Communications interface database for electronic diagnostic apparatus

• US 9,026,558 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Dunkle, Mark Vandevert
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, SHEW FEN
• Application Number:
  US11/904,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 707/802, 700/26, 700/73, 700/108, 700/121, 702/85, 702/108, 702/188
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31323 Database for CIM
• 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: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A connection to an item of equipment is detected. An equipment class of the item of equipment is determined. A selection of an attribute associated with the item of equipment is received. An attribute record corresponding to the equipment class of the item of equipment and the selected attribute is retrieved from a database, wherein the attribute record enables a retrieval of a value of the selected attribute from the item of equipment.

Claims

1. A method of testing semiconductor processing equipment by a diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

detecting a connection to a mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment, the mainframe providing a communication interface to one or more processing chambers physically coupled to the mainframe, wherein the one or more processing chambers perform semiconductor fabrication processes;

determining, with the diagnostic apparatus, an equipment class of the mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment, the equipment class identifying a mainframe model designation and version of the mainframe, wherein the mainframe model designation identifies an individual equipment model and the version identifies a specific version of the equipment model specified in the mainframe model designation;

retrieving one or more attribute records matching the equipment class of the mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment from an attribute database;

receiving a selection of one or more attributes included in the retrieved records, wherein each attribute is associated with a sensor measurement or an operating parameter of the one or more processing chambers;

for each selected attribute, identifying a conversion factor and an identifier from the retrieved attribute record uniquely determined by the equipment class of the mainframe, the selected attribute, and at least one of a chamber position or a chamber model designation of the one or more processing chambers;

retrieving, from the mainframe, attribute data that the mainframe associates with the identifier; and

transforming the attribute data into a physical unit of measurement using the conversion factor included in the attribute record, wherein the attribute record includes a first field identifying the equipment class, a second field identifying the attribute, and a third field specifying the identifier, wherein the version of the mainframe includes a version field having sub-fields that enable the version field to identify a range of versions of the equipment model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving attribute data from the mainframe using the first field, the second field and the third field of the attribute record.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving from the attribute database a subordinate record associated with the attribute record, the subordinate record having one or more subordinate fields that are subordinate to the second field of the attribute record.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more subordinate fields include an attribute name field, an attribute chamber model field, a units conversion field, a minimum scale factor conversion field and a maximum scale factor conversion field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, with the diagnostic apparatus, the equipment class of the mainframe includes receiving a user selection of the equipment class, further comprising:

displaying a first view of a graphical user interface that includes a list of user selectable equipment classes; and

upon receiving user selection of the equipment class, displaying a second view of the graphical user interface that includes a list of user selectable attributes associated with the equipment class and at least one of the chamber position and the chamber model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic apparatus is a portable diagnostic apparatus that includes the attribute database.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of testing semiconductor processing equipment by a diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

detecting a connection to a mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment, the mainframe providing a communication interface to one or more processing chambers physically coupled to the mainframe, wherein the one or more processing chambers perform semiconductor fabrication processes;

determining, with the diagnostic apparatus, an equipment class of the mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment, the equipment class identifying a mainframe model designation and version of the mainframe, wherein the mainframe model designation identifies an individual equipment model and the version identifies a specific version of the equipment model specified in the mainframe model designation;

retrieving one or more attribute records matching the equipment class of the mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment from an attribute database;

receiving a selection of one or more attributes included in the retrieved records, wherein each attribute is associated with a sensor measurement or an operating parameter of the one or more processing chambers;

for each selected attribute, identifying a conversion factor and an identifier from the retrieved attribute record uniquely determined by the equipment class of the mainframe, the selected attribute, and at least one of a chamber position or a chamber model designation of the one or more processing chambers;

retrieving, from the mainframe, attribute data that the mainframe associates with the identifier; and

transforming the attribute data into a physical unit of measurement using the conversion factor included in the attribute record, wherein the attribute record includes a first field identifying the equipment class, a second field identifying the attribute, and a third field specifying the identifier, wherein the version of the mainframe includes a version field having sub-fields that enable the version field to identify a range of versions of the equipment model.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, the method further comprising:

retrieving attribute data from the mainframe using the first field, the second field and the third field of the attribute record.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, the method further comprising:

retrieving from the attribute database a subordinate record associated with the attribute record, the subordinate record having one or more subordinate fields that are subordinate to the second field of the attribute record.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more subordinate fields include an attribute name field, an attribute chamber model field, a units conversion field, a minimum scale factor conversion field and a maximum scale factor conversion field.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein determining the equipment class of the mainframe includes receiving a user selection of the equipment class, further comprising:

displaying a first view of a graphical user interface that includes a list of user selectable equipment classes; and

upon receiving user selection of the equipment class, displaying a second view of the graphical user interface that includes a list of user selectable attributes associated with the equipment class and at least one of the chamber position and the chamber model.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the diagnostic apparatus is a portable diagnostic apparatus that includes the attribute database.

