Identifying wafer fabrication system impacts resulting from specified actions

• US 6,728,590 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1999
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.(f/k/a Integrated Device Technology, Inc) (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Electronics Incorporated (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Dean, Timothy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Starks, Jr., Wilbert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/353,687
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 700/121, 700/179, 700/180, 700/1, 700/9, 345/700
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418

Abstract

A method and system for use in wafer fabrication systems. The method and system identify wafer fabrication system impacts resulting from specified actions by specifying at least one action related to at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system, and generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system arising from the at least one action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

specifying at least one action related to at least one integral part associated with a wafer fabrication system; and

generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system arising from the at least one action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system, said generating further comprises;

identifying at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis; and

presenting at least one impact selected from the group comprising one or more effects upon the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected production tool as the at least one component.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one component.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected optistation as the at least one component.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one item of utility system equipment of at least one directly-affected utility system as the at least one component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected device that modifies or meters a utility as the at least one control.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one of the group comprising any valve, damper, circuit breaker, flow meter, transformer, or sensor as the at least one control.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one control.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one connection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected utility system as the at least one connection.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said identifying at least one directly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one connection.

15. A method comprising:

specifying at least one action related to at least one integral part associated with a wafer fabrication system; and

generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system arising from the at least one action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system

wherein said generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system arising from the action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises;

identifying at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system, and

presenting at least one impact selected from the group comprising one or more effects upon the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system,

identifying at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system coupled with the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system; and

presenting at least one impact selected from the group comprising one or more effects upon the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system linked with the one or more directly-affected integral parts of the wafer fabrication system;

wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises;

identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected production tool as the at least one component.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one component.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected utility system as the at least one component.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one item of utility system equipment of at least one indirectly-affected utility system as the at least one component.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected device that modifies or meters a utility as the at least one control.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one of the group comprising any valve, damper, circuit breaker, flow meter, transformer, or sensor as the at least one control.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one control.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein said identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one directly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one connection.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected utility system as the at least one connection.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

identifying at least one indirectly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one connection.

29. A system comprising:

means for specifying at least one action related to at least one integral part associated with a wafer fabrication system; and

means for generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system arising from the at least one action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system, said means for generating further comprises;

means for identifying at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis; and

means for presenting at least one impact selected from the group comprising one or more effects upon the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for identifying the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected production tool as the at least one component.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one component.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected optistation as the at least one component.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one item of utility system equipment of at least one directly-affected utility system as the at least one component.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for identifying the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected device that modifies or meters a utility as the at least one control.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one of the group comprising any valve, damper, circuit breaker, flow meter, transformer, or sensor as the at least one control.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein said means for identifying at least one directly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one control.

39. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for identifying the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system.

40. A system comprising:

means for specifying at least one action related to at least one integral part associated with a wafer fabrication system; and

means for generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system arising from the at least one action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system;

wherein said means for generating a presentation of at least one impact upon at least one integral part associated with the Wafer fabrication system arising from the action related to the at least one integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises;

means for identifying at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system; and

means for presenting at least one impact selected from the group comprising one or more effects upon the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system;

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system coupled with the at least one directly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system; and

means for presenting at least one impact selected from the group comprising one or more effects upon the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system linked with the one or more directly-affected integral parts of the wafer fabrication system;

wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises;

means for identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected production tool as the at least one component.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one component.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected utility system as the at least one component.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected component associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one item of utility system equipment of at least one indirectly-affected utility system as the at least one component.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected device that modifies or meters a utility as the at least one control.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one of the group comprising any valve, damper, circuit breaker, flow meter, transformer, or sensor as the at least one control.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected control associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one control.

50. The system of claim 46, wherein said means for identifying the at least one indirectly-affected integral part associated with the wafer fabrication system on a granular basis further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one directly-affected sub-unit of at least one production tool as the at least one connection.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected utility system as the at least one connection.

53. The system of claim 50, wherein said means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected connection associated with the wafer fabrication system further comprises:

means for identifying at least one indirectly-affected item of utility system equipment of at least one utility system as the at least one connection.