SERVER DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM

• US 20100106279A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Satoko
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/105
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32096 Batch, recipe configuration for flexible batch control
• 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 server device includes: a recipe storage unit for storing therein at least a recipe used in a manufacturing apparatus; a recipe receiving unit for receiving a modified recipe in case a content of the recipe in the manufacturing apparatus is modified; a recipe accumulation unit for accumulating the recipe received by the recipe receiving unit in the recipe storage unit; a modification information composition unit for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe; a transmission destination information storage unit for storing therein transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information; a transmission destination information acquisition unit for acquiring the transmission destination information from the transmission destination information storage unit; and a modification information transmitting unit for transmitting the modification information to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information.

Claims

1. A server device included in a group management system, which includes one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate and the server device connected with the one or more manufacturing apparatuses, the server device comprising:

a recipe storage unit for storing therein at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses;

a recipe receiving unit for receiving a modified recipe if a content of the recipe of the manufacturing apparatus is modified;

a recipe accumulation unit for accumulating the recipe received by the recipe receiving unit in the recipe storage unit;

a modification information composition unit for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information storage unit for storing therein transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information;

a transmission destination information acquisition unit for acquiring the transmission destination information from the transmission destination information storage unit; and

a modification information transmitting unit for transmitting the modification information composed by the modification information composition unit to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired by the transmission destination information acquisition unit.

2. The server device of claim 1, wherein the modification information composition unit composes the modification information containing a purport of the modification of the content of the recipe.

3. The server device of claim 1, wherein the modification information composition unit composes the modification information including the modified recipe received by the recipe receiving unit.

4. The server device of claim 1, wherein the modification information composition unit obtains a difference between the non-modified recipe stored in the recipe storage unit and the modified recipe received by the recipe receiving unit and composes the modification information including the difference.

5. The server device of claim 1, wherein the modification of the content of the recipe is a modification of a content of information related to a setup of the manufacturing apparatus in the recipe.

6. The server device of claim 1, wherein the modification of the content of the recipe is a modification of a content of information related to a recipe management.

19. The server device of claim 1, further comprising:

a determination unit for determining whether or not the modification information needs to be transmitted,

wherein the modification information transmitting unit transmits the modification information based on a determination result made by the determination unit.

20. The server device of claim 19, wherein the determination unit determines that the modification information needs to be transmitted if the newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit satisfies a predetermined condition.

21. The server device of claim 20, wherein the predetermined condition implies a case in which it is set that the modification information is to be transmitted with respect to the newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit.

22. The server device of claim 20, wherein the predetermined condition implies a case in which modification has not been made for a predetermined period or more with respect to the newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit.

23. The server device of claim 1, wherein the transmission destination information is set for each recipe, and

the transmission destination information acquisition unit acquires the transmission destination information corresponding to a newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit.

24. The server device of claim 1, wherein the transmission destination information is set for each manufacturing apparatus, and

the transmission destination information acquisition unit acquires the transmission destination information corresponding to the manufacturing apparatus in which a newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit is used.

7. A server device included in a group management system, which includes one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate and the server device connected with the one or more manufacturing apparatuses, the server device comprising:

a recipe storage unit for storing therein at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses;

a recipe receiving unit for receiving the recipe of the manufacturing apparatus;

a recipe accumulation unit for accumulating the recipe received by the recipe receiving unit in the recipe storage unit;

a modification information composition unit for composing modification information related to a modification of a content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information storage unit for storing therein transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information;

a transmission destination information acquisition unit for acquiring the transmission destination information from the transmission destination information storage unit;

a difference/sameness information acquisition unit for comparing a newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit with a recipe, closest in time to the newest recipe, which is stored in the recipe storage unit and is a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus in which the newest recipe is used and acquiring difference/sameness information indicating whether the two recipes are different or not; and

a modification information transmitting unit for transmitting the modification information composed by the modification information composition unit to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired by the transmission destination acquisition unit if there is found a difference between the two recipes based on the difference/sameness information acquired by the difference/sameness information acquisition unit.

8. The server device of claim 7, wherein the difference/sameness information acquisition unit compares information related to setups of the manufacturing apparatus in the two recipes and acquires difference/sameness information indicating whether the information related to the setups of the manufacturing apparatus is different or not.

9. The server device of claim 8, wherein the information related to the setup of the manufacturing apparatus indicates a step included in the recipe, and the difference/sameness information acquisition unit acquires difference/sameness information indicating whether respective steps are different or not by comparing the respective steps included in the two recipes.

10. The server device of claim 7, wherein the difference/sameness information acquisition unit acquires difference/sameness information indicating whether information related to management of the two recipes is different or not by comparing the information related to the management of the two recipes.

11. The server device of claim 7, wherein the modification information composition unit composes the modification information including the difference/sameness information acquired by the difference/sameness information acquisition unit.

12. The server device of claim 7, wherein the modification information composition unit composes the modification information including the newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit.

13. A server device included in a group management system, which includes one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate and the server device connected with the one or more manufacturing apparatuses, the server device comprising:

a recipe storage unit for storing therein at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses;

a recipe receiving unit for receiving the recipe of the manufacturing apparatus;

a recipe accumulation unit for accumulating the recipe received by the recipe receiving unit in the recipe storage unit;

a master recipe storage unit for storing therein a master recipe serving as a reference recipe;

a modification information composition unit for composing modification information related to a modification of a content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information storage unit for storing therein transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information;

a transmission destination information acquisition unit for acquiring the transmission destination information from the transmission destination information storage unit;

a difference/sameness information acquisition unit for acquiring difference/sameness information indicating whether two recipes are different or not by comparing a newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit with the master recipe stored in the master recipe storage unit; and

a modification information transmitting unit for transmitting the modification information composed by the modification information composition unit to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired by the transmission destination information acquisition unit if there is found a difference between the two recipes based on the difference/sameness information acquired by the difference/sameness information acquisition unit.

