Input control apparatus, display control apparatus and display apparatus

• US 6,628,996 B1
• Filed: 12/27/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Sezaki, Ken, Ogihara, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US09/472,233
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/17, 700/264, 700/121, 345/764, 345/765, 345/784, 345/785, 345/786, 345/173, 345/866
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An input control apparatus mounted on a semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, or the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, which subjects a plurality of processes to a substrate to manufacture semiconductor devices. A display unit includes a touch panel configured to input data regarding the processes. An input detection section detects a start of inputting of the data from the touch panel and an elapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of inputting of the data. A neglecting section neglects at least one input following a first input, the at least one input and the first input being input within the predetermined period of time, to receive only the first input.

Claims

1. An input control apparatus mounted on semiconductor device manufacturing equipment for subjecting a plurality of processes to a substrate to manufacture semiconductor devices, comprising:

a display unit having a touch panel configured to input data regarding the processes;

an input detection section configured to detect a start of inputting of the data from said touch panel and an elapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of inputting of the data; and

a neglecting section configured to neglect at least one input following a first input, the at least one input and the first input being input within the predetermined period of time, to receive only the first input,

wherein said touch panel includes a scroll button for designating scrolling on a display, said input detection section comprises a detector which detects click-on and click-off of said scroll button as the start and end of the data input period, and said neglecting section comprises a neglecting section which neglects second and subsequent operations of said scroll button within the input period.

2. An input control apparatus mounted on semiconductor device manufacturing equipment for subjecting a plurality of processes to a substrate to manufacture semiconductor devices, comprising:

a display unit having a touch panel configured to input data regarding the processes;

an input detector configured to detect a start and end of an input period for inputting data from said touch panel;

a period detection section configured to detect an elapse of a first period from the start of the input period and repeatedly detect an elapse of a second period upon the elapse of the first period; and

an input updating section configured to, when the end of the input period is detected before a first elapse of the second period, recognize detection of the end of the input period as one input completion cycle, and when the input period continues after the first elapse of the second period, recognize an input completion cycle every time the second period has elapsed.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said touch panel includes a scroll button which designates scrolling on a display unit, said input detection section comprises a detector which detects click-on and click-off of said scroll button as the start and end of the data input period, and said input updating section comprises a neglecting section which neglects second and subsequent operations of said scroll button within the first and second periods.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said period detection section includes a setting section which sets the first period at 0.7 second, and the second period at 0.3 second.

5. Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment for subjecting a plurality of processes to a wafer to manufacture semiconductor devices, comprising:

a cassette station configured to load/unload in/from said semiconductor device manufacturing equipment a plurality of wafers;

a process station including various wafer process machines each of which performs one of the processes for each wafer; and

an interface section configured to exchange the wafer with an exposure device arranged adjacent to said process station, and

wherein said interface section includes;

a display unit having a touch panel configured to input data regarding the process;

an input detection section configured to detect a start of inputting of the data from said touch panel and an elapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of inputting of the data; and

a neglecting section configured to neglect at least one input following a first input, the at least one input and the first input being input within the predetermined period of time, to receive only the first input,

wherein said touch panel includes a scroll button for designating scrolling on a display, said input detection section comprises means for detecting click-on and click-off of said scroll button as the start and end of the data input period, and said neglecting section comprises means for neglecting second and subsequent operations of said scroll button within the input period.

6. Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment for subjecting a plurality of processes to a wafer to manufacture semiconductor devices, comprising;

a cassette station configured to load/unload in/from said semiconductor device manufacturing equipment a plurality of wafers;

a process station including various wafer process machines each of which performs one of the processes for each wafer; and

an interface section configured to exchange the wafer with an exposure device arranged adjacent to said process station, and wherein

said interface section includes;

a display unit having a touch panel configured to input data regarding the processes;

an input detector configured to detect a start and end of an input period for inputting data from said touch panel;

a period detection section configured to detect an elapse of a first period from the start of the input period and repeatedly detect an elapse of a second period upon the elapse of the first period; and

an input updating section configured to, when the end of the input period is detected before a first elapse of the second period, recognize detection of the end of the input period as one input completion cycle, and when the input period continues after the first elapse of the second period, recognize an input completion cycle every time the second period has elapsed.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said touch panel includes a scroll button which designates scrolling on a display unit, said input detection section comprises a detector which detects click-on and click-off of said scroll button as the start and end of the data input period, and said input updating section comprises a neglecting section which neglects second and subsequent operations of said scroll button within the first and second periods.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said period detection section includes a setting section which sets the first period at 0.7 second, and the second period at 0.3 second.

9. Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment for subjecting a process to a wafer to manufacture semiconductor devices, comprising:

a process station including a wafer process machine which performs the process for the wafer; and

an input control apparatus, and

wherein said input control apparatus includes;

a display unit having a touch panel configured to input data regarding the process;

an input detection section configured to detect a start of inputting of the data from said touch panel and an elapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of inputting of the data; and

a neglecting section configured to neglect at least one input following a first input, the at least one input and the first input being input within the predetermined period of time, to receive only the first input,

wherein said touch panel includes a scroll button for designating scrolling on a display, said input detection section comprises means for detecting click-on and click-off of said scroll button as the start and end of the data input period, and said neglecting section comprises means for neglecting second and subsequent operations of said scroll button within the input period.

10. Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment for subjecting a process to a wafer to manufacture a semiconductor device, comprising:

a process station including a wafer process machine which performs the process for the wafer; and

an input control apparatus, and wherein

said input control apparatus includes;

a display unit having a touch panel configured to input data regarding the process;

an input detector configured to detect a start and end of an input period for inputting data from said touch panel;

a period detection section configured to detect an elapse of a first period from the start of the input period and repeatedly detect an elapse of a second period upon the elapse of the first period; and

an input updating section configured to, when the end of the input period is detected before a first elapse of the second period, recognize detection of the end of the input period as one input completion cycle, and when the input period continues after the first elapse of the second period, recognize an input completion cycle every time the second period has elapsed.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said touch panel includes a scroll button which designates scrolling on a display unit, said input detection section comprises a detector which detects click-on and click-off of said scroll button as the start and end of the data input period, and said input updating section comprises a neglecting section which neglects second and subsequent operations of said scroll button within the first and second periods.