SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM, STORAGE MEDIUM AND METHOD OF REGISTERING NEW DEVICE

• US 20160026480A1
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: OMORI, Taku
• Granted Patent: US 9,778,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A substrate processing system includes a main control unit having a configuration file in which ID information and detail information about devices for processing a substrate is recorded, the detail information includes information needed for controlling the devices, and a module controller having a list file obtained by converting the configuration file into a readable form, the module controller controlling the devices described in the list file on the basis of instructions from the main control unit. The module controller automatically adds, to the list file, ID information and detail information about a new device newly connected to the module controller to establish a condition under which the new device can be controlled.

Claims

1. A substrate processing system comprising:

a main control unit having a configuration file in which ID information and detail information about devices for processing a substrate is recorded, the detail information includes information needed for controlling the devices; and

a module controller having a list file obtained by converting the configuration file into a readable form, the module controller controlling the devices described in the list file on the basis of instructions from the main control unit,

wherein the module controller automatically adds, to the list file, ID information and detail information about a new device newly connected to the module controller to establish a condition under which the new device can be controlled.

2. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the module controller adds the ID information and the detail information about the new device to the configuration file.

3. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the module controller first obtains the ID information about the new device, and thereafter obtains the detail information about the new device by communicating with the new device and by associating the detail information about the new device with the ID information about the new device.

4. The substrate processing system according to claim 3, further comprising an interface that connects the devices and the module controller to each other, wherein the module controller checks whether or not the new device exists when a transition from an off state to an on state of a power supply for the interface is made and, if the new device exists, obtains the ID information about the new device.

5. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit determines a sequence of processing on the substrate and a recipe of processing on the substrate, and

wherein the module controller causes the devices to process the substrate in accordance with the substrate processing sequence and the recipe determined by the main control unit.

6. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the detail information about the devices includes communication data size information and kind information about the devices, and the detail information about the new device includes communication data size information and kind information about the new device.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a process, comprising:

checking whether or not a new device exists which is not registered in a module controller but is actually connected to the module controller;

obtaining ID information about the new device when the new device is found in the checking;

obtaining detail information about the new device by communicating with the new device and by associating the detail information with the ID information; and

registering the ID information and the detail information in the module controller so that the module controller can control the new device.

8. The storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the checking includes checking whether or not the new device has been assigned to a MAC address recognized by the computer as being without any device assigned thereto.

9. The storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the program causes the computer to execute a process of adding the ID information and the detail information to a configuration file recorded in a main control unit controlling the module controller.

10. The storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the detail information includes communication data size information and kind information about the new device.

11. A method of registering a new device, comprising the steps of:

causing a module controller controlling a plurality of devices under an instruction from a main control unit to obtain ID information about a new device newly connected to the module controller; and

causing the module controller to communicate with the new device and obtain detail information about the new device while associating the detail information with the ID information so that the module controller can control the new device.

12. The method of registering a new device according to claim 11, wherein the detail information includes communication data size information and kind information about the new device.