Information processing apparatus, processing system, processing method, and program

• US 9,256,221 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Araki, Shinichiro, Matsuda, Katsuhiko, Okada, Kiminori, Ito, Taichi, Nakajima, Susumu, Horiuchi, Nobuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Tung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, XIUQIN
• Application Number:
  US14/040,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 702/81
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4184 characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31435 Paging support with display board, status monitoring and report compiling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31462 Add time stamp to alarm message
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/321 Display for diagnostics, e.g. diagnostic result display, self-test user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for processing information on semiconductor treatment apparatus includes an abnormality information display device which displays information on an abnormality in semiconductor treatment apparatus, a countermeasure information receiving device which receives countermeasure information on countermeasure, a countermeasure information storing device which stores the countermeasure information matched with abnormality identification information, an output device which outputs the countermeasure and abnormality identification information via communication device to outside, a countermeasure item display device which displays countermeasure item candidates, a countermeasure item storing device which stores countermeasure item selected from the candidates matched with the abnormality identification information, a countermeasure item transmitting device which transmits the countermeasure item and abnormality identification information via the communication device to outside, a countermeasure item statistic receiving device which receives statistic regarding the countermeasure item corresponding to the abnormality identification information from outside, and a countermeasure item statistic display device which displays the statistic.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for processing information on a semiconductor treatment apparatus, comprising:

an abnormality information display device configured to display information on an abnormality when the abnormality occurs in a semiconductor treatment apparatus;

a countermeasure information receiving device configured to receive countermeasure information on a countermeasure to the abnormality;

a countermeasure information storing device configured to store the countermeasure information such that the countermeasure information is matched with abnormality identification information for identifying the abnormality;

an output device configured to output the countermeasure information and the abnormality identification information stored in the countermeasure information storing device via a communication device to the outside;

a countermeasure item display device configured to display a plurality of countermeasure item candidates when the abnormality occurs;

a countermeasure item storing device configured to store a countermeasure item selected from the plurality of countermeasure item candidates displayed on the countermeasure item display device such that the countermeasure item is matched with the abnormality identification information;

a countermeasure item transmitting device configured to transmit the countermeasure item and the abnormality identification information stored in the countermeasure item storing device via the communication device to the outside;

a countermeasure item statistic receiving device configured to receive a statistic regarding the countermeasure item corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the outside; and

a countermeasure item statistic display device configured to display the statistic regarding the countermeasure item for the abnormality identification information received by the countermeasure item statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a countermeasure information acquiring device configured to acquire the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information when the abnormality occurs; and

a countermeasure information display device configured to display the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information obtained by the countermeasure information acquiring device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the countermeasure information acquiring device has an abnormality identification information transmitting device configured to transmit the abnormality identification information to the outside via the communication device when the abnormality occurs, and a countermeasure information receiving device configured to receive the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the outside.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a cause-of-abnormality display device configured to display a plurality of cause-of-abnormality candidates;

a cause-of-abnormality storing device configured to store a cause of abnormality selected from the plurality of cause-of-abnormality candidates displayed on the cause-of-abnormality display device such that the cause of abnormality is matched with the abnormality identification information; and

a cause-of-abnormality transmitting device configured to transmit the cause of abnormality and the abnormality identification information stored in the cause-of-abnormality storing device to the outside via the communication device.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a cause-of-abnormality statistic receiving device configured to receive a statistic of the cause of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information; and

a cause-of-abnormality statistic display device configured to display the statistic of the cause of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information received by the cause-of-abnormality statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the statistic regarding the cause of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information includes a count or a percentage of a plurality of causes of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information, and the cause-of-abnormality statistic display device is configured to display the plurality of causes of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information received by the cause-of-abnormality statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs and to display the count or percentage of each of the causes of abnormality in a descending order.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the countermeasure information receiving device is configured to receive the countermeasure information and preservation period information of the countermeasure information, and the output device is configured to output the abnormality identification information, the countermeasure information, and the preservation period information stored in the countermeasure information storing device to at least one other computer.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a countermeasure information acquiring device configured to acquire the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information when the abnormality occurs.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the countermeasure information acquiring device has an abnormality identification information transmitting device configured to transmit the abnormality identification information to the outside via the communication device when the abnormality occurs, and a countermeasure information receiving device configured to receive the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the outside.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program, which when executed by the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, causes the information processing apparatus to:

instruct the abnormality information display device to display the abnormality information when the abnormality occurs in the semiconductor treatment apparatus;

instruct the countermeasure information receiving device to receive the countermeasure information regarding the countermeasure for the abnormality;

instruct the countermeasure information storing device to store the countermeasure information such that the countermeasure information is matched with the abnormality identification information for identifying the abnormality;

instruct the output device to output the abnormality identification information and the countermeasure information stored in the countermeasure information storing device to the outside via the communication device;

instruct the countermeasure item display device to display the plurality of countermeasure item candidates when the abnormality occurs;

instruct the countermeasure item storing device to store the countermeasure item selected from the plurality of countermeasure item candidates displayed on the countermeasure item display device such that the countermeasure item is matched with the abnormality identification information;

instruct the countermeasure item transmitting device to transmit the abnormality identification information and the countermeasure item stored in the countermeasure item storing device to the outside via the communication device;

instruct the countermeasure item statistic receiving device to receive the statistic regarding the countermeasure item corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the outside; and

instruct the countermeasure item statistic display device to display the statistic regarding the countermeasure item for the abnormality identification information received by the countermeasure item statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs.