13. A diagnostic apparatus comprising:

a digital communications interface and an analog communications interface to connect with a mainframe of a semiconductor processing equipment, the mainframe providing a communication interface to one or more processing chambers physically coupled to the mainframe, wherein the one or more processing chambers perform semiconductor fabrication processes;

an attribute database to store a plurality of attribute records, one or more of the plurality of attribute records including an equipment class identifying a mainframe model designation and version, an attribute associated with a conversion factor and the equipment class, and an identifier uniquely determined by the equipment class, the attribute, and at least one of a chamber position or a chamber model designation of the one or more processing chambers, wherein each attribute is a sensor measurement or an operating parameter of the one or more processing, wherein the mainframe model designation identifies an individual equipment model and the version identifies a specific version of the equipment model specified in the mainframe model designation;

an attribute lookup module, coupled with the digital communications interface and the attribute database, to determine an equipment class of the mainframe, to receive a selection of an attribute associated with the equipment class, the selection including a selection of at least one of a chamber position or a chamber model, and to retrieve an attribute record associated with the equipment class, the selected attribute, and at least one of the chamber model and chamber position, in the attribute database; and

a data collector to retrieve, from the mainframe, attribute data via the digital communications interface or the analog communications interface using the identifier from the retrieved attribute record, and to transform the attribute data into physical units of measurement using the conversion factor included in the attribute record, wherein the attribute record includes a first field identifying the equipment class, a second field identifying the attribute, and a third field specifying the identifier, wherein the version of the mainframe includes a version field having sub-fields that enable the version field to identify a range of versions of the equipment model.

14. The diagnostic apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the attribute database to store a plurality of subordinate records, each of the plurality of subordinate records being associated with one or more of the plurality of attribute records, and each of the plurality of subordinate records having one or more fields that are subordinate to a field of the one or more of the plurality of attribute records; and

the attribute lookup module is further to retrieve from the attribute database a subordinate record associated with the equipment class and the selected attribute in the attribute database.

15. The diagnostic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more subordinate fields include an attribute name field, an attribute chamber model field, a units conversion field, a minimum scale factor conversion field and a maximum scale factor conversion field.

16. The diagnostic apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a graphical user interface to display a list of user selectable attributes associated with the equipment class, and upon receiving user selection of the equipment class, to display a list of user selectable attributes associated with the equipment class and at least one of the chamber position and the chamber model.

17. The diagnostic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the diagnostic apparatus is a portable diagnostic apparatus.

18. A method of testing semiconductor processing

equipment by a diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

detecting a connection to a mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment, the mainframe providing a communication interface to one or more processing chambers physically coupled to the mainframe, the communication interface including at least one data port coupled to each of the processing chamber and to a communications channel managed by a processor of the mainframe, wherein the one or more processing chambers perform semiconductor fabrication processes;

determining, with the diagnostic apparatus, an equipment class of the mainframe of the semiconductor processing equipment, the equipment class including a model and version of the mainframe, wherein the model identifies an individual equipment model and the version identifies a specific version of the equipment model specified in the model;

retrieving one or more attribute records matching the equipment class of the mainframe from an attribute database;

receiving a selection of one or more attributes comprising a sensor measurement, an operating parameter of the equipment class of the mainframe, or at least one of a chamber position or a chamber model uniquely identifying each of the one or more processing chambers;

for each selected attribute, identifying an attribute record corresponding to the equipment class and the selected attribute, wherein the attribute record includes an identifier associated with the equipment class and the selected attribute; and

retrieving, from the mainframe, attribute data that the mainframe associates with the identifier, wherein the attribute record includes a first field identifying the equipment class, a second field identifying the attribute, and a third field specifying the identifier, wherein the version of the mainframe includes a version field having sub-fields that enable the version field to identify a range of versions of the equipment model.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more processing chambers include a first processing chamber with a class of attributes and a second processing chamber with a different class of attributes, wherein the attribute records include a first model of a mainframe with a class of attributes and a second model of a mainframe with a different class of attributes.