System, method, and medium for monitoring performance of an advanced process control system
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in the manufacturing process, process performance data for the at least one process output;
calculating, using the process performance data, at least one of a model health index, wherein the model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a process health index, wherein the process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and
indicating the results of the calculation based on the at least one of the model health index and the process health index.
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Abstract
A method for monitoring performance of an advanced process control system for at least one process output includes calculating a variance of a prediction error for a processing performance and/or a probability for violating specification limits of the processing performance of the at least one process output. If the variance of the prediction error is calculated, the method also includes calculating a model health index. If the probability for violating specification limits is calculated, the method further includes calculating a process health index.
413 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in the manufacturing process, process performance data for the at least one process output; calculating, using the process performance data, at least one of a model health index, wherein the model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a process health index, wherein the process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and indicating the results of the calculation based on the at least one of the model health index and the process health index. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the method comprising the steps of:
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calculating at least one of a variance of a prediction error for a processing performance of the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, and calculating a probability for violating specification limits of the processing performance of the at least one process output, wherein the at least one of the variance and the probability are based on an exponentially weighted moving average; if the variance of the prediction error is calculated, calculating a model health index, wherein the model health index is a ratio of an exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of a standard deviation of the prediction error to an expected estimate of the prediction error, and wherein the exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of the standard deviation of the prediction error is derived from the variance of the prediction error; if the probability for violating specification limits is calculated, calculating a process health index, wherein the process health index is a ratio of the probability for violating the specification limits to a specified probability limit; and indicating the results of the calculation based on at least one of the model health index and the process health index. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving process performance data from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, for the at least one process output; calculating at least one of a current model health index, wherein the current model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of a current one of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a current process health index, wherein the current process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by a current one of the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; if the current model health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent model health index, wherein the subsequent model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of a subsequent one of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output; if the subsequent model health index is calculated, storing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index, such that comparing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index give an indication of a processing performance of the at least one process output; if the current process health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent process health index, wherein the subsequent process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by a subsequent one of the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and if the subsequent process health index is calculated, storing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index, such that comparing the current process health index and the current process health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output.
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23. A method for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the method comprising the steps of:
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calculating at least one of a current variance of a prediction error for a processing performance of the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, and calculatina a current probability for violating specification limits of the processing performance of the at least one process output, wherein the at least one of the current variance and the current probability are based on an exponentially weighted moving average; if the current variance of the prediction error is calculated, calculating a current model health index, wherein the current model health index is a ratio of a current exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of a standard deviation of the prediction error to an expected estimate of the prediction error, and wherein the current exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of the standard deviation of the prediction error is derived from the current variance of the prediction error; if the current model health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent model health index, wherein the subsequent model health index is calculated in a substantially similar manner to the current model health index; if the subsequent model health index is calculated, storing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index, such that comparing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output; if the current probability for violating specification limits is calculated, calculating a current process health index, wherein the current process health index is a ratio of the probability for violating the specification limits to a probability limit; if the current process health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent process health index, wherein the subsequent process health index is calculated in a substantially similar manner to the current process health index; and if the subsequent process health index is calculated, storing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index, such that comparing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output.
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24. A method for monitoring performance of process control system for a plurality of process outputs, the method comprising the steps of:
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calculating at least one of a first model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of a process performance of a first one of the plurality of process outputs from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, and calculating a first process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance of the first one of the plurality of process outputs; calculating at leasf one of a second model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of the process performance of a second one of the plurality of process outputs and a second process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance of the second one of the plurality of process outputs; if the first model health index and the second model health index are calculated, calculating an aggregate model health index of the process performance of the plurality of process outputs; and if the first process health index and the second process health index are calculated, calculating an aggregate process health index of the process performance of the plurality of process outputs. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, comprising:
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a first memory that stores at least one of a predicted value for process performance of the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process and a target value for process performance of the at least one process output; a second memory that stores process performance data of the at least one process output; a third memory that stores at least one of a model health algorithm and a process health algorithm, wherein the model health algorithm is used to calculate a model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of the process performance and the process health algorithm is used to calculate a process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance; and a processor, operably connected to the first memory, the second memory and the third memory, that calculates at least one of the model health index using the model health algorithm and the process health index using the process health algorithm, wherein the model health index is calculated based on a comparison of the predicted value and the process performance data of the at least one process output, and wherein the process health index is calculated based on a comparison of the target value and the process performance data of the at least one process output. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, comprising:
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first storage means for storing at least one of a predicted value for process performance of the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process and a target value for process performance of the at least one process output; second storage means for storing process performance data of the at least one process output; third storage means for storing at least one of a model health algorithm and a process health algorithm, wherein the model health algorithm is used to calculate a model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of the process performance and the process health algorithm is used to calculate a process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance; and processing means, operably connected to the first storage means, the second storage means and the third storage means, that calculates at least one of the model health index using the model health algorithm and the process health index using the process health algorithm, wherein the model health index is calculated based on a comparison of the predicted value and the process performance data of the at least one process output, and wherein the process health index is calculated based on a comparison of the target value and the process performance data of the at least one process output. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, comprising:
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means for receiving process performance data from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, for the at least one process output; means for calculating at least one of a model health index, wherein the model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a process health index, wherein the process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and means for indicating the results of the calculation based on the at least one of the model health index and the process health index.
