ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE MONITORING AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20080125995A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: ENTA, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/84
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/14 for electrical parameters, e.g. resistance, deep-levels, CV, diffusions by electrical means

Abstract

There are disclosed systems, computer program products, and method for monitoring electrostatic discharge (ESD) fault conditions and controlling manufacturing processes on an assembly line. In an embodiment, each ESD monitored station in an assembly line is provided with at least one ESD management device (e.g. an ESD monitoring device or ESD protection device). Predetermined ESD fault conditions may be used to automatically stop a manufacturing process at an ESD monitored station. Upon occurrence of an ESD fault condition an ESD fault notification message may be sent identifying the ESD monitored station, the nature of the ESD fault condition, and whether the manufacturing process at the ESD monitored station is stopped. The ESD fault notification message may be sent to a mobile communications device, for example, and the manufacturing process at the ESD monitored device may be controlled based on a reply received from the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring electrostatic discharge (ESD) fault conditions and controlling a manufacturing process on an assembly line, comprising:

providing at each ESD monitored station in the assembly line at least one ESD management device;

monitoring each ESD management device for an occurrence of at least one ESD fault condition;

upon occurrence of at least one ESD fault condition at an ESD monitored station, determining based on predetermined criteria whether the occurrence of the at least one ESD fault condition at the ESD monitored station requires notification;

sending the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition to a communication device; and

providing in the notification a control action that may be taken by reply to the notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition is sent to a wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing in the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition a description of the ESD fault condition, and a recommended control action for the ESD fault condition that may be taken by reply to the notification.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the control action comprises a stop initiation of a process at the ESD monitored station.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification is an email message, and the control action is taken by reply to the email message.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the control action is taken via an application program running on the mobile communication device that may generate a control signal, which control signal may be communicated to an ESD control server operatively connected to the ESD monitored station with at least one ESD fault condition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the application program running on the mobile communication device is an Internet browser application, and the control action is taken via an Internet webpage with access to an ESD control server operatively connected to the ESD monitored station with at least one ESD fault condition.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing in the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition an indication of whether the ESD monitored station is already stopped.

9. A system for monitoring electrostatic discharge (ESD) fault conditions and controlling a manufacturing process on an assembly line, the system comprising computing means and storing means adapted to:

provide at each ESD monitored station in the assembly line at least one ESD management device;

monitor each ESD management device for an occurrence of at least one ESD fault condition;

upon occurrence of at least one ESD fault condition at an ESD monitored station, determine based on predetermined criteria whether occurrence of at least one ESD fault condition at the ESD monitored station requires notification;

send the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition to a communication device; and

provide in the notification a control action that may be taken by reply to the notification.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further adapted to send the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition is sent to a wireless communication device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is further adapted to provide in the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition a description of the ESD fault condition, and a recommended control action for the ESD fault condition that may be taken by reply to the notification.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the control action comprises initiating a stop of a process at the ESD monitored station.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification is an email message, and the control action is taken by reply to the email message.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the control action is taken via an application program running on the mobile communication device that may generate a control signal, which control signal may be communicated to an ESD control server operatively connected to the ESD monitored station with at least one ESD fault condition.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the application program running on the mobile communication device is an Internet browser application, and the control action is taken via an Internet webpage with access to an ESD control server operatively connected to the ESD monitored station with at least one ESD fault condition.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is further adapted to provide in the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition an indication of whether the ESD monitored station is already stopped.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing computer code that when loaded into a computing device adapts the device to monitor electrostatic discharge (ESD) fault conditions and controlling a manufacturing process on an assembly line, the computer readable medium comprising:

code for providing at each ESD monitored station in the assembly line at least one ESD management device;

code for monitoring each ESD management device for an occurrence of at least one ESD fault condition;

code for determining, based on predetermined criteria whether the occurrence of the at least one ESD fault condition requires notification;

code for sending the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition to a communication device; and

code for providing in the notification a control action that may be taken by reply to the notification.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for sending the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition to a wireless communication device.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for providing in the notification of the at least one ESD fault condition a description of the ESD fault condition, and a recommended control action for the ESD fault condition that may be taken by reply to the notification.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for providing as the control action a stop initiation of a process at the ESD monitored station.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for providing as the notification an email message, and code for taking the control action by reply to the email message.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code to take the control action via an application program running on the mobile communication device that may generate a control signal, which control signal may be communicated to an ESD control server operatively connected to the ESD monitored station with at least one ESD fault condition.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the application program running on the mobile communication device is an Internet browser application, and the computer readable medium further comprises code for taking the control action via an Internet webpage with access to an ESD control server operatively connected to the ESD monitored station with at least one ESD fault condition.