Remote maintenance system

• US 6,385,497 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1997
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Masaya, Ogushi, Nobuaki, Ohta, Hirohisa, Yoneyama, Yoshito
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US08/902,160
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 702/184, 702/188, 700/108-111, 700/113, 700/79-80, 700/67, 700/174, 700/2-3, 700/121
• US Class Current: 700/110
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4184 characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24084 Remote and local monitoring, local result to remote, remote takes action
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33284 Remote diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33313 Frames, database with environment and action, relate error to correction action
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33318 Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Factories (102-104) have host computers (107) for monitoring industrial equipments (106). Each host computer (107) is connected to a management host computer (108) on a vendor (101) side through the internet (105). The host computer (107) on the factory side detects occurrence of a trouble of the industrial equipment (106) and notifies the vendor side of status information representing a trouble state. In response to this, the host computer (108) on the vendor side notifies the factory side of response information representing a countermeasure against the trouble state.

Claims

1. A remote maintenance system for maintaining industrial equipment installed at a remote location, said system comprising:

monitor means for monitoring an operating state of the industrial equipment; and

management means for managing maintenance of the industrial equipment while in communication with said monitor means through an internet,

wherein, in the communication, said management means receives from said monitor means status information or the industrial equipment and transmits to said monitor means response information used for maintaining the industrial equipment in response to the received status information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said management means performs centralized maintenance management of a plurality of industrial equipment respectively installed in a plurality of factories.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of factories are factories of at least one user, and said management means is arranged at a vendor site.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of types of industrial equipment is installed in one factory, and said management means comprises a plurality of management units respectively corresponding to the plurality of types of industrial equipment.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of types of industrial equipment is supplied by a plurality of different vendors, and said plurality of management units are arranged at the plurality of different vendors.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying at least one of software for the industrial equipment and guide information associated with an operation of the industrial equipment from said management means to the industrial equipment through the Internet.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said monitor means detects occurrence of trouble in the industrial equipment and notifies said management means of the status information for specifying a state of the trouble, and

said management means determines a countermeasure against the trouble in the industrial equipment based on the status information and informs said monitor means of the response information based on the determined countermeasure.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said monitor means comprises maintenance means for maintaining the industrial equipment based on the response information received from said management means.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein

management means includes a database for registering information associated with maintenance of the industrial equipment, said database registering information for identifying an industrial equipment, trouble states that may occur in the identified industrial equipment, and corresponding countermeasures against the registered trouble states, and

said management means looks up a detected trouble state in the database to determine a corresponding countermeasure against the detected trouble state.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said management means comprises automatic updating means for updating the database based on contents of the information associated with maintenance of the industrial equipment every time information associated with maintenance of the industrial equipment is exchanged with said monitor means.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said management means further comprises manual updating means for updating the database based on input information from an operator.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said management means further comprises access permission means for giving permission to a user of the industrial equipment to access the database.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said management means further comprises communication security means for inhibiting a third party except the user of the industrial equipment from accessing the database.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein said monitor means comprises access means for accessing the database of said management means.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said management means includes means for automatically transmitting the response information to said monitor means in response to the status information.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the industrial equipment stores a browser software providing a user interface having a hyperlink function in a display that allows access to the internet.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the browser software provides at least one of functions accessing a database on said management means that provides maintenance information of the industrial equipment, accessing a software library of the industrial equipment through the internet, and accessing an operation guide of the industrial equipment through the internet.

19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring an operating state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using a monitor apparatus;

managing maintenance of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus from a remote location using a management apparatus while the management apparatus is in communication with the monitor apparatus through an internet; and

executing at least one of an exposing process, a coating/developing process, an annealing process, an assembling process, and an inspection process using the maintained semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,

wherein, in the communication at said managing step, the management apparatus receives from the monitor apparatus status information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and transmits to the monitor apparatus response information used for maintaining the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in response to the received status information, and

the communication at said managing step is executed with a security system having at least one of a coded system providing an encoded communication and a fire wall.

20. The method according to claim 19, said method further comprising the step of accessing the management apparatus through the internet with a browser software stored in a console of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said browser software provides a user interface on a display that allows access to the internet, the user interface having a hyperlink function and capable of performing at least one of operations of accessing a database on the management apparatus that provides maintenance information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, accessing software library of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus through the internet, and accessing an operation guide of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus through the internet.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising installing a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses mutually connected with a LAN in a factory.

23. A semiconductor device manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:

monitoring an operating state of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using a monitor apparatus;

managing maintenance of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus from a remote location by a management apparatus while the management apparatus is in communication with the monitor apparatus through an internet; and

executing at least one of an exposing process, a coating/developing process, an annealing process, an assembling process and an inspection process using the maintained semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,

wherein, in the communication at said managing step, the management apparatus receives from the monitor apparatus status information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and transmits to the monitor apparatus response information used for maintaining the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in response to the received status information, and

the communication in said managing step is executed with a security system having at least one of a coded system providing an encoded communication and a fire wall.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the method further comprises accessing the management apparatus through the internet with a browser software stored in a console of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein said browser software provides a user interface on a display that allows access to the internet, the user interface having a hyperlink function and capable of performing at least one of operations of accessing a database on the management apparatus that provides maintenance information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, accessing software library of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus through the internet, and accessing an operation guide of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus through the internet.