14. The server device of claim 13, wherein the difference/sameness information acquisition unit acquires difference/sameness information indicating whether information related to setups of the manufacturing apparatus is different or not by comparing the information related to the setups of the manufacturing apparatus in the two recipes.

15. The server device of claim 14, wherein the information related to the setup of the manufacturing apparatus indicates a step included in the recipe, and

the difference/sameness information acquisition unit acquires difference/sameness information indicating whether respective steps are different or not by comparing the respective steps included in the two recipes.

16. The server device of claim 13, wherein the difference/sameness information acquisition unit acquires difference/sameness information indicating whether information related to management of the two recipes is different or not by comparing the information related to the management of the two recipes.

17. The server device of claim 13, wherein the modification information composition unit composes the modification information including the difference/sameness information acquired by the difference/sameness information acquisition unit.

18. The server device of claim 13, wherein the modification information composition unit composes the modification information including the newest recipe received by the recipe receiving unit.

25. An information processing method used in a server device connected with one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate, the method comprising:

a recipe receiving process for receiving a modified recipe if a content of a recipe in the manufacturing apparatus is modified;

a recipe accumulating process for accumulating the recipe, received in the recipe receiving process, in a recipe storage unit in which at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses is stored;

a modification information composing process for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information acquiring process for acquiring transmission destination information from a transmission destination information storage unit in which the transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information is stored; and

a modification information transmitting process for transmitting the modification information composed in the modification information composing process to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired in the transmission destination information acquiring process.

26. An information processing method used in a server device connected with one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate, the method comprising:

a recipe receiving process for receiving a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus;

a recipe accumulating process for accumulating the recipe, received in the recipe receiving process, in a recipe storage unit in which at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses is stored;

a modification information composing process for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information acquiring process for acquiring transmission destination information from a transmission destination information storage unit in which the transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information is stored;

a difference/sameness information acquiring process for comparing a newest recipe received in the recipe receiving process with a recipe, closest in time to the newest recipe, which is stored in the recipe storage unit and is a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus in which the newest recipe is used, and acquiring difference/sameness information indicating whether two recipes are different or not; and

a modification information transmitting process for transmitting the modification information composed in the modification information composing process to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired in the transmission destination information acquiring process if there is found a difference between the two recipes based on the difference/sameness information acquired in the difference/sameness information acquiring process.

27. An information processing method used in a server device connected with one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate, the method comprising:

a recipe receiving process for receiving a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus;

a recipe accumulating process for accumulating the recipe, received in the recipe receiving process, in a recipe storage unit in which at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses is stored;

a modification information composing process for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information acquiring process for acquiring transmission destination information from a transmission destination information storage unit in which the transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information is stored;

a difference/sameness information acquiring process for comparing a newest recipe received in the recipe receiving process with a master recipe serving as a reference recipe and stored in a master recipe storage unit and acquiring difference/sameness information indicating whether the two recipes are different or not; and

a modification information transmitting process for transmitting the modification information composed in the modification information composing process to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired in the transmission destination information acquiring process if there is found a difference between the two recipes based on the difference/sameness information acquired in the difference/sameness information acquiring process.

28. A program to be executed in a server device connected with one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate,

wherein the program executes on a computer:

a recipe receiving process for receiving a modified recipe if a content of a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus is modified;

a recipe accumulating process for accumulating the recipe, received in the recipe receiving process, in a recipe storage unit in which at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses is stored;

a modification information composing process for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information acquiring process for acquiring transmission destination information from a transmission destination information storage unit in which the transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information is stored; and

a modification information transmitting process for transmitting the modification information composed in the modification information composing process to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired in the transmission destination information acquiring process.

29. A program to be executed in a server device connected with one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate,

wherein the program executes on a computer:

a recipe receiving process for receiving a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus;

a recipe accumulating process for accumulating the recipe, received in the recipe receiving process, in a recipe storage unit in which at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses is stored;

a modification information composing process for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information acquiring process for acquiring transmission destination information from a transmission destination information storage unit in which the transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information is stored;

a difference/sameness information acquiring process for comparing a newest recipe received in the recipe receiving process with a recipe, closest in time to the newest recipe, which is stored in the recipe storage unit and is a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus in which the newest recipe is used, and acquiring difference/sameness information indicating whether the two recipes are different or not; and

a modification information transmitting process for transmitting the modification information composed in the modification information composing process to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired in the transmission destination information acquiring process if there is found a difference between the two recipes based on the difference/sameness information acquired in the difference/sameness information acquiring process.

30. A program to be executed in a server device connected with one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate,

wherein the program executes on a computer:

a recipe receiving process for receiving a recipe of the manufacturing apparatus;

a recipe accumulating process for accumulating the recipe, received in the recipe receiving process, in a recipe storage unit in which at least a recipe used in the one or more manufacturing apparatuses is stored;

a modification information composing process for composing modification information related to a modification of the content of the recipe;

a transmission destination information acquiring process for acquiring transmission destination information from a transmission destination information storage unit in which the transmission destination information indicating a transmission destination of the modification information is stored;

a difference/sameness information acquiring process for comparing a newest recipe received in the recipe receiving process with a master recipe serving as a reference recipe and stored in a master recipe storage unit and acquiring difference/sameness information indicating whether the two recipes are different or not; and

a modification information transmitting process for transmitting the modification information composed in the modification information composing process to the transmission destination indicated by the transmission destination information acquired in the transmission destination information acquiring process if there is found a difference between the two recipes based on the difference/sameness information acquired in the difference/sameness information acquiring process.