Method and apparatus for automating a microelectric manufacturing process

• US 6,470,227 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1998
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PEER Intellectual Property Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arun Kumar Sharma, Balaji Pitchaikani, Murali D. Rangachari, Ramesh Balakrishnan
• Inventors: Balakrishnan, Ramesh, Sharma, Arun Kumar, Pitchaikani, Balaji, Rangachari, Murali D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US09/204,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 700/117, 700/95, 700/100, 700/97, 700/99
• US Class Current: 700/95
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4188 characterised by CIM planning or realisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31449 Monitor workflow, to optimize business, industrial processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32154 Object, attribute for geometry, technology, function oop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method of automating a microelectronic manufacturing process by configuring application objects that implement a domain knowledge for a piece of equipment and implementing a workflow using the application object where the workflow represents a sequence of steps in the microelectronic manufacturing process. The method is embodied in a computer program that is part of a computer system.

Claims

1. A method of automating a manufacturing process, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an application object, the application object implementing a domain knowledge for equipment used in the manufacturing process; and

implementing a workflow using the application object, the workflow representing a sequence of steps of the manufacturing process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said implementing step is performed by a user of the manufacturing process.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said implementing step further comprises the step of:

interacting with the workflow by designing the workflow using a computer system, the computer system having a computer program containing a highest architectural tier and a lower architectural tier for automating the manufacturing process, the user interacting only with the highest architectural tier, the highest architectual tier containing the workflow to implement a standard operating procedure for the manufacturing process.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said computer program further includes:

a second highest architectural tier having an activity client;

a third highest architectural tier having an application object, said application object operable to be invoked by said activity client; and

a fourth highest architectural tier having an interface component, said interface component in communication with said application object and said lower architectural tier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing process is a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing process is a process for manufacturing a flat panel display device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing process is a process for manufacturing a disk drive device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step further comprises the steps of:

interfacing by a user with a computer system to provide equipment information;

storing the equipment information in a database configuration table;

interfacing by the user with the computer system to provide an activity information;

interfacing by the user with the computer system to provide virtual factory equipment interface commands for the activity information;

interfacing by the user with the computer to provide manufacturing execution system parameters to the computer system; and

interfacing by the user with the computer system to provide an event that activates the workflow.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the event is selected from a group consisting of a pod arrival event, a main batch control start event, a main batch control complete event and a pod removal event.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing step further comprises the steps of:

designing the workflow by a user; and

registering the workflow using a workflow engine.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said designing step further comprises the steps of:

choosing an activity to be performed in the manufacturing process; and

placing the activity into the workflow to provide the sequence of steps of the manufacturing process.

12. A computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, that, when loaded into a computer, causes the computer to perform a function of automating a manufacturing process, the computer automating the manufacturing process by performing the steps of:

providing an application object, the application object implementing a domain knowledge for equipment in the manufacturing process; and

implementing a workflow using the application object, the workflow representing a sequence of steps of the manufacturing process.

13. An apparatus for automating a manufacturing process, comprising:

a storage device, said storage device containing a computer program for automating the process by performing the steps of;

providing an application object, the application object implementing a domain knowledge for equipment in the manufacturing process; and

implementing a workflow using the application object, the workflow representing a sequence of steps of said microelectronic manufacturing process;

a display device for interfacing with the computer program;

an interfacing device for interfacing with the computer program; and

a processing device for executing said computer program.

14. A method of automating a manufacturing process, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an equipment characteristic to implement a domain knowledge for equipment used in the manufacturing process; and

implementing a workflow, the workflow representing a sequence of steps of the manufacturing process.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said implementing step is performed before said configuring step.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said configuring step further comprises the step of configuring an application object, the application object using the equipment characteristic to implement the domain knowledge.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said configuring step is performed before said implementing step.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the workflow is represented graphically to a user.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the workflow is represented to a user by a script.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the workflow is represented to a user by a sequence of messages.

24. The electronic signal of claim 20, wherein the telecommunications network is a digital network.

21. An electronic signal comprising a computer program wherein the electronic signal contains instructions that perform a method for automating manufacturing process, the method comprising the steps of:

configuring an equipment characteristic to implement a domain knowledge for equipment used in the manufacturing process; and

implementing a workflow, the workflow representing a sequence of steps of the manufacturing process.

22. The electronic signal of claim 21, wherein the electronic signal is transmitted between a first computer system and a second computer system.

23. The electronic signal of claim 22, wherein the electronic signal is transmitted over a telecommunications network.

25. The electronic signal of claim 23, wherein the telecommunications network is an analog network.

26. The electronic signal of claim 23, wherein the electronic signal allows users to view an equipment status over said telecommunications network.

27. A method of automating a microelectronic manufacturing process comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an application object implementing multiple variations of a command for corresponding respective versions of a process tool;

(b) configuring the application object for a specific process tool; and

(c) performing a workflow having a sequence of steps in a microelectronic manufacturing process using a version of the process tool and the application object configured in said step (b).

28. The method of claim 27, wherein step (c) further comprises the sub-steps of:

(1) creating a workflow by a user; and

(2) registering the workflow using a workflow engine.

29. A method of automating a manufacturing process comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an application object implementing multiple variations of a command for corresponding respective versions of a process tool;

(b) configuring the application object for a specific process tool; and

(c) providing a sequence of steps in a manufacturing process using a version of the process tool and the application object configured in said step (b).

30. The method of claim 29, wherein step (c) further comprises the sub-steps of:

(1) creating a workflow, the sequence of steps derived from the workflow; and

(2) registering the workflow using a workflow engine.