26. The device according to claim 23, further comprising installing a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses mutually connected with a LAN in a factory.

27. A monitor apparatus arranged on an industrial equipment side for use in a remote maintenance system for maintaining industrial equipment installed at a remote location, said monitor apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for detecting occurrence of trouble in the industrial equipment and obtaining status information representing a state of the trouble;

communication means for notifying, through an internet, a management apparatus that performs centralized maintenance management of the industrial equipment of status information obtained by said obtaining means, and for receiving response information used for maintaining the industrial equipment sent from the management apparatus, through internet, in response to notification of the status information, and

maintenance means for maintaining the industrial equipment based on the response information received by said communication means from the management apparatus.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses mutually connected with a LAN in a factory, and said obtaining means detects the occurrence of trouble in each apparatus.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

30. A management apparatus provided by a vendor for use in a remote maintenance system for maintaining industrial equipment for manufacturing installed in a user factory, said management apparatus comprising:

a communication system for communicating, thorough an internet, with a respective monitor apparatus installed in the factory in which the monitor apparatus is arranged to monitor an operating state of the industrial equipment during operation; and

a computer system for deteimining a countermeasure against trouble in the industrial equipment based on status information received by said communication means from the monitor apparatus, and causing said communication system to notify the monitor apparatus of response information based on the determined countermeasure, wherein the status information is associated with a state of the trouble in the industrial equipment.

31. The management apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising a database for registering information associated with maintenance of industrial equipment, said database registering information for identifying industrial equipment, trouble states that may occur in the identified industrial equipment, and corresponding countermeasures against the registered trouble states,

wherein said corresponding means looks up a detected trouble state in the database to determine a corresponding countermeasure against the detected trouble state.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising manual updating means for updating the database based on input information from an operator.

33. The apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising automatic updating means for updating a database based on contents of the information associated with maintenance of the industrial equipment every time information associated with maintenance of the industrial equipment is exchanged with the monitor means.

34. The apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising access permission means for giving permission to a user of the industrial equipment to access a database.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising communication security means for inhibiting a third party except the user of the industrial equipment from accessing the database.

36. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

37. A remote maintenance method of maintaining industrial equipment installed at a remote location, comprising the steps of:

communicating, through an internet, maintenance information between a first vendor that supplies first industrial equipment, a second vendor that supplies second industrial equipment, a first factory in which the first and second industrial equipment are installed, and a second factory in which the first and second industrial equipment are installed;

causing the first vendor to perform centralized maintenance management of the first industrial equipment installed in the first and second factories; and

causing the second vendor to perform centralized maintenance management of the second industrial equipment installed in the first and second factories,

wherein the maintenance information includes status information of the first or second industrial equipment and response information, sent in response to the status information, used for maintaining the first or second industrial equipment.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the first and second factories are factories of a single user or multiple different users.

39. The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

40. A remote maintenance method for industrial equipment for manufacturing installed in a factory, comprising the steps of:

providing a database accessible through an internet, the database storing maintenance information of the industrial equipment;

allowing a limited user of the industrial equipment installed in the factory to access the database through the internet with a security system for handling trouble associated with the industrial equipment, the security system having at least one of a coded system providing an encoded communication and a fire wall; and

updating the maintenance information on the database so as to reflect the trouble.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the database stores information for identifying industrial equipment, trouble states that may occur in the identified industrial equipment, and corresponding countermeasures against the registered trouble states.

42. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of automatically notifying an appropriate personnel of the trouble with the industrial equipment.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein said notifying step comprises automatically sending an e-mail to the appropriate personnel.

44. The method according to claim 40, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and maintenance information comprises trouble information of the semiconductor apparatus.

45. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices, comprising:

a network connector;

a console having a display; and

a browser software providing a user interface on the display that allows access to an internet, the user interface having a hyperlink function and capable of performing at least one of operations of accessing a database through the internet that provides maintenance information of the apparatus, accessing software library of the apparatus through the internet and accessing an operation guide of the apparatus through the internet.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the database stores information for identifying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, trouble states that may occur in the identified semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and corresponding countermeasures against the registered trouble states.

47. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises at least one of an exposure apparatus, a coating/developing apparatus, an annealing apparatus, an assembling apparatus and an inspection apparatus.

48. A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

installing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in a factory for semiconductor manufacture;

monitoring the apparatus during operation to obtain status information of the apparatus;

consulting a database storing information of the apparatus in order to obtain response information corresponding to the status information;

executing an appropriate countermeasure for the monitored semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in the factory according to the response information, wherein at least one of said monitoring step, said consulting step and said executing step utilizes an internet to transmit information; and

performing a semiconductor manufacturing process with the apparatus.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein said installing step comprises installing a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses in the factory mutually connected with a LAN, for semiconductor manufacture, and the database stores information for identifying each of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, registered trouble states that may occur in the identified apparatuses, and corresponding countermeasures against the registered trouble states.

