METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

• US 20090222128A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Cayer, Maxime, Clark, Daniel O., Chandler, Phil, Crawford, Shaun W., Jung, Jay J., Loldj, Youssef A.
• Application Number:
  US12/365,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222128A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/159
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31229 Supervisor, master, workstation controller, automation, machine control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for efficiently operating an electronic device manufacturing system are provided. In one aspect, an electronic device manufacturing system is provided, including: a process tool; a process tool controller linked to the process tool, wherein the process tool controller is adapted to control the process tool; a first sub-fab auxiliary system linked to the process tool controller; wherein the first sub-fab auxiliary system is adapted to operate in a first operating mode and a second operating mode; and wherein the process tool controller is adapted to cause the first sub-fab auxiliary system to change from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

Claims

1. An electronic device manufacturing system comprising:

a process tool;

a process tool controller linked to the process tool, wherein the process tool controller is adapted to control the process tool;

a first sub-fab auxiliary system linked to the process tool controller;

wherein the first sub-fab auxiliary system is adapted to operate in a first operating mode and a second operating mode; and

wherein the process tool controller is adapted to cause the first sub-fab auxiliary system to change from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

2. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 wherein the first and second operating modes comprise energy modes.

3. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 wherein the link between the process tool controller and the first sub-fab auxiliary system further comprises a sub-fab auxiliary system controller, wherein the sub-fab auxiliary system controller is adapted to receive a signal from the process tool controller and to cause the first sub-fab auxiliary system to change operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

4. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 3 further comprising a second sub-fab auxiliary system linked to the sub-fab auxiliary system controller;

wherein the second sub-fab auxiliary system is adapted to operate in a third operating mode and a fourth operating mode; and

wherein the sub-fab auxiliary system controller is further adapted to cause the second sub-fab auxiliary system to change operating mode from the third operating mode to the fourth operating mode.

5. An electronic device manufacturing system comprising:

a process tool;

a process tool controller linked to the process tool, wherein the process tool controller is adapted to control the process tool;

a sub-fab front end controller linked to the process tool controller; and

a first sub-fab auxiliary system linked to the sub-fab front end controller, wherein the first sub-fab auxiliary system is adapted to operate in a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

wherein the sub-fab front end controller is adapted to receive a first signal from the process tool controller; and

wherein the sub-fab front end controller is adapted to cause the first sub-fab auxiliary system to change from the first operating mode to the second operating mode in response to receipt of the first signal.

6. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 5 wherein the first and second operating modes comprise energy modes.

7. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 5 further comprising a second sub-fab auxiliary system linked to the sub-fab front end controller, wherein the second sub-fab auxiliary system is adapted to operate in a third operating mode and a fourth operating mode;

wherein the sub-fab front end controller is adapted to receive a second signal from the process tool controller; and

wherein the sub-fab front end controller is adapted to cause the second sub-fab auxiliary system to change from the third operating mode to the fourth operating mode in response to receipt of the second signal.

8. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 5:

wherein the link between the sub-fab front end controller and the first sub-fab auxiliary system further comprises a sub-fab auxiliary system controller, and

wherein the sub-fab auxiliary system controller is adapted to receive an instruction from the sub-fab front end controller and to cause the first sub-fab auxiliary system to change operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode in response to receipt of the instruction from the sub-fab front controller.

9. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 8 further comprising a second sub-fab auxiliary system linked to the sub-fab auxiliary system controller;

wherein the second sub-fab auxiliary system is adapted to operate in a third operating mode and a fourth operating mode; and

wherein the sub-fab auxiliary system controller is further adapted to receive a second instruction from the sub-fab front end controller and to cause the second sub-fab auxiliary system to change operating mode from the third operating mode to the fourth operating mode in response to receipt of the second instruction.

10. A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system comprising:

controlling a process tool with a process tool controller;

operating a sub-fab auxiliary system in a first mode; and

operating the sub-fab auxiliary system in a second mode in response to receipt by the sub-fab auxiliary system of a command from the process tool controller.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second modes comprise energy modes.

12. A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system comprising:

controlling a process tool with a process tool controller;

controlling a first sub-fab auxiliary system with a sub-fab auxiliary system controller;

operating the first sub-fab auxiliary system in a first mode;

sending a first signal from the process tool controller to the sub-fab auxiliary system controller; and

in response to the first signal, operating the first sub-fab auxiliary system in a second mode.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first and second modes comprise energy modes.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

controlling a second sub-fab auxiliary system with the sub-fab auxiliary system controller; and

operating the second sub-fab auxiliary system in a third mode.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

sending a second signal from the process tool controller to the sub-fab auxiliary system controller; and

in response to the second signal, operating the second sub-fab auxiliary system in a fourth mode.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second signals are the same signal.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second signals are different signals.

18. A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system comprising:

controlling a process tool with a process tool controller;

operating a first sub-fab auxiliary system in a first mode;

controlling the first sub-fab auxiliary system with a sub-fab auxiliary system controller, wherein the sub-fab auxiliary system controller receives instructions from a sub-fab front end controller;

sending a first signal from the process tool controller to the sub-fab front end controller;

sending a first instruction from the sub-fab front end controller to the sub-fab auxiliary system controller; and

in response to the first instruction, operating the first sub-fab auxiliary system in a second mode.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first and second modes comprise energy modes.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

controlling a second sub-fab auxiliary system with the sub-fab auxiliary system controller; and

operating the second sub-fab auxiliary system in a third mode.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

sending a second signal from the process tool controller to the sub-fab front end controller;

sending a second instruction from the sub-fab front end controller to the sub-fab auxiliary system controller; and

in response to the second signal, operating the second sub-fab auxiliary system in a fourth mode.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first and second signals are the same signal.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the first and second signals are different signals.