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44. A system for monitoring performance of an process control system for at least one process output, the system comprising:
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at least one tool, which measures the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; and a controller, coupled to the at least one tool, which provides for central control of the at least one tool, the controller implementing instructions for controlling the at least one tool, the instructions comprising; receiving process performance data for the at least one process output; calculating at least one of a model health index, wherein the model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a process health index, wherein the process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and indicating the results of the calculation based on the at least one of the model health index and the process health index.
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45. A system for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the system comprising:
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at least one tool, which measures the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; and a controller, coupled to the at least one tool, which provides for central control of the at least one tool, the controller implementing instructions for controlling the at least one tool, the instructions comprising; calculating at least one of a variance of a prediction error for a processing performance of the at least one process output and a probability for violating specification limits of the processing performance of the at least one process output, wherein the at least one of the variance and the probability are based on an exponentially weighted moving average; if the variance of the prediction error is calculated, calculating a model health index, wherein the model health index is a ratio of an exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of a standard deviation of the prediction error to an expected estimate of the prediction error, and wherein the exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of the standard deviation of the prediction error is derived from the variance of the prediction error; if the probability for violating specification limits is calculated, calculating a process health index, wherein the process health index is a ratio of the probability for violating the specification limits to a specified probability limit; and performing a notification function based on at least one of the model health index and the process health index.
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46. A system for monitoring performance of an process control system for at least one process output, the system comprising:
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at least one tool, which measures the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; and a controller, coupled to the at least one tool, which provides for central control of the at least one tool, the controller implementing instructions for controlling the at least one tool, the instructions comprising; receiving process performance data for the at least one process output; calculating at least one of a current model health index, wherein the current model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of a current one of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a current process health index, wherein the current process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by a current one of the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; if the current model health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent model health index, wherein the subsequent model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of a subsequent one of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output; if the subsequent model health index is calculated, storing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index, such that comparing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index give an indication of a processing performance of the at least one process output; if the current process health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent process health index, wherein the subsequent process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by a subsequent one of the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and if the subsequent process health index is calculated, storing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index, such that comparing the current process health index and the current process health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output.
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47. A system for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the system comprising:
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at least one tool, which measures the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; and a controller, coupled to the at least one tool, which provides for central control of the at least one tool, the controller implementing instructions for controlling the at least one tool, the instructions comprising; calculating at least one of a current variance of a prediction error for a processing performance of the at least one process output and a current probability for violating specification limits of the processing performance the at least one process output, wherein the at least one of the current variance and the current probability are based on an exponentially weighted moving average; if the current variance of the prediction error is calculated, calculating a current model health index, wherein the current model health index is a ratio of a current exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of a standard deviation of the prediction error to an expected estimate of the prediction error, and wherein the current exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of the standard deviation of the prediction error is derived from the current variance of the prediction error; if the current model health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent model health index, wherein the subsequent model health index is calculated in a substantially similar manner to the current model health index; if the subsequent model health index is calculated, storing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index, such that comparing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output; if the current probability for violating specification limits is calculated, calculating a current process health index, wherein the current process health index is a ratio of the probability for violating the specification limits to a probability limit; if the current process health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent process health index, wherein the subsequent process health index is calculated in a substantially similar manner to the current process health index; and if the subsequent process health index is calculated, storing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index, such that comparing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output.
