Method and apparatus for dynamic adjustment of an active sensor list

• US 7,197,370 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Ryskoski, Matthew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US10/958,816
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 700108-111, 700/121, 702/182, 702/188, 715/700, 715/739, 715/783, 715/810, 715/814, 715/825, 715/828, 715/855, 715/965
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31166 Access data by name, object, stored in list, database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31292 Data in categories, each with a priority factor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31372 Mes manufacturing execution system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31455 Monitor process status
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dynamic adjustment of an active sensor list. The method includes providing an active sensor list indicative of at least one sensor associated with at least one processing tool, the at least one sensor being communicatively coupled to a network having an associated bandwidth, receiving information indicative of a state of at least one of the processing tools, and modifying the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing an active sensor list indicative of at least one sensor associated with at least one processing tool, the at least one sensor being communicatively coupled to a network having an associated bandwidth;

receiving information indicative of a state of at least one of the processing tools; and

modifying the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the active sensor list comprises adding at least one sensor to the active sensor list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adding at least one sensor to the active sensor list comprises adding the at least one sensor to the active sensor list in response to determining that additional network bandwidth is available based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adding the at least one sensor to the active sensor list in response to determining that additional network bandwidth is available based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools comprises adding the at least one sensor to the active sensor list in response to determining that at least one processing tool is idle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the active sensor list comprises removing at least one sensor from the active sensor list.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein removing the at least one sensor from the active sensor list comprises removing the at least one sensor from the active sensor list to increase available network bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the active sensor list comprises modifying the active sensor list based upon at least one of a sensor preference and a sensor priority.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the active sensor list comprises determining that a value associated with tool trace data provided by at least one of the sensors is different than an expected value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the active sensor list comprises modifying the active sensor list based upon at least one empirical correlation between at least one work-in-progress levels, at least one process state, and the bandwidth.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the modified active sensor list.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the modified active sensor list comprises providing the modified active sensor list during a process run.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the modified active sensor list comprises providing the modified active sensor list between two process runs.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the bandwidth associated with the network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the bandwidth associated with the network comprises determining the bandwidth associated with the network based on at least one of a predetermined bandwidth, the active sensor list, and the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools.

15. A manufacturing system, comprising:

means for providing an active sensor list indicative of at least one sensor associated with at least one processing tool, the at least one sensor being communicatively coupled to a network having an associated bandwidth;

means for receiving information indicative of a state of at least one of the processing tools; and

means for modifying the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth.

16. A manufacturing system, comprising:

a network having an associated bandwidth;

at least one sensor communicatively coupled to the network, the sensor configured to provide tool trace data associated with a processing tool via the network;

a controller configured to;

provide an active sensor list indicative of at least one of the sensors coupled to the network;

receive information indicative of a state of at least one of the processing tools; and

modify the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to add at least one sensor to the active sensor list.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to add the at least one sensor to the active sensor list in response to determining that additional network bandwidth is available based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to add the at least one sensor to the active sensor list in response to determining that at least one processing tool is idle based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to remove at least one sensor from the active sensor list.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to remove the at least one sensor from the active sensor list to increase available network bandwidth.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to modify the active sensor list based upon at least one of a sensor preference and a sensor priority.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determine that a value associated with the tool trace data is different than an expected value.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to modify the active sensor list based upon at least one empirical correlation between at least one work-in-progress levels, at least one process state, and the bandwidth.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to provide the modified active sensor list.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to provide the modified active sensor list during a process run.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to provide the modified active sensor list between two process runs.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determine the bandwidth associated with the network.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the controller is configured to determine the bandwidth associated with the network based on at least one of a predetermined bandwidth, the active sensor list, and the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools.

30. A method, comprising:

providing an active sensor list indicative of at least one sensor associated with at least one processing tool, the at least one sensor being communicatively coupled to a network having an associated bandwidth;

receiving information indicative of a state of at least one of the processing tools;

removing at least one sensor from the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth; and

adding at least one sensor to the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth.