Capacitance manometers and methods relating to auto-drift correction
First Claim
1. A capacitance manometer comprising:
- a sensor capsule with a first port and a second port;
a diaphragm disposed within the sensor capsule, wherein the diaphragm has two sides and is configured and arranged to move within the sensor capsule in response to a pressure difference between respective pressures on the two sides of the diaphragm;
an electrode structure disposed within the sensor capsule adjacent to one side of the diaphragm; and
an electronic circuit configured and arranged to (i) measure capacitance between the diaphragm and the electrode structure, (ii) produce a zero-output reading corresponding to a measured zero pressure, (iii) record two or more time stamps, each corresponding to a respective zero-output reading, and (iv) predict a future drift value of the manometer zero-output reading based on the two or more time stamps and the respective zero-output readings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software implementation, are disclosed providing drift prediction of output values for manometers. A signal or other indication may be provided for or in relation to a capacitance manometer when a servicing, replacing, and/or zeroing event is predicted or determined to be required, based on a history (e.g., timestamps) associated with previous zeroing events. Previously recorded timestamps can be curve fit with suitable functions to calculate or predict future maintenance, calibration, and/or replacement events for a manometer. Such signals or indications can be generated as an on-screen indication, and could also be available upon interrogation of the manometer via a digital communications link or system.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A capacitance manometer comprising:
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a sensor capsule with a first port and a second port; a diaphragm disposed within the sensor capsule, wherein the diaphragm has two sides and is configured and arranged to move within the sensor capsule in response to a pressure difference between respective pressures on the two sides of the diaphragm; an electrode structure disposed within the sensor capsule adjacent to one side of the diaphragm; and an electronic circuit configured and arranged to (i) measure capacitance between the diaphragm and the electrode structure, (ii) produce a zero-output reading corresponding to a measured zero pressure, (iii) record two or more time stamps, each corresponding to a respective zero-output reading, and (iv) predict a future drift value of the manometer zero-output reading based on the two or more time stamps and the respective zero-output readings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of predicting a future drift value of a zero-output reading of a capacitance manometer, the method comprising:
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zeroing a capacitance manometer two or more times; recording a time-stamped zero-offset value for each time the manometer is zeroed, wherein two or more zero-offset values are recorded; and predicting a future drift value of the manometer zero-output reading based on the two or more zero-offset values and the intervening time between the two or more zero-offset values. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of predicting a future drift value of a zero-output reading of a capacitance manometer, the method comprising:
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measuring a plurality of process pressures with a capacitance manometer, each process pressure being associated with one of a plurality of processes of a semiconductor device fabrication process; determining an elapsed time for each of the plurality of processes; calculating a plurality of drift rates for a zero-output reading of the manometer, each corresponding to one of the plurality of processes; and predicting a future drift value of a manometer zero-output reading based on the plurality of drift rates. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification