secondary coil to a predetermined set of patterns;

h) executing a preprogrammed sequence of steps in response to a match between the detected state changes and the predetermined set of patterns, one of the preprogrammed sequences of steps being the communication of the sensor apparatus status and data to an external system;

i) modulating a characteristic of the secondary coil in predetermined patterns;

j) inducing changes in a characteristic of the primary coil as a result of the modulation of the characteristic of the secondary coil;

k) detecting changes in a characteristic of the primary coil;

l) comparing detected changes in the state of the primary coil to a set of predetermined patterns to determine if there is a match; and

m) executing a preprogrammed sequence of steps in response to a match between the detected state changes and the set of predetermined patterns.

72. A maintenance unit for a sensor apparatus, the maintenance unit comprising:

a front opening unified pod for interfacing with a semiconductor wafer processing tool and

at least one of;

an information processor including executable code for managing and maintaining the sensor apparatus;

a communication device for information transfer with the sensor apparatus;

a power source for providing power to the information processor;

a power charger for providing power to charge the sensor apparatus;

a sensor apparatus detector;

a sensor apparatus orientation detector;

an information storage memory for storing at least one of measurement data, calibration coefficients, and commands; and

a second communication device for communication with an external information source.

73. The maintenance unit of claim 72, wherein the sensor apparatus orientation detector comprises a camera.

74. The maintenance unit of claim 72, wherein the sensor apparatus orientation detector comprises an encoder.

75. A maintenance unit for a sensor apparatus, the maintenance unit comprising:

a standard mechanical interface box configured for interfacing with a semiconductor wafer processing tool and

at least one of;

an information processor including executable code for managing and maintaining the sensor apparatus;

a communication device for information transfer with the sensor apparatus;

a power source for providing power to the information processor;

a power charger for providing power to charge the sensor apparatus;

a sensor apparatus detector;

a sensor apparatus orientation detector;

an information storage memory for storing at least one of measurement data, calibration coefficients, and commands;

a connector for receiving power from an external power resource;

a second communication device for communication with an external information source; and

an interface for coupling information to an information display such as a display of light emitting diodes and such as a liquid crystal display.

76. The maintenance unit of claim 75, wherein the sensor apparatus orientation detector comprises a camera.

77. The maintenance unit of claim 75, wherein the sensor apparatus orientation detector comprises an encoder.

78. In combination, a sensor apparatus having an information processor and a power source;

and a sensor apparatus maintenance unit having a housing for interfacing with a tool for processing a workpiece and a power charger for wirelessly charging the power source;

the sensor apparatus being configured for detecting when power is no longer being received from the maintenance unit;

the information processor including executable instructions for starting a predetermined data collection program in response to determining that the sensor apparatus is not receiving power for charging the power source.

79. The combination of claim 78 wherein the housing comprises a front opening unified pod for a semiconductor wafer processing tool.

80. The combination of claim 78 wherein the housing comprises a standard mechanical interface box for a semiconductor wafer processing tool.