50. The method according to claim 48, wherein said executing step comprises automatically notifying an appropriate personnel of trouble with the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein said executing step further comprises automatically sending an e-mail to the appropriate personnel.

52. The method according to claim 48, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is one of an exposure apparatus, a coating/developing apparatus, an annealing apparatus, an assembling apparatus and an inspection apparatus.

53. A remote maintenance method for industrial equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the industrial equipment installed in a factory during operation to obtain status information of the industrial equipment;

consulting a database storing information of the industrial equipment in order to obtain response information corresponding to the status information; and

executing an appropriate countermeasure for the industrial equipment in the factory according to the response information, wherein at least one of said monitoring step, said consulting step and said executing step utilizes internet.

54. The method according to claim 53, further comprising a step of updating the information on the database after said consulting step.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the database stores information for identifying industrial equipment, trouble states that may occur in the identified industrial equipment, and corresponding countermeasures against the registered trouble states.

56. The method according to claim 53, wherein the database is managed by a vender who provides the industrial equipment.

57. The method according to claim 53, wherein the database is managed by a user who uses the industrial equipment.

58. The method according to claim 53, wherein said monitoring step comprises receiving the status information from the industrial equipment during operation through the internet.

59. The method according to claim 53, wherein said consulting step comprises sending the status information to the database through the internet and receiving the response information from the database through the internet.

60. The method according to claim 53, wherein said execution step comprises performing remote maintenance of the industrial equipment through the internet.

61. The method according to claim 53, wherein said execution step comprises notifying an appropriate personnel through the internet.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein said executing step further comprises automatically sending to the appropriate personnel an e-mail about trouble with the industrial equipment.

63. The method according to claim 53, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices.

64. A method according to claim 63, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is one of an exposure apparatus, a coating/developing apparatus, an annealing apparatus, an assembling apparatus and an inspection apparatus.

65. A method for reporting trouble of industrial equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring industrial equipment including a first manufacturing apparatus and a second manufacturing apparatus installed in a factory during operation;

determining whether or not trouble associated with the first manufacturing apparatus or the second manufacturing apparatus has developed; and

automatically sending a report to a first vendor of the first manufacturing apparatus when the trouble has developed in the first manufacturing apparatus, and automatically sending a report to a second vendor of the second manufacturing apparatus when the trouble has developed in the second manufacturing apparatus.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein the report is sent by an e-mail through an internet.

67. The method according to claim 65, wherein the industrial equipment comprises a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices.

68. A method according to claim 67, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is one of an exposure apparatus, a coating/developing apparatus, an annealing apparatus, an assembling apparatus and an inspection apparatus.

69. A semiconductor manufacturing factory, comprising:

a first semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided by a first vendor;

a second semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided by a second vendor;

a host computer capable of accessing an internet; and

an intranet having a LAN connecting the first and the second semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses and the host computer,

wherein the host computer allows communication between first semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the first vendor through the internet for maintenance of the first semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and allows communication between the second semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the second vendor through the internet for maintenance of the second semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

70. The factory according to claim 69, wherein each of the first and second semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses comprises one of an exposure apparatus, a coating/developing apparatus, an annealing apparatus, an assembling apparatus and an inspection apparatus.

71. The factory according to claim 70, wherein said communication is executed with a data security system.

72. The factory according to claim 69, wherein each one of the first and the second semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses comprises a console capable of performing at least one of operations of accessing a database through the internet that provides maintenance information of the apparatus, accessing software library of the apparatus through the internet and accessing an operation guide of the apparatus through the internet.

73. The factory according to claim 72, wherein said console comprises a display and browser software providing a hyperlink-type user interface on the display for the operations.

74. The factory according to claim 72, wherein said communication is executed with a data security system.

75. The factory according to claim 73, wherein said communication is executed with data security system.

76. The factory according to claim 69, wherein said communication is executed with a data security system.

77. A semiconductor manufacturing method, comprising:

installing a first semiconductor apparatus provided by a first vendor;

installing a second semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided by a second vendor;

installing an intranet having a LAN connecting the first and second semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses and a host computer capable of accessing an internet;

executing communication between first semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the first vendor through an internet for maintenance of the first semiconductor manufacturing apparatus while manufacturing semiconductor devices; and

executing communication between the second semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the second vendor through the internet for maintenance of the second semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

78. The method according to claim 77, further comprising:

providing a hyperlink-type user interface or a display provided with the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and

allowing an operator to access the internet using the hyperlink-type user interface in order to obtain maintenance information of the apparatus from the vendor.

79. The method according to claim 78, wherein the hyperlink-type user interface provides at least one of operations of accessing a database through the internet that provides maintenance information of the apparatus, accessing software library of die apparatus through the internet and accessing an operation guide of the apparatus through the internet.

80. The method according to claim 78, wherein said communication is executed with a data security system.

81. The method according to claim 79, wherein said communication is executed with a data security system.

82. The method according to claim 77, wherein said communication is executed with a data security system.