10. A semiconductor treatment system, comprising:

a semiconductor treatment apparatus;

a plurality of information processing apparatuses for processing information on the semiconductor treatment apparatus; and

a server computer connected to the plurality of information processing apparatuses via a communication network,

wherein the plurality of information processing apparatuses includes a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus has an abnormality information display device configured to display information on an abnormality when the abnormality occurs in the semiconductor treatment apparatus, a countermeasure information receiving device configured to receive countermeasure information regarding a countermeasure for the abnormality, a countermeasure information storing device configured to store the countermeasure information such that the countermeasure information is matched with abnormality identification information for identifying the abnormality, an output device configured to output the countermeasure information and the abnormality identification information stored in the countermeasure information storing device to the server computer via the communication network, a countermeasure item display device configured to display a plurality of countermeasure item candidates when the abnormality occurs, a countermeasure item storing device configured to store a countermeasure item selected from the plurality of countermeasure item candidates displayed on the countermeasure item display device such that the countermeasure item is matched with the abnormality identification information, and a countermeasure item transmitting device configured to transmit the countermeasure item and the abnormality identification information stored in the countermeasure item storing device to the server computer via the communication network,

the server computer has a server computer countermeasure information storing device configured to store the abnormality identification information and the countermeasure information transmitted from the first information processing apparatus, a countermeasure information reading device configured to read the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information stored in the information storing device, a countermeasure information transmitting device configured to transmit the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information read by the countermeasure information reading device to the second information processing apparatus, a countermeasure item storing device configured to store the countermeasure item and the abnormality identification information transmitted from the first information processing apparatus, a statistic generating device configured to generate a statistic regarding the countermeasure item corresponding to the abnormality identification information based on a plurality of countermeasure items corresponding to abnormality identification information data stored in the countermeasure item storing device, and a statistic transmitting device configured to transmit the statistic regarding the countermeasure item corresponding to the abnormality identification information generated by the statistic generating device to the second information processing apparatus, and

the second information processing apparatus has a countermeasure information receiving device configured to receive the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the server computer, a countermeasure information display device configured to display the countermeasure information received by the receiving device, a countermeasure item statistic receiving device configured to receive the statistic regarding the countermeasure item corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the server computer, and a countermeasure item statistic display device configured to display the statistic regarding the countermeasure item for the abnormality identification information received by the countermeasure item statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs.

11. The semiconductor treatment system according to claim 10, wherein the countermeasure information receiving device is configured to receive the countermeasure information and preservation period information of the countermeasure information, the output device is configured to output the abnormality identification information, the countermeasure information, and the preservation period information stored in the countermeasure information storing device to the server computer, and the server computer has a preservation period storing device configured to store the abnormality identification information, the countermeasure information, and the preservation period information output from the first information processing apparatus, and an elimination device configured to eliminate the countermeasure information of the abnormality identification information whose preservation period has elapsed based on the preservation period information.

12. The semiconductor treatment system according to claim 10, wherein the first treatment apparatus has a countermeasure information acquiring device configured to acquire the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information when the abnormality occurs, and a countermeasure information display device configured to display the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information acquired by the countermeasure information acquiring device.

13. The semiconductor treatment system according to claim 12, wherein the countermeasure information acquiring device has an abnormality identification information transmitting device configured to transmit the abnormality identification information to the server computer via the communication network when the abnormality occurs, and a countermeasure information receiving device configured to receive the countermeasure information corresponding to the abnormality identification information transmitted from the server computer.

14. The semiconductor treatment system according to claim 10, wherein the first treatment apparatus has a cause-of-abnormality display device configured to display a plurality of cause-of-abnormality candidates, a cause-of-abnormality storing device configured to store a cause of abnormality selected from the plurality of cause-of-abnormality candidates displayed on the cause-of-abnormality display device such that the cause of abnormality is matched with the abnormality identification information, and a cause-of-abnormality transmitting device configured to transmit the abnormality identification information and the cause of abnormality stored in the cause-of-abnormality storing device to the server computer via the communication network.

15. The semiconductor treatment system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a cause-of-abnormality statistic receiving device configured to receive a statistic regarding the cause of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information; and

a cause-of-abnormality statistic display device configured to display the statistic regarding the cause of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information received by the cause-of-abnormality statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs.

16. The semiconductor treatment system according to claim 15, wherein the statistic regarding the cause of an abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information includes a count or a percentage of a plurality of causes of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information, and the cause-of-abnormality statistic display device is configured to display the plurality of causes of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality identification information received by the cause-of-abnormality statistic receiving device when the abnormality occurs and to display the count or percentage of each of the causes of abnormality in a descending order.