Control system, control method, process system, and computer readable storage medium and computer program

• US 20060247803A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Mori, Kazushi
• Application Number:
  US10/541,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247803A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/80
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm

Abstract

A control system comprises a control apparatus 17 that controls a process apparatus 10, which performs a predetermined process on a wafer W, based on plural pieces of process information to be detected in the process apparatus 10, and alarm generation means 21 which generates an alarm when the detected process information is off a predetermined range. The control apparatus 17 grasps the generation state of an alarm, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

control means that controls a process apparatus, which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, based on information to be detected in the process apparatus; and

alarm generation means which generates an alarm when the detected information is off a predetermined range,

wherein the control means grasps a generation state of the alarm which is generated from the alarm generation means, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the control means can set a threshold of a generation state of an alarm which is generated from the alarm generation means, grasps the generation state of the alarm, and gives warning when the generation state reaches the set threshold.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the process apparatus has a plurality of detection means, and when an alarm is generated from one detection means, the control means automatically starts grasping the alarm generation state.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the process apparatus has a plurality of detection means, and when an alarm is generated from a preset detection means, the control means starts grasping the alarm generation state.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm generation means is provided in the control means.

6. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the generation state of the alarm is a number of alarm generations within a predetermined time.

7. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the generation state of the alarm is a time from an alarm generation to a next alarm generation.

8. A control system comprising:

control means that controls a plurality of process apparatuses, which perform predetermined processes on an object to be processed, based on information to be detected in the process apparatuses; and

alarm generation means which generates an alarm when the information to be detected is off a predetermined range,

the control means including

a plurality of apparatus control units that respectively control the plurality of process apparatuses based on plural pieces of information to be detected in the individual process apparatuses,

a host computer that receives partial information from the individual process apparatuses and controls the individual process apparatuses based on that information, and

a control apparatus that receives all or nearly all information from the individual process apparatuses and controls the individual process apparatuses based on that information, the control apparatus including

means that collects information received from the individual control units and alarm information received from the alarm generation means,

means that analyzes the collected information, and

means that grasps a generation state of the alarm generated based on the alarm information, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

9. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the means that gives warning can set a threshold of a generation state of an alarm which is generated from the alarm generation means.

10. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the control apparatus further includes means that outputs a result of the analysis and the generation state of the alarm.

11. The control system according to claim 8, wherein each of the process apparatuses has a plurality of detection means, and when an alarm is generated from one detection means, the control apparatus automatically starts grasping the alarm generation state.

12. The control system according to claim 8, wherein each of the process apparatuses has a plurality of detection means, and when an alarm is generated from a preset detection means, the control apparatus starts grasping the alarm generation state.

13. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the alarm generation means is provided in the control means.

14. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the generation state of the alarm is a number of alarm generations within a predetermined time.

15. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the generation state of the alarm is a time from an alarm generation to a next alarm generation.

16. A control method that controls a process apparatus, which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, based on plural pieces of information to be detected in the process apparatus, the method comprising:

grasping a generation state of an alarm, which is generated when the detected information is off a predetermined range; and

giving warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

17. The control method according to claim 16, further comprising setting a threshold of a generation state of the alarm which is generated when detected process information is off a predetermined range, grasping the generation state of the alarm, and giving warning when the generation state reaches the set threshold.

18. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the process apparatus has a plurality of detection means, and when an alarm is generated from one detection means, grasping the alarm generation state automatically starts.

19. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the process apparatus has a plurality of detection means, and when an alarm is generated from a preset detection means, grasping the alarm generation state starts.

20. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the generation state of the alarm is a number of alarm generations within a predetermined time.

21. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the generation state of the alarm is a time from an alarm generation to a next alarm generation.

22. A process system comprising a process apparatus which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, and a control system which controls the process apparatus,

the control system including:

control means that controls a process apparatus, which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, based on information to be detected in the process apparatus; and

alarm generation means which generates an alarm when the detected information is off a predetermined range,

wherein the control means grasps a generation state of the alarm which is generated from the alarm generation means, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

23. A process system comprising which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, and a control system which controls the process apparatus,

the control system including:

control means that controls a plurality of process apparatuses, which perform predetermined processes on an object to be processed, based on information to be detected in the process apparatuses; and

alarm generation means which generates an alarm when the information to be detected is off a predetermined range,

the control means including

a plurality of apparatus control units that respectively control the plurality of process apparatuses based on plural pieces of information to be detected in the individual process apparatuses,

a host computer that receives partial information from the individual process apparatuses and controls the individual process apparatuses based on that information, and

a control apparatus that receives all or nearly all information from the individual process apparatuses and controls the individual process apparatuses based on that information, the control apparatus including

means that collects information received from the individual control units and alarm information received from the alarm generation means,

means that analyzes the collected information, and

means that grasps a generation state of the alarm generated based on the alarm information, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

24. A computer readable storage medium containing software that allows a computer to control a process apparatus, which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, based on plural pieces of information to be detected in the process apparatus,

wherein the software grasps a generation state of an alarm, which is generated when the detected information is off a predetermined range, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.

25. A computer program containing software that allows a computer to control a process apparatus, which performs a predetermined process on an object to be processed, based on plural pieces of information to be detected in the process apparatus,

wherein the software grasps a generation state of an alarm, which is generated when the detected information is off a predetermined range, and gives warning when the generation state reaches a predetermined threshold.