Process flow preparation system and method

• US 6,415,192 B1
• Filed: 02/16/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Satoguchi, Yuuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US09/249,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 700/121, 700/116, 700/917, 700/108, 700/103, 700/95, 700/96
• US Class Current: 700/96
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32097 Recipe programming for flexible batch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32137 Configure, connect, combine different program modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A process flow preparation system including a condition receiving unit for receiving and storing at least one process condition, a recipe storing unit for storing recipe names and corresponding process conditions, a recipe searching unit for searching and retrieving from the recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition. Also included is a process sequence receiving unit for receiving and storing a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and a process flow output unit for outputting a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe. Further, the recipe searching unit searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search.

Claims

1. A process flow preparation system comprising:

a condition receiving unit for receiving and storing at least one process condition;

a recipe storing unit for storing recipe names and corresponding process conditions;

a recipe searching unit for searching and retrieving from the recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition;

a process sequence receiving unit for receiving and storing a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe; and

a process flow output unit for outputting a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe,

wherein the recipe searching unit searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search if more than one result is returned.

2. A process flow preparation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process flow output unit outputs a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe, the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and the at least one received process condition.

3. A process flow preparation system comprising:

a process flow storing unit;

a condition receiving unit that searches from the process flow storing unit a received process flow to be modified, and receives at least one process condition of a recipe to be modified;

a recipe storing unit for storing recipe names and corresponding process conditions;

a recipe searching unit for searching and retrieving from the recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition;

a process sequence receiving unit for receiving and storing a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe; and

a process flow output unit for outputting a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe,

wherein the recipe searching unit searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search if more than one result is returned.

4. A process flow preparation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the process flow output unit outputs a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe, the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and the at least one received process condition.

5. A process flow preparation method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing at least one process condition;

searching and retrieving from a recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition;

receiving and storing a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe; and

outputting a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe,

wherein the searching step searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search if more than one result is returned.

6. A process flow preparation method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outputting step outputs a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe, the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and the at least one received process condition.

7. A process flow preparation method comprising the steps of:

searching from a process flow storing unit a received process flow to be modified;

receiving at least one process condition of a recipe to be modified;

searching and retrieving from a recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition;

receiving and storing a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe; and

outputting a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe,

wherein the searching step searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search if more than one result is returned.

8. A process flow preparation method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outputting step outputs a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe, the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and the at least one received process condition.

9. A computer program product used in a process flow preparation system, comprising:

a first computer code configured to receive and store at least one process condition;

a second computer code configured to search and retrieve from a recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition;

a third computer code configured to receive and store a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe; and

a fourth computer code configured to output a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe,

wherein the second computer code searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search if more than one result is returned.

10. A computer program product used in a process flow preparation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fourth computer code outputs a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe, the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and the at least one received process condition.

11. A computer program product used in a process flow preparation system, comprising:

a first computer code configured to search from a process flow storing unit a received process flow to be modified;

a second computer code configured to receive at least one process condition of a recipe to be modified;

a third computer code configured to search and retrieve from a recipe storing unit at least one recipe meeting the at least one process condition;

a fourth computer code configured to receive and store a process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe; and

a fifth computer code configured to output a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe and the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe,

wherein the third computer code searches for one or more recipes meeting the at least one process condition from the recipe storing unit, determines whether or not the search has retrieved a single result, and prompts an operator to input at least one of a process condition name and a process condition value for specifying results of the search if more than one result is returned.

12. A computer program product used in a process flow preparation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fifth computer code outputs a process flow including the at least one retrieved recipe, the process sequence of the at least one retrieved recipe, and the at least one received process condition.