Systems and methods for manufacturing control using radio frequency identification

• US 7,145,459 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Liao, Hong-Wen, You, James, Wu, Hong-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N.
• Application Number:
  US11/030,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 700/225, 700/83, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/128 the workpiece itself serves as a record carrier, e.g. by its form, by marks or codes on it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31322 Work still to be done on workpiece
• 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

A system for manufacturing control using radio frequency identification (RFID). A trigger issues a trigger signal when activated by user contact. A RFID interrogator retrieves information from a RFID tag when activated. A controller is configured to activate the RFID interrogator, get the relative information from associated systems and control the indicator according to the trigger signal. An indicator provides operating status of the RFID interrogator and/or information getting from the controller.

Claims

1. A system for manufacturing control using radio frequency identification (RFID), comprising:

a trigger issuing a trigger signal when activated by user contact;

a RFID interrogator retrieving information from a RFID tag when activated;

a controller configured to activate the RFID interrogator and control an indicator according to the trigger signal; and

an indicator providing operating status of the RFID interrogator and/or information getting from the controller.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tool processing a product associated with the RFID tag, wherein the tool is equipped with a port for product input and/or output.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the product is a semiconductor product.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a host connected to the controller, and directing operation of the tool corresponding to the information retrieved from the controller.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator provides operating status of the tool and/or the port and/or the up-to-date information of the product.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information retrieved from the RFID tag comprises product identification information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger comprises a button.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger comprises a touch panel.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises an indicator lamp.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a liquid crystal display.

11. A method of performing radio frequency identification (RFID), comprising:

providing a product associated with a RFID tag;

activation of a trigger by user contact and issuance of a trigger signal thereof;

retrieving information from the RFID tag in response to the trigger signal; and

providing operating status of the RFID interrogator and/or the up-to-date information of the product.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a semiconductor product associated with the RFID tag.

13. The method of claim 11, further transmitting the information retrieved from the RFID tag to a host, wherein the host directs processing of the product corresponding to the information.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising retrieving product identification information corresponding to the product from the RFID tag.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising activation of a button by user contact to generate the trigger signal.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising activation of a touch panel by user contact to generate the trigger signal.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising provision of processing status of the product by an indicator lamp.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising provision of processing status of the product by a liquid crystal display.