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48. A system for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the system comprising:
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at least one tool, which measures the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; and a controller, coupled to the at least one tool, which provides for central control of the at least one tool, the controller implementing instructions for controlling the at least one tool, the instructions comprising; calculating at least one of a first model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of a process performance of a first one of the plurality of process outputs and a first process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance of the first one of the plurality of process outputs; calculating at least one of a second model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of the process performance of a second one of the plurality of process outputs and a second process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance of the second one of the plurality of process outputs; if the first model health index and the second model health index are calculated, calculating an aggregate model health index of the process performance of the plurality of process outputs; and if the first process health index and the second process health index are calculated, calculating an aggregate process health index of the process performance of the plurality of process outputs.
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49. A computer-readable medium of instructions for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the instructions comprising:
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receiving process performance data for the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; calculating at least one of a model health index, wherein the model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a process health index, wherein the process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and indicating the results of the calculation based on the at least one of the model health index and the process health index.
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50. A computer-readable medium of instructions for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the instructions comprising:
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calculating at least one of a variance of a prediction error for a processing performance of the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, and calculating a probability for violating specification limits of the processing performance of the at least one process output, wherein the at least one of the variance and the probability are based on an exponentially weighted moving average; if the variance of the prediction error is calculated, calculating a model health index, wherein the model health index is a ratio of an exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of a standard deviation of the prediction error to an expected estimate of the prediction error, and wherein the exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of the standard deviation of the prediction error is derived from the variance of the prediction error; if the probability for violating specification limits is calculated, calculating a process health index, wherein the process health index is a ratio of the probability for violating the specification limits to a specified probability limit; and indicating the results of the calculation based on at least one of the model health index and the process health index.
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51. A computer-readable medium of instructions for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the instructions comprising:
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receiving process performance data for the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process; calculating at least one of a current model health index, wherein the current model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of a current one of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, and a current process health index, wherein the current process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by a current one of the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; if the current model health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent model health index, wherein the subsequent model health index indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of a subsequent one of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output; if the subsequent model health index is calculated, storing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index, such that comparing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index give an indication of a processing performance of the at least one process output; if the current process health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent process health index, wherein the subsequent process health index indicates an estimated probability of violation by a subsequent one of the at least one process output of predefined specification limits; and if the subsequent process health index is calculated, storing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index, such that comparing the current process health index and the current process health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output.
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52. A computer-readable medium of instructions for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the instructions comprising:
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calculating at least one of a current variance of a prediction error for a processing performance of the at least one process output from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, and calcuating a current probability for violating specification limits ofthe processing performance the at least one process output, wherein the at least one of the current variance and the current probability are based on an exponentially weighted moving average; if the current variance of the prediction error is calculated, calculating a current model health index, wherein the current model health index is a ratio of a current exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of a standard deviation of the prediction error to an expected estimate of the prediction error, and wherein the current exponentially weighted moving average-based estimate of the standard deviation of the prediction error is derived from the current variance of the prediction error; if the current model health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent model health index, wherein the subsequent model health index is calculated in a substantially similar manner to the current model health index; if the subsequent model health index is calculated, storing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index, such that comparing the current model health index and the subsequent model health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output; if the current probability for violating specification limits is calculated, calculating a current process health index, wherein the current process health index is a ratio of the probability for violating the specification limits to a probability limit; if the current process health index is calculated, calculating a subsequent process health index, wherein the subsequent process health index is calculated in a substantially similar manner to the current process health index; and if the subsequent process health index is calculated, storing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index, such that comparing the current process health index and the subsequent process health index gives an indication of the processing performance of the at least one process output.
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53. A computer-readable medium of instructions for monitoring performance of process control system for at least one process output, the instructions comprising:
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calculating at least one of a first model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of a process performance of a first one of the plurality of process outputs from an advanced manufacturing process control system that compensates for changes in a manufacturing process, and calculating a first process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance of the first one of the plurality of process outputs; calculating at least one of a second model health index, that indicates an estimate of an ability of a model to predict the behavior of the at least one process output as compared to an expected output, of the process performance of a second one of the plurality of process outputs and a second process health index, that indicates an estimated probability of violation by the at least one process output of predefined specification limits, of the process performance of the second one of the plurality of process outputs; if the first model health index and the second model health index are calculated, calculating an aggregate model health index of the process performance of the plurality of process outputs; and if the first process health index and the second process health index are calculated, calculating an aggregate process health index of the process performance of the plurality of process outputs.
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Specification