Monitoring system and monitoring method for a clean room regulating system

• US 6,230,080 B1
• Filed: 04/24/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jung-sun, Lim, Ki-hwan, An, Yo-han, Choi, Jae-heung
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US09/066,107
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 700/276, 700/121, 55/356, 55/385.2, 454/187
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/26 with provision for intake from several spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1486 Counting the particles

Abstract

A monitoring system and method for monitoring a clean room regulating system. The monitoring system includes a particle counter with a pump having a pumping state for pumping a fluid containing particles. The particle counter produces an analog particle signal indicative of an amount of particles detected. The particle counter also produces a pump-state signal corresponding to the pumping state. A signal processor is included for converting the analog particle signal into a first digital signal, for converting the pump-state signal into an analog pumping signal, and for converting the analog pumping signal into a second digital signal. A host computer is included for receiving the first digital signal and deriving the amount of particles detected, for receiving the second digital signal and deriving the pumping state, and for monitoring the pumping state and the amount of particles counted. The system includes a communication channel for transferring the first digital signal and the second digital signal from the signal processor to the host computer.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring a clean room regulating system, comprising:

a particle counter comprising a pump having a pumping state for pumping a fluid containing particles, the particle counter producing an analog particle signal corresponding to an amount of particles detected, and producing a pump-state signal corresponding to the pumping state;

a signal processor, coupled to the particle counter, that converts the analog particle signal into a first digital signal, converts the pump-state signal into an analog pumping signal, and converts the analog pumping signal into a second digital signal;

a host computer that receives the first digital signal and derives the amount of particles detected, receives the second digital signal and derives the pumping state, and monitors the pumping state and the amount of particles detected; and

a communication channel that transfers the first digital signal and the second digital signal from the signal processor to the host computer.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the particle counter comprises an optical detector that produces the analog particle signal and produces a light-source signal indicative of an intensity of a light source used in the optical detector.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the signal processor converts the light-source signal into a third digital signal, the communication channel transfers the third digital signal from the signal processor to the host computer, and the host computer receives the third digital signal and derives the intensity of the light source and monitors the intensity of the light source.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the signal processor comprises:

a first signal converter that converts the analog particle signal into the first digital signal;

a flow controller that converts the pump-state signal into the analog pumping signal; and

a second signal converter, coupled to the flow controller, that converts the analog pumping signal into the second digital signal.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the first signal converter and the second signal converter use an X-series interface protocol for a network to produce the first digital signal and the second digital signal.

6. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the first signal converter and the second signal converter use a V-series interface protocol for a network to produce the first digital signal and the second digital signal.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the V series interface protocol is a RS-232-C protocol.

8.The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a local area network (LAN) node processor.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a direct interface.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the pump-state signal is indicative of an amount of fluid pumped.

10. A method of monitoring a clean room regulating system, comprising:

choosing a self-examination function for checking a particle counter of a clean room regulating system;

selecting a particle counter to be monitored;

monitoring a first digital signal corresponding to an amount of particles detected by the selected particle counter, and a second digital signal corresponding to a pumping state of the selected particle counter;

executing the self-examination function using the amount of particles detected derived from the first digital signal and using the pumping state derived from the second digital signal; and

displaying results of the executed self-examination function.

11. The method of claim 11, wherein the pumping state is related to an amount of fluid pumped.

12. A clean room regulating system comprising:

a pump that pumps a fluid containing particles in a clean room;

a particle converter, coupled to said pump, that produces a pump-state signal and a particle signal corresponding to an amount of particles detected in the fluid, the particle signal being analog;

a host computer that self-monitors and determines a condition of the clean room based on the pump-state signal and the particle signal and provides indication of the condition of the clean room; and

a signal processor that digitally converts the particle signal and provides the digitally converted particle signal to said host computer as the particle signal, and that converts the pump-state signal into an analog pumping signal, digitally converts the analog pumping signal and Provides the, digitally converted pumping signal to said host computer as the pump-state signal.

13. The clean room regulating system of claim 13, further comprising a communication channel that transfers the digitally converted particle signal and the digitally converted pumping signal to said host computer.

16. The clean room regulating system of claim 13, wherein said particle counter comprises an optical detector that produces the analog particle signal and a light source signal indicative of an intensity of a light source used in the optical detector.

18. The clean room regulating system of claim 13, wherein said host computer generates an alarm when the condition of the clean room is determined as outside a specified criteria.

19. The clean room regulating system of claim 13, wherein the pump-state signal is indicative of an amount of fluid pumped.

14. The clean room regulating system of claim 14, wherein said communication channel comprises a local area network (LAN) node processor.

15. The clean room regulating system of claim 14, wherein said communication channel comprises a direct interface.

17. The clean room regulating system of claim 17, wherein the light source signal produced by the optical detector is analog, the signal processor digitally converts the light source signal and provides the converted light source signal to said host computer, and said host computer monitors and determines the intensity of the light source.